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Radial compression elasticity of single DNA molecules studied by vibrating scanning polarization force microscopy. The radial compression properties of single DNA molecules have been studied using vibrating scanning polarization force microscopy. By imaging DNA molecules at different vibration amplitude set-point values, we obtain the correlations between radially applied force and DNA compression, from which the radial compressive elasticity can be deduced. The estimated elastic modulus is approximately 20-70 MPa under small external forces (<0.4 nN) and increases to approximately 100-200 MPa for large loads. | High | [
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Q: Проблема с функцией sleep() и root.after() на Python Возникла проблема с функцией sleep() на языке программирования Python. Допустим, я создаю программу виртуального питомца и мне нужно определить для него функцию сна, её название - sleep_f. Для этого я программирую следующие действия: Идентификация нужных объектов - Frame (это просто чёрный фон) и Button (кнопка 'Back') Удаление ненужных объектов - кнопка Sleep Появление Frame Задержка Появление кнопки 'Back' Примерный код приведён снизу: from tkinter import * import time import random root = Tk() root.geometry('300x300') sleep = 50 button = Button(text = 'Sleep', command = lambda: sleep_f()) button.place(x = 0, y = 0) def sleep_f(): global sleep if sleep < 51: sleep_ = Frame(bg = 'black', width = 300, height = 300) back = Button(text = 'Back') button.place_forget() sleep_.place(x = 0, y = 0) time.sleep(random.randint(5, 15)) sleep = 100 back.place(x = 25, y = 200) root.mainloop() И вроде бы всё хорошо, но на самом деле нет. Оказалось, что когда я нажимаю кнопку Sleep, которая вызывает функцию, кнопка залипает и запускается задержка, а только после неё появляется фон и кнопка 'Back'. А мне требуется так, чтобы сначала появлялся фон, запускалась задержка, и уже после этого появлялась кнопка 'Back'. Надеюсь понятно. Помогите, пожалуйста. UPD: Попробовал способ с root.after(), также безуспешно. from tkinter import * import time import random root = Tk() root.geometry('300x300') sleep = 50 button = Button(text = 'Sleep', command = lambda: sleep_f()) button.place(x = 0, y = 0) def sleep_f(): global sleep if sleep < 51: sleep_ = Frame(bg = 'black', width = 300, height = 300) back = Button(text = 'Back') button.place_forget() sleep_.place(x = 0, y = 0) sleep = 100 root.after(random.randint(5000, 15000), back.place(x = 25, y = 200)) root.mainloop() Что я делаю не так? UPD: Вопрос решён A: Вот рабочий пример from tkinter import * import time import random import threading root = Tk() root.geometry('300x300') sleep = 50 button = Button(text = 'Sleep', command = lambda: sleep_f()) button.place(x = 0, y = 0) def timer(timeout, func): Timer = threading.Timer(timeout, func) Timer.start() # timeout - время в секундах # func - функция которая выполнится после истечения времени def wakeup(): global sleep sleep = 100 back = Button(text = 'Back') back.place(x = 25, y = 200) def sleep_f(): global sleep if sleep < 51: sleep_ = Frame(bg = 'black', width = 300, height = 300) sleep_.place(x = 0, y = 0) timer(random.randint(5, 15), wakeup) root.mainloop() | Mid | [
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Show HN: Maslow – Social opinions platform - joslin01 https://www.producthunt.com/tech/maslow ====== joslin01 I'm the CTO of Maslow. Our tech stack is built with the following technologies: * Scala / Play! / Akka (api) * Neo4j * Meteor (webapp) * AngularJS (admin) * Elasticsearch * Redis It is deployed via ECS. All of our services are dockerized including Neo4j & ES. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. For those of you who are NYC-based, I'm running a Neo4j meet-up on 2/9\. Come by and say hi! | Mid | [
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<?php /* * Copyright 2016 Google Inc. * * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not * use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of * the License at * * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0 * * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under * the License. */ /** * The "reports" collection of methods. * Typical usage is: * <code> * $youtubereportingService = new Google_Service_YouTubeReporting(...); * $reports = $youtubereportingService->reports; * </code> */ class Google_Service_YouTubeReporting_Resource_JobsReports extends Google_Service_Resource { /** * Gets the metadata of a specific report. (reports.get) * * @param string $jobId The ID of the job. * @param string $reportId The ID of the report to retrieve. * @param array $optParams Optional parameters. * * @opt_param string onBehalfOfContentOwner The content owner's external ID on * which behalf the user is acting on. If not set, the user is acting for * himself (his own channel). * @return Google_Service_YouTubeReporting_Report */ public function get($jobId, $reportId, $optParams = array()) { $params = array('jobId' => $jobId, 'reportId' => $reportId); $params = array_merge($params, $optParams); return $this->call('get', array($params), "Google_Service_YouTubeReporting_Report"); } /** * Lists reports created by a specific job. Returns NOT_FOUND if the job does * not exist. (reports.listJobsReports) * * @param string $jobId The ID of the job. * @param array $optParams Optional parameters. * * @opt_param string onBehalfOfContentOwner The content owner's external ID on * which behalf the user is acting on. If not set, the user is acting for * himself (his own channel). * @opt_param int pageSize Requested page size. Server may return fewer report * types than requested. If unspecified, server will pick an appropriate * default. * @opt_param string pageToken A token identifying a page of results the server * should return. Typically, this is the value of * ListReportsResponse.next_page_token returned in response to the previous call * to the `ListReports` method. * @opt_param string createdAfter If set, only reports created after the * specified date/time are returned. * @opt_param string startTimeAtOrAfter If set, only reports whose start time is * greater than or equal the specified date/time are returned. * @opt_param string startTimeBefore If set, only reports whose start time is * smaller than the specified date/time are returned. * @return Google_Service_YouTubeReporting_ListReportsResponse */ public function listJobsReports($jobId, $optParams = array()) { $params = array('jobId' => $jobId); $params = array_merge($params, $optParams); return $this->call('list', array($params), "Google_Service_YouTubeReporting_ListReportsResponse"); } } | Low | [
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Development of an In Vivo Retrodialysis Calibration Method Using Stable Isotope Labeling to Monitor Metabolic Pathways in the Tumor Microenvironment via Microdialysis. Microdialysis is a technique that utilizes a semipermeable membrane to sample analytes present within tissue interstitial fluid. Analyte-specific calibration is required for quantitative microdialysis, but these calibration methods are tedious, require significant technical skill, and often cannot be performed jointly with the experimental measurements. Here, we describe a method using retrodialysis with stable-isotope-labeled analytes that enables simultaneous calibration and quantification for in vivo tumor microdialysis. Isotope-labeled amino acids relevant to immuno-metabolism in the tumor microenvironment (tryptophan, kynurenine, glutamine, and glutamate) were added to the microdialysis perfusate, and microdialysis probes were inserted in subcutaneous CT26 and MC38 tumors in mice. The levels of both the endogenous and isotope-labeled amino acids in the perfusate outlet were quantified using LC-MS/MS. Plasma and tumor tissue samples were also collected from the same mice and amino acid levels quantified using LC-MS/MS. Amino acids which showed statistically significant differences between the CT26-bearing and MC38-bearing mice in tumor lysate (tryptophan, kynurenine, and glutamine) and plasma (glutamate) were not the same as those identified as significantly different in tumor interstitial fluid (kynurenine and glutamate), underscoring how microdialysis can provide unique and complementary insights into tumor and immune metabolism within the tumor microenvironment. | High | [
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Silver Apple Medical Spa Fairmount - Art Museum In a Nutshell Laser-based treatments can prompt the body to reabsorb everything from small spider veins to deep reticular veins The Fine Print Promotional value expires Dec 19, 2012. Amount paid never expires.Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Limit 1 per visit. 24hr cancellation notice required or a $100 fee may apply. Must be 18 or older. Services must be used by the same person. Must use promotional value in 1 visit.Merchant is solely responsible to purchasers for the care and quality of the advertised goods and services. Silver Apple Medical Spa Veins were never meant to be seen, much like all of the exposed wiring on the back of the moon. Keep up appearances with this Groupon. Choose from Three Options $99 for two laser-based spider-vein treatments (a $398 value) $169 for four laser-based spider-vein treatments (a $796 value) $239 for six laser-based spider-vein treatments (a $1,194 value) Pulsed light from an ND:YAG laser close off veins, redirect blood flow, and prompt the body to reabsorb the vein. Silver Apple Medical Spa's vein treatments can target small and large veins, and they are effective for patients with light, dark, or tan skin. Silver Apple Medical Spa Silver Apple Medical Spa uses nonsurgical treatments to help patients look younger and feel more beautiful. The medical staff wield lasers to remove everything from unwanted hair, to spider and varicose veins to tiny supervillains lodged deep inside pores. They also use them when trying to even out skin texture and remove scars. When they’re not harnessing laser power, the staff administer other skin-smoothing procedures—such as microdermabrasion—and they also design skincare regimens for patients to use at home. Silver Apple Medical Spa Silver Apple Medical Spa uses nonsurgical treatments to help patients look younger and feel more beautiful. The medical staff wield lasers to remove everything from unwanted hair, to spider and varicose veins to tiny supervillains lodged deep inside pores. They also use them when trying to even out skin texture and remove scars. When they’re not harnessing laser power, the staff administer other skin-smoothing procedures—such as microdermabrasion—and they also design skincare regimens for patients to use at home. | Mid | [
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Q: What do "Batél Beshishim Lechatechila" and " Mevatél Issur Lechatechila" mean? What do "Batél Beshishim Lechatechila" and "Mevatél Issur Lechatechila" mean? A: Batel BeShishim - this means means that something is nullified one part in 60. So one part of something forbidden to 60 parts of something permitted. This is derived from a verse, but the idea is that once something is one to sixty you can be assured that the taste is not there. The classic case is if a drop of milk spills into a large pot of meat stew - if the drop of milk is less than 1 to 60 then the mixture did not become forbidden. There are limitations to this principle (like if the problem can be found and discreetly removed or if the item is a flavoring ingredient and thus has a stronger taste than typical for its volume), but that is the idea. One important point of this is that it is only permitted if it was done by accident or without intention to remove the problem. So Batel BeShishim LeChatchila is the idea of doing this mix on purpose. Mevatel Issur LeChatchila is the general idea of doing something to remove the prohibition of some mixture without actually removing the forbidden substance. So lets say, in the above example, a piece of butter fell into the meat stew (less than 1 to 60). You could remove it before it melts, but instead it is mixed on purpose into the stew and melted in. Well, if that happened by accident, it would be fine, but since this was intentionally done it creates another set of problems, with only specific circumstances permitting it. Another example of the latter that doesn't involve the 1 to 60 ratio is an infested produce where the bugs are already less than 1 to 60. It is still forbidden to eat that as long as the bugs are whole, so in order to remove the problem, the produce could be pureed (or according to some, frozen) to break down the whole bug into parts, thus permitting the mixture. Again, this can only be done in a limited set of circumstances. | High | [
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(1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to semiconductor integrated circuits, and more particularly to a method for fabricating an array of dynamic random access memory (DRAM) cells with Y-shaped stacked capacitors to increase the capacitance while maintaining a high density of memory cells. (2) DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Dynamic random access memory (DRAM) circuits (devices) are used extensively in the electronics industry, and more particularly in the computer industry for storing data in binary form (1 and 0) as charge on a storage capacitor. These DRAM devices are made on semiconductor substrates (or wafers) and then the substrates are diced to form the individual DRAM circuits (or chips). Each DRAM circuit (chip) consists in part of an array of individual memory cells that store binary data (bits) as electrical charge on the storage capacitors. Further, the information is stored and retrieved from the storage capacitors by means of switching on or off a single access transistor (via word lines) in each memory cell using peripheral address circuits, while the charge stored on the capacitors is sensed via bit lines and by read/write circuits formed on the peripheral circuits of the DRAM chip. The access transistor for the DRAM device is usually a field effect transistor (FET), and the single capacitor in each cell is either formed in the semiconductor substrate as a trench capacitor, or is built over the FET in the cell area as a stacked capacitor. To maintain a reasonable DRAM chip size and improved circuit performance, it is necessary to further reduce the area occupied by the individual cells on the DRAM chip. Unfortunately, as the cell size decreases, it becomes increasing more difficult to fabricate stacked or trench storage capacitors with sufficient capacitance to store the necessary charge to provide an acceptable signal-to-noise level for the read circuits (sense amplifiers) to detect. The reduced charge also requires more frequent refresh cycles that periodically restore the charge on these volatile storage cells. This increase in refresh cycles further reduces the performance (speed) of the DRAM circuit. Since the capacitor area is limited to the cell size in order to accommodate the multitude of cells on the DRAM chip, it is necessary to explore alternative methods for increasing the capacitance without increasing the lateral area that the capacitor occupies on the substrate surface. In recent years the method of choice is to build stacked capacitors over the access transistors within each cell area, rather than forming trench capacitors that need to be etched to increasing depths in the substrate to maintain the necessary capacitance. The stacked capacitors also provide increased latitude in capacitor design and processing while reducing cell area. More specifically, the stacked capacitors can be extended in the vertical direction (third dimension) to increase the stacked capacitor area, and therefore to increase the capacitance. Numerous methods of making DRAM circuits using stacked capacitors have been reported in the literature. One method of making multi-fin stacked capacitors having increased capacitance is described by Hsue et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,716,884. The method uses alternating layers of two different insulating materials that are used as a template to form multi-fin polysilicon capacitors over the gate electrodes and the field oxide areas for capacitor-under-bit line (CUB) DRAMs. Another approach for making CUB multi-fin stacked capacitors is described by Chang, U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,639, in which the multi-fins are formed over the gate electrodes (word lines) and over the field oxide. Still another approach is taught by Rostoker in U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,709, in which a composite trench-fin capacitor is formed to increase capacitance. The trench is etched in the node contact area, and the fin-shaped portion of the capacitor is formed over the gate electrodes and over the field oxide areas for a CUB DRAM. Ema, U.S. Pat. No. 5,705,420, forms a Y-shaped multi-fin capacitor over the word lines to increase the capacitance on a CUB DRAM device. Although there has been considerable work done to increase the capacitance area on these miniature stacked capacitors, it is still desirable to further improve on these capacitors while maintaining a simple process to minimize the number of masking steps. | Mid | [
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Send this page to someone via email A woman has filed a $2 million lawsuit claiming she was left in a coma after eating wonton soup at a Calgary restaurant. Nicole Laurin says nearly two years ago she grabbed dinner with her husband Dwayne, something they did on an almost daily basis. “I purchased a wonton soup, which my husband went to pick up for me, which he regularly did because it was my favourite dinner – wor wonton soup with satay sauce. I like the spice and that’s what I would have for dinner, sometimes three times a week,” Laurin said. But she says something didn’t sit right, thinking she may have had food poisoning. The last thing Laurin remembered after dinner was it was Halloween night before she went to bed early. “I remember waking up in the hospital with a respirator and my sister and my whole family were there, I didn’t know what happened but then they asked me and they started telling me that I was sleeping for five or six days. I can’t remember.” Story continues below advertisement Nicole said she was in a coma for nearly a week and needed dialysis. She says the doctors told her it was something quite serious. “They told me I had E. coli. I still remember them coming to me and asked me if I had I travelled and where I had been, to find out the source.” The restaurant in question, Saigon Bistro on MacLeod Trail, is still open and Alberta Health Services has not received any complaints about the food, nor did it get any reports of illness at the time of the alleged incident. But the Vietnamese and Thai restaurant was handed a statement of claim by Laurin for more than $2 million. In it, it says “Laurin subsequently became very ill suffering severe abdominal cramps over several days after which she became unconscious or comatose and had to be taken to hospital where she was forced to remain for several months.” The claim questions the cleanliness of the restaurant and if the food was cooked or stored at adequate temperatures. A response from the restaurant has not been filed in court. Laurin is hoping for $1.5 million in prospective loss of income. Story continues below advertisement During routine inspections of the restaurant earlier this year, AHS noted ‘mouse droppings throughout the facility and on top of the dishwasher.’ It also found there was no adequate sanitizer to clean the utensils and surfaces but none of these allegations have been proven in court. No one else has reported being sick and repeated calls to Saigon Bistro have not been returned. The meat shop where the wontons came from is also named in the suit. | Low | [
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Silicon Valley's Prescriptions for Internet Addiction The people whose livelihoods and egos depend on the success of Internet-powered gadgets have started disconnecting because of all the detrimental things it may or may not do to our brains that we've read about in various trend stories, of late. Unlike us, though, who read about this so-called trend on the Internet, then wrote about it on the Internet, and continued our plugged-in lives, they are doing something about it, according to The New York Times's Matt Ritchel. More than the magazine cover stories with somewhat alarmist takes on the subject, this trend makes us listen. If the people who profit off of this tech have acknowledged and started treating their tech addictions, it suggests the problem is real. It's like hearing about a big tobacco company offering employee advice to quit smoking. So now that The Times got us listening, here's how Silicon Valley suggests we deal with the addiction. RELATED: Netflix Is Winning the Internet Keep an Internet journal. One Facebook executive Stuart Crabb, who compared our Internet habits to boiling a frog to death, suggests people "notice the effect that time online has on your performance and relationships." How better to do that than with a journal? Even an Internet journal, like a blog or a tumblr would work. Or, if you're trying to pare back time spent online, an old-school paper and pen one works, too. Assuming you still know how to write. Some of us don't. (We should probably put that in our journals.) Do yoga. Though many people would call yoga a "crock," science has found it has many health benefits. Now add Internet addiction to that. Padmasree Warrior, the chief technology and strategy officer at Cisco meditates every night. "It’s almost like a reboot for your brain and your soul," she told Ritchell. "It makes me so much calmer when I’m responding to e-mails later." Get an offline hobby. A lot of fun things happen online, so many that even after work for hours on a computer, we spend most of our off-hours with the glowing screens of our gadgets. When not meditating, Warrior writes poetry and paints for example. Another executive at Twitter organizes improv classes for employees. Really, anything not screen related works. Don't blame us! Silicon Valley may have enabled our (and its own) addiction. But it doesn't want us to think it did anything wrong. "We’re done with this honeymoon phase and now we’re in this phase that says, 'Wow, what have we done?'" Soren Gordhamer, who organizes Wisdom 2.0, an annual conference on digital-life balance, told Ritchell. "It doesn’t mean what we’ve done is bad. There’s no blame. But there is a turning of the page." Hear that, no blame. Just recovery. These methods sound a lot like ways drug addicts deal with their addiction, according to this drug addiction help center, which counsels, "Change is never easy—and committing to sobriety involves changing many things, including: the way you deal with stress, who you allow in your life, what you do in your free time, how you think about yourself." And, believe the trend stories or not, these methods are working, say these tech executives. | High | [
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Pack of 3 Elegant Men's Watches Price in Pakistan (Code: M010414) offer by PakStyle are just Rs.1195/- instead of Rs.1650/-. Buy Pack of 3 Elegant Men's Watches Online in Pakistan and variety of other products like Mens Watches at PakStyle.pk and enjoy Fast Shipping with Free Home Delivery in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Faisalabad, Hyderabad, Quetta, Peshawar, all across Pakistan and get it delivered in 1-4 working days. | Mid | [
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How does ERP work? What functionalities should have the ERP / CRM / MRP system? What are the key areas of your business activity: distribution, production, finance, CRM? It is possible also to look at the matter under a completely different angle – what benefits can provide corporate IT system in the following critical areas of activity: Distribution: are the goods always provided to the right places in time? What improvements would be useful in the stock, inventory, orders and supply management? Are the sale forecasts accurate and reliable, and are they directly translated into the planning of material goods supply? The good business management system can increase the efficiency of activities in the area of distribution and supply chain management, help to control costs and maximize the use of limited resources with better results. Production: are you able to produce what your customers wish for, better and more efficiently? What would happen if you could develop, produce or assemble products faster or with lower overheads? And what about the production quality – whether it wouldn’t be good to increase the repeatable production quality through the effective quality assurance system? In addition to the above reasons, many companies introduce management support systems in order to be able to more quickly and more flexibly react to changes in market trends and competition effects. Finance: does the company operate in accordance with established strategy? Of course, you closely follow the financial results of the company and economic events affecting it, managing finances in the most efficient way. And if you could reduce the time of this work and simplify it, with easier access to critical financial information? A good (ERP) system can, e.g. minimize the time and effort of closing the month by employees. And easy-to-use interface can reduce human errors in financial calculations. The good financial management system can also enable to generate cross-sectional financial statements, based on all relevant information. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): are the customers satisfied with the service of your company? Contacts with customers can be a determining factor of the company existence. Do you facilitate your cooperation with customers? Do you understand their needs and preferences, and most importantly – are you satisfying them? The new ERP system can help to fit contacts with customers in commercial and marketing actions, which may result in an increase of turnovers and greater attachment of customers. | High | [
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Tuesday, 14 July 2015 What colour should I be wearing? We all know the colours we like, but there are so many times when I look back of photos and think how washed out I look in certain outfits. A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to meet stylist Alex Longmore at the Dove Invisible Dry event who talked me through which colours actually suit me. As the event was all about colour, I had donned my sunshine yellow coat and cobalt blue silk top (Embroidered Front T-Shirt with Linen £22.50 M&S pictured) to demonstrate my wiliness to embrace brights. Funnily enough, Alex told me that the intense blue I was wearing was my perfect colour, and that jewel shades are the most flattering on my hair and skin colour. This seemed like the perfect excuse to hit the shops to add a few more pieces of my now signature shade to my wardrobe. So I treated myself to the Phase Eight Blue Elissa Silk Maxi Skirt £85 and Coast Fey Printed Top £29 in the sale, which although is mainly black has the cobalt blue orchids which is a nod to the blue - I can't be constantly in head to toe. As cobalt blue looks so fab with gold, I've teamed the maxi skinny with these gorgeous Diamante Chain Mail Sandals (M&S £19.50). What would be disastrous is if I got deodorant marks on my new threads, as they would stand out a mile, but luckily Dove's Invisible deodorant (£3.75 Boots) has been tested on 100 colours and doesn't leave marks, phew. | Low | [
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The authors confirm that all data underlying the findings are fully available without restriction. The raw 454 reads (in SFF format), the additional sequences obtained with Sanger sequencing (in ABI format), the SNP report produced with GS Amplicon Variant Analyzer 2.8, the alignments (raw, with indels removed, and collapsed into haplotypes), the input files for BAPS, MrBayes, BUCKy and \*BEAST, and the individual gene trees resulting from MrBayes (created during the BUCKy exercise) and the species tree resulting from the eight \*BEAST runs are available under Dryad Digital Repository entry doi:10.5061/dryad.mm81p. Introduction {#s1} ============ The importance of molecular data in biological systematics can hardly be overstated, but potential pitfalls should be considered. In particular, a single gene tree does not necessarily reflect the phylogenetic relationships among species -- hereafter referred to as the species tree -- as phenomena like incomplete lineage sorting and introgression cloud the pattern of descent [@pone.0111011-Funk1]. The mitochondrial genome is inherited as a single unit and gives rise to a single gene tree. On the other hand, the nuclear genome, due to its recombining nature, represents a collection of gene trees embedded in the species tree. To distill the species tree, a multitude of nuclear genes should be employed [@pone.0111011-Edwards1]. The progress in next-generation sequencing facilitates the production of large datasets and the use of multilocus datasets in systematics will soon become the norm [@pone.0111011-Lemmon1], [@pone.0111011-Carstens1]. The increase in molecular data is followed by advances in analytical methods. It is now realized that combining alignments in a supermatrix that is treated as if it was a single 'supergene' can be misleading as this approach ignores the discordance among gene trees in phylogeny reconstruction. High confidence can be appointed to incorrectly inferred evolutionary relationships under data concatenation [@pone.0111011-Lemmon1], [@pone.0111011-Kubatko1], [@pone.0111011-Edwards2]. Furthermore, choice of allele in the concatenation process in the case of heterozygote marker-individual combinations can lead to widely differing topologies [@pone.0111011-Weisrock1], [@pone.0111011-Lischer1]. Gene tree discordance is explicitly incorporated in Bayesian concordance analysis, in which individual gene trees are summarized to provide a 'concordance factor' per clade, representing the proportion of gene trees in which clades are present. [@pone.0111011-An1], [@pone.0111011-Baum1]. Recent coalescent-based methods of species tree estimation take advantage of the information contained in a sample of gene trees more directly by conjointly estimating the species tree and individual gene trees, while explicitly taking into account incomplete lineage sorting as a source of gene tree discordance [@pone.0111011-Edwards1], [@pone.0111011-Degnan1]. Despite these analytical advances, rapid radiations with temporally closely spaced branching events tend to show much incongruence among gene trees and still pose a challenge, even for coalescent-based methods [@pone.0111011-Lanier1], [@pone.0111011-Leach1]. Reconstructing relationships under such scenarios may be further complicated by ongoing gene flow, especially when it occurs between non-sister taxa [@pone.0111011-Leach2], [@pone.0111011-Kutschera1]. Finally, the intense computational demands for coalescent-based analysis of large data set pose a limiting factor [@pone.0111011-Weisrock1]. The genus *Triturus* (marbled and crested newts, Amphibia: Salamandridae) provides an example of a rapid radiation and the branching order has proved difficult to resolve [@pone.0111011-Arntzen1]. The nine species can be divided into five groups hereafter referred to as morphotypes ([Fig. 1](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"}; [@pone.0111011-Arntzen2]). Morphotypes differ in body built and body built is reflected by the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae. Arranged from stocky to slender, with the modal rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae count provided between parentheses, these morphotypes are: *T. marmoratus* and *T. pygmaeus* (12), *T. ivanbureschi* (including an as yet unnamed taxon) and *T. karelinii* (13), *T. carnifex* and *T. macedonicus* (14), *T. cristatus* (15) and *T. dobrogicus* (16 or 17) [@pone.0111011-Arntzen3]. A full mtDNA dataset yielded a fully bifurcating and highly supported tree in which morphotypes are monophyletic ([Fig. 1a](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"}; [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]). This tree supports the most parsimonious scenario of character state change in the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae (the ancestral state for the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae in the family Salamandridae is considered to be 13 [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]). Coalescent-based species tree estimations based on three nuclear markers for all species ([Fig. 1b](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"}; [@pone.0111011-Wielstra2]) and five nuclear markers for a subset of species [@pone.0111011-EspregueiraThemudo1] yielded contrasting results and both deviated from the species tree based on full mtDNA and morphology. ![Previously argued phylogenetic hypotheses for the genus *Triturus*.\ Background colors reflect the variation in the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae (NRBV) characterizing the five *Triturus* morphotypes. The two species with a green background are marbled newts and the remaining species are crested newts. The MrBayes phylogeny (left) is based on full mitochondrial genomes [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]. Posterior probabilities for all internal branches are 0.95 or higher. Note that this phylogeny is concordant with the most parsimonious interpretation of the evolution of the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae (with the required character state changes noted in red). The \*BEAST coalescent-based estimation of the species tree (right) is based on three nuclear introns (adapted from [@pone.0111011-Wielstra2]). Posterior probabilities for internal branches are all below 0.95 and only those supported at over 0.75 are shown.](pone.0111011.g001){#pone-0111011-g001} The mitochondrial genome has two characteristics that are particularly important in the setting of a rapid radiation and that make it less susceptible to yield error than a nuclear gene tree. Firstly, lineage sorting occurs faster compared to the nuclear genome due to its fourfold smaller effective population size [@pone.0111011-Funk1], [@pone.0111011-Ballard1]. Secondly, the number of substitutions accumulated along short internal branches is generally elevated for mtDNA as it is characterized by a comparatively high mutation rate [@pone.0111011-Lanier1], [@pone.0111011-Huang1]. These advantages, plus the congruency of the full mtDNA phylogeny and morphology, led us to accept the full mtDNA phylogeny over the nuclear phylogenies and we concluded that a wider sampling of the genome is required to test the *Triturus* species tree [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1], [@pone.0111011-Wielstra2]. We here collect sequences for 38 genetic markers (constituting 13,517 bp in total) for twenty *Triturus* newts. We employ both data concatenation and coalescent-based estimations of the *Triturus* species tree and discuss the discordant outcomes of the analyses in the light of previous attempts to resolve the *Triturus* species tree. Material and Methods {#s2} ==================== Sampling {#s2a} -------- We chose samples from a comprehensive DNA database stored in the collection of Naturalis Biodiversity Center available from an earlier study [@pone.0111011-Wielstra3]. This DNA was initially extracted using the DNeasy Tissue Kit (Qiagen) from tail tips taken from animals under anesthesia that were subsequently released back into the wild (a method which does not negatively affect survival [@pone.0111011-Arntzen4]). We sampled 2--3 individuals for each of the seven crested newt species and one individual for each of the two marbled newt species. It should be noted that one taxon that we refer to as '*Triturus* candidate species' is yet to be named [@pone.0111011-Wielstra4]. We employed a wide geographical spread within species, but our sampling scheme avoided localities positioned close to interspecific hybrid zones, to minimize effects of introgression ([Fig. 2](#pone-0111011-g002){ref-type="fig"}; [Table 1](#pone-0111011-t001){ref-type="table"}) [@pone.0111011-Wielstra5]. {ref-type="table"}. BAPS plot showing that each individual is allocated to its respective species (b).](pone.0111011.g002){#pone-0111011-g002} 10.1371/journal.pone.0111011.t001 ###### Details on Triturus sampling. {#pone-0111011-t001-1} Population number Taxon Sample ID Locality N E ------------------- ------------------------------ ----------- ------------------------------ -------- -------- *Marbled newts* 1 *Triturus marmoratus* 5018\* France: Mayenne 48.252 −0.469 2 *Triturus pygmaeus* 5016 Portugal: Serra de Monchique 37.335 −8.506 *Crested newts* 3 *Triturus cristatus* 5021\* Netherlands: Heeze 51.393 5.535 4 *Triturus cristatus* 4322 Romania: Sânzieni 46.104 26.128 5 *Triturus dobrogicus* 5065 Hungary: Dráva 46.23 17.06 6 *Triturus dobrogicus* 4801\* Romania: Razboinita 45.222 29.165 7 *Triturus carnifex* 5047 Italy: Donega 44.933 9.233 8 *Triturus carnifex* 5046 Italy: Doganella 41.750 12.783 9 *Triturus macedonicus* 3494 Albania: Bejar 40.429 19.850 10 *Triturus macedonicus* 3424\* Macedonia: Leskoec 40.962 20.885 11 *Triturus macedonicus* 3775 Greece: Kerameia 39.562 22.081 12 *Triturus ivanbureschi* 4732 Bulgaria: Ostar Kamak 41.878 25.853 13 *Triturus ivanbureschi* 2360\* Turkey: Keşan 40.917 26.633 14 *Triturus ivanbureschi* 1820 Turkey: Çan 40.006 26.937 15 *Triturus* candidate species 1901 Turkey: Kalecik 40.077 33.341 16 *Triturus* candidate species 1948 Turkey: Cebeci 41.201 34.036 17 *Triturus* candidate species 2051 Turkey: Şebinkarahisar 40.286 38.126 18 *Triturus karelinii* 2109 Ukraine: Nikita 44.538 34.243 19 *Triturus karelinii* 2226 Georgia: Telavi 41.903 45.475 20 *Triturus karelinii* 2390 Iran: Qu'Am Shahr 36.436 52.803 Population numbers correspond to [Fig. 1](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"}. Individuals are identified with a code that refers to tail tips/DNA extractions stored at Naturalis Biodiversity Center. Individuals marked with an asterisk were used in the primer testing. Sequencing and data preparation {#s2b} ------------------------------- We adapted a protocol initially designed for Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing [@pone.0111011-Wielstra6] to be used for the 454 platform. The rationale for choosing this method was that relatively long DNA fragments could be sequenced. We here summarize the protocol followed and refer to ref. [@pone.0111011-Wielstra6] for details. Ninety-six transcriptome-based gene models for *Triturus* (compiled following ref. [@pone.0111011-Stuglik1]) with long 3′ untranslated regions were identified. To increase the chance that these gene models represent single copy genes, only those that produced unambiguous hits to a single gene when BLASTed against human and *Xenopus* transcripts were selected [@pone.0111011-Zieliski1]. For the identified 3′ untranslated regions we designed 96 primer pairs that amplify 400 ± 10 bp (including primers) with BatchPrimer3.1.0 [@pone.0111011-You1] ([Dataset S1](#pone.0111011.s001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Primer pairs were tested for cross-species-amplification in five *Triturus* individuals spanning the taxonomic width of the genus ([Table 1](#pone-0111011-t001){ref-type="table"}). PCRs were conducted in a total volume of 25 µl, containing 12.5 µl QIAGEN Taq PCR Master Mix, 2.5 µl primer mix (5 µM), 9 µl Milli-Q water and 1 µ of template DNA and our PCR program consisted of denaturation at 95°C for 30 s, 35 cycles of denaturation at 95°C for 30 s, annealing at 55°C for 30 s and extension at 72°C for 45 s, and a final extension at 72°C for 5 min. We checked whether a single product of expected length was amplified for each species by gel electrophoresis using the E-Gel Precast Agarose Gel system (Life Technologies). Next we amplified the successful markers for all 20 individuals using the same PCR protocol as above in singleplex PCRs. We determined the concentration of each PCR product with the QIAxcel system and pooled all markers per individual equimolar to yield 20 pools. A unique adaptor was ligated to each pool; we used Roche rapid library adaptors RL1--20 (Roche technical bulletin 2010--010). Sequencing was conducted using a quarter of a 454 next-generation sequencing run. Reads were aligned against the transcriptome-based reference and a SNP report was generated in GS Amplicon Variant Analyzer 2.8 (Roche), where SNPs were called if present in at least 20% of reads for marker-individual combinations. We confirmed SNPs and determined how multiple SNPs were linked in individuals containing two alleles for a marker that differed in more than one position by checking the alignments by eye in GS Amplicon Variant Analyzer 2.8. Sequences were manually aligned in MacClade 4.08 [@pone.0111011-Maddison1]. As missing data can cause spurious results [@pone.0111011-Lemmon2], we discarded indels and we filled in missing individual-marker combinations through Sanger sequencing. Models of sequence evolution were determined for each marker with MrModeltest 2 \<<http://www.abc.se/~nylander/>\> using the Akaike Information Criterion ([Dataset S2](#pone.0111011.s002){ref-type="supplementary-material"}) and the number of polymorphic and parsimony informative sites among the haplotypes for each marker was determined with DnaSP v5 [@pone.0111011-Librado1]. Data analysis {#s2c} ------------- We conducted a Bayesian analysis of population structure with BAPS v.5.3 [@pone.0111011-Corander1]. BAPS assigns individuals to distinct gene pools probabilistically, based on multilocus genetic data, where each individual allele is coded as an integer (two gene copies per marker, which may or may not represent the same allelic variant). We let BAPS determine the most probable number of distinct gene pools (*k*) in the data, evaluating k over a 1 ≤ *k* ≤ 20 range, using ten replicates, and tested for admixture among gene pools. We used DISTRUCT [@pone.0111011-Rosenberg1] to visualize the BAPS results. We carried out a concatenated phylogenetic analysis with MrBayes 3.2.2 [@pone.0111011-Ronquist1] via the CIPRES Science Gateway [@pone.0111011-Miller1]. To deal with heterozygosity, we created two input files (hereafter input file a and b) and for heterozygote marker-individual combinations we included each allel in one or the other input file, ensuring that each allel was used at least once. Data partitions were unlinked. We conducted two independent four-chain one billion-generation runs per input file, sampled every 100,000 generations, using a heating parameter of 0.2. Tracer v1.6 \<<http://tree.bio.ed.ac.uk/software/tracer/>\> was used to check stabilization of overall likelihood within and convergence between runs for each input file. We discarded the first half of generations as burn-in. We conducted a Bayesian Concordance Analysis using BUCKy 1.4.3 [@pone.0111011-Larget1]. We created individual gene trees in MrBayes using a single four-chain 1,000,000 generations run, sampled every 1,000 generations. The tree files resulting from MrBayes were summarized using mbsum (distributed as part of the BUCKy package) and the first half of the trees in each tree posterior was discarded as burn-in. The output of mbsum was further processed in BUCKy to create a primary concordance tree with concordance factors for clades. We implemented one cold and three heated chains, used an alpha multiplier of 5 and increased the rate at which chains in the Metropolis-coupled MCMC swap states (every 50 updates) to improve mixing. The *a priori* level of gene tree discordance (α) was set at 1 and 20 with no obvious influence on results; we report concordance factors for the default value of 1. As BUCKy requires a single sequence to represent each marker-individual combination, we followed a similar approach as above to deal with heterozygosity and conducted two replicates, which included either one or the other allele in the case of heterozygote marker-individual combinations. A coalescent-based estimation of the species tree was performed using \*BEAST [@pone.0111011-Heled1] as implemented in BEAST 1.7 [@pone.0111011-Drummond1]. We applied the lognormal relaxed clock model, the piecewise linear with constant root population function and the Yule speciation model. We used the nine *Triturus* species as operational taxonomical units. We conducted eight independent two billion-generation runs, sampled every 100,000 generations. Tracer v1.6 was used to check for stabilization of overall likelihood. For further analysis we used the three runs that reached the optimum likelihood within the burn-in of one billion generations. These runs were combined and summarized with the LogCombiner 1.7 and TreeAnnotator 1.7 programs distributed with the \*BEAST package. Data accessibility {#s2d} ------------------ The raw 454 reads (in SFF format), the additional sequences obtained with Sanger sequencing (in ABI format), the SNP report produced with GS Amplicon Variant Analyzer 2.8, the alignments (raw, with indels removed, and collapsed into haplotypes), the input files for BAPS, MrBayes, BUCKy and \*BEAST, the individual gene trees resulting from MrBayes (created during the BUCKy exercise) and the species tree resulting from the eight \*BEAST runs are available under Dryad Digital Repository entry doi:10.5061/dryad.mm81p Results {#s3} ======= Out of the 96 markers tested, 43 produced a single clear band of expected size on agarose gel for all five tested crested newt species ([Dataset S3](#pone.0111011.s003){ref-type="supplementary-material"}) and these 43 markers were amplified for all 20 *Triturus* individuals. The 454 run produced 180,120 reads of which 123,674 could be mapped to references. On average we obtained 143.8 reads ± 6.5 (standard error) per marker per individual. Five markers were excluded because they were suspected to represent a multicopy gene (ace), had homopolymer tracts that hampered sequencing (ddx17, trab), or individuals had missing data which we did not manage to complement with Sanger sequencing (dgcr2, rbm15). For the 38 remaining markers, the 19 individual-marker combinations that were missing were sequenced with Sanger sequencing and added to the data set. Across all *Triturus* species and all 38 markers, the average number of polymorphic sites and the number of parsimony informative sites were 18.0±7.3 (standard error) and 7.6±4.9 and for the crested newts only they were 12.1±5.6 and 4.1±3.7 ([Dataset S2](#pone.0111011.s002){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). The average number of alleles per marker within individuals ranges from 1.0 to 1.6, with *T. dobrogicus* showing the highest heterozygosity of all species. The genotypes of the twenty *Triturus* individuals can be found in [Dataset S4](#pone.0111011.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}. BAPS partitioned the twenty *Triturus* individuals into nine groups and each individual clustered with conspecifics with full support (p = 1.0) in the admixture analysis ([Fig. 2](#pone-0111011-g002){ref-type="fig"}). We should note that when we forced BAPS to partition the twenty individuals into two groups (given the rational that there is a basic split in *Triturus* between marbled and crested newts) or five groups (given the rational that there are five *Triturus* morphotypes) results slightly deviated from expectation, suggesting limited ability of the program to be used in such a hierarchical manner. Under *k* = 2 the morphotype comprising *T. karelinii*, *T. ivanbureschi* and the *Triturus* candidate species (forthwith the *T. karelinii* morphotype) was distinguished from the other *Triturus* species (including both crested and marbled newt species). Under *k* = 5 the *T. cristatus* and *T. dobrogicus* morphotypes were placed in a single group whereas *T. ivanbureschi* and the *Triturus* candidate species were placed in a separate group from *T. karelinii*. All species were recovered as monophyletic in the MrBayes concatenated analysis (posterior probability, pp = 1.0; [Fig. 3](#pone-0111011-g003){ref-type="fig"}). The topologies resulting from the BUCKy Bayesian concordance analysis recovered all species as monophyletic with relatively high support for the recognized *Triturus* species (concordance factors, CFs ≥ 0.24) compared to the *Triturus* candidate species (CF = 0.07; [Fig. 4](#pone-0111011-g004){ref-type="fig"}). {#pone-0111011-g003} {#pone-0111011-g004} The result of the concatenated analyses (using two different input files together representing all alleles present) with MrBayes (hereafter MrBayes phylogeny) is presented in [Fig. 3](#pone-0111011-g003){ref-type="fig"}. The basal dichotomy separates the marbled and crested newt groups with high support (pp = 1.0 for both groups). Additionally, high support for the monophyly of the *T. karelinii* morphotype is found (pp = 1.0) and within the *T. karelinii* morphotype the sister-group relationship of *T. ivanbureschi* and the *Triturus* candidate species has high support (pp = 1.0). Both replicates suggest monophyly of *T. dobrogicus* and *T. carnifex*, albeit support values slightly differ (pp = 1.0 and pp = 0.94). The phylogenetic position of *T. cristatus* and *T. macedonicus* varies between both replicates, although the support values for their placement in both replicates are relatively high (pp = 0.89--0.93). The result of the Bayesian concordance analysis with BUCKy (hereafter BUCKy phylogeny) is presented in [Fig. 4](#pone-0111011-g004){ref-type="fig"}. The topologies of the two replicates differ slightly, but concordance factors for the affected clades are low (\<0.1). Support is higher for monophyly of the marbled newts (CF = 0.92 or 0.93 in the two replicates) than for monophyly of the crested newts (CF = 0.46 in both replicates) and support for monophyly of the *T. karelinii* morphotype is lower still (CF = 0.18 or 0.19). Support for relationships among the crested newt morphotypes is low (CFs \<0.1). Consensus trees of the posterior tree distributions produced by MrBayes for the individual gene trees are available from Dryad. The result of the coalescent-based analysis with \*BEAST (hereafter \*BEAST phylogeny) is presented in [Fig. 5](#pone-0111011-g005){ref-type="fig"}. This tree is based on three runs; it excludes five runs that plateaued at a lower likelihood value within the burn-in of one billion generations. The individual trees resulting from all eight runs are available on Dryad. Part of the ESS values in the individual analyses, including those runs used to create the consensus tree, were (well) below 200. This finding shows that, even with runs of two billion-generations, stabilization within and convergence between runs did not occur. Considering we conducted eight independent, long runs, this appears inherent to the nature of our dataset. Still the results provide insight into the *Triturus* species tree. {#pone-0111011-g005} \*BEAST consistently supports the monophyly of the marbled newt group, the crested newt group and the *T. karelinii* morphotype (pp = 1.0 in the consensus tree and the individual trees). Relationships among the three members of the *T. karelinii* morphotype are ambiguous, reflected by low support values and various relationships suggested in the individual trees. For the remaining crested newts, support for the sister-group relationship of *T. carnifex* and *T. macedonicus* is low, but it is consistently found, i.e. in the consensus tree and all individual trees. Similarly, all runs find a sister relationship of the *T. carnifex -- T. macedonicus* morphotype with *T. cristatus*, albeit again with low support. The phylogenetic placement of *T. dobrogicus* varies between runs, being recovered as either sister to the all crested newts or to the crested newts excluding the *T. karelinii* morphotype (always with low posterior probabilities). Discussion {#s4} ========== Distinguishing *Triturus* species with nuclear DNA {#s4a} -------------------------------------------------- With the suite of nuclear DNA markers presented here the various *Triturus* species can successfully be identified. BAPS partitions the dataset into nine gene pools, corresponding to the nine *Triturus* species. Similarly the species were recovered as monophyletic in the data concatenation approach with MrBayes and the Bayesian concordance analysis with BUCKy. This gives us the confidence that possible adverse effects of *a priori* appointing individuals to 'species' (e.g. if individuals of more than one species are appointed to a single 'species' or individuals of the same species are divided into more than one 'species'), such as required in the coalescent-based species tree analysis [@pone.0111011-Leach1], are negligible. The different *Triturus* species trees compared {#s4b} ----------------------------------------------- We have a previous estimate of the *Triturus* species tree based on full mtDNA that is in line with the most parsimonious interpretation of evolution of the axial skeleton as reflected by the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae, namely four character state changes ([Fig. 1a](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"} [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]). The topology of the second BUCKy (i.e. the Bayesian concordance analysis) replicate is identical to the full mtDNA phylogeny ([Fig. 1](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"} and [4](#pone-0111011-g004){ref-type="fig"} "Bucky b"). For the other topologies, two branches have to be moved to reconcile them with the topology with full mtDNA and morphology as follows. In the two replicates of the MrBayes phylogeny (i.e. the concatenated analysis; [Fig. 3](#pone-0111011-g003){ref-type="fig"}), *T. carnifex* should be moved to form a sister group with *T. macedonicus* and *T. cristatus* should be moved to form a sister group with *T. dobrogicus* (notice that the placement of *T. cristatus* differs between replicates). In the first replicate of the BUCKy phylogeny ("Bucky a" in [Fig. 4](#pone-0111011-g004){ref-type="fig"}) the position of *T. carnifex* and *T. cristatus* need to be switched. In the \*BEAST phylogeny (i.e. the coalescent-based analysis) *T. cristatus* should be moved to form a sister group with *T. dobrogicus* ([Fig. 5](#pone-0111011-g005){ref-type="fig"}). One of the MrBayes phylogenies ("MrBayes b" in [Fig. 3](#pone-0111011-g003){ref-type="fig"}) implies six character state changes in the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae, whereas the other estimates of the *Triturus* species tree (the second MrBayes replicate, one of the BUCKy replicates and the \*BEAST phylogeny; [Fig. 3](#pone-0111011-g003){ref-type="fig"}--[5](#pone-0111011-g005){ref-type="fig"}) suggests five character state changes, i.e. a less parsimonious interpretation of evolution of the axial skeleton as reflected by the number of rib-bearing pre-sacral vertebrae as compared to the full mtDNA tree. Most of the internal branches in the two replicates of the MrBayes phylogeny are highly supported. Data concatenation is known to potentially provide high support values for erroneous relationships and in this regard the highly supported topological conflicts between the two replicates, reflecting the effect of allele choice for heterozygote marker-individual combinations in the concatenation process, underline that the high support values for the *Triturus* species tree are indeed misleading [@pone.0111011-Kubatko1], [@pone.0111011-Belfiore1]. Although consistently supporting the monophyly of marbled and crested newts, relationships among crested newt species differ between the replicates. While the MrBayes phylogeny does recover the *T. karelinii* morphotype to be monophyletic, including the sister relationship of *T. ivanbureschi* and the *Triturus* candidate species (in line with [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1], contra [@pone.0111011-Wielstra2]; see [Fig. 1](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"}), it suggests otherwise that the *T. carnifex* -- *T. macedonicus* morphotype is non-monophyletic (contra [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1], as in [@pone.0111011-Wielstra2] but with a different phylogenetic position of the two constituent species; see [Fig. 1](#pone-0111011-g001){ref-type="fig"}). The concordance factors in the two replicates of the BUCKy phylogeny, reflecting the proportion of gene trees that support particular clades, are generally well below one. This reflects a high discordance among individual gene trees. Closer inspection of the individual gene trees (available from Dryad) suggests that most of this discordance can be ascribed to low information content, rather than incomplete lineage sorting, as most gene trees show polytomies. Relatively high support is found for the monophyly of the two main groups in *Triturus*, the marbled and the crested newts. Monophyly for the *T. karelinii* morphotype also shows considerable support, but only one of the two replicates suggests monophyly for the *T. carnifex* -- *T. macedonicus* morphotype and support is low. Relationships among morphotypes differ between replicates (of which one is in full agreement with the full mtDNA phylogeny) and concordance factors are low. In the \*BEAST phylogeny monophyly of the two morphotypes that constitute more than one species is not contested. However, support for the *T. carnifex* -- *T. macedonicus* morphotype is low. Furthermore, relationships within the *T. karelinii* morphotype differ from the full mtDNA phylogeny (raising doubts concerning the previously assumed sister relationship of the *Triturus* candidate species with *T. ivanbureschi* and supporting its genetic distinctiveness [@pone.0111011-Wielstra4]). It should be noted that statistical support for the conflicting internal branches in the \*BEAST phylogeny is low, but this is also the case for some of the internal branches that are in line with the full mtDNA topology. To summarize, all three analyses (data concatenation, Bayesian concordance and coalescent-based) support the monophyly of the marbled newts, the crested newts and the *T. karelinii* morphotype. However, findings regarding the relationships among the different crested newt species are highly ambiguous. It should also be noted that the sister species relationship of *T. cristatus* and *T. dobrogicus*, not found in either the MrBayes or \*BEAST phylogeny and in only one of the two BUCKy replicates (with a low CF), is the only internal branch in the full mtDNA tree not supported with pp = 0.95 [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]). Interpretation of conflicting *Triturus* species trees {#s4c} ------------------------------------------------------ The relative internal branch lengths in the MrBayes and \*BEAST phylogenies are (even) shorter than in the full mtDNA phylogeny [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]. Short internal branches highlight the brief time span in which speciation of the four crested newt morphotypes occurred (starting c. 10 million years ago and spanning a period of c. 1.5 million years [@pone.0111011-Wielstra1]) and during which there would have been little time for informative substitutions to become fixed among the different taxa [@pone.0111011-Lanier1]. The variability of the markers employed is indeed low ([Dataset S2](#pone.0111011.s002){ref-type="supplementary-material"}), but the ambiguity in the branching order and the low support (for the BUCKy and \*BEAST phylogeny) could also reflect a hard polytomy (i.e. a simultaneous split of more than one species) underlying the radiation of *Triturus* [@pone.0111011-Arntzen1]. *Triturus* newts hybridize at the contact zones [@pone.0111011-Arntzen5] and the position of hybrid zones has shifted over time [@pone.0111011-Wielstra7]--[@pone.0111011-Arntzen7]. The lack of phylogenetic signal might be aggravated by gene flow between sister taxa (shortening internal branch lengths) or non-sister taxa (increasing support for the clustering of non-sister taxa) [@pone.0111011-Leach2], [@pone.0111011-Kutschera1]. Reconstructing the phylogenetic relationships of rapid radiations remains a challenging task as the risk of gene trees deviating from their overarching species tree is high [@pone.0111011-Glor1], [@pone.0111011-Whitfield1]. We reiterate the conclusion that data concatenation is likely to lead to high support for erroneous phylogenies and is strongly affected by allele choice in the case of heterozygosity and results from such an analysis should be interpreted with caution [@pone.0111011-Kubatko1], [@pone.0111011-Weisrock1]. Bayesian concordance analysis of rapid radiations will inherently result in a poorly supported tree as gene tree discordance is to be expected [@pone.0111011-Weisrock1]. The development of coalescent-based methods to estimate species trees is an important step forward in phylogenetic inference of rapid radiations [@pone.0111011-Belfiore1], [@pone.0111011-Williams1]. Compared to data concatenation, coalescent-based estimations of the species tree are more robust to recovering erroneous relationships due to incomplete lineage sorting [@pone.0111011-Weisrock1], [@pone.0111011-Lanier1] or persistent interspecific gene flow [@pone.0111011-Eckert1]. It follows that, for rapid radiations in particular, coalescent-based estimations of the species tree would bring us closer to the truth than data concatenation [@pone.0111011-Lanier1], [@pone.0111011-Leach1]. Although increasing the number of base pairs sequenced will assist in harvesting informative substitution over short internal branches, the application of coalescent-based species tree estimation methods is still hampered by computational limitations [@pone.0111011-Lemmon1], [@pone.0111011-Lischer1], [@pone.0111011-Lanier1]. Hence, for large datasets Bayesian concordance analysis will be the more tractable option for some time to come. Based on theoretical grounds, the coalescent-based estimation of the *Triturus* species tree would be expected to be more reliable than the concatenation-based estimation. However, due to the low information content of the markers, in combination with the rapidness of the *Triturus* radiation, the coalescent-based estimation does not manage to confidently resolve the complete *Triturus* species tree. Hence we acknowledge that more loci and individuals are required to arrive at a firm conclusion. The coalescent-based estimation shows a relatively high agreement with full mtDNA and morphological data, but as full mtDNA reflects only a single gene tree and ecology could drive homoplastic evolution, we have to consider that this agreement is potentially misleading. The genus *Triturus* highlights the difficulty of resolving the branching order of a rapid radiation, in which adding more data does not necessarily increases confidence in the obtained phylogeny. We consider *Triturus* to be a suitable study system to explore the effects lineage sorting, gene flow and mutation rate at the interface of a rapid radiation and phylogenetic reconstruction. Supporting Information {#s5} ====================== ###### The 96 transcriptome-based gene models used for primer development, primers and reference sequences. (XLSX) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### Models of sequence evolution for and variation in the 38 markers. (XLSX) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### Testing of 96 primer pairs for cross-amplification for the genus *Triturus*. (XLSX) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### Distribution of alleles per marker across the twenty *Triturus* individuals. (XLSX) ###### Click here for additional data file. \*BEAST was run on the *molecol*-ICEBERG high performance computing cluster of the NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility at the University of Sheffield, which is funded by the Natural Environmental Research Council, UK. We thank K. Hendriks, C. Kuepper, C. McInerney and V. Soria-Carrasco for help with data analysis. [^1]: **Competing Interests:**The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. [^2]: Conceived and designed the experiments: BW JWA WB. Performed the experiments: BW JWA KG MP WB. Analyzed the data: BW JWA MP. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: BW JWA KG MP WB. Wrote the paper: BW JWA. | High | [
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However, despite the exciting build-up, viewers were then forced to watch nothing happen as the suit took its time powering up - and became so loud that we could barely hear presenter Tommy Sandhu talk. Proving there is nothing quite like live TV, when it finally did get up in the air, Richard Browning - the man in the suit - only hovered about a foot in the air before coming back down to earth. The jet pack technology was the first of its kind - and requires some adjustments | Low | [
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Possible roles for nitric oxide in AIDS and associated pathology. The endogenous free radical, nitric oxide (NO), plays a neurotransmitter-like role in vascular endothelium, a second-messenger role in N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-responsive neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), a neurotoxic role after its release from these neurons, and a cytotoxic role after its release by macrophages. NO also derives from exogenous sources, such as the nitrite inhalants, amyl, butyl and isobutyl nitrite. There is evidence that abuse of nitrite inhalants can affect immunomodulation, and epidemiological studies suggest that such abuse may be a cofactor in the pathogenesis of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Hitherto, however, the potential role of NO in such pathogenesis has not been examined. This paper presents some current evidence that implicates both endogenous and exogenous sources of NO in AIDS and associated pathology. | High | [
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The Obama administration considers Sony’s inability to secure its computer network and allowing unknown hackers access to confidential information to be a serious breach of national security. White House spokesman Josh Earnest did not say North Korea was responsible for the hack. Instead, the accusation was made Wednesday by an anonymous government official “who is not authorized to comment publicly.” Earnest said U.S. national security leaders "would be mindful of the fact that we need a proportional response." He was vague on what this meant. As Paul Joseph Watson noted for Infowars.com on Thursday, there is little evidence implicating North Korea, but this has not prevented the government and the corporate media from attributing the hack to the authoritarian regime of Kim Jong-un. For more on this, see Kim Zetter’s The Evidence That North Korea Hacked Sony Is Flimsy. U.S. Intelligence More Likely Responsible As Marc W. Rogers noted on his security news blog on Thursday, it is unlikely North Korea is involved. “The fact that the code was written on a PC with Korean locale & language actually makes it less likely to be North Korea,” Rogers explains. “Not least because they don’t speak traditional ‘Korean’ in North Korea, they speak their own dialect and traditional Korean is forbidden. This is one of the key things that has made communication with North Korean refugees difficult.” Additionally, the broken English used “looks deliberately bad and doesn’t exhibit any of the classic comprehension mistakes you actually expect to see in ‘Konglish’. i.e it reads to me like an English speaker pretending to be bad at writing English.” This would implicate U.S. or British intelligence. U.S. intelligence has, since 9/11, displayed careless and sloppy application when conducting false flag operations. The textbook example of this is the transparently bogus “intelligence” used in the effort to frame Iraq prior to the invasion of that country in 2003. Another indicator pointing to U.S. intelligence is the familiarity with Sony’s computer network. “It’s clear from the hard-coded paths and passwords in the malware that whoever wrote it had extensive knowledge of Sony’s internal architecture and access to key passwords,” Rogers notes. “While it’s plausible that an attacker could have built up this knowledge over time and then used it to make the malware, Occam’s razor suggests the simpler explanation of an insider.” The attacker, however, does not necessarily have to be a Sony insider. As Edward Snowden and others have demonstrated, the NSA specializes in gaining access to computer networks and routinely penetrates the firewalls of corporate and foreign government networks. Rogers writes the attack “suits a number of political agendas to have something that justifies sabre-rattling at North Korea, which is why I’m not that surprised to see politicians starting to point their fingers at the DPRK also.” It is true the U.S. foreign policy establishment has exploited the largely exaggerated and absurd national security threat supposedly presented by North Korea. However, they do not seriously consider it a threat and instead use it as an excuse to issue warnings to legitimize the national security state. Iran and terrorist entities, many designed by the intelligence apparatus, serve a similar purpose. More practically, the Sony affair will be used to make the argument that cyber warfare poses an immediate threat to the national security of the United States and this threat demands a continuation and amplification of the surveillance state. The surveillance state, however, is not turned outward, it is instead turned inward on the American people who are considered by the elite to be the true threat to their rule. The Sony hack is not the work of an ex-Sony employee, as Rogers assumes. It is the work of the national security state and the NSA. Titillating details about movie stars and celebrities released as a result of the hack — falling on the heels of the celebrity nude photo hack earlier this year — serve the purpose of riveting the attention of the public on the affair while the government builds its case for further encroachments on their liberty. The Emergency Election Sale is now live! Get 30% to 60% off our most popular products today! | Low | [
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This is a recent photo of Angelina from her movie set of "the Changeling" where she plays a mother who lost her child and was returned by the police but she was convinced that the boy they returned was not her son. Angelina has defended herself from all the rumblings before about her dramatic weight loss, from losing her mother recently from Cancer. But, Is her weight loss getting too extreme? Do you think she needs to seek help to prevent malnutrition and health problems? Lindsay Lohan has stuck to her man Riley Giles eventho stories of multiple DUIs had surfaced and the reports of Riley leaving his supposed fiance for Lindsay. Even Lindsay's dad has approved of their relationship and Lindsay has been trying to stay sober by staying away from the clubs and cancelling her LAX hosting duties in Vegas. Are they actually good for each other and trying to look for each other's well-being or NOT? I wonder if they will last as a couple? Now that Angelina Jolie has retired from being a BAD girl and became a UN Ambassador, Is Megan Fox from Transformers the new Angelina Jolie??? EXHIBIT A: Both gals have black flowing hair and Megan is starting to pucker up some major plump lips. I don't know if those are enhanced but she is having some Angelina-esque smackers. Megan Fox Angelina Jolie EXHIBIT B: We all know that Angelina has a HUGE thing for body art... tattoos. She has a lot of them! While Megan also has some tatoos, like the one on her right forearm with Marilyn Monroe's face and also the one on her back with a thing about butterflies. Megan Fox with right arm tattoo Angelina with one of her many tattoos EXHIBIT C: Let's not forget that Angelina has a great body. But Megan is also very sexy, posing for FHM and other mags. Megan Fox Angelina Jolie So, the question is.. Is Megan the next Agelina, since it seems that motherhood has curbed her from her wild ways and made her into a philantropic super woman and has a MAJOR man in her life or Is there only one Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox is not it? As you can remember, Vanessa Hudgens created quite a controversy of her own when nude pics of herself circulated around the net.. But i can tell that those pics were way back when she was not yet famous, not as well known as now i mean.. So, do you think she's been able to clean up her act or she's still the wild child just like before?? Ok, so Kate Moss and Pete Doherty broke up which was great news 'cause we are so over the whole Kate-Pete mess of a relationship. Now Kate has rebounded to another musician-boyfriend named Jamie Hince and within months of being together anounced that they are enganged.... OK, Good luck on that Kate! at least it's not Pete anymore. Now Pete has a rebound of his own to another younger model (and former Babyshambles dummer) Irina, the model for Kate Moss' fashion line on Topshop. Kate was also the one who introduced Irina into the fashion industry making her the new "IT" girl for all the big companies in high fashion. Pete also anounced that they're both enganged and Irina was seen on Paris Fashion Week wearing a gigantic ring. Good luck on that as well Pete! Now, who do you think will last longer? Who will outlast the other persons' relationship? Naomi Watts was seen wearing a Jimmy Choo’s Reba ankle boot at the BFI 51st London Film Festival premiere of Eastern Promises at the The Odeon Cinema, Leicester Square in London. The new mom has been able to lose the LBs and looks great but do you like what she's wearing? Love it or Hate it? i was basing all my outerwear, shoes and accesories on my dress. when i first saw the dress, it was feminine and chic. which right away was the center on the whole outfit. the accesories are all simple that will be able to enhance the whole ensemble. | Low | [
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[A Case of a Large Gastric Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor with a PDGFRA Exon 18 Mutation]. A 49-year-old man visited our hospital with a chief complaint of abdominal pain that began 1 day before his visit.An approximately 30 cm tumor that was extensively in contact with the gastric wall in the abdominal cavity was detected on computed tomography(CT).An elevated lesion covered with normal mucosa on the posterior wall of the greater curvature was detected on upper endoscopy.He was diagnosed with a submucosal tumor of the stomach, and he underwent surgery. Surgical findings revealed an elastic soft tumor with a maximal dimension of 38 cm that projected from the posterior wall of the stomach beyond the gastric wall.No invasion and metastasis to other organs were detected.Partial gastrectomy was performed.On histopathological examination, proliferation of atypical round and spindle cells was found, and immunostaining was negative for KIT but positive for CD34.In the gene search, an Asp842Val mutation was detected in exon 18 of the PDGFRA gene.Currently, the patient has survived for 7 months after surgery without recurrence. | Mid | [
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Local Company With a Neighborly Mindset Custom home builders native to Killeen, TX Your new home in Killeen, TX, practically makes you our neighbors, and we hope to convey the friendly and cooperative tone of our community from the beginning. As lifelong members of the Killeen, Texas community, we pursue genuine relationships with all of our clients. Such connections facilitate trust and open communication, two things that are fundamental to constructing your dream home. From the initial stages of your custom home, we employ three simple practices. We attentively listen: No one knows the concepts of your dream home better than you. That’s why our first priority is to listen to you and understand the attributes of your ideal custom home. The more you tell us about the desired size, layout and overall look of your home, the better we can develop a plan for your dream home. We patiently design: Once we fully understand the intended product, we design a home that reflects your specifications. This process typically involves exchange of ideas, as initial designs are open to modification. No design is finalized until everything is just how you want it to be. We meticulously build: Construction of your dream home begins once you are satisfied with the entire design. As we bring your dream home to life, you are welcome to visit the construction site often, oversee the process and request changes to the design throughout the construction process. This is the most exciting phase for us as we are delighted to see homeowners fall in love with their new dream homes. To learn more about Dream Home Builders in Killeen, Texas and how our neighborly approach can effectively bring you the home of your dreams, contact us today. | High | [
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Secure mounting of cables during installation thereof is a necessity in a variety of environments. One such environment is in fiber optics, and in particular in the fiber optic inside office environment. In such environment, fiber optic distribution enclosures are utilized to manage optical fiber distribution. An enclosure typically accommodates one or more fiber trays, each of which includes one or more cassettes. Within a cassette, an incoming optical fiber may be spliced, split, etc., and outgoing optical fibers may be connected to the cassette and incoming optical fibers to provide fiber optic connections within the inside office environment. The incoming cables which include incoming optical fibers must be secured to the enclosures to facilitate secure, reliable connections. Current techniques for mounting cables require the use of tie-wraps, hook-and-loop fasteners, hose clamps, bracket clamps, etc. In many cases, the mounting performance using such apparatus is less than desirable, and/or the ability to remove and reattach such apparatus to relocate or adjust the associated cable is limited. Additionally, while some “quick-release” type solutions are available, these solutions require an additional mounting plate to be secured within the enclosure. Further, presently known mounting solutions do not relieve torsional or bending stresses in the associated cables. Accordingly, improved cable mounting clamps are desired. For example, cable mounting clamps which are easily and efficiently removable and reattachable in associated environments, such as to associated enclosures, would be advantageous. Additionally or alternatively, cable mounting clamps which include features for relieving torsional or bending stresses in associated cables would be advantageous. | Mid | [
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The typical high-frequency (HF) communication monopole has a dipole pattern. The vertical null in the antenna pattern precludes significant HF reflections from the ionosphere to the region close to the antenna. A horizontal dipole at ¼ wavelength above ground could be used. However, the height of the dipole over ground is impractical at most HF frequencies. Placing the horizontal dipole closer to ground increases ground loss; part of this loss is the ground wave. A need exists for an improved near vertical incidence skywave antenna. | Mid | [
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Q: Find $\det \left( \lambda_1X_1X_1^T + \lambda_2X_2X_2^T + \cdots + \lambda_nX_nX_n^T \right)$ Let $X \in \mathbb{R}^{n \times n}$, $X_i$ denote the $i$-th column of $X$ and let $\lambda_i \in \mathbb{R}$. Find $$\det \left( \lambda_1X_1X_1^T + \lambda_2X_2X_2^T + \cdots + \lambda_nX_nX_n^T \right)$$ I calculated that the matrix inside determinant will be symmetrical and its elements will be: $\lambda_1x_{i1}^2 + ... \lambda_nx_{in}^2$ - for diagonal elements $\lambda_1x_{i1}x_{j1} + ... + \lambda_nx_{in}x_{jn}$ - everything else From there I am stuck on what to do next (this task also asks for which $\lambda_i$ determinant will be $\ge 0$, maybe this gives some clue) A: Note that $\lambda_1X_1X_1^T + \lambda_2X_2X_2^T + ... + \lambda_nX_nX_n^T=XDX^T$ where $D$ is a diagonal matrix with diagonal $(\lambda_1,\ldots,\lambda_n)$. Indeed $(XDX^T)_{ij} = \sum_k X_{ik}D_{kk}X_{jk} = \sum_k \lambda_k (X_kX_k^T)_{ij}=(\sum_k \lambda_k X_kX_k^T)_{ij}$. Hence $$\begin{aligned}\det(\lambda_1X_1X_1^T + \lambda_2X_2X_2^T + ... + \lambda_nX_nX_n^T) &= \det(XDX^T)=\det(X)\det(D)\det(X^T)\\ &=\left(\prod_k \lambda_k\right) \det(X)^2\end{aligned}$$ | High | [
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Click on the + (plus button next to where it says Connection Profiles). The following will appear: Be sure to select local file. You will be asked to locate and select the .ovpn file that was provided to you. This is the profile file that contains all of the information that allows you to connect to the VPN. After you select the profile file. You will see this: Here, type in a friendly name for the server that you will remember and check the box titled “Completely trust this profile”, and optionally depending on your needs you may make the profile available to all users on the computer. Then click SAVE. The profile you created should appear in the area highlighted below: Simply click the profile and the client will go through the process of connecting to the server, and if successful, you should see something similar to: You are now connected to the VPN! Connecting to The VPN With A MAC To connect to Access Server from a MacOSX client computer, you need to follow these steps: Double-click the Tunnelblick icon (it may be labelled “Tunnelblick.app”) and you will be guided through the installation of the program. Once you have installed Tunnelblick, you can download and install the configuration file. After logging in to the Access Server’s Client Web Server, download the client.ovpn file and double- click it. This will launch Tunnelblick if necessary, and Tunnelblick will install and secure the configuration. Run Tunnelblick by double-clicking its icon in the Applications folder. If left running when you logout or shut down your computer, Tunnelblick will be launched automatically when you next log in or start your computer. The first time Tunnelblick is run on a given Mac, it will ask the user for the an system administrator’s username and password. This is necessary because Tunnelblick must have root privileges to run, as it modifies network settings as part of connecting to the VPN. For iOS and Android devices: First, you will need to get your OpenVPN profile file (filename.ovpn) onto your mobile device. Most people find that emailing the file to themselves is the easiest way to get the file to your device. There are several openvpn clients in both app stores. Simply install one of them and import your profile *.ovpn file into the app and your mobile devices will also be going through the vpn. | High | [
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ut replacement from jbjwwwbjwwwjjjj? 2/455 Two letters picked without replacement from {u: 1, o: 3, p: 1, k: 1, v: 1}. Give prob of sequence vk. 1/42 Four letters picked without replacement from llfflflllllllf. What is prob of sequence ffll? 45/1001 Calculate prob of sequence so when two letters picked without replacement from {p: 3, b: 1, s: 1, r: 1, o: 1}. 1/42 Three letters picked without replacement from {c: 10, a: 4, f: 1, u: 4}. What is prob of sequence ccf? 5/323 What is prob of sequence imi when three letters picked without replacement from smmsmvvsmsssissmsv? 0 Calculate prob of sequence fay when three letters picked without replacement from fgygygag. 1/168 What is prob of sequence fyya when four letters picked without replacement from {a: 1, y: 3, f: 9, t: 1, q: 2, p: 2}? 1/1360 Two letters picked without replacement from {f: 2, j: 1, s: 1, q: 1, g: 1, x: 1}. Give prob of sequence gx. 1/42 What is prob of sequence hhe when three letters picked without replacement from helhhelee? 1/21 Two letters picked without replacement from vvoovvvvovovooooooov. Give prob of sequence vv. 18/95 Calculate prob of sequence dood when four letters picked without replacement from odood. 1/10 Two letters picked without replacement from {n: 3, a: 4, o: 3, m: 1}. What is prob of sequence nn? 3/55 What is prob of sequence igr when three letters picked without replacement from {o: 3, i: 4, r: 2, g: 9}? 1/68 Two letters picked without replacement from {p: 2, n: 4, v: 3, c: 9}. Give prob of sequence cn. 2/17 Three letters picked without replacement from sejljljllueeeesee. What is prob of sequence ulj? 1/340 Four letters picked without replacement from qosqulqqqqqlqqlsq. What is prob of sequence qsuq? 3/952 Two letters picked without replacement from {b: 4, a: 1, j: 3, t: 1, i: 2, g: 4}. Give prob of sequence ia. 1/105 Three letters picked without replacement from {n: 6, g: 4, a: 3, k: 2, u: 1}. What is prob of sequence kun? 1/280 What is prob of sequence zzzz when four letters picked without replacement from zzzzzzz? 1 Two letters picked without replacement from {c: 5, i: 2, k: 3, b: 1, u: 1}. Give prob of sequence cu. 5/132 What is prob of sequence tm when two letters picked without replacement from {x: 2, t: 9, m: 2}? 3/26 Calculate prob of sequence nun when three letters picked without replacement from {u: 3, n: 3}. 3/20 Calculate prob of sequence fsk when three letters picked without replacement from kofjfso. 1/105 Three letters picked without replacement from {a: 3, z: 5, d: 4, q: 3, k: 4}. What is prob of sequence zdd? 10/969 Four letters picked without replacement from {r: 2, h: 2, m: 4}. Give prob of sequence mhhr. 1/105 Four letters picked without replacement from {c: 1, l: 10, a: 2, m: 1, k: 3, o: 2}. Give prob of sequence oacm. 1/23256 Calculate prob of sequence gmz when three letters picked without replacement from {z: 2, m: 2, i: 4, d: 1, g: 4, p: 6}. 8/2907 Calculate prob of sequence vzvz when four letters picked without replacement from {v: 3, i: 6, z: 4}. 3/715 Calculate prob of sequence jjee when four letters picked without replacement from {e: 17, j: 2}. 1/171 Four letters picked without replacement from {b: 5, c: 1, f: 5, h: 5}. What is prob of sequence hfch? 5/2184 What is prob of sequence vrr when three letters picked without replacement from vrvvrv? 1/15 Two letters picked without replacement from {p: 6, c: 1, f: 4, r: 1, g: 2, y: 1}. What is prob of sequence pf? 4/35 Three letters picked without replacement from {m: 5, c: 9}. Give prob of sequence mmc. 15/182 Four letters picked without replacement from {g: 1, o: 2, v: 2, p: 1}. What is prob of sequence vpgv? 1/180 Four letters picked without replacement from iikiqqqqwycwwqwicqq. Give prob of sequence qkqy. 7/15504 Calculate prob of sequence hbb when three letters picked without replacement from {b: 18, h: 1}. 1/19 Calculate prob of sequence kk when two letters picked without replacement from krkkkjjjqrrk. 5/33 What is prob of sequence zz when two letters picked without replacement from zqmmzqqzmmqmzmzzzqm? 7/57 Two letters picked without replacement from xqgxqgwvxgg. What is prob of sequence qv? 1/55 Four letters picked without replacement from {p: 3, g: 3, j: 2}. Give prob of sequence ggjp. 3/140 Three letters picked without replacement from lamll. Give prob of sequence alm. 1/20 Three letters picked without replacement from {s: 1, w: 2}. Give prob of sequence wsw. 1/3 Four letters picked without replacement from xykep. Give prob of sequence pepx. 0 Three letters picked without replacement from {g: 2, u: 4, o: 5, v: 4, j: 1}. Give prob of sequence ovg. 1/84 What is prob of sequence ttt when three letters picked without replacement from ttrtttrtttttrrrt? 33/112 Calculate prob of sequence kck when three letters picked without replacement from {e: 1, c: 2, l: 3, k: 5, t: 1}. 1/33 What is prob of sequence qq when two letters picked without replacement from qqqqqqqqqjqqqqq? 13/15 What is prob of sequence kk when two letters picked without replacement from {q: 1, c: 10, k: 6}? 15/136 Two letters picked without replacement from zzmmzzz. What is prob of sequence zm? 5/21 Calculate prob of sequence gh when two letters picked without replacement from hppgmmsw. 1/56 Three letters picked without replacement from jxjjcxx. Give prob of sequence xjc. 3/70 Three letters picked without replacement from vazzavvzzaafvza. Give prob of sequence vfv. 2/455 Three letters picked without replacement from bssbbbbbbbbbb. What is prob of sequence bsb? 5/39 What is prob of sequence llul when four letters picked without replacement from uuuuuluuluuuululuul? 35/3876 Calculate prob of sequence pjj when three letters picked without replacement from {p: 9, j: 3}. 9/220 Calculate prob of sequence qktq when four letters picked without replacement from {q: 4, y: 5, k: 2, t: 7}. 7/3060 Three letters picked without replacement from {y: 2, b: 2, j: 1, z: 1}. What is prob of sequence jbb? 1/60 Three letters picked without replacement from rrookkgorrooo. What is prob of sequence oro? 10/143 What is prob of sequence he when two letters picked without replacement from hhuwurhhhhruhhhue? 9/272 Calculate prob of sequence tt when two letters picked without replacement from {p: 1, q: 1, t: 2, z: 4}. 1/28 What is prob of sequence wkkw when four letters picked without replacement from {k: 5, w: 3}? 1/14 Four letters picked without replacement from {a: 4, e: 2, m: 2}. Give prob of sequence eame. 1/105 Calculate prob of sequence rwuv when four letters picked without replacement from rrrurwurcurrcrurv. 3/4760 Calculate prob of sequence nw when two letters picked without replacement from nvshgnwsh. 1/36 What is prob of sequence hhv when three letters picked without replacement from fffjfjcfffhhvfhcchj? 2/969 Two letters picked without replacement from pcpcppcccccccccccc. Give prob of sequence cp. 28/153 Two letters picked without replacement from {q: 2, e: 1, k: 3, c: 9, l: 3}. Give prob of sequence ek. 1/102 Calculate prob of sequence rgg when three letters picked without replacement from {g: 2, r: 5}. 1/21 Two letters picked without replacement from wwgwwwg. What is prob of sequence wg? 5/21 Calculate prob of sequence wq when two letters picked without replacement from owoouwuuqouwwwowoou. 1/57 Calculate prob of sequence hfih when four letters picked without replacement from hifihfhff. 1/63 Calculate prob of sequence ht when two letters picked without replacement from {h: 4, t: 2}. 4/15 What is prob of sequence euf when three letters picked without replacement from {q: 3, l: 1, f: 2, u: 1, e: 12}? 4/969 Calculate prob of sequence jrm when three letters picked without replacement from mrrrrmjiimmmi. 5/429 What is prob of sequence ee when two letters picked without replacement from rerhshsrehrsrrr? 1/105 What is prob of sequence dd when two letters picked without replacement from {i: 1, e: 1, p: 1, o: 1, d: 1}? 0 Two letters picked without replacement from {f: 2, u: 1, l: 1, b: 1}. Give prob of sequence lu. 1/20 Two letters picked without replacement from {t: 8, i: 5}. Give prob of sequence tt. 14/39 Three letters picked without replacement from bbbfffffbfffb. What is prob of sequence bbb? 5/143 Calculate prob of sequence ka when two | Low | [
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Featured Objects London Aircraft Production (L.A.P.) During the Second World War, many London factories abandoned their normal production to focus on war work. Manufacture of munitions, vehicles and aircraft was a priority. London Transport (L.T) was one of the largest organisations in London contributing to the war effort. Its Charlton tram and trolleybus works took on additional work manufacturing ammunition and gun parts. The buses and coaches department at Chiswick Works manufactured armoured lorries and parts. On the site adjacent to Acton Works, damaged vehicles including tanks were overhauled. Notable amongst L.T's wartime productions was the completion of 710 Handley Page Halifax bomber aircraft. Together with Chrysler, Duple, Express Motor & Bodyworks Limited, and Park Royal Coachworks, L.T. formed the London Aircraft Production Group (L.A.P) in 1940. The L.T. chairman, Lord Ashfield, also became chairman of the L.A.P. L.T. had responsibility for manufacturing the centre section of the plane, installing engine units and the front fuselage, final assembly and aircraft testing. It also coordinated the group's work. The heart of the organisation was established at the L.T. works at Chiswick, with additional premises on land set aside for the Northern Line construction at Aldenham. Later L.T. also took over a new factory built at Leavesden, near Watford, for the final assembly and testing of the planes. L.T. transferred staff from its various engineering departments, although none had any experience of aircraft construction. The desperate need for completed planes, particularly after the air war intensified in the summer of 1940, meant that most workers received little specific training. Eventually, over half the workforce were women, none of whom had previous engineering experience. However, this did not adversely affect production, and morale amongst L.A.P. staff was high for the duration of the war. Many L.T. staff also volunteered to work on the aircraft production in their own time, and collections were made to raise funds. Enough money was raised to pay for two bombers to be built. At the peak of its production the L.A.P. included 41 separate factories and units, 600 sub-contractors and 51,000 employees. Production averaged one aircraft per hour. The first L.A.P. Halifax was completed in 1941. The last, given the name London Pride, was delivered to the R.A.F. in April 1945. Bookmark with: Social Bookmarking Social Bookmarking allows users to save and categorise a personal collection of bookmarks and share them with others. This is different to using your own browser bookmarks which are available using the menus within your web browser. Use the links below to share this article on the social bookmarking site of your choice. Read more about social bookmarking at Wikipedia - Social Bookmarking. | High | [
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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?> <xsd:schema xmlns="http://www.springframework.org/schema/tool" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" targetNamespace="http://www.springframework.org/schema/tool" elementFormDefault="qualified"> <xsd:import namespace="http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace"/> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Defines the tool support annotations for Spring's configuration namespaces. Used in other namespace XSD files; not intended for direct use in config files. ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> <xsd:element name="annotation"> <xsd:complexType> <xsd:sequence minOccurs="0"> <xsd:element name="expected-type" type="typedParameterType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/> <xsd:element name="assignable-to" type="assignableToType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1"/> <xsd:element name="exports" type="exportsType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/> <xsd:element name="registers-scope" type="registersScopeType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/> <xsd:element name="expected-method" type="expectedMethodType" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="unbounded"/> </xsd:sequence> <xsd:attribute name="kind" default="direct"> <xsd:simpleType> <xsd:restriction base="xsd:string"> <xsd:enumeration value="ref"/> <xsd:enumeration value="direct"/> </xsd:restriction> </xsd:simpleType> </xsd:attribute> </xsd:complexType> </xsd:element> <xsd:complexType name="typedParameterType"> <xsd:attribute name="type" type="xsd:string" use="required"/> </xsd:complexType> <xsd:complexType name="assignableToType"> <xsd:attribute name="type" type="xsd:string"/> <xsd:attribute name="restriction" default="both"> <xsd:simpleType> <xsd:restriction base="xsd:NMTOKEN"> <xsd:enumeration value="both"/> <xsd:enumeration value="interface-only"/> <xsd:enumeration value="class-only"/> </xsd:restriction> </xsd:simpleType> </xsd:attribute> </xsd:complexType> <xsd:complexType name="expectedMethodType"> <xsd:attribute name="type" type="xsd:string"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Defines an XPath query that can be executed against the node annotated with this type to determine the class for which the this method is valid ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> </xsd:attribute> <xsd:attribute name="type-ref" type="xsd:string"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Defines an XPath query that can be executed against the node annotated with this type to determine a referenced bean (by id or alias) for which the given method is valid ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> </xsd:attribute> <xsd:attribute name="expression" type="xsd:string"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Defines an AspectJ method execution pointcut expressions that matches valid methods ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> </xsd:attribute> </xsd:complexType> <xsd:complexType name="exportsType"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Indicates that an annotated type exports an application visible component. ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> <xsd:attribute name="type" type="xsd:string"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ The type of the exported component. May be null if the type is not known until runtime. ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> </xsd:attribute> <xsd:attribute name="identifier" type="xsd:string" default="@id"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Defines an XPath query that can be executed against the node annotated with this type to determine the identifier of any exported component. ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> </xsd:attribute> </xsd:complexType> <xsd:complexType name="registersScopeType"> <xsd:attribute name="name" type="xsd:string" use="required"> <xsd:annotation> <xsd:documentation><![CDATA[ Defines the name of a custom bean scope that the annotated type registers, e.g. "conversation". Such a scope will be available in addition to the standard "singleton" and "prototype" scopes (plus "request", "session" and "globalSession" in a web application environment). ]]></xsd:documentation> </xsd:annotation> </xsd:attribute> </xsd:complexType> </xsd:schema> | Low | [
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677 S.E.2d 95 (2009) SOTO v. The STATE. No. S09A0225. Supreme Court of Georgia. May 4, 2009. *97 Barbara B. Claridge, Augusta, for appellant. Rebecca A. Wright, Dist. Atty., Madonna M. Little, Asst. Dist. Atty., Thurbert E. Baker, Atty. Gen., Jason C. Fisher, Asst. Atty. Gen., for appellee. THOMPSON, Justice. Defendant Raymond Anthony Soto was convicted of malice murder, and possession of a knife during the commission of a crime, in connection with the slaying of Stephanie Nicole Burnett.[1] Soto appeals, asserting the trial court erred in admitting the hearsay statements of his co-defendant, Matthew John Wiedeman, who entered a guilty plea prior to trial, and who gave testimony at trial which exonerated Soto, but who then refused to answer any further questions from either the prosecution or the defense. 1. Viewing the evidence in a light favorable to the verdict, as we are bound to do, we find the following: The victim, 16-year-old Stephanie Nicole Burnett, was romantically involved with Wiedeman. Wiedeman and Soto were friends. When the victim told Wiedeman that she was carrying his child, he decided to kill her by beating her with a barbell. He enlisted Soto in his plan. Wiedeman and Soto walked to the victim's house and lured her outside. Wiedeman hit the victim in the head with the barbell; Soto stabbed her with a knife. The victim's brother found her body the next morning. Crime scene investigators found a barbell, knife, two pairs of tennis shoes, two pairs of latex gloves and bloody clothing, at or near the scene of the murder. The evidence is sufficient to enable any rational trier of fact to find Soto guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of the crimes for which he was convicted. 2. As noted above, Wiedeman entered a guilty plea and the State called him as a witness. He testified that Soto walked with him to the victim's neighborhood, but waited at a supermarket while he alone killed the victim by hitting her with a barbell and stabbing her with a knife. Suddenly, in the midst of further questioning by the State, Wiedeman announced that he would not answer any questions. He also refused to answer questions posed by the defense. He continued to refuse to answer questions even after the trial court ordered him to do so and threatened to hold him in contempt. Later, the State was allowed to impeach Wiedeman through the testimony of a police officer and a fellow prisoner by introducing hearsay statements Wiedeman gave to those individuals.[2] Soto asserts the trial court erred in admitting these hearsay statements, pointing out that he was unable to cross-examine Wiedeman as to whether, or why, he made them, and arguing that, therefore, his Sixth *98 Amendment right of confrontation was violated. Generally, when a witness refuses to continue to testify after having already done so, the proper remedy is to strike pertinent portions of the witness' testimony. As it is said: "[W]hen a witness declines to answer on cross examination certain pertinent questions relevant to a matter testified about by the witness on direct examination, all of the witness' testimony on the same subject matter should be stricken." Smith v. State, 225 Ga. 328, 331, 168 S.E.2d 587 (1969). Thus, in this case, once Wiedeman refused to testify further about his and Soto's conduct on the night of the murder, the trial court would have been well advised to strike Wiedeman's testimony. However, neither party sought that remedy and the trial court was presented with only two alternatives: it could refuse to allow the State to impeach Wiedeman with his prior inconsistent statements or it could allow impeachment at the risk of impinging upon Soto's right of confrontation. Because it chose the latter course, we are faced with a difficult question: When, on direct examination, a witness gives testimony that exonerates a defendant, can the State introduce contradictory out-of-court statements to impeach him, when the statements inculpate the defendant and the witness refuses to answer further questions posed by either the State or the defendant? (a) Wiedeman's statement to police. The confrontation clause imposes an absolute bar to admitting out-of-court statements in evidence when they are testimonial in nature, and when the defendant does not have an opportunity to cross-examine the declarant. Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36, 40, 124 S.Ct. 1354, 158 L.Ed.2d 177 (2004). Gay v. State, 279 Ga. 180, 181-182, 611 S.E.2d 31 (2005). Although the trial in this case took place prior to the date Crawford was decided, this Court has held that, to the extent that Crawford enunciated a new rule for the conduct of criminal prosecutions, it applies retroactively to all cases pending on direct review or not yet final. See Bell v. State, 278 Ga. 69, 597 S.E.2d 350 (2004). Gay v. State, supra at 182, n. 2, 611 S.E.2d 31. See also Richard v. State, 281 Ga. 401(1), 637 S.E.2d 406 (2006). Wiedeman's in-custody statement to police was testimonial inasmuch as it was made during the course of an investigation, Watson v. State, 278 Ga. 763, 768(2), 604 S.E.2d 804 (2004), and it is clear that Soto did not have an "opportunity to cross-examine [Wiedeman] because [Wiedeman] refused to testify. Livingston v. State, 268 Ga. 205, 206, 486 S.E.2d 845 (1997)." Gay v. State, supra. It follows that Wiedeman's statement to police was admitted erroneously "and that the trial judge should have excluded [it] without engaging in a hearsay or reliability analysis." Id. (b) Wiedeman's statement to the prisoner. In Barksdale v. State, 265 Ga. 9, 453 S.E.2d 2 (1995), the prosecution called Barksdale's co-defendant as a witness, but he refused to testify. Nevertheless, the trial court allowed the prosecution to introduce a videotaped statement that the co-defendant gave to police, reasoning that the videotape was admissible as a prior inconsistent statement. On appeal, Barksdale argued that the introduction of the videotape violated his right of confrontation. This Court agreed, holding that the videotaped statement could not be deemed a prior inconsistent statement because the co-defendant gave no in-court testimony which was in conflict with it. Id. at 11, 453 S.E.2d 2. Going further, this Court also held that the videotaped statement was inadmissible because the witness refused to answer any questions in court and, therefore, the witness was not subject to cross-examination. In so holding, we observed that a prior inconsistent statement is admissible at trial and will not violate the right of confrontation as long as the "`declarant is present at trial and subject to unrestricted cross-examination,' United States v. Owens, 484 U.S. 554, 560, 108 S.Ct. 838, 98 L.Ed.2d 951 (1988)." (Emphasis supplied.) Id. at 12, 453 S.E.2d 2. The State argues that Barksdale is inapplicable because, unlike the declarant in that *99 case, Wiedeman did testify and, therefore, his prior statements could be judged to be inconsistent with his trial testimony. We agree that Barksdale is not wholly on point because Wiedeman testified at trial. However, the mere fact that Wiedeman's trial testimony was inconsistent with his prior statements does not mean that his prior statements were admissible at trial. That is because prior inconsistent statements remain inadmissible in the absence of "`an opportunity for effective cross-examination.'" Id. See also McCormick on Evidence, Vol. 2, § 251 (6th ed.2006); United States v. Torrez-Ortega, 184 F.3d 1128, 1132-1134 (10th Cir.1999) (witness' invalid assertion of Fifth Amendment claim rendered him unavailable for cross-examination). Here, defendant was given no opportunity whatsoever to cross-examine Wiedeman because Wiedeman "shut down" in the midst of direct examination and refused to answer further questions posed by either the prosecution or the defense. We must conclude, therefore, that the admission of Wiedeman's prior statements violated defendant's right of confrontation. The State asserts that the statement to the fellow prisoner was admissible under the necessity exception to the hearsay rule. This assertion must fail because that exception requires that the out-of-court declaration be given under circumstances indicating particularized guarantees of trustworthiness, and the out-of-court statements of an accomplice are inherently unreliable. See Barksdale v. State, supra at 12, n. 3, 453 S.E.2d 2. Likewise, the statement was inadmissible as the statement of a co-conspirator because, even if it can be said that the conspiracy was ongoing when the statement was made, defendant did not have an opportunity to cross-examine the declarant. Livingston v. State, supra at 211, 486 S.E.2d 845,. See also Rachel v. State, 247 Ga. 130, 135-136, 274 S.E.2d 475 (1981). Wilson v. State, 277 Ga. 114, 587 S.E.2d 9 (2003), upon which the State relies, is not apposite. In that case, the witness denied making the prior inconsistent statement. In this case, to the contrary, Wiedeman was not asked, and he did not say, whether he made a prior statement to the prisoner. (c) Harmless error analysis. The question remains as to whether the admission of Wiedeman's out-of-court statements in violation of Soto's constitutional right of confrontation was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Gay v. State, supra; Yancey v. State, 275 Ga. 550, 557-558, 570 S.E.2d 269 (2002). The record shows that a few weeks before the murder, Soto was heard saying that he would like to kill someone to see how it felt; that, on the night in question, an eyewitness saw two individuals hop a fence near the victim's residence; that he spoke to the individuals, one of whom he identified as Soto, and asked what they were doing; that Soto replied that they were trying to avoid the lights of a nearby convenience store; that two pairs of latex gloves and shoes, in addition to several t-shirts, a barbell and a knife were recovered at or near the crime scene, indicating that two individuals participated in the murder; and that one of those individuals was Wiedeman. The question that remains was whether Soto was Wiedeman's accomplice. In a statement to police, Soto admitted that he was with Wiedeman on the night of the murder, adding that Wiedeman killed the victim while he waited across the street. More tellingly, Soto told a fellow prisoner that Wiedeman wanted to kill the victim because she was carrying his child; that he accompanied Wiedeman to the scene of the crime; that, as Wiedeman was struggling with the victim, he asked Soto to "do something"; and that, thereupon, Soto stabbed the victim in the chest with a knife. Soto added that he believed the victim was already dead when he stabbed her because "no blood scooted out." The additional statement to the prisoner comports with the autopsy results which revealed that, in addition to multiple injuries to the head and face, the victim suffered stab wounds to the left chest which pierced the lung and pulmonary artery and resulted in a significant amount of internal, but not external, bleeding.[3] In light of *100 this overwhelming evidence, we find that any error in admitting Wiedeman's hearsay statements was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. Johnson v. State, 238 Ga. 59, 60-61, 230 S.E.2d 869 (1976). Judgment affirmed. All the Justices concur. NOTES [1] The crimes occurred on April 22, 2002. The grand jury indicted defendant and Matthew John Wiedeman on May 7, 2002. Trial commenced on April 21, 2003, and the jury returned its verdict on April 24, 2003. The trial court sentenced defendant on May 5, 2003, to life for malice murder and five consecutive years for possession of a knife. Defendant's timely filed motion for a new trial was denied on June 9, 2008. Defendant filed a notice of appeal on June 16, 2008. The case was docketed in this Court on October 21, 2008, and submitted for decision on the briefs on December 15, 2008. [2] While in custody, Wiedeman told police that he killed the victim with Soto's help; he told the prisoner that Soto stabbed the victim. [3] The medical examiner opined that the amount of internal blood loss resulting from the knife wounds demonstrated that the victim was alive when she was stabbed. | Low | [
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Q: How do I successfully work with structures and nested structures within a cpp dll in VB.NET/C#? I want to call a DLL function that wants a structure, and within that structure is another structure. The Dll should return values to my structures but I get nothing but error codes. One time (some coding back ago) I successfully returned "True" on my function call, but there were no values in my structures. I am not very familiar with marshaling and such, but if someone could please provide me an example on how to do this! The Dll code looks like this: bXaarScorpionGetPrintDataParametersUpdated(struct UpdatedPrintDataParameters &DataParams); First struct: struct UpdatedPrintDataParameters { struct PrintDataParameters OriginalParameters; DWORD RowTrailChannels[MAXROWS]; // The number of unused channels at end of print head per row DWORD RowLeadChannels[MAXROWS]; // The number of unused channels at start of print head per row DWORD CopyCount[MAXROWS]; // The number of repeated copies DWORD XPMSEPDSetup[4]; // XPM - bits to control shaft encoder and product detect configuration DWORD PDFilter; // XPM - Product Detect Filter, pass value through DWORD Spare[13]; // Spare And here is the second struct: struct PrintDataParameters { // Head Setup parameters DWORD Head; // This printhead number DWORD HeadType; // Code indicating type of printhead connected DWORD HeadIndex[MAXROWS]; // The index of the printhead in the array of actually connected printhead DWORD NumberOfRows; // The number of rows on the printhead DWORD SeparateRows; // If true, treat each row as an individual head DWORD ImageLength[MAXROWS]; // The number of strokes in an image DWORD ImageSize[MAXROWS]; // The number of bytes in an image DWORD ProductOffset; // Number of strokes of Offset after the product and before the print starts DWORD InterGap; // Gap used between continuous prints DWORD FirstSwatheBlock; // The memory address where 1st swathe control block is stored DWORD SwatheBlock; // The memory address to store this particular swathe control block DWORD ThisSwathe; // The number of the active swathe DWORD NextSwatheBlock; // The memory address where the next swathe block will be stored DWORD MemoryBlock[MAXROWS]; // The memory address to store this image block DWORD FirstMemoryBlock[MAXROWS]; // The memory address where 1st image swathe is stored DWORD MemoryBlocksNeeded[MAXROWS]; // The number of memory blocks needed to store the image swathe DWORD PreLoadSwatheBlock; // The number of memory blocks that the pre-load strokes requires DWORD PrintMode; // The print mode e.g. single shot etc. bool PrintOnce; // If true only one complete print is required DWORD CycleMode; // Cycle Mode (e.g. set to PIXELMODE, CYCLEMODE) bool ForwardBuffer; // Print direction i.e. forward or reverse DWORD StartDir[MAXROWS]; // The starting head direction bit for each row DWORD DirBlock; // The direction to use for this swathe // System setup parameters DWORD SubPixelDivide; // The subpixel divide value DWORD SaveSubPixelOffset[2][MAXROWS]; // The subpixeloffsets to use, 1st index is for forward or reverse offsets, 2nd index = row DWORD SubPixelOffset; // The sub pixel offset to use for this swathe DWORD EncoderDivide; // A copy of the encoder divide // Image control parameters DWORD TrailChannels; // The number of unused channels at end of print head - same value currently used for both rows, max 31 DWORD LeadChannels; // The number of unused channels at start of print head - same value currently used for both rows, max 31 DWORD DataChannels; // The total number of printing channels DWORD HeadChannels; // The number of printing channels per side bool BufferReverse[MAXROWS]; // The direction to read the data from the image buffer eg for 760, [0] = true, [1] = false DWORD NibbleControl[MAXROWS]; // For each row defines if the even/odd/both nibbles of image data is used for printing DWORD NibbleIndex; // Used to defines if we are using row 1 or row 2 DWORD LoopCount; // Set this to 1 LPSTR lpDIBBits; // Pointer to the bitmap in (screen) memory DWORD TotalImageWidth[MAXROWS]; // The total width of the image DWORD BitDifference; // The number of bits to store .... this needs to be set to 4 // Swathe control parameters DWORD NumberSwathes[MAXROWS]; // The number of swathes to print entire image DWORD SwatheMemoryCount[MAXROWS]; // The total number of swathes that will fit into memory for this head DWORD StoredSwathes[MAXROWS]; // The total number of swathes that have been stored to the XUSB box DWORD PreviousPrintSwathe[MAXROWS]; // The number of the previous swathe that was stored bool AllSwathesFit[MAXROWS]; // True if all the swathes fit in memory at once bool Binary; // True if binary or false if greyscale head? DWORD GreyLevel; // The number of grey levels bool FirstSwathe[MAXROWS]; // This should be set to true for each row for the 1st swathe of a print (doesn't need to be set again for repeat print swathes) bool LastSwathe[MAXROWS]; // This should be set for last swathe - specifies if the image is only required to be printed once bool LastSwatheInMemory[MAXROWS]; // This indicates that this swathe is at the end of the swathe memory DWORD SendID[MAXROWS]; // Id of the swathe that has been setup for sending to xusb box bool BiPrintKeepOdd; // Defines if, when in bi-directional printing the number of swathes are rounded up // These 2 values are used when a print head is only required to print part of an image DWORD SwatheStartIndex; // The offset into the swathe to start printing from DWORD SwatheIncrement; // The amount to add to locate the next swathe DWORD SourceStrokeWidth; // The number of blocks required for each image stroke // print parameters DWORD PrintTransportMode; // Used to determine if bi-directional printing is required bool bReverseSwatheOrder; // Define if the 1st or last swathe should be printed first bool bReverseImageOrder; // Specify if the 1st or last stroke of the image is printed first bool bPaletteRemap; // True if palette remap required bool bBinaryBackgroundInvert; // Invert the background for a binary image DWORD SaveProductOffset[2][MAXROWS]; // 1st index if to forward or reverse offsets bool bSelectHead[MAXROWS]; // This printhead is selected for print DWORD GuardValue; // Set guard channels to this value DWORD SEPDSetup; // Bits to control SE and PD configuration. Effectively the ID of the shaftencoder/product detect pair bool Enable2Bit; // True if 2 bit mode is enabled BYTE SysClock; // Encoder mode i.e. Internal, external or absolute BYTE VLDPHCount; // The number of 16 nozzle VLDPH print units BYTE Spare; // Spare My VB.Net declarations look like this: <DllImport("ScorpionDLL.dll", CallingConvention:=CallingConvention.StdCall)> Public Shared Function bXaarScorpionGetPrintDataParametersUpdated(ByRef UDataParams As UpdatedPrintDataParameters) As IntPtr End Function First struct: <System.Runtime.InteropServices.StructLayoutAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)> Public Structure UpdatedPrintDataParameters '''PrintDataParameters Public OriginalParameters As PrintDataParameters '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public RowTrailChannels() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public RowLeadChannels() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public CopyCount() As UInteger '''DWORD[4] <System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=4, ArraySubType:=System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.U4)> Public XPMSEPDSetup() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public PDFilter As UInteger '''DWORD[13] <System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=13, ArraySubType:=System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.U4)> Public Spare() As UInteger '7 End Structure Second struct <System.Runtime.InteropServices.StructLayoutAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto, Size:=66)> Public Structure PrintDataParameters '''DWORD->unsigned int Public Head As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public HeadType As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAsAttribute(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public HeadIndex() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public NumberOfRows As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SeparateRows As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public ImageLength() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public ImageSize() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public ProductOffset As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public InterGap As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public FirstSwatheBlock As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SwatheBlock As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public ThisSwathe As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public NextSwatheBlock As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public MemoryBlock() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public FirstMemoryBlock() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public MemoryBlocksNeeded() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public PreLoadSwatheBlock As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public PrintMode As UInteger '''boolean <System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.I1)> Public PrintOnce As Boolean '''DWORD->unsigned int Public CycleMode As UInteger '''boolean <System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.I1)> Public ForwardBuffer As Boolean '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public StartDir() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public DirBlock As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SubPixelDivide As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public SaveSubPixelOffset(,) As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SubPixelOffset As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public EncoderDivide As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public TrailChannels As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public LeadChannels As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public DataChannels As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public HeadChannels As UInteger '''boolean[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public BufferReverse() As Boolean '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public NibbleControl() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public NibbleIndex As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public LoopCount As UInteger '''LPSTR->CHAR* <System.Runtime.InteropServices.MarshalAsAttribute(System.Runtime.InteropServices.UnmanagedType.LPStr)> Public lpDIBBits As String '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public TotalImageWidth() As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public BitDifference As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public NumberSwathes() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public SwatheMemoryCount() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public StoredSwathes() As UInteger '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public PreviousPrintSwathe() As UInteger '''boolean[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public AllSwathesFit() As Boolean '''boolean Public Binary As Boolean '''DWORD->unsigned int Public GreyLevel As UInteger '''boolean[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public FirstSwathe() As Boolean '''boolean[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public LastSwathe() As Boolean '''boolean[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public LastSwatheInMemory() As Boolean '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public SendID() As UInteger '''boolean Public BiPrintKeepOdd As Boolean '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SwatheStartIndex As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SwatheIncrement As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SourceStrokeWidth As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public PrintTransportMode As UInteger '''boolean Public bReverseSwatheOrder As Boolean '''boolean Public bReverseImageOrder As Boolean '''boolean Public bPaletteRemap As Boolean '''boolean Public bBinaryBackgroundInvert As Boolean '''DWORD[] <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValArray, SizeConst:=2)> Public SaveProductOffset(,) As UInteger '''boolean[] Public bSelectHead() As Boolean '''DWORD->unsigned int Public GuardValue As UInteger '''DWORD->unsigned int Public SEPDSetup As UInteger '''boolean Public Enable2Bit As Boolean '''BYTE->unsigned char Public SysClock As Byte '''BYTE->unsigned char Public VLDPHCount As Byte '''BYTE->unsigned char Public Spare As Byte '66 End Structure A: ... they are all "0"... What can be the cause of that? The answer you got was not helpful. You do in fact need the <Out> attribute, the structure is not "blittable" because of the arrays and the Boolean members. A hundred dollar word that means that the pinvoke marshaller cannot just pass a pointer to the managed variable because the unmanaged layout is not the same as the managed layout. By default the pinvoke marshaller does not copy back a struct, the OutAttribute is required to change its mind. Whether you need the <[In]> attribute as well is not obvious. Probably not, but it won't hurt that much to include it, this code is not going to be fast anyway. <System.Runtime.InteropServices.StructLayoutAttribute(..., Size:=66)> It is a monster struct and your VB.NET declaration does not match the C declaration at all. Its size is not even remotely close to 66 bytes. Not only the size must match, the fields need to be at the same offset both in the C++ and the VB.NET code. If there is a mismatch then the C code can randomly fail with an AccessViolationException and the marshaller is doomed to copy the data into the completely wrong fields. I'll describe a general trouble-shooting strategy to find the mistakes. You need to write a small C++ program that measures the size of the struct with the sizeof operator. Its value needs to be an exact match with the return value of Marshal.SizeOf(). If it is not a match then it cannot ever marshal correctly. You find the wrong declaration(s) by using the offsetof macro in C++ and the Marshal.OffsetOf() method in VB.NET. Some sample code to get that started. The C++ code first: #include "stdafx.h" #include <stdlib.h> #include <Windows.h> #define MAXROWS 2 struct PrintDataParameters { // etc.. }; int main() { auto len = sizeof(PrintDataParameters); auto ofs = offsetof(PrintDataParameters, SubPixelOffset); return 0; // Set a breakpoint here, inspect len and ofs } And the equivalent VB.NET code: Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices Module Module1 Sub Main() Dim len = Marshal.SizeOf(GetType(PrintDataParameters)) Dim ofs = Marshal.OffsetOf(GetType(PrintDataParameters), "SubPixelOffset") Console.ReadLine() '' Set breakpoint here, inspect len and ofs End Sub <StructLayoutAttribute(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Ansi)> Public Structure PrintDataParameters '' etc... End Structure End Module Running this code as-is, the C++ program will report a length of 312 bytes and an offset for the SubPixelOffset field of 140. The VB.NET program reports 339 and 132. Big difference, with multiple mistakes, it can never work correctly. Work backwards from the SubPixelOffset field to find the first trouble-maker. Fix the declaration so the ofs value matches, then work forwards to find the next mistake. At least the Boolean members are wrong, they marshal by default as a 32-bit Integer but a bool takes a single byte in a C++ program. They need to be Byte or need the <MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.U1)> attribute. | Mid | [
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] |
--- abstract: | We consider a model of a [*random copolymer at a selective interface*]{} which undergoes a localization/delocalization transition. In spite of the several rigorous results available for this model, the theoretical characterization of the phase transition has remained elusive and there is still no agreement about several important issues, for example the behavior of the polymer near the phase transition line. From a rigorous viewpoint non coinciding upper and lower bounds on the critical line are known. In this paper we combine numerical computations with rigorous arguments to get to a better understanding of the phase diagram. Our main results include:\ – Various numerical observations that suggest that the critical line lies *strictly* in between the two bounds.\ – A rigorous statistical test based on concentration inequalities and super–additivity, for determining whether a given point of the phase diagram is in the localized phase. This is applied in particular to show that, with a very low level of error, the lower bound does not coincide with the critical line.\ – An analysis of the precise asymptotic behavior of the partition function in the delocalized phase, with particular attention to the effect of rare [*atypical*]{} stretches in the disorder sequence and on whether or not in the delocalized regime the polymer path has a Brownian scaling.\ – A new proof of the lower bound on the critical line. This proof relies on a characterization of the localized regime which is more appealing for interpreting the numerical data.\ \ *Keywords: Disordered Models, Copolymers, Localization Transition, Large Deviations, Corrections to Laplace estimates, Concentration of Measure, Transfer Matrix Approach, Statistical Tests*\ \ *2000 MSC: 60K37, 82B44, 82B80* address: - 'Università di Milano-Bicocca, Dipartimento di Matematica e Applicazioni, U5,via Cozzi 53, 20125 Milano, Italy *and* Laboratoire de Probabilit[é]{}s de P 6 & 7 (CNRS U.M.R. 7599) and Universit[é]{} Paris 7 – Denis Diderot, U.F.R. Mathematiques, Case 7012, 2 place Jussieu, 75251 Paris cedex 05, France' - 'Laboratoire de Probabilit[é]{}s de P 6 & 7 (CNRS U.M.R. 7599) and Universit[é]{} Paris 7 – Denis Diderot, U.F.R. Mathematiques, Case 7012, 2 place Jussieu, 75251 Paris cedex 05, France ' - 'Dipartimento di Matematica Applicata “U. Dini”, Università di Pisa, via Bonanno Pisano 25b, 56126 Pisa, Italy' author: - Francesco Caravenna - Giambattista Giacomin - Massimiliano Gubinelli title: | A numerical approach to\ copolymers at selective interfaces --- Introduction {#sec:intro} ============ The model --------- Let $S=\{S_n \}_{n=0,1,\ldots}$ be a random walk with $S_0=0$ and $S_n=\sum_{j=1}^n X_j$, $\{ X_j\}_j$ a sequence of IID random variables and ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\left( X_1= 1\right)={{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\left( X_1= -1\right)=1/2$. For ${\lambda}\ge 0$, $h \ge 0$, $N\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$ and ${\omega}=\{ {\omega}_j\}_{j=1,2, \ldots} \in {\mathbb{R}}^{\mathbb{N}}$ we introduce the probability measure ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}$ defined by $$\label{eq:Boltzmann} \frac {{\,\text{\rm d}}{{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}} {{\,\text{\rm d}}{{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }} (S) \, = \, \frac 1 {{{\widetilde}Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}} {\exp\left( {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}\left(S_n\right) \right)} ,$$ where ${{\widetilde}Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}$ is the partition function and $\operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}\left(S_{2n}\right)$ is set to be equal to $\operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}\left(S_{2n-1}\right)$ for any $n$ such that $S_{2n}=0$. This is a natural choice, as it is explained in the caption of Fig. \[fig:cop\_bonds\]. =5 cm \[c\]\[l\][$0$]{} \[c\]\[l\][ $n$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$S_n$]{} For what concerns the [*charges*]{} ${\omega}$ we put ourselves in a [*quenched set–up*]{}: ${\omega}$ is a typical realization of an IID sequence of random variables (we denote by ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }$ its law). We suppose that $$\label{eq:hypM} {\textsf{M}}({\alpha}) := {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\left[ \exp\left( {\alpha}{\omega}_1 \right)\right]<\infty \, ,$$ for every ${\alpha}$ and that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\left[ {\omega}_1 \right]=0$. Moreover we fix ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[ {{\omega}_1}^2]=1$. The free energy and the phase diagram ------------------------------------- We introduce the free energy of the system $$\label{eq:free_energy} f({\lambda},h)\, = \, \lim_{N\to \infty} \frac 1N \log {{\widetilde}Z}^{{\lambda}, h}_{N,{\omega}}.$$ The limit has to be understood in the ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left( {\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega}\right)$–almost sure sense, or in the ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb L}} }_1\left( {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\right)$ sense, and $f ({\lambda},h)$ does not depend on ${\omega}$. A proof of the existence of such a limit goes along a standard superadditive argument and we refer to [@cf:G] for the details, see however § \[sec:superadd\] below. By convexity arguments one easily sees that the free energy is a continuous function. We observe that $$\label{eq:delocfe} f({\lambda}, h) \, \ge \, {\lambda}h.$$ In fact if we set ${\Omega}_N^+= \{S:\, S_n>0$ for $ n=1, 2, \ldots , N\}$ $$\begin{gathered} \label{eq:step_deloc} \frac 1N \log {{\widetilde}Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h} \ge \frac 1N \log {{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }\left[ \exp\left( {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}\left(S_n\right) \right) ; {\Omega}_N^+ \right] \\ = \frac {{\lambda}} {N} \sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \, + \, \frac 1N \log {{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\left( {\Omega}_N^+\right)\, \stackrel{N \to \infty}{\longrightarrow}\, {\lambda}h ,\end{gathered}$$ where the limit has to be understood in the ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–almost sure sense: notice that we have used the law of large numbers. We have of course also applied the well known fact that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\left( {\Omega}_N^+\right)$ behaves like $N^{-1/2}$ for $N$ large [@cf:Feller Ch. III]. In view of and of we partition the phase diagram in the following way: - The localized region: ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }= \left\{ ({\lambda}, h): \, f({\lambda}, h)-{\lambda}h>0\right\}$; - The delocalized region: ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }= \left\{ ({\lambda}, h): \, f({\lambda}, h)- {\lambda}h=0\right\}$. This phase diagram decomposition does correspond to different behaviors of the trajectories of the copolymer: we will come back to this important issue in § \[sec:pathwise\]. We sum up in the following theorem what is known about the phase diagram of the model. \[th:sumup\] There exists a continuous increasing function $h_c: \, [0, \infty) \longrightarrow [0, \infty)$, $h_c(0)=0$, such that $${{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }\, = \, \left\{ ({\lambda}, h) :\, h < h_c ({\lambda}) \right\} \ \ \text{ and } \ \ {{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }\, = \, \left\{ ({\lambda}, h) :\, h \ge h_c ({\lambda}) \right\}.$$ Moreover $$\label{eq:sumupq} \underline h ({\lambda}) \, :=\, \frac 1{4{\lambda}/3} \log \emph{\textsf{M}}\left( -4{\lambda}/3\right)\le h_c ({\lambda})\le \frac 1{2{\lambda}} \log \emph{\textsf{M}}\left( -2{\lambda}\right) \, =: \, \overline{h} ({\lambda}).$$ This implies that the slope at the origin belongs to $[{2}/{3},1]$, in the sense that the inferior limit of $h_c({\lambda})/{\lambda}$ as ${\lambda}\searrow 0$ is not smaller than $2/3$ and the superior limit is not larger than $1$. In [@cf:GT] it is proven that the limit of $h_c({\lambda})/{\lambda}$ as ${\lambda}\searrow 0$ does exist and it is independent of the distribution of ${\omega}_1$, at least when ${\omega}_1$ is a bounded symmetric random variable or when ${\omega}_1 $ is a standard Gaussian variable [@cf:GT]. This [*universal character*]{} of the slope at the origin makes this quantity very interesting. Theorem \[th:sumup\] is a mild generalization of the results proven in [@cf:BdH] and [@cf:BG2]: the extension lies in the fact that ${\omega}_1$ is not necessarily symmetric and a proof of it requires minimal changes with respect to the arguments in [@cf:BG2]. The lower bound in is actually proven explicitly in Appendix \[app:prooflb\] (see also Section \[sec:lb\]), but we stress that we present this proof because it is a new one and because it gives some insight on the computational results. For what follows we set $$\label{eq:hm} h^{(m)}({\lambda}) \, = \, \frac 1{2m{\lambda}} \log {\textsf{M}}\left( -2m{\lambda}\right),$$ for $m >0$. Observe that the curves $\underline h(\cdot)$ and $\overline h(\cdot)$ defined in correspond respectively to $m=2/3$ and $m=1$, and that $\frac{{\,\text{\rm d}}}{{\,\text{\rm d}}{\lambda}} h^{(m)}({\lambda}) |_{{\lambda}=0} = m$. \[rem:Z\] Notice that one can write $$\label{eq:Boltzmann1} \frac {{\,\text{\rm d}}{{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}} {{\,\text{\rm d}}{{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }} (S) \, = \, \frac 1 {{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}} { \exp\left( -2 {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \Delta_n \right)} ,$$ with $\Delta_n = \left(1-\operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}(S_n)\right)/2$ and $Z_{N,{\omega}} := Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}$ a new partition function which coincides with ${\widetilde}Z_{N, {\omega}} \exp \left( - {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N ({\omega}_n +h) \right)$ and therefore we have $$\label{eq:felim2} {\textsc{f}}({\lambda}, h) \, := \, \lim_{N \to \infty} \frac 1N \log Z_{N, {\omega}}= f({\lambda}, h)-{\lambda}h.$$ This limit of course has to be interpreted in the ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. sense. We stress that, even if equivalent to ${\widetilde}Z_{N, {\omega}}\exp(-{\lambda}h N)$ in the Laplace asymptotic sense, $Z_{N , {\omega}}$ turns out to be substantially more useful. This had been already realized in [@cf:BdH], but for our results looking at $Z_{N, {\omega}}$, rather than ${\widetilde}Z_{N, {\omega}}$, is even more essential. Moreover from now on ${\textsc{f}}({\lambda}, h)$, rather than $f({\lambda}, h)$, will be for us the free energy. We will use repeatedly also the partition function associated to the model [*pinned*]{} at the right endpoint: $$\label{eq:pinned} Z_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}(x) \, :=\, {{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }\left[ \exp\left( -2 {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \Delta_n \right); \, S_N= x \right].$$ It is worth recalling that one can substitute $Z_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}$ with $Z_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}(x)$, any fixed even $x$ (recall that $N \in 2{\mathbb{N}}$), in and the limit is unchanged, see e.g. [@cf:BdH] or [@cf:G]. A random walk excursions viewpoint {#sec:notation} ---------------------------------- We present here a different viewpoint on the process: this turns out to be useful for the intuition and it will be used in some technical steps. We call $\eta$ the first return time of the walk $S$ to $0$, that is $\eta:=\inf\left\{ n\ge 1:S_{n}=0\right\} $, and set $K(2n):={{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\left(\eta=2n\right)$ for $n\in{\mathbb{N}}$. It is well known that $K(\cdot)$ is decreasing on the even natural numbers and $$\label{eq:asympt} \lim_{x\in 2{\mathbb{N}}, x\to \infty} x^{3/2} K(x)= \sqrt{2/\pi }, $$ see e.g. [@cf:Feller Ch. 3]. Let the IID sequence $\left\{ \eta_j \right\}_{j=1,2, \ldots}$ denote the inter–arrival times at $0$ for $S$, and we set $\tau_k := \eta_0 + \ldots + \eta_k$. If we introduce also $\ell _N =\max\{j \in {\mathbb{N}}\cup \{0\} : \tau_j \le N\}$, then by exploiting the up–down symmetry of the excursions of $S$ we directly obtain $$\begin{split} \label{eq:reducttoexc} & Z_{N,{\omega}} (0) \, =\, {{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }\left[ \prod_{j=1}^{\ell_N} \varphi \Bigg({\lambda}\sum_{n=\tau_{j-1}+1}^{\tau_j} {\omega}_n + {\lambda}h \eta_j \Bigg) ; \tau_{\ell_N} = N \right] \\ & \quad =\, \sum_{l=0}^N {\sum_{\substack{x_0, \ldots, x_l \in 2{\mathbb{N}}\\ 0=:x_0 < \ldots < x_l:= N}}} \prod_{i=1}^l \; \varphi \Bigg({\lambda}\sum_{n=x_{i-1}+1}^{x_i} {\omega}_n + {\lambda}h (x_i - x_{i-1}) \Bigg) \; K(x_i - x_{i-1}) \,, \end{split}$$ with $\varphi (t) : = \left( 1+\exp(-2t)\right) / 2$. Of course the formula for $Z_{N,{\omega}}$ is just slightly different. Formula reflects the fact that what really matters for the copolymer are the return times to the interface. Known and conjectured path properties {#sec:pathwise} ------------------------------------- The question of whether splitting the phase diagram into the regions ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ and ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }$ does correspond to really different path behaviors has a positive answer, at least if we do not consider the critical case, that is if we consider the path behavior for $({\lambda}, h) \in{{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ and for $({\lambda}, h)$ in the interior of ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }$. However, while the localized regime is rather well understood, the delocalized one remains somewhat elusive (we take up this point again in Section \[sec:path1\]). More precisely: - For $({\lambda}, h) \in{{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ one knows that the polymer is going to stay very close to the interface, [*essentially*]{} at distance $O(1)$ and the polymer becomes positive recurrent for $N\to \infty$. Due to the disordered distribution of the charges, even the most elementary results in this direction require a careful formulation and we prefer to refer to [@cf:AZ], [@cf:BisdH] and [@cf:Sinai]. - For $({\lambda}, h)$ in the interior of ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }$ one can prove by large deviation arguments that there are $o(N)$ visits to the unfavorable solvent and by more sophisticate arguments that these visits are actually $O(\log N)$ [@cf:GT]. These results are in sharp contrast with what happens in ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ and in this sense they are satisfactory. However they give at the same time still a weak information on the paths, above all if compared to what is available for non disordered models, see e.g. [@cf:MGO], [@cf:DGZ], [@cf:CGZ] and references therein, namely Brownian scaling, which in turn is a consequence of the fact that all the visits in the unfavorable solvent happen very close to the boundary points, that is the origin, under the measure ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}$. In non disordered models one can in fact prove that the polymer becomes transient and that it visits the unfavorable solvent, or any point below a fixed level, only a finite number of times. Recently it has been shown [@cf:GT] that such a result cannot hold as stated, at least for $h <\overline{h}({\lambda})$, for the disordered copolymer. However the results in [@cf:GT] leave open the possibility of Brownian scaling in the whole delocalized region. Outline of the results {#sec:Outline} ---------------------- Formula leaves an important gap, that hides the only partial understanding of the nature of this delocalization/localization transition. Our purpose is to go toward filling this gap: our results are both of theoretical and numerical nature. At the same time we address the delocalization issues raised in § \[sec:pathwise\], which are intimately related with the precise asymptotic behavior of $Z_{N,{\omega}}$ and of $Z_{N,{\omega}}(0)$. More precisely: 1. In Section \[sec:testing\] we present a statistical test with explicit error bounds, see Proposition \[th:stat\], based on super–additivity and concentration inequalities, to state that a point $({\lambda}, h)$ is localized. We apply this test to show that, with a very low level of error, the lower bound $h=\underline h({\lambda})$ defined in does not coincide with the critical line. 2. In Section \[sec:lb\] we give the outline of a new proof of the main result in [@cf:BG2]. The details of the proof are in Appendix B and we point out in particular Proposition \[prop:stopping1\], that gives a necessary and sufficient condition for localization. This viewpoint on the transition, derived from [@cf:GT Section 4], helps substantially in interpreting the [*irregularities*]{} in the behavior of $\left\{ Z_{N, {\omega}}\right\}_N$ as $N \nearrow \infty$. 3. In Section \[sec:path\] we pick up the conjecture of Brownian scaling in the delocalized regime both in the intent of testing it and in trying to asses with reasonable confidence that $({\lambda}, h)$ is in the interior of ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }$. In particular, we present quantitative evidences in favor of the fact that the upper bound $h= \overline h ({\lambda})$ defined in is strictly greater than the critical line. We stress that this is a very delicate issue, since delocalization, unlike localization, does not appear to be reducible to a finite volume issue. 4. Finally, in Section \[sec:guess\], we report the results of a numerical attempt to determine the critical curve. While this issue has to be treated with care, mostly for the reasons raised in point 4 above, we observe a surprising phenomenon: the critical curve appears to be very close to $h^{(m)}(\cdot)$ for a suitable value of $m$. By the universality result proven in [@cf:GT], building on the free energy Brownian scaling result proven in [@cf:BdH], the slope at the origin of $h_c(\cdot)$ does not depend on the law of ${\omega}$. Therefore if really $h^{(m)}(\cdot)= h_c (\cdot)$, since the slope at the origin of $h^{(m)}(\cdot)$ is $m$, $m$ is the universal constant we are looking for. We do not believe that the numerical evidence allows to make a clear cut statement, but what we observe is compatible with such a possibility. We point out that our numerical results are based on a numerical computation of the partition function $Z_{N,{\omega}}$, exploiting the standard transfer–matrix approach (this item is discussed in more details in Appendix \[app:algo\]). A quick overview of the literature {#sec:overv} ---------------------------------- The [*copolymer in the proximity of an interface*]{} problem has a long literature, but possibly the first article that attracted the attention of mathematicians is [@cf:GHLO]. Here we are going to focus on very specific issues and the most interesting for our purposes is that in the physical literature both the conjecture that $\underline{h}(\cdot)= h_c (\cdot)$ (cf. [@cf:Monthus] and [@cf:SSE]) and that $\overline{h}(\cdot)= h_c (\cdot)$ (cf. [@cf:TM]) are set forth. The approaches are non rigorous, mostly based on replica computations, with the exception of [@cf:Monthus] whose method is the real space renormalization technique for one–dimensional disordered systems first proposed in [@cf:Fisher] in the context of quantum Ising model with transverse field and then applied with remarkably precise results to random walk in random environment, see e. g. [@cf:LDMF99]. The result in [@cf:BG2], that $\underline{h} (\cdot) \le h_c (\cdot)$, is obtained by exploiting the path behavior of the copolymer near criticality suggested in [@cf:Monthus]. This strategy may by summed up by: the localized polymer close to criticality is mostly delocalized in the upper half–plane and it keeps in the lower half–plane only the rare portions with an atypically negative charge. The numerical results that we set forth in this work are saying that this strategy is not good enough. At the opposite end, the result $\overline{h}(\cdot)\ge h_c(\cdot)$, albeit relatively subtle, is absolutely elementary to prove [@cf:BdH]. And such a bound does not depend at all on the details of the walk: any non trivial null recurrent walk with increments in $\{-1, 0, +1\}$ leads to the same upper bound. This suggests that such a bound is too rough. One can however prove that the standard procedure for obtaining upper bounds that goes under the name of [*constrained annealing*]{} cannot improve such a bound [@cf:CG]. This is in any case far from being a proof that $\overline{h}(\cdot)= h_c(\cdot)$, and in fact the numerics suggest that this is not the case. In the literature one finds also a large number of numerical works on copolymers, we mention here for example [@cf:CW], [@cf:SW] and references therein. As far as we have seen, the attention is often shifted toward different aspects, notably of course the issue of critical exponents, and the more complex model in which the polymer is not directed but rather self–avoiding, see [@cf:CW] and [@cf:SW] also for some rigorous results and references in such a direction. Our work has been led rather by the idea that understanding the precise location of the critical curve is a measure of our understanding of the nature of the transition. Understanding that, in turn, could promote an advance on the mathematical analysis of the copolymer and, more generally, of this kind of disordered models. A statistical test for the localized phase {#sec:testing} ========================================== Checking localization at finite volume {#sec:superadd} -------------------------------------- At an intuitive level one is led to believe that, when the copolymer is localized, it should be possible to detect it by looking at the system before the infinite volume limit. This intuition is due to the fact that in the localized phase the length of each excursion is finite, therefore for $N$ [*much larger* ]{} that the [*typical*]{} excursion length one should already observe the localization phenomenon in a quantitative way. The system being disordered of course does not help, because it is more delicate to make sense of what [*typicality*]{} means in a non translation invariant set–up. However the translation invariance can be recovered by averaging and in fact it turns out to be rather easy to give a precise meaning to the intuitive idea we have just mentioned. The key word here is super–additivity of the averaged free energy. In fact by considering only the $S$ trajectories such that $S_{2N}=0$ and by applying the Markov property of $S$ one directly verifies that for any $N, M\in {\mathbb{N}}$ $$\label{eq:superadd} Z_{2N+2M, {\omega}} (0)\, \ge \, Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)\, Z_{2M, \theta^{2N} {\omega}}(0),$$ $(\theta {\omega})_n={\omega}_{n+1}$, and therefore $$\left\{ \, {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}} (0) \right\}_{N=1,2, \ldots}$$ is a super–additive sequence, which immediately entails the existence of the limit of $ {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)]/2N$ and the fact that this limit coincides with the supremum of the sequence. Therefore from the existence of the quenched free energy we have that $${\textsc{f}}({\lambda}, h) \, =\, \sup_N \frac 1{2N} {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)\,.$$ In a more suggestive way one may say that: $$\label{eq:loc_char} ({\lambda}, h) \in {{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }\ \ \Longleftrightarrow \ \ \text{there exists } N\in {\mathbb{N}}\ \, \text{such that} \, \ {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)>0\,.$$ The price one pays for working with a disordered system is precisely in taking the ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }$–expectation and from the numerical viewpoint it is an heavy price: even with the most positive attitude one cannot expect to have access to ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)$ by direct numerical computation for $N$ above $10$. Of course in principle small values of $N$ may suffice (and they do in some cases, see Remark \[rem:N=2\]), but they do not suffice to tackle the specific issue we are interested in. We elaborate at length on this interesting issue in § \[sec:computer\_assisted\]. \[rem:N=2\] An elementary application of the localization criterion is obtained for $N=1$: $({\lambda}, h)\in {{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ if $$\label{eq:N=2} {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\left[ \log\left( \frac 12+ \frac 12 \exp\left( -2{\lambda}\left({\omega}_1+ {\omega}_2+2h\right) \right) \right) \right]>0.$$ In the case ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\omega}_1=\pm 1)=1/2$ from we obtain that for ${\lambda}$ sufficiently large $h_c({\lambda}) > 1- c/{\lambda}$, with $c= (1/4)\log(2\exp(4) -1)\approx1.17$. From $\underline{h}(\cdot)$ we obtain the same type of bound, with $c=(3/4)\log 2\approx 0.52$. This may raise some hope that for ${\lambda}$ large an explicit, possibly computer assisted, computation for small values of $N$ of ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)$ could lead to new estimates. This is not the case, as we show in § \[sec:computer\_assisted\]. Testing by using concentration ------------------------------ In order to decide whether ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)>0$ we resort to a Montecarlo evaluation of ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)$ that can be cast into a statistical test with explicit error bound by means of concentration of measure ideas. This procedure is absolutely general, but we have to choose a set–up for the computations and we take the simplest: ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\omega}_1=+1)={{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\omega}_1=-1)=1/2$. The reason for this choice is twofold: - if ${\omega}_1$ is a bounded random variable, a Gaussian concentration inequality holds and if ${\omega}$ is symmetric and it takes only two values then one can improve on the explicit constant in such an inequality. This speeds up in a non negligible way the computations; - generating [*true randomness*]{} is out of reach, but playing head and tail is certainly the most elementary case in such a far reaching task (the random numbers issue is briefly discussed in Appendix \[app:algo\] too). A third reason to restrict testing to the Bernoulli case is explained at the end of the caption of Table \[tbl:2\]. We start the testing procedure by stating the null hypothesis: $$\label{eq:H0} \text{H}0: \ \ {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)\le 0.$$ $N$ in H0 can be chosen arbitrarily. We stress that refusing H0 implies ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)>0$, which by implies localization. The following concentration inequality for Lipschitz functions holds for the uniform measure on $\{-1,+1\}^N$: for every function $G_N:\{-1,+1\}^N \to {\mathbb{R}}$ such that $\vert G_N({\omega})-G_N({\omega}^\prime )\vert \le C_{\text{Lip}} \sqrt(\sum_{n=1}^N ({\omega}_n-{\omega}^\prime_n)^2)$, where $C_{\text{Lip}}$ a positive constant and $G_N({\omega})$ is an abuse of notation for $G_N({\omega}_1, \ldots, {\omega}_N)$, one has $$\label{eq:concentration} {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\left[\exp\left({\alpha}\left(G_N({\omega})- {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[G_N({\omega})]\right)\right)\right]\, \le\, \exp\left({\alpha}^2C_{\text{Lip}}^2\right),$$ for every ${\alpha}$. Inequality with an extra factor $4$ at the exponent can be extracted from the proof of Theorem 5.9, page 100 in [@cf:Ledoux]. Such an inequality holds for variables taking values in $[-1,1]$: the factor $4$ can be removed for the particular case we are considering (see [@cf:Ledoux p. 110–111]). In our case $G_N({\omega})= \log Z_{2N,{\omega}}(0)$. By applying the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality one obtains that $G_N$ is Lipschitz with $C_{\text{Lip}}= 2{\lambda}\sqrt{N}$. Let us now consider an IID sequence $\{ G^{(i)}_N({\omega})\}_i$ with $G^{(1)}_N ({\omega})=G_N({\omega})$: if H0 holds then we have that for every $n\in {\mathbb{N}}$, $u>0$ and ${\alpha}= un/8{\lambda}^2N$ $$\begin{split} {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left( \frac 1n \sum_{i=1}^n G^{(i)}_N({\omega}) \ge u \right) \, &\le \, {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\left[ \exp\left( \frac{\alpha}n \left(G_N({\omega})- {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[G_N({\omega})]\right) \right) \right]^n \exp\left(-{\alpha}\left( u- {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[G_N({\omega})]\right)\right) \\ &\le \, \exp\left(\frac{4 {\alpha}^2 {\lambda}^2N}{n}-{\alpha}u\right) \\ &= \, \exp\left( -\frac{u^2 n}{16 {\lambda}^2 N}\right) . \end{split}$$ Let us sum up what we have obtained: \[th:stat\] Let us call $\widehat u_n$ the average of a sample of $n$ independent realizations of $\log Z_{2N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)$. If $\widehat u_n>0$ then we may refuse H0, and therefore $({\lambda},h)\in {{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$, with a level of error not larger than $\exp\left( -{\widehat u_n ^2 n}/{16 {\lambda}^2 N}\right)$. Numerical tests --------------- We report in Table \[tbl:1\] the most straightforward application of Proposition \[th:stat\], obtained by a numerical computation of $\log Z_N$ for a sample of $n$ independent environments ${\omega}$. We aim at seeing how far above $\underline{h}(\cdot)$ one can go and still claim localization, keeping a reasonably small probability of error. ${\lambda}$ $0.3$ $0.6$ $1$ ---------------------------- --------------------- --------------------- ---------------------- $h$ 0.22 0.41 0.58 $p$–value $1.5\times 10^{-6}$ $9.5\times 10^{-3}$ $1.6 \times 10^{-5}$ $\underline{h}({\lambda})$ 0.195 0.363 0.530 $\overline{h}({\lambda})$ 0.286 0.495 0.662 $N$ 300000 500000 160000 $n$ 225000 330000 970000 C. I. 99% $7.179\pm0.050$ $9.011\pm 0.045$ $7.643 \pm 0.025$ : \[tbl:1\] According to our numerical computations, the three pairs $({\lambda},h)$ are in ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ and this has been tested with the stated $p$–values (or probability/level of error). We report the values of $\overline{h}({\lambda})$ and $\underline{h}({\lambda})$ for reference. Of course in these tests there is quite a bit of freedom in the choice of $n$ and $N$: notice that $N$ enters in the evaluation of the $p$–value also because a larger value of $N$ yields a larger value of ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)$. In the last line we report standard Gaussian $99\%$ confidence intervals for ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)$. Of course the $p$–value under the Gaussian assumption turns out to be totally negligible. One might be tempted to interpolate between the values in Table \[tbl:1\], or possibly to get results for small values of ${\lambda}$ in order to extend the result of the test to the slope of the critical curve in the origin. However the fact that $h_c({\lambda})$ is strictly increasing does not help much in this direction and the same is true for the finer result, proven in [@cf:BG], that $h_c({\lambda})$ can be written as $U({\lambda})/{\lambda}$, $U(\cdot)$ a convex function. Improving on $\underline{h}(\cdot)$ is uniformly hard {#sec:computer_assisted} ----------------------------------------------------- One can get much smaller $p$–values at little computational cost by choosing $h$ [*just above*]{} $\underline{h}({\lambda})$. As a matter of fact a natural choice is for example $h=h ^{(0.67)}({\lambda})>\underline{h}({\lambda})$, recall , for a set of values of ${\lambda}$, and this is part of the content of Table \[tbl:2\]: in particular ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N_+,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h^{(0.67)}({\lambda})}(0) >0$ with a probability of error smaller than $10^{-5}$ for the values of ${\lambda}$ between $0.1$ and $1$. However we stress that for some of these ${\lambda}$’s we have a much smaller $p$–value, see the caption of Table \[tbl:2\], and that the content of this table is much richer and it approaches also the question of whether or not a symbolic computation or some other form of computer assisted argument could lead to $h_c({\lambda})>\underline{h}({\lambda})$ for some ${\lambda}$, and therefore for ${\lambda}$ in an interval. Since such an argument would require $N$ to be [*small*]{}, intuitively the hope resides in large values of ${\lambda}$, recall also Remark \[rem:N=2\]. It turns out that one needs in any case $N$ larger than $700$ in order to observe a localization phenomenon at $h^{(0.67)}({\lambda})$. We now give some details on the procedure that leads to Table \[tbl:2\]. ${\lambda}$ $0.05 (\star)$ $0.1$ $0.2$ $0.4$ $0.6$ $1$ $2(\star)$ $4(\star\star )$ $8(\star\star )$ ------------- ---------------- -------- ------- ------- ------- ------ ------------ ------------------ ------------------ $N_+$ 750000 190000 40000 9500 4250 1800 900 800 800 $N_-$ 600000 130000 33000 7500 3650 1550 750 700 700 : \[tbl:2\] For a given ${\lambda}$, both ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N_+,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h^{(0.67)}({\lambda})}(0) >0$ and ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N_-,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h^{(0.67)}({\lambda})}(0) <0$ with a probability of error smaller than $10^{-5}$ (and in some cases much smaller than that). Instead for the two cases marked by a $(\star)$ the level of error is rather between $10^{-2}$ and $10^{-3}$. For large values of ${\lambda}$, the two cases marked with $(\star \star)$, it becomes computationally expensive to reach small $p$–values. However, above ${\lambda}=3$ one observes that the values of $Z_{2N,{\omega}}(0)$ essentially do not depend anymore on the value of ${\lambda}$. This can be interpreted in terms of convergence to a limit (${\lambda}\to \infty$) model, as it is explained in Remark \[rem:starstar\]. If we then make the hypothesis that this limit model sharply describes the copolymer along the curve $({\lambda}, h^{(m)}({\lambda}))$ for ${\lambda}$ sufficiently large and we apply the concentration inequality, then the given values of $N_+$ and $N_-$ are tested with a very small probability of error. Since the details of such a procedure are quite lengthy we do not report them here. We have constructed (partial) tables also for different laws of ${\omega}$, notably ${\omega}_1 \sim N(0,1)$, and they turned out to yield larger, at times substantially larger, values of $N_\pm ({\lambda})$. First and foremost, the concentration argument that leads to Proposition \[th:stat\] is symmetric and it works for deviations below the mean as well as above. So we can, in the very same way, test the null hypothesis ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)> 0$ and, possibly, refuse it if $\hat u _n <0$, exactly with the same $p$–value as in Proposition \[th:stat\]. Of course an important part of Proposition \[th:stat\] was coming from the finite volume localization condition : we do not have an analogous statement for delocalization (and we do not expect that there exists one). But, even if ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)\le 0$ does not imply delocalization, it says at least that it is pointless to try to prove localization by looking at a system of that size. In Table \[tbl:2\] we show two values of the system size $N$, $N_+$ and $N_-$, for which, at a given ${\lambda}$, one has that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N_+, {\omega}}(0)> 0$ and ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N_-, {\omega}}(0)< 0$ with a fixed probability of error (specified in the caption of the Table). It is then reasonable to guess that the transition from negative to positive values of ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{\cdot , {\omega}}(0)$ happens for $N\in (N_-,N_+)$. There is no reason whatsoever to expect that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{N, {\omega}}(0)$ should be monotonic in $N$ but according to our numerical result it is not unreasonable to expect that monotonicity should set in for $N$ large or, at least, that for $N< N_-$ (respectively $N>N_+$) ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}(0)$ is definitely negative (respectively positive). =8 cm \[c\]\[l\][$N$]{} \[c\]\[l\][ ${\lambda}$]{} \[rem:starstar\] As pointed out in the caption of Table \[tbl:2\], from numerics one observes a very sharp convergence to a ${\lambda}$ independent behavior as ${\lambda}$ becomes large, along the line $h=h^{(m)}({\lambda})$. This is easily interpreted if one observes that $h^{(m)}({\lambda})= 1-((\log 2) /2m{\lambda})+O(\exp(-4m{\lambda}))$ so that $$\label{eq:lim_mod} \lim_{{\lambda}\to \infty} \exp\left(-2 {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \Delta_n \right)\, =\, \exp\left(\frac{\log 2}{m}\sum_{n=1}^N \Delta_n\right) {\mathbf{1}}_{\left\{\sum_{n=1}^N \Delta_n (1+{\omega}_n)=0\right\} } (S).$$ This corresponds to the model where a positive charge never enters the lower half-plane and where the energy of a configuration is proportional to the number of negative charges in the lower half-plane. Lower bound strategies versus the true strategy {#sec:lb} =============================================== An approach to lower bounds on the critical curve {#sec:lb_outline} ------------------------------------------------- In this section we give an outline of a new derivation of the lower bound $$\label{eq:mainBG} \underline h ({\lambda})\le h_c({\lambda}),$$ with $\underline h ({\lambda})$ defined in (\[eq:sumupq\]). The complete proof may be found in Appendix \[app:prooflb\]. The argument takes inspiration from the ideas used in the proof of Proposition 3.1 in [@cf:GT] and, even if it is essentially the proof of [@cf:BG] in disguise, in the sense that the selection of the random walk trajectories that are kept and whose energy contribution is evaluated does not differ too much (in a word: the [*strategy*]{} of the polymer is similar), it is however conceptually somewhat different and it will naturally lead to some considerations on the precise asymptotic behavior of $Z_{N, {\omega}}$ in the delocalized phase and even in the localized phase close to criticality. The first step in our proof of (\[eq:mainBG\]) is a different way of looking at localization. For any fixed positive number $C$ we introduce the stopping time (with respect to the natural filtration of the sequence $\{{\omega}_n\}$) $T^C = T^{C,{\lambda},h}({\omega})$ defined by $$\label{eq:T^C} T^{C,{\lambda},h}({\omega}) := \inf \{N\in 2{\mathbb{N}}:\ Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \ge C\}\,.$$ The key observation is that if ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C] < \infty$ for some $C>1$, then the polymer is localized. Let us sketch a proof of this fact (for the details, see Proposition \[prop:stopping1\]): notice that by the very definition of $T^C$ we have $Z_{T^C({\omega}),{\omega}}(0) \ge C$. Now the polymer that is in zero at $T^C({\omega})$ is equivalent to the original polymer, with a translated environment ${\omega}'=\theta^{T^C} {\omega}$, and setting $T_2({\omega}) := T^C ({\omega}')$ we easily get $Z_{T_1({\omega})+T_2({\omega}),{\omega}}(0) \ge C^2$ (we have put $T_1({\omega}):=T^C({\omega})$). Notice that the new environment ${\omega}'$ is still typical, since $T^C$ is a stopping time, so that $T_2$ is independent of $T_1$ and has the same law. This procedure can be clearly iterated, yielding an IID sequence $\{T_i({\omega})\}_{i=1,2,\ldots}$ that gives the following lower bound on the partition function: $$\label{eq:lowbound} Z_{T_1({\omega})+\ldots +T_n({\omega}),{\omega}}(0) \ge C^n\,.$$ From this bound one easily obtains that $$\label{eq:forappB} {\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h) \stackrel{\text{a.s.}}{= } \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{\log Z_{T_1({\omega})+\ldots +T_n({\omega}),{\omega}}(0)}{T_1({\omega})+\ldots +T_n({\omega})} \ge \frac{\log C}{{{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]}\,,$$ where we have applied the strong law of large numbers, and localization follows since by hypothesis $C>1$ and ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]<\infty$. \[rem:reciprocal\] It turns out that also the reciprocal of the claim just proved holds true, that is *the polymer is localized if and only if ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]<\infty$*, with an arbitrary choice of $C>1$, see Proposition \[prop:stopping1\]. In fact the case ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]=\infty$ may arise in two different ways: 1. the variable $T^C$ is defective, ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }[T^C=\infty]>0$: in this case with positive probability $\{Z_{N,{\omega}}(0)\}_N$ is a bounded sequence, and delocalization follows immediately; 2. \[en:scenario\] the variable $T^C$ is proper with infinite mean, ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }[T^C=\infty]=0,\ {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]=\infty$: in this case we can still build a sequence $\{T_i({\omega})\}_{i=1,2,\ldots}$ defined as above and this time the lower bound has *subexponential* growth. Moreover it can be shown that in this case the lower bound gives the true free energy, cf. Lemma \[lem:chop\], which therefore is zero, so that delocalization follows also in this case. As a matter of fact, it is highly probable that in the interior of the delocalized phase $Z_{N,{\omega}}(0)$ vanishes ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. when $N \to \infty$ and this would rule out the scenario (\[en:scenario\]) above, saying that for $C>1$ the random variable $T^C$ must be either integrable or defective. We take up again this point in Sections \[sec:path\] and \[sec:guess\]: we feel that this issue is quite crucial in order to fully understand the delocalized phase of disordered models. \[rem:analogy\] Dealing directly with $T^C$ may be difficult. Notice however that if one finds a random time (by this we mean simply an integer–valued random variable) $T=T({\omega})$ such that $$\label{eq:but} Z_{T({\omega}), {\omega}}(0)\ge C>1\,, \qquad \text{with \ } {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T]<\infty\,,$$ then localization follows. This is simply because this implies $T^C \le T$ and hence ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]<\infty$. Therefore localization is equivalent to the condition $\log Z_{T({\omega}), {\omega}}(0)>0$ for an *integrable* random time $T({\omega})$: we would like to stress the analogy between this and the criterion for localization given in § \[sec:superadd\], see . Now we can turn to the core of our proof: we are going to show that for every $({\lambda},h)$ with $h<\underline h ({\lambda})$ we can build a random time $T=T({\omega})$ that satisfies . The construction of $T$ is based on the idea that for $h>0$ if localization prevails is because of rare ${\omega}$–stretches that invite the polymer to spend time in the lower half–plane in spite of the action of $h$. The strategy we use consists in looking for $q$–atypical stretches of length at least $M\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$, where $q<-h$ is the average charge of the stretch. Rephrased a bit more precisely, we are looking for the smallest $n\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$ such that $\sum_{i=n-k+1}^n {\omega}_i /k <q$ for some even integer $k \ge M$. It is well known that such a random variable grows, in the sense of Laplace, as $\exp(\Sigma(q) M)$ for $M\to \infty$, where ${\Sigma}(q)$ is the Cramer functional $$\label{eq:cramer} {\Sigma}(q) := \sup_{{\alpha}\in{\mathbb{R}}} \{{\alpha}q-\log {\textsf{M}}({\alpha})\}\,.$$ One can also show without much effort that the length of such a stretch cannot be much longer than $M$. Otherwise stated, this is the familiar statement that the longest $q$–atypical sub–stretch of ${\omega}_1, \ldots , {\omega}_N$ is of typical length $\sim \log N/\Sigma (q)$. So $T({\omega})$ is for us the end–point of a $q$–atypical stretch of length approximately $(\log T({\omega}))/\Sigma(q)$: by looking for sufficiently long $q$–atypical stretches we have always the freedom to choose $T({\omega}) \gg 1$, in such a way that also $\log T({\omega}) \ll T({\omega})$ and this is helpful for the estimates. So let us bound $Z_{T({\omega}), {\omega}}$ from below by considering only the trajectories of the walk that stay in the upper half–plane up to the beginning of the $q$–atypical stretch and that are negative in the stretch, coming back to zero at step $T({\omega})$ (see Fig. \[fig:ZT\]: the polymer is cut at the first dashed vertical line). The contribution of these trajectories is easily evaluated: it is approximately $$\label{eq:int1} \left( \frac {1} {T({\omega})^{3/2}} \right) \exp\left( -2{\lambda}(q+h) \frac{\log T({\omega})}{\Sigma(q)}\right).$$ For such an estimate we have used and $\log T({\omega}) \ll T({\omega})$ both in writing the probability that the first return to zero of the walk is at the beginning of the $q$–atypical stretch and in neglecting the probability that the walk is negative inside the stretch. It is straightforward to see that if $$\label{eq:int2} \frac {4{\lambda}} 3 h < -\frac {4{\lambda}} 3 q - \Sigma(q),$$ and if $T({\omega})$ is large, then also the quantity in is large. We can still optimize this procedure by choosing $q$ (which must be sufficently negative, i.e. $q < -h$). By playing with one sees that one can choose $q_0\in {\mathbb{R}}$ such that for $q=q_0$ the right–hand side in equals $\log {\textsf{M}}(-4{\lambda}/3)$ and if $h<\log {\textsf{M}}(-4{\lambda}/3)/(4{\lambda}/3) = \underline{h} ({\lambda})$ then $q_0 <-h$. This argument therefore is saying that there exists $C>1$ such that $$\label{eq:C1} Z_{T({\omega}), {\omega}}(0) \, \ge \, C,$$ for every ${\omega}$. It only remains to show that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T]<\infty$: this fact, together with a detailed proof of the argument just presented can be found in Appendix \[app:prooflb\]. =5 cm \[c\]\[l\][$0$]{} \[c\]\[l\][ $\ell$]{} \[c\]\[l\][ $n$]{} \[l\]\[l\][ $L$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$S$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$T({\omega})$]{} =16 cm \[c\]\[l\][$N$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$\log Z_{2N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h}$]{} \[l\]\[l\][A: $h=0.42$]{} \[l\]\[l\][B: $h=0.44$]{} \[l\]\[l\][C: $h=0.43$]{} \[l\]\[l\][D: $h=0.43$ (Zoom)]{} Persistence of the effect of rare stretches ------------------------------------------- As pointed out in the previous section, there is strong evidence that $h_c({\lambda})> \underline{h} ({\lambda})$. At this stage Fig. \[fig:tmp\] is of particular interest. Notice first of all that in spite of being substantially above $\underline{h}(\cdot)$ the copolymer appears to be still localized, see in particular case A. The rigorous lower bounds that we are able to prove cannot establish localization in the region we are considering. All the same, notice that if one does not cut the polymer at $T({\omega})$, as in the argument above, but at $T({\omega})+L$, a lower bound of the following type $$\label{eq:beyondT} Z_{T({\omega})+L, {\omega}}\, \stackrel{\text{roughly}}{\ge}\, \text{const.} \frac1{T({\omega})^{3/2}}\, \exp\left( -2{\lambda}(q+h)\frac{\log T({\omega})}{\Sigma (q)}\right) \, \frac 1 {L^{1/2}},$$ is easily established. Of course we are being imprecise, but we just want to convey the idea, see also Fig. \[fig:ZT\], that after passing through an atypically [*negative*]{} stretch of environment ($q>0$), the effect of this stretch decays at most like $L^{-1/2}$, that is the probability that a walk stays positive for a time $L$. At this point we stress that the argument outlined in § \[sec:lb\_outline\] and re–used for may be very well applied to $h> \underline{h}({\lambda})$, except that this time it does not suffice for $\eqref{eq:C1}$. But it yields nevertheless that for $h \in \left(\underline{h}({\lambda}), \overline{h}({\lambda})\right)$ the statement $Z_{N,{\omega}}\sim N^{-1/2}$, something a priori expected (for example [@cf:BH]) in the delocalized regime and true for non disordered systems, is violated. More precisely, one can find a sequence of random times $\{\tau_j\}_j$, $\lim_j \tau _j= \infty$ such that $Z_{\tau_j,{\omega}}\ge {\tau_j}^{-1/2+a}$, $a=a({\lambda},h)>0$ (see Proposition 4.1 in [@cf:GT]). These random times are constructed exactly by looking for $q$–atypical stretches as above and one can appreciate such an irregular decay for example in case B of Fig. \[fig:tmp\], and this in spite of the fact that the data have been strongly coarse grained. Therefore the lower bound , both in the localized and in the delocalized regime, yields the following picture: the lower bound we found on $Z_{N, {\omega}}$ grows suddenly in correspondence of atypical stretches and after that it decays with an exponent $1/2$, up to another atypical stretch. This matches Fig. \[fig:tmp\], at least on a qualitative level, see the caption of the figure. Of course it very natural to ask what is missing, on a theoretical level, to the strategy that we are adopting for the lower bound to match the quantitative discrepancy. Moreover, since the ${\omega}$ sequence is of course known, one may look at the atypical stretches, this time defined by the points of sudden growth of $Z_{N, {\omega}}$, and look for the specificity of such stretches. Up to now we have not been able to extract from this analysis definite answers. The delocalized phase: a path analysis {#sec:path} ====================================== Let us start with a qualitative observation: if we set the parameters $({\lambda},h)$ of the copolymer to $({\lambda}, h^{(m)}({\lambda}))$ with $m = 0.9$, then the observed behavior of $\{Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)\}_N$ –suitably averaged over blocks in order to eliminate local fluctuations– is somewhat close to $\text{(const)}/N^{3/2}$. This is true for all the numerically accessible values of $N$ (up to $N\sim 10^8$), at once for a number of values of ${\lambda}$ and for a great number of typical environments ${\omega}$. Of course this is suggesting that for $m=0.9$ the curve $h^{(m)}({\lambda})$ lies in the delocalized region, but it is not easy to convert this qualitative observation into a precise statement, because we do not have a rigorous finite–volume criterion to state that a point $({\lambda},h)$ belongs to the delocalized phase (the contrast with the localized phase, see , is evident). In other words, we cannot exclude the possibility that the system is still localized but with a characteristic size much larger than the one we are observing. Nevertheless, the aim of this section is to give an empirical criterion, based on an analysis of the path behavior of the copolymer, that will allow us to provide some more quantitative argument in favor of the fact that the curve $h^{(m)}({\lambda})$ lies in the delocalized region even for values of $m<1$. This of course would entail that the upper bound $\overline h({\lambda})$ defined in is not strict. Known and expected path behavior {#sec:path1} -------------------------------- We want to look at the whole *profile* $\{Z_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}(x)\}_{x\in{\mathbb{Z}}}$ rather than only at $Z_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}(0)$, where by ${\omega}^r$ we mean the environment ${\omega}$ in the [ *backward direction*]{}, that is $({\omega}^r)_n := {\omega}_{N+1-n}$ (the reason for this choice is explained in Remark \[rem:backward\] below). The link with the path behavior of the copolymer, namely the law of $S_N$ under the polymer measure ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}$, is given by $$\frac{Z_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}(x)}{Z_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}} = {{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h} (S_N = x)\,.$$ As already remarked in the introduction, although the localized and delocalized phases have been defined in terms of free energy they do correspond to sharply different path behaviors. In the localized phase it is known [@cf:Sinai; @cf:BisdH] that the laws of $S_N$ under ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}$ are *tight*, which means that the polymer is essentially at $O(1)$ distance from the $x$–axis. The situation is completely different in the (interior of the) delocalized phase, where one expects that $S_N = O(\sqrt{N})$: in fact the conjectured path behavior (motivated by the analogy with the known results for non disordered models, see in particular [@cf:MGO], [@cf:DGZ] and [@cf:CGZ]) should be weak convergence under diffusive scaling to the *Brownian meander process* (that is Brownian motion conditioned to stay positive on the interval $[0,1]$, see [@cf:RevYor]). Therefore in the (interior of the) delocalized phase the law of $S_N/\sqrt{N}$ under ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}$ should converge weakly to the corresponding marginal of the Brownian meander, whose law has density $x \exp(-x^2/2) {\mathbf{1}}_{(x\ge 0)}$. We stress however that for the delocalized regime the rigorous results that are available are more meager: essentially the only known ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. result is that for any $L>0$ $$\lim_{N\to\infty} {{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h} \Bigg[ \frac 1N \sum_{n=1}^N {\mathbf{1}}_{(S_n \ge L)} \Bigg] = 1 \qquad {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})\text{--a.s.}\,,$$ that is the polymer spends almost all the time above any prefixed level. More precise results have been derived for the path behavior of the polymer under the *quenched averaged measure* ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }{{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h} [\,\cdot\, ]$: these results go in the direction of proving the conjectured scaling limit, but they still do not suffice (we refer to [@cf:GT] for more details and also for a discussion on what is still missing). In spite of the lack of precise rigorous results, the analysis we are going to describe is carried out under the hypothesis that, in the interior of the delocalized phase, the scaling limit towards Brownian meander holds true (as it will be seen, the numerical results provide a sort of *a posteriori* confirmation of this hypothesis). \[rem:backward\] From a certain point of view attaching the environment backwards does not change too much the model: for example it is easy to check that if one replaces ${\omega}$ by ${\omega}^r$ in , the limit still exists ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. and in ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb L}} }_1({\,\text{\rm d}}{{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} })$. Therefore the free energy is the same, because $\{{\omega}^r_n\}_{1\le n \le N}$ has the same law as $\{{\omega}_n\}_{1\le n \le N}$, for any fixed $N$. However, if one focuses on the law of $S_N$ as a function of $N$ *for a fixed environment* ${\omega}$, the behavior reveals to be much smoother under ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}$ than under ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}$. For instance, under the original polymer measure ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}$ it is no more true that in the localized region the laws of $S_N$ are tight (it is true only [*most of the time*]{}, see [@cf:G] for details). The reason for this fact is to be sought in the presence of long [*atypical*]{} stretches in every typical ${\omega}$ (this fact has been somewhat quantified in [@cf:GT Section 4] and it is at the heart of the approach in Section \[sec:lb\]) that are encountered along the copolymer as $N$ becomes larger. Of course the effect of these stretches is very much damped with the backward environment. A similar and opposite phenomenon takes place also in the delocalized phase. In fancier words, we could say that for fixed ${\omega}$ and as $N$ increases, the way $S_N$ approaches its [*limiting behavior*]{} is faster when the environment is attached backwards: it is for this reason that we have chosen to work with ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}$. Observed path behavior: a numerical analysis -------------------------------------------- In view of the above considerations, we choose as a measure of the delocalization of the polymer the $\ell_1$ distance $\bigtriangleup _N^{{\lambda},h}({\omega})$ between the numerically computed profile for a polymer of size $2N$ under ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }_{2N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}$, and the conjectured asymptotic delocalized profile: $$\bigtriangleup _N^{{\lambda}, h}({\omega}) := \sum_{x \in 2{\mathbb{Z}}} \Bigg| \frac{Z_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}(x)}{Z_{N,{\omega}^r}^{{\lambda},h}} \;-\; \frac{1}{\sqrt{2N}} \, \varphi^+ \bigg( \frac{x}{\sqrt{2N}} \bigg) \Bigg|\,, \qquad {\varphi}^+(x) := x \, e^{-x^2/2} {\mathbf{1}}_{(x\ge 0)}\,.$$ Loosely speaking, when the parameters $({\lambda},h)$ are in the interior of the the delocalized region we expect $\bigtriangleup _N$ to decrease to $0$ as $N$ increases, while this certainly will not happen if we are in the localized phase. The analysis has been carried out at ${\lambda}=0.6$: we recall that the lower and upper bound of give respectively $\underline h(0.6) \simeq 0.36$ and $\overline h(0.6) \simeq 0.49$, while the lower bound we derived with our test for localization is $h=0.41$, see Table \[tbl:1\]. However, as observed in Section \[sec:lb\], Fig. \[fig:tmp\], there is numerical evidence that $h=0.43$ is still localized, and for this reason we have analyzed the values of $h=0.44, 0.45, 0.46, 0.47$ (see below for an analysis on smaller values of $h$). =7.9 cm For each couple $({\lambda}, h)$ we have computed $\bigtriangleup _{N}^{{\lambda},h}({\omega})$ for the sizes $N=a\times 10^6$ with $a=1,2,5,10$ and for $500$ independent environments. Of course some type of statistical analysis must be performed on the data in order to decide whether there is a decay of $\bigtriangleup $ or not. The most direct strategy would be to look at the sample mean of a family of IID variables distributed like $\bigtriangleup _N({\omega})$, but it turns out that the fluctuations are too big to get reasonable confidence intervals for this quantity (in other words, the sample variance does not decrease fast enough), at least for the numerically accessible sample sizes. A more careful analysis shows that the variance is essentially due to a *very small* fraction of data that have *large* deviations from the mean, while the most of the data mass is quite concentrated. It is actually interesting to observe that the rare samples that [*affect*]{} the sample variances are in reality very close to meanders anyway, only with a smaller variance. This is the signature of the presence of atypical pinning stretches in the ${\omega}$–sequence close to the boundary. A fine analysis of this aspect would lead us too far and it is left for future investigation. We have therefore chosen to focus on the *sample median* rather than on the sample mean. Table \[tbl:F\] contains the results of the analysis (see also Fig. \[fig:F\] for a graphical representation): for each value of $h$ we have reported the standard $95\%$ confidence interval for the sample median (see Remark \[rem:conf\_int\] below for details) for the four different values of $N$ analyzed. While for $h=0.44$ the situation is not clear, we see that for the values of $h$ greater than $0.45$ there are quantitative evidences for a decrease in $\bigtriangleup_{N}$: this leads us to the conjecture that the points $({\lambda},h)$ with ${\lambda}=0.6$ and $h\ge 0.45$ (equivalently, the points $({\lambda},h^{(m)}({\lambda}))$ with $m \gtrsim 0.876$) lie in the delocalized region. $h \backslash N(\times 10^6) $ 1 2 5 10 -------------------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- -------------------- 0.44 \[.0603, .0729\] \[.0574, .0682\] \[.0572, .0689\] \[.0570, .0695\] 0.45 \[.0258, .0286\] \[.0207, .0232\] \[.0170, .0190\] \[.0149, .0171\] 0.46 \[.0140, .0154\] \[.0108, .0116\] \[.00792, .00869\] \[.00647, .00731\] 0.47 \[.00905, .00963\] \[.00676, .00711\] \[.00475, .00508\] \[.00364, .00398\] : \[tbl:F\] The table contains the standard $95\%$ confidence interval for the median of a sample $\{\bigtriangleup _N^{{\lambda},h}({\omega})\}_{{\omega}}$ of size 500, where ${\lambda}=0.6$ and $h,N$ take the different values reported in the table. For the values of $h \ge 0.45$ the decreasing behavior of $\bigtriangleup_{N}$ is quite evident (the confidence intervals do not overlap), see also Fig. \[fig:F\]. As already remarked, these numerical observations cannot rule out the possibility that the system is indeed localized, but the system size is too small to see it. For instance, we have seen that there are evidences for $h=0.43$ to be localized (see case C of Fig. \[fig:tmp\]). In any case, the exponential increasing of $Z_N(0)$ is detectable only at sizes of order$\sim 10^8$, while for smaller system sizes (up to$\sim 10^7$) the qualitative observed behavior of $Z_N(0)$ is rather closer to $(const)/N^{3/2}$, thus apparently suggesting delocalization (see case D of Fig. \[fig:tmp\]). For this reason it is interesting to look at $\bigtriangleup_N^{0.6,\,h}$ for $h=0.42, 0.43$ and for $N \ll 10^8$. For definiteness we have chosen $N=a\times 10^6$ with $a=1,2,5,10$, performing the computations for $3000$ independent environments: the results are reported in Table \[tbl:F2\] (see also Fig. \[fig:F\]). As one can see, this time there are clear evidences for an *increasing* behavior of $\bigtriangleup_N$. On the one hand this fact gives some more confidence on the data of Table \[tbl:F\], on the other hand it suggests that looking at $\{\bigtriangleup_N\}_N$ is a more reliable criterion for detecting (de)localization than looking at $\{Z_N(0)\}_N$. $h \backslash N(\times 10^5) $ 1 2 5 10 -------------------------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- ----------------- 0.42 \[.351, 0.382\] \[.480, 0.517\] \[.751, 0.794\] \[1.01, 1.06\] 0.43 \[.143, 0.155\] \[.165, 0.180\] \[.197, 0.215\] \[.236, 0.264\] : \[tbl:F2\] The table contains the standard $95\%$ confidence interval for the median of a sample $\{\bigtriangleup _N^{{\lambda},h}({\omega})\}_{{\omega}}$ of size 3000, where ${\lambda}=0.6$ and $h,N$ take the values reported in the table. For both values of $h$ an increasing behavior of $\bigtriangleup_{N}$ clearly emerges, see also Fig. \[fig:F\] for a graphical representation. \[rem:conf\_int\] A confidence interval for the sample median can be obtained in the following general way (the steps below are performed under the assumption that the median is unique, which is, strictly speaking, not true in our case, but it will be clear that a finer analysis would not change the outcome). Let $\{Y_k\}_{1\le k \le n}$ denote a sample of size $n$, that is the variables $\{Y_k\}_k$ are independent with a common distribution, whose median we denote by $\xi_{1/2}$: ${{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\left(Y_1 \le \xi_{1/2}\right)=1/2$. Then the variable $${{\ensuremath{\mathcal N}} }_n := \# \{i \le n:\ Y_i \le \xi_{1/2}\}$$ has a binomial distribution ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal N}} }_n \sim B(n,1/2)$ and when $n$ is large (for us it will be at least 500) we can approximate ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal N}} }_n/n \approx 1/2 + Z/(2\sqrt{n})$, where $Z \sim N(0,1)$ is a standard gaussian. Let us denote the sample quantiles by $\Xi_q$, defined for $q \in (0,1)$ by $$\# \{i \le n:\ Y_i \le \Xi_q\} = \lfloor qn \rfloor\,.$$ If we set $a:= |\Phi^{-1}(0.025)|$ ($\Phi$ being the standard gaussian distribution function) then the random interval $$\Big[\Xi_{\frac{1}{2}-\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}}},\; \Xi_{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}}}\Big]$$ is a $95\%$ confidence interval for $\xi_{1/2}$, indeed $$\begin{aligned} 0.95 &= {{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\big( Z \in [-a,a] \,\big) = {{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\bigg( \frac 12 + \frac{1}{2\sqrt{n}}Z \;\in\; \Big[\frac{1}{2}-\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}}\;,\; \frac{1}{2}+\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}} \Big] \bigg) \nonumber \\ &\approx {{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\bigg ( \frac{{{\ensuremath{\mathcal N}} }_n}{n} \in \Big[\frac{1}{2}-\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}}\;,\; \frac{1}{2}+\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}} \Big] \bigg) = {{\ensuremath{\mathbf P}} }\bigg( \Xi_{\frac{1}{2}-\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}}} \le \xi_{1/2} \le \Xi_{\frac{1}{2}+\frac{a}{2\sqrt{n}}} \bigg)\,.\end{aligned}$$ An empirical observation on the critical curve {#sec:guess} ============================================== The key point of this section is that, from a numerical viewpoint, $h_c(\cdot)$ seems very close to $h^{(m)}(\cdot)$, for a suitable value of $m$. Of course any kind of statement in this direction requires first of all a procedure to estimate $h_c(\cdot)$ and we explain this first. Our analysis is based on the following conjecture: $$\label{eq:conject_h} ({\lambda}, h)\in \overset{\circ}{{{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }} \, \, \Longrightarrow \ \ \lim_{N \to \infty }Z_{2N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h} (0) \, =\, 0, \ {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left( {\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega}\right)-\text{a.s.}.$$ The arguments in Section \[sec:lb\] (and in the Appendix) suggest the validity of such a conjecture, which is comforted by the numerical observation. Since, if $({\lambda}, h)\in {{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$, $Z_{2N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h} (0)$ diverges (exponentially fast) ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left( {\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega}\right)$–almost surely and since $Z_{2N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h} (0)$ is decreasing in $h$, we define $\hat h _{N, {\omega}} ({\lambda})$ as the only $h$ that solves $ Z_{2N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h} (0)=1$. We expect that $\hat h _{N, {\omega}} ({\lambda})$ converges to $h_c({\lambda})$ as $N$ tends to infinity, for typical ${\omega}$’s. Of course setting the threshold to the value $1$ is rather arbitrary, but it is somewhat suggested by and by the idea behind the proof of (Proposition \[prop:stopping1\] and equation ). =8.5 cm \[c\]\[l\][${\lambda}$]{} \[c\]\[l\][${\lambda}$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$\hat h _{N,{\omega}}({\lambda})$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$\hat h _{N,{\omega}}({\lambda})$]{} What we have observed numerically, see Figures \[fig:sec5\_1\] and \[fig:sec5\_2\], may be summed up by the statement $$\label{eq:cnj} \text{there exists } m \text{ such that } \hat h _{N, {\omega}} ({\lambda}) \, \approx h^{(m)}({\lambda}).$$ Practically this means that $\hat h _{N, {\omega}} ({\lambda})$, for a set of ${\lambda}$ ranging from $0.05$ to $4$, may be fitted with remarkable precision by the one parameter family of functions $\left\{ h^{(m)}(\cdot)\right\}_m$. The fitting value of $m=: \hat m_{N, {\omega}}$ does depend on $N$ and it is essentially increasing. This is of course expected since localization requires a sufficiently large system (recall in particular Table \[tbl:2\] and Fig. \[fig:NCA\] – see the caption of Fig. \[fig:sec5\_1\] for the fitting criterion). We stress that we are presenting results that have been obtained for one fixed sequence of ${\omega}$: based on what we have observed for example in Section \[sec:superadd\] for different values of ${\lambda}$ one does expect that for smaller values of ${\lambda}$ one should use larger values of $N$, but changing $N$ corresponds to selecting a longer, or shorter, stretch of ${\omega}$, that is a different sequence of charges and this may have a rather strong effect on the value of $\hat m_{N, {\omega}}$. Moreover there is the problem of deciding which ${\lambda}$-dependence to choose. This may explain the deviations from that are observed for small values of ${\lambda}$, but these are in any case rather moderate (see Fig. \[fig:sec5\_2\]). =7.1 cm \[c\]\[l\][${\omega}_1 =\pm 1, \, {\omega}_1 \sim -{\omega}_1 $]{} \[c\]\[l\][${\omega}_1 \, \sim \, N(0,1)$]{} \[c\]\[l\][${\lambda}$]{} \[c\]\[l\][${\lambda}$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$\hat h _{N,{\omega}}({\lambda})$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$\hat h _{N,{\omega}}({\lambda})$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$r_{N,{\omega}}({\lambda})$]{} \[c\]\[l\][$r_{N,{\omega}}({\lambda})$]{} A source of stronger (and unavoidable) deviations arises in the cases of unbounded charges: of course if $$\label{eq:sat} h\, \ge \, h_{\text{sat}} \, :=\, \max_{n\in \{1, \ldots, N \}} \left( -({\omega}_{2n-1}+ {\omega}_{2n})/2 \right),$$ then $Z^{{\lambda}, h}_{2N, {\omega}} (0) <1$, regardless of the value of ${\lambda}$. Moreover it is immediate to verify that $\lim_{{\lambda}\to \infty } Z^{{\lambda}, h}_{2N, {\omega}}(0) =+\infty$ for $h< h_{\text{sat}}$ and therefore $\hat h _{N, {\omega}} ({\lambda})\nearrow h_{\text{sat}} $ as ${\lambda}\nearrow \infty$. We refer to the captions of Fig. \[fig:sec5\_2\] for more on this saturation effect. We have tried also alternative definitions of $\hat h _{N, {\omega}} ({\lambda})$, namely: 1. the value of $h$ such that $ Z_{2N, {\omega}}^{{\lambda}, h} =1$ (or a different fixed value); 2. the value of $h$ such that the $\ell_1$ distance between the distribution of the endpoint and the distribution of the meander, cf. Section \[sec:path\], is smaller than a fixed threshold, for example $0.05$. What we have observed is that still holds. What is not independent of the criterion is $\hat m_{N, {\omega}}$. Of course believing deeply in entails the expectation that $\hat m_{N, {\omega}}$ converges to the non random quantity $h ^\prime_c (0)$. The results reported in this section suggest a value of $h ^\prime_c (0) $ larger than $0.83$ and the cases presented in Section \[sec:path\] suggest that it should be smaller than $0.86$. The algorithm for computing $Z_{N,{\omega}}$ {#app:algo} ============================================ We are going to briefly illustrate the algorithm we used in the numerical computation of the partition function $Z_{N}=Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}$. We recall its definition (see equation (\[eq:Boltzmann\])): $$\label{eq:appZ} Z_N = {{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }\Bigg[ \exp \Bigg( -2{\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N ({\omega}_n + h) {\Delta}_n \Bigg) \Bigg]\,,$$ where ${\Delta}_n := (1-\operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}(S_n))/2$ and the convention for $\operatorname{\mathrm{sign}}(0)$ described in the introduction. Observe that a direct computation of $Z_N$ from (\[eq:appZ\]) would require to sum the contributions of $2^N$ random walk trajectories, making the problem numerically intractable. However, here we can make profitably use of the *additivity* of our Hamiltonian: loosely speaking, if we join together two (finite) random walk segments, the energy of the resulting path is the sum of the energies of the building segments. We can exploit this fact to derive a simple recurrence relation for the sequence of functions $\big\{ {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y):=Z_{2M}(2y),\ y \in {\mathbb{Z}}\big\}_{M\in{\mathbb{N}}}$, where $Z_N(x) = Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(x)$, the latter defined in , and we recall that we work with even values of $N$. Conditioning on $S_{2M}$ and using the Markov property one easily finds $$\label{eq:apprec} {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M+1} (y) = \begin{cases} \frac14 {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y+1) \;+\; \frac12 {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y) \;+\; \frac14 {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y-1) & y>0 \\ \frac14 \Big[ {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(1) + {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(0) \Big] \;+\; \frac14 {\alpha}_M \Big[ {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(0) + {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(-1) \Big] & y=0 \\ {\alpha}_M \Big[ \frac14 {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y+1) \;+\; \frac12 {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y) \;+\; \frac14 {{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y-1) \Big] & y<0 \end{cases} \;,$$ where we have put ${\alpha}_M := \exp\big(-2{\lambda}\,({\omega}_{2M+1} + {\omega}_{2M+2} + 2h)\big)$. From equation (\[eq:apprec\]) and from the trivial observation that ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y)=0$ for $|y|>M$, it follows that $\{{{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M+1}(y),\ y \in {\mathbb{Z}}\}$ can be obtained from $\{{{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M}(y),\ y \in {\mathbb{Z}}\}$ with $O(M)$ computations. This means that we can compute $Z_N$ in $O(N^2)$ steps.[^1] We point out that sometimes one is satisfied with *lower bounds* on $Z_N$, for instance in the statistical text for localization described in Section \[sec:superadd\]. In this case the algorithm can be further speeded up by restricting the computation to a suitable set of random walk trajectories. In fact when the system size is $N$ the polymer is at most at distance $O(\sqrt{N})$ (we recall the discussion in Section \[sec:path\] on the path behavior), hence a natural choice to get a lower bound on $Z_N$ is to only take into account the contribution coming from those random walk paths $\{s_n\}_{n\in{\mathbb{N}}}$ for which $$-A\sqrt{n} \le s_n \le B \sqrt{n} \qquad \text{for } n \ge N_0\,,$$ where $A,B,N_0$ are positive constants. Observe that this is easily implemented in the algorithm described above: it suffices to apply relation (\[eq:apprec\]) only for $y\in[-A\sqrt M, B\sqrt M]$, while setting ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal Z}} }_{M+1}(y)=0$ for the other values of $y$. In this way the number of computations needed to obtain $Z_N$ is reduced to $O(N^{3/2})$. The specific values of $A,B,N_0$ we used in our numerical computations are $3,8,1000$, and we would like to stress that the lower bound on $Z_N$ we got coincides up to the $8^{\text{th}}$ decimal digit with the [*true value*]{} obtained applying the complete algorithm. A final important remark is that for the results we have reported we have used the Mersenne–Twister [@cf:MT] pseudo–random number generator. However we have also tried other pseudo–random number generators and [*true randomness*]{} from [www.random.org]{}: the results appear not to depend on the generator. Proof of the lower bound on $h_c$ {#app:prooflb} ================================= We are going to give a detailed proof of the lower bound on the critical curve, together with some related result. We stress that this appendix can be made substantially lighter if one is interested only in the [*if*]{} part of Proposition \[prop:stopping1\]. In this case the first part of this appendix is already contained in the first part of § \[sec:lb\_outline\], up to , and it suffices to look at § \[sec:appB2\]. We recall that $Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)$ is the partition function corresponding to the polymer pinned at its right endpoint, see , and $T^C=T^{C}({\omega})$ is the first $N$ for which $Z_{N,{\omega}}(0)\ge C$, see . In particular, for all ${\omega}$ such that $T^C({\omega}) < \infty$ we have $$\label{eq:stopping_maj} Z_{T^C({\omega}),{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \ge C\,.$$ We will also denote by ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal F}} }_n := {\sigma}({\omega}_1,\ldots,{\omega}_n)$ the natural filtration of the sequence $\{{\omega}_n\}_{n\in{\mathbb{N}}}$. A different look at (de)localization ------------------------------------ We want to show that (de)localization can be read from $T^C$. We introduce some notation: given an increasing, $2{\mathbb{N}}$–valued sequence $\{t_i\}_{i\in{\mathbb{N}}}$, we set $t_0:=0$ and $\zeta_N:=\max\{k: t_k \le N\}$. Then we define $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:low_b} \begin{split} \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0) = \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{t_i\},{\lambda},h}(0) & \;:=\; {{\ensuremath{\mathbf E}} }\left[ e^{-2 {\lambda}\sum_{n=1}^N \left( {\omega}_n +h\right) \Delta_n}; \, S_{t_1}=0,\, \ldots,\, S_{t_{\zeta_N}}=0,\, S_N= 0 \right] \\ &\;=\; \prod_{i=0}^{\zeta_N-1} Z_{t_{i+1}-t_i,\theta^{t_i}{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \,\cdot\, Z_{N-t_{\zeta_N}({\omega}),\theta^{t_{\zeta_N}}{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)\,, \end{split}\end{aligned}$$ and we recall that $\theta$ denotes the translation on the environment. One sees immediately that $\widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0)\le Z_{N,{\omega}}(0)$. We first establish a preliminary result. \[lem:chop\] If the sequence $\{t_i\}_i$ is such that $\zeta_N/N \to 0$ as $N\to\infty$, then $$\lim_{N\to\infty} \frac 1N \log \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{t_i\},{\lambda},h}(0) \;=\; {\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h)\,,$$ both ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. and in ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb L}} }_1({{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} })$. By definition we have $Z_{N,{\omega}}(0) \ge \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0)$. On the other hand, we are going to show that $$\label{eq:rough_maj} Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \;\le\; 4^{\zeta_N} \, A^{2\zeta_N} \, \left( \prod_{i=1}^{\zeta_N} (t_i-t_{i-1}) \cdot (N-t_{\zeta_N}) \right)^{3} \, \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{t_i\},{\lambda},h}(0)\,,$$ where $A$ is a positive constant. To derive this bound, we resort to the equation that expresses $Z_{N,{\omega}}(0)$ in terms of random walk excursions. We recall that $K(2n)$ is the discrete probability density of the first return time of the walk $S$ to $0$, and that $K(t) \ge 1/(A\,t^{3/2})$, $t\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$, for some positive constant $A$: it follows that for $a_1, \ldots, a_k \in 2{\mathbb{N}}$ $$\label{eq:app_bound} K(a_1 + \ldots + a_k) \; \le \; 1 \; \le \; A^k \, (a_1 \cdot \ldots \cdot a_k)^{3/2} \, K(a_1) \cdot \ldots \cdot K(a_k)\,.$$ This gives us an upper bound to the entropic cost needed to split a random walk excursion of length $(a_1 + \ldots + a_k)$ into $k$ excursions of lengths $a_1, \ldots, a_k$. Now let us come back to the second line of , that can be rewritten as $$\label{eq:app_sum} Z_{N,{\omega}}(0) \,=\, \sum_{\{x_i\} \subseteq \{0, \ldots, N\} \cap 2{\mathbb{N}}} G(\{x_i\})\,.$$ A first observation is that if we restrict the above sum to the $\{x_i\}$ such that $\{x_i\} \supseteq \{t_i\}$, then we get $\widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{t_i\}}(0)$. Now for each $\{x_i\}$ we aim at finding an upper bound on the term $G(\{x_i\})$ of the form $c \cdot G(\{x_i\} \cup \{t_i\})$ for some $c>0$ not depending on $\{x_i\}$. Each term $G(\{x_i\})$, see , is the product of two terms: an entropic part depending on $K(\cdot)$ and an energetic part depending on $\varphi(\cdot)$. Replacing the entropic part costs no more than $$c_{\text{ent}} \, :=\, A^{2\zeta_N} \, \left( \prod_{i=1}^{\zeta_N} (t_i-t_{i-1}) \cdot (N-t_{\zeta_N}) \right)^{3}\,,$$ thanks to . On the other hand, the cost for replacing the energetic part is easily bounded above by $$c_{\text{energy}} \, :=\, 2^{\zeta_N}\,,$$ so that the bound $G(\{x_i\}) \le c \cdot G(\{x_i\} \cup \{t_i\})$ holds true with $c:= c_{\text{ent}} \, c_{\text{energy}}$. Replacing in this way each term in the sum in the r.h.s. of , we are left with a sum of terms $G(\{y_i\})$ corresponding to sets $\{y_i\}$ such that $\{y_i\} \supseteq \{t_i\}$. It remains to count the [*multiplicity*]{} of any such $\{y_i\}$, that is how many original sets $\{x_i\}$ are such that $\{x_i\} \cup \{t_i\} = \{y_i\}$. Sets $\{x_{i}\}$ satisfying this last condition must differ only for a subset of $\{t_{i}\}$, hence the sought multiplicity is $2^{\zeta_N}$ (the cardinality of the parts of $\{t_{i}\}$) and the bound follows. Therefore we get $$\begin{aligned} \bigg| \frac{\log \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{t_i\},{\lambda},h}(0)}{N} - \frac{\log Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)}{N} \bigg| & \;\le\; (2\log 2 A) \frac{\zeta_N}{N} \;+\; 3\, \frac{1}{N} \,\log \left( \prod_{i=1}^{\zeta_N} (t_i-t_{i-1}) \cdot (N-t_{\zeta_N}) \right) \\ &\;\le\; (2\log 2A) \frac{\zeta_N}{N} \;+\; 3 \, \frac{\zeta_N+1}{N} \, \log \bigg(\frac{N}{\zeta_N+1}\bigg)\,, \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ where in the second inequality we have made use of the elementary fact that once the sum of $k$ positive numbers is fixed, their product is maximal when all the numbers coincide (for us $k=\zeta_N+1$). Since by hypothesis $\zeta_N/N \to 0$ as $N\to\infty$, the Lemma is proved. Now we are ready to prove the characterization of ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal L}} }$ and ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal D}} }$ in terms of $T^C$. Fix any $C>1$. \[prop:stopping1\] A point $({\lambda},h)$ is localized, that is $h < h_c({\lambda})$, if and only if ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]<\infty$. We set ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }:=\{{\omega}: T^C({\omega})<\infty\}$. Observe that for ${\omega}\in {{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }^{\complement}$ we have $Z_{N,{\omega}}(0) \le C$ for every $N\in2{\mathbb{N}}$, and consequently $\log Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)/N \to 0$ as $N\to\infty$. Consider first the case when the random variable $T^C$ is defective, that is ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }[{{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }^{\complement}]>0$ (this is a particular case of ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]=\infty$). Since we know that $\log Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)/N \to {\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h)$, ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s., from the preceding observation it follows that ${\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h)=0$ and the Proposition is proved in this case. Therefore in the following we can assume that $T^C$ is proper, that is ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} })=1$, so that equation (\[eq:stopping\_maj\]) holds for almost every ${\omega}$. Setting $\theta^{-1}{{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }:= \{{\omega}: \theta{\omega}\in {{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }\}$, we have ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left(\theta^{-1}{{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }\right)=1$ since ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }$ is $\theta$–invariant, and consequently ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left(\cap_{k=0}^\infty \theta^{-k}{{\ensuremath{\mathcal A}} }\right)=1$, which amounts to saying that (\[eq:stopping\_maj\]) can be actually strengthened to $$\label{eq:im_stopping_maj} Z_{T^C(\theta^k{\omega}),\theta^k{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \ge C \qquad \forall k \ge 0,\ {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})\text{--a.s.}\,.$$ Observe that the sequence $\{( \theta^{T^C({\omega})} {\omega})_n\}_{n\in{\mathbb{N}}}$ has the same law as $\{{\omega}_n\}_{n\in{\mathbb{N}}}$ and it is independent of ${{\ensuremath{\mathcal F}} }_{T^C}$. We can define inductively an increasing sequence of stopping times $\{T_n\}_{n\in{\mathbb{N}}}$ by setting $T_0:=0$ and $T_{k+1}({\omega}) - T_k({\omega}) := T^C(\theta^{T_k({\omega})}{\omega}) =: S_k({\omega})$. We also set $\zeta_N({\omega}) := \max \{n:\ T_n({\omega}) \le N\}$. Since $\{S_k\}_{k\in{\mathbb{N}}}$ is an IID sequence, by the strong law of large numbers we have that, ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s., $T_n({\omega})/n \to {{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]$ as $n\to\infty$, and consequently $\zeta_N({\omega})/N \to 1/{{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]$ as $N\to\infty$ (with the convention that $1/\infty=0$). Now let us consider the lower bound $\widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0)$ corresponding to the sequence $\{t_i\}=\{T_i({\omega})\}$: from and we get that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. $$\begin{aligned} \label{eq:major} \begin{split} \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{T_i({\omega})\},{\lambda},h}(0) &\;=\; \prod_{i=0}^{\zeta_N({\omega})-1} Z_{T^C(\theta^{T_i}{\omega}),\theta^{T_i}{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \,\cdot\, Z_{N-T_{\zeta_N({\omega})}({\omega}),\theta^{T_{\zeta_N({\omega})}}{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \\ &\;\ge\; C^{\zeta_N({\omega})} \cdot \frac{c}{N^{3/2}}\,, \end{split}\end{aligned}$$ where $c$ is a positive constant (to estimate the last term we have used the lower bound $Z_k(0) \ge c/k^{3/2}$, cf. ), and consequently $${\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h) \;=\; \lim_{N\to\infty} \frac{\log Z_{N,{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0)}{N} \;\ge\; \liminf_{N\to\infty} \frac{\log \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}^{\{T_i({\omega})\},{\lambda},h}(0)}{N} \;\ge\; \frac{\log C}{{{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]}\,.$$ It follows that if ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]<\infty$ then ${\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h)>0$, that is $({\lambda},h)$ is localized. It remains to consider the case ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]=\infty$, and we want to show that this time $\widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0)$, defined in , gives a null free energy. In fact, as $T^C(\eta)$ is defined as the *first* $N$ such that $Z_{N,\eta}(0) \ge C$, it follows that $Z_{T^C(\eta),\eta}(0)$ cannot be much greater than $C$. More precisely, one has that $$Z_{T^C(\eta),\eta}(0) \le C \,\exp(2{\lambda}|\eta_{T^C(\eta)-1} + \eta_{T^C(\eta)}|)\,,$$ and from the first line of it follows that $$\frac 1N \log \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0) \;\le\; \frac{\zeta_N({\omega})+1}{N} \log C \;+\; \frac{2{\lambda}}{N} \sum_{i=1}^{\zeta_N({\omega})} \Big( |{\omega}_{T_i({\omega})}| + |{\omega}_{T_i({\omega})-1}| \Big)\,.$$ We estimate the second term in the r.h.s. in the following way: $$\begin{aligned} & \frac 1N \sum_{i=1}^{\zeta_N({\omega})} \Big( |{\omega}_{T_i({\omega})}| + |{\omega}_{T_i({\omega})-1}| \Big) = \frac 1N \sum_{k=1}^{N} {\mathbf{1}}_{\{\exists i:\, T_i({\omega}) = k\}} \Big( |{\omega}_k| + |{\omega}_{k-1}| \Big)\nonumber \\ & \qquad \le \left( \frac 1N \sum_{k=1}^{N} {\mathbf{1}}_{\{\exists i:\, T_i({\omega}) = k\}} \right) ^{1/2} \left( \frac 1N \sum_{k=1}^{N} \Big( |{\omega}_k| + |{\omega}_{k-1}| \Big)^2 \right)^{1/2}\\ &\qquad \le \sqrt{\frac{\zeta_N({\omega})}{N}} \cdot 2 \sqrt{ \frac 1N \sum_{k=1}^{N} |{\omega}_k|^2} \le A \sqrt{\frac{\zeta_N({\omega})}{N}} \,, \nonumber\end{aligned}$$ for some positive constant $A=A({\omega})$ and eventually as $N \to \infty$, having used the Cauchy–Schwarz inequality and the law of large numbers for the sequence $\{|{\omega}_k|^2\}_{k\in{\mathbb{N}}}$. Therefore $$\frac 1N \log \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0) \;\le\; \frac{\zeta_N({\omega})+1}{N} \log C \;+\; 4{\lambda}A \sqrt{\frac{\zeta_N({\omega})}{N}}\,,$$ and since ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]=\infty$ implies $\zeta_N({\omega})/N \to 0$, ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s., we have $\log \widehat{Z}_{N,{\omega}}(0) /N \to 0$, ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s.. Then Lemma \[lem:chop\] allows us to conclude that ${\textsc{f}}({\lambda},h)=0$, and the proof of the Proposition is completed. Proof of the lower bound on $h_c$ {#sec:appB2} --------------------------------- To prove equation , we are going to build, for every $({\lambda},h)$ such that $h < \underline h({\lambda})$, a random time $T$ such that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T]<\infty$ and $Z_{T({\omega}),{\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \ge C$, for some $C>1$. It follows that $T^C \le T$, yielding that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T^C]<\infty$ and by Proposition \[prop:stopping1\] $({\lambda},h)$ is localized, that is, $\underline h({\lambda}) \le h_c({\lambda})$. Given $M\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$ and $q<-h$, we start defining the stopping time $$\tau_M({\omega}) = \tau_{M,q}({\omega}) := \inf \bigg\{n\in2{\mathbb{N}}:\ \exists k \in 2{\mathbb{N}},\ k \ge M:\ \frac{\sum_{i=n-k+1}^n {\omega}_i}{k} \le q \bigg\}\,.$$ This is the first instant at which a $q$–atypical stretch of length at least $M$ appears along the sequence ${\omega}$. The asymptotic behavior of $\tau_M$ is given by Theorem 3.2.1 in [@cf:DZ § 3.2] which says that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }({\,\text{\rm d}}{\omega})$–a.s. $$\label{eq:as_tau} \frac{\log \tau_{M}({\omega})}{M} \to {\Sigma}(q) \qquad \text{as } M\to\infty\,,$$ where ${\Sigma}(q)$ is Cramer’s Large Deviations functional for ${\omega}$, . We also give a name to the shortest of the terminal stretches in the definition of $\tau_M$: $$R_{M}({\omega}) = R_{M,q}({\omega}) := \inf \bigg\{k \in 2{\mathbb{N}},\ k \ge M:\ \frac{\sum_{i=\tau_M-k+1}^{\tau_M} {\omega}_i}{k} \le q \bigg\}\,,$$ and it is not difficult to realize that $R_M \le 2M$. We are ready to give a simple lower bound on the partition function of size $\tau_{M,q}$ (for any $M\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$ and $q<-h$): it suffices to consider the contribution of the trajectories that are negative in correspondence of the last (favorable) stretch of size $R_M$, and stay positive the rest of the time. Recalling that we use $K(\cdot)$ for the discrete density of the first return time to the origin and that by we have $K(2n)\ge c/n^{-3/2}$ for a constant $c>0$, we estimate $$\begin{split} Z_{\tau_M({\omega}), {\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) & \ge \frac 1 4 \, K\left({\tau_M - R_M}\right) \, K\left( {R_M}\right) \, e^{-2{\lambda}(q+h) R_M} \ge \frac{c^2}{4 \tau_M^{3/2} (2M)^{3/2}} e^{-2{\lambda}(q+h) M} \\ & \ge c'\, \exp \bigg\{ \frac 3 2 M \bigg[ (-4{\lambda}/3)q - \frac{\log \tau_M}{M} - ( 4 {\lambda}/3) h - \frac{\log M}{M} \bigg] \bigg\} \,, \end{split}$$ where $c' := c^2/(8\sqrt{2})$. Having in mind (\[eq:as\_tau\]), we define a random index $\ell=\ell_{A,{\varepsilon},q}$ depending on the two parameters $A \in 2{\mathbb{N}},\ {\varepsilon}>0$ and on $q$: $$\label{eq:def_ell} \ell({\omega}) = \ell_{A,{\varepsilon},q}({\omega}) := \inf \bigg\{ k\in 2 {\mathbb{N}},\ k \ge A:\ \frac{\log \tau_{k,q}({\omega})}{k} \le {\Sigma}(q) + {\varepsilon}\bigg\} \,,$$ and we finally set $T ({\omega}) = T_{A,{\varepsilon},q} ({\omega}) := \tau_{\ell({\omega})}({\omega})$. Then for the partition function of size $T({\omega})$ we get $$\label{eq:almost_maj} Z_{T({\omega}), {\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \ge c'\, \exp \bigg\{ \frac 3 2 A \bigg[ (-4{\lambda}/3)q - {\Sigma}(q) - (4{\lambda}/3)h - \frac{\log A}{A} - {\varepsilon}\bigg] \bigg\} \,.$$ The fact that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T_{A,{\varepsilon},q}]<\infty$ for any choice of $A,{\varepsilon},q$ (with $q<-h$) is proved in Lemma \[lem:stopping2\] below. It only remains to show that for every fixed $({\lambda},h)$ such that $h<\underline h({\lambda})$, or equivalently $$\label{eq:cond_low} (4{\lambda}/3)h < \log {\textsf{M}}(-4{\lambda}/3)\,,$$ the parameters $A,{\varepsilon},q$ can be chosen such that the right–hand side of equation (\[eq:almost\_maj\]) is greater than $1$. The key point is the choice of $q$. Note that the generating function $ {\textsf{M}}(\cdot)$ is smooth, since finite on the whole real line. Moreover for all $ {\lambda}\in{\mathbb{R}}$ there exists some $q_0\in{\mathbb{R}}$ such that $$\log {\textsf{M}}(-4{\lambda}/3) = (-4{\lambda}/3) q_0 - {\Sigma}(q_0)\,,$$ and from (\[eq:cond\_low\]) it follows that $q_0 < -h$. Therefore we can take $q=q_0$, and equation (\[eq:almost\_maj\]) becomes $$\label{eq:lbonZTom} Z_{T({\omega}), {\omega}}^{{\lambda},h}(0) \ge c'\, \exp \bigg\{ \frac 3 2 A \bigg[ \log {\textsf{M}}(-4{\lambda}/3) - (4{\lambda}/3) h - \frac{\log A}{A} - {\varepsilon}\bigg] \bigg\} \,.$$ It is now clear that for every $({\lambda},h)$, such that (\[eq:cond\_low\]) holds, by choosing ${\varepsilon}$ sufficiently small and $A$ sufficiently large, the right–hand side of is greater than 1, and the proof of is complete. \[lem:stopping2\] For every $A\in 2{\mathbb{N}}$, ${\varepsilon}> 0$ and $ q <-h$ the random variable $T({\omega})=T_{A,{\varepsilon},q}({\omega})$ defined below is integrable: ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb E}} }[T]<\infty$. By the definition (\[eq:def\_ell\]) of $\ell=\ell_{A,{\varepsilon},q}$ we have $$T_{A,{\varepsilon},q} \le \exp\big( ({\Sigma}(q) + {\varepsilon})\, \ell_{A,{\varepsilon},q} \big)\,,$$ so it suffices to show that for any ${\beta}>0$ the random variable $\exp({\beta}\, \ell_{A,{\varepsilon},q})$ is integrable. For any $l\in2{\mathbb{N}}$, we introduce the IID sequence of random variables $\{Y_n^{l}\}_{n\in{\mathbb{N}}}$ defined by $$Y^{l}_n := \frac 1 {l}{\sum_{i=(n-1)l+1}^{n l} {\omega}_i}\,.$$ By Cramer’s Theorem [@cf:DZ] we have that for any fixed $q<0$ and $ {\varepsilon}>0$ there exists $l_0$ such that ${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left(Y_1^{l} \le q\right) \ge e^{-l ({\Sigma}(q) + {\varepsilon}/2)}$ for every $l\ge l_0$. By (\[eq:def\_ell\]) have that $$\begin{split} \{\ell > l\} \subseteq \left\{\tau_l > \exp(({\Sigma}(q)+{\varepsilon}) l)\right\} \subseteq \operatorname*{\bigcap}_{i=1}^{\lfloor M/l \rfloor} \{Y_i^{l} > q\}\,, \end{split}$$ with $M:=\exp(({\Sigma}(q)+{\varepsilon}) l)$, so that $$\begin{split} {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left(\ell > l\right) \le \left( 1- e^{-l ({\Sigma}(q) + {\varepsilon}/2)} \right)^{\lfloor M/l \rfloor} &\le \exp \left( - \lfloor M/l \rfloor e^{-l ({\Sigma}(q) + {\varepsilon}/2)} \right) \\ & \le \exp \left(- \exp\left(l {\varepsilon}/4\right)\right), \end{split}$$ where the last step holds if $l$ is sufficiently large (we have also used $1-x \le e^{-x}$). Therefore $${{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left(\exp({\beta}\,\ell) > N\right) = {{\ensuremath{\mathbb P}} }\left(\ell > (\log N) /{\beta}\right) \le \exp \left( - N ^{{\varepsilon}/ 4{\beta}}\right),$$ when $N$ is large, and the proof is complete. Acknowledgements {#acknowledgements .unnumbered} ================ We thank Thierry Bodineau, Erwin Bolthausen and Fabio Toninelli for very useful discussions. We are also very grateful to Jacques Portes for the constant hardware assistance during the development of this work. [15]{} S. Albeverio and X. Y. Zhou, *Free energy and some sample path properties of a random walk with random potential*, J. Statist. Phys. [**83** ]{} (1996), 573–622. M. Biskup and F. den Hollander, *A heteropolymer near a linear interface*, Ann. Appl. Probab. [**9**]{} (1999), 668–687. T. Bodineau and G. Giacomin, *On the localization transition of random copolymers near selective interfaces*, J. Statist. Phys. [**117**]{} (2004), 801-818. E. Bolthausen and G. Giacomin, *Periodic copolymers at selective interfaces: a large deviations approach*, Ann. Appl. Probab. [**15**]{} (2005), 963–983. E. Bolthausen and F. den Hollander, *Localization transition for a polymer near an interface*, Ann. Probab. 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Ledoux, *The concentration of measure phenomenon*, Mathematical Surveys and Monographs, Vol. [**89**]{}, American Mathematical Society (2001). M. Matsumoto and T. Nishimura, *Mersenne Twister: A 623-dimensionally equidistributed uniform pseudorandom number generator*, ACM Trans. on Mod. and Comp. Simul. [**8**]{} (1998), 3–30. C. Monthus, *On the localization of random heteropolymers at the interface between two selective solvents*, Eur. Phys. J. B [**13**]{} (2000), 111–130. C. Monthus, T. Garel and H. Orland, *Copolymer at a selective interface and two dimensional wetting: a grand canonical approach*, Eur. Phys. J. B [**17**]{} (2000), 121–130. T. Morita, *Statistical mechanics of quenched solid solutions with application to magnetically dilute alloys*, J. Math. Phys. [**5**]{} (1966), 1401–1405. D. Revuz and M. Yor (1994), *Continuous martingales and Brownian motion*, 3rd ed., Springer-Verlag, Berlin. Ya. G. Sinai, *A random walk with a random potential*, Theory Probab. Appl. [**38**]{} (1993), 382–385. C. E. Soteros and S. G. Whittington, *The statistical mechanics of random copolymers*, J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. [**37**]{}, R279-R325. S. Stepanow, J.-U. Sommer and I. Ya. Erukhimovich, *Localization transition of random copolymers at interfaces*, Phys. Rev. Lett. [**81**]{} (1998), 4412–4416. A. Trovato and A. Maritan, *A variational approach to the localization transition of heteropolymers at interfaces*, Europhys. Lett. [**46**]{}(1999), 301–306. R Development Core Team, *R: A language and environment for statistical computing*, R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria (2004), ISBN 3-900051-07-0.\ URL [http://www.R-project.org]{} [^1]: The algorithm just described can be implemented in a standard way: the code we used, written in C, is available on the web page: [http://www.proba.jussieu.fr/pageperso/giacomin/C/prog.html]{}. Graphic representations and standard statistical procedures have been performed with R [@cf:R]. | Mid | [
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S M Khalid Sourov 28 Added | 8 Magazines | 24 Likes | 5 Following | 1 Follower | @SMKhalidSou2015 | Keep up with S M Khalid Sourov on Flipboard, a place to see the stories, photos, and updates that matter to you. Flipboard creates a personalized magazine full of everything, from world news to life’s great moments. Download Flipboard for free and search for “S M Khalid Sourov” You know when 5pm rolls around and your boss gives you “the eye” when you shut off your computer and waltz (or, you know, slouch off tiredly) out the door? Next time that happens, you can tell them something really important: workers who stay late are less likely to be productive. Just sitting at … The latest is Inequality: What Can Be Done by Anthony Atkinson, where he argues this is an issue that cannot be left to the market, but one that requires political debate and action.<p>Indeed, even Republicans are talking about these issues. And Democratic candidates Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton … But when it comes to the mobile apps that increasingly rule our world, we demand all three, every single day. Apps have to get better, improve our lives, <i>and</i> work 24/7, in all conditions.<p>It's a complex problem. And complexity usually means cash, as in money out the window — money that big companies … Most companies ask too much of their competent employees. Take these steps or you'll really miss them when they inevitably jump ship.<p>Entrepreneurs and managers once valued competent people. The logic was simple: competent employees get things done while incompetent employees don't. Therefore, it … Fourteen US and Canadian cancer institutes will use International Business Machines Corp.'s Watson computer system to choose therapies based on a tumor's genetic fingerprints, the company said on Tuesday, the latest step toward bringing personalized cancer treatments to more patients.<p>Oncology is … Most of the island is an uninhabited landscape of jagged lava rock, fields of bright green moss, hot springs, towering waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanoes.<p>Many visitors say that the country is reminiscent of another world.<p>Plus, it is a perfect place for any adventurous traveler — visitors to the … | Low | [
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11 annoying things loved ones might say Nov 25, 2017 The small talk (and big talk) in the early days with a baby can feel like a labour in itself, but Sheen Horton has a few tips on dealing with the onslaught of “well-meaning” advice… “Are you sure you’re doing that right?” After spending 24/7 with this child, people will come in and question your methods. Take a deep breath, turn to them and say, “yes, I am”. Who can question that assured a response? And it looks a damn sight classier than screaming “naff off to hell!” in their general direction… “Wow! You still look pregnant!” An actual sentence uttered to me the day after I gave birth. Simply reply ‘well, I still have at least four weeks of bleeding to get out all the after birth’. Extra points for doing it in an over-cheery manner. ‘What do you think we should do…?” What am I now, a baby expert? Yes, it’s all very well knowing your baby, but things tend to change as babies have off days and growth spurts and teething so just when you think you understand them, you’re back to square one. At times like this, just hold your baby and take a moment. Instinct should kick in. And if not, dirty nappies, hunger or tiredness are usually the three foundations of a cranky baby. Sssh, don’t tell anyone it’s that simple… “I had a great night’s sleep!” Oh did you now. What a great phrase to say to someone who has been robbed of slumber by a sleep thief. Perhaps point out how many times you were up in the night and watch those well earned brownie points stack up. “What do you mean we can’t have sex for a while?” Explaining the sensation of how you feel “down there” might seem a tad gauche, but will make it clear in an honest fashion on how long it takes to heal (especially with stitches or tears). But if you’re in any doubt as to if the pain levels you’re feeling are too high, please talk to a GP. That’s what they are there for. “I think you should implement a routine…”. When and which one, and even if, to implement a routine is a minefield of a subject. Remember, it’s what suits you and your totally unique and ace little miracle. Don’t be swayed by what others are doing. You haven’t got their baby, and vice versa. So give yourself a break and simply reply with a vague “thanks for the suggestion, we will consider it”. Sounding like someone who works in a call centre means they can’t see the sarcasm dripping off every word. People do mean well, but you know what’s best for your baby. And with routines, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. (Overhearing your other half saying..) “No, our lives haven’t really changed at all”. My husband actually uttered these words and they floored me. Being in possession of something that doesn’t let you go out of the house without it, demands your every attention and energy round the clock and doesn’t give anything in return for the first few months means your life has most certainly changed. See it from their point of view, but perhaps plan to skip out the house one weekend for an hour or two, just so they realise how tough it can be. “You’ll get over the sadness of leaving them with others…”. Leaving the child I’m innately bound to by genes and maternal instinct, you mean? No I don’t think I jolly well will. It’s nature working at its deepest level here, folks. We’re hardwired to look after this child, up to even sacrificing ourselves for it, so the pang felt whenever leaving it with others, even if it’s while you nip to the corner shop, will never go away. And it doesn’t end. Just ask my mum as she sadly waves goodbye to her 34-year old daughter every time we part. “Isn’t she pretty/he handsome?”. Er… She’s a he/he’s a she. Delete as appropriate. I gave up in the end, with my bald-headed girl, dressed in hand-me-down boys clothes, and joined in with compliments. I made it more fun by renaming her every time. Yes, little Larry takes after his dad so much… Life’s too short to have to correct a passersby who you’ll never see again. “I’m so tired.” This one’s a battle no partner will ever win. They know it, and you know it. But we all need to test each other and think back to the time when you came home from work shattered, that’s the tiredness they speak of, and not the insane tiredness caused by getting up 3+ times every night. “In my day, we…”. Well, times change. And methods change. Remember when hypercolour tshirts (which changed colour when they went hot) were all the rage, and now we realise that wearing something that points out your sweat would be socially insane? Yeh, that. So be patient and listen to their advice, sometimes a gem is dropped in there, and say thank you. People have the best intentions, and their past knowledge is the only way they know how to do things, after all. | Low | [
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Kentucky Kernel Gluten Free Seasoned Flour Now anyone can enjoy the special blend of 10 savory herbs and spices that makes Kentucky Kernel Seasoned Flour a family favorite -- even those who need to avoid gluten in their diets! Delicious, gluten free breaded meats, fish, seafood, and veggies, as well as perfect country gravy, are within reach. Great recipes are on the box, and for an easy, low fat alternative to fried chicken, try oven-baking. | High | [
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Q: Restricting team user level access to edit backlog boards in visual studio online How can we restrict access to edit/move backlog boards in VSO from one section/column(New/Committed/Developed/Done) to another section/column(New/Committed/Developed/Done). we are facing issues as there is no control on board movement for our project. Thanks in advance. A: To move backlogs from one section to another section on the Backlog Board, one needs to have the Edit work items in this node permission for the Area and Iteration path. You can deny the permission to disable the ability for that specific engineer. Go to the team project admin page (https://vsoaccount.visualstudio.com/DefaultCollection/teamprojectname/_admin/_areas), right click the Area and select Security. Select the engineer you would like to set the permission to set disable that permission. See: Per my above screenshot, user Victory Song can't move work items which is under Agile area. (and she can't edit work items under Agile area either.) | High | [
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Why it Matters the Dallas Police Used a Drone To Kill Someone in America The Dallas police ended a standoff with the gunman who killed five officers with a tactic that is unprecedented: it blew him up using a robot. This represents the first time in American history that a drone (wheels for now, maybe wings later) was used to kill an American citizen on American soil. I get it, I get it. The Dallas sniper had killed five cops. He was prepared to kill as many more as he could. He was in a standoff with police, and negotiations had broken down. The Supreme Court has made it clear that in cases such as this, the due process clause (i.e., a trial before execution in this instance) does not apply. If not for the robot bomb, the Dallas police would have eventually shot the sniper anyway. They were fully in their legal rights to kill him. None of those issues are in contention. I am not suggesting in any way the cops should have invited the sniper out for tea. I am suggesting we stop and realize that in 2016 the police used a robot to send in an explosive to blow a person up. I am unaware that such a thing has happened in Russia, North Korea, China, Iran or other places where the rule of law is held by the few in power. Weapons of War The robot represents a significant escalation in the tools law enforcement use on the streets of America. Another weapon of war has come home from the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan. In the isolated case of the sniper, dead may be dead, whether by explosive or rifle shot. But in the precedent set on the streets of Dallas, a very important line has been crossed. Here’s why this is very bad. As in Iraq and Afghanistan, it is clear that an escalation in force by the police can only serve to inflame a situation, and trigger a subsequent escalation among those who will then seek to defend themselves against robots sent against them. In America’s wars, the pattern of you use a drone, I plant an IED is all to familiar. Will person being blown up by the cops likely soothe community tensions, or exacerbate them? Did the use of other military weaponry calm things in Ferguson, or encourage the anger there to metastasize into other locations? More Force Sooner? And will robots increase or decrease the likelihood cops will employ more force sooner in a situation? “The further we remove the officer from the use of force and the consequences that come with it, the easier it becomes to use that tactic,” said Rick Nelson, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and a former counterterrorism official. “It’s what we have done with drones in warfare. Yet in war, your object is always to kill. Law enforcement has a different mission.” Who is Responsible? With a drone, it becomes easier to select the easier wrong of killing over the harder right of complex negotiations and methodical police work. Police officers sign up accepting in some ways a higher level of risk than soldiers, in that cops should be exercising a much more complex level of judgment in when and how to use force. Simply because they can use deadly force — or can get away with it — does not make it right. A robot removes risk, and dilutes personal responsibility. For example, if an individual officer makes a decision to use his/her personal weapon, s/he takes on full responsibility for the outcome. In the case of a robot, the decision is the product of a long chain of command extending far from whomever has a finger on the switch. The same is true for America’s drone army abroad. The shooter and the decider are far removed from one another. 17 thoughts on “Why it Matters the Dallas Police Used a Drone To Kill Someone in America” I understand your thought, but how were they to get this man? They could have sprayed away with their AR-15’s and hope one of the dozens of rounds would richochet and get him. One of their strong armed men could have tossed hand grenades and the fragments would have got him. Luckily they probably didn’t have anti tank rockets. It is scary, but so is the idea of the police being judge and executor. Like in the medieval times. Expect no mercy. Illuminati didn’t want to make the guy a spokesman for the true motives of the hit. Nobody speaks any more about the trigger, that police around US systematically kills male young innocent Negros. “…if an individual officer makes a decision to use his/her personal weapon, s/he takes on full responsibility for the outcome.” Wrong. Absolutely wrong. Where have you been? An officer hides behind the “magical” badge of “authority” granted by the god “the state” to kill at will, usually with zero consequence other than a paid vacation. If you disagree with this reality, you are simply not paying attention, or are a delusional worshiper of “government”. The pigs do street executions all the time. That’s the stated reason for the shooting, or at least the reason the pigs gave to justify them killing him. The why is as important to find as the How. Why do the Dallas and other pigs beat people to death in jail cells? At that point, and I’ve experienced it, when you have 4 p.. oh, I’m supposed to say “police officers” so I guess I better, but when 4 of them are holding you down in a 5 point, (2 on the hands, 1 holding your legs and one dancing around saying ‘don’t move motherf.. don’t move” and the 5th one kicking you in the head… it’s very easy to believe they are mindless drones, trying to kill you, and their lame-ass excuse is they were ‘just following orders’ It’s really a pissoff when you’ve survived. one that stays with you forever. If that didn’t happen to Johnson personally, maybe he had seen it done repeatedly. And sometimes that kind of beating kills. Street executions the same way. At the very least something in the man resonated, a sense of common humanity perhaps. In the streets of Dallas you witness things like that all the time. And if the person being beaten, perhaps to death, looks like you, and his physical aspect is a big part of the reason he’s receiving such a beating, yeah. When other people who look a lot like you get repeatedly abused when they Lawfully congregate to protest illegal actions, and you know that the reason they’re getting that treatment specially ordered by their and your physical appearance, well… Psychology tells us that we have more empathy for those who look like us, and that altruism isn’t really doing right even to death, but both are a matter of survival not of your own body but your genetics. Especially if the attackers look radically different from you and your family or tribal group…. Get used to it because that’s the most answer you’ll get from official sources. So we know superficially why Johnson went ballistic on them, literally. We know superficially why they chose to use a drone. My thought is it was just cowardice on their part. Just like the reason they shoot unarmed people in the back, and sometimes while the person they shoot is already handcuffed. It’s the same reason they use force primarily when their victim is vastly outnumbered, usually when there are no civilian witnesses. The drone operators are the same sort of coward. And now, their usual method of displaying their cowardly murderous tendencies, hitting somebody with out having to view the persons face, is given official sanction. Now it’s blue on blue. Now it’s Americans doing it not to some foreign person who doesn’t look or speak or worship God the same way, but remember the bit about altruism and empathy occurring more often toward people who look like you? Yeah. The uniform helps you to identify who you are permitted to like or ordered to dislike, to accept orders to kill another human being, without question. They told us in Basic that if we were ordered to kill our own mommas we would do so, with no question or hesitation. He had worn similar tactical clothing in Afghanistan not just because it’s armor, (basically, I once showed a picture of a roman legionaire and a modern SWAT or riot police officer. Form follows function. The use of a drone over-rides even that level of anonymity of both friend and foe. It’s an ultimate expression that, to the Dallas pigs, nobody outside their organization is equal to them, deserving of the protection they say they provide, Or even human. We the Peasants can buy drones, and customize them as we wish my vote is for surveillance but they’re being weaponized all over the map. You can buy one at Bass Pro Shops and Cabelas for about 50 bux complete with ways to control it from anywhere else in the world with your cell phone. Customize the software with about a hundred different Artificial Intelligence apps like Jeannie, Alexa and Ciri.And the chipsets are made in China, Pakistan and India, none of which have much reason to love the Corporate Government and all targeted by the PNAC. They could have tried gassing him. But then he’d be possibly be alive, and talking. It probably ties in with this narrative they’re trying to run out, of a lone demented killer. It may tie in also with the confusion on three additional suspects still in custody, about which they won’t give information, this reported in the most recent stories I can find, in the very mainstream Washington Post. I distinctly remember as this unfolded, the news media reported three suspects in custody, who had driven off from the crime scene in a black Mercedes, which the cops caught. The early reports also said that they put a camou bag into the vehicle before driving off. This sounds like accomplices, if not actual shooters, and destroys this narrative of a lone crazy demented killer, with no real connection to an organized group. They really need to clear up this matter of the three additional people in custody, right now. There was no reason to kill the suspect by robot, by drone or by sniper. The suspect was contained. There were no hostages. The suspect was alone, barricaded in the building surrounded by cops. The robot could have delivered tear gas, knock out gas or the cops could have simply waited him out behind a safe perimeter. He would eventually have to come out. If he came out armed, lethal force would have been justified. We need to remind ourselves that the job of a solider is to kill the enemy. The job of a cop is to arrest a suspect and deliver the arrestee to the judicial system. A cop may only use lethal force to prevent imminent harm, not to punish a criminal. agree but then the same mindset was working at Waco, Ruby Ridge and against Dorner and anyone else that upsets the apple cart. its much cheaper to kill them than to let them show up in court to present a different side from the govt story, this was shown in the aftermath of the Ruby Ridge incident. by accident there was a survivor much to the govts dismay Public servants or public masters? Shepard Smith reports on the recent seemingly unprovoked killings of Philando Castile and Alton Sterling by police officers. Thanks to victim/witness video recordings, we capture a glimpse at the kind of treatment Americans, and particularly blacks, have come to expect from police. Former DA and defense lawyer Arthur Aidala provides analysis. Warning: graphic video. This goes with mitigating risks and costs in terms of selling points, I think. The push comes strongly from companies making these products. How much clout these companies have over municipal, state, federal decision-making centers is another factor, but one which companies generously contribute their resources to securing. These products get their test runs overseas in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, locations throughout Africa, et cetera. From there these products are distributed stateside and sold as reliable given their successful or effective use in combat, e.g. selling point: they saved lives. The point I want to emphasize is not about ethics so much but that vested interests are a determining factor. Or there is an economic factor about these products which surpass a threshold so that it becomes difficult to turn back from their incorporation into daily routines. Probably people were saying the same things being said today about drones that were said at the arrival of gunpowder pistols, i.e. it becomes that much easier to kill someone. Probably it will happen one day that some folks will come up with a means to entirely vaporize a body to constituent, invisible particles. They will just point and push a button, like pulling a trigger, and there won’t even be bones left to put underground or ground to ash. How did this all start? Who is responsible? I say pretty much all of us are. Mostly because we accept that things are the way they are, i.e. we lack the intelligence to turn about and settle for less than our imagination(s) or desires compel us to achieve or to possess. The lack of intelligence is lack of foresight or outright neglect of foresight. A good example of this, I think, is A.I. and all the talk about its hazards. There is an obvious threat and yet A.I. is sold as if it is as inevitable as death. Who but fools can’t or won’t turn about from manufactured demise but instead hasten it? Even well-educated and intelligent people are hastening violent outcomes for lack or neglect of foresight or fear of being overcome. Really, fear is the culprit. It’s not even “some-one” as we say but more a kind of psychological state or condition. | Mid | [
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Recent Scores Terrance Edwards (left) and Kyle Daniels of Wilbur Cross grab a rebound against Hillhouse in the first half at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on Wednesday. Terrance Edwards (left) and Kyle Daniels of Wilbur Cross grab a rebound against Hillhouse in the first half at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on Wednesday. Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1of/15 Caption Close Image 1 of 15 Terrance Edwards (left) and Kyle Daniels of Wilbur Cross grab a rebound against Hillhouse in the first half at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on Wednesday. Terrance Edwards (left) and Kyle Daniels of Wilbur Cross grab a rebound against Hillhouse in the first half at the Floyd Little Athletic Center in New Haven on Wednesday. Photo: Arnold Gold / Hearst Connecticut Media Daniels, Hillhouse cruise past Daniels, Wilbur Cross 1 / 15 Back to Gallery NEW HAVEN — So things didn’t look great after the season opener for the Hillhouse boys basketball team. But if you counted out the Academics after just one game, you were sadly mistaken. Hillhouse has won four straight since that opener against East Catholic. The 10th-ranked Academics cruised past Wilbur Cross 80-54 at the Floyd Little Athletic Center Wednesday evening. “We got back in the gym, we worked together, people played their roles, everybody played their part and we came together,” Hillhouse guard Tazhon Daniels said. “We are trying not to lose like that again.” Daniels led the way with 19 points, including 8 of 10 from the free-throw line. Turon Kelley and Aiden Rountree added 13 and 10 points, respectively, for Hillhouse. Granted, Cross was the best team the Academics (4-1) have played since that loss. Hillhouse did it with its defense — helping force 11 first-half turnovers — to build a sizable lead by halftime (42-21). “Honestly we are just growing game by game,” Hillhouse coach Renard Sutton said. “Our guard play is getting better, our defense, our staple, is getting better and we are finally starting to hit a few shots.” A lot of the Academics’ defensive focus was on Cross guard Kyle Daniels. A transfer from Career, Daniels had scored 32 and 30 points, respectively, in his first two games. Khalel Francis and Jacari Douglas both guarded him when Hillhouse played man-to-man defense. When the Academics went zone, they collectively made sure he didn’t get very many open looks. Daniels finished with 10 points. “We wanted to pay a lot of attention to him because we’ve seen in the last few games, he has been lighting it up,” Sutton said about Daniels. “When he is on the court, he’s in range (to score).We wanted to pay close attention to him.” Said Tazhon Daniels: “The coaches told us to play hard defense and to play together. We knew (Daniels) was the threat and we watched him all throughout the game and tried to shut him down.” Terrance Edwards led the Governors with 16 points while Enasj Jones added 15. Cross was coming off a buzzer-beating loss to Hamden in last week’s Saulsbury Invitational. A spirited 16-4 run by the Governors (1-2) late in the third quarter helped cut a 24-point deficit (51-27) down to 12 (55-43) heading to the fourth quarter. “We are not good enough to get that far down against good teams,” Wilbur Cross coach Kevin Walton said. “It’s a matter of getting the guys to play with energy throughout the game. We have to be ready to play every minute of every game.” Both teams were in the shooting bonus early in the final quarter, then the double bonus. Two players fouled out from each team. The Academics regained control of the game and turned it into a convincing rout. “Defensively we started gambling a little but and not rebounding as hard as we should have,” Sutton said about the third quarter. “When they started getting back to the way the coaches want them to play, we pushed the lead back up.” The rematch is on Feb. 5. The two teams split during the last regular season. Sutton had no comment on the status of Dalgorys Flete, who was not in uniform for the game. | Low | [
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Q: Remove css classes on Ajax loaded content First of all im new to Jquery Ajax . i Have Loaded some content into DIV using ajax load method and so far all coding went good until now . i have a little share button that will add a class to 3 buttons and itself once its been clicked . i have used a script to accomplish this function but that script wont Work with Ajax . i have spent hours googling to find a solution but none of the proposed solutions worked for me .so here i am. Below is a piece of content that will load through the ajax into div <div id="2"> Track Name :- <b>Wiggle</b> <br>By :- <a target="_blank" href="../members/profile.php?id=1">USER NAME</a> <br> <button class="playback btn btn-primary btn-sm hdnbtn"><i class="fa fa-play"></i> Play</button> <audio src="../members/memberfiles/1/Wiggle.mp3"> Your browser does not support HTML5 audio. </audio> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-success hdnbtn" href="downloader.php?fld=1&name=Wiggle.mp3" name="dwn"><i class="fa fa-download"></i> Download MP3</a> <button class="btn btn-primary sharebtn"> Share</button> <div class="shareoptions hide"> <a target="_blank" href="#" class="hide btn btn-sm btn-social btn-facebook socialhdn"><i class="fa fa-facebook"></i> Share on Facebook</a> <a target="_blank" href="#" class="hide btn btn-sm btn-social btn-twitter socialhdn"><i class="fa fa-twitter"></i> Tweet this </a> <a target="_blank" href="#" class="hide btn btn-sm btn-social btn-google-plus socialhdn"><i class="fa fa-google-plus"></i> Share on goole</a> </div> <br> <a href="javascript:void();" class="cls_close hide btn-primary btn btn-xs"><i class="fa fa-minus"> Show Less</i></a> <input type="hidden" value="Wiggle.mp3" name="file_name"> <input type="hidden" value="#" name="link"> </div> i have tried using on() method and live() method even though live is depreciated . But i cannot get it working properly . When i click the button i get the Javascript message , but it does not remove the 'hide' class at all $(document).on('click' , '.sharebtn' , function(){ $(this).closest('audio').find('.shareoptions').removeClass('hide'); alert('Test'); }); if you can suggest me a solution and point out where what went wrong i will really appreciate it , alot . A: .closest traverse parent elements. Since audio is not a parent of .sharebtn, $(this).closest('audio') will return nothing. But .shareoptions is a sibling of .sharebtn, so just use .siblings() or .next(). $(this).next('.shareoptions').removeClass('hide'); | Low | [
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Couples I offer couples a safe and non-judgmental environment in which they can discuss difficult and often painful issues. I will help you to navigate the obstacles that romantic relationships often bring and guide you and your partner to new ways of interacting with each other. Whether you are going through difficult struggles in your relationship, or you are just looking to learn new skills to strengthen your marriage, I offer hope that you can achieve the relationship you’ve always wanted. Some of the concerns that couples may seek therapy for include: Adjusting to relationship transitions including: Newly married or moving in together Remarriage or stepfamily issues Birth of a child Experiencing grief and loss Empty nesters Healing from past hurts including: Infidelity and betrayal Past trauma or abuse Infertility or the loss of a child Divorce or separation Not sure you if you really need couples counseling? Come in for a check- up! We will meet just a few times to help you and your partner: Identify areas of strength and potential growth Head conflict off before it becomes unmanageable Increase your communication skills Enhance your intimacy and connection with your partner Click here to read more about whether a check-up is right for you! | Mid | [
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439 P.2d 772 (1968) Mike SMILOFF, Appellant, v. STATE of Alaska, Appellee. No. 859. Supreme Court of Alaska. April 19, 1968. Brian J. Brundin, of Hughes, Thorsness & Lowe, Anchorage, for appellant. Edmund W. Burke, Asst. Dist. Atty., and Robert N. Opland, Dist. Atty., Anchorage, for appellee. Before NESBETT, C.J., DIMOND and RABINOWITZ, JJ. *773 OPINION RABINOWITZ, Justice. Appellant questions the lower court's administration of Criminal Rule 17(b) which provides for the issuance, at state expense, of subpoenas in behalf of indigent defendants. We hold that the superior court's rejection of appellant's request for the issuance of subpoenas pursuant to Criminal Rule 17(b) was error. We further hold that the court's ruling affected appellant's substantial rights and, therefore, the judgment and commitment which was entered below should be set aside and a new trial held. Appellant was tried in the lower court upon a three-count indictment in which he was charged with the separate crimes of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to rape, and attempted rape.[1] Some three weeks prior to trial, appellant's court-appointed counsel moved under Criminal Rule 17(b) that subpoenas be issued for the attendance of five witnesses, all of whom resided at Sand Point, Alaska, at the time of the motion.[2] Our Criminal Rule 17(b) provides in part that: The court or a judge thereof may order at any time that a subpoena be issued upon motion or request of an indigent defendant. The motion or request shall be supported by affidavit in which the defendant shall state the name and address of each witness and the testimony which he is expected by the defendant to give if subpoenaed, and shall show that the evidence of the witness is material to the defense, that the defendant cannot safely go to trial without the witness and that the defendant does not have sufficient means and is actually unable to pay the fees of the witness. The grounds stated in appellant's motion were "that defendant is indigent and that said witnesses are necessary to the defense * * *." In his affidavit in support of the motion, appellant asserted that the five potential witnesses would provide "testimony necessary to [his] defense," and that his indigency prevented him from paying "the travel expense, witness fees, or service fees to require and enable the listed witnesses to appear for the defense."[3] Appellant's motion then came before the superior court. At the outset of the hearing the trial judge indicated to appellant's counsel that Criminal Rule 17(b) contemplated that counsel had "to give the nature of the testimony." The court then asked whether counsel was in a position to indicate what the witnesses "might testify to." After appellant's counsel had outlined the expected testimony of four of the five witnesses,[4] the trial judge suggested to the State's attorney that perhaps the matter could be put in writing and an agreement reached between counsel as to the witnesses' testimony. The district attorney then informed the court that if appellant's counsel would furnish him with a brief written statement as to the witnesses' expected testimony, his office would "see if we'll stipulate to it, or indicate that we feel they won't testify to that, and then leave the witnesses in question for you to decide." The court then inquired of appellant's counsel whether he would furnish such a written outline of the witnesses' anticipated testimony.[5] Appellant's *774 counsel answered affirmatively and the court then stated that it would rule on the merits of appellant's motion after the written statement had been furnished and counsel had had the opportunity to explore the possibility of agreement along the lines suggested by the district attorney. Later that same day, appellant's counsel filed a memorandum containing a brief summary of the testimony of the persons sought to be subpoenaed. The matter was then again argued and at the conclusion of this second hearing, the court denied appellant's request for subpoenas as to Peterson, Osterback, and Mobeck but offered appellant the choice of Bjornstad or Rudolph.[6] Counsel for appellant selected Bjornstad. At the conclusion of the trial which was held a short time thereafter, appellant was found guilty of the crime of assault with intent to rape and was sentenced to fifteen years' imprisonment. Before discussing the merits of the trial court's rulings under Criminal Rule 17(b), we consider it appropriate to dispose of appellee's argument that "The court's ruling should * * * be tested only on the basis of the averments made by [appellant] in his sworn affidavit."[7] In light of the portions of the record we have set out heretofore, we find no merit in the state's position. At no time during the two hearings, which were held in regard to appellant's Criminal Rule 17(b) motion, did the prosecution object to counsel for appellant's oral or written statements as to what testimony the witnesses would give. Here the initial requests, both for oral and written statements from defense counsel, came from the court, and it is clearly demonstrated that the state acquiesced in the court's suggestion that these statements be furnished. In view of such circumstances we consider the state's argument unfortunate. Further, Criminal Rule 53 provides that any of our rules of criminal procedure may be relaxed or dispensed with by the trial court where it is apparent to the court that strict adherence thereto would result in injustice. In the case at bar we believe that the trial judge correctly dispensed with Criminal Rule 17(b)'s requirement that the showing in support of the motion must be made by affidavit. This ruling was particularly appropriate in the case at bar where it appears that appellant was illiterate and that linguistic and cultural barriers existed between appellant and his counsel. This is the first occasion we have had to decide issues involving application of Criminal Rule 17(b). Until 1966 our rule and Fed.R.Crim.P. 17(b) were virtually identical.[8] Representative of the federal authorities decided under the original text of Rule 17(b), Fed.R.Crim.P., is the following *775 language from United States v. Zuideveld:[9] It is well settled that Rule 17(b) * * does not vest an absolute right to the issuance of such subpoenas and that the trial court is granted a wide latitude in order to prevent abuses. We will not disturb the exercise of such discretion unless exceptional circumstances compel it. There was no such abuse of discretion here. Reistroffer v. United States, 8 Cir., 258 F.2d 379, 396 (1958), cert. denied, 358 U.S. 927, 79 S.Ct. 313, 3 L.Ed.2d 301.[10] We adopt the federal rule and hold that the right to have a witness subpoenaed at state expense is not absolute. In administering Criminal Rule 17(b), the trial court is vested with discretion in order to prevent abuses. Our review of the record has left us with the firm conviction that the trial judge abused his discretion in the case at bar. Appellant's showing (which properly encompassed not only his affidavit but also the memorandum and oral statements of his counsel in support of the rule 17(b) motion) warranted issuance of the subpoenas. We believe it of significance that at the time the motions were made seeking issuance of the subpoenas appellant stood charged with three serious felony offenses, each of which carried potentially severe separate penalties. Also of importance is that appellant was brought to trial in a community some five hundred air miles from his home the situs of the alleged crimes; that appellant was uneducated; and that linguistic and cultural differences were present between appellant and his attorney. Any judgment with respect to whether the showing made by appellant's counsel that a prospective witness' testimony was material to the defense should have taken into account the barriers to effective communication which here existed between appellant and his attorney. The degree of precision with which defense counsel was able to allege facts in support of his motion for rule 17(b) subpoenaes must necessarily have been affected by quality and clarity of the communications from client to attorney. Of further importance is the circumstance that the original counts of the indictment focused on the crime of attempted rape. In crimes of this nature the prosecutrix's testimony is usually crucial. Measured against these basic circumstances, we believe that appellant's showing under Criminal Rule 17(b) warranted the issuance of subpoenas at government expense. In his brief appellant argues that the trial judge applied "too rigid a standard" in ruling on his motion. Nowhere did the trial judge articulate precisely what criterion had been employed in deciding whether or not to allow the subpoenas. Although at one point during the hearings on the motion, it appears that the trial judge stated he would issue a subpoena only if the witness could show that he was with appellant during the entire time in question, and thus prove that appellant had not committed the crimes charged.[11] The foregoing indicates that the trial judge applied too rigid a standard in administering Criminal Rule 17(b) in view of the significant circumstances appearing in this record.[12] *776 As we have indicated previously, we believe that appellant's showing was sufficient as to prospective witnesses Mobeck, Peterson, and Osterback to justify the issuance of Criminal Rule 17(b) subpoenas.[13] As to George Osterback, it was expected that he would testify he was with appellant at a bar in Sand Point until just before the alleged crimes took place. Appellant's counsel further asserted that he believed that the state had a witness who would testify that he observed two men at the spot where the victim was lying on the ground, and "It was probable that Mr. Osterback is this mysterious person who ran."[14] From a reading of the record, it appears that the trial judge denied appellant's request as to Osterback because he would have had to advise the witness of his privilege against self-incrimination.[15] We are of the opinion that Osterback's possible eyewitness testimony was relevant, and that a subpoena should not have been denied on the speculative ground that the witness might have exercised his privilege against self-incrimination if called to testify.[16] We are also of the opinion that appellant's showing was sufficient in regard to prospective witness Agness Mobeck in that her testimony was relevant and material for purposes of impeachment of the prosecution's chief witness, Mrs. Kalmakoff.[17] *777 Regarding prospective witness Johnny Peterson, appellant contemplated that the witness would testify he was his roommate and would offer character testimony in appellant's behalf. It was further anticipated that the witness would impeach the credibility of Mrs. Kalmakoff who had testified at the preliminary hearing that she did not like appellant because he had raped her once before. As to this event, appellant anticipated that Peterson would testify that what occurred was an act of consensual intercourse.[18] We hold that appellant's showing was sufficient as to this witness on both grounds. In light of the nature of the crimes charged in the indictment, evidence as to appellant's character was undoubtedly relevant and material. Further, evidence of a prior act of consensual sexual intercourse between the prosecutrix and appellant was relevant and material in regard to the issue of appellant's intent concerning the charges of rape and assault to commit rape, and was also relevant and material regarding the issue of the prosecutrix's consent.[19] We hold that the superior court's denial of subpoenas for the attendance of these witnesses deprived appellant of the opportunity adequately to defend against the serious crimes with which he was charged and was therefore prejudicial error. The judgment and commitment entered below is set aside and the case remanded for a new trial.[20] *778 NESBETT, Chief Justice (dissenting). I dissent from the majority holding that denial of the subpoenas was an abuse of discretion which substantially prejudiced appellant's defense. In my opinion, a new trial is not warranted. Subpoenas for five witnesses were requested by court appointed counsel for appellant approximately three weeks before trial. The irregular piecemeal justification for their production was not completed until approximately one week before trial. The witnesses resided at or near the community of Sand Point, which is located on the Alaska Peninsula approximately 500 air miles from the place of trial in Anchorage. The estimated total cost to the state of producing each witness appears from the record to have been in the neighborhood of $400.00. After the somewhat confused showing of justification for the subpoenas described in the majority opinion had been completed, the court granted the request as to one of the witnesses and denied it as to four. Counsel obviously had not had the opportunity to interview any of the requested witnesses, all of whom resided in an area remote to the place of trial and appellant's place of detention prior to trial. What we learn in hindsight from our experience in this case is that in similar circumstances it would be advisable for the court to suggest that counsel request funds for the purpose of visiting the community where the crime is alleged to have occurred to interview potential witnesses for the defense. The testimony that each witness would give could then be definitely determined. The affidavit of justification as to each requested witness would be affirmative and accurate. This would permit the court to intelligently weigh the justification against the requirements of Criminal Rule 17(b) and act with assurance. It was twice suggested by the district attorney during one of the hearings that counsel for appellant go to Sand Point for the above purpose, but the suggestions appear not to have been given serious consideration by the court or defense counsel. The majority opinion holds that the trial judge abused his discretion in refusing to issue subpoenas for the witnesses George Osterback, Agnes Mobeck and Johnny Peterson. The opinion states in part: Nowhere did the trial judge articulate precisely what criterion had been employed in deciding whether or not to allow the subpoenas. and then, in a footnote, proceeds to quote the judge where he inquires of counsel whether a person financially able would spend $2000 of his own money to bring in witnesses about whose testimony he knew so little. The fact is that the trial judge was applying the criterion established by the Supreme Court of the United States in Griffin v. People of State of Illinois[1] where it was held that destitute defendants must be afforded as adequate appellate review as defendants with money to pay for such services. In order to equate appellant's right to subpoena the witnesses at state expense, according to the established standard, the judge was properly attempting to determine, with the assistance of counsel, whether a person with personal funds would be willing to spend them to bring witnesses such a distance at unusual expense, who could offer only the testimony represented in the justification. In view of this, it is not consistent for the majority to state that this inquiry "indicates that the trial judge applied too rigid a standard in administering Criminal Rule 17(b)". The trial judge made other inquiries and observations which plainly indicates that he was attempting to *779 apply the standard of Criminal Rule 17(b) which requires that the evidence the witness is expected to give be material to the defense. The expense involved in producing a witness is one factor to be considered by the trial judge. The high cost of producing requested witnesses, when considered in relation to the materiality of the testimony expected to be given, can force the conclusion that an attempt is being made to abuse the right.[2] The footnote citation seems to be an example of an obvious attempt to abuse this right. In between the obvious attempt to abuse the right and the meritorious request is the request based upon the sincere but imaginative justification of a hopeful defendant. In weighing the latter type request against the requirements of Criminal Rule 17(b) the trial judge is required to exercise a sound discretion in determining whether "the evidence of the witness is material to the defense" and whether "the defendant cannot safely go to trial without the witness". The rule does not give the defendant the right to subpoena witnesses at state expense in the mere hope that, when produced, they will be found to be able to supply evidence favorable to the defense.[3] In Reistroffer v. United States[4] the defendant requested permission to subpoena at government expense a handwriting expert, stating that he fully expected the expert to testify that in his expert opinion the handwriting contained on the purchase orders introduced into evidence was not the handwriting of the defendant. The appellate court stated: It appeared to the trial court that since Norris chose not to take the witness stand and produce samples of his handwriting and in the court's long experience, experts on handwriting could not be expected to give an opinion without laboratory tests and sure bases for comparisons, there was too much uncertainty to justify the expense of bringing the expert witness from St. Louis, where he lived, to the place of trial at Waterloo. It is also pointed out for the government that proof that the particular signatures referred to were not in the handwriting of Norris even if established would not have constituted a complete defense to the charges and the evidence against Norris. (emphasis supplied) It is well settled that Rule 17(b), Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, * * under which the motion for subpoena was made, does not accord the indigent defendant an absolute right to subpoena witnesses at government expense. There is and must be wide discretion invested in the District Court to prevent the abuses often attempted by defendants. This Court will not disturb the exercise of the discretion unless exceptional circumstances compel it. Gibson v. United States, United States, 8 Cir., 53 F.2d 721, 722. The question to be decided with respect to the denial of each subpoena is whether the trial judge abused the discretion placed in him by Criminal Rule 17(b) which provides that the subpoena may be issued after a showing by affidavit of the testimony the witness is expected to give, coupled with a showing that the evidence is material to the defense and that the defendant cannot safely go to trial without the witness. This discretion was described by Mr. Justice Reed in Greenwell v. United States[5] as follows: This discretion, of course, is not absolute in the sense of "no review under any circumstances," but does leave a large degree of freedom of decision to the trial judge to determine the materiality of the evidence which the defendant *780 seeks and the likelihood that such evidence will be forthcoming. Neither Rule 15 nor Rule 17 authorizes a general inquiry at Government expense into the circumstances of the crime with which the defendant is charged upon mere hope that favorable evidence will be unearthed; they provide for financial aid only when the defendant asserts reasonable grounds to believe that a witness has pertinent testimony to offer or that other helpful evidence is obtainable. Abuse of discretion has been defined as arbitrary action as contrasted with the exercise of conscientious judgment;[6] and as, "when the action of the trial judge is clearly contrary to reason and not justified by the evidence."[7] With respect to the request that a subpoena issue for the production of George Osterback, appellant's memorandum stated: 1. George Osterback, Sand Point, Alaska, will testify he was with the defendant at the bar in Sand Point from early evening till just before the alleged crime occurred. Further he is expected to testify that he purchased a drink for Mrs. Kalmakoff, the alleged victim and should support that defendant had no contact with Mrs. Kalmakoff in the bar that evening prior to the alleged crime. Even if it is assumed that Osterback would testify in all respects as indicated, it is apparent that the testimony would not be "material to the defense". The fact that Osterback may have been with the defendant at the bar prior to the time the alleged crime was committed and purchased a drink for the complainant, with nothing more to show how it would assist the defense, does not make a satisfactory showing of materiality. The memorandum in support of the request for a subpoena for George Osterback, in a second paragraph, stated: The defendant has reason to believe that Mr. Osterback may have further testimony extremely relevant to the case. Defendant believes that the State has a witness, one Thomas Joseph Yates, who will testify he saw Mrs. Kalmakoff lying on the ground with two men, one of which ran whom he cannot identify and the second of which was the Defendant. It is probable that Mr. Osterback is this mysterious person who ran. Further, Mr. Osterback was carrying a hunting knife in his belt on the night of the alleged crime. The trial judge denied the sufficiency of the above allegations as support for the issuance of a subpoena at state expense, stating that if the defendant intended to prove that Osterback committed the crime, then the court would be obligated to warn him of his right not to incriminate himself under the 5th amendment and that it would be unlikely that he would testify. The allegation that the defendant "has reason to believe" that Osterback might have "further testimony extremely relevant to the case" does not in any manner comply with Criminal Rule 17(b) which requires that the defendant shall state the testimony which the witness is expected to give and should then show that the evidence is material to the defense and that the defense cannot safely go to trial without it. No attempt was made to outline the "further testimony". Instead, the defendant speculated on what the state witness might testify to and then inferred that Osterback might be the mysterious person who fled the scene of the alleged crime. Defendant indicated that he would prove that Osterback committed the crime instead of the defendant by questioning Osterback as a witness. If there were facts which were expected to be brought out by Osterback's testimony that would prove that he committed the crime, the court should have been so advised. If there were facts which would point to Osterback as the "mysterious person who ran" from the scene of the alleged *781 crime, where appellant was also placed by Yates' testimony, then appellant should have so advised his counsel who could have so advised the court. Appellant did not use the witness Ralph Bjornstad who was subpoenaed at state expense. Appellant did not take the stand in his own defense. Yet this court has found that reversible error was committed in not producing Osterback on the vague and improbable representation that he might be questioned into admitting that he committed the crime instead of appellant. Appellant's memorandum justified the request that Agnes Mobeck be subpoenaed by stating: 3. Agnes Mobeck, Sand Point, will testify that she came into the bar earlier that evening with Mrs. Kalmakoff and that they were both later joined by Mr. Kalmakoff. She should also be able to testify as to what was said between Mr. Osterback and Mrs. Kalmakoff. Mrs. Kalmakoff testified at the preliminary hearing that she was not in the company of any other person in the bar other than her husband and Mr. Osterback. The court denied this request on the ground that it could not see that it made any difference to appellant's defense whether Mrs. Kalmakoff was in the bar earlier that evening with Agnes Mobeck or whether she was not. Appellant's memorandum in support of the request failed to point out to the court wherein the testimony of Agnes Mobeck would be material to the defense and why appellant could not safely go to trial without such testimony. The most that can be said for the expected testimony is that it might contradict complainant on an unimportant aspect of her testimony before the grand jury. Appellant requested that Johnny Peterson be subpoenaed so that he could testify that an earlier rape, alleged to have been mentioned by the complainant to the grand jury, was not a rape, but a consensual act. The court denied the request and entered an order directing the district attorney to advise the complainant that no testimony would be admitted concerning any previous act of alleged rape since it was not an issue in the case. The majority opinion holds that evidence of a prior act of consensual intercourse was relevant and material to the issue of appellant's intent and to the issue of prosecutrix's consent. Wigmore is cited as authority for this holding.[8] Wigmore personally believes, as does the majority of this court, that evidence of particular acts of a woman's unchastity should be admitted to show the likelihood of consent, but is careful to point out that no question of evidence has been more controverted and that such evidence is excluded in the greater number of jurisdictions.[9] In my opinion, we should not proceed to commit this court on a question of law which has not been briefed as an issue, but that we should first determine whether the trial judge's denial of the subpoena was clearly contrary to reason, i.e. an abuse of discretion. I think that it was not an abuse of discretion. The admissibility of such evidence had not been passed upon by this court. Most jurisdictions exclude it. Where such evidence is admissible it is generally on the ground that it is relevant to the question of consent. Appellant did not take the stand and made no attempt to state or establish the defense of consent. In view of this, appellant could not have been prejudiced by not having the benefit *782 of the testimony that it was thought Peterson would give. I do not believe that this court is justified, under the uncontradicted testimony, some of which is related in a following paragraph, in presuming that if the court had subpoenaed Peterson that appellant would then have taken the stand on a defense of consent and utilized Peterson's testimony to support his defense. When the trial judge entered an order that the matter of an alleged prior rape would not be testified to, the possibility that the trial of the main issue would be confused and clouded was eliminated, fully as much to the benefit of the appellant as to the state. In my opinion the trial court did not abuse its discretion in denying the subpoenas for Osterback, Mobeck and Peterson. We now know from the uncontradicted testimony of the complainant and the witnesses Lena Choquette and Thomas Yates that the complaining witness and her husband were physically assaulted and knocked to the ground by appellant as they walked home from the bar. While her husband sought assistance, the complainant resisted appellant who was struggling to remove her clothes. As the complainant's brother-in-law, Tom Yates, approached the scene in response to her husband's request for assistance, he heard complainant shouting for help. Upon his arrival at the scene he found complainant on the ground with a part of her clothing removed. Appellant was arising from the ground and zippering up his trousers. Complainant's testimony was that she had not been raped, but that appellant was attempting to do so. The witness Yates testified that on the Monday following the Saturday on which the rape was attempted he was berating appellant for his act when appellant admitted that "I might have done the other, but I did not cut her". By the time the case was submitted to the jury two of the three indictment counts against appellant had been dismissed. Only the count charging assault with intent to commit rape remained. On the uncontradicted testimony recited above the jury found appellant guilty. At the sentencing the district attorney advised the court that he had received more than one telephone call from Sand Point describing appellant as "the terror from Sand Point". The judge reviewed appellant's record of criminal violence dating back to 1948 and sentenced him to serve fifteen years in prison. The majority believe that appellant was deprived of the opportunity to adequately defend against charges of serious crimes and should be given a new trial. At a retrial the only charge which appellant will be required to face will be the one remaining count of the indictment on which he has already been convicted, that of assault with intent to commit rape. The new trial has been granted on the theory that appellant would be enabled to place before the jury the testimony of the three witnesses for whom subpoenas were denied. The granting of a new trial for any other reason would not be justified. For example, it would not be proper to grant a new trial on the possibility that the requested witnesses would give testimony favorable to appellant in addition to that set out in the justification, or on the possibility that appellant might in the interim locate other witnesses favorable to his defense. Yet, if all three of the witnesses were produced and testified fully as represented, none of the testimony upon which appellant was convicted would be contradicted. The evidence of appellant's guilt of assault with intent to commit rape was overwhelming and uncontradicted in fact, admitted by appellant in his conversation with the witness Tom Yates. Under the circumstances no interest of justice will be furthered by ordering a new trial. The concept of equal and impartial *783 justice will not be enhanced under the facts of this case by officially pretending that an innocent indigent defendant may have been convicted because of the failure of the State to provide necessary witnesses for his defense. Furthermore, if it is believed that Osterback is also guilty of some crime, the logical thing to do is to investigate further, but not to use his suspicion as a ground for ordering appellant's retrial.[10] On the other hand, there is the distinct possibility that before the case can be retried, evidence essential to the state's case will be lost. The majority emphasizes the fact that appellant was tried a long distance from his home and that his defense may have suffered because of cultural and linguistic barriers between he and his counsel. In my opinion these supposed disadvantages are more imaginary than real. Many experienced Alaska defense counsel will verify that it is quite as likely that appellant gained an advantage in having his actions judged by an Anchorage jury, as compared with a jury drawn from the area of his residence, because of the frequent tendency of a predominantly white-man's jury to be more sympathetic and lenient of actions committed in a frontier or primitive habitat by persons of a supposedly more primitive culture. Linguistic and cultural barriers between appellant and his counsel will not be eliminated or improved by another trial. One effect of the granting of a new trial might very well be to shock the concept of justice of those of appellant's culture who are familiar enough with the evidence upon which appellant was convicted, who would be unable to understand or rationalize and would have little patience with what appears to be a rigid observance of form over substance. I would affirm the judgment. NOTES [1] As to each count it was alleged that the offense was committed on November 5, 1966, at Sand Point, Alaska, and that the victim in each instance was Elizabeth Kalmakoff. [2] All pertinent proceedings prior to trial, and the trial itself, took place at Anchorage, Alaska. Sand Point, Alaska is located in the Shumagin Islands off the Alaska Peninsula (about 500 nautical air miles from Anchorage). [3] The five Sand Point residents listed were Johnny Peterson, George Osterback, Ralph Bjornstad (incorrectly spelled "Junestert" in some portions of the record), Agnes Mobeck, and Kenneth Rudolph. [4] As to the prospective witness Kenneth Rudolph, appellant's counsel stated that he had "forgotten at the moment what he will say." [5] Appellant's counsel answered, "Yes, Your Honor. It's a matter of approximately what I outlined to the Court already today. * * * [W]e have already I guess there's been a ruling that Mr. [Peterson] * * *." The record does show that earlier in the hearing, after counsel had outlined the testimony he anticipated Johnny Peterson would give, the trial judge ruled that he would not issue a subpoena for Peterson's attendance at the trial. [6] Subsequently, the court entered a formal order denying appellant's motion in regard to Osterback, Mobeck, Rudolph, and Peterson. [7] Appellee's argument here is that Criminal Rule 17(b) requires the defendant to support the motion by affidavit in which the expected testimony of the witness must be set forth. [8] Effective July 1, 1966, the federal rule was amended to read as follows: Defendants Unable to Pay. The court shall order at any time that a subpoena be issued for service on a named witness upon an ex parte application of a defendant upon a satisfactory showing that the defendant is financially unable to pay the fees of the witness and that the presence of the witness is necessary to an adequate defense. If the court orders the subpoena to be issued the costs incurred by the process and the fees of the witness so subpoenaed shall be paid in the same manner in which similar costs and fees are paid in case of a witness subpoenaed in behalf of the government. [9] 316 F.2d 873, 881 (7th Cir.1963), cert. denied. 376 U.S. 916, 84 S.Ct. 671, 11 L.Ed.2d 612 (1964). [10] To the same effect, see United States v. Woodard, 376 F.2d 136, 143 (7th Cir.1967); Thompson v. United States, 372 F.2d 826, 828 (5th Cir.1967); Barnes v. United States, 374 F.2d 126, 128 (5th Cir.1967); Murdock v. United States, 283 F.2d 585, 587 (10th Cir.1960). [11] At one point in the hearings the court said in part, "[I]f you could show that some of these men claimed they were with him the entire time, the entire evening." [12] Later in the hearings the trial judge asked whether a person financially able would "spend this * * * ($2,000.00) of his own money to bring witnesses that * * * he doesn't know any more about than this?" The trial judge further stated, "I'm wondering if a rich man would throw away Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) to bring in some prospective witnesses like this?" During argument the State's attorney estimated that an individual round-trip ticket from Sand Point to Anchorage was $300, and that including per diem allowances, the total cost for the five witnesses sought by appellant would amount to $2,000. As to the costs involved, counsel for appellant stated in part: The fact that he's in Anchorage in trial is just, I think, a condition of our court system, that we don't have a setup in Sand Point; it's a very small place. [S]o the this cost is not so much as a matter to do with * * * justice as it is a matter to do with the facts of life as to the geography of our State and the court system * * * that we can support I believe that if this defendant were an Anchorage resident, and * * * these witnesses were readily available as if we were in Sand Point, that it would be quite difficult * * * to say that the defendant should always disclose what his witnesses will say as a matter of tactics. [13] The trial court's discretion in administering Crim.R. 17(b) can be upheld in regard to the denial as to witness Rudolph on the ground that his testimony was cumulative of Bjornstad's prospective testimony. [14] On this subject the memorandum furnished by appellant's counsel reads: The defendant has reason to believe that Mr. Osterback may have further testimony extremely relevant to the case. Defendant believes that the State has a witness, one Thomas Joseph Yates, who will testify he saw Mrs. Kalmakoff lying on the ground with two men, one of which ran whom he cannot identify and the second of which was the Defendant. It is probable that Mr. Osterback is this mysterious person who ran. Further, Mr. Osterback was carrying a hunting knife in his belt on the night of the alleged crime. [15] As to this prospective witness, the court stated: [A]s to whether or not * * * Mr. Osterback may have been one of the men seen, I can't see it has any relevancy here at all so far as his testimony, because I'd have advised him of his right not to incriminate himself. For that reason, he will be denied. Later the trial judge further stated: [B]ut I'm ruling him out on the basis that what you're attempting to prove here you're going to prove that he did it, and I think * * * if the Court warns of his rights, that he wouldn't testify, wouldn't be of any help to you. And I think I'd be obligated to warn him of his rights. For that reason I'm not allowing him. [16] As to the interesting question of whether any inference could be drawn by the jurors from Osterback's claim of the privilege at trial, see generally VIII J. Wigmore. Evidence § 2272(b), at 437 n. 9 (McNaughton rev. 1961). [17] We have previously mentioned the crucial role the prosecutrix's testimony normally plays in rape and related offenses. Mobeck's testimony was of importance because of its possible value for impeachment of the prosecutrix. Appellant's presentation in regard to this potential witness was as follows: Agnes Mobeck, Sand Point, Alaska, will testify that she came into the bar earlier that evening with Mrs. Kalmakoff and that they were both later joined by Mr. Kalmakoff. She should also be able to testify as to what was said between Mr. Osterback and Mrs. Kalmakoff. Mrs. Kalmakoff testified at the preliminary hearing that she was not in the company of any other person in the bar other than her husband and Mr. Osterback. [18] In denying appellant's request as to Peterson, the trial judge stated: I'm not going to let him come here for the purpose of testifying that * * * an earlier act of rape never occurred, and I'm going to enter an order now directing the District Attorney to tell her not to testify in regard to any previous * * * rape that did or did not occur * * *. [19] 1 J. Wigmore, Evidence § 200 (3d ed. 1940). [20] The disposition we have reached has made unnecessary the resolution of the constitutional objections appellant has raised as to the application of Crim.R. 17(b) in this case. The gist of appellant's constitutional argument is that application of the rule here denied him equal protection, resulted in a denial of due process, and loss of his privilege against self-incrimination. In regard to this contention, see the text of Rule 17(b), Fed.R.Crim.P., as amended in 1966. In the notes of the Advisory Committee to this amendment at 8 J. Moore, Federal Practice ¶ 17.01[3] (2d ed. 1967), it is stated: Criticism has been directed at the requirement that an indigent defendant disclose in advance the theory of his defense in order to obtain the issuance of a subpoena at government expense while the government and defendants able to pay may have subpoenas issued in blank without any disclosure. See Report of the Attorney General's Committee on Poverty and the Administration of Criminal Justice (1963) p. 27. The Attorney General's Committee also urged that the standard of financial inability to pay be substituted for that of indigency. Id. at 40-41. In one case it was held that the affidavit filed by an indigent defendant under this subdivision could be used by the government at his trial for purposes of impeachment. Smith v. United States, [114 U.S.App.D.C. 140], 312 F.2d 867 (1962). There has also been doubt as to whether the defendant need make a showing beyond the face of his affidavit in order to secure issuance of a subpoena. Greenwell v. United States, [115 U.S.App.D.C. 44], 317 F.2d 108 (1963). The amendment makes several changes. The references to a judge are deleted since applications should be made to the court. An ex parte application followed by a satisfactory showing is substituted for the requirement of a request or motion supported by affidavit. The court is required to order the issuance of a subpoena upon finding that the defendant is unable to pay the witness fee and that the presence of the witness is necessary to an adequate defense. [1] 351 U.S. 12, 19, 76 S.Ct. 585, 100 L.Ed. 891, 899 (1956). [2] See United States v. Zuideveld, 316 F.2d 873, 880-881 (7th Cir.1963), where subpoenas for 420 witnesses, all members of the Adonis Veil Club, residing in most of the states and many foreign countries, were requested. [3] See Note 5 infra. [4] 258 F.2d 379, 396 (8th Cir.1958) (emphasis supplied). [5] 115 U.S.App.D.C. 44, 317 F.2d 108, 113 (1963) (dissenting opinion). [6] Burns v. United States, 287 U.S. 216, 223, 53 S.Ct. 154, 77 L.Ed. 266, 270 (1932). [7] Springfield Crusher, Inc. v. Transcontinental Ins. Co., 372 F.2d 125, 126 (3rd Cir.1967). [8] 1 J. Wigmore, Evidence, § 200 (3rd ed. 1940). [9] See for example, State v. Severns, 13 Wash.2d 542, 125 P.2d 659, 664 (1942), where the court said: Whatever the rule in this state may formerly have been in regard to the right of a defendant in forcible rape cases to show specific acts of misconduct on the part of the complaining witness, it is now firmly established that such acts are not admissible. Contra, People v. Walker, 150 Cal. App.2d 594, 310 P.2d 110, 114 (1957); State v. Wood, 59 Ariz. 48, 122 P.2d 416, 418, 140 A.L.R. 361 (1942). [10] The jury was aware from the testimony of Tom Yates that a person believed to be Osterback was seen in the area at the time the assault was committed. The jury obviously attached no controlling significance to this possibility. | Mid | [
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French maid French maid is a strongly modified style of servant's dress that evolved from typical housemaid's black-and-white afternoon uniforms of 19th-century France (and their later use by stereotypical soubrette characters in burlesque dramas and bedroom farces). Some styles are conservative while others are revealing. The French maid costume is often used in cosplay, sexual roleplaying, and uniform fetishism. Depending on design details, some forms can be classified as lingerie. Costume details Though not strict to historically accurate uniforms, the French maid outfit has an easily recognizable pattern and black-and white theme that remains the template for other forms of the costume. The typical French maid costume includes: A black dress with white trim, with a full skirt at or above knee length. White half-apron, usually with ruffle or lace A ruffled or lace headpiece Long stockings or tights. These can be white or black and vary from design to design. High heels Feather duster White or black lace garter Optional accessories depend on design and context: Choker necklace Pearls Other cleaning equipment Culture The outfits are frequently worn to fancy dress or costume parties, and also used in drama/theater. See also Cosplay restaurant References Category:BDSM Category:Clothing Category:Cosplay Category:Costume design Category:Dresses Category:Fetish clothing | Mid | [
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Q: Trying to convert a string into json object I have a string in the following format : { "payload" : { "name1 " : "value", "Dir" : "<users>/<userid>/<YYYY>/<MM>/<DD>", "file" : "username<userid>.json", "userid" : <int> }, "PK_id" : "xxxxxxxxxxxxxx" } And I am using this code to convert the string into json object : JSONObject jsonObject = new JSONObject(jsonString.substring(0)); But I am getting this error for back slashes used in directory location and file name : Exception in thread "main" org.json.JSONException: Expected a ',' or '}' I need to know what am I doing wrong and what is the correct way to do it. Thanks! A: NSString *strJson = @"your json string here"; if you don't have json string then first convert your NSDictionary into JSON String NSData *data = [jsonStr dataUsingEncoding:NSUTF8StringEncoding]; id json = [NSJSONSerialization JSONObjectWithData:data options:0 error:nil]; | Mid | [
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Q: Kubernetes setup for docker container - kubectl get minions failing I am setting up Kubernetes with flannel following the instructions from https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kubernetes/blob/master/docs/getting-started-guides/centos/centos_manual_config.md http://www.severalnines.com/blog/installing-kubernetes-cluster-minions-centos7-manage-pods-services I am blocked at the following two steps, and unable to locate troubleshooting steps. I am running this on master node. kubectl get minions Error: Get http://localhost:8080/api/v1beta3/minions: dial tcp 127.0.0.1:8080: connection refused Is this related to to the flannel network or should it give the minion information on the master node. etcdctl mk /coreos.com/network/config '{"Network":"172.17.0.0/16"}' Error: cannot sync with the cluster using endpoints http://127.0.0.1:4001, http://127.0.0.1:2379 Where is the port 2379 specified and how do I troubleshoot the sync step to work ? A: Both the errors went away when I restarted the etcd service sudo systemctl start etcd systemctl status etcd Active: active (running) I am now not getting the errors. However, the command > >kubectl get minions is not giving any output. I am looking for way to debug this, as I am expecting it to list two other nodes. I followed the steps with a clean machine, and got it working. | Mid | [
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Hello Citizens! Welcome to Around the ‘Verse 2.02! Transcript by Erris, CanadianSyrup and Sunjammer Empire Report – All that and more on the next Empire Report, 22:00 SET Around the ‘Verse – This week, Jared talks with Matthew Intrieri, to talk about Explosions! – And Randy Vasquez talks about what’s inside the Caterpillar! – But first, patches! – Patch 1.3 is coming soon. It’s the first post-merge patch of Star Citizen. Major technical milestone. Takes all of the different streams into one stable version. With this version, there will be some new s4 guns. – Endeavour Sale is still in full swing. Science is doing well, the Endeavour has blown away all the expectations they had for it. – CitizenCon is almost here! Sandi’s been working early with the UK every morning. CitizenCon will be great. Lots of great content, things they’ve wanted to show off to the community for a while. Tune in on Saturday. – Disco gave Ben a Harry Potter spell joke to start off the spectrum, but Ben won’t say it, so we’ll never know what it was. News from the Spectrum 3:35 – Santa Monica – Eric Kieron Davis and Darian Vorlick – Super busy week. Working on character tech a lot. One of the ongoing systems that they’re trying to break boundaries on. Really big for the team. – Bringing the char tech to a close soon. – Kirk Tomay is animating the Xi’an Scout. They’re looking at some of the animations for that, looking to present alien tech in a way where humans can use it – sit in it, how the UI will work, etc… – Calix is working on balance as well, getting feedback from the community. He’s been working on balancing missiles, making sure they’re doing the right amount of damage. – Matt Sherman’s been doing a lot of component work as well. – Working towards a balanced system, always going to be getting feedback from us as well. – Balancing is never done. – They’re trying to create an ‘ad-hoc’ feel to owning an alien craft, like from Battlestar 6:15 – Austin – Jake Ross – Working on new shops. Dumper’s Depot, Casaba Outlet, Astro Armada, all of the different shops. No shopping yet, that’s two milestones away still, but they’re looking ahead to Nyx already. – Lots of shops will be in Nyx, as well as ‘open shopping’ an open market bazaar. – Utilizing lots of existing shops, rebranding them, etc… and rebuilding those to be all new, all different shops. They’ll look familiar, but they’ll be all new and all different. – Animators are working on 0g enters and exit animations for all ships. In the near future, 0g animations’ll work getting in and out of ships in space. – Working on faces for CitizenCon as well. Working on getting character heads and faces looking as good as possible. – Working on hairstyles as well. – They’re trying to break the uncanny valley. 9:00 – Foundry 42 UK – Allie Coker and Henry Davis – CitizenCon! – For anyone that can’t go, it’ll be livestreamed from 12pm PST, from 7pm UTC for those in Europe. – For those who are attending, doors open at 6pm, no sooner. – No staggered entry times, cause it’s a small, intimate event. – Tickets are available on your account. If you can’t print, you can use your smartphone. They will require ID for entrance. – Cameras are permitted, feel free to bring them. – Parking will be available and free, but it’s limited. First come, first serve. – Buffet will feature vegetarian options. – Bar is cash only. There will be an ATM on site, but don’t rely on it. – GamesCom was pretty heated, won’t be the same here, there will be AC. – General CS update – they’re getting through the backlog as quickly as they can. If you have a time-sensitive issue, don’t worry, it’ll be treated as if it were answered on the day you send it. – And have fun. 11:00 – Frankfurt – Brian Chambers, Chris, and Steve Bender – Grew by four people in the office this week. Tech Artist, Environment artist, IT guy, and QA guy. – Chris is QA guy. – Steve will be there for a few months. – From a global standpoint on animation, working on FPS core mechanics. Working on basic motion, and base gunplay. How it feels when you’re moving, how recoil and sway feel, working on procedural adjustments to it, allowing them to add different attachments to the weapons, etc… 14:44 – ATV Interview with Matthew Intrieri JH: Thanks guys! community manager Jared Huckaby here. In this week’s ATV interview, I’m sitting down senior technical artist, tool specialist, Matthew Intrieri. Did I get that right? MI: Intrieri JH: Intrieri, I’m well known not to be good with names. Matt how are you doing? MI: Glad to be here, glad to be here! JH: So senior technical artist and tool specialist. What does that mean? MI: Well I’ve been supporting the team for a year and a half and various aspects of the production from animation to modeling. I write the tools that automate the processes that allow us to make things go faster and I had interview several months ago, about a year ago, where I talked about tools and I described that, but today we’re gonna talk about something I’ve been moving on to that now is more of my responsibility which is ship damage. JH: Explosions! MI: Explosions! JH: Say explosions. MI: Explosions! JH: Explosions MI: Yeah! JH: Ship explosions, we saw a little bit of this in the multi crew demo from Gamescom; Tell us about ship explosions MI: Yeah well it’s evolved quite a bit. Initially we would model every piece of debris on the ship, so it was very meticulous and it took a lot of time and revisions were costly, but then allie brown our chief director of graphics and engineering, he came up with this new concept for the ship shader, damage shader and you guys have all seen that. You ping the ship and holes appear, but that only took it to the point where the battle ended and we didn’t have the explosion, So what I realized this I kinda started focusing on getting us to that explosion event and that took tech and art and design to all come together, so i’m kind of this hub of the wheel, the implementor! Of all these things and that kind of put me in a position of producing it in a way as well, I would examine each ship and list out all the things it’s missing and hand those off as tests and review those tests as they come in and support with tools and things as they come together. JH: Explosions are important because you never want to lose your ship but if you have to you want a cool explosion MI: you want it to be spectacular JH: Of course and if you’ve been chasing someone down for 5 minutes or a prolonged battle or what not. The explosion, watching them go up in flames, that’s your reward MI: That’s really the motivation. We believed explosion event is the payoff for your hard work, so it really has to be spectacular. Recently we hired a new special effects artists, Shawn ellis. Who’s working out the UK. He has some amazing work and what we’d like to show is some previews that he has put together; that has helped guide the processes moving forward and I’ll kind of talk over the videos to explain what you’re seeing. JH: We don’t have a TV…. *Video plays* JH: WOW MI: Seriously yeah, yeah JH: Sorry, for those of us who do a tour once a month and matt’s been gracious enough to show that on our tours and have been chomping it to bits to get it out to folks and I’m so glad we can finally show it. So tell us about it MI: Well I show shawn’s work all the time because nobody cares about UV channels and per optimization of polygons, those are the things I deal with. You know if there’s one thing I care about the most is the chassis of the ship, it’s the structure that underlies all the tech, So if that’s not correct then nothing else will work via attachments, the components all the things that were adding to the ships all the functionality, if your foundation isn’t correct then it’s not going to work in the end. JH: So we have a few more fews of the connie here *Video plays* MI: So what shawn did here is the pre visualized the progression of effects that are going to curve in the ships and what we’re doing is we’re making these effects systemic which means we’re going to motivatie these effects through the components on the ship so literally what we see in the video is we have electrical feedback, we have small explosions, and then we have kind of a wait and then OH KABOOM, Right?! So what we’ve done is we’ve broken that apart and what we’ve been trying to do is systemic, we’re trying to motivate the special effects through damage, through the ship’s systems, not just play an effect over the ship but just really motivate it through ship systems. So one of the things we’re introducing very soon after citizenCon is piercability; So that means ammo you shoot at the ship will go through the hull if given a certain value of your shields and all that. it will strike a component inside and damage it, if that component takes enough damage it may explode, or it may just give electrical feedback which can then cause damage elsewhere in the ship so you’ll see arc lightning going from component to component over the hull of the ship and see explosions happening and finally if enough components die, we’ll get the ultimate explosion, So that’s where we’re headed with that. JH: That’s very cool! We’ve just been playing the explosion on loop, no one wants to see us, we’re just showing them the explosions MI: No one wants to see us JH: So that was the work from Shawn ellis? MI: Yeah JH: And that’s 100% Cryengine? MI: Yeah and mike’s known in too, mikes also the pre lead effects supervisor so he’s definitely responsible for the laying some foundation there, I don’t want to leave him out. Allie Brown the ship, he’s very involved. I talk to so many different fields just to get this to happen so I talk to design and to engineering and to art all the time to make sure that what I’m implementing is going to work for the future, not just what were releasing in the next few weeks. So one of those things is we want the debris to be harvestable in gameplay in the persistence universe. So what that’s led to is a redesign of how we thought about ships breaking us, so what we want is ships to explode into pieces, kinda like a movie like starship troops and we want these things to crack in half and the Titanic, things that people are falling out and fire and flames! Explosions! We want this visceral feeling and if you’re standing there and you see the ship separate, we want you to get that first person view of what’s happening and so that’s what we’re going for. but that takes a lot of tech. So one thing is the gravity inside, we have to turn that off when the ship divides in half, because you know we need a gravity generator and you need power for the gravity generator, so it’s systemic when you lose gravity and you’ll probably be floating if you’re in a piece of debris, the interior of the ship were going to switch that out probably, we’re going to put it in a low res version but it’s going to have more gameplay for harvesting a debris. Now this isn’t all set in stone but this is what we’re designing right now. This is what we’re talking about JH: And how does all of this work with the interior physics grid. My understanding you’ve got the grid inside the ship but if you’re breaking the ship apart, aren’t you breaking the grid apart too? MI: We’re looking at the grid, were now dividing into what we’re calling interior nodes per hull sections so say in the connie we have the nose, the neck, and the body of the ship and each one of those is going to have a interior physics grid that combines to make one and then as we lose pieces of the ship were going to see things start to deactivate, so gravity will deactivate. Initially I think we’re deactivate the hole of the gravity in the entire ship, it’s a very complex problem but we have answers for it, it’s not that we don’t it’s just we need a little engineering time and were focused on other features as well, these things just take a little time JH: And not letting the fact that it’s hard deter us. It’s hard work but we got our answers, we have a plan in place and we’ll get it done MI: The smartest people are on it and chris has been heavily involved in the physics grid manipulation. JH: Well thanks for stopping by matt. Maybe there’s one more thing we can show folks MI: This is really cool, we haven’t seen this before, this has to do with the internal damage of the retaliator, it’s going to involve the ghost system which is our game object state machine and it will mean that when you hit the outside of the ship you’re going to see these kind of effects play on the inside, So enjoy! JH: Wow alright! Let’s take a look at the interior damage effects of the retaliator and the gost system MI: Also made by shawn JH: Thank you Shawn! 25:50 – Dirty Dancing and Into the Abyss – Fan Videos 26:50 – Ben and Sandi – Monthly report for September will go out Saturday. Detailed look into all the studios work. – They’ve delayed it a bit so everyone can include what they worked on for CitizenCon. – Also been working on the Drake Caterpillar! 27:39 – ATV Behind the Scenes: Drake Caterpillar This week on ATV BTS, Jared is sitting down with technical designer Randy Vazquez Taking a look at the initial design and layout of the Caterpillar Interesting ship because asymetrical design, multiple purposes, modularity Asymmetrical ships are difficult to built, make sure they run and look good It has it’s own charm, roguish charm First look at overall ship, what is the scaling, what is the purpose of everything Made the ship a little big bigger Once finished we’ll give the new updated stats Added to the ship not taken away Cargo Bay Initial designs were too small Told the community that cargo is over 500 so trying to make sure it fits New design is a little bit taller and wider, has space for components, hard points etc. (looking at a full cargo bay) 90 SCU + 20 SCU + 20 SCU, every single cargo module will be able to hold that much Foyer Area Contains airlock Towards the middle to back of the ship Command module attaches and interfaces Every caterpillar will have this part, engeneering and the rear turret The rear turret has be moved back a little to give it a better view behind Personnel Module Where the crew will be living If you want more crew you can add more module but you’ll be sacrificing cargo, etc. Total number of modules? Front module is its own thing, plus five modules the player can swap in and out Armory If setting up for troops you want barracks etc. to fit more people in Armory will host all the weapons, have workbench, holotable for previewing/changing loadouts Workshop Basically a shop/store If you think about illegal activities selling contraband, buying stuff, business meetings on the run Medical Bay (split level: lower is full of bed) Upper is where the doctors, connected by elevator Mobile Salvage Tools and equipment all around the bay, The sides will open up into space so “stuff” can come from outside All modules will have doors that can widened out so you can move cargo/salvage from bay to bay so you can move things around all within the ship and then open up the sides and move things around in space Barracks Rows of bunks below Personal storage and little lounge above Docking Collar If the caterpillar becomes a meeting point (Randy shows us four constellations all attached to the to the same docking collar module) (Randy shows us an example of a module with its side opened like a clam shell: the lower half becomes a ramp) (Jarred reminds us that none of this is final merely an exploration of idea) (Randy ifnorms us that it is all done with metrics so light, medium and heavy armoured people can all move around inside the ship Command Module Module itself is also asymetrical so hard to balance Ensuring it fits the rest of the ship Thinking about removing the living space and giving it more purpose (as there is already living space within the modules) Need to ensure the pilot, copilot and operator have space Been playing around with keeping it asymmetrical but making it one layer This works really well because when it is connected to the ship it, modules themselves can still open up and people can walk underneath the command module: makes it way more accessible Sensors, remote turrets Adding some guns: two hard points on front, one hard point on back Added some more safety features: jump seats Plenty of room for engineering, engineering components Front Module Unique, only fits on the front Various version: Jack of all trades: dollies, gav pallet, launch bay (launch bays catapults people out towards what they are trying to “rescue”); hard point for tractor beam; EVA Exo: like an small unmanned submersible that can be used for field repairs, salvaging etc.; basically a seat with an engine All launch bays: four launch bays so you can launch four people towards your intended target All cargo: dollies, multiple grav pallets, EVA Exo Mostly EVA: 2 EVA Exo, tools, ideal for mobile salvage Base/Empty module: you can put whatever you want in there (Randy shows us a pre-configured Cargo Variant: all cargo bays!) Engineering Bay Actually two storeys Space for large fuel tanks and has space for 2 more large fuel tanks, for example for colony transport that allows them to make it even further. (Randy teases us with talk of attachments for outside the ship which will be discussed another time!) Engineering station: seat on top of the wing, a bit like a crane operator; he’ll control the tractor beam to grab the cargo/salvage and bring it closer to the ship (Randy shows us the Search and Rescue Variant: it has all launch bay front module, a couple of cargo bays, medical bay, barracks and personnel; it actually has two airlocks) Each module will be self-contained: its own components, power supply, life support, etc. so if you want to open one module all the others can be sealed off (Randy shows us the Mobile Salvage Variant: EVA front module, two mobile salvage modules; cargo bay (has the least amount of cargo); shop (so you can sell things while salvaging); crew module) Randy show us some thruster placement to account for asymmetry and cargo; it needs all its thrusters up front for torque, when full of cargo the center of gravity moves so they’ve had to figure out how it moves Still messing with thruster placements on the command modules 49:35 – MVP – – Alastrom – Thread of propaganda posters for Star Citizen – Gurmukh Bhasin is giving a talk at the Gnomon school of visual effects and animation tonight. Streamed at 8pm PST – Thanks for all the feedback and comments about the new look of the show! – Next week, Sandi will host AtV from the UK with a surprise guest! 51:00 – Art Sneak Peak – More hangar lighting improvements! Also, please watch at 51:45 for a spectacular BENdeavour joke! | Mid | [
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Axially arranged rotary threshing or separating systems have long been in use in agricultural combines for threshing crops to separate grain from crop residue, also referred to as material other than grain (MOG). Such axially arranged systems typically include at least one cylindrical rotor rotated within a concave or cage, the rotor and surrounding concave being oriented so as to extend forwardly to rearwardly within the combine. In operation, crop material is fed or directed into a circumferential passage between the rotor and the concave, hereinafter referred to as a rotor residue passage, and is carried rearwardly along a generally helical path in such passage by the rotation of the rotor as grain is threshed from the crop material. The flow of crop residue or MOG remaining between the rotor and concave after threshing is typically discharged or expelled by the rotating rotor at a rear or downstream end of the rotor and the rotor residue passage in a generally downward, or a downward and sidewardly, direction in what is a continuation of the helical path of movement of the crop residue within the rotor residue passage between the rotor and concave. The flow is typically discharged into a discharge opening at the downstream end of the rotor and into a further passage, hereinafter referred to as a discharge passage, that extends downwardly and somewhat rearwardly into a crop residue distribution system located below and rearwardly of the rear end of the threshing system, and which typically includes a rotary beater or other apparatus which propels the crop residue rearwardly within a rear end of the combine for either discharge from the combine through a rear opening onto a field, or into a chopper and/or spreader mounted on the rear end operable for spreading the residue over a swath of a field. Due to the nature of operation of the rotor, the design of the rotor and concave, and the helical movement of the crop residue within the rotor residue passage, the flow of crop residue from the rotor residue passage into the discharge opening is often greater on the downward sweep side of the rotor than on the upward sweep side, as a consequence of which an uneven flow of crop residue occurs across the width of the discharge opening, which uneven flow has typically, in the past, proceeded through the discharge passage to the crop residue distribution system. When the crop residue is to be spread in a swath over a field, it is desirable in many instances for the crop residue to be distributed evenly or uniformly over the swath. This is desirable for reasons including that uneven crop residue distribution on a field can lead to temperature and moisture gradients detrimental to even growth of future crops on the field. It can also make it difficult for crops to utilize nutrients, and can impact the effectiveness of agricultural chemicals. Large discontinuities of crop residue can lead to plugging and other functional problems with tillage and/or planting equipment. One factor which has been found to influence the ability of a chopper and/or spreader to distribute crop residue evenly or uniformly over a field is the transverse or side to side evenness of crop residue inflow into the chopper and/or spreader. That is, it has been found that the amount of crop residue infeed to one side of the chopper should be about equal to the amount of crop residue infeed to the other side in order to achieve even distribution over a field. In turn, the side to side infeed to the chopper/spreader has been found to be a function of the side to side distribution of crop residue infeed into the beater or other impeller of the crop residue distribution system from the threshing system. Numerous devices and structures have been developed to improve flow of crop residue from axially arranged threshing systems into crop residue distribution systems, including constructions such as are disclosed in Payne et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,352,474 entitled Metering Edge for Axially Arranged Rotary Separator and Pfeiffer et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,605 entitled Discharge Geometry for Axially Arranged Rotary Separator. Although the above referenced constructions may perform well, it has been found that a variety of variables and conditions can influence the ability to redirect and transversely distribute crop residue flow in the discharge passage between a threshing system and a crop residue distribution system. For example, residue from different crops, such as wheat and corn, will typically flow differently, and different rotor rotation speeds will typically be used for different crops. For instance, small grains such as wheat and other grasses will typically be threshed at a relatively high rotor speed, for instance, 600 to 1000 revolutions per minute (rpm), and produce residue containing a large volume of small stalks of straw, whereas corn will typically be threshed at a relatively slow rotor speed, for instance, less than 400 rpm, and produce crop residue containing a mixture of bulky stalk segments, cob fragments and large leaves. For a given crop, differences in plant maturity and weather conditions can affect size, moisture content, and other characteristics of crop residue so as to have varying flow and distribution characteristics. Due at least in part to the above described variables and conditions, it has been observed that the transition of crop residue flow from the threshing system to the residue distribution system can vary. In particular, the side to side distribution of the flow into the rotating beater can vary, that is, flow to one side of the beater can be heavier than to the other side, such that the beater will propel more crop residue into one side of a chopper and/or spreader, resulting, in turn, in uneven crop residue distribution over a swath of a field. In an attempt to address the foregoing problems, an apparatus was thus developed for transitioning crop residue from an axially arranged threshing system of a combine to a distribution system that overcomes one or more of the problems and disadvantages set forth above. Such apparatus, as described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/204,230, includes an adjustable deflector construction that includes a movable portion, hereinafter referred to as a deflector plate, that can be adjustably positioned to be in the path of the flow of the crop residue when that residue is expelled from the threshing system and an adjusting mechanism operable for moving the deflector plate within the path of the flow of the crop residue for changing a transverse location at which the flow deflected by the deflector plate will flow into the crop residue distribution system. For the most part, prior to the present invention, deflector constructions have been positioned with the deflector plate hingedly or pivotally mounted at the downstream end of the rotor adjacent a lower quadrant of the rotor residue passage, and adjustment thereof has been performed either manually or under control of a control system. It has now been discovered and recognized that improved performance and reliability can be achieved through the employment of additional features and methods, including by locating the deflector at a higher position at the downstream end of the rotor, with the hinge or pivoting axis for the deflector plate being at approximately the height of the axis of the rotor at its downstream end, and by also providing a control that will effect automatic retraction of the deflector to a nominal, safe, typically approximately vertical position, when a rotor reversing function is engaged, such as when the rotor has become plugged and actuation of a rotor reversing function or deplugging function is effected to clear the plug. By positioning the deflector plate in the discharge passage at the downstream end of the threshing rotor at such higher position at approximately the height of the axis of the threshing rotor at that downstream end, crop residue can be intercepted at an earlier and generally higher point of discharge and redirected as determined to be desirable to better distribute the crop residue, and especially to better direct a portion of the residue stream from the heavier flow side towards the lighter flow side of the spreader. The noted, controlled retraction of the deflector plate prevents damage to the deflector apparatus by the crop residue and the rotor that might otherwise be occasioned by the change in the rotor's direction of rotation. In the absence of such controlled retraction, a rotor reversal can result in the forced deposit of crop residue between the backside of the extended deflector plate and the bulkhead to which it is mounted and the attendant risks of damage to both the deflector plate itself and to the adjustment means therefor as additional crop residue continues to be directed to such location. Even if the rotor reversal is only for a short duration, when the rotor operation is returned to its original condition, the buildup of crop residue between the backside of the deflector plate and the bulkhead to which it is mounted may be such that it does not properly clear, which can result in the deflector plate remaining in a jammed condition or in subsequent less effective operation and positioning of the deflector plate. Additionally, it has been found that the inclusion of a projecting directional vane on the surface of the deflector plate and a tapered leading edge can both individually further assist in distributing the crop residue more evenly, and that it is also advantageous to be able to return the deflector plate to a desired, operating condition after the rotor reversing function has been completed or disengaged, such as the operating position prior to rotor reversal. Consequently, there has now been developed an improved apparatus, and method of use thereof, for transitioning crop residue from an axially arranged threshing system of a combine to a distribution system that includes one or more of the features discussed hereinabove and which overcomes one or more of the problems and disadvantages set forth hereinabove. | High | [
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Political efficacy in adolescence: Development, gender differences, and outcome relations. The present study focuses on political efficacy in terms of students' competence self-perceptions related to the domain of politics. The investigation addresses the mean level development and longitudinal relations to outcome variables including gender differences. Drawing on a sample of N = 2,504 German students, political efficacy, along with meaningful outcome variables (i.e., political information behavior, political knowledge, and interest in politics), was measured at 2 measurement points, once in Grade 7 and once in Grade 10. Students' mean levels of political efficacy increased from the first to the second measurement point, and boys consistently displayed higher levels. Political efficacy demonstrated reciprocal relations to political information behavior and political knowledge, and showed a unidirectional relation to interest in politics across time. The pattern of outcome relations was invariant across gender. This study contributes to research and theory on political socialization in adolescence as it outlines temporal relations among, and gender differences in, facets of political socialization. Therefore, this study also offers new practical insights into effectively facilitating political education in adolescent students. (PsycINFO Database Record | High | [
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Q: A directional word : Can you guess? I am a directional word with one vowel missing. I am made up of three consecutive and separate words, each with multiple meanings. What word am I? A: Second try after first was overturned: counterclockwise with explanations: It gives a rotational direction and has no letter a counter ~ go against/adding bead, clock ~ hit/timepiece, wise ~ direction/has wisdom upsidedown With explanations: It tells of a direction, has no a, up ~ above/awake, side ~ edge/team and down ~ below/feathers. | Mid | [
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There are many situations in which businesses request information from suppliers, customers and potential customers, for example to obtain contact details, to understand customer requirements to enable targeted marketing, or to obtain feedback on existing services so that improvements can be made. Electronic forms may be completed and sent on-line to a business when ordering products and services, or to provide requested information. There are problems associated with the use of electronic forms, and each of the other known ways of obtaining requested information also has problems. A service provider or product manufacturer may publish an order form on their Web site to enable customers to order products and services. Hyperlinks to the order form may be provided within other Web pages, or the URL for accessing the form may be published in a magazine or newspaper. A potential customer can navigate to the location of the form on the Web and then fill in the form on-line or download the form over the network for later completion. A reliable network connection is necessary for accessing and submitting on-line forms. Users of bandwidth-limited wireless devices are often reluctant to spend time navigating through a Web site to find the appropriate form, and so any requirement to locate a form via a network reduces the number of people completing the form. If storage space is limited, the device user may also be reluctant to save multiple forms onto their device. Any requirement for users to manually enter long URLs introduces the likelihood of errors. Another option is for a corporation to transmit a form to their customers' mobile telephones or other devices when requesting information. A number of projects have proposed specifications and languages for Web-based forms (such as the W3C's XForms, the Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL), the Form Automation Markup Language (FAML) and Wireless Markup Language (WML) forms) and some are compatible with low-bandwidth devices with a small user interface. Forms have the advantage of controlling the format in which data is entered and hence limiting the scope for user errors when entering data. However, a broadcast solution has the problem that the form may be received correctly only by a subset of the target audience (such as, in the case of WML, users of WAP-compliant telephones that are currently switched on and accessible via the network). Even if correctly received, the recipients may still choose not to save the forms onto their devices, for example because the recipient has no interest in the form at the time they receive it, and possibly also because of concerns about wasting storage or unwillingness to incur the costs and delays of communicating with a WAP server. If a form is imposed on a mobile device user at a time when it is not convenient to complete the form, there is a high likelihood that the form will be deleted. There is a need for data collection methods which are very convenient for end users to increase the proportion of end users willing to participate. Some corporations have attempted to collect information from potential customers via Short Message Service (SMS) text messaging. SMS messaging has the advantages of convenience and low cost, and the possibility of asynchronous message delivery by telecommunication network providers gives scalability and a degree of reliability of communications. A corporation running a competition or advertisement may invite competitors to submit entries by text messaging for these reasons, or a corporation may wish to target advertisements at young people (who often use text messaging extensively). For example, television broadcasting corporations sometimes invite viewers to use SMS messaging to vote on the outcome of a program, hoping to boost ratings by encouraging a sense of audience participation. However, errors often arise because text messaging users fail to comply with the data format requirements of the data requester. A corporation may require responses from its customers in a particular format to enable accurate automated addition of responses to a database, and so the corporation may provide format instructions. For example, spaces between a customer's answers and commas between sections of the customer's address may be treated as delimiters within a transmitted data string that are used to control how the information within a response is entered into the corporation's database. A great many users fail to follow the instructions correctly and either enter their information incorrectly or give up because of the effort involved. These issues, and the limited screen size of many mobile devices, mean that the information requester may not solve the problem by publishing detailed instructions. Let us assume that a corporation requires address details to be entered in a format such as ‘number street name’, ‘district’, ‘city’, ‘postcode’ (or zip code), ‘country’, to enable the information to be automatically entered into the correct database fields. However, the address “21 Belvue Road, Chariton, Southampton, SO19 3YT, UK” is entered by a user as “21, Belvue Road, Chariton, Southampton SO19 3YT, UK”. In the absence of address validation and automatic correction, the address may be interpreted as follows: ‘number and street name’ = ‘21’‘district’ = ‘Belvue Road’‘city’ = ‘Charlton’‘postcode’ = ERROR‘country’ = ‘UK’ The example shows how minor errors in data entry can result in database errors or input data being rejected as invalid. In this example, the ERROR message appears if ‘Southampton SO19 3YT’ is recognized as an invalid post code but is not automatically corrected. This example is representative of a very common problem for corporations wishing to obtain information via text messaging. The combination of formatting errors and users' reluctance to invest much time and effort typically results in a much smaller number of valid responses than the data-requesting corporation hoped for. | Mid | [
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1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a switching power supply device, and particularly to an uninterruptible switching power supply device, which is designed to be energized by an AC power source and provided with a DC power source to compensate DC output during brownout or failure of the AC power source. 2. Background of the Prior Art Conventionally, a switching power supply with favorable voltage transformation efficiency has been widely used in various products such as computers and communication devices. With the advert of computers and their sensitivity to input line voltage (AC power) variations and transients appearing thereon, it has become necessary to provide a regulated DC power source for operation of these computers that is not subject to temporary AC input power failure or intermittent brown-out conditions. However, because of lacking in such a function as uninterruptibly powering a load, those precise electronic equipments are usually still provided with an additional UPS in addition to a switching power supply, which increases the cost. Chinese patent No. 94221822.1, entitled “An Online Uninterruptible Switching Power Supply Device with Smart Energy Compensation”, discloses an uninterruptible switching power supply device. The device comprises a main transformer, a battery, a high voltage switching circuit, a low voltage switching circuit and a pulse width modulator (PWM). The high voltage switching circuit and the low voltage switching circuit both of which are arranged at the side of the primary winding of the main transformer and independent from each other are controlled by the PWM to operate synchronously. The operation principle of the known switching power supply device is inducted energy transformation. However, the efficiency of the inducted energy transformation will be decreased when the voltage of AC input power for energizing the device becomes low. Moreover, the leakage of the magnetic flux existing in the known device results in serious disturbance. | Mid | [
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MANILA, Philippines — “I didn’t betray your confidence.” Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa disclosed Tuesday that this was what former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde had told him amid the Senate marathon hearings that pinned him in the “ninja cops” controversy. ADVERTISEMENT “During…the heat of the Senate hearing, nagusap kami (we talked) and he told me: ‘Mistah (batch mate)…I didn’t betray your confidence.’ Sabi niya sakin, yun lang sabi niya,” Dela Rosa said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel when asked if he had recently talked to Albayalde. Albayalde relinquished his post last October 14, which was weeks before his retirement. This after he found himself and the PNP embroiled in the issue of alleged illegal drugs recycling in connection with the controversial 2013 drug raid in Pampanga. Albayalde was then the Pampanga provincial police chief when the operation was conducted where 13 policemen allegedly pilfered 160 kilograms of “shabu,” took a bribe, and arrested a fall guy. No administrative case was filed against Albayalde following the investigation of the Pampanga drug raid by the National Police Commission. He is, however, facing a criminal complaint for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 for misappropriation, misapplication or failure to account for the confiscated, seized or surrendered dangerous drugs. Dela Rosa admitted that he knew that Albayalde was relieved at the time for command responsibility. But the senator said this did not hinder him from appointing Albayalde to become the chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) and later on recommend him as PNP chief. “It doesn’t hinder me from appointing him as NCRPO chief dahil wala pa siya pending case. Alam ko involved mga tao niya, na-relieve siya but wala ‘mang kasong na-file sa kanya. So, as far as I’m concerned, he was clean. Pagdating naman sa performance, bakit ko hindi siya i-recommend kay Presidente to be my successor na kahit kayo naman in fairness to him nakita naman niyo how did he perform as NCRPO chief di ba?” Dela Rosa explained. ADVERTISEMENT (It doesn’t hinder me from appointing him to as NCRPO chief because he has no pending case. I know his men were involved, he was relieved but no case was filed against him. So as far as I’m concerned, he was clean. Performance-wise, why wouldn’t I recommend him as my successor when even you saw, in fairness to him, you saw how he performed as NCRPO chief). “Yun nga lang, kinalkal yang past, do’n siya minalas, ano yung past niya na yun, wala na ko dun because it did not happen during my incumbency as chief PNP,” he added. (It’s just that his past was dug up. Whatever his past is, it has nothing to do with me because it did not happen during my incumbency as chief PNP). /jpv | Low | [
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Yellow card Yoann Gourcuff produces a right-footed shot from inside the area that goes over the bar. 63:12 Yoann Gourcuff takes a outswinging corner. 62:04 Substitution Unfair challenge on Yoann Gourcuff by Avichai Yadin results in a free kick. (Lyon) makes a substitution, with Jeremy Pied coming on for Bafetimbi Gomis. Anthony Reveillere restarts play with the free kick. 58:25 Substitution Shay Abutbul comes on in place of Eran Zahavi. Yossi Shivhon is brought on as a substitute for Romain Rocchi. 57:58 Bafetimbi Gomis produces a right-footed shot from inside the six-yard box that clears the bar. | Low | [
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The Chinese ambassador in Manila says trade between China and the Philippines grew last year despite their protracted territorial conflicts, providing hope their relations could flourish even as the tensions remain. Ambassador Zhao Jianhua on Wednesday also played down reports that Chinese President Xi Jinping may skip the annual APEC summit, to be hosted by Manila in November, because of the conflicts. The ambassador said no decision has been reached because the Philippine government only sent its invitation recently. Zhao reiterated China's offer for both countries to settle their differences through one-on-one negotiation and not through international arbitration. A Philippine complaint about China's sea claims is pending at an international tribunal. Regional disputes over the South China Sea flared last year when Beijing began building up islands in seven disputed reefs. | Low | [
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In the fabrication of an optical lens, particularly a spectacle lens, in order to improve the light-shielding properties, anti-glaring properties, photochromic properties, anti-scratch properties, and the like, a coating film is formed on the surface of the spectacle lens using a material that matches the purpose of the spectacle lens. Formation of the coating film is described in “Spectacles”, May 22, 1986, pp. 81-83, published by Kabushiki Kaisha Medical Aoi Shuppan. An apparatus that forms a coating film automatically is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-177852, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-508981, and the like. A lens coating apparatus for a spectacle lens described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-177852 comprises a turntable-type holding body disposed in a clean room, two relatable lens holding tools which are arranged on the holding body and respectively provided with spectacle lenses, a plurality of dispensers arranged above the holding body, and a light beam radiating means which emits a light beam to cure a coating solution. The holding body intermittently rotates by a half revolution to alternatively move the two lens holding tools between a coating position which is under the dispensers and a curing position which is under the light beam radiating means. Upon a half-revolution rotation of the holding body, when one lens holding tool moves to the coating position and stops there while the other lens holding tool moves to the curing position and stops there, the dispensers drip the coating solution onto the surface of a spectacle lens which is placed on one lens holding tool. The light beam radiating means emits ultraviolet rays to the coating solution applied to the spectacle lens placed on the other lens holding tool to cure the coating solution. When application of the coating solution by the dispensers and curing operation of the coating solution by the light beam radiating means through the half-revolution rotation of the holding body are complete in this manner, the spectacle lens placed on the other lens holding tool is removed. After that, the holding body further rotates by a half revolution to move the spectacle lens on one lens holding tool to the curing position and move the other empty lens holding tool to the coating position. When a new spectacle lens is placed on the other lens holding tool, application of the coating solution by the dispensers and curing operation by the light beam radiating means are performed successively. That is, the coating apparatus performs application of the coating solution and the curing operation continuously and automatically by intermittent rotation of the holding body. A method and apparatus for curing a spectacle lens described in PCT(WO) 2000-508981 includes a series of steps from the step since molding a plastic lens by casting polymerization until the step of forming a coating film on the molded plastic lens. In the lens molding step, the lens monomer in a cast is irradiated with the first ultraviolet rays to cure, thus molding a plastic lens. In the coating film forming step, a coating solution containing a photopolymerization initiator is applied to the lens. The obtained oxygen barrier is irradiated with the second ultraviolet rays to cure, thus forming a coating film. | Mid | [
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Nothing makes our hearts happier than to invest in making a difference in some young person's life. This weekend we we're honored to spend 2 1/2 days with some pretty amazing folks. YMCA Sisterhood retreat was not only an informative but life-changing experience for many of the young ladies in the room. We believe that it's more than just presenting them with information or making them aware. It's about building the foundation in partnership with them and creating a safe place for them to share. We are humbly honored for every opportunity that we have to make a difference. CLICK ON PICTURES, MANY ARE INTERACTIVE WITH INFORMATION LISTED. Rock Paper Scissors Foundation does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients. | High | [
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Q: The specified module 'MSOnline' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory For one of my applications I have a Windows service (on Windows Server 2012 R2 x64) which role is to execute many jobs on differents schedules and triggers. One of them is to reset a user password on Office 365. The server on which the service runs has the Microsoft Online Services Sign-in Assistant and the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell installed (MSOnline version 1.1.166.0). From PowerShell I can successfuly call the following with my user. $> $cred = Get-Credential $> Connect-MsolService -Credential $cred If I run PowerShell as the account my service is started with it also runs fine. Running the reset password function from the Windows service fail with the following message : The term 'Connect-MsolService' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. Check the spelling of the name, or if a path was included, verify that the path is correct and try again. Adding a debug flag to the module import in the code allowed us to drag down the problem to the import-module MSOnline command. We got the error : The specified module 'MSOnline' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory. We already tried to remove and reinstall in x64 version the two tools (Microsoft Online Services Sign-in Assistant and the Microsoft Azure Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell). System variable "PATH" is correct with : %SystemRoot%\system32;%SystemRoot%;%SystemRoot%\System32\Wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Web Platform Installer\ Folder C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules has the MSOL module subfolders MSOnline and MSOnlineExtended Copying the two folders in C:\Windows\sysWOW64\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules as reported as solution in many other topics fails here with the following error : System.Management.Automation.CmdletInvocationException: Could not load file or assembly 'file:///C:\Windows\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\MSOnline\Microsoft.Online.Administration.Automation.PSModule.dll' or one of its dependencies. An attempt was made to load a program with an incorrect format. ---> System.BadImageFormatException: Could not load file or assembly The code used for the Windows service has been run and tested successfuly as a separate tool on the same server and the code has also been run flawlessly on a developer machine. These investigations leads us to think there is some kind of issue with the service itself but can't figure out what/why. Thank you. A: We've found the issue. Changing the target platform build parameter to "Prefer 32-bits" in the project properties solved the issue. | High | [
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longdesc_sk=Nainštalujte RPM, balíčky debian a solaris na viac serverov z jedného zdroja. desc_sk=Klastrové softvérové balíky name_sk=Klastrový softvér | Mid | [
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A Hastings ice cream shop will soon be the the only business west of Omaha to hire a staff that makes people with disabilities a priority hire. The future "Special Scoops," 237 N. St. Joseph Ave., is currently under renovation. They still need to put in tile, redo the walls and install solid ceiling panels. Donna Bieck is the creator of Special Scoops. Her 17-year-old grandson, who has autism and intellectual disabilities, was her inspiration. "I want to know when my 17 year old hits 21, he has a place he can go and work. If he still wants to work there when he's 40, it's still there. That's my dream for this store," Bieck said. Special Scoops will be home to 20 employees with special needs. Bieck said they also want to hire a general manager and shift supervisors without special needs to oversee operations. The point is to give people with special needs a place to work, and give them a sense of belonging. Sandi Herbek-Rasser is an instructor at Mid-Nebraska, which is right next to Special Scoops. Her daughter is 22 and has intellectual disabilities. She said right now, she mostly just stays at home. That's why she's excited at the possibility of her daughter being hired at Special Scoops. "With her being high functioning, she can do a lot of the jobs here. She can sweep. She can mop. Even though she chooses not to do it at home. She can scoop, and she gets along with people. I think this will be a wonderful opportunity for her," Herbek-Rasser said. Mosaic is another organization that works with people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. They serve about 190 clients in Central Nebraska. Jeff Kingsley, the community relations officer at Mosaic, said they do see some of their clients turned away from jobs because of their disabilities. "Individuals with disabilities in general want to give back to the communities and be apart of the community just as much as you or I. To have a whole business that's dedicated to making that happen, I think is so great for Hastings as a community," Kingsley said. Special Scoops will have 30 flavors of hard ice cream in their shop. They'll serve eight flavors at a time, and have a flavor of the month. All the ice cream will be pre-made. They'll also have a soda fountain, and will serve root beer floats, sundaes and malts. Bieck said she hopes it'll have an old fashion feel to it. "I can't wait to see it open, and for this to be a place that Hastings can really be proud of," Bieck said. Special Scoops will open its doors on September 1. Bieck will be at the shop to take applications from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Friday this week and next. She said she'd like to have them all in by August 10. They're also taking donations to help them open up in time. Bieck said they still need about $2,200 to reach their goal of $10,000. For every $100 someone donates, they'll receive a $10 "Scoop Card." If you'd like to make a donation, you can do so at Five Points Bank, or send it to P.O. Box 112, Trumbull, Ne. 68980. | Mid | [
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Q: Restrict macro to an environment I am quite a noob when it comes to customising LaTeX/XeLaTeX. I would like to know if there's a way to limit the usage of a macro to a specific environment. Consider the following macro and environment: \newcommand\myMacro[2]{#1 ... #2} \newenvironment{myEnv}{...}{...} I would like the following: \begin{myEnv} % The following two calls to \myMacro are valid. \myMacro{...}{...} .... \myMacro{...}{...} \end{myEnv} % This one should not be valid and throw an error. \myMacro{...}{...} I know this might not be the best design. I just want to make sure that I can't use \myMacro outsite of myEnv. A: All definitions inside an environment are local, so you can just define the macro at the begin of the environment. You need to double all # when doing so: \newenvironment{myEnv}{% \newcommand\myMacro[2]{##1 ... ##2}% }{...} Another alternative is to define the macro with a different name outside the environment and copy it to the official name using \let. Such internal macro normally use @ in their names so that users can't accidentally define macro with the same name. \makeatletter \newcommand\my@Macro[2]{#1 ... #2} \newenvironment{myEnv}{% \let\myMacro\my@Macro }{...} \makeatother | Mid | [
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Where is the cryptocurrency market going? In a rather dark grey area where thoughts are very far apart, often opposites. On one hand there are those who see the end of everything, on the other those who talk about ETFs, new Futures, new institutional investors at the base of the next market race. Who’s right? Partly both or better maybe none. We are used to the Bitcoin bubbles and the last one was much bigger than the previous one where some new investors curiously injected a small part of their liquidity into the market and then withdrew from it — maybe because they didn’t believe in the project and new technologies evolving. The market is growing, cryptocurrencies increase exponentially and the different blockchains at the end of 2017 were seen by some as a solution to the problems of humanity, but it was clear that the ecosystem “as is” was not ready yet for adoption: it was yet again another bubble. Back then many felt the scent of money, easy money and dreamed of becoming rich without any effort. Few have succeeded in these years, the most are the visionary — the believers. For many others this market has only shown a winning lottery ticket (December 2017 won all), but the market can give but often takes away and traps you. Many today are trapped. This market is struggling to find a cure for a year of crisis and decline (many projects have lost more than 90–95%) and perhaps somebody’s hope is that there is no cure for it other than keeping the good and healthy currencies to become the new basis for the reconstruction of a new market — a new real economy. Many projects are now extinct, other ones are today more like empty boxes. But cryptocurrencies like Nano, despite the year of decline, have seen the growth of extraordinary communities that have helped to significantly improve the protocol and the entire ecosystem. From the ashes of this crisis will arise a new market subject to user regulation, a necessary step, in which the United States, Europe and other countries will regulate the ecosystem, probably prohibiting the use of anonymous cryptocurrencies and making the survival of many exchanges difficult. One day, starting from the best technologies, Nano and a handful of other cryptocurrencies will emerge again, not thanks to some miraculous financial instruments or acrobatic collaborations, but thanks to the common people. It has been distributed from the bottom and from the people will continue the spread of Nano, a global cryptocurrency without fees, very fast, decentralized, scalable, sustainable and envied by many in terms of energy consumption (the whole network can be powered by a single wind turbine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JChBTohSHlM). Subsequently, other economic factors will line up making this project even bigger. Today each of us has the privilege and responsibility to participate and contribute with his ability to improve the ecosystem. Investing our talent in the best projects with a spirit addressed to the community and those working with financial products need to be aware that it is working with the life of the people and the future of many families. In 2009 Satoshi with Bitcoin opened the doors to a group of visionary precursors and over the years the crowd of visionaries has increased and expanded to other projects, not only from one origin but from many scattered around the globe. We have to look at cryptocurrency, its technology and how to help improve the lives of many people and Nano will help many people in need in many countries of the world to preserve their spending power. From the American crisis of 2007–2008 we have entered a new economic cycle and the socio-technological revolution introduced by Satoshi should not scare, on the contrary: the resulting change will be phenomenal and epochal. | Mid | [
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Delta Unveils This Year’s Premium Wine List First and Business Class passengers flying between the UK and the United States with Delta Air Lines can now enjoy some delicious new vintage wines and champagnes on board. Delta’s Master Sommelier, Andrea Robinson, hand-picked the 2017 Premium Wine collection, including some exclusives to Delta One (First) customers flying between London Heathrow and the United States. The vintages will appear on a rotating seasonal basis, with two different reds and whites available every three months. Over the summer (June-August), one white will be substituted for a refreshing French rose on flights to Delta’s eight U.S. destinations served from Heathrow. The first corks to be popped include Alphonse Mellot “la Moussière” Sancerre and Sokol-Blosser Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. Throughout the year, business class customers will also be offered Charles Heidsieck Brut champagne as well as dessert wine or port following the main meal service. So well regarded are Delta’s wines that the previous port, Calem 10 Year Old Tawny, was recently awarded a silver medal at the annual U.K. Cellars in the Sky awards. Each of the latest wines in this year’s offering has been chosen to pair with Delta’s seasonally rotating food menus. For spring, the airline is offering dishes including pan fried cod with cumin sauce, dhal makhani and saffron rice. Throughout the next 12 months, the wines served have been sourced from France, New Zealand, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United States. “I always look forward to hand-selecting the Delta One wine line up, and this year was no exception,” said Robinson. “Delta’s unique wine programme provides an opportunity to offer a variety of regionally-sourced wines, including small, emerging and family-owned wineries, onboard to its customers. Each menu includes a rich diversity of regional origin, with wines that pair well with the flavours and cooking styles of the season.” With passengers in Delta’s premium cabins consuming more than 2.5 million bottles of wine, champagne and port each year, Andrea has some experiences palettes to please. But the fact that Andrea samples 1,600 different wines from around the world every year to curate her Delta selections, her judgement is surely second-to-none and we are very much looking forward to trying her onboard elections. More news British Airways has announced that Sir Winston Churchill’s favourite port will be available on board its business class (Club World) cabins. Starting this month, Graham’s Six Grapes – which Churchill... | Mid | [
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Anesthesia in patients with neuromuscular disorders. Neuromuscular disorders (NMDs) are a heterogeneous group of neurological and muscular diseases. Patients present with typical features such as wasting and weakness of skeletal muscles. However, despite these common clinical signs, underlying etiologies are nearly as multifaceted as the number of the diseases. For the anesthesiologist, it is very important to know the origin of a particular disease to select an appropriate anesthetic technique. Patients with NMDs are markedly sensitive to several anesthetics. Many reported anesthesia-related complications were caused by the administration of drugs like depolarizing and non-depolarizing muscle relaxants, volatile anesthetics, or respiratory and cardiovascular depressant agents. | High | [
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Is the Eurasian Collared Dove right for you? The basics: The Eurasian Collared Dove, originally a bird of Asia and Eastern Europe, is probably one of the most successful birds of the modern era. It is difficult to think of any other bird, except the Cattle Egret, which has so explosively expanded its range since 1950, without causing any real trouble to anyone or being rated as an undesirable invasive species. It radiated across Western Europe in the mid 20th century, becoming a breeding bird in England in the 1950s. Next, it hopped across the pond to North America, where one story says that a pet shop was burglarized in the Bahamas in the 1970s, allowing at least some birds to escape. By the 1990s, the invasion of North America was in full swing, and today this species can be easily seen in a variety of open habitats, including bird feeders, throughout the United States. The Eurasian Collared Dove's success in conquering continents is not reflected by its popularity, or lack thereof, in aviculture. Although easy to care for, it was mostly overlooked in days gone by, because it was carelessly lumped in with other “ring-necked” species. Today, many a hobbyist can glance out a window and enjoy the bird without the trouble of setting up an aviary. You may be reading this article because you have obtained a rescue bird that is ineligible for care in a rehabilitation center, because it is an “introduced” species. Do ask your local wildlife officer and make sure you are in compliance with all state and local laws before taking any bird from the wild. Once you have the legalities out of the way, you may be surprised at how easy it is to care for this hardy species. Appearance: North Americans easily recognize the Eurasian Collared Dove because it is larger than the Mourning Dove, has the dark ring around the nape of the neck, and lacks the whistling wings. It's worth noting the straight-edged tail with a white band on the end, very different from the Mourning Dove's tapered tail. Weight: 140 - 240 grams (5 - 8.5 oz) Average size: 32 - 35 centimeters (12.6 - 13.8 in.) Lifespan: 10 - 15 years Behavior / temperament: There is probably little or no reason to set up the Eurasian Collared Dove in a breeding aviary, since these birds have conquered the world without much if any help from us. However, a single pet or rescue bird should not be left neglected in a silent area without companionship. They want to be with their special someone, even if that someone is a human. If you cannot give your pet the attention it deserves, consider making it a part of a mixed species aviary where it can enjoy the parade of non-competing species around it. Housing: A Eurasian Collared Dove can make a splendid addition to the mixed species aviary, especially if there is some access to natural sunlight, coupled with a shelter to get away from the hot sun, cold, and damp. If you have two birds and don't wish to breed them, replace any eggs laid with artificial eggs, so that the female doesn't keep laying. It is possible to keep a colony of Eurasian Collared Doves, but if so, you need to provide them with plenty of room – at least 10 square feet per pair of doves. Remember, doves are gentle toward humans and toward non-competing species, not toward another dove that might challenge them for a mate. In the very likely event that you only have a single rescue bird, you need to consider if you would like the bird to join the aviary or if you would like to maintain it as a single pet. Either way, be generous with the space, since these large birds must exercise by flying. Frequently provide a shallow bathing pan as well as the clean drinking water which should be in front of them at all times. Be patient and offer your Eurasian Collared Dove treats from the hand frequently. Let the bird be a part of the family. If it's an older bird who feels unsafe, place it higher so it can enjoy the show. Isolation is not natural to this species. Let the bird be a part of things. Diet: The Eurasian Collared Dove, once casually lumped in with the ring-necked pigeons, does just fine on a ring-necked pigeon diet. Choose a high quality commercial dove mix, although a wild bird seed mix will sustain life in a rescue emergency. One breeder suggests that wild bird seed mix plus safflower will do as the backbone of the diet. But you also need to provide some variety – chopped fruits and vegetables, greens, pellets (perhaps sprinkled with apple juice), and even access to a few live insects can be a good source of vitamins, minerals, and macro-nutrients. All doves need access to grit and calcium. An indoor dove's body may have trouble using the calcium because vitamin D3 is often formed from sunlight. Talk to your vet or breeder about vitamin D and calcium supplements. | Mid | [
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Q: Mongoose: use hook/middleware to remove referenced objects (has many) In a nodejs app using Mongoose, I have a relation has many: App has many AppClients. Models: const mongoose = require('mongoose') const appSchema = new mongoose.Schema({ name: String, appClients : [{ type: mongoose.Schema.Types.ObjectId, ref: 'AppClient' }] }) const App = mongoose.model('App', appSchema) module.exports = App const appClientSchema = new mongoose.Schema({ access_key: String, secret_key: String }) const AppClient = mongoose.model('AppClient', appClientSchema) The thing is that I want to remove all AppClients documents related to an App document when it is deleted. My current code is: exports.delete = async function(req, res, next) { const app = await App.findOne({ _id: req.params['id']}).exec() const listToDelete = [...app.appClients] await App.deleteOne({ _id: req.params['id']}).exec() await AppClient.remove({_id: {$in: listToDelete}}).exec() res.redirect('/apps') } This works but I was wondering how to use a hook. I have taken a look at the middleware but I cannot make it work with the pre('remove'), it is never called. I was using something like this: appSchema.pre('remove', (next) => { console.log('pre remove') //never called }) A: remove is a middleware that's specified on a schema level (like in your example) but it runs on a document level. So the only way to get this fired is to fetch the document and then execute remove() on it const app = await App.findOne({ _id: req.params['id']}).exec(); await app.remove(); //prints 'pre remove' There is a paragraph in Mongoose docs about that: Note: There is no query hook for remove(), only for documents. If you set a 'remove' hook, it will be fired when you call myDoc.remove(), not when you call MyModel.remove(). Note: The create() function fires save() hooks. | Low | [
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27 December 2007 Greetings, greetings, greetings - been awhile since this blog has seen a new post. Work became incredibly busy and I needed to let this go. Things have settled a bit and I miss making my weird little pictures and opining about my daily rides with Valley Metro. The 81 northbound occupies my ridership these mornings. A fire at the Memorial Union, here on campus, closed my favorite coffee shop, so I started getting my morning brew at the Einstein Bros shop across the street from the bus stop. They serve a lovely winter blend coffee that opens my day with a gentle push. Not sure what I'll do when winter ends - hope they brew an equally lovely spring blend. Desert mornings can chill through to the bone and a nice cup of coffee keeps the internals going. I took a class in the fall semester on Thursday evenings - since it kept me later at work, I started taking the 7:57am bus so I didn't end up with a 12-hour work day. Roy runs the 7:57am 81N employing stellar customer service. He recognizes regular passengers, always offers a pleasant greeting and makes every attempt to wait for passengers transferring from other buses. I haven't seen him handle an aggravated customer, but perhaps that's due to his personable nature. Nothing to get passengers riled about. Today's image tells it all. I donned full coat, gloves and scarf this morning - temperature was 38 degrees (F) with a NW wind at 20-25 mph. Brrrrrrr says it all. 08 August 2007 Gearing up for my trip to NY so not much time for blogging. Must write about last night, tho. I chatted with a woman who I frequently see on the 81S. She, too, works at ASU and at one time lived in my little neighborhood. We compared notes about our rides home the evening of the Great Monsoon Flood Extravaganza. Her ride exceeded mine in both time and interest. While I experienced a bus u-turn, her driver took them through back roads and neighborhoods, on small side streets with parked cars and tight turns. It took them two hours, compared to my one. She always rides the 4:45pm and I took the 4:30 that night. Amazing what a difference 15 minutes made. Our conversation moved on to general bus riding and she told me about a new woman in her office, from Denmark, who intended to use the bus. However, this woman's son told her not to ride the bus, that only poor, uneducated low-lifes ride the bus "here" (quotes added since I don't know if he meant Arizona or the US). Poor, uneducated low-lifes - what the ...? Only an uneducated low-life would make a statement like that. Some people must use public transportation and not always for reasons economic or intellectual. I could not drive after my eye surgery and still needed to get to work. My options included what - taxi? bicycle? limousine? All of the above, but I chose the bus as the most convenient, economic and practical approach. Amazing logic for a poor, uneducated low-life. Wonder what this guy would think if he heard some past discussions on the 6am66? Engineering Guy would dazzle him with Quantum Polynomial Propagation! Some of the most rude, boorish, low-life behavior occurs among the rich, educated, high-lifes - look at our president, for gawdssake. What a doofus! Oh well, he's only allegedly educated. Today's image relates to nothing about the ride or the blog post. This cactus, which grows outside my office building, completely fascinates me. I love that it begins straight and takes such a lovely twist at the top. Reminds me of my hair, which starts straight at the root and grows out with a twisted curl at the end. Even more, it looks like a soft-serve ice cream cone - ummmmmm.....if only soft-serve came in pistachio or mint chocolate chip! 31 July 2007 Again with the flickr upload - not sure if I like this style, but we'll see. Will edit this later with a story about last night's ride home in the rain. Ok, here's the story. Left my building to go home last night and fell victim to one of the best monsoon storms ever. Lightning, thunder, wind and torrential rain. It spilled and poured and blew the rain and in one minute I looked like I swam fully clothed to the bus stop. Even "drenched" really understates my condition. Amazingly, the bus arrived on time. A driver switch occurred, so I huddled (and puddled) in my seat, wishing for less efficient air conditioning. The new driver got herself organized and we took off. The standing/running water in the streets was amazing and the bus created huge waves since it must ride in the curb lane, where most water collects. All seemed swimmingly good until we approached Apache. The traffic stopped moving about 1/2 mile before the intersection and I wondered if the railroad underpass was flooded. We inched forward and finally cleared the Apache Road intersection, only to see the fire department had blocked the street - as I surmised, the underpass was under water. They made everyone do a u-turn (why did they even let them through???) and that included the bus. The driver waited for things to clear a bit and then did an excellent job of turning us around. She didn't receive any directives from her dispatcher and had to create an alternative on her own. We talked to her and suggested she go east on Apache to Price instead of trying to turn left (west) on Apache to Rural. We took a vote, she accepted our decision, and she took our detour. Traffic, though heavy, moved steadily and we ended up back on McClintock at Broadway - a mere 3 mile detour. The rest of the ride played out as usual, although we only picked up two people the whole way. This ride normally takes 20-25 minutes for me and last night it took 65 minutes. I took a few photos and picked the best three for blog viewing. I realize that in the world of floods, this doesn't rank; however, in the desert, this much water falling from the sky and collecting in the streets at one time - well, it's pretty amazing. 30 July 2007 Unusual start to this bus riding day. Pulled myself from the lovely snugness of my bed at 4:58am in order to catch the 6am66. I did a fair job of getting ready and ran out the door at 5:52am - the last few times the bus arrived at 6:06am, so I felt sure that time would be my friend. A brisk walk down the street and, while waiting for traffic to clear to cross Guadalupe, I saw a bus coming. No panic since most days, the 92 precedes the 66 by 3 or 4 minutes and I felt confident that the oncoming bus was the 92. As it flashed by, I read "66 Mill Ave/Fashion Square" on the headliner. What the ...? I looked at my watch and it was 5:56am - what the ...? I crossed Guadalupe and decided to walk up to McClintock to catch the 6:12 am 81. Not my original plan, but occurences in the bus world do force occasional change. As I walked east on Guadalupe, another bus drove past me headed west, and I looked just in time to see "92 Downtown Tempe" on its headliner. What the ...? How could the 92 be that far behind the 66? What the ...? I reached the intersection, started across and suddenly, there came ANOTHER bus!!! What the ...? The headliner said "66 Mill Ave/Fashion Square" ... what the ...? I looked back to see if he turned into the bus pullout, thinking I could double back and catch him. However, he roared on by the stop - heading west on Guadalupe, out of the sunrise and into the future sunset. Dazed and confused, I staggered to the 81 stop, sweating large raindrops (it's monsoon here in the desert). What just happened? Two, count 'em, two 6am66s? What the ...? 26 July 2007 Gloriosky, what a bus day, yesterday - I bit the bullet and got up in time for the 6am66. It paid in spades since a new driver controlled the wheel (good-bye surly Spaniard) and both Mark (aka Bicycle Guy) and Mike (aka Engineering Guy) rode the bus. What fun to see them and chat during the ride. The time goes by so quickly when immersed in conversation. Mark looks fit and well, post graduation. He received a nice promotion and new position with his degree and wants to begin his master's work soon. Also doing well, Mike should graduate in December. I enjoyed it so much, think I'll get back on the 6am66 track in the mornings and use the 81 to go home. Yesterday afternoon's ride began a bit unusually. I took the 4:15pm81S and when it arrived, a driver change occurred. While not an entirely new experience for me, I observed a new facet to the procedure. The new driver took a device from the bus that resembled a remote control. He first went to the back right tire, I thought perhaps to check the pressure. I then realized he poked the device near or into a little hole just above the wheel. He took the device back onto the bus, seemed to look at it with confusion, then went back outside and went back to the hole over the wheel. He then went around the bus and put the device up to similar holes all around the bus - over the wheels and one in the very front. Confusion still muddles my mind - mileage? hydraulic pressure? balance? level? I can't imagine what the holes emit or the device reveals. Unfortunately, the ride did not permit time to ask the driver. You can bet I will ask the next time an opportunity presents. 19 July 2007 Took the 6:30am66 today. Got a blog comment from Mark yesterday, so decided I'd start taking the 66 again in the morning to see if I can catch him and catch up. Not sure I can pull off a 6am66, but he indicated he changes time so if I stay with the 6:30am66, I'll see him eventually. It was fun to be back on the smaller 4100 bus. The 81N is always a bigger 6000 class and they carry double (maybe?) the number of riders that a 4100 carries. The 4100 provides a much more intimate environment. The bus filled by the time we reached Southern. Since the 6am6 didn't reach near capacity, I will assume that time of day dictates the quantity of riders. Today's image is a Google satellite of the intersection where I catch the buses. I circled the stops and you can see how the arrangement enables me to easily select one or the other. The 66 runs on the hour and half hour. During rush, 6am-9am, the 81 runs every 15 minutes, :12, :27, :42, and :57. Lots of flexibility. Both buses get me to ASU in about 20-25 minutes, so no time-on-bus incentive affects my choice of route. I could get off the 66 much closer to my building; however, since I need the exercise, I took it all the way to the College Ave transit area. If I get off the bus at Mill and 10th, it's .25 mile to the office. If I get off on College, it's .51 mile. A quarter of a mile equals one trip around a track - that won't hurt and might do some good. 18 July 2007 Wow, yesterday contained two bus rides of interest. Think I'll report on the ride home and save the morning for another time. When it rains, it pours . . . I caught the 4:15pm 81N at the transit area on College Avenue. Taken this bus many times, love the driver, a very mellow fellow. Quite a few people boarded the bus, way more than usual. Among them were a young man accompanied by two young women. They seemed in the 19-22 year old range and became 'standouts' due to the guy's loud voice and language. He used essentially two four-letter words - 'like' and 'f--k'. The word 'like' appeared as every other word and 'f--k' (or a variation thereof ...) appeared as every third or fourth word. Needless to say, his conversation lacked substance or meaning - it reminded me of a stuck CD - same track section over and over and over. I'm convinced people who speak in this fashion don't really know how they sound. I think this speaking style starts young, inspired by peers, and becomes an unfortunate habit. Sadly, it reflects poorly on the speaker's ability to communicate and negative reaction seems inevitable. Well, negative reaction occurred, swiftly and convincingly. Before we took off, a woman yelled at the young man and said, "You better stop the dirtymouth or I'll have the driver throw your sorry white ass off the bus!" Whew! She was loud, direct and the silence that followed was deep. After a couple of heartbeats, the young man said he could say anything he wanted and told her to shut up herself. She said she didn't have to listen to his pottymouth and he better quit. They went back and forth like a couple of junior high children and then both went quiet. The driver looked back, but didn't say anything as it appeared the situation had resolved itself. We took off and I could hear the young man's voice again - not quite as loud, but definitely full of his favorite 4-letter lexicon. I put my earbuds in to listen to NPR when I heard the woman screaming again. She overcame the volume of my buds so I removed them to witness the continuing battle. The junior high behavior had returned and volume on both sides increased. The driver pulled over, turned around, looked at the young man and very calmly said, "Chill the profanity, OK?" He gave no obvious indication of threat or menace, just a simple statement which quelled the riot and allowed us to continue the ride in peace. While I admire the woman for complaining, her method lacked. She needed to ask nicely before jumping down the kid's throat. She didn't take the high road and ended up looking not much better than the offender she attempted to correct. She used the words 'dirtymouth' and 'pottymouth' in a fashion that made me think she harbors her own demons. She left the bus angry - bad way to end the day. As for the kid, he's just ignorant - not much chance he learned anything from the confrontation, but we can always hope. 09 July 2007 The morning ride today qualified for an immediate write-about. A little slow off the starting block, I needed to hustle to catch the 6:27am 81N. I crossed McClintock and then, as I crossed Guadalupe, the bus also crossed it. I gave a wave and my best attempt at a jog (challenging in flip-flops). The driver got my message since he turned into the pull-out and waited for me to get to the door. I climbed on, said good morning and sat in the front seat, the only rider. The bus took off and the driver said to me, "Nice shirt - I really like that color." Surprised, I thanked him and said it was one of my favorites. He told me it was a nice, warm color and made my tan look good. I told him I liked warm colors and thanked him again. By this time we were a few stops along and another passenger got on. Such a surprising conversation and what a nice way to start the day. Running late can be a snowball going downhill, gathering disasters the rest of the day. Today, however, I overcame the lateness and the driver's compliment erased any ill-effects of a nearly-missed bus. Amazing what a little positive reinforcement can do. In honor of the compliment, I photographed my shirt. Difficult to adjust settings while memorializing one's own chest. I let the camera use available light which always makes for a grainy picture, but the color seems fairly accurate. Considered a warm colored garment, I would describe the shirt as resembling orange sherbet - a bit of a paradox. 06 July 2007 I continue to struggle when writing about the ride home. I don't think the route gets as many interesting characters as the 66; however, for reasons I don't understand, I just don't want to take the 66 home. Oh well, I'll get through this block. Last night's ride began benignly enough but suffered a semi-collapse mid-stream. We took on a wheelchair rider at University and McClintock. She wanted off at Broadway - two miles south. All went well until we reached Broadway and the bus wouldn't kneel and extend the wheelchair ramp. The driver fussed with the front door, fussed with the back door, turned everything off and everything on - all to no avail. Seated comfortably, I couldn't complain, but after awhile, wondered if the problem would resolve. At the corner of Broadway and McClintock sits a restaurant called Ted's Hot Dogs. Ted's establishment embodies the near ultimate in sin eating. Outstanding hot dogs accompanied by simply fabulous onion rings and super delicious milkshakes - yowsa! A single meal at Ted's could easily reach the 2000-3000 calorie range - no doubt. I rarely partake at Ted's as vicious temptations usually prevail. The bus situation left me staring at Ted's Hot Dogs and the longer the bus sat, the more I considered disembarking, dining at Ted's and taking a later bus. I thought about eating and then walking down to the Southern or Baseline bus stops to work off some of the sin. However, it was hideously hot (116F) and I needed extra thought before putting the eating plan into action. While still mulling my options, the bus knelt and the problem resolved. I still could have done the Ted's thing, but once the bus was fixed, the option to continue on home overcame my desire to overeat. Thank god! 21 June 2007 Riding in to work with my daughter this week, thus missing morning bus tales. Not sure why the ride home fails to ignite my blogging flame. Perhaps because I don't ride at the same time every day, I don't get a sense of engagement that the morning rides produce. Regular ridership belongs to the morning. Although ... how can I say that? Just because I don't ride home at the same time two days in a row doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I think I'm my own contradiction! Anyway, yesterday afternoon I heard a brand new lady-voice announcement. We pulled up to the north Southern Ave stop and a couple of passengers left the bus. We continued to sit and I figured the driver needed to make up time. Suddenly, the lady-voice begins and says: "Attention, passengers, this bus is ahead of schedule. Please be patient while the bus waits to get back on schedule." Amazing, eh? I wonder if some passenger complained about buses sitting, doing nothing. I thought everyone knew that a bus must speed up and slow down to do its best to arrive at certain locations at the times posted. Either that knowledge is not common, or some overzealous manager decided they have lady-voice software and need to use it more often. It certainly got my attention. While waitng (patiently, I might add . . .), I looked out the window and stared at McDonald's. About twice a year I crave a Big Mac and I'm approaching my semi-annual need. The sign in the window said Big Macs were on sale, $1.59. Seemed like a deal and I wondered if the driver would continue to catch up time while I ran in for a burger. Probably not, but the next time the lady-voice asks for my patience and I'm facing a fast-food possiblity, I might just see what can be done. 12 June 2007 Another day on the 81N. Instead of doing the crack-of-dawn patrol, I decided to linger a bit and catch the 6:42 bus. An enlightening experience, this could be my bus of choice for awhile. The driver, a woman, greeted me cordially. A number of riders already occupied seats and I settled in, across from the back door, ready to observe. A man in a hat and a woman in the seat behind him engaged in conversation. As we drove north on McClintock, past Southern, the driver hit the horn and pulled over to the curb. She opened the door and a few seconds later, a man walked up and got on the bus. He exchanged greetings with the driver and sat across from the man in the hat who asked why the guy was late. Apparently these people are quite regular and know each other well. The best part was the driver - she recognized a regular passenger and made a courtesy stop to pick him up. What great customer service, and she did the same thing a short time later when she stopped and waited for another young man running to catch the bus. The kindness and civility she displayed made a great start to the day. I'll try to make this time regularly to see the real players on this bus. I took today's photo this morning to apologize to the Trader Joe's employees who I maligned in yesterday's blog. As you can see, the TJ cart was replaced by one from Walgreen's. I don't take store carts from their homes, so I don't really know how or why these transfers and swaps occur. I will, however, no longer hold store employees accountable for errant carts. I think tracking these trolleys off-site goes beyond the scope of their job duties. Not sure I want to hang around the bus stop and see where they come from, either. Just another mystery of life. 11 June 2007 Spent the weekend in the bathroom, spackling and painting and preparing to grout. My body did not want to sleep and then didn't want to wake up, so I took a later bus today and what a bonus that turned out to be! Today's image tells much of the story. The top photo is the stop where I pick up the 81N. Well-used, a dirty patina covers the ground beneath the bench. An abundance of cigarette butts and small pieces of paper litter the area around the shelter. A cart from Trader Joe's seems a permanent fixture. Not sure what good the cart does staying at the shelter - guess TJ employees don't do cart searches beyond the bounds of their own parking lot. Regardless, I periodically look at the ground and wish someone would come by and steam clean the area, give it a chance to start anew. I figured neither Valley Metro nor the city of Tempe cared much about the conditions at the bus stops, and today I was proved wrong. While waiting for the bus, the craft seen in the bottom picture pulled up next to the shelter. A man hopped out with a bag and a pokey litter picker-upper stick. He did a quick recon of the area, stabbing and securing the larger bits of paper. He put the bag and stick back and grabbed a hose out of the truck and did a quick run over the shelter floor with a pressure wash. He stuffed the hose back into the truck, jumped in and left. It was more of a drive-by cleaning - I would have preferred a lengthier hit on the shelter floor and some water on the bench, too. However, I can't complain as I didn't think anything was ever done. The bus came, we eventually caught up to the cleaning truck and I took a quick photo from the bus as we drove past. As observed, this operation is courtesy of Tempe - my tax dollars are at work! I have been riding the bus very regularly for almost two years now, and this is the very first time I have ever seen the little stop cleaner. Wonder how long before I see them again? 06 June 2007 Been awhile - took some vacation time to refresh and recharge before the big work onslaught begins. Decided to put ceramic tile on the upstairs bathroom floor - so much for refresh and recharge. Have you ever tried to do the "score and snap" with cement backerboard? It's a nightmare, a complete nightmare. I still display visible bodily harm from the entire affair. Almost good to be back to work. Caught the 6:12am 81N this morning at 6:18am. Not sure why he was running late since there were only five people on the bus and none of them in wheelchairs. I suppose there could have been an accident clogging an intersection, but methinks probably not. I meant to take the 5:57am since the driver makes for a nice ride, but excessive dawdling and futzing put me a wee bit behind the power curve. The 6:12am driver seemed a bit surly - just like the 6am66 guy. Perhaps they're not morning people? I will try to keep regular on the 5:57am - the driver provides an upbeat start to the day and it appears to harbor regular riders. Perhaps some interesting observations will result. Today's image honors the aroma of this morning's bus. It smelled like someone transported an entire, unwashed football team after a long, difficult, extremely sweaty game - yowza - nasty stuff. A thorough steam cleaning would help immensely. 14 May 2007 A new day, a new bus - what fun! Thought I'd take the 5:57am81N today (whew! that doesn't print as easy as 6am66). Also wanted some coffee from Einstein's so I popped in there first, got a cup and went across McClintock to the stop. Looked down the street and there came the 5:42am81N - what a great start to the bus riding day - hot coffee and an earlier bus! A rookie driver had the helm and the trainer sat in the front right seat. The trainer did a lot of instructing as we rolled along - not sure if he needed to be so verbose, but it added interest to the ride, especially his instructions about using the mirrors. The really interesting parts came when we entered "the detour". At Apache Blvd., McClintock is closed to north-south travel for light rail construction. Either direction, traffic must turn right. Today's image contains a map of the detour. The purple lines and arrows follow the detour and the orange shows the regular route. We turned onto Apache and stopped to pick up a passenger. It didn't make sense to me since the 81N never travels on Apache, why would a passenger want or expect to catch the 81N on that road? The guy got on and we proceeded east on Apache, turning right (south) on River Rd. A mostly residential area, it apparently dazed and confused the new passenger. When the bus turned right (west) again, the guy started to splutter and finally asked, "where the hell are we going? how am I going to get to Alma School?" The trainer driver explained the detour procedure and finally advised the guy that he was on the 81N. "But I wanted the Red Line!" he proclaimed. It turned out OK since we headed back to Apache anyway. They let the guy off at the corner of Martin and Apache -- he had basically ridden around the block -- and he appeared very flustered as we pulled away. Not sure why the driver (newbie or trainer) didn't advise the guy he was boarding the 81N. Surely they realized he probably didn't want our bus? I figured it out and I don't do transportation for a living. I understand the passenger should know upon which bus he boards, but when there's only one bus ever scheduled to stop, it's easy to see the confusion. I'm getting really confused just writing about it. Anyway, we made it to ASU and I can't wait to see the detour in reverse going home tonight. 11 May 2007 What a weird bus week! Mark's last ride took place Tuesday morning. Dave's last ride happened on Wednesday morning. Thursday morning, I got on the bus and -- surprise, surprise -- Bill AKA Newspaper Guy was in situ behind the paper! He rode the bus just to say hey and congrats to Mark and Dave! Great to see him and sorry he missed the dynamic duo. We had a great chat anyway - he appears quite content as a retiree - makes me look forward to my turn. This morning I decided to try out the 81N. I already use 81S to come home and figured I might like the morning version. It runs every 15 minutes, so arrival time at the stop becomes relatively unimportant. Hate to "just" miss it, standing watching it go on down the road; but, 15 minutes goes by quickly. The stop for 81N is next to a gas/convenience store and quite messy. Have to go on a cleaning campaign if I continue to ride this route. The best surprise - the driver! He wished me a good morning when I boarded and commented on the greatness of being Friday. He greeted everyone who boarded and offered a farewell to everyone who got off. A couple of times he said, "thanks for riding." What a pleasant change from the surly sourpuss currently driving the 6am66. Think I'll do the 81N for awhile - I anticipate some interesting stories in the future. 02 May 2007 Just a quick post about last night's ride. Some may recall the SRO ride home when I determined the bus was picking up uncollected passengers from an earlier missing bus. Well, last night, ever alert, I detected the potential for another crowded ride and cleverly averted a repeat of that earlier situation. In the afternoons, between 3PM and 7PM, the buses run every 15 minutes to get through rush hour. On the route I use going home, the hour and half-hour buses go from ASU all the way south to Chandler Hospital at Frye and Dobson Roads. The quarter and three-quarter hour buses only go from ASU to Research Park. Since I get off before Research Park, I can use either bus. Yesterday I intended to take the 3:45pm, which is an 81S to Research Park route. (is this confusing or what???) An 81S bus pulled next to the stop on College as I was walking up. I could see the 81S on the back and assumed it was my bus. A queue formed to board since a handicapped rider was getting off and no one can board while the bus is in full 'kneel'. While waiting in line, I read the side sign and it said, Frye/Dobson. I realized the big line of people was because this was a 15-minute late 3:30pm bus. I looked down the street and saw another 81S approaching. Figuring the 3:30pm would go first, I slipped out of line, walked back and got on the 3:45pm 81S ASU Research Park bus. No line, nice and quiet and cool. It was a brilliant move on my part as we followed the other 81S and it took in all the passengers while we sat quietly behind like a very, very, very large limousine. A lovely switcheroo for me. 01 May 2007 Long time gone, eh? Work really is quite pressing and I get so immersed as soon as I arrive that I never look back and blog. This past week was particularly hideous, although I did get to spend the weekend at a resort/spa in Tucson. A friend's company hosts a leadership retreat every year and since her husband can't attend, I get to go and enjoy the amenities in his stead. Capped it off (totally pun intended) with a full dental day on Monday - yuckorama! Half a day in the chair and the other half sleeping it off. Three crowns and a root canal later - I earned the afternoon nap. Very uneventful bus riding lately. Bill, AKA Newspaper Guy, retired on April 27 and he didn't ride the bus his last week. Dave and Mark and I wanted to provide a card and bit of the bubbly for a sendoff, but he probably took vacation and we didn't get to say a proper farewell. Maybe one day he'll take a journey just to say hey. Mark and Dave are short-timers, too. School finals begin this Friday and both will graduate on May 10. Dave moves back to Missouri on May 12 and not sure if Mark needs to ride the 6am66 once he no longer takes classes. Think I will try inventive route-taking once my daily companions are gone. I can take a 6am81 (doesn't ring as well as 6am66) or perhaps change my time altogether. We'll see how energetic I feel about all this changing once our desert temperatures start to climb. I do think some of the lackluster bus stuff revolves around the driver. He fails to deliver the spark, personality or panache of his predecessors. I don't need celebrity, just a personality, especially since he knows I'm going to be there most days. How difficult is it to respond? Perhaps I'll stick it out on the 66 until the next change-o-driver situation and see if things improve. Got a comment from a new bus blogger, Megan, author of "Driving Miss Boyer". Her blog looks like fun -- see the link. Image today is weak, but it's about all I can muster. 19 April 2007 Another bland morning on the 6am66. I can't even imagine how quiet it will be once the semester ends. I know all about peaks and valleys, but this valley seems very deep. One nice event did occur today - Bill gave both Mark and Dave ASU Alumni t-shirts. They seemed very surprised and very pleased by the thoughtful gesture. A sense of loss and, as Mark said, melancholy begins to gather as graduation approaches. I found it like the two-edged sword of reading a good book. You eagerly approach the end with the long-anticipated finish in sight; however, you also feel the emptiness of nothing-to-look-forward-to once the last page turns. Regardless, it's a great achievement and kudos are in order for both of them. 13 April 2007 Off a couple for grandmothering purposes. As a new member of that club, find I need to indulge myself when occasion permits. The small child and parents returned to their nest and I returned to work . . . sigh . . . Very restless last night due to late coffee consumption so I let myself sleep in a bit and took the 7:30am66. It provided a refreshed view of the bus since many of the riders attend Tempe Union High School. Few and far between describes recent ridership on the 6AM66; not so the 7:30. Riders boarded at nearly every stop and it played SRO from Mill and Baseline to the high school at Mill and Broadway. I forgot how energized the kids make me feel. Early morning rides to school don't quite vibrate like the afternoon rides home, but I still find an undercurrent of energy as they approach a new day. Freshly showered, hair combed, backpacks in place, skateboards in hand - an army of workers, off for a day in the textbook mines. High school made me nuts and, while I wouldn't mind having that body back, not much else about high school beckons. Bill retires at the end of April and two weeks later, Dave and Mark graduate from ASU. I might need to vary my bus routine in hopes of finding new inspiration. Perhaps the 7:30am66 will suffice. 10 April 2007 No point in worrying about today's bus number - the 6am66 lacks excitement and posting the daily number implies otherwise. Ridership remains sparse and with summer around the corner, it can only get more thin - the peaks and valleys of bus routes. On the ride home last night I heard a new message from the electronic lady voice that announcees the stops. Occasionally I still hear the man voice reminding passengers to check for personal possessions before leaving the bus. The new one yesterday, in the lady voice, goes like this: "In consideration of your fellow passengers, please refrain from using offensive language." I forgot to ask Dave if he ever heard that bus announcement. Dave makes full use of the 4-letter lexicon. His sentence structure is based almost entirely on expletives, with a particular talent for turning a certain "f" word into virtually any part of speech. The new message could apply to him, I suppose, although I think it might be aimed more at the young men who sometimes ride in packs and feel a strong need to speak loudly to each other using shock talk. I think ignoring it works more effectively to take away their thrill - they thrive on confrontation. When I heard the beginning of the message I thought it might end in 'cell phones' instead of 'offensive language'. I would rather encounter the occasional smarmy comment than become audience to loud speaking cell phone addicts. With expletives, you might learn a new way to curse a bad driver - half a cell phone converstaion usually reveals nothing of interest or import. I leave you today with a link to a story in the Daily Mail about a cat who rides the bus. I have a year-old Abyssinian. Hoover, who needs to read this article. She could learn a trick or two from this enterprising feline. Hoover is featured in today's image. 04 April 2007 Bus rides lately seem pretty bland and work continues to aggravate. No time to write! Worst of all, work will get worse as we move deeper into new site development. I might resort to drugs of abuse before this process ends. My latest excuse for not writing, however, centers around a new family member - Emily Sarah - my first grandchild, born Sunday, April 1. She arrived a week early and surprised us all. Undoubtedly the most fabulous granddaughter ever born . . . I swore I would remain calm and not get all grammy-weird, but much, much easier said than done. She belongs to my son and daughter-in-law and I stayed fairly detached during the pregnancy. One look at the newborn, though, and release the hounds! Best of all, everyone correctly stated it - you can give them back to their parents! Such fun. Today's picture, of course, is Emily Sarah. Thought we ought to welcome her to the wonderful world of bus blogs. You can be sure she will be on the bus with me at the first opportunity. She must learn to see the world through bus traveling eyes. 22 March 2007 Interesting morning at the bus stop. I arrived first and saw a plastic Target bag lying on the bench. Grabbing it to put in the trash, my hand felt something solid inside. Assuming someone left it by accident, I let the bag sit, uninvestigated. My life story recounts multiple "accidental leavings" where some helpful soul gave my left-by-mistake item to someone else for safekeeping. Experience says to leave found objects where they lie - it's the first place to look for lost things. I realize others might come along and walk off with it; however, on those occasions when the loser quickly remembers the loss, a return to the last-known-sighting will be rewarded if the object stays put. I digress . . . Along came Dave who immediately picked up the bag and looked inside. I don't know if he takes or leaves findings, but he definitely looks. His investigation revealed . . . a cutlery set! Not new - the knife tips were broken - and I immediately assumed these knives meant CSI might swoop down on us momentarily. Used cutlery in a Target shopping bag? Just the way a demented murderer would carry his/her weapons of choice - I cautioned Dave about leaving fingerprints that could link him to any felonious activities associated with this particular set of knives. The question begs - what's with Dave and the found weaponry? Remember the Gun Incident, reported in this very blog? For a pacifist, he sure attracts some seriously intense found objects. To help keep CSI at bay, I photographed Dave's hand holding the bus-knives. Although, perhaps that makes me an accessory? Whatever ... 19 March 2007 Couldn't see the number on the 81S going home tonight. Not because of my eyes or a bad paint job or a bit of graffiti - I couldn't catch the number because of all the people. This bus was packed! I took the last seat when I boarded on College Avenue. This stop begins the route and most times I have the bus to myself. Ridership usually doesn't pick up until McClintock and University. Today, however, ridership maxed as we left the corral. We seemed to stop at every stop and when one or two got off, three or four got on. Eventually, only standing room remained and even that became a slim bet. At one point, I counted 18 people standing in the center aisle. As a 6000 class bus, it holds more people than the little 4100s from the 6am66; however, not so many more that 18 people had anything resembling elbow room. Inexplicably, wall-to-wall bodies and the driver kept picking up more. I started to think I would have to fight my way off the bus. Visions swarmed around my brain - me crawling down the aisle, dodging bags and skateboards, feeling my way to the back door off-ramp. A kick and a shove and I'd find myself curled up on the sidewalk, a little bruised and beaten, but successfully disembarked. Fortunately, my fears abated as riders left at Southern and Baseline and no more joined the fray. By the time my stop arrived, I could walk off the bus, unaided, fully upright. What an unusual ride. Walking home, I ruminated on the oddity of it all and decided that the previous bus probably didn't make it around so we actually picked up a double load of riders. A sensible explanation - that's my theory and I'm sticking to it. 14 March 2007 This seems like a new number, but after almost 18 months of bus blogs, hard to really tell. Perhaps an archive dive would reveal a re-occurrence? Whatever. This post belongs to yesterday - work continues to bear down and eat up blogging time. Tacky, eh? Anyway, when we got on the bus yesterday it evidenced a lack of that human aroma that lives so strongly in bus seat upholstery. Clean, fresh, well-scrubbed air circulated throughout. Not to be confused with "new bus" or "new car" smell - this felt like the aftermath of a serious Merry Maids attack. So refreshing, Dave commented to the driver who acknowledged the pleasant atmosphere - and this driver never volunteers anything! I surmised an upholstery shampooing took place but neither Dave nor I could feel any moisture on the seats. The fresh bus smell combined with the scent of orange blossom that prevails right now - an aromatic delight! When we got off the bus, Dave discovered his pants seemed a tad damp in the pertinent seating parts - appears we did owe the fresh scent to upholstery cleaning! 08 March 2007 Still a struggle to get a greeting from our semi-new driver. He finally began responding to my croaky felicitations (you never heard about my laryngitis!). I feel tempted to get on the bus and say "buenos días"; however, I always fear that could indicate I actually know some Spanish and, once exposed for how sadly monolingual I am, conversation opportunities would plummet immediately. A cheery, if crackly, "good morning" must suffice. The other day, the BTA contemplated the legality of champagne on the bus - anticipatory brainstorming for the upcoming graduation celebrations. I suggested covering the surveillance cameras with masking tape and the conversation moved on to question who monitors happenings on the bus? Is there a human at the other end of the camera, watching as we bump and sway along the route? With so many buses on the road, it seems impossible that real time viewing could take place. Mark said everything is recorded and kept in the bus' black box. I knew planes carried black boxes, but until that nasty accident in Atlanta last week, I didn't realize buses also used them. The real surprise came when Mark pointed to a black container under one of the lower lateral seats and declared it "the black box." I instantly drew out my camera and, voila, today's image. Sure hope I don't participate in a bus ride where the black box becomes a player. 07 March 2007 Been a couple of weeks mostly due to benign bus rides and a madhouse work agenda. Once in the office, the immersion factor takes over and I don't think to blog until way past inspiration time. Yesterday, however, the bus ride strayed from dull and needs documentation. While waiting for the bus, Dave and I speculated on the whereabouts of Engineering Guy (Mike) and his marked absence from the 6am66 this semester. Dave said he sees EG on campus occasionally; however, like ships passing, they exchange nothing but words of greeting. We got on the bus and talked to Bill about his retirement and the need for an on-board graduation party for Dave and Mark - Mimosas anyone? The bus stopped at the Southern and Mill light, the door opened (illegally, I might add) and on hopped none other than Mike AKA Engineering Guy himself! Gloriosky - the gods heard us and listened! He looked good, albeit a bit weary. He took a killer schedule this semester, hoping to graduate at summer's end. His big announcement - his wife's pregnancy - a tadpole grows in the pond! What a nice ride - very heartwarming and reunion-like. I sure will miss these people when they all move on. I took today's picture at the bus stop I use going home. A good rear view of Valley Metro's 6000 class bus (probably the 72) and good eyes will catch ASU's gold "A" on Hayden Butte in the background. 15 February 2007 What a great day on the bus! The BTA was in full swing with Bill, serving as librarian, handing out newspaper sections with articles of interest. At Mill and Baseline, a young man dressed in chef's clothing got on and sat next to Mark. Mark asked him if he would make us some eggs and the conversation went totally gastronomic. The young man attends the Scottsdale Culinary Institute and, as revealed in the conversation, Mark spent 18 years in the restaurant business - explains why he makes good French onion soup! He quizzed the chef-to-be about the seven basic sauces (I had no idea!!!) and I asked him if he received chopping lessons. Always wanted to do the speed vegetable chopping, but figured my digits were too valuable to my job to take the risk. The young man said it was all in the weight and quality of the knife - just like everything else, the right tools make things work. The discussion moved to scrambled eggs and Mark said water is the key to fluffy eggs. He advised that milk coats the egg and holds it down. Makes sense - and to think all these years I served flat eggs because of milk or cream . . . I confessed to all my deep and abiding love for Waffle House cheese and eggs, not caring if the cheese lowered the height of the eggs. Mark told me to grate the cheese and add it to my eggs at the end of cooking. I can hardly wait to make my next batch of scrambled eggs. I knew we turned on Apache and pulled the cord to signal our stop. The bus halted, Dave and I got off, and it turned out we were halfway down the block, away from the stop. Pretty sure I signaled in time, I wonder if the driver overshot the stop, distracted by thoughts of delicious scrambled eggs? 14 February 2007 Totally forgot to look at the number today - and I was doing so well. Raining this morning, so I'll blame it on that. Everyone in Arizona blames the rain. A couple of interesting discussions today. Bill showed me two articles in the Arizona Republic about love on the bus. Today is Valentine's Day and the media panders to it tremendously. I guess retailers make huge profits on 2/14, but it seems like a huge Day of Guilt - right up there with Mother's Day. I always feel bad for recently widowed or divorced people who face the bombardment of "love" as February 14 approaches. Greed blinds us to the plight of others. The other discussion, and focus of today's image, is the Arizona State University Visitor's Center. Valley National Bank built it in 1962 and ASU later purchased it. A gold, geodesic dome, it was much hated and maligned by ASU's newish president. Apparently he and his New York imports are appalled by the architecture on ASU's campus. Coming from Columbia University in NYC, they want old buildings and ivy. Since Arizona didn't become a state until 1912 and ASU didn't become a university until 1958, seems difficult to expect 200-year-old buildings and . . . ivy in the desert? Needless to say, the building was recently razed; however, rumor has it the dome survived and is stored somewhere on ASU's campus. Dave suggested the dome be used to shade a large, outdoor gathering area and Mark thought it could be situated over ASU's football arena, Sun Devil Stadium. Outstanding suggestions by all - too bad university presidents don't read bus blogs. 12 February 2007 Staying late at work tonight, so went in late this morning. Caught the 66 at 10:30am and - surprise, surprise - the driver was our old best driver, Steve! I said good morning, but was fumbling with my bag and pass and general half-blind clumsiness and didn't really get a good look and know it was him at first. Once sitting and situated, I realized his profile looked familiar and greeted him properly when I got off. Wonder if he's back on the 66 full-time? If so, and the route runs as usual, he should be at the wheel of the 6am66 - tomorrow will tell. A very young couple got on with a baby, maybe a year old, and the baby was a screamer. Not crying, just one of those little bodies that screeches loudly and abruptly, like animals in a zoo. The child sat on the seat between them and I finally decided the screams erupted to gain attention. The mother ignored the baby as she became engrossed in conversation with another young woman who boarded after the couple. The girls/women seemed to know each other from the past and their discussion contained lots of expletives, each one prefaced with the word "like". The father "controlled" the child, but never said a word to him/her. I speak more to my cat than this man did to the baby. I felt bad for the child as his/her future appears dim with learned behavior from this couple. A bit later, a man got on carrying a baby, about the same size and age as the first one. This man held the baby on his lap and talked to him. The little boy remained quiet and calm throughout the ride. As the bus rounded the curve next to Gammage auditorium, the father held the boy up and showed him the building. A striking structure designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, it looks like a giant birthday cake and it caught the child's attention. Unlike the young couple, this man nurtured his child. Got to see the best and worst parenting practices on today's ride. I took a quick photo of the bus stop signs, looking west on Guadalupe. Been awhile since I spent daylight time at the stop. 08 February 2007 Another icy day on the bus. Might have to move to the back bench seat and grab some heat from the engine. I don't like that seat - a bit too throne-like, but the cold is miserable. An interesting discussion day on the 6am66. I asked Bill what he planned to do after retirement and he mentioned "Habitat for Humanity". He indicated prior experience with the group and said it is a satisfying means of public service. The discussion then moved on to various places and ways to provide public service in the Phoenix area. Mark has taken his children to St. Vincent de Paul to work on a food serving line and Bill has participated in similar activities. This year at Christmas I did something I have wanted to do for a long time and my eye surgery and immobility provided the perfect impetus. In lieu of purchased gifts, I made donations to several non-profit organizations. It was so nice and felt so good to put money toward something helpful. Now started, I intend to continue the tradition. It's nice to ride the bus, especially with such good and caring people. 07 February 2007 Once again our regular crew filled the BTA. I realized that after May, I might be the lone regular to occupy that exalted space. Bill retires at the end of February and Mark and Dave graduate in May. My life plans look pretty static right now, so I'll be left alone to carry on. Can a Brain Trust exist with only one brain? Think about that one. Don't know what's up with the weather and the buses. We've enjoyed 80+ degree days lately and the buses aren't acclimatizing. Yesterday, on the ride home, the bus heater blasted us with warm air waves. The outside temperature was 83 and it must have been 183 inside the bus. This morning, the outside temperature was 53 (that's cold with only 12% humidity) and the bus air conditioner sent shivering waves of cold throughout the craft. In the cold mornings, waiting at the bus stop, I look forward to the warmth of the bus. It wraps around me like a blanket and keeps me snug and safe. Today, though, my protective cover was missing. Where was this air conditioning yesterday afternoon? Is bus interior climate control a challenging concept? I want the drivers to be comfortable - our lives and timely arrival depend on their ability to function well. However, I don't want to die of hypothermia in the process. Seems like a no win situation - death by uncomfortable driver or over air conditioning. It's always something. 06 February 2007 Wonder how they decide which bus goes on which route? While I want to believe in a highly technical, logical decision process, I bet it's totally random. It could be a "release the hounds" thing where the drivers race to get their bus of choice. Probably not. Not much discussion in the BTA - the Suns loss and the crazy lady astronaut's 1,000 mile love triangle trip. The whole story makes space travel much less appealing if that's what it does to one's gray cells. Think I'll stick with the 6am66. Our new driver is Hispanic/Mexican/Latino - don't know what word is best, so HML must do. Since he started driving our bus, the number of HML passengers has increased; as if an underground network lets people know which bus route contains a Spanish-speaking driver. It makes no sense since the chosen route should coincide with destination; however, the 6am66 gets more HML riders every day. Probably just coincidence. Today a young man with a bicycle wanted on the bus, but the bike rack was full. The driver had the guy bring his bike into the bus where he held it until one of the other bicyclists got off and space in the rack opened up. It was a nice gesture by the driver. 02 February 2007 Aaaaah, Friday - best day of the week, no doubt. Once again, Dave missed the 6am66. Bill, Mark and I filled the BTA with food talk. Bill said Uno's has great French onion soup and Mark advised he makes the best FOS. The conversation stirred my taste buds and I now embark on a quest to consume some FOS today. One never knows where bus talk will lead. I must take time to ponder last night's ride home on the 81 southbound. A woman flew onto the bus, breathless and carrying on about missing the #?? and so she was just going to take the 81S, blah, blah, blah. She sat down and continued to talk loudly to the driver. She kept it up as we pulled away and got louder, as though to drown out the noise of the moving bus. We kept going and she kept talking. Shortly, a man sitting across the aisle from her got up and moved to the back of the bus. I understood his move but felt the gesture was lost on this woman who embodied "oblivious". Eventually, she got up and stood in the aisle near the front door. She talked and talked and talked. She didn't appear angry, just a talker and a loud talker, at that. She made it difficult for people getting on to pass by and yet the driver never said anything to her. He would make an occasional comment and that just kept her going. With passenger pick-up and drop-off, route timing and the usual driving challenges in Tempe traffic, I don't know how the driver stayed on top of his duties while this woman yammered away. Finally she got off, introducing herself and shaking the driver's hand as she departed. I don't know whether we were in potential peril from the distraction she posed or if this driver proved that we humans absolutely can multi-task, contrary to all the research that says we can't. I just don't know . . . 01 February 2007 A lovely full moon provided visual extras for the Guadalupe crossing this morning. The clouds broke up enough for the celestial body to perform its streetlight act. Well done, moon. Dave failed to make an appearance today but Bill and Mark and I kept the BTA chat alive. Somehow we ended up in a comparative religion discourse - started with a movie that Bill saw in his church. I absolutely don't remember the movie's topic, but it prompted the discussion that ensued. Former altar boy Mark gave insight into the Romans while I tossed some Anglican info into the mix. Bill never referenced his particular flavor of denomination, but we do know they show movies! Mark said Mel Gibson follows the practices of the extremist RC sect, Opus Dei, depicted in "The DaVinci Code" - a self-flagellating, excessively penitent group. If that's what Hollywood fame and fortune creates, I must revisit my plan to become a major star. Amazing what is talked about on the bus, eh? The current crop of semi-regular riders is a pretty morose bunch, making BTA chat all the more crucial for a good start to the day. 31 January 2007 Another rainy day in the Valley of the Alleged Sun. Cloudy, cold and damp - I thought this was the desert? Guess good weather needs a vacation, too. Oh well, how fun to wear snuggy clothes and full shoes AND socks! Put those flipflops to bed for awhile. We enjoyed a full busload today - another mix of unusual non-regulars. Apparently, we need to redefine the meaning of "regulars". In the last six months, two consecutive rides equals regular - not like when I first joined the 6am66 team. Ridership varies like the speed of a roller coaster - don't get too comfortable cuz it's gonna change. We had a full crew in the BTA and a new guy got on at Rural and Baseline, placing himself right smack in the middle of us all. Bill gave him a smile and an official welcome and our conversation resumed. We were all talking back and forth and I would bend forward to talk past the new guy to Dave, then sit back to converse with Mark or Bill. The middle man wore a grim, scowly face - not sure if it resulted from the early hour, life issues, or just a personal desire to look fierce. Eventually, he moved across the aisle to the little seat next to Mark, twisting his body to the side, facing away from the BTA. I want to think he moved to accommodate the logistics of our conversation pit; however, his somewhat surly demeanor contradicted the idea of a thoughtful gesture. Some people just don't want to interact with others and I respect that. Glad everyone's not that way, though. 30 January 2007 Whew! Survived another mad dash across Guadalupe this AM. Rain added an element of terror since Arizona drivers become even bigger idiots when moisture mixes with asphalt. Perhaps the rain/road mix exudes a potent brain numbing agent? Something happens cuz these people suck at driving on a good day with worse effects during the rain. Ask anyone, Arizona drivers are hideous. Neither Bill nor Mark graced us with their presence today, so Dave and I owned the BTA. When we got on, a man sat in one of the middle side seats. He was hung over (literally) as he sagged sideways in the seat, barely upright. He re-arranged himself as we walked by and then seemed to sleep throughout the rest of the ride. He appeared well groomed, as if a shower and shave were part of his recent past, but sleep definitely occupied his mind. It made me sleepy to look at him. An odd collection of people filled the bus &ndash until the Broadmoor lady got on, only one couple seemed familiar. As if reading my mind, Dave commented how some days on the 66 could seem like a different world. Maybe the rain/road mix was affecting us, too? 29 January 2007 Thanks to all for concerns about my eyes. I am healing nicely and back at work, earlier than the last eye. The pressure still needs to go lower, but the paralyzed muscle is loosening and, since this weekend, every day seems to find added mobility. I guess a nerve, knicked by the anesthetic needle, caused the problem and it takes time for the nerve to re-build. Healing appears to be in progress and my stiff eye will soon be but a side item in a bus blog. Crossing Guadalupe to get to the bus stop provided a bit of a challenge. The sun wasn't up and my depth perception remains somewhat compromised - not sure which is scarier, my inability to judge the speed of the cars or the unseen vehicle without headlights. I contemplated going later, after sunrise, but by then the traffic is much heavier and crossing becomes a game of Frogger - splat! Such choices for a visually impaired bus rider, eh? Today's craft was #4107 with a new driver. Dave said this guy started off being 10 minutes late every day. Apparently the man had a different time schedule in his head than the one published in the bus book. I appreciate the intricacies of timing while driving a bus, but we all need to be on the same time at the starting gate. Not sure why the GPS on the bus didn't alert the dispatch to the time conflict? I thought they could tell exact bus locations at all times? Another technology myth, I suppose. The 6am66 arrived at 6:08 - new activity for me to blog log. 21 January 2007 been a week or so - had second eye surgery on thursday and just didn't have time earlier in the week to post about the bus. needed to get all the work ducks lined up before the post-op leave. as good as my first surgery went, this second surgery has gone bad. one of the nerve block shots paralyzed a medial muscle in the operated eye and I have double vision when looking to the right. a "clarence the cross eyed lion" kind of thing. my surgeon didn't see me on friday (day after surg), I had a stand-in who was more interested in the problems with my pressure and surgical site (pressure high, bleb not open, bleeding - fubar indeed) he generally dismissed my newly developed "lazy eye", so am assuming that it's not an unusual consequence and will rectify. going to see the surgeon tomorrow afternoon and hope the news will be better than it was on friday. to say that i am a bit distressed is quite the understatement. my first surgery was the cover story for successful eye events - i fear this second one could become a journal article about how many things can go wrong with a trabeculectomy. hoped for much quicker return to work with this surgery, and not sure what the future now holds. will post if things get interesting, but fear the bus is stuck in the terminal for now. ever the optimist (ha!), i did manage to find an art opportunity buried in the post-op mess and the image posted is an eye patch i knitted and embroidered for myself. decided i didn't want to sport the traditional black pirate patch (deepest apologies to J Depp), so developed this faux eye patch. the lashes are somewhat thicker than my own, but the basic eyedea is there. a close look reveals a few knitting flaws, but not bad work considering i did it with one dilated, half-crossed eye. can't keep a good fiber artist down. 10 January 2007 Nice day on the bus. The BTA was full of regulars: NG, Dave, BG and one of the Steves. I realized we had the "Back Seat Boys" plus me - could shorten it to the BS Boys, although in all fairness, not too much BS flows in the BTA. It was a nice ride with commentary shared on eye surgery, health care, overzealous lawyers and our litigious society, the hideous BCS game, the Phoenix Suns winning ways, the Godfather II and Robert DeNiro, libraries that might carry Godfather II, and possible illegal downloading of movies. We had a nice discussion about making coffee and donuts available on the bus. Options included taking turns bringing the coffee/donuts or installing vending machines on the buses with coffee and donuts for purchase. Bus attendants to serve coffee and donuts was also suggested, but we determined that bus fares would increase to pay the attendants, so we returned to the vending machine plan. Can you imagine the poor drivers if they installed vending machines on the buses? As if they don't have enough to deal with - I can hear the requests to make change, complaints about the food and drink, the spills, the smell. Bad, bad, bad idea. 08 January 2007 Completely ignored today's bus number - apparently some old habits die very easily. Cold/flu has abated and hope that's the end for this season. Seems everyone is down with some version of it and I'm not the only one to suffer a recurrence. Guess we just run around infecting each other, over and over and over. Can't even blame the bus as ridership is way down. Had an interesting guy riding today. He sat in the BTA, back bench seat, Bill's usual area. Bill doesn't ride on Monday, so that space is unreserved until Dave stakes his daily claim. The odd thing about this guy was his dress. He sported a head-to-toe quilted camo suit with a knit cap and boots. An oversized duffle bag and backpack occupied the seat next to him. Dave commented that a hunter was riding today and the guy laughed and said yeah, deer hunting. He actually looked like he was going or coming from some outdoor expedition, but camping via public transport? It was very odd. He got off at Southern so figure he meant to transfer for a long ride east or west. Deer hunting??? I think not. Today's image is in memory of my lunch bag which I forgot to grab from the bench at the bus stop. It had my breakfast bar, my vitamins and a plastic tub of lovely crab and corn chowder that I really looked forward to enjoying for lunch. I bet that chowder's gonna be a little rank later today - whew! Oh well, c'est la vie. Speaking of food, check out this website: http://www.cheddarvision.tv/ - you can watch cheddar cheese ripen - simply amazing. 04 January 2007 This flu thing got seriously unfun yesterday with fever, chills, headache, etc., so no work for me today. Yesterday's ride home, however, included enough interesting elements to provide bus blog ramblings for a post today. I took the 81southbound which meant a ride in one of the larger, newer 6400 class buses. The ride began uneventfully - my weakened condition making me grateful for smooth, quick passage - just wanna get home. All that changed at Broadway and McClintock when we picked up a wheelchair rider. The maneuvers to get him on the bus went without hitch; however, when the driver went to leave the stop, a warning light on the dash said the wheelchair ramp was disengaged and the bus wouldn't move. Clearly, the ramp was up and in place, but apparently the bus brains didn't know that. The driver reversed the procedure, opening out the ramp, but the bus didn't "kneel" - the hydraulics that lower the bus toward the curb failed to do their thing. She brought the ramp back up, closed the door but no-go, the bus still claimed the ramp was down. She then shut the bus down, waited a few, re-started the bus and the warning light returned. Looked like we were in for a bit of a wait. The driver got on the radio with her superiors and the smokers on the bus all piled off to take advantage of the momentary lapse in travel. A couple of knuckle-draggers in the back cretinously shouted at the driver, "what's going on, man?", "can't be late for work, dude" charming group, eh? The driver got off the radio and proceeded to put the little orange safety triangles outside the back of the bus. Past experience told me it might be prudent to get off and be ready to get on the next bus, due in about 20 minutes. It meant standing in the middle of the gaggle of smokers, but I wanted to get home and knew the next bus would only pick up people waiting at the stop - not sitting on the broken bus. I did what I could to stay out of the smoke drifts and was happy it was sunny and 70 degrees - great bus breakdown weather. The driver turned the bus off again, waited several minutes, re-started and the warning light was gone. She tested the wheelchair system and this time the kneelers worked. She put the bus in gear and it moved, so we all re-boarded the bus and continued on our way. There was a bit of breath-holding when the wheelchair guy got off, but all systems functioned properly. The usual 25 minute ride took an hour to complete - no complaints, it gave me a blog post! 03 January 2007 Back to business as usual - always such a letdown after the holidays and, yet, kind of nice to return to order out of the chaos. NG was in full BTA repose and Dave and I rounded out the set. Mark (BG) hasn't been on in awhile, but I think his schedule moves around school. When classes are in, he's an early rider. Both he and Dave graduate in May - do need to arrange a bus celebration. A guy got on in front of Marcos de Niza who seemed to know Bill but I'd never seen before. Nice guy, happy to have him along for the ride. I wonder, though, he had an MP3 player and I could hear the music coming out of the earpieces. Now, if I could hear it sitting across from him on a not-so-quiet bus, what is it doing to his hearing? Is he playing it loud because he has a hearing situation or did he develop a hearing situation from playing it too loud? One wonders . . . Image today is in honor of the lousy, friggin' head cold that has returned to haunt me. I have a cough, although nothing like the killer croups of my previous sojourn. This time, my nose is completely stuffed up. I sound like a caricature of a person with a cold - "By dame is ebb febber add I have a code id by dose" - central casting, where are you???? Hot toddy, tonight - I have no choice. | Low | [
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Q: Preservation of Compact Sets (confused about counterexample). This definition for the preservation of compact sets is taken from Abott 2001: Let $f : A \to \Bbb R$ be continuous on $A$. If $K \subseteq A$ is compact, then $f(K)$ is compact as well. I feel like I understand the general proof pretty well, but I can't seem to get my head around a particular counter example I came up with. Consider the function $f: [0,1] \to \mathbb R$ where $f(x) = \dfrac{1}{x}$ . Now I've restricted the domain to a compact set (the closed interval), but the range runs from $[1, \infty)$. So it seems to be I've mapped from a compact set with a continuous function, but the image isn't compact (because it's unbounded). I'm clearly missing something—help? Thanks! A: $f(0) = 1/0$ is undefined. So $f:[0,1] \not \rightarrow \mathbb R$ $f:(0,1] \rightarrow [1, \infty)$. Which is fine as neither $(0,1]$ nor $[1,\infty)$ are compact. | Low | [
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Considerations for integrating fitness into dance training. In recent years it has frequently been suggested that dancers may not be sufficiently prepared for the physical demands of dance. The majority of researchers have arrived at the conclusion that there are gaps in the structure of dance training programs that could be filled with the type of physical training that has benefited other elite athletes. This article reviews some recommendations in light of current research for the supplementation of dance training and the inclusion of fitness concepts in traditional dance classes. | High | [
0.684729064039408,
34.75,
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SUMMARY = "jsonref is a library for automatic dereferencing of JSON Reference objects for Python" HOMEPAGE = "https://github.com/gazpachoking/jsonref" LICENSE = "MIT" LIC_FILES_CHKSUM = "file://LICENSE;md5=a34264f25338d41744dca1abfe4eb18f" SRC_URI[md5sum] = "42b518b9ccd6852d1d709749bc96cb70" SRC_URI[sha256sum] = "f3c45b121cf6257eafabdc3a8008763aed1cd7da06dbabc59a9e4d2a5e4e6697" inherit pypi setuptools3 BBCLASSEXTEND = "native nativesdk" | Mid | [
0.6078886310904871,
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Microscopic colitis: Struggling with an invisible, disabling disease. Microscopic colitis causes chronic or recurrent nonbloody, watery diarrhoea, which is associated with urgency, faecal incontinence and abdominal pain. The patient's health-related quality of life is often impaired. In microscopic colitis, health-related quality of life has been studied using questionnaires originally constructed and validated for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of microscopic colitis on everyday life. Inductive, qualitative, semi-structured interviews were performed with 15 persons suffering from microscopic colitis. Content analysis was used to explore the impact of the condition on everyday life. The study followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research. The qualitative inductive content analysis generated one theme and five subthemes. The theme was "struggling with an invisible, disabling disease." The five subthemes were as follows: physical experience of bowel function; associated symptoms affecting quality of life; impact of the disease on everyday life; disease-related worry; and strategies for managing everyday life. The semi-structured interviews with persons suffering from microscopic colitis provided a wide spectrum of answers to the question of how everyday life is affected. Microscopic colitis can be a disabling life experience, and patients develop different strategies to adapt, cope and regain their previous performance level. There are new and interesting findings in our study that everyday life still remains affected even when patients are in remission. These findings have relevance in clinical practice and may create a better understanding of the patient's symptoms and situation. | High | [
0.6775700934579441,
36.25,
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Strategically located by Lepanto underground station and about 20 minutes' walk of Foro Italico, Clodio Hotel offers fast access to 94 Tele and features a solarium and animation. Behind the Italian facade of Clodio Hotel lies sophisticated interior. A prime location makes a museum and a basilica easily reachable. This comfortable venue is 5 km away from the center of Rome. Clodio Hotel offers a stunning view to its guests. Guests are offered 114 classic rooms featuring a minibar, TV with satellite channels, a balcony, coffee/tea makers and a sofa. The rooms have a view over the park. A dishwasher and a kettle are also provided for self-catering. Finest drinks are offered in the café bar. Hostaria da Edmondo with Italian specialties is just around the corner. Details & Rates Guests are offered 114 classic rooms featuring a minibar, TV with satellite channels, a balcony, coffee/tea makers and a sofa. The rooms have a view over the park. A dishwasher and a kettle are also provided for self-catering. | Mid | [
0.5702306079664571,
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1. Introduction =============== Primary canaliculitis is a rare disease characterized by infection in the lacrimal canaliculus. It accounts for approximately 1.4% to 2% of all lacrimal diseases.^\[[@R1]--[@R3]\]^ Typically, it is more prevalent among women than among men, which may be due to reduced tear secretion in postmenopausal women who are more vulnerable to infections as a result of hormonal changes.^\[[@R1],[@R3]--[@R7]\]^ Its clinical signs commonly overlap with those of other diseases that occur near the lacrimal apparatus; therefore, there are often cases in which proper treatment is not provided due to delayed diagnosis.^\[[@R1],[@R4],[@R8]--[@R10]\]^ Clinical symptoms include epiphora, swelling of the eyelid or punctum, erythema, pain, and redness. Clinical signs include thickening of the canalicular portion of the eyelid margin, punctal regurgitation of pus and concretions, a pouting erythematous punctum, yellowish discoloration of the canalicular region, and localized hyperemia.^\[[@R1],[@R3],[@R10]\]^ Medical and surgical management are options for treating primary canaliculitis; however, surgical management is considered the definitive treatment.^\[[@R1],[@R5],[@R11],[@R12]\]^ In cases of recurrence after the initial treatment, conservative treatment should be avoided, and snip punctoplasty with canalicular curettage should be performed.^\[[@R1]\]^ At present, 1,2,3-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage may be an effective treatment modality for primary canaliculitis; however, previous studies have reported recurrence rates of 6.6% to 22%.^\[[@R2]--[@R5],[@R8],[@R11],[@R13]\]^ Currently, there are no reports discussing the most appropriate surgical approach to treat recurrent primary canaliculitis; therefore, a more definitive treatment method should be considered to reduce the recurrence rate. In the present case, a patient diagnosed with primary canaliculitis was treated using 1-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage; however, symptom recurrence was observed during the postoperative outpatient follow-up. Subsequent treatment with 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage successfully cured the recurrent primary canaliculitis. Accordingly, we recommend 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage as an effective treatment method for complete curettage when managing recurrent primary canaliculitis after initial treatment. 2. Case report ============== A 53-year-old female patient was admitted to our hospital with chief complaints of epiphora, discharge, eyelid flare up, and swelling near the inferior lacrimal punctum in the left eye, all of which had developed 6 months earlier. Based on the aforementioned symptoms, the patient was initially diagnosed with bacterial conjunctivitis at a local ophthalmologic clinic and administered antibiotic eye drops (0.5% levofloxacin, 4 times daily) for 6 months. However, her symptoms did not improve, and they had worsened 2 weeks prior to her admission. Subsequently, she was diagnosed with chronic dacryocystitis at a local ophthalmologic clinic and transferred to our hospital for recommended surgical treatment. The Institutional Review Board/Ethics Committee of Bucheon St Mary\'s Hospital approved this study. It was performed in accordance with the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images. The patient had hypertension (blood pressure, 145/90 mm Hg), but no other specific underlying disease or history of previous surgery. On admission, her corrected visual acuity in both eyes was 1.0 and the intraocular pressure was normal. Slit lamp examination results showed conjunctival congestion in the inner corner of the left eye, eyelid flare up, swelling near the inferior lacrimal punctum, and yellowish discharge from the punctal orifice (Fig. [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). {#F1} There was no punctal regurgitation observed during the lacrimal sac compression test and the lacrimal irrigation test, which was performed using saline through the upper lacrimal punctum. Based on the lack of abnormal findings in the lacrimal system patency test, nasolacrimal duct obstruction, and chronic dacryocystitis could be ruled out. However, based on the yellowish discharge and concretion observed in the lacrimal punctum when the lower lacrimal punctum was squeezed using a cotton-tip applicator, a diagnosis of primary canaliculitis was made (Fig. [1](#F1){ref-type="fig"}). Following the diagnosis of primary canaliculitis, 1-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage, using a 1-mm diameter chalazion curette, were performed, and lesions, such as concretions and debris, were completely removed (Fig. [2](#F2){ref-type="fig"}). The surgery was completed after performing the lacrimal irrigation test to verify no abnormality in the patency of the lower lacrimal system. The specimens from the lesions were sent to the laboratory for microbiologic culture and histologic examination. The microbiologic culture test could not identify the exact causative organism, but gram-positive rods were found; meanwhile, the histologic examination identified tangled clumps of filamentous organisms, which were findings consistent with a diagnosis of sulfur granules. After the surgery, the patient was prescribed oral antibiotics (cefditoren pivoxil 100 mg, 3 times daily) for 2 weeks, along with four antibiotic eye drops (0.3% gatifloxacin, 4 times daily) for 4 weeks. {#F2} After the surgery, the patient\'s initial symptoms, which had caused discomfort, showed improvement, but the symptoms of epiphora and yellowish discharge from the lacrimal punctal orifice were observed during an outpatient follow-up visit 2 months after the surgery (Fig. [3](#F3){ref-type="fig"}). {#F3} Based on the diagnosis of recurrent primary canaliculitis, 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage were performed. Using the method described by Kim et al in a case of severe punctal stenosis,^\[[@R14]\]^ 4-snip punctoplasty was performed with local infiltrative anesthesia on the conjunctiva below the punctum using 2% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine. Following this, a punctal dilator was used to dilate the punctum and then the 1st vertical cut was made in a downward direction along the ampulla using Vannas scissors. Subsequently, a 2nd horizontal cut, approximately 2 mm long, was made along the roof of the canaliculus, and a 3rd vertical cut extending from the edge of the 2nd cut, was made to form the flap. Lastly, the base of the flap was removed to create a rectangular-shaped opening. Next, canalicular curettage was performed using a 1-mm diameter chalazion curette, and lesions such as concretions and granuloma were completely removed. The surgery was completed by performing a lacrimal irrigation test to verify no abnormality in the patency of the lower lacrimal system. The specimens from the lesions were sent to the laboratory for microbiologic culture and histologic examination (Fig. [4](#F4){ref-type="fig"}). {#F4} Gram-positive rods were found; however, the microbiologic culture test could not identify the exact causative organism. Additionally, tangled clumps of filamentous organisms---findings consistent with a diagnosis of sulfur granules---were found in the histologic examination. After the 2nd surgery, the patient was prescribed oral antibiotics (cefditoren pivoxil 100 mg, 3 times daily) for 2 weeks along with 4 weeks of antibiotic eye drops (0.3% gatifloxacin, 4 times daily). One month after the 2nd surgery, a well-formed punctum was observed, and all signs of epiphora, discharge, eyelid flare up, and swelling near the inferior lacrimal punctum in the left eye had disappeared (Fig. [5](#F5){ref-type="fig"}). {#F5} There were no findings of recurrence or complications during the subsequent 6-month follow-up period. 3. Discussion ============= Primary canaliculitis is a rare disease that involves infection in the lacrimal canaliculus. It accounts for approximately 1.4% to 2% of all lacrimal diseases; however, it is commonly misdiagnosed due to its clinical signs overlapping with other diseases that occur near the lacrimal apparatus.^\[[@R1]--[@R4],[@R8]--[@R10]\]^ Literature reviews report that the rate of misdiagnosis ranges from 45% to 100%.^\[[@R5]--[@R7],[@R9]\]^ As a result, there are often cases in which the appropriate treatment is not provided in timely manner due to delayed diagnosis.^\[[@R4],[@R6]--[@R8]\]^ In particular, initial treatment is delayed in many cases due to symptoms of epiphora, discharge, redness, and eyelid swelling, being misdiagnosed as chronic conjunctivitis, chalazion, or chronic dacryocystitis.^\[[@R5],[@R8],[@R11]\]^ However, specific clinical signs, such as pouting of the punctum, yellowish discoloration of the canalicular region, peripunctum hyperemia, expressible punctal discharge and concretion, and negative regurgitation during the lacrimal sac compression test, can help differentiate primary canaliculitis from other diseases that present with similar symptoms.^\[[@R3],[@R5],[@R8]--[@R10]\]^ The patient in the present case was admitted for primary symptoms of epiphora, discharge, eyelid flare up, and swelling near the inferior lacrimal punctum that persisted despite long-term treatment with antibiotics for 6 months. She was ultimately diagnosed with primary canaliculitis based on gross findings of yellowish discoloration of the canalicular region, expressible punctal discharge and concretion, and negative regurgitation during the lacrimal sac compression test; therefore, the appropriate treatment was provided. In most case reports, *Actinomyces* and *Nocardia* have been reported as the causative organisms of primary canaliculitis^\[[@R5],[@R7]--[@R9],[@R15]--[@R17]\]^; however, recent reports have revealed that *Staphylococcus* and *Streptococcus* species are the most common causative organisms.^\[[@R1],[@R10],[@R14],[@R18]\]^ In the present case, the bacterial culture test could not identify the exact causative organism, but gram-positive rods were found. Additionally, the histologic examination identified tangled clumps of filamentous organisms, which are findings consistent with a diagnosis of sulfur granules. Treatment options for primary canaliculitis include medical management such as warm compresses, digital massage, topical and systemic antibiotics, antifungals, corticosteroids, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy; or surgical management. Some studies have reported that medical management is somewhat effective for treating primary canaliculitis, but the frequency of recurrence may be high due to the fact that such management cannot completely eradicate the bacterial reservoir.^\[[@R5],[@R7]--[@R9],[@R13],[@R18]\]^ In particular, it has been reported that medical treatment can have a recurrence rate of 33%^\[[@R11]\]^; furthermore, there have been many other reports of failed cases using medical treatment.^\[[@R2],[@R6],[@R7],[@R13]\]^ A recent report has indicated that conservative, incision-sparing treatment had an 83.3% successful treatment rate and low recurrence rates^\[[@R19]\]^; however, surgical management is still considered the definitive treatment for canaliculitis.^\[[@R1],[@R5],[@R11],[@R12]\]^ Surgical management includes punctoplasty with canalicular curettage and canaliculotomy with canalicular curettage. Further, punctoplasty and canalicular curettage can use 1-, 2-, or 3-snip punctoplasty, which has been reported to be an effective treatment for primary canaliculitis.^\[[@R3],[@R4],[@R10],[@R15]\]^ Canaliculotomy and canalicular curettage has been reported as a safe and efficacious treatment^\[[@R7]\]^; however, the canaliculus plays an important role in allowing tear flow into the lacrimal sac, and canaliculotomy and canalicular curettage can ultimately cause lacrimal pump dysfunction and epiphora due to scarring or fibrosis of the canaliculus, canalicular luminal narrowing, or canalicular fistula formation. Thus, serious consideration should be given as to whether canaliculotomy should be used for treating primary canaliculitis.^\[[@R4],[@R5],[@R7],[@R20]\]^ It has been reported that 1-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage is a minimally invasive and effective procedure with a high successful treatment rate of 83.3% and a low complication rate.^\[[@R4]\]^ In the present case, a minimally invasive surgery was planned, and 1-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage were performed initially. It was believed that complete canalicular curettage was achieved during the 1st surgery; however, it was found that the patient\'s symptoms recurred 2 months after that surgery and a 2nd surgery was planned. It is believed that the recurrence may have been caused by incomplete removal of concretions and debris during the 1st surgery. Some concretions or debris may have been left unintentionally due to the small size of the incision.^\[[@R4]\]^ Therefore, widening the incision size may help reduce the likelihood of leaving concretions or debris behind, which would ultimately increase the success rate of surgery and lower the recurrence rate. In the present case, good treatment outcomes were achieved by performing 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage with punctal dilation and a wider incision. Although 4-snip punctoplasty can be a good alternative for achieving punctal dilation and a wider incision size, it may be more invasive than 1-snip punctoplasty, which may present problems with maintaining anatomical and physiologic functioning of the lacrimal system. Another study has reported that 4-snip punctoplasty does not have a major impact on the function of the punctal sphincter or the pumping action of the canaliculus, and thus, it can be performed safely.^\[[@R4]\]^ While 1,2,3-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage may be an effective treatment modality for primary canaliculitis, it is associated with a recurrence rate of 6.6% to 22%.^\[[@R2]--[@R5],[@R8],[@R11],[@R13]\]^ Therefore, to reduce the recurrence rate, 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage, which allows a more definitive removal of canalicular concretions or debris, should be considered as the 1st-line treatment to reduce the recurrence rate, in addition to the method used for recurrent cases (Fig. [6](#F6){ref-type="fig"}). {#F6} We cannot conclude that 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage is the best treatment modality for recurrent primary canaliculitis based solely on the treatment outcome in the present case. This is a single case report with surgical outcomes observed over a short follow-up period. In the future, an analysis is required to investigate treatment outcomes in a larger group of patients with observations over a longer follow-up period. Performing 4-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage for recurrent primary canaliculitis after 1-snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage can increase the success rate of surgery and reduce the recurrence rates. 4-Snip punctoplasty and canalicular curettage may also be considered as the 1st-line treatment for primary canaliculitis. Author contributions ==================== **Conceptualization:** Min Ho Kim, Ho Ra. **Resources:** Min Ho Kim, Ho Ra. **Visualization:** Min Ho Kim, Ho Ra. **Writing -- original draft:** Min Ho Kim. **Writing -- review & editing:** Min Ho Kim. The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose. | High | [
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Efficacy of low-dose interferon with antiretroviral therapy in Kaposi's sarcoma: a randomized phase II AIDS clinical trials group study. We wished to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a low and an intermediate daily dose of interferon-alpha2b (IFN-alpha2b) with didanosine in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). HIV-seropositive subjects with biopsy-confirmed cutaneous KS were randomized to receive either a low (1 million IU) or an intermediate (10 million IU) dose of IFN-alpha2b once daily with twice daily doses of didanosine. Treatment assignment was stratified by CD4 count. Response, toxicity, changes in CD4 counts, and survival were evaluated. Sixty-eight eligible subjects were accrued, 35 to low-dose and 33 to intermediate-dose IFN-alpha2b. The response rate was 40% in the low-dose group (95% CI, 24-58) and 55% in the intermediate-dose group (95% CI, 36-72) (p = 0.338). The median response duration was approximately 110 weeks in both groups. Intermediate-dose IFN induced grade 3/4 neutropenia more often (21% vs. 3%, p = 0.048) and grade 3/4 toxicity faster (p = 0.0231) and necessitated treatment discontinuation earlier for drug-related toxicities (p = 0.0416) than low-dose IFN. There were no significant differences in survival between the treatment groups. Baseline CD4 count was the only significant factor predicting response. Once-daily low-dose and intermediate-dose IFN-alpha2b induced similar response rates, which were achieved without optimal antiretroviral therapy. The slightly higher response rate in the intermediate-dose group was offset by its significantly poorer tolerance. These findings justify the use of lower, well-tolerated IFN doses for treatment of KS with currently used antiretroviral regimens. | High | [
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# Copyright 1999-2020 Gentoo Authors # Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License v2 EAPI="6" PYTHON_COMPAT=( python3_{6,7} ) inherit gnome2-utils python-single-r1 xdg-utils if [[ ${PV} == "9999" ]]; then EGIT_REPO_URI="git://sigrok.org/${PN}" inherit git-r3 autotools else SRC_URI="https://sigrok.org/download/source/${PN}/${P}.tar.gz" KEYWORDS="~amd64 ~x86" fi DESCRIPTION="Command-line client for the sigrok logic analyzer software" HOMEPAGE="https://sigrok.org/wiki/Sigrok-cli" LICENSE="GPL-3" SLOT="0" IUSE="+decode" REQUIRED_USE="decode? ( ${PYTHON_REQUIRED_USE} )" RDEPEND=">=dev-libs/glib-2.32.0 >=sci-libs/libsigrok-0.5.0:= decode? ( >=sci-libs/libsigrokdecode-0.5.0:=[${PYTHON_SINGLE_USEDEP}] ${PYTHON_DEPS} )" DEPEND="${RDEPEND} virtual/pkgconfig" src_prepare() { [[ ${PV} == "9999" ]] && eautoreconf eapply_user } src_configure() { econf $(use_with decode libsigrokdecode) } pkg_postinst() { gnome2_icon_cache_update xdg_desktop_database_update } pkg_postrm() { gnome2_icon_cache_update xdg_desktop_database_update } | Mid | [
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Q: Is rejecting A not equivalent to accepting ~A? A fundamental misconception that many laymen hold is that rejecting claim A is equivalent to accepting its inverse, namely ~A. How can we formally differentiate these claims, which I believe are all different: "I believe that Mike is a good dog owner." <- Assertion "I do not believe that Mike is a good dog owner." <- Rejection "I believe that Mike is not a good dog owner." <- Assertion It seems to me that the rejection of a claim (i.e. #2) does not, in any way, necessitate asserting claim #3, but I have no way to demonstrate this. A: "Belief" is a modality; thus, you are right in saying that "do not believe P" is not equivalent to "to believe not-P". Compare with possibly and necessary : The operator ◊ (for ‘possibly’) can be defined from □ [‘it is necessary that’] by letting ◊P = ¬□¬P. This means that e.g. : ¬◊P is not equivalent to ◊¬P. The same thing happens with quantifiers; ¬∃xP(x) is not equivalent to : ∃x¬P(x) but to ∀x¬P(x). This does not contradict Excluded Middle. See Doxastic or Epistemic Logic : B_c(A) reads "Agent c believes A". A: Statement no.1 states The person believes a certain issue. Its contradiction negates no.1 and says: It is wrong that the person believes a certain issue, which is equivalent to the statement from no. 2. But no.2 is not equivalent to no. 3. Because A does not believe B is not equivalent to A believes not B: Possibly A has no believe at all concerning issue B. A: It does not always. If Mike is a dog owner then he can be a good one or a bad one or a mediocre, or sometimes good and sometimes bad, or depending of what aspect of "dog ownership" is investigated any other type. But there are specific types of "treatments" that will make Mike a "good owner" and if he deviates from these a bad one. So i think it is not always a fundamental misconception of laymen thought. If statement A is true then a true negation of it leads to the opposite statement to become true. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Law_of_excluded_middle | Mid | [
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Maintenance Services Preventive Maintenance Unplanned downtime in your facility can be minimized with a well-designed and executed maintenance strategy. We can help you identify and resolve problems before they can cause real damage. We’ll also assess your equipment or systems to improve their performance and reliability. With a proactive start up and maintenance, you can fully optimize your facility. {"headerFormatText":"{0} Search Results for \"{1}\" across the site","headerFormatNoResultsText":"We\u0027re sorry, we could not find anything in our site with \"{0}\". You can","headerFormatNoResultsTextWithoutKeyword":"We\u0027re sorry, we could not find anything in our site to meet this search criteria. You can","headerFormatWithAreaTextWithoutKeyword":"{0} Search Results across the site","moreResultsText":"Show More","paginationFormatText":"{0} of {1} Results","sortByText":"Sort by","clearAll":"Clear All","apply":"Apply","clearAllFilters":"Clear All Filters","filterText":"Filter","productTypeId":"ee74ed5c-cb23-4464-9a30-094504da38bc"} | Low | [
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USAFRICOM and the Militarization of the African Continent: Combating China’s Economic Encroachment As the Obama administration claims to welcome the peaceful rise of China on the world stage, recent policy shifts toward an increased US military presence in Central Africa threaten deepening Chinese commercial activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, widely considered the world’s most resource rich nation. Since the time of the British Empire and the manifesto of Cecil Rhodes, the pursuit of treasures on the hopeless continent has demonstrated the expendability of human life. Despite decades of apathy among the primary resource consumers, the increasing reach of social media propaganda has ignited public interest in Africa’s long overlooked social issues. In the wake of celebrity endorsed pro-intervention publicity stunts, public opinion in the United States is now being mobilized in favor of a greater military presence on the African continent. Following the deployment of one hundred US military personnel to Uganda in 2011, a new bill has been introduced to the Congress calling for the further expansion of regional military forces in pursuit of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), an ailing rebel group allegedly responsible for recruiting child soldiers and conducting crimes against humanity. As the Obama administration claims to welcome the peaceful rise of China on the world stage, recent policy shifts toward an American Pacific Century indicate a desire to maintain the capacity to project military force toward the emerging superpower. In addition to maintaining a permanent military presence in Northern Australia, the construction of an expansive military base on South Korea’s Jeju Island has indicated growing antagonism towards Beijing. The base maintains the capacity to host up to twenty American and South Korean warships, including submarines, aircraft carriers and destroyers once completed in 2014 – in addition to the presence of Aegis anti-ballistic systems. In response, Chinese leadership has referred to the increasing militarization in the region as an open provocation. On the economic front, China has been excluded from the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), a trade agreement intended to administer US-designed international trading regulations throughout Asia, to the benefit of American corporations. As further fundamental policy divisions emerge subsequent to China and Russia’s UNSC veto mandating intervention in Syria, the Obama administration has begun utilizing alternative measures to exert new economic pressure towards Beijing. The United States, along with the EU and Japan have called on the World Trade Organization to block Chinese-funded mining projects in the US, in addition to a freeze on World Bank financing for China’s extensive mining projects. In a move to counteract Chinese economic ascendancy, Washington is crusading against China’s export restrictions on minerals that are crucial components in the production of consumer electronics such as flat-screen televisions, smart phones, laptop batteries, and a host of other products. In a 2010 white paper entitled “Critical Raw Materials for the EU,” the European Commission cites the immediate need for reserve supplies of tantalum, cobalt, niobium, and tungsten among others; the US Department of Energy 2010 white paper “Critical Mineral Strategy” also acknowledged the strategic importance of these key components. Coincidently, the US military is now attempting to increase its presence in what is widely considered the world’s most resource rich nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. China’s unprecedented economic transformation has relied not only on consumer markets in the United States, Australia and the EU – but also on Africa, as a source for a vast array of raw materials. As Chinese economic and cultural influence in Africa expands exponentially with the symbolic construction of the new $200 million African Union headquarters funded solely by Beijing, the ailing United States and its leadership have expressed dissatisfaction toward its diminishing role in the region. During a diplomatic tour of Africa in 2011, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton herself has irresponsibly insinuated China’s guilt in perpetuating a creeping “new colonialism.” At a time when China holds an estimated $1.5 trillion in American government debt, Clinton’s comments remain dangerously provocative. As China, backed by the world’s largest foreign currency reserves, begins to offer loans to its BRICS counterparts in RMB, the prospect of emerging nations resisting the New American Century appear to be increasingly assured. While the success of Anglo-American imperialism relies on its capacity to militarily drive target nations into submission, today’s African leaders are not obliged to do business with China – although doing so may be to their benefit. China annually invests an estimated $5.5 billion in Africa, with only 29 percent of direct investment in the mining sector in 2009 – while more than half was directed toward domestic manufacturing, finance, and construction industries, which largely benefit Africans themselves – despite reports of worker mistreatment. China’s deepening economic engagement in Africa and its crucial role in developing the mineral sector, telecommunications industry and much needed infrastructural projects is creating “deep nervousness” in the West, according to David Shinn, the former US ambassador to Burkina Faso and Ethiopia. In a 2011 Department of Defense whitepaper entitled “Military and Security Developments Involving the People’s Republic of China”, the US acknowledges the maturity of China’s modern hardware and military technology, and the likelihood of Beijing finding hostility with further military alliances between the United States and Taiwan. The document further indicates that “China’s rise as a major international actor is likely to stand out as a defining feature of the strategic landscape of the early 21st century.” Furthermore, the Department of Defense concedes to the uncertainty of how China’s growing capabilities will be administered on the world stage. Although a US military presence in Africa (under the guise of fighting terrorism and protecting human rights) specifically to counter Chinese regional economic authority may not incite tension in the same way that a US presence in North Korea or Taiwan would, the potential for brinksmanship exists and will persist. China maintains the largest standing army in the world with 2,285,000 personnel and is working to challenge the regional military hegemony of America’s Pacific Century with its expanding naval and conventional capabilities, including an effort to develop the world’s first anti-ship ballistic missile. Furthermore, China has moved to begin testing advanced anti-satellite (ASAT) and Anti Ballistic Missile (ABM) weapons systems in an effort to bring the US-China rivalry into Space warfare. The concept of US intervention into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, Central African Republic and Uganda under the pretext of disarming the Lord’s Resistance Army is an ultimately fraudulent purpose. The LRA has been in operation for over two decades, and presently remains at an extremely weakened state, with approximately 400 soldiers. According the LRA Crisis Tracker, a digital crisis mapping software launched by the Invisible Children group, not a single case of LRA activity has been reported in Uganda since 2006. The vast majority of reported attacks are presently taking place in the northeastern Bangadi region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located on the foot of a tri-border expanse between the Central African Republic and South Sudan. The existence of the Lord’s Resistance Army should rightfully be disputed, as the cases of LRA activity reported by US State Department-supported Invisible Children rely on unconfirmed reports – cases where LRA activity is presumed and suspected. Given the extreme instability in the northern DRC after decades of foreign invasion and countless rebel insurgencies, the lack of adequate investigative infrastructure needed to sufficiently examine and confirm the LRA’s presence is simply not in place. The villainous branding of Joseph Kony may well be deserved, however it cannot be overstated that the LRA threat is wholly misrepresented in recent pro-intervention US legislation. An increasing US presence in the region exists only to curtail the increasing economic presence of China in one of the world’s most resource and mineral rich regions. The Lord’s Resistance Army was originally formed in 1987 in northwestern Uganda by members of the Acholi ethnic group, who were historically exploited for forced labor by the British colonialists and later marginalized by the nation’s dominant Bantu ethic groups following independence. The Lord’s Resistance Army originally aimed to overthrow the government of current Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni – due to a campaign of genocide waged against the Acholi people. The northern Ugandan Acholi and Langi ethnic groups have been historically targeted and ostracized by successive Anglo-American backed administrations. In 1971, Israeli and British intelligence agencies engineered a coup against Uganda’s socialist President Milton Obote, which gave rise to the disastrous regime of Idi Amin. In a detailed report of Museveni’s atrocities, Ugandan writer Herrn Edward Mulindwa offers, “During the 22-year war, Museveni’s army killed, maimed and mutilated thousands of civilians, while blaming it on rebels. In northern Uganda, instead of defending and protecting civilians against rebel attacks, Museveni’s army would masquerade as rebels and commit gross atrocities, including maiming and mutilation, only to return and pretend to be saviors of the affected people.” Despite such compelling evidence of brutality, Museveni has been a staunch US ally since the Reagan administration and received $45 million dollars in military aid from the Obama administration for Ugandan participation in the fight against Somalia’s al Shabaab militia. Since the abhorrent failure of the 1993 US intervention in Somalia, the US has relied on the militaries of Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia to carry out US interests in proxy. Since colonial times, the West has historically exploited ethnic differences in Africa for political gain. In Rwanda, the Belgian colonial administration exacerbated tension between the Hutu, who were subjugated as a workforce – and the Tutsi, seen as extenders of Belgian rule. From the start of the Rwandan civil war in 1990, the US sought to overthrow the 20-year reign of Hutu President Juvénal Habyarimana by installing a Tutsi proxy government in Rwanda, a region historically under the influence of France and Belgium. At that time prior to the outbreak of the Rwandan civil war, the Tutsi Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA) led by current Rwandan President Paul Kagame, was part of Museveni’s United People’s Defense Forces (UPDF). Ugandan forces invaded Rwanda in 1990 under the pretext of Tutsi liberation, despite the fact that Museveni refused to grant citizenship to Tutsi-Rwandan refugees living in Uganda at the time, a move that further offset the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Kagame himself was trained at the U.S. Army Command and Staff College (CGSC) in Leavenworth, Kansas prior to returning to the region to oversee the 1990 invasion of Rwanda as commander of the RPA, which received supplies from US-funded UPDF military bases inside Uganda. The invasion of Rwanda had the full support of the US and Britain, who provided training by US Special Forces in collaboration with US mercenary outfit, Military Professional Resources Incorporated (MPRI). A report issued in 2000 by Canadian Professor Michel Chossudovsky and Belgian economist Senator Pierre Galand concluded that western financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank financed both sides of the Rwandan civil war, through a process of financing military expenditure from the external debt of both the regimes of Habyarimana and Museveni. In Uganda, the World Bank imposed austerity measures solely on civilian expenditures while overseeing the diversion of State revenue go toward funding the UPDF, on behalf of Washington. In Rwanda, the influx of development loans from the World Bank’s affiliates such as the International Development Association (IDA), the African Development Fund (AFD), and the European Development Fund (EDF) were diverted into funding the Hutu extremist Interhamwe militia, the main protagonists of the Rwandan genocide. Perhaps most disturbingly, the World Bank oversaw huge arms purchases that were recorded as bona fide government expenditures, a stark violation of agreements signed between the Rwandan government and donor institutions. Under the watch of the World Bank, the Habyarimana regime imported approximately one million machetes through various Interhamwe linked organizations, under the pretext of importing civilian commodities. To ensure their reimbursement, a multilateral trust fund of $55.2 million dollars was designated toward postwar reconstruction efforts, although the money was not allocated to Rwanda – but to the World Bank, to service the debts used to finance the massacres. Furthermore, Paul Kagame was pressured by Washington upon coming to power to recognize the legitimacy of the debt incurred by the previous genocidal Habyarimana regime. The swap of old loans for new debts (under the banner of post-war reconstruction) was conditional upon the acceptance of a new wave of IMF-World Bank reforms, which similarly diverted outside funds into military expenditure prior to the Kagame-led invasion of the Congo, then referred to as Zaire. As present day Washington legislators attempt to increase US military presence in the DRC under the pretext of humanitarian concern, the highly documented conduct of lawless western intelligence agencies and defense contractors in the Congo since its independence sheds further light on the exploitative nature of western intervention. In 1961, the Congo’s first legally elected Prime Minister, Patrice Lumumba was assassinated with support from Belgian intelligence and the CIA, paving the way for the thirty-two year reign of Mobutu Sese Seko. As part of an attempt to purge the Congo of all colonial cultural influence, Mobutu renamed the country Zaire and led an authoritarian regime closely allied to France, Belgium and the US. Mobutu was regarded as a staunch US ally during the Cold War due to his strong stance against communism; the regime received billions in international aid, most from the United States. His administration allowed national infrastructure to deteriorate while the Zairian kleptocracy embezzled international aid and loans; Mobutu himself reportedly held $4 billion USD in a personal Swiss bank account. Relations between the US and Zaire thawed at the end of the Cold War, when Mobutu was no longer needed as an ally; Washington would later use Rwandan and Ugandan troops to invade the Congo to topple Mobutu and install a new proxy regime. Following the conflict in Rwanda, 1.2 million Hutu civilians (many of whom who took part in the genocide) crossed into the Kivu province of eastern Zaire fearing prosecution from Paul Kagame’s Tutsi RPA. US Special Forces trained Rwandan and Ugandan troops at Fort Bragg in the United States and supported Congolese rebels under future President, Laurent Kabila. Under the pretext of safeguarding Rwandan national security against the threat of displaced Hutu militias, troops from Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi invaded the Congo and ripped through Hutu refugee camps, slaughtering thousands of Rwandan and Congolese Hutu civilians, many of who were women and children. Reports of brutality and mass killing in the Congo were rarely addressed in the West, as the International Community was sympathetic to Kagame and the Rwandan Tutsi victims of genocide. Both Halliburton and Bechtel (military contractors that profited immensely from the Iraq war) were involved in military training and reconnaissance operations in an attempt to overthrow Mobutu and bring Kabila to power. After deposing Mobutu and seizing control in Kinshasa, Laurent Kabila was quickly regarded as an equally despotic leader after eradicating all opposition to his rule; he turned away from his Rwandan backers and called on Congolese civilians to violently purge the nation of Rwandans, prompting Rwandan forces to regroup in Goma, in an attempt to capture resource rich territory in eastern Congo. Prior to becoming President in 1997, Kabila sent representatives to Toronto to discuss mining opportunities with American Mineral Fields (AMF) and Canada’s Barrick Gold Corporation; AMF had direct ties to US President Bill Clinton and was given exclusive exploration rights to zinc, copper, and cobalt mines in the area. The Congolese Wars perpetrated by Rwanda and Uganda killed at least six million people, making it the largest case of genocide since the Jewish holocaust. The successful perpetration of the conflict relied on western military and financial support, and was fought primarily to usurp the extensive mining resources of eastern and southern Congo; the US defense industry relies on high quality metallic alloys indigenous to the region, used primarily in the construction of high-performance jet engines. In 1980, Pentagon documents acknowledged shortages of cobalt, titanium, chromium, tantalum, beryllium, and nickel; US participation in the Congolese conflict was largely an effort to obtain these needed resources. The sole piece of legislation authored by President Obama during his time as a Senator was S.B. 2125, the Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act of 2006. In the legislation, Obama acknowledges the Congo as a long-term interest to the United States and further alludes to the threat of Hutu militias as an apparent pretext for continued interference in the region; Section 201(6) of the bill specifically calls for the protection of natural resources in the eastern DRC. The Congressional Budget Office’s 1982 report “Cobalt: Policy Options for a Strategic Mineral” notes that cobalt alloys are critical to the aerospace and weapons industries and that 64% of the world’s cobalt reserves lay in the Katanga Copper Belt, running from southeastern Congo into northern Zambia. For this reason, the future perpetration of the military industrial complex largely depends on the control of strategic resources in the eastern DRC. In 2001, Laurent Kabila was assassinated by a member of his security staff, paving the way for his son Joseph Kabila to dynastically usurp the presidency. The younger Kabila derives his legitimacy solely from the support of foreign heads of state and the international business community, due to his ability to comply with foreign plunder. The framework of the deal allocated an additional $3 million to develop cobalt and copper mining operations in Katanga. In 2009, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) demanded renegotiation of the deal, arguing that the agreement between China and the DRC violated the foreign debt relief program for so-called HIPC (Highly Indebted Poor Countries) nations. The vast majority of the DRC’s $11 billion foreign debt owed to the Paris Club was embezzled by the previous regime of Mobuto Sesi Seko. The IMF successfully blocked the deal in May 2009, calling for a more feasibility study of the DRCs mineral concessions. The United States is currently mobilizing public opinion in favor of a greater US presence in Africa, under the pretext of capturing Joseph Kony, quelling Islamist terrorism and putting an end to long-standing humanitarian issues. As well-meaning Americans are successively coerced by highly emotional social media campaigns promoting an American response to atrocities, few realize the role of the United States and western financial institutions in fomenting the very tragedies they are now poised to resolve. While many genuinely concerned individuals naively support forms of pro-war brand activism, the mobilization of ground forces in Central Africa will likely employ the use of predator drones and targeted missile strikes that have been notoriously responsible for civilian causalities en masse. The further consolidation of US presence in the region is part of a larger program to expand AFRICOM, the United States Africa Command through a proposed archipelago of military bases in the region. In 2007, US State Department advisor Dr. J. Peter Pham offered the following on AFRICOM and its strategic objectives of “protecting access to hydrocarbons and other strategic resources which Africa has in abundance, a task which includes ensuring against the vulnerability of those natural riches and ensuring that no other interested third parties, such as China, India, Japan, or Russia, obtain monopolies or preferential treatment.” Additionally, during an AFRICOM Conference held at Fort McNair on February 18, 2008, Vice Admiral Robert T. Moeller openly declared AFRICOM’s guiding principle of protecting “the free flow of natural resources from Africa to the global market,” before citing the increasing presence of China as a major challenge to US interests in the region. The increased US presence in Central Africa is not simply a measure to secure monopolies on Uganda’s recently discovered oil reserves; Museveni’s legitimacy depends solely on foreign backers and their extensive military aid contributions – US ground forces are not required to obtain valuable oil contracts from Kampala. The push into Africa has more to do with destabilizing the deeply troubled Democratic Republic of the Congo and capturing its strategic reserves of cobalt, tantalum, gold and diamonds. More accurately, the US is poised to employ a scorched-earth policy by creating dangerous war-like conditions in the Congo, prompting the mass exodus of Chinese investors. Similarly to the Libyan conflict, the Chinese returned after the fall of Gaddafi to find a proxy government only willing to do business with the western nations who helped it into power. The ostensible role of the first African-American US President is to export the theatresque War on Terror directly to the African continent, in a campaign to exploit established tensions along tribal, ethnic and religious lines. As US policy theoreticians such as Dr. Henry Kissinger, willingly proclaim, ”Depopulation should be the highest priority of US foreign policy towards the Third World,” the vast expanse of desert and jungles in northern and central Africa will undoubtedly serve as the venue for the next decade of resource wars. Disclaimer: The contents of this article are of sole responsibility of the author(s). The Centre for Research on Globalization will not be responsible for any inaccurate or incorrect statement in this article. The Center of Research on Globalization grants permission to cross-post original Global Research articles on community internet sites as long as the text & title are not modified. The source and the author's copyright must be displayed. For publication of Global Research articles in print or other forms including commercial internet sites, contact: [email protected] www.globalresearch.ca contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available to our readers under the provisions of "fair use" in an effort to advance a better understanding of political, economic and social issues. The material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving it for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material for purposes other than "fair use" you must request permission from the copyright owner. | Mid | [
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After extended legal battles, France's President Sarkozy finally got his way. This year will see some of the most aggressive anti-piracy action against citizens which, if ministers are to be believed, will dramatically reduce online piracy. This might be possible, if the measures weren't so easily circumvented. After some epic legal wrangling, vote after vote, and protest upon protest, the French government finally got their way. In 2010, those caught sharing files illegally in France will be subjected to the much-touted “3 strikes” regime. When ‘caught’ uploading copyright works for the first time, the owner of the Internet connection used for the alleged infringement will receive an email warning. On allegations of a second offense, a physical letter will drop through the door. On the the third, the account holder will be summoned to appear before a judge who will have the power to fine, or even disconnect them from the Internet. French senator Michel Thiolliere has told the BBC that the so-called Hadopi legislation will have the desired effect, with nearly everyone warned a second time abandoning illegal file-sharing for good. “What we think is that after the first message… about two-thirds of the people (will) stop their illegal usages of the internet,” he explained “After the second message more than 95% will finish with that bad usage.” It is, however, much more likely that after getting a first warning, or even before, French Internet users will try to find a way round this system. They will discover that it’s surprisingly easy. 6 Ways Savvy Internet Users Will Neutralize Hadopi Free options MP3 Search Engines One of the simplest ways to find music online is to use an MP3 search engine. That won’t be difficult as there are dozens to choose from. Sites like Skreemr, Songza, beeMP3, MP3Realm and AirMP3 are very simple to use and since there is no uploading, they drive a cart and horses through Hadopi. For those who don’t mind getting their hands dirty, Google offers similar functionality with their filetype: search operator. Direct Downloads During 2008 and 2009, the continued rise of blogs and forums that link to music, movies, tv shows and games stored on so-called cyberlocker sites was difficult to ignore. Although links can get taken down very quickly by copyright holders, they are often replaced just as swiftly by the communities that frequent such sites. The international music industry is particularly worried about the phenomenon, as tracking those that download from sites such as Rapidshare and MegaUpload is completely impractical. Of course there are also perfectly legal alternatives, such as the excellent Jamendo. Streaming Music and Video While there are dozens of sites to visit directly, for those who really can’t be bothered to look any further and don’t mind closing a couple of slightly annoying popups, OVGuide is a huge portal to thousands of movies, TV shows and general video. With the assistance of the DivX plug-in, most content can be streamed directly in compatible web-browsers. Music fans who don’t mind to stream tracks in their web browser actually have a few dozen legal alternatives. Grooveshark is one of the most elaborate music services. It holds more content than the average download store, supports playlists and it will roll out an iPhone app. Premium options Overseas MP3 Sites Just over the English Channel from France lies the UK. Research carried out there recently by the BPI indicated that usage of MP3 pay sites had increased by 47%. While users do have to hand over money to use these services, at a tiny fraction of prices they would pay in their homeland they prove attractive to those on a tight budget. Newsgroups Using Usenet, or newsgroups as they are commonly known, is one of the most secure ways of downloading movies, TV shows, music and video games. While the learning curve on Usenet is considered by many to be quite steep, once an individual discovers .NZB files – the .torrent of the newsgroup world – everything is hugely simplified. Within seconds of starting a transfer, the user’s connection will be completely maxed-out. On a practical basis, and certainly as far as Hadopi is concerned, paying a few euros each month for a decent newsgroup account means that French citizens need never fear being disconnected from the Internet. Indeed, not even the first warning email will arrive. Anonymous VPN While the above options require that Internet users modify their behaviors, by spending a few euros a month on an anonymous VPN account they won’t have to change any of their habits at all. They can continue to use BitTorrent, eD2K or any other P2P method of file-sharing. Once subscribed to a service such as Netherlands-based ItsHidden (who also offer a free, but speed-limited service), Hadopi file-sharing investigators will believe that the user behind that IP address is from another country and simply move on. As the failed and now largely abandoned campaign against file-sharers in the United States proved, scare tactics simply don’t work. There are millions of file-sharers in France and many will simply carry on their activities in the belief that the odds of being caught are extremely slim. And they would be absolutely right. | Low | [
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Revisión de Compatibilidad con Linux The Wortmann Terra Mobile 1450 II is an Ultrabook, which can be used with Ubuntu 12.10. At least a Linux kernel of version 3.6.10 should be used. The hardware is automatically supported by Linux, except for the touchpad, which needs additional configuration. Some Linux users encounter freezing of the System from time to time (see Bug-Report). The root cause of those freezes was not identified yet and prevents productive work with this Ultrabook. Touchpad Grub has to be adapted in order to use the touchpad. In the file “/etc/default/grub” the entry GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="" has to be adapted to GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="i8042.noloop" Afterwards, the following command has to be executed in order to let grub take this change into account: | Low | [
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Guss' Pickles Guss' Pickles was founded by a Polish immigrant, Isidor Guss. Guss arrived in New York in 1910, and like hundreds of thousands of other Jewish immigrants, settled in the Lower East Side. Clustered in the "pickle district" of Essex and Ludlow streets, early 20th century pickle vendors gave birth to what would be known as "New York style" pickles. Guss at first worked for L. Hollander and Sons, before opening his own store. At the time, the neighborhood was teeming with 80 other pickle shops. However, immigration restrictions, a ban on pushcarts and the steady economic decline of the Lower East Side felled almost all of these shops. Guss' Pickles withstood the economic difficulty and now remains as the last store from the days of the Essex Street empire. In 1979, Harry Baker and his partner Burt Blitz took over Guss' Pickles. Through the 1980s and into the 2000s, Baker and his son Tim ran the store. . Guss' Pickles was featured in the film Crossing Delancey(1988) Guss' Pickles ships gallon size nationwide at their official web-site GussPickles.com. In June 2017 Guss' Pickles opened a new store in Brooklyn. It is inside the Dekalb Market Hall. Ownership In 2002, Tim Baker sold his ownership of Guss Pickles to Andrew Leibowitz. The Guss Pickles trademark now belongs to Crossing Delancey Pickle Enterprises Corporation. Andrew Leibowitz is the President. They maintain a factory in the Bronx and a farm located in New Jersey References External links Category:1920 establishments in New York (state) Category:Jews and Judaism in Manhattan Category:Lower East Side Category:Polish-Jewish culture in New York City Category:Restaurants in Manhattan | High | [
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Management & Development Foundation Establishment of Diarrhea Treatment Centre (DTC) Project Location within Country: Beneficiar(ies): The patients from flood affected communities . Start Date (Month/year): October, 2011 Expected Completion Date: November, 2011 Description of Project World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Provincial and the District Health Departments had been identifying and responding to threats of communicable diseases through the Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) which was monitoring the disease trends since the beginning of those crises. Based on the anticipation that, not only in the displaced population hosting districts but also in many other parts of Pakistan, outbreaks of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) or suspected Cholera would threaten the lives of the people. "Rapid Response Terms" were prepared by WHO in every District. Each of the team was trained thoroughly for the response to AWD and cholera outbreaks and consisted of five doctors, five nurses and five sanitary workers. However, keeping in view the high number of outbreaks and the requirement of time, it was proposed to establish additional ongoing DTCs at the district level for the treatment of diarrheal outbreaks. The following strategies were proposed with regard to DTCs in the flood-affected districts for coping up with the rising incidence of the out breaks this year. Hot spots where AWD outbreaks were expected. Areas where AWD outbreaks had been confirmed in the past three months. Districts recommended by the Hubs as needing DTCs. Services Provided Impart training to the staff Inauguration of Diarrhea Treatment Centre Service to the DTC Information campaign Monitoring and coordination with the relevant stakeholders Mobilize flood affected communities for disease prevention Daily, weekly, fortnightly and final reports to donor | High | [
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/* * Swagger Petstore * * This spec is mainly for testing Petstore server and contains fake endpoints, models. Please do not use this for any other purpose. Special characters: \" \\ * * OpenAPI spec version: 1.0.0 * Contact: [email protected] * Generated by: https://github.com/swagger-api/swagger-codegen.git */ using NUnit.Framework; using System; using System.Linq; using System.IO; using System.Collections.Generic; using IO.Swagger.Api; using IO.Swagger.Model; using IO.Swagger.Client; using System.Reflection; using Newtonsoft.Json; namespace IO.Swagger.Test { /// <summary> /// Class for testing ClassModel /// </summary> /// <remarks> /// This file is automatically generated by Swagger Codegen. /// Please update the test case below to test the model. /// </remarks> [TestFixture] public class ClassModelTests { // TODO uncomment below to declare an instance variable for ClassModel //private ClassModel instance; /// <summary> /// Setup before each test /// </summary> [SetUp] public void Init() { // TODO uncomment below to create an instance of ClassModel //instance = new ClassModel(); } /// <summary> /// Clean up after each test /// </summary> [TearDown] public void Cleanup() { } /// <summary> /// Test an instance of ClassModel /// </summary> [Test] public void ClassModelInstanceTest() { // TODO uncomment below to test "IsInstanceOfType" ClassModel //Assert.IsInstanceOfType<ClassModel> (instance, "variable 'instance' is a ClassModel"); } /// <summary> /// Test the property '_Class' /// </summary> [Test] public void _ClassTest() { // TODO unit test for the property '_Class' } } } | Low | [
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Methylamphetamine synthesis: does an alteration in synthesis conditions affect the δ(13) C, δ(15) N and δ(2) H stable isotope ratio values of the product? Conventional chemical profiling of methylamphetamine has long been employed by national forensic laboratories to determine the synthetic route and where possible the precursor chemicals used in its manufacture. This laboratory has been studying the use of stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) analysis as a complementary technique to conventional chemical profiling of fully synthetic illicit drugs such as methylamphetamine. As part of these investigations the stable carbon (δ(13) C), nitrogen (δ(15) N), and hydrogen (δ(2) H) isotope values in the precursor chemicals of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine and the resulting methylamphetamine end-products have been measured to determine the synthetic origins of methylamphetamine. In this study, results are presented for δ(13) C, δ(15) N, and δ(2) H values in methylamphetamine synthesized from ephedrine and pseudoephedrine by two synthetic routes with varying experimental parameters. It was demonstrated that varying parameters, such as stoichiometry, reaction temperature, reaction time, and reaction pressure, had no effect on the δ(13) C, δ(15) N, and δ(2) H isotope values of the final methylamphetamine product, within measurement uncertainty. Therefore the value of the IRMS technique in identifying the synthetic origin of precursors, such as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, is not compromised by the potential variation in synthetic method that is expected from one batch to the next, especially in clandestine laboratories where manufacture can occur without stringent quality control of reactions. | Mid | [
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"Previously on The Returned..." "He got out!" "Do you know how stupid you are?" "Do you?" "Maybe he was just hunting." "Hunting what?" "I know who you are." "You killed my mom." "You killed me." "Hello, Henry." "Tell them who you are." "She's Camille." "She's not my cousin." "She's my sister." "Lena, you're not making any sense." "You shouldn't be out of the hospital." "Why don't you tell them why I was in the hospital?" "She wants me dead like her." "Lena?" "Lena?" "Are you okay?" "Camille." "What?" "She says it happened fast." "She didn't even know it was coming." "She wasn't afraid." "What are you talking about?" "She's gone now." "I'm not understanding what's going on here." "Sometimes... sometimes during sex, I see things." "Or hear things." "It just happens." "Come on, get off." "Get off." "I'm..." "I'm gonna go." "Okay." "_" "Clear." "Bag her." "I'm resuming compressions." "She's flatlined." "No pulse." "Stay with us, Lucy." "Come on." "She's catatonic." "She's in defib." "Body temp 92." "Blood pressure dropping." "Time of death: 2:26." "Pupillary reflexes are good." "Brain function's normal." "What's her BP?" "Liz?" "110 over 60." "Is that good?" "For someone we thought was clinically dead?" "Yeah, that's pretty good." "What happened?" "Why am I here?" "Someone attacked you." "You were stabbed." "When they brought you in, you'd lost so much blood that you slipped into a coma." "An hour ago, you went into sudden cardiac arrest." "Your heart stopped." "I was stabbed?" "Where was I stabbed?" "May I?" "If I knew where she was going," "I wouldn't be calling the police." "Yes, I understand she's an adult." "Let me say it one more time." "My daughter is hurt, and she left the hospital." "Thank you." "All right." "Hi, it's Lena." "Leave me a message, and I'll call you back probably." "Honey, it's me again." "I know you're upset, but you have to call me back." "We're all very worried about you, okay?" "I love you." "It's not like she's dead or anything." "Lena's fine." "I can feel her." "Like we used to." "Remember that winter that you took us all sledding in Silver Springs?" "Lena broke her ankle, and I felt it." "Mom and I were still on the top of the mountain, but I knew she was hurt." "Fine, don't believe me." "No one's saying we didn't believe you, honey." "It happened the day of the accident too." "I felt her right before." "What do you mean, you felt her?" "She wasn't sick that day." "She was with Ben having sex." "You guys are so clueless." "Camille?" "Why was Lena running away from you last night?" "Did..." "Did you do something?" "Claire." "You think I hurt her?" "That she's gone because of me?" "Camille." "What if Lena's right?" "What if Camille isn't who she used to be?" "Camille is our daughter." "So is Lena." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." " Who are you?" " I'm Adam." "It's okay." "You're safe." " You're safe." " Where am I?" "My cabin." "Look, I found you passed out by the river." "Just take it easy." "Look, I was gonna take you to the hospital, but... it looks like you've already been, and I figured..." "I figured you left for a reason." "Look, I couldn't just leave you out in the woods, so I brought you here." "What happened to your back?" "It's a long story." "Do you have any aspirin or... or whiskey?" "It hurts like hell." "No." "I have something better though." "Just wait here." "I remember leaving the Dog Star." "I remember walking." "Then what?" "Well, the doctors said I was found in the tunnel under the highway, but I don't remember being there." "I don't remember anything else." "What about him?" "Does he look familiar?" "Yeah." "I met him at the Dog Star." "He was looking for a girl who used to work there." "Is he the person who attacked you?" "I don't..." "I don't remember." "But it could be him." "I'm sorry." "It's okay." "We'll talk more later." "You just get some rest now." "Doc?" "Stay here." "Did you hear that?" "Hear what?" "Nothing." "Never mind." "What are the chances of her getting her memories back after something like this?" "Something like this?" "I've never seen something like this." "No one has." "There's no medical precedent." "Three hours ago, this girl was dead." "And now?" "She's fine." "All right." "Thanks." "Yeah." "♪ Dug myself out of a grave, no shovel ♪" "♪ Double flip step and dancing with the devil ♪" "♪ Echoes inside of my brain that say meant away ♪" "♪ Quarter never change, I'm still myself, klepto ♪" "Can I help you?" "I'm Claire Winship." "Lena's mom." "Oh, Mrs. Winship." "Sorry, I'm, like, half asleep." "May I come in?" "Uh, yeah." "Yeah, sure." "So how's Lena?" "I mean, we were really worried about her last night." "That's why I'm here." "Lena never came home." "She's not answering her phone." "Oh." "Yeah, she was saying some pretty crazy shit." "Guess she was kind of out of it, painkillers and all." "What happened to her back?" "The doctors aren't sure." "She should be in the hospital." "Did you call Ben?" "Ben hasn't heard from her." "Is there someone new maybe?" "Somebody I'm not thinking of?" "A boyfriend?" "Well, there isn't, like, one." "What do you mean?" "Well, Lena... sh... she knows a lot of different guys." "But last night, I didn't see her with anyone." "Sorry." "What is it?" "Nettles mostly, some ground-up whitebark pine and a bunch of other stuff." "It's my ma's recipe." "Okay, this is gonna hurt." "But it'll make it better." "Mm." "Trust me." "Okay." "Do you live here by yourself?" "Um, I used to live with my ma and my brother, but my ma died." "And your brother?" "He did something I can't forgive." "I had a sister." "I wasn't good to her either." "What happened?" "I did something unforgivable too." "I think that's why this is happening to me." "I should be dead." "Me too." "But we're not." "We're here." "Maybe it's not too late to be different." "Hey." "I got your message." "Did you find Victor?" "No." "But we picked up a homeless woman we think may've been with him." "Witnesses saw them together at the diner." "She skipped out on the check, so we picked her up this morning." "W... what about Victor?" "She says he walked off while she was in the restroom." "You don't think she did something to him?" "She seems off but not violent." "Look, she says she's George Goddard's wife." "George Goddard's wife died 29 years ago." "She's probably off her meds, but she does seem to know a lot about him." "George was a patient of yours, right?" "I was thinking maybe you could talk to her a little, get her to open up." "If she does know where Victor went, maybe she'll tell you." "Who are you?" "I'm Julie." "I'm a doctor." "A shrink?" "I'm not that kind of doctor." "May I sit down?" "Do you have any food?" "I am starving." "I was George's doctor." "I saw pictures of you in his house." "So then you believe me?" "That I am who I say I am?" "Hmm." "George said you died in the flood." "Do you remember that?" "Mm-hmm." "I remember the sound mostly." "It was like a strong wind, but there was no wind." "And then there was the water." "Oh, it was black as tar." "A stew of sludge." "Broken trees." "Glass." "Ugh, floating cars." "Yep." "It felt like the whole world was being swallowed up." "And the little boy, why were you with him yesterday?" "He's like me." "Victor died in the flood too?" "Hmm, you mean Henry?" "No, he died before that." "Do you know how?" "Some men broke into his house looking to rob the place." "That was terrible." "Killed his mother, and then they killed him." "How is this possible?" "The more pertinent question is "why."" "There has to be a reason for us being here, right?" "How do you know if you're dead?" "There's only one way to find out." "You don't seriously believe any of that, do you?" "Look at me." "That woman met Victor at the Triple C two days ago." "She doesn't know anything about him." "She's crazy." "What if she's not?" "What are you saying?" "That she's dead?" "Maybe she and Victor aren't the only ones." "What?" "You mean you?" "Hey, I was there, okay?" "You fought like hell, and you survived." "That man didn't kill you." "You don't get it." "It would be a relief to find out that I'm like her." "It would explain why I haven't been able... to feel my life." "Can you feel that?" "Come with me." "I want to show you something." "Richard and I grew up together." "We dropped out of school and went on the road together to see the country, to... to have adventures." "We made it as far as Caldwell before we ran out of money." "Richard said it would be easy." "Nobody was supposed to be home." "Your mother was reading a book in the living room when we came through the back door." "I had no idea he was gonna do... what he did." "And he told me to go search the house, and that's... that's when I found you." "I'm sorry." "I brought you out here to show you that the man who killed your mother, who killed you, he's dead now." "And he died a slow and horrible death from cancer." "It took... it took five years to eat him up." "Henry, I've spent the last 29 years of my life trying to live... trying to make up for that night." "I've devoted myself to trying to... help others." "But I see now that maybe that's not enough." "Maybe that's why... you've come back." "I am asking for your forgiveness, Henry." "But I understand if you can't give it." "Lena?" "Hey." "I'm fine." "You can stop calling." "Tell me where you are." "I'll come get you." "No." "Lena, you should be in a hospital." "That wound is serious." "It's getting better, really." "You don't have to worry." "You ran away from a hospital." "You won't tell us where you are or who you're with." "I know I haven't been there for you." "I'm sorry." "It's a little late for that, don't you think?" "Lena, don't..." "Hey, it's Ben." "Leave a message." "Ben, it's Alice." "Sorry things got so crazy last night." "Lena was pretty messed up, huh?" "Anyway, call me back when you get this." "I want to see you." "She's with someone." "Did she say that?" "Do you know about out daughter's reputation?" "So when you were hanging out there at the Dog Star with your friend... what did you do?" "You just sit and watch her get drunk and go home with strangers?" "You know, legally she is an adult." "She can do whatever she wants to." "You may not like the way she's living her life, but at least she's living it." "You've been at the bottom of a bottle for four years." "And you've been locked in this house lighting candles to your dead daughter's shrine." "I think..." "I think you're pissed off you got no one left to mourn." "Camille's back." "Lena doesn't need you." "And you don't know what the heck to do." "Can you imagine being anything other than the perfect grieving martyr?" "Get out of here." "Get out." "What are you doing?" "Sorry, I was just looking for something to wear." "The hospital gown's kind of gross." "Is this, uh, is this your mother's?" "Mm-hmm." "Are you sure it's okay?" "Turn around." "Oh." "Okay, you can turn around." "It's my brother." "Just, uh, wait here, okay?" "What are you doing here?" "I just want to talk." "Well, I don't want to talk." "You need to go." "Is someone here?" "What?" "No." "Do you have someone here?" "It's Ma." "She's back." "Like me." " Ma's back?" " Yes." "But she doesn't want to see you." "You killed her son." "She doesn't want to see you ever again." "What's wrong?" "Tony's your brother?" "Tony's brother is dead." "How long have you been back?" "A few days." "Tony told everyone you died because you were sick." "He lied." "Then how did it happen?" "I was a bad person." "You don't seem like a bad person." "Well, you don't know me." "You took care of me." "Oh." "I have been in the dark." "Give yourself a break." "Jack's right." "Now that Camille's back, I..." "I've lived in the shadow of her death." "Looking back is the only thing I know how to do." "Maybe it's time I started seeing what's right in front of me." "Bit of a role reversal, huh, Tony?" "Everything okay?" "It's fam... family stuff." " You want your usual?" " No, no, no, no." "Actually, not tonight." "I'm looking for Lena." "I think she might have gone home with someone last night." "Did she meet anybody here?" "Was she hanging out with anybody?" "No, um..." "No." "Sorry, I didn't." "Thanks." "I didn't think you were coming." "Is anybody else home?" "Whoa." "This is weird." "It's, um... it's exactly how it was when..." "Sit down." "Who are you?" "You know who I am." "Camille?" "Ben." "Ben." "Victor." "Victor, why did you come to me?" "Is it because I'm like you?" "You're the fairy." "My mom said you would protect me." "I'm not a fairy." "I know you are." "Okay." "I'll be the fairy." "Whatever you want." "You didn't have to come." "I'm looking for Lena." "She took off from here yesterday." "Oh." "Sorry." "I hope she's okay." "I came to see you yesterday, but you were unconscious." "You know, when I was standing there beside your bed, I was..." "I wasn't thinking about the money you took or the lies that you told." "I was thinking how I wanted you to wake up." "Hmm." "Here you are." "You should hate me." "Maybe I should." "But I don't." "Everything I said about Camille," "I made it all up." "I know." "It doesn't matter." "Sometimes I even convinced myself that it was true... that I really had a gift." "I'm sorry." "I believed you 'cause I wanted to." "But that was before." "Since I woke up..." "It's really happening now." "What are you talking about?" "Voices in my head, whispering things, scary things, things I don't want to hear." "I don't expect you to believe me." "He was supposed to be at your baseball game." "He told your mom he was tied up at work." "The truth was he was at the bar." "He said there was ice on the road... but really he was drunk." "He's sorry you had to grow up without a father." "And he wants me to tell you..." "What?" "He's scared for you." | Mid | [
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/* * Scala (https://www.scala-lang.org) * * Copyright EPFL and Lightbend, Inc. * * Licensed under Apache License 2.0 * (http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0). * * See the NOTICE file distributed with this work for * additional information regarding copyright ownership. */ package scala.runtime.java8 @FunctionalInterface trait JFunction2$mcFJD$sp extends Function2[Any, Any, Any] with Serializable { def apply$mcFJD$sp(v1: Long, v2: Double): Float override def apply(v1: Any, v2: Any): Any = scala.runtime.BoxesRunTime.boxToFloat(apply$mcFJD$sp(scala.runtime.BoxesRunTime.unboxToLong(v1), scala.runtime.BoxesRunTime.unboxToDouble(v2))) } | Mid | [
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WCDC WCDC may refer to: WCDC (AM), a radio station (950 AM) licensed to serve Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States WCDC-TV, a defunct television station (channel 36) formerly licensed to serve Adams, Massachusetts, United States | Low | [
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NOTE: This disposition is nonprecedential. United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ______________________ EVIDEO OWNERS, MAURO DIDOMENICO, INDIVIDUALLY AND ON BEHALF OF ALL THOSE SIMILARLY SITUATED, DOUGLAS BUERGER, CRAIG LINDEN, REALVIRT LLC, PAUL BAROUS, Plaintiffs-Appellants v. UNITED STATES, Defendant-Appellee ______________________ 2016-2149 ______________________ Appeal from the United States Court of Federal Claims in No. 1:15-cv-00413-LKG, Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby. ______________________ Decided: March 13, 2017 ______________________ PATRICK RICHARD DELANEY, Ditthavong & Steiner, P.C., Alexandria, VA, argued for plaintiffs-appellants. NICOLAS RILEY, Appellate Staff, Civil Division, United States Department of Justice, Washington, DC, argued for defendant-appellee. Also represented by MARK R. FREEMAN, BENJAMIN C. MIZER; NATHAN KELLEY, Office of 2 EVIDEO OWNERS v. US the Solicitor, United States Patent and Trademark Office, Alexandria, VA. ______________________ Before MOORE, O’MALLEY, and HUGHES, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM. For the reasons articulated in the decision by the United States Court of Federal Claims, we affirm. We order Appellants to show cause within fifteen days why sanctions should not be imposed for a frivolous appeal pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 38. AFFIRMED COSTS Costs to Appellee. | Mid | [
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The Day After: Supporting a Democratic Transition in Syria The Day After project was a cooperative movement by members of the Syrian opposition to outline a plan to rebuild the country and end the Syrian Civil War once Bashar al-Assad is ousted from power. The 45 members of the group held covert meetings in Berlin to determine the set of principles that should be used to construct a democracy in Syria. Members came from both official bodies such as the Syrian National Council and the Local Coordination Committees in Syria, as well as members who belonged to neither of these groups. On August 28, 2012, the group published its plan in a paper titled "The Day After Project: Supporting a Democratic Transition in Syria. The Day After Association is an independent, Syrian-led civil society organization working to support a democratic transition in Syria. In August 2012, TDA completed work on a comprehensive approach to managing the challenges of a post-Assad transition in Syria. The Day After Project brought together a group of Syrians representing a large spectrum of the Syrian opposition—including senior representatives of the Syrian National Council (SNC), members of the Local Coordination Committees in Syria (LCC), and unaffiliated opposition figures from inside Syria and the Diaspora representing all major political trends and components of Syrian society—to participate in an independent transition planning process. The TDA report, "The Day After: Supporting a Democratic Transition in Syria", provides a detailed framework of principles, goals and recommendations from within the Syrian opposition for addressing challenges in six key fields: rule of law; transitional justice; security sector reform; constitutional design; electoral system design; and post-conflict social and economic reconstruction. TDA has since shifted its focus from transition planning efforts to implementation of recommendations presented in the TDA report, opening its office in Istanbul to support this mission.". Background Between January and June 2012, members of the Day After project worked on a report that would attempt to address the major aspects of the future transition. They were aided by experts in international planning and diplomacy. The purpose of the report was not to be a rigid directive for restructuring the Syrian government but rather to spark further conversation about the transition. Six working groups each focused on an individual aspect of the new government that is to be set up, from restructuring the legal and justice system, to reforming the Syrian military, to writing a new constitution and setting up the system for electing a new Syrian legislature. The project was jointly overseen and supported by the United States Institute for Peace and the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin. References External links Paper (see also: SWP version) published by USIP and SWP on behalf of The Day After project summarizing the gist of the document and explaining the background of the project (in English) The Day After's website Category:Organizations of the Syrian Civil War Category:Syrian opposition Category:Syrian peace process | High | [
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hich is smaller: 0 or o? 0 Let j = -10301/34 - -303. Are j and 1 equal? False Let l(c) = 3*c + 9. Let o be l(-6). Which is greater: -10 or o? o Let u(t) = -2*t + 1. Let s be u(-3). Suppose h = -3*a + s + 2, 0 = -a - h + 5. Suppose 3*m + 18 = a*y, -m - 5*y + 6 = -5. Is -5 greater than or equal to m? False Let v = -6 - -6.3. Let m = 0.1 + v. Let j = -0.1 + m. Is 2/7 <= j? True Let n be -3*3/(-9) + (5 - 1). Which is smaller: n or 7/2? 7/2 Let g be -1 + (-29)/(-18)*-44. Let k = g + 72. Is k <= -1? False Let j be (-24)/(-9) - (-4 + 7). Is -26 < j? True Let k(j) = -j**2 - 6*j - 3. Let v be k(-5). Let i be (v/(-6))/((-3)/9). Let p be (0/(-1))/(-2 - -1). Are i and p unequal? True Let w = 0 + 2. Let h = w - 2. Let q = -0.1 + h. Is q equal to 1/2? False Let a = -16 + 26. Let z = a + -1. Is -1 <= z? True Let i(s) = 5*s + 0*s + 7 - 5*s + 2*s. Let p be i(-3). Do p and -1/5 have the same value? False Let x be (-36)/12*2/(-9). Let w = -47/75 + 2/75. Which is greater: w or x? x Suppose 6*r = 4*r - 20. Which is smaller: r or -44/5? r Let s = -6.4 + 7.42. Let f = -0.02 + s. Which is greater: -1 or f? f Let u be (85/(-50) + 2)*-5. Is 5 bigger than u? True Let b(h) = 5*h + 5. Let o be b(-5). Let d be 8/o - 16/10. Which is smaller: 0 or d? d Let x(i) = 4 + i**2 + i - 3*i + 4*i. Let k be x(-3). Let f be 3/(1 - k/4). Which is smaller: f or -5? -5 Let l = -1/111 - -344/1221. Are l and -1 non-equal? True Let b be (-3)/(-12) + (-5)/4. Let o be ((-6)/99)/(b/(-3)). Suppose -2*c - 4 = 2*c. Which is greater: o or c? o Suppose z + 0*g = -g + 3, 5*z = 3*g + 23. Suppose -z*x - 1 - 3 = 0. Which is smaller: 2/21 or x? x Let r(w) = -w**2 + 9*w - 8. Let t be r(7). Suppose -5*i + t*h = 3*h - 26, 30 = 5*i - 5*h. Suppose -4*l - 5*a + 16 = 0, 5*l = -2*a + 7 + 13. Is l smaller than i? False Let p(a) = -2*a - 5. Let j be p(-5). Suppose h = -3*s + s + 17, s = j*h - 41. Let t be 5 - (2 - h/3). Is 6 at least t? True Suppose 8 + 20 = 2*s + 4*h, -3*h = -2*s. Suppose s*b - 5 = b. Which is greater: b or 0? b Let n = 16.1 - 1.1. Let q = n - 13. Which is smaller: q or 1? 1 Let s = -48.8 + 55. Let q = s - 6. Let l = -0.7 - 0.3. Is l less than or equal to q? True Let v be 1/((-1)/((-1)/(-3))). Suppose 9*j + 0*j - 9 = 0. Is v at most as big as j? True Let b = -34 - -36. Let n be 4/(-14) + (-32)/(-14). Is b < n? False Suppose -5*n - 10 = 4*p, -2*n - 5 = -4*p - 1. Suppose p = g + 14 + 22. Let v be ((-2)/(-6))/(16/g). Do v and -2 have the same value? False Let t(y) = -2*y**2 + 3*y. Let n be t(3). Let a = -10 - n. Let g be (-1)/2*(5 - -1). Which is smaller: a or g? g Let d = 22 - 18. Is 2 smaller than d? True Suppose 0 = -4*w - x - 15, -5 = w + 3*w + 3*x. Let l = w - -5. Which is bigger: 2/5 or l? 2/5 Let d be (-1)/(-2)*(3 - -3). Suppose m = 4*r, 4*m + 20 = d*r - 7*r. Is m at most -4? True Let u(m) = 0*m + 4 + 3*m + m**2 - 7*m. Let w be u(5). Let k be (-1)/(-6*w/(-12)). Which is smaller: 0 or k? k Let s(h) = -2*h - 1. Let b(t) = 3*t + 3. Let y(g) = -3*b(g) - 5*s(g). Let k be y(4). Let w = 1/4 - 3/8. Does k = w? False Let f = 29 - 20. Suppose -x = -2*a - 3, f = -4*a + 2*x - x. Let u be a/12 + 14/(-72). Which is greater: -1 or u? u Let h be 24/11 + (-4)/22. Let z = h - -3. Suppose -3*s = -z*f - 2 - 4, -5*s = 4*f - 10. Which is smaller: s or 3? s Let t = 284 + -282. Let p = 2 + 0. Do p and t have different values? False Let y = 31 + -30.93. Which is smaller: 1/5 or y? y Let h = 6 + -12. Let d be -1 + (-2)/((-4)/h). Let p be (1 - 4) + (0 + 2 - 2). Are d and p unequal? True Let r(u) = -u**2 - 7*u - 7. Let w be r(-6). Which is greater: w or 4/17? 4/17 Let j = -99 - -62. Is j smaller than -38? False Let g be 1/((3/1)/33). Let v = g - 11. Which is smaller: v or -1? -1 Suppose -3*w + 20 = w. Suppose -3*l = -4*h - 2*l - 10, h = w*l - 12. Is h > -5? True Let y = 52.9 + -50. Let p = 2.5 + 0.5. Let j = y - p. Which is smaller: j or 1? j Let x = 13 - 13. Is -5 greater than x? False Suppose -l - 13 = 12*l. Which is smaller: l or -1/124? l Suppose -3*b + 5*b = 4. Let x be (-1)/((6/b)/3). Suppose -5*v = 4 + 1. Is v smaller than x? False Let m = -3.07 + 3. Let t = 10346 + -341389/33. Let r = 6/11 - t. Which is greater: r or m? m Suppose 5*r = -l + 26, -2*l + r + 25 = 2*r. Let v = l - 8. Suppose 3*z + 6 = -v. Is z greater than or equal to -3? True Let l = -12467/19 + 656. Is l < 0? True Let x = 119 - 593/5. Let d be (-2 + 2)/((-2)/2). Is x smaller than d? False Let d = -14.2 - -21. Let i = d + -7. Is i greater than -1/5? False Suppose -28*x = -31*x + 39. Suppose -16 = -y - 3. Is y greater than or equal to x? True Let q be (-109)/56 + 2/1. Let n = 224628/13 + -188685479/10920. Let a = n - q. Is a bigger than -2/3? True Let t be (0/2)/((-4)/(-2)). Suppose -3*v = j - 44, -4*v - 8*j + 3*j + 77 = 0. Let n = -40/3 + v. Is t greater than n? True Let j = 0 + -2. Let u be (-20)/12 + (-2)/6. Do j and u have different values? False Let z = 11.03 + -0.03. Let o = z + -9.8. Let d = o + 0.8. Which is greater: d or -1? d Suppose 2*g = -2*g. Let t be -2 + (g - (-1 - 0)). Let x be (t + -2 + 1)/(-2). Which is smaller: x or 2? x Let a = -32 + 31. Which is smaller: a or -1/11? a Let g = 83 + -88. Is g at least -7? True Let n be 1*2*(-75)/(-30). Let x = 2/69 + -77/276. Which is smaller: n or x? x Let u be 136/153*3/2. Which is greater: u or 0? u Suppose -4*n + 3*n - 44 = 0. Let a be (n/33)/(2*1). Is -1 bigger than a? False Suppose -5*w + 45 = 15. Which is smaller: w or -6? -6 Let w be 90/(-50) - (-2 + 0). Is 0.1 not equal to w? True Let v(x) = x**3 + 7*x**2 + 2*x + 15. Let z be v(-7). Which is smaller: z or 2/9? 2/9 Let h be ((-7)/(-21))/((-2)/6). Let j(w) = -w**2 + 5*w - 1. Let z be j(5). Is z smaller than h? False Let i be (-18)/(-8) - (-2)/(-8). Suppose -i*w - w + 6 = 0. Suppose 2*o + 4*h - 7 = 7, 2*h = -3*o + 13. Which is smaller: o or w? w Let k be (3/5)/((-12)/8). Is k greater than 9/4? False Let m = 551/36 + 7/36. Is 15 at most m? True Let x be (-7)/((-140)/8) - 8/10. Which is bigger: 1/2 or x? 1/2 Let o(y) = 8*y**3 + 3*y**3 - 14 - 11*y**2 - 8*y - 3*y - 12*y**3. Let n be o(-10). Is n greater than or equal to -3? False Let l = -861/5 - -179. Is l equal to 8? False Let x = 1/2 - 3/10. Let j(p) = -p**3 - 7*p**2 + 1. Let l(g) = 2*g**3 + 13*g**2 - 2. Let b(f) = -11*j(f) - 6*l(f). Let r be b(1). Is x bigger than r? True Let l = 0.042 - 0.042. Let m = -0.1 + 0.1. Is m at most l? True Let g be 106 + (-5)/(10/6). Let n = 1131/11 - g. Let r be 0*2/(4/(-2)). Which is smaller: n or r? n Let u = 175/828 - -1/92. Which is greater: 7 or u? 7 Let q = 3.8 + -0.8. Let h = -1 + q. Which is greater: h or -2/5? h Let l = -534.94 - -550. Let o = l - 15. Is o at least as big as 1? False Let y(b) = b**2 + 4*b + 1. Let d(j) = j**2 + j. Let c(g) = 4*d(g) - y(g). Let l be c(1). Is l smaller than 2? False Let b(a) = 4*a**2 - a + 5. Let x be b(-3). Is x at least as big as 44? True Let c(s) = -s. Let o be c(-1). Which is bigger: o or -1/5? o Let a be 48/(-18) + (-2)/(-3). Let s be 1 - 7 - (a - 1). Which is smaller: -3/2 or s? s Let p = -11 + 25. Which is bigger: -1 or p? p Let a(q) = -q**2 + 15*q + 17. Let n be a(16). Are n and 1 unequal? False Let u = 334/7 - 48. Which is smaller: u or -3/4? -3/4 Let o = 2088/6251 - 6/329. Let n = 55 + -55. Is n < o? True Let w be (-13 - -9) + 5*(2 + -1). Which is greater: -2/5 or w? w Let b be 34/(-8) + 1/4. Let q be -2 - b - (-249)/(-114). Let g = -153/418 - q. Is 0 > g? True Suppose -s = -2 - 2. Suppose -z = s*z. Let o(f) = -f**2 + 5*f + 5. Let g be o(6). Which is smaller: g or z? g Suppose 6 = 3*v + 21. Let m = 15 - 22. Is m > v? False Let i = -33 + -59. Which is greater: i or -91? -91 Let u(d) = -d - 1. Let z be u(-5). Suppose -3*v = v - z. Which is greater: -0.1 or v? v Let j = -2 + 1. Let a be (-16)/9 - (1 - (0 + 3)). Which is smaller: a or j? j Let o = 1.96 - -0.04. Let g = -2.1 + o. Let p(x) = -x**2 - 11*x. Let a be p(-11). Which is bigger: a or g? a Let h = 0.152 + -1.152. Is 14/29 greater than h? True Let o be -1 + (-2*1)/2. Let d be (-2)/o - 2/3. Let i = -0.39 + 0.79. Do i and d have different values? True Let a = -27 + -13. Let q = 0 - -1. Let o be q/5 - 112/a. Is o not equal to 3? False Let w be (-2)/(6/(-2) + 2). Suppose 2*x + 0 - w = 0. Suppose 2 = z + 6, -2*z = -3*a + 14. Which is bigger: a or x? a Let a = | Low | [
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DEALS Tom Jackson's baseball card - if he had one - would report he throws left, writes right. In his columns and blog, "The Right Stuff," southpaw Jackson provides insight into the evolving human condition from a distinctly conservative point of view. Much affirmed by VA’s dumb tweet In the lead item to his “Best of the Web” column Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal’s James Taranto nails the Department of Veterans Affairs for an exquisitely dumb tweet as well as an Obama administration media apologist. Both are presented here without embellishment. Somehow whoever administers the department’s official Twitter account found time yesterday morning to post this comment: “Our ocean is under threat. Join people all over the world and make a difference. #OurOcean2014 http://thndr.it/1tP7rrQ.” The link goes to a State Department page titled “Our Ocean,” which helpfully explains: “Whether you live on the coast or hours from the closest beach, we all depend on the ocean. The ocean is critical to maintaining life on Earth, contributing to our livelihoods and our well-being. It regulates our climate and weather . . .” At that point, we stopped reading. (Haven’t they heard the EPA is now regulating our climate and weather?) So we have no opinion on the State Department’s ocean effort, apart from a sense that America’s diplomats may have a few more-urgent matters they should be dealing with. But why is the VA dealing with this at all? What does the ocean have to do with veterans, other than that some of them served there as sailors and Marines? Danielle Weiner-Bronner of TheWire.com expresses some puzzlement at the “vehement response” that the “seemingly innocuous tweet” provoked. “The VA has tweeted off topic before, without raising the ire of its followers,” she writes, reproducing a tweet from last week: “Find out how to help prevent your children from being caught in an #identitytheft scheme: 1.usa.gov/1sNE08X.” Except that the link there goes to a page for the VA’s own Identity Safety Service. Weiner-Bronner goes out on a limb and speculates that “the vehement response could be a sign that people are, legitimately, still extremely upset by the VA’s fatal negligence. . . . To be fair, the VA probably should have known the tweet would strike a nerve. But it’s hard not to link the venomous reaction to President Barack Obama’s recent verbal slam of climate change deniers.” It doesn’t seem to occur to Weiner-Bronner that the VA’s inattention to its actual mission and its attention to propagandizing for unrelated Obama administration efforts are two sides of the same coin. The VA tweet is a small matter, but it’s symbolic of this administration’s obsession with politics and disdain for governmental administration. | Mid | [
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Aelhaiarn Saint Aelhaiarn or Aelhaearn (Welsh for "Iron Eyebrows"; early 7th century) was a Welsh confessor and saint of the British Church. He was a disciple of Saint Beuno. His feast day was usually observed on 2 November, although it is sometimes recorded as the 1st and is no longer observed by either the Anglican or Catholic church in Wales. Life Saint Aelhaiarn is listed among the Bonedd y Seint (Genealogies of the Saints). He was the brother of saints Llwchaiarn and Cynhaiarn and son of Hygarfael or Cerfael, son of Cyndrwyn, a prince of the Powysian dynasty descended from Vortigern, king of Britain. The area of Cyndrwyn's control was centred on the Severn valley around Shrewsbury. Aelhaiarn was said to have been a disciple of Saint Beuno, who also a member of the dynasty and thus a cousin. Beuno's activity was sponsored by Cadfan and other members of Gwynedd's Cuneddan dynasty; Aelhaiarn seems to have accompanied him out of Powys to Edeirnion and thence to northeastern Llŷn. Miracles The principal miracle associated with Aelhaiarn was actually performed by Beuno, who was said to have raised him from the dead (among six others). The 18th-century version of the story given to John Ray at Llanaelhaearn provides a folk etymology for Aelhaiarn's unusual name. It claimed that Beuno (Byno) was accustomed to disappearing from his cell near Clynnog every night to travel to pray on a flat stone in the middle of the Afon Erch. One night, as Beuno returned, he saw a man hidden in the dark; he then prayed that, if the stranger were on some good errand, he should attain it but, if his intent were ill, that some example be made of him. Immediately upon saying this, he saw wild animals appear from the forest and rend the man limb from limb. Beuno reconsidered when he discovered that it was his own servant who had been spying upon him. The saint set the bones and limbs together except for the bone beneath his brow, which was lost. This, he replaced with an iron bit from his pike spike. (Thomas Pennant, in his Tour in Wales, called the story "too absurd to relate" and didn't.) Baring-Gould, recounting it, compares it with Thor's restoration of his goats Snarler and Grinder in the Prose Edda. After Llanaelhaearn had been established on the site of the servant's resurrection, Beuno charged him to oversee it but, "for a punishment", prayed that the bells of Clynnog would be heard throughout the village but not within Llanaelhaearn's church. At the death of Aelhaiarn, his southern countrymen claimed his body; this was disputed by the monks of Clynnog. A fight was said to have broken out that continued into the night. At dawn, there were two coffins on two biers and one was taken by each faction. (A similar miracle is credited to Saint Teilo, whose relics were claimed by three separate churches.) Legacy Saint Aelhaiarn was separately venerated at Guilsfield (, "Hemlock-field") near Welshpool in Powys and at Llanaelhaearn on the Llŷn peninsula in Gwynedd. (The latter, however, was long known as "Llanhaiarn" through a corruption of his name; the nearby estate known as Elernion ("St Elern's") is thought to have a similar origin.) The church at Guilsfield has been variously credited to Saint Giles (from the parish's name), to All Saints (from Aelhaiarn's nearby feast day), and to Saint Tysilio (from the local fair which was held on 8 November). Most of the present church dates to the 14th & 15th-century expansion of a 12th- or 13th-century core; it was refurbished between 1877 and 1879 and a small clock inset into the middle of its medieval tower. It is now a Grade I listed building. Its garden is also noted as an example of ancient yew trees set in a designed scheme. The church at Llanaelhaearn bears walls from around the 12th century and was last refurbished in 1892. It is listed as Grade II*. During expansion of the churchyard in 1865, workers discovered the Latin-inscribed gravestone of an Aliortus of Elmet, possibly indicating the existence of a religious settlement at the site before the arrival of Beuno and Aelhaearn. Both locations included a holy well. The well at Guilsfield () was formerly visited by parishioners for a drink on Trinity Sunday. St Aelhaiarn's Well () at Llanaelhaearn was a major station on the northern pilgrimage route to Bardsey Island and much frequented for the miraculous cures associated with the "laughing" or "troubling of the water", an irregular appearance of upwelling bubbles throughout the well. By the 19th century, the Llanaelhaearn well was surrounded with an oblong basin and stone benches; devotees would rest on them while waiting for the water to "laugh". A diphtheria outbreak in 1900, however, caused the local council to, first, enclose and roof the well and, then, to lock it away from the public. The well's ownership is disputed and it remains inaccessible; the present enclosure dates from 1975. During the Middle Ages, the inland reach of Meirionydd also bore a parish named Llanaelhaiarn near modern Gwyddelwern in Denbighshire. It was united with Gwyddelwern in 1550 and the site of its chapel is now only marked with a yew tree. In the early 20th century, its local village was still named Aelhaiarn but it is now known as Pandy'r Capel ("Chapel Fulling Mill"). References External links "Ffynnon Aelhaearn" (St Aelhaiarn's Well in Llanaelhaearn) at Well Hopper Category:7th-century Welsh people Category:Welsh royalty Category:Medieval Welsh saints Category:Welsh Roman Catholic saints Category:7th-century Christian saints Category:Llanaelhaearn | Mid | [
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What are ‘children of all ages’? Are they monsters? Do they suffer from growth hormone imbalances? Do they really have as great a capacity forenjoyment as people say they do, these divorced, or even Alzheimer’s-ridden, children? Perhaps they’re a necessary fiction,a free market fantasy – now that we’re in the age of the supra-blockbuster and films that were once ‘kid’s’ are expected to appeal to absolutely everyone forever. How do they pull it off? The Disney approach was to crib Joseph Campbell’s monomyth, and then came Shrek etc., patronising children and masking jokes for 18-24 year-olds with bright colours. Recently, Wreck-It Ralph did a better job, and shared pretty things from an older generation’s past while keeping everyone involved.Moon Man director Stephan Schesch has decided to get rid of of irony completely, and, like Sylvain Chomet, he just about gets away with it. The Moon Man (Katharina Thalbach) lives on, or rather, in, the moon – it’s a little like a too-small fishbowl. He’s bored up there, all alone, and one day he grabs the tail of a passing comet and takes a trip to Earth. But Earth’s bully of a President (Michael McElhatton) is afraid that he’s the vanguard of a coming invasion, and sends his army after him. Worst of all, with nothing but an empty moon to look at, children all over the world can’t sleep. It’s up to hermitic inventor-of-everything Bunsen Van der Dunkel (Pat Laffan) to help the Moon Man get back home, and to make sure that the President’s forces don’t capture him in the meantime. The film is very faithful to the Tomi Ungerer book upon which it’s based, and Ungerer himself provides narration. The pacing, and the frame rate, may be too sluggish to hold the attention of those of us used to Pixar. And since the film was originally in German, the lip-sync discrepancy is off-putting; at times it’s uncomfortably like watching old episodes of Inspector Gadget. The nods to grown-ups are often forced and sometimes inappropriate, such as the strange implied sex scene. But Moon Man does succeed when it stops trying to engage with the last few decades of animated cinema. Every individual image is very beautiful, since they’re so close to Ungerer’s original drawings. It’s like looking at a painting in just the way that Pixar films aren’t. CGI tends to mimic the textures of life (remember how amazing that water in Finding Nemo looked), and old-fashioned animated films often replicate textures we have experienced in other artworks – paintings, the illustrations in picture books, even, let’s say, the very young child’s experience of an ancient aunt’s garishly made-up face. The slow pace actually helps you appreciate the vivid colours and the use of line, if you let yourself get into it. The music, too, is charming, and some moony old standards (the Blue one and the River one) are cleverly employed. See Moon Man with children (of all ages) who need to learn to appreciate life’s subtler pleasures. Moon Man, the 2D feature animation based on Tomi Ungerer’s best-seller, takes giant steps to the Galway Film Fleadh this weekend. Ireland’s Ross Murray and Paul Young, from Cartoon Saloon (The Secret Life of Kells) produced the film along with the German director, Stephfan Schesch, and French company, Le Pacte. Irish animators who worked on the project include Fabian Erlinghauser (The Secret of Kells), Sean McCarron (Song of the Sea) and Marie Thorhauge (Old Fangs). Catherine Hehir, Studio Manager at Cartoon Saloon, told Film Ireland, ‘We are delighted that the Galway Film Fleadh will be screening Moon Man, and the fact that author Tomi Ungerer will be there makes it a very special event’. Ungerer, who is now based in Cork, acted as a consultant to the filmmakers and will be taking part in a Q&A with Stefano Scapolan from Cartoon Saloon after the screening. Moon Man is a loving family tale about the man in the moon, who isn’t even aware how much children love him. When a shooting star passes by on its way to earth, he hitches a ride and crashes down on a planet ruled by a tyrannical President. Escaping the president’s soldiers, Moon Man sets off on an adventure , where he will marvel at the many wonders the Earth has to offer and realise how much children love and need him. Tickets are available to book from the Town Hall Theatre on 091 569777, or at www.tht.ie. | Mid | [
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/** * Morn UI Version 3.0 http://www.mornui.com/ * Feedback [email protected] weixin:yungzhu */ package morn.core.components { /**水平滚动条*/ public class HSlider extends Slider { public function HSlider(skin:String = null) { super(skin); direction = HORIZONTAL; } } } | Low | [
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Molecular design, device function and surface potential of zwitterionic electron injection layers. A series of zwitterionic molecules were synthesized by addition of iodoalkanes to sodium tetrakis(1-imidazolyl)borate (NaBIm(4)). Single substitution at the N3 site leads to compounds designated as C(n)-BIm(4) (n = 1, 6, 12, 16), where the subscript corresponds to the number of carbon atoms in the linear alkyl chain. Metrical parameters in the molecular structure of C(1)-BIm(4) determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies confirms the zwitterionic nature and were used to calculate the molecular dipole moment. Compounds C(n)-BIm(4) can be used to improve the electroluminescence efficiencies of polymer light emitting diodes (PLEDs) fabricated by simple solution methods that use poly[2-methoxy-5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy-1,4-phenylenevinylene)] (MEH-PPV) as the emissive semiconducting layer and aluminum as the cathode. This improvement is primarily due to a reduction in the barrier to electron injection and is strongly dependent on the length of the alkyl substituent in C(n)-BIm(4), with C(16)-BIm(4) yielding the best performance. Examination of the surface topography of C(1)-BIm(4) and C(16)-BIm(4) atop MEH-PPV by atomic force microscopy (AFM) shows that the longer alkyl chains assist in adhesion to the surface, however the coverage is poor due to insufficient wetting. These studies also reveal an unexpected planarization of the C(16)-BIm(4) layer adjacent to the electrodes after metal deposition, which is suggested to improve electrical contact. A combination of open circuit voltage measurements, surface reconstruction studies and surface potential measurements indicates that zwitterion insertion leads to the formation of a spontaneously organized dipole layer at the metal/organic interface. The net effect is a shift in the vacuum level and concomitant improvement of electron injection. | High | [
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Insulating glass functional, esthetic, individual The atrium glass roof at the Arria hotel in Budapest is one-of-a-kind in Europe. The all-glass design made of five insulated laminated curved glass panes, each 8.1m long, forms the roof 4m above the hotel lobby. No opaque steel structure, fittings or beams interfere with the transparency of the glass. Instead of fittings, curved glass panels have been bonded to the glass beams. They provide the required stability and set up a light and modern design in contrast to the historic architectural style of the hotel. The glass roof is the largest laminated curved insulated glass unit in Europe. Completion: at the beginning of 2015. | Mid | [
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(n) = -n**2 + 109*n - 762. List the prime factors of q(79). 2, 3, 67 Let r(i) = -16*i + 98. Let x be r(6). Suppose 5*c + x - 1337 = 0. What are the prime factors of c? 3, 89 What are the prime factors of (1112/20)/((-13)/((-93925)/10))? 17, 139 Let l(m) = 3*m**2 + 48*m + 33. Let c be (-18)/27*(-15)/(-2). Let k(o) = 5*o**2 + 72*o + 50. Let r(y) = c*k(y) + 8*l(y). List the prime factors of r(13). 157 Suppose -2628*y = -2597*y - 1086612. What are the prime factors of y? 2, 3, 23, 127 Let d(w) = 20*w**2 + 12*w**2 + 4*w**2 + 11*w**2 - w. Let u be d(1). Suppose -12 = z - u. List the prime factors of z. 2, 17 Suppose g = -6*v + 4601, -367*g + 371*g = -4*v + 3084. Let d(f) = 18*f**3 - 2*f**2 - f - 2. Let p be d(-3). Let r = v + p. What are the prime factors of r? 263 Let v(x) = 90*x**2 + 10*x + 12. Let o(a) = -89*a**2 - 8*a - 11. Let g(d) = -7*o(d) - 6*v(d). List the prime factors of g(1). 2, 3, 7 Suppose 7*a = 2*a - 2*x + 42305, -a + 8469 = 2*x. List the prime factors of a. 11, 769 What are the prime factors of 2/16*-1 - (6 + 26121795/(-280))? 2, 46643 Let g(x) be the second derivative of x**4/12 - x**3/2 - 4*x**2 - x - 5. Suppose 0 = -a - 6. What are the prime factors of g(a)? 2, 23 Let o(t) = 65*t**2 + 7*t + 19. Let h(q) = -21*q**2 - 2*q - 6. Let z(f) = -7*h(f) - 2*o(f). What are the prime factors of z(-4)? 2, 3, 23 Let y(l) = -14*l**2 + 3 - 2*l**2 - 62*l + 20*l**2. What are the prime factors of y(23)? 3, 7, 11 Let y = 28 + -27. Suppose 4*b = 5*t + 1, -4*t - y - 6 = 3*b. List the prime factors of ((-350)/8 + t)/(1/(-4)). 179 Suppose -5*n - z + 16320 = -75251, -4*z = 5*n - 91559. What are the prime factors of n? 3, 5, 11, 37 Let b(g) = -11*g**3 - 13*g**2 - 19*g + 76. Let c(z) = 9*z**3 + 12*z**2 + 19*z - 77. Let m(n) = 5*b(n) + 6*c(n). List the prime factors of m(6). 2, 17 Let w(h) = -795*h + 2. Let t be w(-2). Suppose -5*d + 4*b = -t, -d + 5*b - 617 = -3*d. Suppose -5*g + d = -g. List the prime factors of g. 79 Let y = 89 - 48. Suppose -y + 211 = -5*j. Let h = j - -81. What are the prime factors of h? 47 Let y(h) = -3*h - 9. Let r be y(-5). Suppose d - r = -6. Suppose -2*q - p = -d*q - 154, 3*q - 4*p - 231 = 0. List the prime factors of q. 7, 11 Let n(o) = -2*o**2 + 21*o - 36. Let u be n(8). Suppose -8*q + 7*q + 1012 = u*t, 5*q + 232 = t. What are the prime factors of t? 2, 3, 7 Let d(g) = g**3 + g**2 - 2*g - 2. Let x be d(-1). Suppose x = 2*u - 51 - 11. What are the prime factors of u? 31 Suppose 2189*n + 794280 = 2204*n. List the prime factors of n. 2, 6619 Let v(m) = -m**3 - 21*m**2 - 111*m - 7. Let n be v(-11). Let p = 5 - 3. Suppose -p*s + 3*r + 221 = n*r, -3*s - r + 333 = 0. List the prime factors of s. 2, 7 Let a(f) = 11829*f - 8103. What are the prime factors of a(5)? 2, 3, 47, 181 Let a(g) = -24 - 16 + 211*g - 23 - 18 + 75. List the prime factors of a(1). 5, 41 Let l = -29 + 17. Let m be (l/9)/((-2)/18). List the prime factors of ((-2)/6)/(10/m - 1). 2 Suppose -37*n + 62770 = -27*n. List the prime factors of n. 6277 List the prime factors of (88232/410 + 88)/(0 + (-2)/(-245)). 2, 7, 379 Let y(s) = -s. Let w(r) = 7*r + 2. Let q(o) = w(o) - 4*y(o). Let a be q(-14). List the prime factors of a/(-6) - (-12)/18. 2, 13 Suppose -5*d + 3*k + 2550 = 0, -6*d + 2*d + 5*k + 2040 = 0. Suppose -x - 5*n + 122 = -0*x, -d = -5*x - 5*n. List the prime factors of x. 97 Suppose 0 = 5*o, j = -117*o + 113*o + 3338. What are the prime factors of j? 2, 1669 Let y(d) = -28953*d**3 + 6*d**2 + 9*d + 3. What are the prime factors of y(-1)? 3, 3217 Let g be (-12)/(-30) + 46/10. Suppose w - 269 = 5*t, -2*w - 4*t = -g*t - 583. Suppose -w - 36 = -5*z. List the prime factors of z. 2, 3, 11 Suppose 2*c - i - 126 = 0, -2*i + 4*i = c - 60. Suppose 4*o - 5*z = -z + 32, 5*z + 25 = 0. Suppose c = u + o*u. What are the prime factors of u? 2 Suppose -3*g - 834 = -0*b - 3*b, 0 = -5*g + 4*b - 1389. Let f = 382 - g. Suppose 5*a - 838 = -2*c + c, 4*a - 3*c = f. What are the prime factors of a? 167 Let h(n) = 6*n**3 - 84*n**2 - 55*n - 10. List the prime factors of h(20). 2, 3, 5, 443 Suppose -5*n = -a - 3, 3*n - 7*a = -11*a + 11. List the prime factors of 474 + (0 - n)*-3. 3, 53 Let q(u) be the second derivative of u**5/5 - 2*u**4/3 - 31*u**2/2 + 37*u. List the prime factors of q(7). 13, 73 Let c(n) = n**2 - n - 5. Let t be c(-2). Let d(j) = 4*j**2 - 109*j**3 - 5*j**2 + 6*j + t - 5*j - 20*j**3. List the prime factors of d(-1). 2 Let g(b) = -39*b**2 + 5*b - 7. Let m be g(5). Let s = m - -1852. List the prime factors of s. 5, 179 List the prime factors of (-1395)/1116 + 104161/4. 13, 2003 Let p be (-1 - 44)*(-64)/(-160). List the prime factors of (-4528)/(-12) + 7 + 114/p. 2, 3, 7 Let y = -275 - -47. Let j = -183 - y. What are the prime factors of j? 3, 5 Let y(f) = -f**3 + 56*f**2 + 117*f - 51. List the prime factors of y(56). 3, 11, 197 Let o(t) = t**2 + 9*t - 47. Let i be o(4). Suppose k + 3*l - 1490 = 0, -13*k + 16*k - i*l - 4442 = 0. What are the prime factors of k? 2, 7, 53 Let j = -139 - -142. Suppose 5*u - 2*u = j*f + 2145, 2146 = 3*u - 4*f. What are the prime factors of u? 2, 3, 7, 17 Suppose 4*q + 5*t = 9*t + 87556, 0 = -2*q - t + 43769. List the prime factors of q. 2, 31, 353 Suppose 12*v - 145687 - 109978 = -81881. List the prime factors of v. 2, 13, 557 Let p be 416 + 1*(-5 - -10). Suppose -x = 2*z - 10, 6*z + 4*x = z + 25. Suppose z*i + 3*g - p = 0, i = -2*i + 4*g + 270. What are the prime factors of i? 2, 43 Suppose 0 = -4*t - 6*t + 70122 + 102648. List the prime factors of t. 3, 13, 443 List the prime factors of (42/35)/((-30)/(-72200)). 2, 19 Let u be (-29)/(174/(-32760)) - 6. Suppose 15*m = 6*m + u. List the prime factors of m. 2, 3, 101 Let m(k) = 107*k - 167. Let r be m(2). Suppose -r = 2*c - 39, 5*a = 4*c + 3146. List the prime factors of a. 2, 313 Let x be 347/(-2) - (0 - 6/12). Let z = 664 + x. List the prime factors of z. 491 Let k = -4347 - -50709. List the prime factors of k. 2, 3, 7727 Let v be (1128/(-9))/((-22)/99*3). Let j(x) = -4*x**3 + 1. Let m be j(-1). Suppose -m*r + v - 28 = 0. What are the prime factors of r? 2 Suppose -10*k = -12 - 18. Suppose 4*x = -x - k*x. Suppose x = 6*s - 4*s - 8. What are the prime factors of s? 2 Suppose -3277*z + 3268*z + 38754 = 0. List the prime factors of z. 2, 2153 List the prime factors of (19/(-152)*6)/(2/(-112024)). 3, 11, 19, 67 Let n(u) = -u**3 + 4*u**2 - 3*u + 5414. List the prime factors of n(0). 2, 2707 Let m = 22341 - 14721. List the prime factors of m. 2, 3, 5, 127 Suppose 0 = d + 5*d - 18. Suppose l - 20 = -d*l. Suppose 2*z = 4*b - 22, l*z + 31 - 3 = b. List the prime factors of b. 3 Let y(j) = -134*j**2 + 14*j + 7*j + 40 + 135*j**2. List the prime factors of y(-21). 2, 5 Suppose -4*x + v + 176 = -347, 0 = -x - 4*v + 118. What are the prime factors of 3/9 - 32/(-12)*x? 347 Suppose 52295 = z + 4*v, -20*z = -14*z - 3*v - 313608. What are the prime factors of z? 167, 313 Let g(c) = c**2 - 5*c + 10. Let t be g(0). Suppose t*p - 427 - 183 = 0. List the prime factors of p. 61 Suppose -3*q + 137346 = 63*q. What are the prime factors of q? 2081 List the prime factors of 1*-1109*-1*(0 - -1). 1109 What are the prime factors of (32539 + 6)*4/20? 23, 283 Let b = 369 + -258. Suppose -w + b = -137. Suppose -6*o - w = -10*o. What are the prime factors of o? 2, 31 Suppose 0 = -h + 24 + 50. Suppose 3*o - 202 = -u, o + u = 4*u + h. List the prime factors of (o/6)/(6 - 112/21). 17 Let y = -95 + 84. Let k = y - -15. Suppose f - c - 221 = -k*c, 3*f - 723 = 3*c. What are the prime factors of f? 2, 59 Suppose -9*z = -2*z + 1218. Let c = z - -360. What are the prime factors of c? 2, 3, 31 List the prime factors of (-8)/10 - ((-5802003)/115)/9 - 2. 13, 431 Let r = 5197 + -3637. Let n = -1065 + r. List the prime factors of n. 3, 5, 11 Let x = 43391 - 24891. What are the prime factors of x? 2, 5, 37 Suppose 2*u + 19 = -33. Let i = -22 - u. Suppose -i - 15 = -w. List the prime factors of w. 19 Suppose 0*i + i = -4*r + 3, 23 = 4*r - 3*i. Suppose 0 = r*d + 3*g - 309, -151 = 6*d - 7*d - 5*g. List the prime factors of d. 2, 3, 13 Let i = -426 - -427. What are the prime factors of 4 + -11 + i + 411? 3, 5 List the prime factors of (-93)/434 + 4/(112/1865226). 3, 5, 4441 Suppose j + 4*m - 1260 = 4*j, -3*j - 1236 = 4*m. Let n = -136 - j. List | Low | [
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22.25,
22.625
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Today's letter: Dog park Relevant offers I've been following with interest the debate concerning the proposal to create a dog park on the recreation reserve bounded by Balmoral Dr, Ness and Crinan streets and Elles Rd. OPINION: I'm not against a dog park as such; I'm simply opposed to its proposed siting on such a beautiful reserve. This is one of the best parks in my area of town, a stunning combination of open green spaces and different tree plantings - it is much more than your average playing field with trees at the ends. I usually walk down the centre of the park and often pass others also enjoying the surrounding beauty and peacefulness. City parks manager Robin Pagan and his team are to be congratulated for their terrific work in creating and maintaining this wonderful facility. The proposed dog park effectively "fences off" the northern 60 per cent of the reserve. This will mean that many people will be deprived of being able to walk down the middle of the park through the trees. The proposal also makes provision at the southern end of the reserve for a "future fun-agility area" which presumably provides for the expansion of the dog park. The proposal is being promoted by South Alive, an organisation which has on several occasions been referred to in stories in your paper as "a community group charged with rejuvenating south Invercargill". A dog park could be called many things, but good urban rejuvenation policy wouldn't be one of them. I note that South Alive is to get most of this year's urban rejuvenation budget of $300,000. Certainly none of that money should go towards funding a dog park. If, in fact, a dog park is actually needed, it should be appropriately located and funded by council from the general rates take. PETER DONALDSON Invercargill | High | [
0.662068965517241,
36,
18.375
] |
Introduction {#s1} ============ Glycosylation is the covalent attachment of an oligosaccharide chain to a protein backbone and is considered to be a very common protein modification. The structure and size of the carbohydrate chain can be very diverse and can alter the physico-chemical characteristics of a protein. Two major types of glycosylation, referred to as *N*- and *O*-linked glycosylation, can be distinguished. *N*-glycans are attached to Asn residues of the peptide backbone while *O*-glycans are connected to Ser or Thr residues. Only in recent years, it has been acknowledged that glycosylation of proteins modulates various processes such as subcellular localization, protein quality control, cell-cell recognition and cell-matrix binding events. In turn, these important functions control developmental processes such as embryogenesis or organogenesis [@pone.0016682-Brower1]--[@pone.0016682-Yano1]. Although the overall importance of glycosylation is recognized nowadays, the different types of glycosylated proteins in an organism are mostly unknown indicating that the full range of biological and cellular functions is still not fully understood. Deciphering the complexities in biosynthesis and function of glycoproteins in multicellular organisms is a major challenge for the coming decade. Insects are without any doubt the largest animal taxon found on Earth accounting for more than half of all known living species [@pone.0016682-Sanderson1]. Their unprecedented evolutionary success is the result of an enormous genetic and phenotypic diversification allowing insect species to adapt to a wide variety of ecological niches and environmental challenges. For example, the genetic diversity within one insect order (*e.g.* Diptera) is already much wider than between distant vertebrates such as human and zebrafish, spanning a whole phylum [@pone.0016682-Barbazuk1], [@pone.0016682-Severson1]. Because insects are the most diverse organisms in the history of life, they should provide profound insights into diversification of glycobiology in general and differences of glycosylation in particular. To date, almost all information concerning glycobiology in insects was obtained from studies with the fruit fly, *Drosophila melanogaster* (Diptera), the best studied insect laboratory model organism. For *D. melanogaster*, different glycosyltransferases and glycosylhydrolases which are responsible for synthesis and trimming of *N*-glycans have been reported suggesting the presence of multiple glycan structures on glycoproteins [@pone.0016682-Correia1]--[@pone.0016682-Zhang2]. Moreover, at least 42 discrete *N*-glycans have been identified recently in *D. melanogaster*, mostly containing oligomannose and core fucosylated paucimannosidic *N*-glycans [@pone.0016682-Gutternigg1]--[@pone.0016682-Schachter1]. Considering the broad diversity among insect species, it can be expected that the diversification in glycan patterns will even be more extensive when analyzing glycosylation patterns in different insect species. In this study, the functional diversity of glycoproteins was studied for insect species belonging to five important insect orders. We selected four insects with a complete metamorphosis, the flour beetle *Tribolium castaneum* (Coleoptera), the silkworm *Bombyx mori* (Lepidoptera), the honeybee *Apis mellifera* (Hymenoptera) and the fruit fly *D. melanogaster* (Diptera), as well as one insect species with an incomplete metamorphosis, the pea aphid *Acyrthosiphon pisum* (Hemiptera). In addition to this wide selection in insect diversity, several insect species are good representatives for economically important pest insects such as caterpillars, beetles or aphids, while the honeybee belongs to the group of beneficial insects that are essential for pollination. Flies and mosquitoes, on the other hand, are important transmitters of many (human) diseases. Because protein modifications such as glycosylation are not directly encoded by the genomic code, glycosylation in insects was studied at the proteomics level. Recent developments in high-throughput technology for studying proteomes and the public availability of the genome data of different insect species allowed a comparative study of the glycoproteins present in the different insect species. Lectin affinity chromatography using the snowdrop lectin (*Galanthus nivalis* agglutinin, GNA) was used to selectively purify different sets of mannosylated glycoproteins from different insect species. Subsequently, the purified glycoproteins were identified with LC-MS/MS and characterized according to biological or molecular function. To our knowledge, this is the first report that presents a comparative study of the glycoproteomes present in different insect species. Studying glycoproteomes in different insect species should ultimately result in the development of a more holistic understanding of the importance of glycobiology in insects. Results {#s2} ======= Purification and identification of glycoproteins from insects {#s2a} ------------------------------------------------------------- To study the functional differences in glycoprotein sets derived from insect species belonging to different insect orders, glycoproteins were captured using lectin affinity chromatography based on the snowdrop lectin GNA ([Figure S1](#pone.0016682.s001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). As shown by the glycan microarray experiments conducted by the Consortium for Functional Glycomics, GNA has a high selectivity for oligomannose *N*-glycans [@pone.0016682-Fouquaert1] that were previously shown to be the most abundant class of *N*-glycans present in insects. The percentage of proteins retained on the GNA column was less than 5% of the total amount of proteins (based on protein concentration estimations using Bradford) for all five insect species. Peptide identification using LC-MS/MS, resulted in 161, 64, 116, 142 and 245 unique (glyco)proteins for *T. castaneum*, *B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively ([Table 1](#pone-0016682-t001){ref-type="table"}). Putative *N*-glycosylation sites were present on 81%, 77%, 75%, 83% and 89% of the glycoproteins from *T. castaneum*, *B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively ([Table 1](#pone-0016682-t001){ref-type="table"}). This suggests that for all insect species at least 11% of the glycoproteins were purified in an *N*-glycan independent way. 10.1371/journal.pone.0016682.t001 ###### Number of glycoproteins purified by GNA affinity chromatography for the different insect species. {#pone-0016682-t001-1} Insect species Insect order No of proteins in database No of generated spectra No of peptides identified No of identified proteins No of putative N-glycosylated proteins --------------------------- -------------- ---------------------------- ------------------------- --------------------------- --------------------------- ---------------------------------------- *Tribolium castaneum* Coleoptera 16.645 3744 572 161 130 *Bombyx mori* Lepidoptera 14.623 3749 118 64 49 *Apis mellifera* Hymenoptera 10.157 3496 381 116 87 *Drosophila melanogaster* Diptera 21.317 3744 655 142 118 *Acyrthosiphon pisum* Hemiptera 34.821 3745 788 245 218 After identification of the different sets of glycoproteins, InterProScan was used to detect functional domains, protein regions or protein signatures in the individual polypeptides for further annotation ([Tables S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Subsequently, a protein abundance index (emPAI) was calculated to detect the polypeptide sequences that were highly abundant among the captured glycoproteins ([Tables S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Among the identified glycoproteins typical membrane proteins such as laminin, cadherin, contactin, chaoptin or C-type lectins were found to be abundantly present ([Table S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Also many leucine-rich repeat transmembrane proteins which are known to contain several glycans on their extracellular part were detected. Transport proteins were lipoproteins, hemocyanin or ferritin. Also vitellogenin, which is a known glycolipoprotein present in the fat body of adult insects and important for reproduction, was detected in *T. castaneum*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*. Next to the typical receptor proteins or secreted proteins, many GNA-captured glycoproteins were identified as metabolic enzymes (e.g. dehydrogenases, proteases and amylases), ribosomal proteins or intracellular structural proteins (e.g. actin, tubulin). Because many of these proteins are synthesized on free ribosomes and, consequently, do not enter the ER-Golgi pathway, oligomannosidic *N*-glycans are thought to be absent from these proteins. Therefore the putative *N*-glycosylation sites found on the peptide backbone of these proteins ([Tables S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}) may not be functional. Comparing the insect specific glycoprotein sets, major differences in both glycoprotein diversity and quantity were observed ([Table S6](#pone.0016682.s009){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). When comparing a particular protein annotation such as leucine-rich transmembrane protein between the different insect species, 15, 4 and 1 glycoprotein(s) were detected for *A. pisum*, *T. castaneum* and *D. melanogaster*, respectively, while for *A. mellifera* and *B. mori* no leucine-rich membrane proteins were found ([Table 2](#pone-0016682-t002){ref-type="table"}). From the 260 different protein annotations found over the different sets of insect-specific glycoproteins, 62% (161 protein annotations) were associated with only one particular insect species while 1.5% of the proteins (only 4 protein annotations) were detected for all five insect species ([Tables 2](#pone-0016682-t002){ref-type="table"} and [S6](#pone.0016682.s009){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). This remarkable diversity in glycoproteome profiles between insect species may reveal underlying differences that can influence certain biological processes. 10.1371/journal.pone.0016682.t002 ###### Summary table for the number of distinct (glyco)proteins found in at least three different insect species. {#pone-0016682-t002-2} Protein description *A. pisum* *D. melanogaster* *A. mellifera* *B. mori* *T. castaneum* ---- ------------------------------------------ ------------ ------------------- ---------------- ----------- ---------------- 1 2-OXOGLUTARATE DEHYDROGENASE 0 1 1 0 1 2 3-HYDROXYACYL-COA DEHYROGENASE 1 1 1 0 1 3 ACETYL-COA C-ACYLTRANSFERASE 1 0 1 0 1 4 ACTIN 2 1 2 2 1 5 ALDEHYDE DEHYDROGENASE 2 1 0 0 2 6 ALPHA-AMYLASE 3 0 1 1 2 7 ALPHA-GALACTOSIDASE 5 1 0 0 1 8 ALPHA-MANNOSIDASE 4 2 0 0 1 9 AMINOPEPTIDASE 4 5 1 1 1 10 DIPEPTIDYL CARBOXYPEPTIDASE 0 2 0 1 1 11 ARGININE KINASE 0 1 1 0 1 12 ASPARTATE AMMONIA LYASE 0 0 1 1 1 13 ATP SYNTHASE SUBUNIT 4 2 6 2 5 14 BETA-HEXOSAMINIDASE 3 1 2 0 1 15 CADHERIN 1 0 1 0 1 16 CARBOXYLESTERASE 4 1 0 1 1 17 CATHEPSIN 1 0 1 0 1 18 CONTACTIN 1 1 1 0 1 19 ELONGATION FACTOR 1-ALPHA 1 0 1 0 1 20 GLYCERALDEHYDE 3-PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE 1 0 1 0 1 21 GLYCOGEN DEBRANCHING ENZYME 2 1 1 0 0 22 GLYCOGEN PHOSPHORYLASE 1 0 1 1 1 23 HEAT SHOCK PROTEINS 5 0 4 1 7 24 HEMOCYANIN 0 1 2 2 6 25 ISOCITRATE DEHYDROGENASE 1 2 1 0 0 26 LAMININ 5 4 0 1 4 27 LEUCINE-RICH TRANSMEMBRANE PROTEIN 15 1 0 0 4 28 LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN RECEPTOR 1 1 1 0 2 29 MUCIN 0 1 2 2 0 30 MYOSIN 1 1 0 2 0 31 PEROXIREDOXIN 0 0 1 1 1 32 PHOSPHOFRUCTOKINASE 1 1 1 0 0 33 PROTEASE S28 PRO-X CARBOXYPEPTIDASE 2 1 0 0 1 34 PROTEIN DISULFIDE ISOMERASE 3 1 0 1 1 35 RIBOSOMAL PROTEINS 18 14 10 5 22 36 SERINE CARBOXYPEPTIDASE 2 1 0 0 1 37 SERINE PROTEASE INHIBITOR, SERPIN 4 1 0 1 4 38 SERINE PROTEASE-RELATED 2 7 0 7 0 39 TRANSKETOLASE 1 0 1 0 1 40 TREHALOSE-6-PHOSPHATE SYNTHASE 1 1 1 0 0 41 TROPOMYOSIN 1 0 0 1 1 42 TUBULIN 4 4 4 1 0 44 VITELLOGENIN-RELATED 1 2 0 0 4 Functional classification of glycoproteins from insects {#s2b} ------------------------------------------------------- After identification and annotation of the different polypeptides, the different sets of glycoproteins were classified according to biological process and molecular function using the web-based WEGO plotting tool ([Figures 1](#pone-0016682-g001){ref-type="fig"} and [2](#pone-0016682-g002){ref-type="fig"}). Hereby, it was clear that glycoproteins captured by GNA are involved in a broad range of biological processes such as cell adhesion (GO: 0007155), cellular homeostasis (GO: 0019725), cell communication (GO: 0007154), stress response (GO: 0006950), transmembrane transport (GO: 0055085), etc. However, for specific biological processes relative differences can be found between insects belonging to different orders. For example, the relative amount of glycoproteins associated with transport (GO: 0006810) was 11%, 16%, 15%, 6% and 5% for the glycoproteins derived from *T. castaneum, B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster and A. pisum*, respectively. Between the highest and the lowest relative amount of glycoproteins for the category transport (GO: 0006810), a three-fold difference was observed (*A. mellifera* versus *B. mori*). This illustrates a potential differential importance of glycosylation for a particular biological process between insect species belonging to different orders. In addition, it is striking that a large part of the glycoproteins was associated with several metabolic processes. {#pone-0016682-g001} {#pone-0016682-g002} When glycoproteins were categorized according to molecular function, many of them were involved with hydrolase activity accounting for 19%, 34%, 27%, 31% and 27% in *T. castaneum*, *B. mori, A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively. This is in agreement with the many proteases, esterases, glycoside hydrolases, lipases or phosphatases found in the different insect-specific glycoprotein sets ([Tables S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Remarkably, many glycoproteins were also associated with nucleotide binding in the different insects, especially for *A. mellifera* and *A. pisum*. This corresponded with 8%, 11%, 27%, 10% and 15% for *T. castaneum*, *B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively, and correlates with the many ribosomal proteins found in the annotation lists ([Tables S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S6](#pone.0016682.s009){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Discussion {#s3} ========== One of the major findings in this paper is that very little overlap was observed between the glycoprotein sets derived from the different insect species. This was expected between insect species sampled at different developmental stages (e.g. *Bombyx* larvae and *Tribolium* adults) because glycosylation profiles change depending on reproductive and developmental stage. However, when comparing only adult insects (e.g. *Tribolium* adults and *Drosophila* adults) the diversity in glycoproteins remained extremely high. Since glycosylation is a post-translational modification, changes in carbohydrate composition that were found to be useful during insect evolution can easily be introduced. Because *N*-glycosylation of proteins occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus, it was expected that most glycoproteins would be derived from the luminal part of the secretory pathway such as plasma membrane proteins or secreted proteins. Therefore glycoproteins involved in biological processes such as cell adhesion, cell communication and transmembrane transport were expected to be very dominant. Surprisingly, the cumulative percentage of glycoproteins associated with these processes never exceeded more than 12%. Moreover, it is striking that many glycoproteins were related with metabolic processes associated with certain intracellular compartments such as lysosomes. Many lysosomal enzymes are hydrolases such as proteases, lipases or phosphatases which were found to occur very frequently in the different glycoprotein sets ([Tables S1](#pone.0016682.s004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s006){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s007){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s008){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). These enzymes are synthesized by membrane-bound ribosomes on the ER and transverse the ER-Golgi pathway to leave the Golgi apparatus in transport vesicles that fuse with lysosomes. Moreover, in mammalians the presence of mannose-containing *N*-glycans is crucial for lysosomal enzymes to be recognized for trafficking to lysosomes [@pone.0016682-Dahms1]. Recent evidence for a similar lysosomal protein-sorting machinery in *Drosophila* Schneider S2 cells has been found by identifying a homolog of the mammalian mannose 6-phosphate receptor [@pone.0016682-Kametaka1]. Our findings support this hypothesis by demonstrating that many enzymes with hydrolytic activities which are known to concentrate in lysosomes contain oligo-mannosidic *N*-glycans. Another interesting observation was the occurrence of at least 10--25% of (glyco)proteins without a protein signature for the attachment of an *N*-glycan structure. These observations suggest that mannose-containing *O*-glycosylation may be abundantly present in insect species. To our knowledge, the presence of mannose containing *O*-glycans in insects has only been described in *D. melanogaster* for the dystroglycan protein [@pone.0016682-Ichimiya1], [@pone.0016682-Nakamura1]. Moreover, the *O*-mannosyltransferases that are responsible for the *O*-glycosylation were identified as POMT1 and POMT2 [@pone.0016682-Ichimiya1]. Recessive mutation in a *pomt* gene results in poorly viable flies with defects in muscle development, illustrating the influence of an aberration in *O*-mannosylation on normal development. Using the BLAST search algorithm (EMBL-EBI), we were able to detect predicted protein sequences that are very homologous to POMT1 and POMT2, respectively, for *T. castaneum*, *B. mori, A. mellifera* as well as *A. pisum* ([Table S7](#pone.0016682.s010){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). The construction of a phylogenetic tree for these predicted POMT proteins revealed that at least two distinct *O*-mannosyltransferases resembling POMT1 and POMT2 are conserved among the five insect species ([Figure S2](#pone.0016682.s002){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Many proteins in the different glycoprotein sets have a known cytosolic localization such as actin, tubulin or glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Since POMTs are located in the lumen of the Golgi apparatus, cytosolic proteins are not expected to be modified by glycan structures [@pone.0016682-Lommel1]. However, several reports have demonstrated the existence of a cellular system involving retrograde transport of proteins from the ER to the cytosol [@pone.0016682-Lehrman1]. A dynamic and abundant *O*-glycosylation of serine and threonine was demonstrated for many cytoplasmic/nuclear proteins [@pone.0016682-Dehennaut1]--[@pone.0016682-Zeidan1]. For example, in *Drosophila*, post-translational *O*-GlcNAc modification was shown to be of importance for the regulation of Polycomb gene expression, while in vertebrates tubulin was even shown to contain sialyloligosaccharides [@pone.0016682-Gambetta1], [@pone.0016682-Hino1], [@pone.0016682-Sinclair1]. In addition, other types of cytoplasmic glycosylation may be present. Although at present the expression of a mannosyl transferase in the cytoplasm has never been shown, the addition of mannose residues or mannose containing oligosaccharides to the peptide backbone of cytoplasmic/nuclear proteins may occur in insects. Apart from its use as a tool for affinity chromatography, the snowdrop (*Galanthus nivalis*) lectin was reported to exert strong insecticidal activity against different insect orders [@pone.0016682-Fitches1]--[@pone.0016682-Li1]. Previously, midgut proteins such as ferritin, α-amylase or aminopeptidase were found to be targeted by mannose-binding plant lectins in several economically important pest insects [@pone.0016682-Du1]--[@pone.0016682-Sadeghi1]. Indeed, these three midgut proteins were also found among the GNA binding glycoproteins in several insect species ([Table S6](#pone.0016682.s009){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Moreover, this report clearly holds supporting evidence for the hypothesis that plant lectins, and in particular GNA, act on pest insects through the simultaneous interaction with multiple target glycoproteins. In this manuscript the first comparative study is presented of glycoprotein sets derived from five phylogenetically diverse insect species. Since earlier reports [@pone.0016682-Gutternigg1]--[@pone.0016682-Schachter1] have shown that the dominant glycan structures in the model insect *D. melanogaster* were of the pauci-mannose *N*-glycan type, the mannose-binding lectin GNA was used in this study to capture insect glycoproteins. However, the percentage of proteins retained on the GNA column was found to be less than 5% of the total protein for the different insect species, suggesting that the number of identified glycoproteins is probably an underestimation of the actual number of glycoproteins. One important reason to explain the low percentage of glycoproteins may be that glycoproteins containing complex glycan structures are more abundant in insects than currently believed, as was recently also shown for *Drosophila* [@pone.0016682-Vandenborre1]. In addition, the identification of glycoproteins also depends on the quality of the insect databases. As illustrated in [Table 1](#pone-0016682-t001){ref-type="table"}, the number of putative protein sequences present in the different insect databases is highly variable, which may indicate differences in the degree of completion between the insect databases. Subsequently, this will influence protein identification. Therefore, we want to emphasize that the data presented in this report do not intend to give a full database for glycoproteins present in *T. castaneum*, *B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* or *A. pisum*. The glycoprotein catalogs are snapshots of a dynamic glycoproteome during the specific developmental stage of the different insects. Materials and Methods {#s4} ===================== Insects and lectin purification {#s4a} ------------------------------- All insects were collected from a laboratory colony that was kept at standard conditions. All stages of *T. castaneum* were kept on wheat flour mixed with brewer\'s yeast (10/1, w/w) [@pone.0016682-Zapata1]. Silkworm *B. mori* (Daizo) larvae were raised on a mulberry-based artificial diet at 25°C (Yakuroto Co., Japan) [@pone.0016682-Soin1]. After collection from hives of an experimental apiary in Ghent, honeybee workers (*A. mellifera*) were kept at 34°C and 70% relative humidity in laboratory cages and fed with sugar water [@pone.0016682-Scharlaken1]. A continuous colony of *D. melanogaster* was maintained on a corn meal-based diet, and the pea aphid *A. pisum* was reared on broad beans (*Vicia faba*) at 23--25°C and 65--70% relative humidity [@pone.0016682-Vandenborre1], [@pone.0016682-Christiaens1]. GNA was purified from the bulbs of snowdrop (*Galanthus nivalis*) using a combination of ion exchange chromatography and affinity chromatography [@pone.0016682-VanDamme1]. The carbohydrate binding specificity of GNA was previously determined in detail using hapten inhibition assays, frontal affinity chromatography and the glycan array technology provided by the Consortium for Functional Glycomics (<http://www.functionalglycomics.org/>) [@pone.0016682-Fouquaert1]. These studies clearly showed that GNA specifically binds to the terminal mannose residues from high-mannose and oligo-mannose *N*-glycans. GNA did not react with more complex *N*-glycans with terminal sugar residues other than mannose. Lectin affinity purification of glycoproteins from insect extracts {#s4b} ------------------------------------------------------------------ For the different protein extracts, adult insect bodies were used for the flour beetle *T. castaneum*, the worker honey bee *A. mellifera* and the fruit fly *D. melanogaster*. For the pea aphid *A. pisum* a mix of nymphs and adults was collected, while for the silkworm *B. mori* only fifth larval instar caterpillars were used for extracting proteins. Insect bodies were crushed in liquid nitrogen using a chilled mortar and pestle and an extraction buffer (0.2 M phosphate buffer pH 7.6 containing 2 mM phenylmethanesulfonylfluoride) was added at a ratio of 3 mL buffer per gram of insect powder. The different insect extracts were homogenized using a glass and Teflon homogenizer (10 strokes at 2,000 rpm) and subsequently centrifuged at 9,500 g for 1 h at 4°C. The supernatants were collected and protein concentrations were determined using the Bradford method (Coomassie Protein Assay kit, Thermo scientific, Rockford, IL). A lectin affinity column (diameter 0.5 cm, height 2 cm) was prepared by coupling the purified GNA to Sepharose 4B using the divinylsulfone method [@pone.0016682-Pepper1]. Approximately 20 mg of total protein was loaded onto the GNA Sepharose column to selectively purify the glycoproteins as described earlier [@pone.0016682-Vandenborre1]. To circumvent non-specific binding of glycoproteins to GNA, peak fractions were pooled and re-chromatographed on the lectin column. Detailed information on the OD values from the elution fractions of the two subsequent GNA affinity purification steps can be found in [Figure S3A](#pone.0016682.s003){ref-type="supplementary-material"}--[S3E](#pone.0016682.s003){ref-type="supplementary-material"}. To specifically analyze the selectivity of the GNA-affinity column, the binding of several protein extracts was analyzed by SDS-PAGE before and after chemical removal of the glycan structures from the glycoproteins. For the non-specific deglycosylation of the proteins the trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TFMS) (Sigma-Aldrich) deglycosylation procedure was used [@pone.0016682-Egde1]. Preparation of peptides and LC-MS/MS analysis {#s4c} --------------------------------------------- Glycoproteins eluted from the GNA column were completely dried and re-dissolved in freshly prepared 50 mM ammonium bicarbonate buffer (pH 7.8). Prior to digestion, protein mixtures were boiled for 10 min at 95°C followed by cooling down on ice for 15 min. Sequencing-grade trypsin (Promega, Madison, WI, USA) was added in a 1∶100 (trypsin:substrate) ratio (w/w) and digestion was allowed overnight at 37°C. The sample was acidified with 10% acetic acid (final concentration of 1% acetic acid) and loaded for RP-HPLC separation on a 2.1 mm internal diameter ×150 mm 300SB-C18 column (Zorbax®, Agilent technologies, Waldbronn, Germany) using an Agilent 1100 Series HPLC system. Following a 10 min wash with 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5.5) in water/acetonitrile (98/2 (v/v), both Baker HPLC analyzed (Mallinckrodt Baker B.V., Deventer, the Netherlands), a linear gradient to 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5.5) in water/acetonitrile (30/70, v/v) was applied over 100 min at a constant flow rate of 80 µL/min. Eluting peptides were collected in 60 fractions between 20 and 80 min, and fractions separated by 15 min were pooled and vacuum dried until further analysis. These pooled fractions were re-dissolved in 50 µL of 2.5% acetonitrile (HPLC solvent A). Eight µL of this peptide mixture were applied for nanoLC-MS/MS analysis on an Ultimate (Dionex, Amsterdam, the Netherlands) in-line connected to an Esquire HCT mass spectrometer (Bruker, Bremen, Germany). The sample was first trapped on a trapping column (PepMap™ C18 column, 0.3 mm I.D. ×5 mm, Dionex (Amsterdam, the Netherlands)). After back-flushing from the trapping column, the sample was loaded on a 75 µm I.D. ×150 mm reverse-phase column (PepMap™ C18 (Dionex)). The peptides were eluted with a linear gradient of 3% HPLC solvent B (0.1% formic acid in water/acetonitrile (3/7, v/v)) increase per minute at a constant flow rate of 200 nL/min. Using data dependent acquisition multiply charged ions with intensities above threshold (adjusted for each sequence according to the noise level) were selected for fragmentation. During MS/MS analysis, a MS/MS fragmentation amplitude of 0.7 V and a scan time of 40 ms were used. Protein identification and bioinformatics {#s4d} ----------------------------------------- The fragmentation spectra were converted to mgf files using the Automation Engine software (version 3.2, Bruker) and were searched using the MASCOT database search engine (version 2.2.0, Matrix Science, <http://www.matrixscience.com>) in the appropriate databases. In particular, the Beetlebase (<http://www.Beetlebase.org>; release Glean.prot.51906), Silkbase (<http://silkworm.genomics.org.cn>; release Silkworm_glean_pep), Beebase (<http://genomes.arc.georgetown.edu>; release Amel_pre_release2_OGS_pep), Flybase (<http://flybase.org>; release FB2010_01) and the Aphidbase (<http://www.aphidbase.com/aphidbase>; release ACYPproteins) were used to identify proteins from *T. castaneum*, *B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively [@pone.0016682-Kaplan1]--[@pone.0016682-Legeai1]. Peptide mass tolerance was set at 0.5 Da and peptide fragment mass tolerance at 0.5 Da, with the ESI-IT as selected instrument for peptide fragmentation rules. Peptide charge was set to 1+,2+,3+. Variable modifications were set to methionine oxidation, pyro-glutamate formation of amino terminal glutamine, acetylation of the N-terminus, deamidation of glutamine or asparagines. The enzyme was set to trypsin. Only peptides that were ranked one and scored above the threshold score set at 95% confidence were withheld. The peptide identification results were made publicly accessible in the proteomics identifications (PRIDE) database (experiment accesion number 13290) (<http://www.ebi.ac.uk/pride>). Glycoproteins from different insect species were annotated using the InterProScan tool available from the EBI website (<http://www.ebi.ac.uk/Tools/InterProScan>) [@pone.0016682-Hunter1]. The InterProScan tool is based on protein databases that use the hidden Markov model methodology to indentify functional protein domains/motives in the primary amino acid sequenes such as Panther, Pfam and TIGR. The obtained IntroProScan output files for *T. castaneum*, *B. mori*, *A. mellifera*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum* can be found in [Output File S1](#pone.0016682.s011){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S2](#pone.0016682.s012){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S3](#pone.0016682.s013){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S4](#pone.0016682.s014){ref-type="supplementary-material"}, [S5](#pone.0016682.s015){ref-type="supplementary-material"}. To quantify the presence of certain proteins, an established label-free method was used based on an exponential modified protein abundance index (emPAI) [@pone.0016682-Ishihama1], [@pone.0016682-Vaudel1]. The emPAI index estimates the abundance of a specific glycoprotein based on the number of identified tryptic peptides. In addition, the number of predicted *N*-glycosylation sites present on the polypeptide backbone was calculated using the NetNGlyc 1.0 server (<http://www.cbs.dtu.dk/services/NetNGlyc>). Only Asn-X-Ser/Thr sequences (where X is any amino acid except proline) with a prediction score \>0.5 were withheld as potential *N*-glycosylation sites. Afterwards the annotated glycoproteins were categorized according to the biological process or molecular function using the Web Gene Ontology Annotation Plot (WEGO) software (<http://wego.genomics.org.cn/cgi-bin/wego/index.pl>). The WEGO software is a widely used and freely available tool for visualizing, plotting and comparing annotation results based on classification terms provided by the Gene Ontology (GO) Consortium (<http://www.geneontology.org/>) [@pone.0016682-Ye1]. Supporting Information {#s5} ====================== ###### **Coomassie-stained SDS-PAGE of different elution or run-through fractions obtained after GNA chromatography of protein extracts from *T. castaneum* (T), *D. melanogaster* (D) and *A. pisum* (A).** Lane 0 was loaded with a protein marker (PageRuler™, prestained protein ladder, Fermentas) whereas lanes 1 to 3 were loaded with the peak elution fraction of the GNA chromatography of total proteins extracts from *T. castaneum*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively. Lanes 4 to 6 were loaded with run-through samples of GNA chromatography of total protein extracts from *T. castaneum*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively. Lanes 7 to 9 were loaded with the peak elution fraction of the GNA chromatography of total proteins extracts after chemical deglycosylation from *T. castaneum*, *D. melanogaster* and *A. pisum*, respectively. (TIF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Phylogenetic tree showing the evolutionary relationship between the homologous protein sequences for** ***O*** **-mannosyltransferase 1 and 2 in** ***D. melanogaster*** **,** ***T. castaneum*** **,** ***B. mori, A. mellifera*** **and** ***A. pisum*** **.** (TIF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Elution profiles of GNA affinity chromatography of total proteins extracts from different insect species.** The eluted fractions from the first chromatography were pooled and rechromatographed on the same GNA column. The OD values of the eluted fractions from the two subsequent GNA affinity chromatography steps from *T. castaneum* (A), *B. mori* (B), *A. mellifera* (C), *D. melanogaster* (D) and *A. pisum* (E) are shown. (TIF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Annotation of the identified glycoproteins for** ***Tribolium castaneum*** **.** The list contains the accession number from Beetlebase, an abundance index (emPAI index) and the putative number of *N*-glycosylation sites. (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Annotation of the identified glycoproteins for** ***Bombyx mori*** **.** The list contains the accession number from Silkbase, an abundance index (emPAI index) and the putative number of *N*-glycosylation sites. (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Annotation of the identified glycoproteins for** ***Apis mellifera*** **.** The list contains the accession number from Beebase, an abundance index (emPAI index) and the putative number of *N*-glycosylation sites. (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Annotation of the identified glycoproteins for** ***Drosophila melanogaster*** **.** The list contains the accession number from Flybase, an abundance index (emPAI index) and the putative number of *N*-glycosylation sites. (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Annotation of the identified glycoproteins for** ***Acyrthosiphon pisum*** **.** The list contains the accession number from Aphidbase, an abundance index (emPAI index) and the putative number of *N*-glycosylation sites. (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **Comparative analysis of the number of annotated glycoproteins according to protein description for** ***T. castaneum, B. mori, A. mellifera, D. melanogaster*** **and** ***A. pisum*** **.** (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **WU-BLAST analysis to search for proteins homologous to** ***O*** **-mannosyltransferases from** ***Drosophila melanogaster*** **POMT1 (Genbank accession No NP_524025.2) and POMT2 (Genbank accession No NP_569858.1).** (PDF) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **InterProScan output file for *Tribolium castaneum*.** (OUT) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **InterProScan output file for *Bombyx mori*.** (OUT) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **InterProScan output file for *Apis mellifera*.** (OUT) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **InterProScan output file for *Drosophila melanogaster*.** (OUT) ###### Click here for additional data file. ###### **InterProScan output file for *Acyrthosiphon pisum*.** (OUT) ###### Click here for additional data file. B.G. is a postdoctoral research fellow of the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders (Belgium). **Competing Interests:**The authors have declared that no competing interests exist. **Funding:**This work was supported by the Research Council of Ghent University (project BOF07/GOA/017 and BOF10/GOA/003), the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (3G016306) to GS and EV. BG is a postdoctoral research fellow of the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (Belgium). The UGent/VIB lab acknowledges support by research grants from the Fund for Scientific Research-Flanders (Belgium) (project 3G028007), the Concerted Research Actions from the Ghent University and the Inter University Attraction Poles (project BOF07/GOA/012 and IUAP06). The authors also acknowledge the Consortium for Functional Glycomics for glycan array analyses. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. [^1]: Conceived and designed the experiments: GS BG RR KG EV. Performed the experiments: GV BG RR. Analyzed the data: GV BG GM. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: GS KG EV. Wrote the paper: GV GS EV. | High | [
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INTRODUCTION ============ The National School Feeding Program (PNAE) is considered an outstanding food and nutrition security policy in Brazil^[@B1]^. The recent change in the legal framework of the program included, as a strategy, the mandatory purchase of food from family farms, simultaneously stimulating food production and local sustainability, and expanding the supply of healthy, *in natura* food in schools^[@B2]^. Besides, through resolution no. 38/2009^[@B3]^, the public call was standardized as a simplified process for the public manager and the farmer, which exempts the bureaucratic chain from bidding ordinarily inaccessible to the segment of family farmers unfamiliar with the bidding requirements process^[@B4]^. The connection of family agriculture with programs that affect access and food quality, such as the PNAE, especially in a context of systematic advancement of obesity, suggests a double potential of this policy design, that is, to improve the quality of school feeding and stimulate the production and local markets of family farming crops. This potential translates into the ability to focus on the perverse consequences of the current food system, characterized by an exclusionary productive model guided by the low diversity and increasing consumption of ultra-processed food items by the population, including schoolchildren exposed to an obesogenic environment^[@B5]^. In Brazil, family agriculture has come to be considered a diverse and heterogeneous social category conceived by government managers and social actors and organizations as strategic in the process of social and economic development. The profile of food produced by the farmers' segment can be quite diverse, and the demand for market expansion has contributed to the diversification of products with varying degrees of processing^[@B9]^. Thus, regarding food processing, food obtained from family-based sources may range from *in natura* crops to food with a high degree of processing and additions of densely caloric, and sugary ingredients. The enactment of law no. 11,947^[@B2]^ increased the farmers' access to the institutional market through the PNAE. Some studies point to a positive relationship between increase of income and improvement of farmers' living conditions, diversifying and increasing their production, and improving school meals, with a greater supply of fruits and vegetables^[@B9]-[@B11]^. Thus, the connection between family-based agriculture and the PNAE enhances changes in the local food system, with possibilities of impact on improving the quality of life of farmers and on the provision of healthy meals for schoolchildren. However, many challenges are observed when organizing city councils to meet the legal requirements of the program and ensure the supply of healthier food items in schools through the local purchase of family-based crops. We highlight the complexity and diversity of the characteristics of Brazilian cities regarding the structural, political, social, and institutional aspects that can affect the expected potential for the strategy of regulating the public purchase profile. Brazilian capitals may have advantages and disadvantages concerning less populous and economically less developed municipalities that deserve to be better understood. Besides, the heterogeneity of Brazilian regions and capitals regarding sociodemographic indicators, levels of development, and the number of schoolchildren assisted by the PNAE may represent different challenges and opportunities for the purchase of family-based food still little explored in the literature. Thus, this study aimed to analyze how the food purchase profile of family agriculture is related to socioeconomic and demographic indicators in Brazilian capitals. METHODS ======= This is a cross-sectional and descriptive study, based on secondary data for the years 2016 and 2017 available on the websites of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE)^[@B12]^, the National Fund for the Development of Education (FNDE)^[@B13]^ and the Ministry of Agrarian Development^[@B14]^. Information regarding the capitals' demographic and socioeconomic profile were: population, territorial area, human development index (HDI), and gross domestic product (GDP), obtained on the IBGE website. We also identified the total of the resource transferred by the FNDE and the percentage used for purchases of food from family farming by Brazilian capitals on the funds' website. The total value transferred by the FNDE was used as an approximation of the number of students enrolled in the education network since this value is calculated according to the number of enrollments recorded in the year before the transfer. The public call notices were obtained on the ministry's website, in "Monitoring System of Public Procurement Opportunities of Family Agriculture," and Transparency Portal of all capitals. Data regarding sociodemographics, FNDE funding, and family agriculture refer to the year 2016, and the purchase notices occurred in 2017. We also sought to identify the food requested by cafeterias of Brazilian capitals through the analysis of public calls. They were listed and subsequently classified according to the degree of processing, according to the proposed NOVA classification^[@B15]^. In the data analysis, family agriculture purchases were considered as a dependent variable and divided into two categories: percentage of purchases less than 30% and the percentage of purchases greater than or equal to 30%. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was applied to identify the normality of distribution of independent continuous variables (HDI, GDP, values transferred from the FNDE, number of inhabitants, and territorial area). The nonparametric variables identified were GDP and number of inhabitants, submitted to the Mann-Whitney test to identify the difference in the median between the categories of family agriculture purchases. For the parametric variables, Student's t-test was used to identify the difference between the means according to the categories of family agriculture purchases. The parametric variables were expressed in mean and standard deviation and the nonparametric variables in median and quartiles. Variables of FNDE funding, GDP, and HDI, number of inhabitants, and territorial area were organized into distribution quartiles and submitted to the chi-square association test with the categories of purchase of family agriculture. Statistical analysis was performed in the SPSS version 13 program, and, in all tests, the level of significance adopted was 5%. RESULTS ======= Public Purchases of Family Agriculture for the PNAE in Brazilian Capitals ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The average value used in the purchase of family-based crops through the PNAE was higher than that required by the legislation, that is, more than 30% of the money transferred by the FNDE, in 12 Brazilian capitals in 2016. The capitals Boa Vista and Maceió used 100% of the funding, while Rio de Janeiro and Recife did not use any resources with family-based agriculture ([Table 1](#t1){ref-type="table"}). Only the Northern region of the country presented satisfactory results for the purchase of family-based crops since all capitals met the legal requirements regarding the minimum value destined to this segment. The Southern region has only three capitals, with a smaller territorial area and less allocation of funding for the purchase of family-based crops ([Table 1](#t1){ref-type="table"}). Table 1Total funding transferred by the FNDE and percentage used for the purchase of family crops from Brazilian capitals in 2016.RegionStateCapitalTotal funding transferred (R\$)% used with family agricultureMidwest GOGoiânia13,892,920.7641.10 MSCampo Grande10,232,653.7013.65 MTCuiabá6,999,630.5928.24 DFBrasília44,797,501.274.22North TOPalmas10,621,273.9731.01 ROPorto Velho4,832,239.5239.02 ACRio Branco2,887,497.0535.15 PABelém6,423,576.2340.32 AMManaus22,193,813.5953.60 APMacapá2,177,893.9844.92 RRBoa Vista2,392,953.95100.00Northeast PBJoão Pessoa8,697,273.8310.51 BASalvador17,015,380.671.62 SEAracaju995,592.7484.12 ALMaceió170,977.02100.00 PERecife8,963,348.140.00 RNNatal2,213,052.5111.02 CEFortaleza24,438,057.859.00 PITeresina9,416,824.1646.35 MASão Luís19,808,714.7527.22Southeast SPSão Paulo79,616,147.1110.75 RJRio de Janeiro75,769,080.490.00 ESVitória6,116,291.5432.62 MGBelo Horizonte20,619,170.142.72South RSPorto Alegre9,593,249.8822.48 SCFlorianópolis4,232,436.4422.57 PRCuritiba21,636,514.961.25 The capitals that used the most resources to purchase family crops (≥ 30%) presented lower mean and median values of funding by the FNDE (p = 0.038), HDI (p = 0.021) and number of inhabitants (p = 0.004) than those who used less than 30% of this resource. ([Table 2](#t2){ref-type="table"}). The analysis of the association between the variables showed that the capitals belonging to the smallest quartiles of income transfer by the FNDE (p = 0.023), HDI (p = 0.005) and number of inhabitants (p = 0.022) are those that buy more family-based crops (\> 30%) ([Table 3](#t3){ref-type="table"}). Table 2Average and median values of socioeconomic and demographic variables according to the categories of purchase of family crops in 2016.Variables% purchases from family agriculturep\< 30% (n = 15)\> 30% (n = 12)FNDE^a^ funding207,611,521.8 (20,933,662.9)6,843,487.9 (6,374,067.9)0.038HDI^a^0.79 (0.30)0.76 (0.36)0.021GDP^b^34,910.1 (24,029.2; 46,122.8)24,169.8 (20,520.4; 31,380.0)0.059Number of inhabitants^b^1,633,697.0 (874,210.0; 2,953,986.0)584,771.0 (368,215.8; 1,346,488.5)0.004Territorial area^a^1,757.4 (2,487.67)76,792.6 (243,744.1)0.278[^3][^4][^5] Table 3Distribution of municipalities according to the quartiles of socioeconomic and demographic variables and categories of purchase of family crops in 2016.Variables% purchases from family agriculturep^a^\< 30% (n = 15)\> 30% (n = 12)FNDE Funding 1º quartil2 (13.3%)5 (41.7%)0.0232º quartil3 (20.0%)4 (33.3%)3º quartil4 (26.7%)2 (16.7%)4º quartil6 (40.0%)1 (8.3%)HDI 1º quartil0 (0%)6 (50.0%)0.0052º quartil5 (33.3%)3 (25.0%)3º quartil4 (26.7%)2 (16.7%)4º quartil6 (40.0%)1 (8.3%)GDP 1º quartil2 (13.3%)5 (41.7%)0.1642º quartil3 (20.0%)4 (33.3%)3º quartil5 (33.3%)2 (16.7%)4º quartil5 (33.3%)1 (8.3%)Number of inhabitants 1º quartil1 (6.7%)6 (50.0%)0.0222º quartil4 (26.7%)3 (25.0%)3º quartil4 (26.7%)3 (25.0%)4º quartil6 (40.0%)0 (0%)Territorial area 1º quartil4 (26.7%)2 (16.7%)0.1572º quartil6 (40.0%)2 (16.7%)3º quartil4 (26.7%)3 (25.0%)4º quartil1 (6.7%)5 (41.7%)[^6][^7] Public Call Notices and Food Classification ------------------------------------------- Searches on the ministry's website and in the Transparency Portal of each of the municipalities allowed the localization of 23 public call notices, totaling 376 items requested for ten Brazilian capitals, during the year 2017. Between those, only four capitals reached the 30% goal of funding spending in family-based agriculture in the previous years, three of them located in the Northern region. Among the food items required in the notices, 94.1% were classified as *in natura* or minimally processed, 4.0% ultra-processed, and 1.9% processed. The requested crops with a higher degree of processing are primarily those destined for desserts or small meals, such as sweets and flavored dairy products ([Table 4](#t4){ref-type="table"}). Table 4Classification of food items requested in public calls from Brazilian capitals in 2017 according to degree of industrial processing.Degree of processingCapitalsNumber of times food items were requestedFood itemsFood *in natura* and minimally processedBelém61Fruits and vegetables, cereals, eggs, pasteurized açaí, starchy goods, tucupi sauce, and othersBoa Vista29Fruits and vegetables, cereals, fruit pulps, small bell peppers, tapioca and honey.Campo Grande34Fruits, vegetables and cerealsFortaleza8Fruits, vegetables, cereals and fruit pulpsJoão Pessoa38Fruits, vegetables, cereals, eggs, fruit pulps and mechanically separated fish meat, among othersPalmas20Fruits, vegetables, cereals and beefRio de Janeiro97Fruits, vegetables, cereals and bay leavesSão Luís26Fruits, vegetables, cereals and fruit pulpsSão Paulo17Fruits, vegetables, cereals, frozen pork and whole grape juice, among othersTeresina24Fruits, vegetables, cereals and fruit pulpsTotal: 354 (94.1%)Processed food itemsFortaleza1Curd cheeseJoão Pessoa2Curd cheese and mozzarellaPalmas4Wheat-based wafers, *cuca* cake, homemade noodles with eggs and homemade breadTotal: 7 (1.9%)Ultra-processed food itemsBelém3Yogurt and creamy fruit sweetsFortaleza1YogurtJoão Pessoa6*Doce de leite*, milk-based drinks, light butter and light *requeijão*Palmas3Pumpkin jam, *doce de leite* and blackberry jamSão Paulo2Milk-based drink, unsalted butter and yogurtTotal: 15 (4.0%) DISCUSSION ========== The analysis of the purchasing profile of family-based crops by Brazilian capitals allows us to point out an asymmetry between capitals and regions in compliance with the current legislation of the PNAE and in the potential to stimulate local production and supply of food *in natura* in schools. The analysis of the territorial distribution by regions, considering the differences in terms of area, number of capitals and municipalities by region, points out an absolute heterogeneity. The Southern region has only three capitals, the smallest territorial area and was the region where the capitals least allocated resources for family farming in 2016. However, the Southern region has a higher percentage of municipalities that meet the minimum criterion of use of the FNDE funding towards family-based agriculture according to different studies^[@B9],[@B10],[@B17],[@B18]^. This region has stood out for its rural tradition, which has better organizational and management structures^[@B16]^. Studies conducted in municipalities in the three states of the region, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Santa Catarina (SC) and Paraná (PR), showed that, on average, 70% of the municipalities analyzed in RS and SC used more than 30% of the funding with family farming^[@B17],[@B18]^. The Northern region has seven capitals, including the largest Brazilian capital, Manaus, and was the region that best employed the resource for the purchase of family-based crops. Unequal use of the funding throughout the country seems not to be related to the territorial extension, but possibly to the administrative and management structures that characterize the metropoles. A study conducted in 2012 showed that large municipalities, with mixed, decentralized, or outsourced school feeding management and without a nutritionist as technical responsible, presented a lower frequency of purchase of food from family agriculture^[@B10]^. The characterization of the capitals' purchasing profile can inform different challenges regarding the institutional systems and processes demanded by metropolitan municipalities that support a higher number of schoolchildren and, therefore, need to mobilize resources on a large scale. It is possible to infer that there is an additional difficulty in purchasing family crops in the capitals compared to the smaller or less populous municipalities. This difference observed in the purchasing profile between the municipalities may suggest that the institutional procedures and the bureaucratic network of the capitals may hinder the articulation between schools, secretariats, and sectors responsible for the fulfillment of the program^[@B19]^. The difficulty in allocating resources to family agriculture in more urbanized and developed cities has been highlighted in other studies^[@B16],[@B20]^ The specificity of the capital cities may impose difficulties with the processes of purchase of family crops due to the greater distance from agricultural production. Besides, historically, they have more dense and complex bureaucratic management structures, which can delay the adaptation of the new impositions provided for by the PNAE. Capitals mobilize substantial resources in the context of public procurement and, therefore, attract large companies as suppliers. These companies have experience with bidding processes and with political and institutional procedures, which may represent a specific resistance to the entry of new actors in the dispute for access to the public procurement market. The government sectors seem more resistant to change in public procurement mechanisms, which requires new logical and management criteria under the PNAE. In this context, open competition may jeopardize family farms due to institutional relations, companies' interests and public sectors^[@B5],[@B21]^. A recurrent strategy is to use the concept of cost-effectiveness in bid-related legislation^[@B7],[@B22]^to justify price definition for family agriculture and thus hinder the participation of these farmers in public calls. It should be noted that the legislation regulating public calls to family agriculture accounts for differentiated pricing criteria and allows the inclusion of the cost of packaging, charges, and logistics in the final price to be paid by the government^[@B7],[@B23]^. Nevertheless, misuse of public policy can sometimes cause opportunistic behavior on the part of social agents, either by simulating the condition of a family farmer or, in the case of agrarian cooperatives and associations, appropriation of the farmer's profit^[@B24]^. Capital cities have better management structures, greater political representativeness for the implementation of new actions, and enormous scope, which seems to be underutilized as a strategy to strengthen family agriculture and the potential supply of healthier food items^[@B25]^. Even capitals with extensive experience in the field of food and nutritional security, as is the case of Belo Horizonte, are still far below the legal requirements regarding the use of the FNDE funding^[@B5],[@B21]^. On the other hand, the capitals with the lowest FNDE funding, that is, those with the lowest number of enrolled students can most contribute to the purchase of family crops. They need to manage fewer resources and are sometimes heavily dependent on federal funding. The capitals grouped in the last quartile of the HDI variable were more associated with the use of less than 30% of the resource with family agriculture; therefore, supposedly more developed capitals are the ones that buy the least crops of this segment. A study conducted in small municipalities in Western Santa Catarina showed that those with a larger territorial area, population, HDI, number of schools, and school enrollments had more difficulty reaching a minimum of 30% in the use of funding^[@B16]^. Another study indicates that the oscillation in the municipality's capacity to comply with the legislation is related to farmers' production capacity, lack of documentation and the inability to meet the delivery logistics demanded^[@B26]^. It is essential to analyze the type of food primarily demanded in public call notices to understand how the regulation of public purchases impacts the quality of food supply in schools^[@B7]^. Family farmers are a heterogeneous group in territorial distribution, management structures, and economic planning over time^[@B5]^. Moreover, public call notices are neither homogeneous nor standardized; therefore, although they are designed to facilitate farmer access to the institutional market, depending on how they are drafted and disseminated, they may pose another obstacle for local farmers^[@B27]^. A study conducted in the municipality of Araripe, Ceará, found that the agricultural supply to the PNAE has been predominantly carried out by large companies. It is argued that seasonality, insufficient production volume, and difficulties in logistics due to lack of transportation make it impossible to meet the demands of menus prepared for schools. Thus, most family crops in Araripe that meet the criteria of the public call notices are minimally processed or processed food items, with the addition of sugar and fat. The authors highlight that the rural population of Ceará practices subsistence agriculture and is not able to adapt to the requirements of the PNAE^[@B26]^. The food items prioritized in the analyzed public call notices were classified as *in natura*, and therefore favorable for the provision of a healthier diet in schools. However, other sugary and highly processed food items were also ordered in smaller quantities by five of the capitals, three of those with low funding in family agriculture. It is noteworthy that the legislation of the PNAE does not prohibit the supply of this type of food, although it does limit it^[@B2],[@B23]^. Crop perenniality and logistical difficulties, as well as a higher chance of price increase^[@B7]^ can sometimes favor the selection of processed or longer shelf-time food items, such as sweets, to ensure compliance with the legislation, since financial penalties are expected for states and municipalities that do not meet legal requirements without justification^[@B28]^. However, the manager should consider the existence of public agencies' specific health legislation for the purchase of processed or ultra-processed food items^[@B23]^. The PNAE, although very promising and with significant advances, still only represents an alternative market for the family farmer ^[@B29],[@B30]^. The institutionalization of the purchase of food *in natura* primarily through the supply of family-based farmers needs to be signified in the context of the public management of financial resources allocated to the PNAE by the FNDE, and the agencies responsible for public purchases must understand the purposes and principles that guide law no. 11,947/2009^[@B2]^, especially in Brazilian capitals. Metropoles such as capitals have specificities that require additional investment in infrastructure to meet the logistics demand and intersectoral articulation strategies that involve the sectors responsible for public procurement, policy managers, nutritionists, and farmers, as well as technical assistance agencies focused on rural extension throughout the process. The success and full development of this public policy can impact various social benefits, either by strengthening local food production and markets from family-based farmers or by providing fresher and healthier food for schoolchildren. The qualification of this process may represent the possibility of reorienting the logic of the sectors responsible for public purchases towards new principles that go outside the economic perspective in favor of valuing social gains. CONCLUSION ========== The purchase of family crops for the PNAE has advanced in the country; however, it still occurs unevenly in Brazilian capitals, and the resource is used irregularly and unsatisfactory in most regions. Compliance with the minimum criteria established in the legislation on the use of resources for family agriculture is inversely related to metropolitan municipalities' socioeconomic and demographic indicators. The number of public calls available to access is small if the total resources transferred to the capitals are considered and are therefore insufficient to meet the supply demands of schools and pretensions regarding the inclusion of family farmers in the PNAE. It is noteworthy that the disclosure of public calls is still limited, even in municipalities with more considerable institutional and financial resources. Most food items *in natura* or minimally processed may represent the potential for the promotion of adequate and healthy food in schools provided for the PNAE, strengthening it as an essential strategy to promote health in the school context. We highlight the limitations of a study based on secondary data, which, although it offers a national overview of how socioeconomic and demographic indicators related to the execution of institutional purchases of PA for the PNAE, lacks analyses on the specificities and institutional characteristics that may facilitate or hinder compliance with the legislation in force in the capitals of the country. Therefore, an influential research agenda in this area of public policies is suggested. Funding: Scientific initiation scholarship -- FAPERJ -- *Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro.* Artigo Original Compra da agricultura familiar para alimentação escolar nas capitais brasileiras https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0674-8832 Dias Patricia Camacho I https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5665-2775 Barbosa Isis Ribeiro de Oliveira II https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0850-7143 Barbosa Roseane Moreira Sampaio I https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7122-8270 Ferreira Daniele Mendonça I https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7296-5598 Soares Kamilla Carla Bertu II https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5196-9055 Soares Daniele da Silva Bastos I https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8154-0962 Henriques Patrícia I https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0875-6374 Burlandy Luciene I Brasil Universidade Federal Fluminense. Faculdade de Nutrição. Departamento de Nutrição Social. Niterói, RJ, Brasil Brasil Universidade Federal Fluminense. Faculdade de Nutrição. Curso de graduação em nutrição. Niterói, RJ, Brasil Correspondência: Patricia Camacho Dias Faculdade de Nutrição Emília de Jesus Ferreiro Campus Valonguinho Rua Mário Santos Braga, 30, sala 413 24020-140 E-mail: diaspc2\@gmail.com **Contribuição dos Autores:** Concepção do estudo; coleta, análise e interpretação dos dados; pesquisa bibliográfica; redação e revisão final do manuscrito: PCD. Coleta e interpretação dos dados; pesquisa bibliográfica; redação: IROB, KCBS. Interpretação dos dados; redação e revisão final: RMSB, DMF, DSBS, PH, LB. Todos os autores aprovaram a versão final do manuscrito. **Conflito de Interesses:** Os autores declaram não haver conflito de interesses. OBJETIVO ======== Analisar como o perfil de compra de alimentos da agricultura familiar no âmbito do Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar se relaciona com indicadores socioeconômicos e demográficos nas capitais brasileiras. MÉTODOS ======= Este estudo transversal e descritivo foi baseado em dados secundários de 2016 e 2017 do governo brasileiro. Foram utilizados dados demográficos e socioeconômicos, o valor do recurso repassado pelo governo federal, o percentual utilizado para compras de alimentos da agricultura familiar e as chamadas públicas disponíveis. RESULTADOS ========== As capitais no maior quartil de índice de desenvolvimento humano e de recursos repassados pelo governo federal utilizaram menos de 30% do recurso para a compra de gêneros da agricultura familiar em 2016. Todas as capitais da região Norte utilizaram acima de 30%, enquanto as regiões Sul e Sudeste não atenderam à legislação. Destaca-se a presença majoritária de alimentos *in natura* nas chamadas públicas analisadas. CONCLUSÕES ========== A execução dessa política pública ocorre de forma desigual nas capitais brasileiras, com maior dificuldade naquelas supostamente com melhor estrutura institucional e maior volume de recursos destinados ao Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar, contudo, o programa mantém seu potencial para a promoção da alimentação adequada e saudável nas escolas, em razão da qualidade dos alimentos incluídos nas chamadas públicas. Agricultura Licitação Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional Alimentação Escolar Programas e Políticas de Nutrição e Alimentação INTRODUÇÃO ========== O Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) é considerado uma importante política de segurança alimentar e nutricional no Brasil^[@B1]^. A recente mudança no marco legal do programa incluiu, como estratégia, a obrigatoriedade de compra de alimentos da agricultura familiar (AF), com o propósito de estimular simultaneamente a produção de alimentos e a sustentabilidade local, assim como ampliar a oferta de alimentos *in natura* e saudáveis nas escolas^[@B2]^. Além disso, por meio da resolução nº 38/2009^[@B3]^, normatizou-se a chamada pública (CP) como um processo simplificado para o gestor público e para o agricultor, que dispensa a cadeia burocrática da licitação normalmente inacessível para o segmento de agricultores familiares não familiarizados com as exigências do processo licitatório^[@B4]^. A conexão da AF com programas que afetam a dimensão do acesso e a qualidade de alimentos, como o PNAE, sobretudo em um contexto de avanço sistemático da obesidade, sugere um duplo potencial desse desenho de política, qual seja, melhorar a qualidade da alimentação escolar e estimular a produção e mercados locais de gêneros da AF. Tal potencial se traduz na capacidade de incidir sobre as consequências perversas do sistema alimentar vigente, caracterizado por um modelo produtivo excludente orientado pela pouca diversidade e pelo consumo crescente de alimentos ultraprocessados pela população, inclusive por escolares (crianças) expostos a um ambiente obesogênico^[@B5]^. No Brasil, AF passou a ser considerada uma categoria social diversa e heterogênea concebida pelos gestores governamentais e pelos atores e organizações sociais como estratégica no processo de desenvolvimento social e econômico. O perfil de alimentos produzidos pelo segmento de agricultores pode ser bastante diverso, e a demanda de ampliação de mercado tem contribuído para a diversificação de produtos com graus variados de beneficiamento^[@B9]^. Assim, considerando o processamento dos alimentos, é possível encontrar desde alimentos *in natura* até alimentos com elevado grau de processamento ou adição de ingredientes densamente calóricos e açucarados no rol de produtos da AF. A promulgação da lei nº 11.947^[@B2]^ ampliou o acesso dos agricultores ao mercado institucional por meio do PNAE. Alguns estudos apontam uma relação positiva entre o aumento de renda e a melhoria das condições de vida dos agricultores, diversificação e aumento da sua produção e melhoria da alimentação escolar, com maior oferta de frutas, legumes e verduras^[@B9]^. Desse modo, a conexão entre agricultura de base familiar e o PNAE potencializa as mudanças no sistema alimentar local, com possibilidades de impacto na melhoria da qualidade de vida de agricultores e na oferta de refeições saudáveis para os escolares. No entanto, muitos desafios são observados no processo de organização dos municípios para atender às exigências legais do programa e garantir a oferta de alimentos mais saudáveis nas escolas por meio da compra local da AF. Destacam-se a complexidade e a diversidade das características dos municípios brasileiros quanto aos aspectos estruturais, políticos, sociais e institucionais que podem afetar o potencial esperado para a estratégia de regulação do perfil de compras públicas. Considera-se que as capitais brasileiras podem assumir vantagens e desvantagens em relação aos municípios menos populosos e economicamente menos desenvolvidos que merecem ser melhor compreendidas. Além disso, a heterogeneidade das regiões e capitais brasileiras quanto aos indicadores sociodemográficos, níveis de desenvolvimento e o quantitativo de escolares atendidos pelo PNAE podem representar diferentes desafios e oportunidades para a compra de alimentos da AF ainda pouco explorados na literatura. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi analisar como o perfil de compra de alimentos da AF se relaciona com indicadores socioeconômicos e demográficos nas capitais brasileiras. MÉTODOS ======= Trata-se de um estudo transversal e descritivo, baseado em dados secundários referentes aos anos de 2016 e 2017 disponíveis nos sítios eletrônicos do Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (IBGE)^[@B12]^, do Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento da Educação (FNDE)^[@B13]^ e do Ministério do Desenvolvimento Agrário (MDA)^[@B14]^. As informações referentes ao perfil demográfico e socioeconômico das capitais foram: população, área territorial, índice de desenvolvimento humano (IDH) e produto interno bruto (PIB), obtidas no sítio eletrônico do IBGE. Identificaram-se também o total do recurso repassado pelo FNDE e o percentual utilizado para compras de alimentos provenientes da agricultura familiar pelas capitais brasileiras no sítio eletrônico do fundo. O valor total do recurso transferido pelo FNDE foi utilizado como uma aproximação do quantitativo de alunos matriculados na rede de ensino, uma vez que este valor é calculado em função da quantidade de matrículas registradas no ano anterior ao repasse. Os editais de CP foram obtidos no sítio eletrônico do MDA, na seção "Sistema de Monitoramento de Oportunidades de Compras Públicas da Agricultura Familiar", e no Portal da Transparência de todas as capitais. Os dados sociodemográficos e os dados dos valores de verbas do FNDE e AF são referentes ao ano de 2016 e os dados de editais de compra são referentes ao ano de 2017. Buscou-se ainda identificar, por meio da análise das chamadas públicas os alimentos solicitados para a alimentação escolar pelas capitais brasileiras. Eles foram listados e posteriormente classificados em função do grau de processamento, conforme proposta de classificação NOVA ^[@B15]^. Na análise dos dados, a compra da AF foi considerada como variável dependente e dividida em duas categorias: percentual de compras menor que 30% e percentual de compras maior ou igual a 30%. Para identificar a normalidade de distribuição das variáveis contínuas independentes (IDH, PIB, valores transferidos do FNDE, número de habitantes e área territorial) foi aplicado o teste de Kolmogorov-Smirnov. As variáveis não paramétricas identificadas foram PIB e número de habitantes, submetidas ao teste de Mann-Whitney para identificação da diferença da mediana entre as categorias de compra da AF. Para as variáveis paramétricas, utilizou-se o teste *t* de Student para identificação da diferença entre as médias segundo categorias de compra da AF. As variáveis paramétricas foram expressas em média e desvio-padrão, e as variáveis não paramétricas em mediana e quartis. Os valores transferidos do FNDE, valores de IDH e de PIB, número de habitantes e área territorial foram organizados em quartis de distribuição e submetidos ao teste de associação qui-quadrado com as categorias de compra da AF. A análise estatística foi realizada no programa SPSS versão 13 e, em todos os testes, o nível de significância adotado foi de 5%. RESULTADOS ========== Compras Públicas da Agricultura Familiar para o PNAE nas Capitais Brasileiras ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- O valor médio utilizado na compra de gêneros da AF por meio do PNAE foi superior ao exigido pela legislação, isto é, superior a 30% da verba repassada pelo FNDE, em 12 capitais brasileiras no ano de 2016. As capitais Boa Vista e Maceió utilizaram 100% do recurso repassado pelo FNDE, enquanto Rio de Janeiro e Recife não utilizaram nenhum recurso com a AF ([Tabela 1](#t1002){ref-type="table"}). Apenas a região Norte do país apresentou resultado satisfatório para a compra de gêneros da AF, uma vez que todas as capitais cumpriram as exigências legais quanto ao valor mínimo destinado a esse segmento. A região Sul possui apenas três capitais, que apresentam menor área territorial e menor destinação dos recursos para a AF ([Tabela 1](#t1002){ref-type="table"}). Tabela 1Total do recurso repassado pelo Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento da Educação e percentual utilizado para a compra de gêneros da agricultura familiar (AF) das capitais brasileiras no ano de 2016.RegiãoEstadoCapitalTotal do recurso repassado (R\$)% utilizado com a AFCentro-Oeste GOGoiânia13.892.920,7641,10 MSCampo Grande10.232.653,7013,65 MTCuiabá6.999.630,5928,24 DFBrasília44.797.501,274,22Norte TOPalmas10.621.273,9731,01 ROPorto Velho4.832.239,5239,02 ACRio Branco2.887.497,0535,15 PABelém6.423.576,2340,32 AMManaus22.193.813,5953,60 APMacapá2.177.893,9844,92 RRBoa Vista2.392.953,95100,00Nordeste PBJoão Pessoa8.697.273,8310,51 BASalvador17.015.380,671,62 SEAracaju995.592,7484,12 ALMaceió170.977,02100,00 PERecife8.963.348.140,00 RNNatal2.213.052,5111,02 CEFortaleza24.438.057,859,00 PITeresina9.416.824,1646,35 MASão Luís19.808.714,7527,22Sudeste SPSão Paulo79.616.147,1110,75 RJRio de Janeiro75.769.080,490,00 ESVitória6.116.291,5432,62 MGBelo Horizonte20.619.170,142,72Sul RSPorto Alegre9.593.249,8822,48 SCFlorianópolis4.232.436,4422,57 PRCuritiba21.636.514,961,25 As capitais que mais utilizaram recursos para compra da AF (≥ 30%) apresentaram menores valores médios e medianos de transferência de recurso pelo FNDE (p = 0,038), IDH (p = 0,021) e número de habitantes (p = 0,004) do que aquelas que utilizaram menos que 30% desse recurso para compra de gêneros da AF ([Tabela 2](#t2002){ref-type="table"}). A análise da associação entre as variáveis mostrou que as capitais pertencentes aos menores quartis de transferência de recurso pelo FNDE (p = 0,023), IDH (p = 0,005) e número de habitantes (p = 0,022) são aquelas que mais compram gêneros da AF (\> 30%) ([Tabela 3](#t3002){ref-type="table"}). Tabela 2Valores médios e medianos das variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas de acordo com as categorias de compra de gêneros da agricultura familiar (AF) no ano de 2016.Variáveis% compras da AFp\< 30% (n = 15)\> 30% (n = 12)Transferência do FNDE^a^207.611.521,8 (20.933.662,9)6.843.487,9 (6.374.067,9)0,038IDH^a^0,79 (0,30)0,76 (0,36)0,021PIB^b^34.910,1 (24.029,2; 46.122,8)24.169,8 (20.520,4; 31.380,0)0,059Número de habitantes^b^1.633.697,0 (874.210,0; 2.953.986,0)584.771,0 (368.215,8; 1.346.488,5)0,004Área territorial^a^1.757,4 (2.487,67)76.792,6 (243.744,1)0,278[^8][^9][^10] Tabela 3Distribuição dos municípios de acordo com os quartis das variáveis socioeconômicas e demográficas e categorias de compra de gêneros da agricultura familiar (AF) no ano de 2016.Variáveis% compras da AFp\*\< 30% (n = 15)\> 30% (n = 12)Transferência do FNDE 1º quartil2 (13,3%)5 (41,7%)0,0232º quartil3 (20,0%)4 (33,3%)3º quartil4 (26,7%)2 (16,7%)4º quartil6 (40,0%)1 (8,3%)IDH 1º quartil0 (0%)6 (50,0%)0,0052º quartil5 (33,3%)3 (25,0%)3º quartil4 (26,7%)2 (16,7%)4º quartil6 (40,0%)1 (8,3%)PIB 1º quartil2 (13,3%)5 (41,7%)0,1642º quartil3 (20,0%)4 (33,3%)3º quartil5 (33,3%)2 (16,7%)4º quartil5 (33,3%)1 (8,3%)Número de habitantes 1º quartil1 (6,7%)6 (50,0%)0,0222º quartil4 (26,7%)3 (25,0%)3º quartil4 (26,7%)3 (25,0%)4º quartil6 (40,0%)0 (0%)Área territorial 1º quartil4 (26,7%)2 (16,7%)0,1572º quartil6 (40,0%)2 (16,7%)3º quartil4 (26,7%)3 (25,0%)4º quartil1 (6,7%)5 (41,7%)[^11][^12] Chamadas Públicas e a Classificação de Alimentos ------------------------------------------------ A busca no sítio do MDA e no Portal da Transparência de cada um dos municípios permitiu localizar 23 CP, totalizando 376 itens solicitados para dez capitais brasileiras, referentes ao ano de 2017. Dessas, apenas quatro atingiram os 30% da utilização do recurso do FNDE com gêneros da AF no ano anterior, sendo três delas localizadas na região Norte do país. Dentre os alimentos requeridos nos editais, 94,1% foram classificados como *in natura* ou minimamente processados, 4,0% ultraprocessados e 1,9% processados. Os gêneros solicitados com maior grau de processamento são prioritariamente aqueles destinados às sobremesas ou pequenas refeições, tais como doces e derivados de leite acrescidos de sabor ([Tabela 4](#t4002){ref-type="table"}). Tabela 4Classificação do grau de processamento segundo a NOVA15 dos gêneros alimentícios solicitados nas chamadas públicas das capitais do Brasil no ano de 2017.Grau de processamentoCapitaisNº de vezes que os gêneros alimentícios foram solicitadosGêneros alimentíciosAlimentos *in natura* e minimamente processadosBelém61Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais, ovo, açaí pasteurizado, farináceos e tucupi, entre outrosBoa Vista29Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais, polpa de fruta, pimenta-de-cheiro, goma de tapioca e mel de abelhaCampo Grande34Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas e cereaisFortaleza8Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais e polpa de frutaJoão Pessoa38Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais, ovo, polpa de fruta e carne de peixe mecanicamente separada, entre outrosPalmas20Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas cereais e carne bovinaRio de Janeiro97Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais e louroSão Luís26Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais e polpa de frutaSão Paulo17Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais, carne suína congelada e suco de uva integral, entre outrosTeresina24Frutas, hortaliças, leguminosas, cereais e polpa de frutaTotal: 354 (94,1%)Alimentos processadosFortaleza1Queijo coalhoJoão Pessoa2Queijo coalho e queijo muçarelaPalmas4Bolacha doce de trigo, cuca, macarrão caseiro com ovos e pão caseiroTotal: 7 (1,9%)Alimentos ultraprocessadosBelém3Iogurte e doce de fruta cremosoFortaleza1IogurteJoão Pessoa6Doce de leite, bebida láctea, manteiga light e requeijão lightPalmas3Doce de abóbora, doce de leite e geleia de amoraSão Paulo2Bebida láctea, manteiga sem sal e iogurteTotal: 15 (4,0%) DISCUSSÃO ========= A análise do perfil de compra de gêneros da AF pelas capitais brasileiras permite apontar uma assimetria entre as capitais e regiões no cumprimento da legislação vigente do PNAE e no potencial de estímulo à produção local e oferta de alimentos *in natura* nas escolas. A análise da distribuição territorial por regiões, considerando as diferenças em termos de área, número de capitais e municípios por região, aponta certa heterogeneidade. A região Sul possui apenas três capitais, constitui a menor área territorial e foi a região em que as capitais menos destinaram recursos para a agricultura familiar em 2016. No entanto, o Sul apresenta maior percentual de municípios que atendem ao critério mínimo de utilização do recurso do FNDE com a AF segundo diferentes estudos^[@B9],[@B10],[@B17],[@B18]^. Essa região tem se destacado por sua tradição rural, que possui melhores níveis de organização e estruturas de gestão^[@B16]^. Estudos realizados em municípios dos três estados da região, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Santa Catarina (SC) e Paraná (PR), mostraram que, em média, 70% dos municípios analisados no RS e em SC utilizaram mais de 30% do recurso com a AF^[@B17],[@B18]^. A região Norte possui sete capitais, incluindo a maior capital brasileira, Manaus, e foi a região que melhor empregou o recurso para a compra de gêneros da agricultura familiar. O emprego desigual do recurso nessa compra em todo o território nacional parece não estar relacionado com a extensão territorial, mas possivelmente com as estruturas administrativas e de gestão que caracterizam as metrópoles. O resultado de um estudo realizado em 2012 apontou que municípios de grande porte, com gestão da alimentação escolar do tipo mista, descentralizada ou terceirizada e sem nutricionista como responsável técnico, apresentaram menor frequência de compra de alimentos da agricultura familiar^[@B10]^. A caracterização do perfil de compra pelas capitais pode informar diferentes desafios quanto aos sistemas e processos institucionais demandados por municípios metropolitanos que atendem a um quantitativo elevado de escolares e, portanto, mobilizam recursos em larga escala. É possível inferir que existe uma dificuldade adicional para o processo de compra de alimentos da AF nas capitais em comparação com os municípios menores e ou menos populosos. Essa diferença observada no perfil de compra entre os municípios pode sugerir que os trâmites institucionais e a rede burocrática das capitais podem dificultar a articulação entre escolas, secretarias e setores responsáveis para o cumprimento do programa^[@B19]^. A dificuldade na destinação de recursos para a AF em cidades mais urbanizadas e desenvolvidas vem sendo destacada em outros estudos^[@B16],[@B20]^. A especificidade das capitais pode impor dificuldades com os processos de compra da AF em razão da maior distância da produção agrícola. Além disso, historicamente, possuem estruturas burocráticas de gestão mais densas e complexas, que podem retardar a adaptação das novas imposições previstas pelo PNAE. As capitais mobilizam recursos vultuosos no âmbito das compras públicas e, portanto, atraem empresas de grande porte como fornecedores. Tais empresas possuem experiência com processos licitatórios e com os trâmites políticos e institucionais, o que pode representar certa resistência à entrada de novos atores na disputa por acesso ao mercado das compras públicas. Os setores de governo parecem mais refratários a uma mudança nos mecanismos de compras públicas, que exige novas lógicas e critérios de gestão no âmbito do PNAE. A abertura de concorrência para a AF nesse contexto pode ser dificultada pelas relações institucionais, os interesses das empresas e dos setores públicos^[@B5],[@B21]^. Nesse sentido, é recorrente o uso do princípio da economicidade que rege a legislação que trata de licitação^[@B7],[@B22]^ para justificar a definição de preços para AF e assim dificultar a participação dos agricultores nas CP. Cabe destacar que a legislação que regulamenta as chamadas públicas para AF prevê critérios de definição de preços diferenciados e possibilita ainda a inclusão do custo com embalagens, encargos e logística no preço final a ser pago pelo setor público^[@B7],[@B23]^. Não obstante, o uso indevido da política pública pode ocasionar por vezes comportamento oportunista por parte de agentes sociais, seja simulando a condição de agricultor familiar ou, no caso de cooperativas e associações, a apropriação do lucro do agricultor^[@B24]^. As capitais possuem melhores estruturas de gestão, maior representatividade política para a implementação de novas ações e maior abrangência, que parece estar sendo subaproveitada como estratégia de fortalecimento da AF e de potencial oferta de alimentos mais saudáveis^[@B25]^. Mesmo aquelas capitais com larga experiência no campo da segurança alimentar e nutricional, como é o caso de Belo Horizonte, ainda se encontram muito aquém das exigências legais quanto à utilização do recurso do FNDE^[@B5],[@B21]^. Já as capitais com menores valores de repasse do FNDE, ou seja, aquelas com menor quantitativo de alunos matriculados, são as que mais conseguem aportar recursos na compra de gêneros da AF. Elas precisam gerir menor volume de recursos e por vezes são fortemente dependentes de recursos federais. As capitais agrupadas no último quartil da variável IDH foram mais associadas à utilização de menos do que 30% do recurso com a AF; portanto, capitais supostamente mais desenvolvidas são as que menos compram gêneros desse segmento. Em um estudo realizado em municípios de pequeno porte da mesorregião Oeste Catarinense apontou que aqueles com maior área territorial, população, IDH, número de escolas e matrículas escolares tiveram mais dificuldade em atingir o mínimo de 30%^[@B16]^. Outro estudo aponta que a oscilação na capacidade de o município atender a legislação está relacionada com a capacidade de produção dos agricultores, falta de documentação e incapacidade para atender à logística de entrega demandada^[@B26]^. É importante analisar o tipo de alimento prioritariamente demandado nas CP para compreender como a regulação das compras públicas impacta na qualidade da oferta de alimentos nas escolas^[@B7]^. A categoria de agricultores familiares é bastante heterogênea e se diferencia em distribuição territorial, estruturas de gestão e planejamento econômico ao longo do tempo^[@B5]^. Além disso, os instrumentos de CP também não são homogêneos e nem padronizados; portanto, embora sejam concebidos para facilitar o acesso do agricultor ao mercado institucional, dependendo de como são redigidos e divulgados, podem representar mais um obstáculo para os agricultores locais^[@B27]^. Um estudo realizado no município de Araripe, no Ceará, constatou que o fornecimento agrícola para o PNAE vem sendo predominantemente realizado por grandes empresas. Argumenta-se que a sazonalidade, o volume insuficiente da produção e as dificuldades na logística pela falta de transporte inviabilizam o atendimento das demandas dos cardápios elaborados para as escolas. Assim, a maioria dos gêneros oriundos da AF em Araripe que conseguem cumprir os critérios dos editais de CP são alimentos minimamente processados ou processados, com adição de açúcar e gordura. Os autores destacam que a população rural da região do Ceará pratica a agricultura de subsistência, não sendo ainda capaz de adequar-se às exigências do PNAE^[@B26]^. Os alimentos priorizados nas CP analisadas foram classificados como *in natura*, sendo, portanto, favoráveis para a oferta de uma alimentação mais saudável nas escolas. Contudo, alguns outros alimentos ricos em açúcar e alguns processados e ultraprocessados também foram solicitados em menor quantidade por cinco capitais, das quais três com baixo investimento do recurso na AF. Destaca-se que a legislação do PNAE, ainda que limite, não proíbe a oferta desse tipo de alimento^[@B2],[@B23]^. A perenidade das frutas e hortaliças associada às dificuldades na logística de entrega e maior possibilidade de agregação de valor comercial^[@B7]^ por vezes pode favorecer a inclusão de alimentos processados ou com maior tempo de prateleira, como doces, para garantir o cumprimento do uso dos 30% dos recursos previstos na legislação, uma vez que existe a previsão de penalidades financeiras para os estados e municípios que não atendem às exigências legais sem justificativa^[@B28]^. No entanto, o gestor deve considerar a existência de legislações sanitárias específicas dos órgãos públicos para a compra de alimentos processados ou ultraprocessados^[@B23]^. O PNAE, embora muito promissor e com significativos avanços, ainda representa um canal de comercialização apenas alternativo para o agricultor familiar^[@B29],[@B30]^. A institucionalização da compra de alimentos *in natura* prioritariamente por meio da oferta dos agricultores de base familiar precisa ser significada no âmbito da gestão pública dos recursos financeiros destinados ao PNAE pelo FNDE, sendo fundamental que os órgãos responsáveis pelas compras públicas compreendam os propósitos e princípios que orientam a lei nº 11.947/2009^[@B2]^, especialmente nas capitais brasileiras. Os municípios de regiões metropolitanas, como é o caso das capitais, possuem especificidades e necessitam de investimento adicional em infraestrutura para atender à demanda logística e em estratégias de articulação intersetorial que envolva os setores responsáveis pelas compras públicas, gestores de política, nutricionistas e agricultores, bem como os órgãos de assistência técnica voltados para a extensão rural em todo o processo. O sucesso e o pleno desenvolvimento dessa política pública podem impactar em vários benefícios sociais, seja pelo fortalecimento da produção e dos mercados locais de alimentos provenientes de agricultores de base familiar, seja pela oferta de alimentos mais frescos e saudáveis para escolares. A qualificação desse processo pode representar a possibilidade de reorientar a lógica dos setores responsáveis pelas compras públicas em direção a novos princípios que extrapolem a perspectiva econômica em favor da valorização dos ganhos sociais. CONCLUSÃO ========= A compra de gêneros da AF para o PNAE avançou no país; contudo, nas capitais brasileiras ainda ocorre de forma desigual, e o recurso é empregado de forma irregular e insatisfatória na maioria das regiões. O cumprimento dos critérios mínimos estabelecidos na legislação do programa acerca da utilização dos recursos para AF está inversamente relacionado aos indicadores socioeconômicos e demográficos dos municípios metropolitanos. O número de CP disponíveis ao acesso público é pequeno se considerado o total dos recursos repassados para as capitais, sendo, portanto, insuficiente para atender às demandas de abastecimento das escolas e as pretensões quanto à inclusão dos agricultores familiares no PNAE. Destaca-se que divulgação das CP ainda é limitada, mesmo nos municípios com maiores recursos institucionais e financeiros. A presença majoritária de alimentos *in natura* ou minimamente processados pode representar o alcance do potencial para a promoção da alimentação adequada e saudável nas escolas previsto para o PNAE, fortalecendo-o como uma importante estratégia de promoção da saúde no contexto escolar. Destacam-se as limitações de um estudo baseado em dados secundários, que, ainda que ofereça um panorama nacional de como os indicadores socioeconômicos e demográficos se relacionam com a execução das compras institucionais da AF para o PNAE, carece de análises sobre as especificidades e características institucionais que podem facilitar ou dificultar o cumprimento da legislação vigente nas capitais do país. Sugere-se, portanto, uma importante agenda de pesquisa nessa área de políticas públicas. Financiamento: Bolsa de iniciação científica - FAPERJ - Fundação Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. [^1]: **Authors' Contribution:** Study conception and planning; data collection, analysis, and interpretation; writing and review of the manuscript: PCD. Data collection, bibliographic research, writing of the article. IROB, KCBS. Data interpretation; writing and final review. RMSB, DMF, DSBS, PH, LB. All authors approved the final version of the manuscript. [^2]: **Conflict of Interests:** The authors declare no conflict of interest. [^3]: FNDE: National Fund for the Development of Education; HDI: human development index; GDP: gross domestic product [^4]: ^a^ Parametric variables expressed in mean (standard deviation); Student's *t-*test. [^5]: ^b^ Nonparametric variables expressed in median; Mann-Whitney test. [^6]: FNDE: National Fund for the Development of Education; HDI: human development index; GDP: gross domestic product [^7]: ^a^ Chi-squared test. [^8]: FNDE: Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento da Educação; IDH: índice de desenvolvimento humano; PIB: produto interno bruto [^9]: ^a^ Variáveis paramétricas expressas em média (desvio-padrão); teste *t* de Student. [^10]: ^b^ Variáveis não paramétricas expressas em mediana (p25; p75); teste de Mann-Whitney. [^11]: FNDE: Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento da Educação; IDH: índice de desenvolvimento humano; PIB: produto interno bruto [^12]: \* Teste qui-quadrado. | Mid | [
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Q: How to change questions in a multiple choice activity and pass the score to the next activity I'm working on a quiz application using Retrofit to parsing the array of question. There are 10 questions, each question has 4 choices (radio button) that will be changed if "next" button's clicked. While the button's clicked, it should save the user's answer and if the answer's right, the score should increase by 10 points. The total score should be shown in the next activity after the user completes answering all the question. I've already looked for references but still, I am confused regarding how to set the changed text when "next" button's clicked and store the user's answer and count the score at the same time in my project. Here's my JSON response { "error": false, "status": "success", "result": [ { "id": 96, "description": "Meyakini dalam hati, mengucapkan dengan lisan, dan mengamalkan dalam kehidupan sehari-hari adalah arti dari . . . .", "A": "iman", "B": "islam", "C": "ihsan", "D": "takwa", "Answer": "iman", "discussion": "Iman kepada Allah Swt. adalah percaya dengan sepenuh hati bahwa Dia itu ada, diucapkan dengan lisan, dan diamalkan dalam perbuatan sehari-hari." }, { "id": 97, "description": "Fatimah disuruh membeli minyak goreng di sebuah warung. Ketika menerima uang kembalian, ia tahu bahwa jumlahnya lebih dari seharusnya, lalu ia mengembalikannya. Ia sadar bahwa Allah Swt. selalu mengawasi perbuatannya, karena Allah Swt. bersifat . . . .", "A": "al-'Aliim", "B": "al-Khabiir", "C": "as-Samii'", "D": "al-Basiir", "Answer": "al-Basiir", "discussion": "Allah Maha Mengawasi yang berarti juga Allah Maha Melihat (al_Basiir)." }, { "id": 98, "description": "Subhanallah, indahnya alam semesta dengan segala isinya. Semuanya tercipta dengan teratur dan seimbang. Fenomena alam tersebut merupakan bukti bahwa Allah Maha . . . .", "A": "mengetahui", "B": "teliti", "C": "mendengar", "D": "melihat", "Answer": "teliti", "discussion": "Semuanya tercipta dengan teratur dan seimbang yang berarti Allah Maha Teliti." }, { "id": 99, "description": "Hasan selalu berhati-hati dalam setiap ucapan dan perbuatannya, karena ia yakin bahwa Allah Swt. senantiasa mendengarnya. Perbuatan tersebut merupakan pengamalan dari keyakinannya bahwa Allah Swt. bersifat . . . .", "A": "al-'Aliim", "B": "al-Khabiir", "C": "as-Samii'", "D": "al-Basiir", "Answer": "as-Samii'", "discussion": "Allah Swt. senantiasa mendengarnya yang berarti Allah Maha Mendengar (as-Samii')." }, { "id": 100, "description": "Di antara bentuk pengamalan dari keyakinan terhadap al-'Aliim adalah . . . .", "A": "rajin dalam menimba ilmu", "B": "berusaha menghindari kemungkaran", "C": "bersikap dermawan kepada sesama", "D": "bersikap pemaaf kepada sesama", "Answer": "rajin dalam menimba ilmu", "discussion": "Allah Swt. sangat menyukai orang yang rajin mencari ilmu pengetahuan dan mengamalkannya" }, { "id": 101, "description": "Allah Swt. sendirilah yang mengetahui kapan terjadinya hari kiamat, mengetahui apa yang terkandung di dalam rahim, mengetahui kapan akan turun hujan. Allah Swt. Maha Mengetahui merupakan makna dari . . . .", "A": "al-'Aliim", "B": "al-Khabiir", "C": "as-Samii'", "D": "al-Basiir", "Answer": "al-'Aliim", "discussion": "Dari kasus di atas berarti Allah Maha Mengetahui (al-'Aliim)." }, { "id": 102, "description": "Di antara bentuk pengamalan dari keyakinan terhadap al-Khabiir adalah . . . .", "A": "suka berbagi pengalaman dan pengetahuan", "B": "senang menolong orang yang sedang susah", "C": "menjadi suri teladan bagi orang lain", "D": "bersemangat dan kreatif dalam segala hal", "Answer": "bersemangat dan kreatif dalam segala hal", "discussion": "Allah Swt. menciptakan milyaran makhluk dengan berbagai ragamnya. Semuanya diketahui oleh Allah dengan detail, penuh kecermatan dan kewaspadaan, baik secara lahir maupun batin." }, { "id": 103, "description": "Allah Swt. Maha Mendengar suara apa pun yang ada di alam semesta ini. Pendengaran Allah tidak terbatas, tidak ada satu pun suara yang lepas dari pendengaran-Nya. Allah Swt. Maha Mendengar merupakan makna dari . . . .", "A": "al-'Aliim", "B": "al-Khabiir", "C": "as-Samii'", "D": "al-Basiir", "Answer": "as-Samii'", "discussion": "Allah Maha Mendengar atau disebut juga dengan as-Samii'." }, { "id": 104, "description": "Allah Swt. Maha Melihat segala sesuatu walaupun lembut dan kecil. Allah Swt. pun melihat apa yang ada di bumi dan di langit. Allah Maha Melihat merupakan makna . . . .", "A": "al-'Aliim", "B": "al-Khabiir", "C": "as-Samii'", "D": "al-Basiir", "Answer": "al-Basiir", "discussion": "Allah Maha Melihat atau disebut juga dengan al-Basiir." }, { "id": 105, "description": "Di antara bentuk pengamalan dari keyakinan terhadap al-Basiir adalah . . . .", "A": "introspeksi diri untuk kebaikan", "B": "introspeksi diri untuk kebaikan", "C": "amar ma’ruf nahi munkar", "D": "menjadi suri tauladan bagi orang lain", "Answer": "introspeksi diri untuk kebaikan", "discussion": "Kita diharuskan selalu introspeksi diri untuk melihat kelebihan dan kekurangan kita sendiri agar hidup menjadi lebih terarah, ini merupakan salah satu pengalaman dari al-Basiir" } ] } My corresponding model class public class Task { @SerializedName("id") @Expose private int id_soal; @SerializedName("description") @Expose private String soal; @SerializedName("A") @Expose private String option_A; @SerializedName("B") @Expose private String option_B; @SerializedName("C") @Expose private String option_C; @SerializedName("D") @Expose private String option_D; @SerializedName("Answer") @Expose private String jawaban; @SerializedName("discussion") @Expose private String pembahasan; public Task(int id_soal, String soal, String option_A, String option_B, String option_C, String option_D, String jawaban, String pembahasan) { this.id_soal = id_soal; this.soal = soal; this.option_A = option_A; this.option_B = option_B; this.option_C = option_C; this.option_D = option_D; this.jawaban = jawaban; this.pembahasan = pembahasan; } And my TaskActivity public class TaskActivity extends AppCompatActivity { private ArrayList<Task> tasks; TextView task_question; RadioGroup choices_group; RadioButton choice_A, choice_B, choice_C, choice_D; Button next, previous; ProgressDialog loading; Token auth = PreferencesConfig.getInstance(this).getToken(); String token = "Bearer " + auth.getToken(); int score; protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) { super.onCreate(savedInstanceState); setContentView(R.layout.activity_banksoal_test); task_question = findViewById(R.id.pertanyaan); choices_group = findViewById(R.id.rg_question); choice_A = findViewById(R.id.option_A); choice_B = findViewById(R.id.option_B); choice_C = findViewById(R.id.option_C); choice_D = findViewById(R.id.option_D); next = findViewById(R.id.bNext); previous = findViewById(R.id.bPrevious); next.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { //???????? } }); } @Override protected void onResume() { super.onResume(); alert_start(); } public void alert_start(){ AlertDialog.Builder alertDialog = new AlertDialog.Builder(this); alertDialog.setMessage("Mulai?"); alertDialog.setNegativeButton("Jangan dulu, saya belum siap!", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) { Intent intent = new Intent(TaskActivity.this, BanksoalShelvesActivity.class); startActivity(intent); } }); alertDialog.setPositiveButton("Ayo, dimulai!", new DialogInterface.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) { task(); dialog.dismiss(); } }); AlertDialog alert = alertDialog.create(); alert.show(); } public void task(){ loading = ProgressDialog.show(this, null, "Please wait...",true, false); Intent intent = getIntent(); final int task_id = intent.getIntExtra("task_id", 0); int classes = intent.getIntExtra("task_class", 0); Call<ResponseTask> call = RetrofitClient .getInstance() .getApi() .taskmaster_task(token, task_id, classes); call.enqueue(new Callback<ResponseTask>() { @Override public void onResponse(Call<ResponseTask> call, Response<ResponseTask> response) { loading.dismiss(); ResponseTask responseTask = response.body(); Log.d("TAG", "Response " + response.body()); if (response.isSuccessful()){ if (responseTask.getStatus().equals("success")){ Log.i("debug", "onResponse : SUCCESSFUL"); tasks = responseTask.getTasks(); showQuestion(); }else { Log.i("debug", "onResponse : FAILED"); } } } @Override public void onFailure(Call<ResponseTask> call, Throwable t) { Log.e("debug", "onFailure: ERROR > " + t.getMessage()); loading.dismiss(); Toast.makeText(TaskActivity.this, "Kesalahan terjadi.", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show(); } }); } public void showQuestion(){ for (int i = 0; i < tasks.size(); i++){ task_question.setText(tasks.get(i).getSoal()); choice_A.setText(tasks.get(i).getOption_A()); choice_B.setText(tasks.get(i).getOption_B()); choice_C.setText(tasks.get(i).getOption_C()); choice_D.setText(tasks.get(i).getOption_D()); } } } A: First of all, you need to store currentTaskId: private int currentTaskId = 0; Then you should load received tasks in your variable: tasks = responseTask.getTasks(); loadQuestion(); And somewhere in TaskActivity you need to write this method which shows the question to the user: private void loadQuestion(){ Task task = tasks.get(currentTaskId); task_question.setText(task.getSoal()); choice_A.setText(task.getOption_A()); choice_B.setText(task.getOption_B()); choice_C.setText(task.getOption_C()); choice_D.setText(task.getOption_D()); next.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { //check task answer, if task was answered correct than score+=10 if(currentTaskId<tasks.size()){ currentTaskId++; loadQuestion(); } else { //open new activity } } }); previous.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() { @Override public void onClick(View v) { if(currentTaskId>0){ currentTaskId--; loadQuestion(); } else { //do nothing as we are already on the first question } } }); } | Mid | [
0.573333333333333,
32.25,
24
] |
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