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The arms market has been bustling these past five years, with weapons trade at its highest since the Cold War era. A new report has revealed that sale of major weapons systems has seen a significant rise since 2012, which can be attributed to the rise of terrorism and civil unrest in various parts of the world.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri), the US and Russia are the biggest arms shopping destinations, with America accounting for 33% of all exports. China ranks third on the sellers list followed by other countries in Europe.
"The USA supplies major arms to at least 100 countries around the world — significantly more than any other supplier state," said Aude Fleurant, director of the arms and military expenditure programme at Sipri. "Both advanced strike aircraft with cruise missiles and other precision-guided munitions and the latest generation air and missile defence systems account for a significant share of US arms exports.
"The weight of the US in the global arms trade is so big that it's enough to shape the trend," she added to CNN Money.
On the other side of the counter, India, Saudi Arabia and the UAE were listed as the world's largest importers of arms, with India accounting for 13% of all buys, a majority of which are purchased from Russia.
"While China is increasingly able to substitute arms imports with indigenous products, India remains dependent on weapons technology from many willing suppliers, including Russia, the USA, European states, Israel and South Korea," said Siemon Wezeman, senior researcher at Sipri's arms and military expenditure programme. India has been bidding to increase its defence prowess against growing threats from its neighbours Pakistan and China.
"They spend a lot of time and also money trying to develop weapons in India and things just go hopelessly wrong."
With many areas in the Middle East engulfed in conflict, it comes as no surprise that the region relies heavily on imports, turning to the US for their supply. About 47% of all US weapons exports made in the five-year period end up in these areas.
"The tensions in the Middle East have been going on for a number of years, and it is fuelling the procurement," Fleurant explained. | 2023-09-11T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5682 |
Indonesian woman shows her weird habit of eating soaps online, video viewed more than 200K times
These days people are willing to do a lot of things to go viral and this woman from Indonesia is definitely one of them.
This lady named Khosik Assyifa has recently gone viral on the internet after she uploaded a few videos showing herself casually trying a few types of soap. The videos were not the normal soap review where you checked out the smell or texture of the soap because she apparently tried out by eating them!
Viewed for more than 200,000 times, Khosik’s video showed her lathering the soap with her wet hands and proceeded to eat the bubbles produced. In most of her videos, Khosik was seen as if she really enjoyed her time eating the soap and frequently uttered the word ‘enak’ which means delicious.
Shockingly, this is not the first time Khosik was seen eating soap because previously she uploaded videos of her trying out soap from different brands such as Giv, Lifebuoy and Lux. Khosik’s weird habit draws up debate among people as they were concerned with her health after eating the soap.
However, a health expert from the University of Columbia, Alice stated that soap consisted of non-toxic ingredients in general. Hence, it is unlikely for Khosik to suffer from food poisoning for her weird habits.
However, a lot of people advised her to stop eating soap as it is able to block and damage her digestive tract. | 2023-11-27T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4796 |
export default class ServicesApi {
constructor(server) {
this.server = server;
}
all() {
return this.server.getRecipePreviews();
}
featured() {
return this.server.getFeaturedRecipePreviews();
}
search(needle) {
return this.server.searchRecipePreviews(needle);
}
}
| 2024-02-13T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7798 |
The present invention relates to the manufacture of thin film solar cells and more specifically to the use of an electrically enhanced liquid jet etch process.
References which illustrate the basic structures of thin film solar cells relevant to the present invention include the Hanak U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,092 and the Tyan et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,096. Both of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
As discussed in the two above referenced patents, the series resistance of transparent conductors used on at least the light receiving faces of such thin film solar cells causes a problem where high efficiency or power output is desired. Practical devices have therefore been formed of a large number of serially connected cells. The individual cells are formed on a large substrate by scribing various layers. There are generally three sets layers to be scribed. These include the light receiving face transparent conductor, the actual semiconductor layer, and the back contact which is usually a metal such as aluminum, but which may also be transparent if desired. Each of these layers is deposited as a continuous sheet which is then separated into an appropriate section for each cell by scribing the continuous layer. As discussed in the two above referenced patents, both mechanical scribing and laser scribing have been used. The laser scribing techniques are considered the point of novelty in the Hanak patent.
Mechanical scribing has been found to be difficult or impossible to apply on a production basis. The transparent conductor is usually tin oxide which is quite hard and brittle. It is usually applied directly to a glass substrate. Scribing methods which are capable of cutting through the tin oxide can also cut into the glass substrate. In similar fashion, it is difficult to scribe through semiconductor layers, such as silicon, without also scribing through an underlying tin oxide layer. Other problems are encountered when a back contact made of aluminum is scribed with a mechanical device. The metal contact is relatively soft and therefore easy to cut through, but tends to smear and leave behind a thin layer of metal in the scribe line, thereby electrically shorting adjacent devices, even if the scribe is arranged to cut partially into the underlying semiconductor material.
Laser processing has, on the other hand, been found to be much more easily controlled and therefore reproducible on a production basis. However, laser equipment is relatively expensive to install and operate. In addition, it has proven to be relatively slow and therefore costly in terms of man-power required to produce a given quantity of finished material. This is due to the large amount of scribing which must be performed to produce a commercial scale device. For example, a one foot by one foot module is typically scribed to form twenty-five individual cells. This requires cutting at least twenty-four scribe lines each one foot long for each layer of the device. The substrate must therefore be passed under the laser a total of seventy-two times during its various processing stages. Throughput could be increased by operating a plurality of lasers simultaneously but this is not considered practical in terms of increased capital cost and operating expense.
Thus, it is seen that there is a need for a practical, reproducible and preferrably inexpensive process for scribing the various layers used in thin film solar cells. | 2023-12-03T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/2242 |
/*
Copyright 2018 The Kubernetes Authors.
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.
*/
// Code generated by lister-gen. DO NOT EDIT.
package v1alpha1
import (
v1alpha1 "k8s.io/api/scheduling/v1alpha1"
"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/api/errors"
"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
"k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
)
// PriorityClassLister helps list PriorityClasses.
type PriorityClassLister interface {
// List lists all PriorityClasses in the indexer.
List(selector labels.Selector) (ret []*v1alpha1.PriorityClass, err error)
// Get retrieves the PriorityClass from the index for a given name.
Get(name string) (*v1alpha1.PriorityClass, error)
PriorityClassListerExpansion
}
// priorityClassLister implements the PriorityClassLister interface.
type priorityClassLister struct {
indexer cache.Indexer
}
// NewPriorityClassLister returns a new PriorityClassLister.
func NewPriorityClassLister(indexer cache.Indexer) PriorityClassLister {
return &priorityClassLister{indexer: indexer}
}
// List lists all PriorityClasses in the indexer.
func (s *priorityClassLister) List(selector labels.Selector) (ret []*v1alpha1.PriorityClass, err error) {
err = cache.ListAll(s.indexer, selector, func(m interface{}) {
ret = append(ret, m.(*v1alpha1.PriorityClass))
})
return ret, err
}
// Get retrieves the PriorityClass from the index for a given name.
func (s *priorityClassLister) Get(name string) (*v1alpha1.PriorityClass, error) {
obj, exists, err := s.indexer.GetByKey(name)
if err != nil {
return nil, err
}
if !exists {
return nil, errors.NewNotFound(v1alpha1.Resource("priorityclass"), name)
}
return obj.(*v1alpha1.PriorityClass), nil
}
| 2024-05-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7961 |
Mounting pressure from national media and the local community still has not convinced California police to offer any explanation for why they confiscated cell phone video taken by witnesses who say eight or nine officers beat a helpless man to death.
The Kern County Sherriff’s Office has responded to allegations of police brutality only by stonewalling reporters and the family of David Silva, 33, who died last week after witnesses say police took turns hitting the supposedly inebriated man in the head with their batons. Observers who phoned 911 to report the police abuse were later visited by detectives demanding they turn over any footage captured in the early morning hours of Wednesday, May 8.
The seven Kern County deputies officials say were involved in the incident (the number of California Highway Patrol officers present is still unknown) have not been placed on administrative leave, according to the Bakersfield Californian, and department officials have refused to explain why.
“We’re following the same protocol, as far as the administrative process is concerned, that we’d follow in similar-type incidents,” said sheriff’s spokesman Ray Pruitt. Other law enforcement higher-ups echoed a similar sentiment by implying their silence was warranted by an “ongoing investigation” that could last for months.
The cause of death will be announced pending a toxicology report from the coroner as well as microscopic studies. But the delay in explanations fail to account for why witnesses told local and national media outlets that Silva appeared to die in front of them, after a police beating and while a canine unit looked on, apparently ready to intervene if Silva would have been allowed to stand.
Melissa Quair told the Bakersfield Californian that aggressive deputies showed up at her door and blocked the exit as they seized her boyfriend’s phone, which contained video of the beating. She also asserted that her mother was forced to forfeit her phone, even after the police were told it did not contain any supposed evidence.
“They used more force than was needed,” Quair said. “I told them that they didn’t have permission to say who could go in or out of my house. My mom is disabled and has a lot of doctor and medical numbers stored in her phone. But the detective didn’t care and they told my mom to write all her contacts down on a piece of paper and while she did they watched her like hawks.”
Only one poorly-lit video of the beating has surfaced, but 19 blows are visibly delivered by three officers.
“Constant bashing, this is constant bashing,” Chris Silva, brother of the victim, told KBAK-TV after the tape was broadcast on the local news. “You can count, you know – I can’t keep track. And it hurts my head looking at this.” | 2023-11-12T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1650 |
Q:
Numerically sort a List of TreeViewItems in C#
This question is a follow up to this question. My overall goal at the moment is to add to my program's TreeViewItem (my TreeViewItem has child nodes added to it at run-time) in numerical ascending order according to the value entered in for the header.
I received an answer using a ModelView, a tool that I am not all that familiar with, and I was also told that this could be done by using a List of TreeViewItems. I have decided to explore the List option due to my lack of experience with ModelView.
In my research I've learned that Lists of TreeViewItems are a little different, because you really can't reference them like you can an array. This makes them more difficult to do work with. I'll explain my current method and post my code. Please steer me in the right direction and provide answers with coding solutions. I'm currently stuck on my treeViewListAdd function. I have written pseudo code in comments on what I am trying to do with that area.
*Note: I am adding to my TreeViewItem from a separate window
Right now my add TreeViewItem process consists of:
Check to see if item entered is numerical (DONE)
if not numerical, break operation (DONE)
else -- continue with adding child item (DONE)
Check for duplicate children (DONE)
if duplicate is found break operation (DONE)
else -- continue (DONE)
Create List of TreeViewItem (DONE -- But not implemented)
Create TreeViewItem for new child node (DONE)
TVI header is set from user text in textBox (DONE)
Pass to function that attempts to add to the List in numerical order (Problem Area)
Add sorted List to TreeViewItem in main window (Problem Area)
My current code:
//OKAY - Add child to TreeViewItem in Main Window
private void button2_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
//STEP 1: Checks to see if entered text is a numerical value
string Str = textBox1.Text.Trim();
double Num;
bool isNum = double.TryParse(Str, out Num);
//STEP 2: If not numerical value, warn user
if (isNum == false)
MessageBox.Show("Value must be Numerical");
else //STEP 3: else, continue
{
//close window
this.Close();
//Query for Window1
var mainWindow = Application.Current.Windows
.Cast<Window1>()
.FirstOrDefault(window => window is Window1) as Window1;
//STEP 4: Check for duplicate
//declare TreeViewItem from mainWindow
TreeViewItem locations = mainWindow.TreeViewItem;
//Passes to function -- checks for DUPLICATE locations
CheckForDuplicate(locations.Items, textBox1.Text);
//STEP 5: if Duplicate exists -- warn user
if (isDuplicate == true)
MessageBox.Show("Sorry, the number you entered is a duplicate of a current Node, please try again.");
else //STEP 6: else -- create child node
{
//STEP 7
List<TreeViewItem> treeViewList = new List<TreeViewItem>();
//STEP 8: Creates child TreeViewItem for TVI in main window
TreeViewItem newLocation = new TreeViewItem();
//STEP 9: Sets Headers for new child nodes
newLocation.Header = textBox1.Text;
//STEP 10: Pass to function -- adds/sorts List in numerical ascending order
treeViewListAdd(ref treeViewList, newLocation);
//STEP 11: Add children to TVI in main window
//This step will of course need to be changed to add the list
//instead of just the child node
mainWindow.TreeViewItem.Items.Add(newLocation);
}
}
}
//STEP 4: Checks to see whether the header entered is a DUPLICATE
private void CheckForDuplicate(ItemCollection treeViewItems, string input)
{
for (int index = 0; index < treeViewItems.Count; index++)
{
TreeViewItem item = (TreeViewItem)treeViewItems[index];
string header = item.Header.ToString();
if (header == input)
{
isDuplicate = true;
break;
}
else
isDuplicate = false;
}
}
//STEP 10: Adds to the TreeViewItem list in numerical ascending order
private void treeViewListAdd(ref List<TreeViewItem> currentList, TreeViewItem addLocation)
{
//if there are no TreeViewItems in the list, add the current one
if (currentList.Count() == 0)
currentList.Add(addLocation);
else
{
//gets the index of the last item in the List
int lastItem = currentList.Count() - 1;
/*
if (value in header > lastItem)
currentList.Add(addLocation);
else
{
//iterate through list and add TreeViewItem
//where appropriate
}
**/
}
}
Thanks a lot for the help. I tried to show that I have been working on this and trying everything that I could on my own.
As requested, here is the structure of my TreeView. Everything from the 3rd level and down is dynamically added by the user...
A:
Ok. Delete all your code and start all over.
1: It is essential that you read up on MVVM before writing a single line of code in WPF.
You can read about it here and here and here
<Window x:Class="MiscSamples.SortedTreeView"
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
xmlns:cmp="clr-namespace:System.ComponentModel;assembly=WindowsBase"
Title="SortedTreeView" Height="300" Width="300">
<DockPanel>
<TextBox Text="{Binding NewValueString}" DockPanel.Dock="Top"/>
<Button Click="AddNewItem" DockPanel.Dock="Top" Content="Add"/>
<TreeView ItemsSource="{Binding ItemsView}" SelectedItemChanged="OnSelectedItemChanged">
<TreeView.ItemTemplate>
<HierarchicalDataTemplate ItemsSource="{Binding ItemsView}">
<TextBlock Text="{Binding Value}"/>
</HierarchicalDataTemplate>
</TreeView.ItemTemplate>
</TreeView>
</DockPanel>
</Window>
Code Behind:
public partial class SortedTreeView : Window
{
public SortedTreeViewWindowViewModel ViewModel { get { return DataContext as SortedTreeViewWindowViewModel; } set { DataContext = value; } }
public SortedTreeView()
{
InitializeComponent();
ViewModel = new SortedTreeViewWindowViewModel()
{
Items = {new TreeViewModel(1)}
};
}
private void AddNewItem(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
ViewModel.AddNewItem();
}
//Added due to limitation of TreeViewItem described in http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1000040/selecteditem-in-a-wpf-treeview
private void OnSelectedItemChanged(object sender, RoutedPropertyChangedEventArgs<object> e)
{
ViewModel.SelectedItem = e.NewValue as TreeViewModel;
}
}
2: First thing you can notice above is that the Code Behind does NOTHING. It just delegates functionality to something called the ViewModel (not ModelView, which is a misspelling)
Why is that?
Because it's a much better approach. Period. Having the application logic / business logic and data separated and decoupled from the UI is the best thing to ever happen to any developer.
So, What's the ViewModel about?
3: The ViewModel exposes Properties that contain the Data to be shown in the View, and Methods that contain the logic to operate with the Data.
So it's as simple as:
public class SortedTreeViewWindowViewModel: PropertyChangedBase
{
private string _newValueString;
public int? NewValue { get; set; }
public string NewValueString
{
get { return _newValueString; }
set
{
_newValueString = value;
int integervalue;
//If the text is a valid numeric value, use that to create a new node.
if (int.TryParse(value, out integervalue))
NewValue = integervalue;
else
NewValue = null;
OnPropertyChanged("NewValueString");
}
}
public TreeViewModel SelectedItem { get; set; }
public ObservableCollection<TreeViewModel> Items { get; set; }
public ICollectionView ItemsView { get; set; }
public SortedTreeViewWindowViewModel()
{
Items = new ObservableCollection<TreeViewModel>();
ItemsView = new ListCollectionView(Items) {SortDescriptions = { new SortDescription("Value",ListSortDirection.Ascending)}};
}
public void AddNewItem()
{
ObservableCollection<TreeViewModel> targetcollection;
//Insert the New Node as a Root node if nothing is selected.
targetcollection = SelectedItem == null ? Items : SelectedItem.Items;
if (NewValue != null && !targetcollection.Any(x => x.Value == NewValue))
{
targetcollection.Add(new TreeViewModel(NewValue.Value));
NewValueString = string.Empty;
}
}
}
See? All your 11 requirements are fulfilled by 5 lines of code in the AddNewItem() method. No Header.ToString() stuff, no casting anything, no horrible code behind approaches.
Just simple, simple properties and INotifyPropertyChanged.
And what about the sorting?
4: The sorting is performed by the CollectionView, and it occurs at the ViewModel level, not at the View Level.
Why?
Because Data is kept separate from it's visual representation in the UI.
5: Finally, here is the actual Data Item:
public class TreeViewModel: PropertyChangedBase
{
public int Value { get; set; }
public ObservableCollection<TreeViewModel> Items { get; set; }
public CollectionView ItemsView { get; set; }
public TreeViewModel(int value)
{
Items = new ObservableCollection<TreeViewModel>();
ItemsView = new ListCollectionView(Items)
{
SortDescriptions =
{
new SortDescription("Value",ListSortDirection.Ascending)
}
};
Value = value;
}
}
This is the class that will hold the data, in this case, an int Value, because you only care about numbers, so that's the right data type, and then an ObservableCollection that will hold the child nodes, and again the CollectionView that takes care of the sorting.
6: Whenever you use DataBinding in WPF (which is essential to all this MVVM thing) you need to implement INotifyPropertyChanged, so this is the PropertyChangedBase class All ViewModels inherit from:
public class PropertyChangedBase:INotifyPropertyChanged
{
public event PropertyChangedEventHandler PropertyChanged;
protected virtual void OnPropertyChanged(string propertyName)
{
Application.Current.Dispatcher.BeginInvoke((Action) (() =>
{
PropertyChangedEventHandler handler = PropertyChanged;
if (handler != null) handler(this, new PropertyChangedEventArgs(propertyName));
}));
}
}
And wherever there's a change in a property you need to Notify that by doing:
OnPropertyChanged("PropertyName");
as in
OnPropertyChanged("NewValueString");
And this is the result:
Just copy and paste all my code in a File -> New Project -> WPF Application and see the results for yourself.
Let me know if you need me to clarify anything.
| 2024-03-04T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5148 |
Robert Allen is the mayor of Hoosick Falls, N.Y, a community plagued by toxic levels of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances or PFAS, a class of chemicals used to create non-stick and stain proof products that have been shown to be carcinogenic, in addition to increasing the risk of other diseases. In 2016, when Allen’s daughter was two years old, a blood test revealed that she had over 100 parts per billion of PFOA, a type of PFAS, in her blood. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, the national average is just 1.98 ppb.
PFAS enter the water supply in a variety of ways, including disintegration from items in landfills and indirect disclosures, when a company disposes of these chemicals in the municipal sewage line without alerting proper channels.
Today—four years after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an emergency regulation in the area—the PFOA level in Allen’s daughter’s blood has dropped to below half of what it was, but remains severely above the national average. PFAS have been linked to an increased risk of cancer, immune system dysfunction, liver damage, developmental harm, infertility, and hormone disruption.
A new study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), an environmental advocacy and research non-profit, confirms what researchers studying PFAS have long believed to be true: that the chemicals are pervasive, not only in towns like Hoosick Falls, but in drinking water systems throughout the U.S. Out of 44 tap water samples collected by the EWG across 31 states and D.C. and tested by an accredited independent laboratory using a modified EPA testing method, only one location had no detectable PFAS.
But with no nationwide legal limits on the chemicals, many communities are left to fight against the toxins themselves.
“Our children are the most precious commodity we have and to know that they're actively being unknowingly poisoned by chemicals we know are dangerous, it's just devastating all over again,” Allen said on Wednesday during a press call organized by the EWG. “So many more communities are about to go through everything we have been through and without proper regulations on a national level, these communities are going to be powerless to get results.”
The EWG’s study mirrors a trend in other PFAS research: an increase in detectable PFAS as testing methods improve. In 2012, the EPA’s UCMR 3 study found PFAS in approximately 2 percent of the public water systems it tested. Seven years later, a 2019 study by the EPA and the U.S. Geological Survey using more sensitive methods found detectable PFAS in all 50 water samples collected.
“I am not surprised by the results at all,” said Dr. Graham Peaslee, a professor at the University of Notre Dame who’s been studying PFAS for the last seven years. “Everybody knows the earlier UCMR studies by the EPA were undercounting the number of contaminated water supplies.”
While the EPA has not set an enforceable, legal limit for PFAS in drinking water, in 2016 it issued a non-enforceable “health advisory” at 70 parts per trillion. According to Peaslee and several other PFAS researchers including those affiliated with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 70 ppt is too high. The EWG’s findings included samples between 1 and 186 ppt.
Based on that notion and the EPA’s delay in setting a nationwide legal limit of PFAS in drinking water, several states, like California, have taken it upon themselves to set their own legal PFAS limits. Notably, with California’s limit around 6 ppt and New Jersey’s at 13 ppt, they’re much lower than the EPA’s health advisory.
Once a limit is set, water systems can use reverse osmosis, charcoal filtration, and/or carbon filtration to get rid of PFAS in drinking water. The latter is currently being used in Hoosick Falls where PFAS contamination is improving, according to the New York State Department of Health.
According to Peaslee, new studies, environmental activism efforts, and the release of the film Dark Waters—in which actor Mark Ruffalo plays a lawyer who successfully sues chemical company DuPont for poisoning the entire town of Parkersburg, West Virginia, with PFAS—have piqued people’s interest in how their own lives may be affected by these chemical compounds.
“These chemicals don't respect political boundaries. They're found in me. They're found in all of you on this call,” Ruffalo said on the same press call organized by the EWG on Wednesday. “There has never been a clearer time to regulate PFAS chemicals than now.”
"These chemicals don't respect political boundaries."
If you’ve learned about PFAS contamination in your own community, Peaslee says it’s reasonable to be worried, but he also advocates a pragmatic approach to dealing with PFAS. If your area hasn’t been tested for PFAS chemicals, and you’d rather not wait until the government issues regulations, you can send your own samples to a lab, which typically costs between $200 to $400. Peaslee suggests splitting the costs with others in your community if you can’t afford doing it on your own. If you’re wealthy enough and living in a highly contaminated area, he even suggests considering moving. | 2024-03-07T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5707 |
Home-Based Comprehensive Medication Reviews: Pharmacist's Impact on Drug Therapy Problems in Geriatric Patients.
To evaluate the effects of pharmacist-conducted, home-based comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) on drug therapy problems (DTPs) in geriatric patients. Pre-/postintervention study. Grocery store chain affiliated with three independent living facilities. Twenty-five older adults using pharmacy delivery services for at least three chronic medications. A pharmacist conducted a home-based CMR for each participant. DTPs were identified across 13 categories. Patients received a medication action plan post-CMR. A follow-up patient phone call was completed two weeks following the appointment. Patient profiles were reviewed for three months postintervention for changes in DTPs. Changes in DTPs per patient and changes in five Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services triple-weighted Star Rating performance measures. The average DTPs identified per patient were reduced from 3.4 ± 2.06 to 1.48 ± 1.68 (P < 0.05) DTPs three months postintervention. The most common categories identified-nonadherence and incorrect administration/ technique-were significantly reduced (P = 0.012 and P = 0.010, respectively). One Star Rating performance measure significantly improved: 68% of patients taking hypertension medications were adherent at baseline and 91% were adherent three months post-CMR (P = 0.016). Pharmacist-provided, home-based CMRs reduced the average number of DTPs per patient. The most common categories of DTPs identified-nonadherence and incorrect administration/technique-were reduced postintervention. | 2024-03-18T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4620 |
########### install files ###############
install(FILES
active.png
bg.svg
indicator.png
DESTINATION ${pkgdatadir}/themes/Default-Panel/images )
| 2023-09-15T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3637 |
PON
Category
360/VR, 3d, Compositing
About This Project
A 4k stereo VR animation. I was responsible for then rendering and compositing (all 3d content was supplied). As optimization the surroundings where rendered as a static 360 stereo image and the car and moving elements where rendered separately and composited together. | 2024-03-31T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5756 |
How to Replace an EGR Valve
If you are trying to figure out the replacement of an EGR valve in a car, this article might help you out. Here, its generic procedure has been explained.
Emission control is a major concern for the automobile industry. There have been many innovations that have helped in bringing down emission and air pollution levels. One such innovation is the EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) valve technology.
What is an EGR Valve?
This technology was developed out of the need to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions from automobiles. To achieve this objective, a feedback mechanism was developed. This technology reduces nitrogen oxide emission, by inhibiting the very process that leads to its creation. The technology works in the following manner.
A portion of the exhaust gases, emitted from the car engine, is fed back to combustion cylinder. This exhaust gas feedback, displaces the combustive mixture of gases by volume and leads to a drop in the heat of combustion, generated in every cycle. Without compromising to a great degree, on the pressure generated in the cylinder, the combustion cycle occurs at a lower temperature. Nitrogen oxide compounds are formed faster, from a high temperature mixture of oxygen and nitrogen. Since exhaust gas recirculation valves reduce the combustion temperature in the cylinder, comparatively lesser amount of nitrogen oxide is created, which is responsible for smog.
EGR valves are fitted in the engine assembly, to establish and control this feedback mechanism. The valve only lets in exhaust gases, in conditions when the car engine is not idling or when it does not require high combustible fuel concentration. This ensures optimum performance, when RPM demands are high and prevents a rough performance, when the engine is idling. Modern valves are electronically operated.
In case the valve malfunctions, engine efficiency drops down drastically. The biggest problem is caused when it stays stuck open and messes up the engine's efficiency. In such a situation, engine cylinders get flooded with exhaust gases, leading to a reduction in oxygen availability. This compromises the engine functioning totally. That is why, a faulty valve needs immediate replacement.
Replacement Instructions
Replacing EGR valves is a task that can be carried out quite easily, if you are willing to apply yourself. The tools you'll need are a socket set, wrench, screwdriver, a specialized tool called carburetor cleaner, and a small drill bit. Along with these, you'll need a new valve and a new gasket that accompanies it.
Firstly, disconnect car battery and locate the position of the valve. Next, you need to make some more disconnections. Remove the vacuum hose, air supply hose, and rest of the electrical accessories, using a screwdriver.
To detach the valve unit, you'll need to remove the bolts that keep it in place. Using a wrench, remove these EGR valve mounting bolts. Observe the valve and make sure that it is totally beyond repair. If it is, then go ahead and replace it with a new valve, along with a new gasket, if needed. Mount the bolts back in place, to secure the valve in position. Next, you need to retrace your actions and replace all the electrical accessories and components that you removed initially. Reconnect the air hose and restore other connections. Restore the car battery connection. This completes the replacement procedure. Pulling off this task on your own, reduces the replacement cost. | 2024-07-02T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3928 |
Q:
Series of binomial coefficient denominators
I'm not sure how to evaluate the following :
$$
\sum_{k=i}^n \frac{1}{k!(n-k)!}
$$
Where $i,n \in \mathbb{N}, n > i$ are given.
I don't have any working for this, I just looked it at and don't have any idea how to go about evaluating it.
A:
No Closed Form
As pointed out by @drhab, your sum is equivalent to $\frac{1}{n!}\sum_{k=i}^n\binom{n}{k}$. Given that $\sum_{k=0}^n\binom{n}{k}=2^n$, your sum can be rearranged to $$\frac{2^n}{n!}-\frac1{n!}\sum_{k=0}^{i-1}\binom{n}{k}$$
Hence, the partial sum of binomial coefficients, $\sum_{k=0}^{i-1}\binom{n}{k}$, is the heart of your problem. The sum can be expressed in various other ways (such as with hypergeometric or beta functions) and, as pointed out by @Henry, it has some nice expressions for specific $n,i$. But unfortunately, it has no closed form in terms of the sum of a fixed number of hypergeometric terms (Petrovsek, 1996. Theorem 5.6.3, pp. 88, 94, 102; 2, p. 6). But then again, it could possibly have a different type of closed form.
References and Further Reading
Despite having no closed form, the sum has been studied before and can be approximated and bounded:
M. Petkovˇsek, G. S. Wilf and D. Zeilberger, 'A=B' (1996) (purchase eBook) (PDF)
M. Boardman, 'The Egg-Drop Numbers' (2004) (link)
Bounds and algorithms. (link)
Approximations. (link)
Asymptotics. (link)
Relation to hyperplanes. (link)
Wikipedia article. (link)
| 2024-04-01T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1907 |
Introduction
============
Health care professionals, besides having good training, should be -- ideally -- calm, empathic, but also always alert, capable of controlling their emotions when facing critical situations, with strong coping abilities.[@b1-ndt-14-1891]
Both empathy and social cognition are of most importance in the medical field. Empathy refers to the ability to comprehend and bond with the emotional state of another person, a multidimensional concept comprising cognitive and affective processes.[@b2-ndt-14-1891],[@b3-ndt-14-1891] In patient care, empathy encompasses the "ability to understand the patient's inner experiences and perspective and the capability to communicate this understanding."[@b4-ndt-14-1891] Therefore, recognizing emotions in others is essential in order to establish a successful interaction between patients and future health care professionals. According to previous studies, facial expressions are considered the most important elements of emotion communication.[@b5-ndt-14-1891] The eye region has been reported to bear most of the information concerning the emotional state of a person.[@b6-ndt-14-1891],[@b7-ndt-14-1891]
Emotion regulation strategies refer to those particular psychological mechanisms that people use to deal with their emotions, which can be done consciously, or unconsciously.[@b8-ndt-14-1891] Emotion dysregulation indicates the various troublesome manners in which individuals face and react to emotional problems, and has been associated, in certain cases, with depressive symptoms, substance abuse, anxiety, and aggression.[@b9-ndt-14-1891] The medical act cannot be detached from emotional involvement, and since certain emotion regulation mechanisms are known to be maladaptive, the way in which students process and regulate their emotions becomes very important, because it can affect their physical and mental well-being.[@b10-ndt-14-1891]
In order to succeed during their medical training and later on in the medical profession, a certain blend of personality traits is desired in students.[@b11-ndt-14-1891],[@b12-ndt-14-1891] The Big Five Personality dimension includes a broad variety of personality features and is extensively used by researchers for the study of predictors for academic achievement.[@b13-ndt-14-1891],[@b14-ndt-14-1891]
Research on Romanian medical, dental, and nursing undergraduates is very scant, literature data providing little information on the subject. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to offer insight to Romanian medical students' personalities, empathy levels, emotion recognition skills, and coping strategies by comparatively assessing these particular traits in three student samples (general medicine \[GM\], dental medicine \[DM\], and general nursing \[GN\] students).
Because the abilities to empathize, recognize emotions in others, and access and implement emotion regulation strategies in adjustable and efficient ways can vary substantially between individuals,[@b15-ndt-14-1891] it is possible that emotion regulation strategies, empathy, and emotion recognition skills are linked to certain aspects of personality. Consequently, another objective of this study was to explore the potential relationship between students' personalities, empathy levels, emotion recognition abilities, and emotion regulation (coping) mechanisms. Considering that particular personality features can predispose individuals to respond and regulate their emotions in specific ways, more or less maladaptive,[@b16-ndt-14-1891]--[@b18-ndt-14-1891] we anticipate finding positive associations between emotion dysregulation and neuroticism. By contrast, positive correlations between extraversion, openness to experience, and adaptive, problem-focused emotion regulation strategies are assumed. Since empathy and social cognition are essential for interpersonal relationships, we expect to obtain positive correlations between scores for empathy and personality features that stimulate interpersonal relationships (such as agreeableness and openness to experience), and negative correlations between scores for empathy and personality traits such as neuroticism.
The present study hopes to provide the healthcare academic system with data regarding psychological profiles for Romanian GM, DM, and GN students. Also, these results will represent baseline data for future longitudinal analyses after the students graduate and enroll in the medical care workforce.
Materials and methods
=====================
Setting
-------
The Timisoara Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy consists of three faculties, each of them with their own several subspecialties: the Faculty of Medicine (GM -- 6 years, Registered Nurses in GM -- 4 years, Balneo-physio-kineto-therapy and recuperation -- 3 years, Radiology and Imaging -- 3 years, Nutritional Dietetics -- 3 years), the Faculty of DM (DM -- 6 years, Dental Technique -- 3 years, Dental Hygiene -- 3 years), and the Faculty of Pharmacy (Pharmacy -- 5 years, Pharmaceutical Assistants -- 3 years). Foreign students also have the possibility of studying Medicine and DM in English or French (these students were not included in the present study). Each year, \~600 students graduate from the Faculty of DM and the Faculty of Medicine (GM and GN).
The study was conducted on Romanian undergraduates from the Timisoara Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy during Psychiatry class. Psychiatry is a compulsory discipline for GM, GN, and DM students. GM and GN students study Psychiatry in their terminal year (the sixth year for GM and the fourth year for GN). DM students study Psychiatry during their fourth year. All students attending the Psychiatry class in the second semester of the academic year 2016--2017 were invited to take part in the present research (\~325 students).
Participants
------------
The minimum sample size was calculated using the G-power software (version 3.1; Heinrich Heine University, Duesseldorf, Germany). Based on a previous analysis of a smaller sample of students, and also considering Cochran's sampling techniques,[@b19-ndt-14-1891] a minimum of 289 participants was estimated to be sufficient so as to detect a medium effect size (f=0.25), with an error probability (alpha) of 0.05, a power of 0.9, and an addition of 15% (in order to account for missing data).
Three hundred and six Romanian GM, GN, and DM undergraduates attending the Timisoara Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy agreed to participate in this cross-sectional comparative study (94% of the total number of students approached and 51% of the total number of students that graduate each year): sixth-year GM students (n=105), fourth-year DM students (n=103), and fourth-year GN students (n=98). All students were informed about the purpose of the current research and gave their written informed consent prior to participation. The study was approved by the Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy Research Ethics Committee (reference number: 17/2017) and was conducted according to the principles stated in the Declaration of Helsinki for experiments involving human beings.
Procedure
---------
Participants were invited to complete four self-report questionnaires: personality traits were assessed with the Neuroticism--Extraversion--Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI); cognitive emotion regulation strategies were identified with the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ); empathy levels were measured using the empathy quotient (EQ); and emotion recognition abilities were evaluated with the "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" test (RMET). All the aforementioned instruments were validated, showing high reliability and good internal consistency.
### Personality traits
The Big Five Personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) were evaluated using the Romanian version of the 60-item NEO-FFI. NEO-FFI[@b20-ndt-14-1891] is a shortened version of the 240-item revised NEO Personality Inventory developed by McCrae and Costa in 1989,[@b21-ndt-14-1891] and is one of the most frequently used measures of the five factor model. Following the five factor model, possibly the most accepted and increasingly applied personality model in medical education, the basic traits of personality are neuroticism (ie, the tendency to experience negative/unpleasant emotions such as anxiety, anger, disgust, depression, to exhibit impulse control and difficulties in managing stress), extraversion (ie, the tendency to actively enroll in social situations and to be communicative, sociable, active, bold, and assertive), openness to experience (ie, the tendency to be creative, curious, open to adventure, intense emotions, and unusual ideas), agreeableness (ie, the tendency to be compassionate, kind, altruistic, flexible, tolerant, good-natured, helpful, generous, and fair), and conscientiousness (ie, the tendency to be organized, disciplined, dependable, methodical, but also stubborn and obsessive in particular situations).[@b22-ndt-14-1891] NEO-FFI demonstrated satisfactory validity and proved its usefulness in various contexts.[@b22-ndt-14-1891] The scale has a good internal consistency and a high test--retest reliability.[@b23-ndt-14-1891] NEO-FFI is designed to take up to 15 minutes per assessment. Each of the 60 items was rated by the participants on a 5-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree, 5= strongly agree).
### Cognitive emotion regulation
The Romanian version of the CERQ, developed by Garnefski and Kraaij in 2007,[@b24-ndt-14-1891] was used to identify the cognitive emotion regulation strategies (or cognitive coping strategies) that students use after experiencing negative situations or life events. CERQ showed a substantial factorial validity and high reliability, being a useful tool for the study of individual factors related to emotional problems.[@b25-ndt-14-1891] CERQ is a multidimensional 36-item self-report questionnaire which assesses the use of nine cognitive coping strategies. Five of them are considered to be generally adaptive strategies (acceptance, putting into perspective, positive refocusing, refocus on planning, and positive reappraisal), while four are known as generally maladaptive mechanisms (self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others).[@b24-ndt-14-1891] Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert-type scale (1= almost never, 5= almost always) and subscale scores are calculated by summing the item scores that correspond to the related subscale (the subscales have scores ranging from 4 to 20). Higher subscale scores mean greater frequency in engaging in corresponding cognitive coping strategies.
### Empathy
The Romanian version of the EQ, developed by Baron-Cohen and Wheelwright in 2004,[@b26-ndt-14-1891] was used to measure the level of empathy. EQ is a 60-item self-report inventory with 40 questions empathy-related and 20 filler questions, each scored on a 4-point Likert-type scale (1= totally agree, 4= totally disagree). Each of the 40 items related to empathy is associated with a score of 0, 1, or 2; the filler questions score 0. Total scores may range from 0 to 80 (the higher the score, the higher the empathy level). Studies show that EQ has a good validity and that it is a reliable scale for measuring empathy.[@b27-ndt-14-1891]
### Social cognition
In order to appraise the ability to understand other people's mental states we used the Romanian revised version of the RMET developed by Baron-Cohen et al.[@b2-ndt-14-1891] The revised version appears to be superior to the earlier version, showing acceptable validity and reliability.[@b28-ndt-14-1891],[@b29-ndt-14-1891] The test is designed to detect subtle impairments in social acuity both in normal intelligent adults and in patients. It is comprised of 36 eye-region photographs of both males and females. Each photograph has four complex mental state descriptors printed around it (eg, "serious," "alarmed," "bewildered," and "ashamed"), and only one of them describes the correct mental state of the subject in the photo. Participants were asked to choose which of the four words defines best what the subject in the photograph is feeling/thinking. Each photo was shown for 10 seconds. The test was scored by summing the correct number of answers given by each participant (maximum score per student: 36).
Both EQ and RMET can be freely downloaded from the Internet for use in research (<https://www.autismresearchcen-tre.com/arc_tests>).
Statistical analysis
--------------------
Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics (version 20; IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). The Shapiro--Wilk normality test revealed a non-Gaussian data distribution ([Table 1](#t1-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table"}) and therefore, in order to compare groups, we used nonparametric tests (the Mann--Whitney *U* test with the Bonferroni correction, the Kruskal--Wallis test, followed by the Dunn post hoc procedure). Associations between scores obtained in empathy, social cognition, cognitive coping strategies, and the five domains of personality were analyzed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. To check for differences between categorical variables, the *χ*^2^ (chi-square) test was applied. The level of significance was set at 0.05. All results were two-tailed.
Results
=======
The study included 306 Romanian medical students, which we divided into three samples: 105 GM students, 103 DM students, and 98 GN students.
Sample characteristics are presented in [Table 2](#t2-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table"}. None of the students were married, or had children. There were significant differences (*χ*^2^=15.946, *p*\<0.0001) between the three student samples regarding gender distribution (the male to female ratio was 1:2.3 in the GM sample, 1:1.5 in the DM sample, and 1:5.5 in the GN sample).
Because of the non-Gaussian distribution of the variables, numerical data are expressed by using medians and extreme values. Median scores and extreme values for personality traits, emotion regulation strategies, empathy, and emotion recognition skills for the three student samples are also shown in [Table 3](#t3-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table"}.
The Mann--Whitney *U* test showed that GM students were older not only than DM students (U=749.5, Z=−11.03, *p*\<0.0001), but also than GN students (U=1,266, Z=−9.535, *p*\<0.0001). There were no significant differences in age between DM and GN students. We also did not find significant differences concerning age between male and female students.
Compared to female students, males obtained significantly lower scores in rumination (U=7,928.5, Z=−2.482, *p*=0.013), "positive refocusing" (U=8,155.5, Z=−2.149, *p*=0.032), catastrophizing (U=7,888, Z=−2.559, *p*=0.01), empathy (U=6,014.5, Z=−5.185, *p*\<0.0001), and gave considerably less correct answers in the RMET (U=6,495.5, Z=−4.514, *p*\<0.0001). Males scored significantly higher than females only in blaming others (U=7.357, Z=−3.29, *p*=0.001).
Comparison between the three student samples
--------------------------------------------
Because of the non-normal data distribution, we used the Kruskal--Wallis test to check for differences in scale scores (CERQ, NEO-FFI, EQ, RMET) between the three student samples. The test revealed significant differences between students regarding the following: blaming others, neuroticism, agreeableness, EQ score, and number of correct answers in RMET ([Table 4](#t4-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table"}). Dunn's nonparametric comparison for post hoc testing, performed after the Kruskal--Wallis test, showed that GM students scored significantly higher than both DM and GN students in blaming others (*p*\<0.0001) and significantly higher than GN students in neuroticism (*p*=0.015). It also revealed that GN students obtained significantly higher scores than their GM and DM colleagues in agreeableness (*p*\<0.0001) and empathy (*p*\<0.0001). When compared to GN students, DM students scored significantly higher only in blaming others (*p*\<0.0001) and significantly lower in RMET (*p*=0.019).
Correlations between scores
---------------------------
Neuroticism correlated positively with self-blame (Spearman's rho \[rs\]=0.373, *p*\<0.0001), rumination (rs=0.423, *p*\<0.0001), catastrophizing (rs=0.188, *p*=0.001), and blaming others (rs=0.193, *p*=0.001) in our students. "Openness to experience" correlated positively with positive refocusing (rs=0.165, *p*=0.004), "refocus on planning" (rs=0.4, *p*\<0.0001), and "positive reappraisal" (rs=0.321, *p*\<0.0001). Agreeableness correlated negatively with blaming others (rs=−0.42, *p*\<0.0001). EQ score correlated positively with self-blame (rs=0.165, *p*=0.004), agreeableness (rs=0.391, *p*\<0.0001), and number of correct answers given in RMET (rs=0.756, *p*\<0.0001). By contrast, EQ correlated negatively with blaming others (rs=−0.73, *p*\<0.0001) and neuroticism (rs=−0.152, *p*=0.008).
Discussion
==========
Personality, empathy, social skills, and coping styles are important predictors for the future performance, success, adjustment, and mental health of medical students. This study revealed significant differences between general, dental, and nursing Romanian students in respect to personality, empathy levels, emotion recognition abilities, and emotion regulation (coping) strategies. Compared to the other two student samples, GN students appeared to be the most empathic and obtained the highest scores in agreeableness. This was to be expected, given the fact that having a caring, kind, altruistic, compassionate personality and a good understanding of the feeling of others are vital to the provision of a worthy nursing care. Comparing empathy levels between nursing and other medical students, in a study published in 2011, Nunes et al reported similar results, with GN students obtaining higher scores.[@b30-ndt-14-1891]
There are some possible explanations for the fact that GM and DM students scored lower in agreeableness and empathy than GN students. One of them may involve dental and GM students' concentration on increasing their technical skills necessary for diagnosing or completing procedures, whilst foregoing social abilities that are, perhaps, perceived as less imperative to their training. This fact may influence these students to center their attention on procedures and less on the patient's emotional problems.[@b31-ndt-14-1891],[@b32-ndt-14-1891] By contrast, the contact between a patient and a nurse is the central activity of nursing care, empathy and emotion recognition abilities being essential preconditions for an effective nurse--patient relationship and the understanding of the patient's attitude.[@b33-ndt-14-1891] Furthermore, compared to GN students, GM and DM students are perhaps confronted with a greater responsibility, being the ones that have to not only prepare themselves to manage and treat patients in critical conditions, but also manage their own reactions and emotions. It is likely that, in order to do both, they have to set certain limits and thus, they may exhibit less empathy and agreeableness than their nursing colleagues.
Nonetheless, during medical school, undergraduates experience significant amounts of stress.[@b34-ndt-14-1891],[@b35-ndt-14-1891] Medical studies are usually perceived as very stressful, students being expected to assimilate large amounts of information in short periods of time, a fact that may involve certain social and personal sacrifices. Certain studies show that the current system applied in medical education can lead to a decline in students' empathy,[@b36-ndt-14-1891]--[@b38-ndt-14-1891] that accentuates during course progression.[@b30-ndt-14-1891],[@b39-ndt-14-1891] Some researchers suggested that this waning is due to high levels of emotional distress or the burden of achieving performance;[@b40-ndt-14-1891] others state that the low empathy and increasing cynicism in medical students may reflect certain learned coping or survival strategies.[@b36-ndt-14-1891],[@b38-ndt-14-1891] However, it cannot be decided if the changes in self-report empathy are the consequence of medical training or that of the overall moral development.[@b41-ndt-14-1891] Of course, not all studies report a reduction in empathy across the medical training program. For example, in 2014, Williams et al compared empathy levels in Australian students and found that first-year students had lower empathy levels than second- and third-year students.[@b42-ndt-14-1891] Our study compared EQ scores of medical students from different years of study (nursing and GM students were assessed during their terminal year -- fourth year for GN and sixth year for GM; DM students were assessed during the fourth year of their six-year study program) and found that the sixth-year GM students had the lowest EQ score. However, we did not measure changes in participants longitudinally. Therefore, future research is needed to see if empathy levels are innately different in GM, DM, and GN students, or if empathy decreases due to the prolonged exposure to medical training (the so-called "hardening of the heart" of the medical students). Another aspect that could be considered is the fact that in this study GM students were older than dental and GN students (as shown in [Table 2](#t2-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table"}). Although there are cross-sectional studies that reveal lower empathy levels in older groups compared to younger cohorts,[@b43-ndt-14-1891],[@b44-ndt-14-1891] because of the lack of homogeneous published data on the connection between age and empathy in individuals younger than the age of 50,[@b45-ndt-14-1891] we cannot assume that GM students were less empathic due to their older age. Rather, it is possible that their lower levels of empathy are the product of the confrontation with harsh clinical reality (human illness, death) combined with poorer emotion regulation abilities, or of their shifting from the humanistic side of medicine to the more technological side, primarily used nowadays.[@b31-ndt-14-1891]
The differences reported in empathy and emotion recognition abilities between the three student samples can also be explained by the fact that in the GN sample females far outnumbered males ([Table 2](#t2-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table"}). The dissimilarities found in empathy levels and emotion recognition skills between the student samples may as well be the product of differences in courses or teaching techniques, nurses possibly being introduced to a more empathy-based schooling.
Female students had significantly higher empathy scores and emotion recognition abilities compared to males, which is consistent with other findings,[@b36-ndt-14-1891],[@b46-ndt-14-1891] and supporting the theory on women's understanding of others mental states and tolerant attitudes.[@b47-ndt-14-1891] Besides the differences found between males and females regarding empathy and emotion recognition skills, females scored higher both in adaptive and in maladaptive coping strategies compared to males (not only in rumination and catastrophizing, but also in positive refocusing), a result expected considering previous research.[@b48-ndt-14-1891] This suggests that females are more conscious and more inclined to connect with their emotions.
One could also argue that the obtained results may also be influenced by the selection process of each studied student cohort. However, all students from the Timisoara Victor Babes University of Medicine and Pharmacy that accepted to complete the four questionnaires during Psychiatry class were included in this study. Selection criteria were solely based on students' willingness to participate. Moreover, admission in a Romanian medical university, regardless of the chosen sub-specialization, is only based on passing a written biology and a chemistry examination. The selection process for future GM, DM, or GN students does not include a psychological testing for empathy, personality dimensions, or emotion regulation strategies. Therefore, there is no way of knowing if there are more empathic, "agreeable," or healthier stress-coping students enrolled in the nursing programs to begin with.
The phenomenon of professional enculturation is another factor that might influence the results. Unfortunately, the impact of this phenomenon cannot be measured.
Assessing personality features and coping mechanisms can be helpful in identifying individuals that are more vulnerable to stress. Research shows that personality characteristics can be predictors for different coping styles.[@b49-ndt-14-1891] Similar to other studies,[@b50-ndt-14-1891] in our research, neuroticism seemed to be associated with less efficient coping mechanisms (self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others), whereas openness to experience appeared to be positively correlated with active, problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping (positive refocusing, refocus on planning, and positive reappraisal). In GM students, higher scores than their dental and nursing colleagues in neuroticism may explain the susceptibility for using significantly more often blaming others as a coping strategy, suggesting that these students have the tendency to experience a mixture of disruptive thoughts and emotions and are, therefore, more prone to engage in maladaptive coping responses.
Previous studies found positive associations between empathy and sociability, agreeableness and openness to experience,[@b12-ndt-14-1891] and also between empathy and "conscientiousness."[@b51-ndt-14-1891] We, as well, obtained a positive correlation between empathy and agreeableness, but no significant associations between empathy and conscientiousness or openness to experience. Although Eysenck detected a positive correlation between empathy and neuroticism,[@b52-ndt-14-1891] in our study, empathy correlated negatively with neuroticism and blaming others, thus supporting the theory that neuroticism is negatively linked with consideration for others and prosocial behavior.[@b53-ndt-14-1891]
Limitations
-----------
Participants came from one medical university (with a relatively homogenous student population) and therefore, despite its moderate size, the sample is not representative of the Romanian medical student population as a whole. Other limitations are the use of self-report measures for personality and empathy and the fact that the student samples were gender nonhomogeneous. The use of self-report measurements, especially for empathy and personality, may represent an important subject of biases, taking into account the respondents' propensity to offer what they believe to be the "ideal" or "correct" answer. Participants were informed that only truthful answers (and not what they think an ideal answer would be) would benefit this study. However, this still may not be enough to guarantee a sincere self-appreciation. It is possible that the results would have been different if measurements were taken from observations of the students interacting directly with patients. The cross-sectional design of the study represents another limitation, a longitudinal assessment possibly offering different results.
Results of the present research can be viewed as a starting point for other, more comprehensive longitudinal studies that may use larger and more diverse student samples.
Conclusion
==========
Significant differences between the three student samples were observed in this study. In comparison to the other two student samples, GN students were the most empathic and obtained the highest scores in agreeableness. GN students also had lower scores in neuroticism and engaged less in maladaptive coping strategies than both GM and DM students and therefore, appeared more emotionally stable. Compared to DM students, GN students displayed better emotion recognition abilities. Sixth-year GM students had the lowest EQ score. Higher scores than their dental and nursing colleagues in neuroticism and blaming others may suggest that GM students were more vulnerable to stress, with a tendency to use maladaptive emotion regulation strategies.
Females had higher empathy levels, better emotion recognition abilities, and scored higher both in adaptive and in maladaptive coping strategies compared to males (positive refocusing, rumination, catastrophizing).
Neuroticism was associated with less efficient coping mechanisms (self-blame, rumination, catastrophizing, and blaming others), whilst openness to experience was positively correlated with active, problem-focused coping and emotion-focused coping (positive refocusing, refocus on planning, and positive reappraisal). Positive correlations between empathy, agreeableness, and emotion recognition abilities were also found. Empathy correlated negatively with neuroticism and blaming others.
This study seeks to offer baseline information for future longitudinal studies performed after the students graduate and pursue their chosen medical career. Furthermore, the obtained data may also be used in other studies that include students attending universities with nonmedical profiles.
**Author contributions**
Radu-Stefan Romosan: study design, acquisition and interpretation of data for the work, drafting and critical revision of the manuscript, approval of the final version of the manuscript, accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.
Liana Dehelean, Virgil-Radu Enatescu, Ana Cristina Bredicean, Ion Papava, and Catalina Giurgi-Oncu: significant contribution to the study design and data acquisition, critical revision of the manuscript for intellectual content, approval of the final version of the manuscript, accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.
Ana-Maria Romosan: significant contribution to the study design, analysis and interpretation of data for the work, critical revision of the manuscript for intellectual content, approval of the final version of the manuscript, accountable for the accuracy and integrity of the manuscript.
**Disclosure**
The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.
######
Results of the Shapiro--Wilk test for normality of distribution
Sample characteristics Students N Shapiro--Wilk test statistics *p*-value
--------------------------------- ---------- ------- ------------------------------- -----------
Age GM 105 0.729 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.667 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.557 \<0.0001
CERQ: self-blame GM 105 0.761 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.954 0.001
GN 98 0.813 \<0.0001
CERQ: acceptance GM 105 0.904 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.939 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.932 \<0.0001
CERQ: rumination GM 105 0.956 0.002
DM 103 0.951 0.001
GN 98 0.969 0.019
CERQ: positive refocusing GM 105 0.856 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.878 0.047
GN 98 0.944 \<0.0001
CERQ: refocus on planning GM 105 0.968 0.012
DM 103 0.971 0.021
GN 98 0.896 \<0.0001
CERQ: positive reappraisal GM 105 0.970 0.018
DM 103 0.924 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.876 \<0.0001
CERQ: putting into perspective GM 105 0.944 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.972 0.029
GN 98 0.840 \<0.0001
CERQ: catastrophizing GM 105 0.637 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.866 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.888 \<0.0001
CERQ: blaming others GM 105 0.915 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.917 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.831 \<0.0001
NEO-FFI: neuroticism GM 105 0.882 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.928 0.041
GN 98 0.949 0.001
NEO-FFI: extraversion GM 105 0.949 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.937 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.858 \<0.0001
NEO-FFI: openness to experience GM 105 0.905 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.951 0.001
GN 98 0.877 \<0.0001
NEO-FFI: agreeableness GM 105 0.957 0.002
DM 103 0.892 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.932 \<0.0001
NEO-FFI: conscientiousness GM 105 0.946 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.766 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.946 \<0.0001
EQ GM 105 0.888 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.957 0.002
GN 98 0.962 0.006
RMET GM 105 0.888 \<0.0001
DM 103 0.847 \<0.0001
GN 98 0.803 \<0.0001
**Abbreviations:** GM, general medicine; DM, dental medicine; GN, general nursing; CERQ, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; NEO-FFI, Neuroticism--Extraversion--Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory; EQ, empathy quotient; RMET, Reading the Mind in the Eyes test.
######
Sample characteristics
Sample characteristics GM students DM students GN students
------------------------------ ------------- ------------- ------------- ------ ---- ------
Gender
Males 32 30.5 42 40.8 15 15.3
Females 73 69.5 61 59.2 83 84.7
Age in years, median (range) 25 (24--28) 23 (22--29) 22 (22--35)
**Abbreviations:** GM, general medicine; DM, dental medicine; GN, general nursing.
######
Median scores (and extreme values) obtained by the three student samples
Scale Scale dimensions GM students DM students GN students
-------------------------- ------------------ --------------- -------------- --------------- ------------- ------------- -------------
CERQ Self-blame 7 (4--15) 7 (4--20) 8 (4--15) 9 (4--12) 7 (5--20) 8 (4--20)
Acceptance 10 (5--13) 10 (7--19) 10.5 (9--13) 11 (7--13) 11 (9--14) 10 (8--15)
Rumination 10 (4--13) 9 (4--20) 9.5 (5--17) 11 (4--20) 10 (5--13) 10 (7--15)
Positive refocusing 10.5 (4--13) 11 (4--13) 9 (4--17) 11 (4--18) 9 (5--14) 10 (7--15)
Refocus on planning 12 (5--20) 12 (4--20) 12 (7--19) 12 (8--20) 12 (9--18) 12 (8--20)
Positive reappraisal 11 (4--20) 12 (4--20) 11 (8--17) 12 (8--20) 12 (8--18) 11 (8--20)
Putting into perspective 13 (6--19) 11 (9--19) 12.5 (4--19) 12 (4--19) 12 (10--20) 11 (9--20)
Catastrophizing 6 (4--8) 6 (4--20) 5 (4--11) 6 (4--15) 5 (4--10) 6 (4--11)
Blaming others 13 (9--20) 11 (7--20) 7 (4--9) 7 (4--9) 5 (4--9) 5 (4--9)
NEO-FFI Neuroticism 22 (13--38) 23 (13--58) 21.5 (4--38) 23 (7--39) 17 (8--37) 18 (4--39)
Extraversion 28.5 (16--42) 29 (14--44) 27 (19--45) 28 (20--42) 31 (17--36) 29 (17--39)
Openness to experience 28 (5--43) 30 (5--43) 29 (17--49) 28 (16--53) 28 (12--36) 30 (13--39)
Agreeableness 29 (15--45) 29 (10--46) 29 (12--39) 29 (13--53) 39 (27--57) 45 (17--59)
Conscientiousness 30 (21--41) 33 (15--57) 30 (24--56) 30 (25--57) 32 (28--41) 34 (24--57)
RMET (correct answers) 23.5 (13--33) 30 (15--34) 24.5 (22--35) 27 (22--35) 26 (25--33) 27 (25--36)
EQ 27.5 (24--45) 33 (24--59) 32 (15--54) 39 (15--59) 41 (23--55) 46 (26--59)
**Abbreviations:** GM, general medicine; DM, dental medicine; GN, general nursing; CERQ, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; NEO-FFI, Neuroticism--Extraversion--Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory; RMET, Reading the Mind in the Eyes test; EQ, empathy quotient.
######
Results of the Kruskal--Wallis test for differences in scale scores
Variables Dimensions for each study variable Kruskal--Wallis H *p*-value
-------------------------- ------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------
CERQ Self-blame 6.243 0.063
Acceptance 4.961 0.084
Rumination 1.553 0.460
Positive refocusing 0.866 0.649
Refocus on planning 0.745 0.689
Positive reappraisal 0.016 0.992
Putting into perspective 1.349 0.509
Catastrophizing 0.706 0.703
Blaming others 223.643 \<0.0001[\*\*](#tfn5-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table-fn"}
NEO-FFI Neuroticism 8.737 0.013[\*](#tfn4-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table-fn"}
Extraversion 2.284 0.319
Openness to experience 0.325 0.850
Agreeableness 68.553 \<0.0001[\*\*](#tfn5-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table-fn"}
Conscientiousness 4.885 0.071
RMET 7.929 0.019[\*](#tfn4-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table-fn"}
EQ 58.344 \<0.0001[\*\*](#tfn5-ndt-14-1891){ref-type="table-fn"}
**Notes:**
*p*\<0.05;
*p*\<0.001.
**Abbreviations:** GM, general medicine; DM, dental medicine; GN, general nursing; CERQ, Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire; NEO-FFI, Neuroticism--Extraversion--Openness to Experience Five-Factor Inventory; RMET, Reading the Mind in the Eyes test; EQ, empathy quotient.
| 2023-12-30T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4870 |
third biggest value? (a) 2 (b) -1 (c) p
c
Let x = 46.4 - 46.24. Suppose -5*n - 3*k + 17 = -6*k, 3*k = 3. Which is the third biggest value? (a) -5 (b) n (c) 0 (d) x
c
Let q = 756 - 699. Let a = -57.008 - -0.408. Let x = q + a. What is the biggest value in 0.34, 0, x?
x
Let k = -195 + 164. Let u = -31.2 - k. Which is the fourth smallest value? (a) -0.3 (b) 0.2 (c) u (d) -14
b
Suppose 3*y - 3*k = -24, -30 = 5*y - 3*y + 5*k. Let m = 10 - 11.2. Let g = 1.2 + m. Which is the biggest value? (a) g (b) -3 (c) y
a
Let k = 7 - 13. Let t = -145700 + 145700. Which is the third biggest value? (a) k (b) 4 (c) t (d) 0.4
c
Let q be (5/(-14 - -4))/(-5 - 38/(-12)). Which is the fifth biggest value? (a) 5 (b) 0.5 (c) -5 (d) 0.02 (e) q
c
Suppose 3*h + 3*g - 12 = 0, 787 = -5*h + 4*g + 744. What is the second smallest value in -12, h, 1, -0.04, -2?
h
Let v = 3534.2 - 3618.2. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 1/4 (b) 39 (c) v
b
Let k(f) = -f**3 + 26*f**2 + 40*f - 294. Let s be k(27). Which is the second biggest value? (a) -7 (b) s (c) -3
c
Let r = 1.4589 + -0.8589. Let p = -14 + 69/5. Which is the second smallest value? (a) 5 (b) r (c) p (d) 5/3
b
Suppose 6*q - q = 10. Suppose 7*o - 4 + 18 = 0. Let x be o/13 + (-82)/(-533). Which is the third smallest value? (a) q (b) 7 (c) x
b
Suppose -1550 = 15*g + 700. Let z be -1 - -2*(-85)/g. Which is the biggest value? (a) 4 (b) 0.1 (c) 1/3 (d) z
a
Suppose -4*n + 0*o + 2*o + 16 = 0, 5*o = -n - 7. Suppose -5*u - 15 = -2*h, n*u = -h - 3*h + 17. Which is the third smallest value? (a) u (b) -246 (c) 2/7
c
Let m = -0.135 - -0.195. Suppose -s = 2*w + 4*s + 16, 5*s + 19 = -3*w. Let q be (0 - w) + (-48)/20. What is the fourth biggest value in q, -1/5, m, 2/13?
-1/5
Let c = 1.5567 + -1.8567. What is the biggest value in 8, 0.2, 22, -1, c?
22
Suppose 3*k - 2*k = 5. Suppose 45 = 3*y - 3*n + 4*n, -k*n = 3*y - 45. Suppose -1 = -4*a + y. What is the third smallest value in 2/7, -0.4, a, 4/9?
4/9
Let s = 315 - 314.82. Let h(w) = 2*w**2 + w - 11. Let y be h(-3). What is the second smallest value in y, 2/13, s?
s
Let z = -408 + 413.12. Let d = z + -13.12. What is the third biggest value in 5, 0.1, d?
d
Let z = -48 + 2. Let a = -11683 + 11683.5. What is the smallest value in z, a, -3, 2/9?
z
Let f = 2263/15 - 151. Let x = 554 - 606. Which is the second smallest value? (a) 3/4 (b) x (c) f
c
Let q = 5.97 - 6. Suppose 0 = 4*v + 5*z + 18 + 151, 10 = -2*z. Let s be 27/(-40) - (-1)/((-45)/v). Which is the third smallest value? (a) -4/7 (b) s (c) q
b
Let h be -6 + 41/2 + -15. What is the fifth biggest value in h, -23, -3/7, 0, -0.1?
-23
Let m = 40 - 38. Let r = 0.042 + -4.642. Which is the third smallest value? (a) m (b) -4 (c) r (d) -1/6
d
Let u = 59 + -58. Let j = 3.36 + -0.36. Which is the fourth biggest value? (a) -2/9 (b) u (c) j (d) 0.8
a
Let y be 162*-3 - (-35)/(-1 + -6). Let p = -491 - y. Let j = -5 - 0. What is the second biggest value in -0.3, p, j, 2?
p
Suppose 5*y = 3 + 27. Suppose -5*q - 393 = -5*f - 348, -q = 5*f - 27. Suppose f*h + y = 3*h, -u = 5*h + 14. Which is the biggest value? (a) 2/9 (b) u (c) -1
a
Let z be (6 - -48) + (4 - 0). Let u be (0 + -1)/(z/290). Which is the second biggest value? (a) u (b) 0.123 (c) -2/3
c
Let o = 15 - 15. Let m = -17729 - -18118. Which is the third smallest value? (a) o (b) 1/4 (c) m
c
Let q = -2 - -6. Let h = -0.729 - -0.329. What is the third smallest value in 24, q, 5, h?
5
Let c = -30 - -5. Let m = 42 - c. Let b = m + -66.9. What is the third biggest value in 6, b, 5?
b
Let k = 2 - 0. Let o be 2/21 - (-352)/6006. Let n = -2 + 1.6. What is the fourth biggest value in k, n, o, 2/5?
n
Let q = -7460.059 - -7460. Which is the third biggest value? (a) 1 (b) 0.41 (c) q (d) -4
c
Let w be ((-33)/9 - -3)/2*9. Suppose 0 = -33*g + 43*g - 50. Which is the second biggest value? (a) g (b) w (c) -4
b
Let l = 315071/90 + -31508/9. Let f = -15 - -27/2. What is the biggest value in 1/6, l, 0, f?
1/6
Let w(c) = 4*c + 2. Let u be w(-2). Let a = 285359.7 + -285360. What is the third smallest value in a, u, 5?
5
Let x = 0.07075 + -0.12075. What is the third smallest value in -2, 65, x?
65
Let g = -64 + 61. Let t be ((-3)/(-18)*-4)/((-5)/g). Let j be -2*(-3 + 2)/(-3). Which is the fourth smallest value? (a) t (b) j (c) -0.5 (d) 1/9
d
Let s = -33 - -33.2. Let g = 86.5 - 87. Which is the second biggest value? (a) g (b) -0.3 (c) s (d) -2
b
Let v be 10 + ((-7616)/98)/8. Let c = 108/245 - 2/49. What is the third smallest value in v, 0.1, c?
c
Let w = 24 + -121/5. Let q = -0.032 + 0.432. Which is the biggest value? (a) w (b) q (c) 8/7
c
Let j = -0.06377 - 0.03623. What is the fourth biggest value in -6, 0, -1, 23, j?
-1
Let x = -75.48 - -71.48. What is the biggest value in -0.07, x, -27?
-0.07
Let k = 0.1 - 0.1. Let d = 2 - k. Let l be ((4/(-150))/((-25)/(-250)))/(10/5). Which is the biggest value? (a) l (b) -1 (c) d
c
Let q(r) = -r**3 + 12*r**2 - 18*r - 4. Let h be q(10). Let f be (-46)/h + 63/21. Let o be 3/((-1)/(2 - 1)). What is the second smallest value in f, -0.5, o?
-0.5
Let o = 95/6 - 16. Let d be 23/414 + 5548/(-1368). Which is the second smallest value? (a) d (b) o (c) -2
c
Let g = 2.4 - 2.3. Let b be (12/(-3) + -4)/((-6)/(-3)). Let j be (b/16*1)/(2/1). What is the biggest value in j, g, -1/6?
g
Suppose v - 93 = -4*z - 100, 2 = z - v. What is the smallest value in 5/44, 2, z?
z
Let p(b) = 5*b**2 + 2*b - 1. Let g be p(1). Let o = 11.1 - -86.2. Let c = o + -97. What is the third biggest value in -3, c, g?
-3
Let w = 179.233 + -0.233. Let v = w + -178. Which is the third biggest value? (a) -0.1 (b) -0.11 (c) v (d) 2/7
a
Let h = -0.02682 + -0.97318. Which is the biggest value? (a) -22/5 (b) 3 (c) 2/7 (d) h (e) 0
b
Let s = -30.9 + 34.9. Let o = 102 - 106. Which is the smallest value? (a) o (b) -1/2 (c) -2 (d) s
a
Let h = 0.06 + 4.94. Let x = 6.554 - 1.554. Let r = x - h. Which is the third biggest value? (a) 1/5 (b) 4 (c) r
c
Let h = -595 + 1434. What is the second biggest value in -0.1, 0.3, h?
0.3
Let j = 67 - 66.8. Let w = -1456 - -1455.95. Which is the third smallest value? (a) j (b) 3/5 (c) -0.4 (d) w
a
Let k = -10.95 + 11. Suppose 0 = -0*z + 2*z + 8. Let h = 496 + -6446/13. What is the third smallest value in k, z, h?
h
Let h = 10 - 8. Let r = -8873 - -8872.7. Let c = -10/7 - -37/21. What is the third biggest value in -2/37, r, h, c?
-2/37
Let q = -19 + 16.7. Let r = 0.7 - q. Let s = -1669.75 + 1669.45. What is the smallest value in r, s, -2?
-2
Let r = -7495 - -7506. What is the second smallest value in r, 3/53, -2/7?
3/53
Let m(w) = 92*w. Let u be m(1). Let q = u - 94. What is the third smallest value in 0.2, 2, q, 8/7?
8/7
Let x be 7/(-4) - (-30163)/19460. Which is the biggest value? (a) x (b) -1 (c) 3/4 (d) -3/8 (e) 3/2
e
Let f = -155072/39 - -3976. Which is the second biggest value? (a) -0.2 (b) f (c) -0.4
b
Let t = -0.19 - 69.81. Let w = -69.7 - t. What is the second biggest value in w, -27, 3?
w
Suppose 120 = 4*h + 5*a, 7*h = 4*h - 4*a + 90. Let u be (24/h)/(1/(-5)). What is the fourth smallest value in -1/2, -1, u, 0.4?
0.4
Let x = 341.9646 - -0.0354. Let s = x + -341.8. Which is the third smallest value? (a) 3 (b) 1/4 (c) -0.2 (d) s
b
Let f = -214.5 - -214.5. What is the second smallest value in 19, 4, f, -1?
f
Let k = -250178039/9911640 - -58024/2265. Let o = k - 1/547. Let m = -0.94 - 0.06. What is the second biggest value in m, o, -0.02?
-0.02
Let r(j) = -406*j**3 + 8*j**2 - 18*j + 199*j**3 + 10 + 208*j**3 + 8. Let v be r(-10). Which is the biggest value? (a) -3 (b) 0.5 (c) v (d) -1/5
b
Let t = 3707 + -3705. What is the second biggest value in 5, 0.4, 1, t?
t
Let g = -2/13 + 53/91. Suppose -260*p + 264*p + 12 = 0. Which is the second smallest value? (a) 0.4 (b) p (c) g (d) 5/2
a
Let p = 30788/49 - 110354498/175665. Let x = -4/239 - p. Let d = 0 - -0.1. What is the second smallest value in d, x, -4?
x
Let u = -4 - 15. Let q = u - -20. Let j be (-8)/40 + 1 + (-66)/45. What is the third smallest value in q, 2/13, j, 3/5?
3/5
Let t be ((-12)/18 - 0)*-6. What is the fourth biggest value in -4, t, 0, 2?
-4
Let a = 167 - 839/5. Let l(o) = -o**2 + 37*o - 272. Let j be l(10). Wh | 2023-09-19T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4317 |
76 F.2d 126 (1935)
In re CONEY ISLAND HOTEL CORPORATION.
CONEY ISLAND HOTEL CORPORATION
v.
VAN SCHAICK, Superintendent of Insurance.
No. 339.
Circuit Court of Appeals, Second Circuit.
March 11, 1935.
Hughes, Schurman & Dwight, of New York City (John Fletcher Caskey and John R. McCullough, both of New York City, of counsel), for Superintendent of Insurance.
Herrick & Feinstein, of Brooklyn, N. Y. (Samuel Silbiger, of Brooklyn, N. Y., of counsel), for certain creditors.
Harry L. Thompson, of Brooklyn, N. Y. (E. Robert Willcox, of New York City, of counsel), for Title Guarantee & Trust Co.
Henry Rosenblum, of New York City (Abraham L. Levenson, of New York City, of counsel), for debtor.
Before L. HAND, SWAN, and AUGUSTUS N. HAND, Circuit Judges.
L. HAND, Circuit Judge.
This is an appeal from an order issued under subdivision (c) (10) of section 77B of the Bankruptcy Act (11 USCA § 207 (c) (10) staying the foreclosure of a mortgage already pending in the state court when the petition was filed. In substance it is the same situation as In re Murel Corporation, 75 F.(2d) 941, decided at the same time, and it requires no added discussion except in so far as the facts differ. The debtor, as its name shows, owns a hotel at Coney Island, on which on September 15th, 1926, it executed a mortgage to the Title Guarantee & Trust Co. in the face amount of $1,000,000. The mortgagee lent $750,000 and some of the debtor's directors $100,000 more, which although secured by the same mortgage, was in fact junior in lien. When the mortgage expired the senior lien was $690,000 and the junior $160,000; it was then renewed so as to expire on October 1, 1934. After the first mortgage there comes a second of $310,000, and a third of $514,000; ahead of all come over $100,000 of taxes and water charges on which interest and penalties have accrued. Upon the first lien of $690,000 there are arrears of interest of more than $110,000. The amount of the assessment is not stated, nor do we know more *127 about the value of the real property than that it is carried upon the debtor's books at about $2,000,000, and that the earnings have never been more than enough to cover expenses. The interest and taxes being in default, a foreclosure suit was commenced in June, 1933, through the agency of a guarantor of certain "participation certificates," which the mortgagee had issued; and a receiver for the rents and profits was appointed. Section 77B of the Bankruptcy Act (11 USCA § 207) was passed in June, 1934, and the debtor did nothing until November 16, 1934, when it filed the petition at bar. At no time has it submitted any "plan of reorganization" nor do we know what kind of plan it contemplates. After the bill was filed the guarantor went into "rehabilitation" under the Insurance Law of New York and the superintendent took over its assets. A plan of reorganization of the guarantor is pending in the Supreme Court of New York, but it protects only those having an interest in the mortgage. The holders of the "participation certificates" oppose any reorganization under section 77B.
It is conceivable that when the plan of reorganization under section 77B is submitted it may offer a sufficient substitute for the lien of the mortgage. We leave that question open to the consideration of the District Court when the question arises. But as it now stands, the case is like In re Murel Holding Corporation, except that there is even less reason to grant a stay. The foreclosure had been going on for nearly eighteen months before the petition was filed, and it had been possible to file it for nearly six months. No plan had been prepared; the debtor apparently supposed that the mere filing of the petition was enough to stop the foreclosure. That is not so, as we have said in the companion case. We do not forget In re Prudence Bonds Corporation, 75 F.(2d) 262, where we affirmed a stay of a state suit in a proceeding under section 77B before any plan of reorganization had been filed. The situation was quite different from that now at bar. A single one of many certificate holders of a trust of pledged securities sued the pledgee for an accounting, seeking to impound and distribute the property which it held as a trustee for all. It did not indeed appear that two-thirds of the certificate holders had consented to the bankruptcy proceeding, and of course they had not done so to any plan of reorganization; but it was the pledgee itself which sought the stay and undertook to speak for the class as a whole, until a plan could be presented. That situation justified the court in holding off a single holder who sought to forestall the power of the entire class to pass upon any future plan. Here the class has declared itself and resists; it will have to be coerced as a unit.
This order will be reversed without passing upon the questions mooted; we may never have to decide them, for it is at least possible that when the plan is suggested, the District Court will not think it justifies a stay.
Order reversed.
| 2024-06-20T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9039 |
Mr. Rogers opted for the casual outfit, a poor choice in my opinion. However, it was not a deal breaker. He wore: a white t-shirt, nice jeans, flip flops. Physically, I’m not sure how I feel about him. He is neither good looking nor bad looking, he looks a lot like a friend from college who used to have a crush on me, and that resemblance was creeping me out. But I think it’s possible I could sleep with him, so I’d say that the physical attraction factor warrants another date.
We went to a coffee shop in “our” neighborhood, but not on the usual strip containing the Bourgeois Pig et al. On the way, Mr. Rogers answered his cell phone. BAD! BAD MR. ROGERS! Manners?! He said, “I have to answer this,” I said, “hooookay. . .”
Other than that, he was quite gentlemanly. He opened doors, paid, wanted to discuss everything so I had to put on the brakes about discussing past relationships, etc. We have the same sense of humor, it is a very good fit in that respect. He said some cheesy things, such as: When I saw him, I said, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around the neighborhood before.” He said, “I think I would have remembered you.”
Problems: 1) physical attraction TBD, 2) he has a daughter; kids are not a deal breaker for me, but I guess I never anticipated having to deal with that, so it was a surprise, 3) I think he can be very flighty, so although he seems very attentive right now I’m not sure if that will last.
Overall, I think there is chemistry. When we got back to The Steps, he said, “So, seriously, give me feedback.” I said, “No, there has to be some mystery.” Then he said, “OK, well I hope we will go out again.” I think he is very attracted to me, and I feel OK about him, so if he asks me out again, I think I’d like to go.
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My name is Anna. I like to blog. ABDPBT is a creative effort at understanding my experience as a wife, mother, recovering academic, popular culture enthusiast, satirist, and unrepentant fake American. | 2024-02-21T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7085 |
*New for 2018-2019. The new bagless Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog is Miele’s premium multi floor canister vacuum with 2 floor tools. Designed for Pets and Pet hair with included tools, including the Handheld Pet Turbobrush, great for pets, pet hair, dirt and dust. The Miele Blizzard CX1 Series features a lifetime HEPA Filter, filtering up to 99.98% of dust and allergens. This keeps the dust and dirt in the bag and out of the air you breathe. The HEPA filter is also maintenance-free. Miele vacuums are extremely quiet compared to other canisters (they are sound insulated) and are German engineered to last. You can also dial down the power. Great for allergy sufferers.
A rotary dial adjusts the suction power to your needs, and even has a quiet setting. You can rewind the retractable cord automatically by stepping on a switch on the back of the canister. The carrying handle makes it easy to carry the vacuum up and down the stairs. Crush proof hose adds durability. The telescoping wands are made of stainless steel, made for long-term usage. Tools Include: crevice nozzle, dusting brush and upholstery tool. Also included with the Miele CX1 Cat & Dog is Miele’s powerful SEB228 Powered Floor Brush which is an electrically-driven motorized carpet tool suitable for low to high pile carpeting, soft plush carpets, and smooth flooring (great for pet hair). Deluxe handle with electrobrush controls. The included floor tool Parquet Twister has soft, natural bristles to glide over smooth floor surfaces, especially delicate, polished hardwood floors, without damaging them. It can rotate 180-degrees to clean around obstacles like tables or chair legs.
Miele Mini Turbo Brush Tool – Great for Pets & Pet Hair
The CX1 Cat & Dog Bagless Canister has a total reach of 36 feet (cord and hose length) so you can vacuum longer without switching outlets. As a bagless vacuum, you no longer need to buy bags. Miele has designed the dust bin to empty with minimum mess, right into your trashcan.
The Miele Cat & Dog uses bagless cyclonic technology to separate dust, dirt, allergens, and pet hair. Miele Vacuums are tested to last 20 years and include a 7 Year Motor Warranty. The German Engineered Miele canister will outlast many cheaper models, even though the Miele is more expensive initially.
CX1 Series Total Reach: 36 feet (w/23 foot retractable cord).Vacuum Warranty: 1-year limited warranty vacuum parts and labor. 7-year motor warranty.Model Number: 41BBN031USASmart-Review Commentary: The Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog Bagless Canister Vacuum is one of Miele’s top canister vacuums which comes with 2 floor tools, a pet tool, and a sealed filter system. This model is designed for pets and pet hair. As a bagless vacuum, you have no bags to buy. One tool, the SEB228 14-inch Powered Floor Brush is an electrically operated motorized tool for floors and carpets (low to high pile) as well as soft plush carpeting, and the other is a soft brush for hardwood floors/tile/hard floors. This tool is ideal for pet hair removal. The Lifetime HEPA filter along with the Gore CleanStream Fine Dust Filter will filter up to 99.98% of dust, dirt, and allergens. Ideal with those sensitive to dust or dander or have asthma. The CX1 received the British Allergy FoundationSeal of Approval. The CX1 is bagless and has Hygienic Emptying of the dust bin, right into the trashcan. The Mono-Cyclone of the vacuum separates fine and coarse dust. The ComfortClean button lights up in red when the dust bin is full, Brushroll on/off switch for hardwood floors.
The CX1 Series is also a quieter vacuum than most canisters. Rubber wheels won’t mar or scratch hardwood floors. Its telescoping wand is made of stainless steel (cheaper vacs are made of aluminum). The durability of this vacuum is excellent, as all Miele vacuums are tested to last 20 years. Its telescoping wand and hose gives you a long reach to clean stairs, walls, drapes, and ceilings. For pets, stairs, and upholstery, this model comes with the Handheld Pet Turbobrush. Miele vacuums are known for keeping the air cleaner than other brands of vacuums. The SEB 228 Floor tool included with this vacuum is recommended by carpet manufacturers for vacuuming soft carpets such Mohawk’s SmartStrand silk, Caress®, Karastan, and Soft Spring. This model is a Smart-Review top pick for bagless canister vacuums and is ideal for those with Pets with both low/medium/high pile carpets, soft plush carpets, and hardwood floors. The Miele Blizzard CX1 gets the Smart-Review Top pick and BEST of 2019 award for bagless vacuums.
Description: The Miele Blizzard CX1 Cat & Dog canister is one of the best bagless canister vacuums available for pets. Its sealed Airclean filtering keep allergens and odors contained in the vacuum. Fine dust is filtered out, so no huge plume of dust in the air when emptying the dust bin. Approved by the British Allergy Foundation. The CX1 Cat & Dog has earned our BEST of 2019 Award for bagless canister vacuumsWritten by:Smart ReviewRating:4.7 out of 5 | 2024-04-02T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/2703 |
Q:
Help with a definite integral with a parameter $\int_0^1 \frac{\arctan(xy)}{x\sqrt{1-x^2}}dx$
$$\int_0^1 \frac{\arctan(xy)}{x\sqrt{1-x^2}}dx$$
I am not sure where to even start, I would greatly appreciate a hint.
My initial notion was to somehow add another $dy$ integral and change the order of integration, but the $xy$ stopped me from doing that. Thank you for your help.
A:
Let $I(y)$ be given by
$$I(y)=\int_0^1\frac{\arctan(xy)}{x\sqrt{1-x^2}}\,dx\tag1$$
Then, differentiating under the integral in $(1)$ reveals
$$I'(y)=\int_0^1\frac{1}{\sqrt{1-x^2}(1+(xy)^2)}\,dx\tag2$$
We can evaluate the integral in $(2)$ by first enforcing the substitution $x\to \sin(x)$ and subsequently using the Weierstrass substitution. The result is
$$I'(y)=\frac{\pi}{2\sqrt{1+y^2}} \tag 3$$
Finally, integrating $(3)$ from $0$ to $y$, and using $I(0)=0$, we find
$$I(y)=\int_0^y\frac{\pi}{2\sqrt{1+y'^2}}\,dy'=\frac\pi2 \text{arcsinh}(y)$$
| 2024-03-23T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3694 |
OpenBSD 5.5 has been released. As usual, the list of changes goes way beyond my comfort zone – I’m not exactly into the world of BSD – but I’m pretty sure that those that use OpenBSD aren’t interested in oversimplified nonsense from people like me anyway.
As always, get it on CD-ROM (I love typing that in this day and age), or straight from a mirror. | 2024-03-12T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/8717 |
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| 2024-06-27T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6671 |
This invention relates to methods and systems for detecting and eliminating short circuit current paths in photovoltaic devices and can be employed in or with systems for the continuous production of photovoltaic devices wherein successive amorphous-silicon alloy semiconductor layers are continuously deposited on a substrate moving through each of a plurality of deposition chambers.
Recently, considerable efforts have been made to develop systems for depositing amorphous semiconductor alloys, each of which can encompass relatively large areas, and which can be doped to form p-type and n-type materials for the production of p-i-n and other type devices which are, in photovoltaic and other applications, substantially equivalent to their crystalline counterparts.
It is now possible to prepare amorphous silicon alloys and glow discharge and vapor deposition techniques that have (1) acceptable concentrations of localized states in the energy gaps thereof, and (2) provide high quality electronic properties. Therefore techniques are fully described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,226,898, Amorphous Semiconductors Equivalent To Crystalline Semiconductors, issued in the names of Stanford R. Ovshinsky and Arun Madan on Oct. 7, 1980 and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,374, issued in the names of Stanford R. Ovshinsky and Masatsugu Izu, on Aug. 12, 1980, under the same title. As disclosed in these patents, fluorine introduced into the amorphous silicon semiconductor operates to substantially reduce the density of the localized defect states therein and facilitates the addition of other alloying materials, such as germanium.
The concept of utilizing multiple cells, to enhance photovoltaic device efficiency, was discussed at least as early as 1955 by E. D. Jackson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,949,498 issued Aug. 16, 1960. The multiple cell structures therein described utilized p-n junction crystalline semiconductor devices. Essentially, the concept is directed to utilizing different band gap devices to more efficiently collect various portions of the solar spectrum and to increase open circuit voltage (Voc). The tandem cell device has two or more cells with the light directed serially through each cell, with a large band gap material followed by one or more smaller band gap materials to absorb the light passed through the preceeding cell or layer.
It is of great commercial importance to be able to mass produce photovoltaic devices. Unlike crystalline silicon which is limited to batch processing for the manufacture of solar cells, amorphous silicon alloys can now be deposited in multiple layers over large area substrates to form solar cells in a high volume, continuous processing system. Continuous processing systems of this kind are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,400,409 for A Method Of Making P-Doped Silicon Films And Devices Made Therefrom; pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 244,386, filed Mar. 16, 1981 for Continuous Systems For Depositing Amorphous Semiconductor Material; U.S. Pat. No. 4,410,558 for Continuous Amorphous Solar Cell Production System; U.S. Pat. No. 4,438,723 for Multiple Chamber Deposition And Isolation System And Method; and Ser. No. 359,825, filed Mar. 19, 1982 for Method And Apparatus For Continuously Producing Tandem Amorphous Photovoltaic Cells. As disclosed in these patents and applications, a substrate formed from stainless steel, for example, may be continuously advanced through a succession of deposition chambers, wherein each chamber is dedicated to the deposition of a specific material.
In making a solar cell of p-i-n type configuration, the first chamber is dedicated for depositing a p-type amorphous silicon alloy, the second chamber is dedicated for depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon alloy, and the third chamber is dedicated for depositing an n-type amorphous silicon alloy. Since each deposited alloy, and especially the intrinsic alloy must be of high purity, the deposition environment in the intrinsic deposition chamber is isolated from the doping constituents within the other chambers to prevent the diffusion of doping constituents into the intrinsic chamber. In the previously mentioned patents and applications, wherein the systems are primarly concerned with the production of photovoltaic cells, isolation between the chambers is accomplished by gas gates through which unidirectional gas flow is established and through which an inert gas may be "swept" about the web of substrate material.
In the previously mentioned patents, deposition of the amorphous silicon alloy materials onto the large area continuous substrate is accomplished by glow discharge decomposition of the process gases. Even though careful measures are taken to form devices having amorphous semiconductor alloys of high quality, there remains a finite probability that over a given device surface area, short circuit current paths through the amorphous semiconductor alloys can exist. These short circuit current paths are deleterious to obtaining optimum performance from the devices. The reason for the non-optimum performance is that such devices are customarily provided with a layer of transparent conductive material over the last deposited amorphous semiconductor layer to form a top contact of the device to permit collection of the photo generated charge carriers as electrical current, while permitting the light photon energy to pass therethrough into the active region or regions of the device for the generation of the charge carriers. Since this last layer is conductive, just one short circuit current path through the device can greatly limit the voltage obtainable over a rather large area of the device. Hence, device voltage output and efficiency can be substantially reduced by virtue of such short circuit current paths. It is to the detection and elimination of these short circuit current paths that the present invention is directed.
One attempt to eliminate short circuit current paths within photovoltaic devices involves the application of a reverse bias voltage to the device. The applied reverse bias causes large currents to flow through the short circuit current paths, causing localized heating of the amorphous semiconductor. The localized heating crystallizes the amorphous semiconductor in the regions of the short circuit current paths to result in an increase in the resistivity of the paths. Unfortunately, this process has many limitations. While the path resistivity is increased, the resistivity of the crystallized regions remains less than the resistivity of the unheated amorphous semiconductor device areas. As a result, the short circuit current paths are not eliminated, but have their resistivity changed to a limited extent. Also, this method is not effective for eliminating short circuit current paths resulting from substrate surface irregularities which can be the most prevalent cause of short circuit current paths, especially in large area devices suitable for commercial applications or devices having a roughened substrate surface forming a diffuse back reflector.
The system and method of the present invention, in contrast, has been found to totally eliminate short circuit current paths in photovoltaic devices. In addition, the system and method of the present invention even eliminates substrate related short circuit current paths whether due to substrate irregularities or the presence of a roughened substrate surface to form a diffuse back reflector, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,419,533 filed Mar. 3, 1982, for Improved Photovoltaic Device Having Incident Radiation Directing Means For Total Internal Reflection. Furthermore, the system and method of the present invention is directly applicable to continuous process manufacturing techniques including the continuous production of multiple cell devices. | 2023-10-09T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6395 |
Characterization of rat CD8+ uveitogenic T cells specific for interphotoreceptor retinal-binding protein 1177-1191.
The uveitogenic T cells that mediate experimental autoimmune uveitis are commonly assumed to be exclusively CD4(+). In the present study, we showed that, although a panel of long-term cultured rat uveitogenic T cell lines specific for the interphotoreceptor retinal-binding protein peptide, R16, all expressed CD4, approximately 40% of the R16-specific uveitogenic T cells freshly prepared from Ag-immunized rats were CD8(+)alphabetaTCR(+), as demonstrated by CFSE staining. We showed that the expansion of these CD8(+)alphabetaTCR(+) T cells was Ag-specific and that highly purified CD8(+) R16-specific T cells were able to induce uveitis on transfusion into naive rats. Moreover, CD8(+) uveitogenic T cells more readily switched phenotype from, and to, TCR(-)CD8(-)CD4(-) during in vivo or in vitro activation compared with their CD4(+) counterparts. In a previous study, we showed that highly purified CD8(+) myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific T cells induced more severe autoimmune encephalomyelitis than the corresponding CD4(+) T cells. In this study, we show that an interphotoreceptor retinal-binding protein peptide consistently activated a high proportion of CD8(+)alphabetaTCR(+) T cells, which were uveitogenic in Lewis rats. | 2023-08-26T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6300 |
Tag: Point Of Sale Systems For Small Businesses Pos For Small Business
Precious time is often lost through the handling of Pos For Small Business . Similarly, the more cash is handled the greater the security risk in stores. Fortunately, Point of Sale (POS) technology is making better control of cash in retail stores possible, resulting in benefit for both staff and customers.
One German furniture company has estimated that the payment process and handling of cash at the checkout takes between 15 to 25 seconds. As this is only one part of processing pos system, 15 to 25 seconds is quite substantial time and, when the seconds are calculated for the cash handling from every sale throughout the day…till operators are spending more time on this process than most business owners would like.
Then, there is also the concern of cash robbery and theft. On any given day in a retail business, one, a few or many more employees will handle cash. Think how many different times and how many different people will handle cash in a supermarket on any one day. It is also probable that many managers are reconciling cash and making deposits, which is why they use point of sale systems.
How Do You Select the Best Point Of Sale Systems in Pos For Small Business ?
The term point-of-sale is used to describe a variety of things. This can include the checkout counter in a store or a place where transactions occur. More frequently, the phrase refers to a computerized cash register. The commonly used abbreviation for point-of-sale is POS. Each letter in the abbreviation is pronounced individually (e.g. P-O-S) versus pronouncing the abbreviation itself (e.g. paws).
When computers were first invented, large retailers were the first to implement point-of-sale systems to help automate many of the tasks involved with operating a retail store. These computers were very large and expensive. This limited the adoption of point-of-sale systems to large retailers such as grocery chains. The introduction of low cost personal computers during the 1980s allowed retail stores of all sizes to improve efficiencies with the help of pos systems.
A common point-of-sale system includes a computer, cash drawer, receipt printer, pole display, bar code scanner, magnetic swipe reader, modem and point-of-sale software. Each piece provides the following functionality:
- Personal Computer - Operates the POS software and provides hardware interfaces for devices such as printers, credit card readers and so on.
- Cash Drawer - A lock box that stores cash and is triggered to open by the pos software.
- Receipt Printer - Prints a paper copy of the sales transaction for the customer.
- Pole Display - LED display that faces the customer and shows each item and price scan.
As you can see, the simple point-of-sale system grew into a powerful information system for managers and store owners. Today, point-of-sale systems continue to innovate and some even include:
- eCommerce integration
- Integrated accounting
- CRM - Customer Relationship Module
- Electronic payment processing
- Gift card management
- Service order management
- Marketing
- Revolving accounts receivable
- Customer traffic counters
- Integrated video surveillance
- Open To Buy planning
- Linear inventory modeling
- Special order management
- EDI (electronic ordering)
- And much more...
As retail management systems continue to add more robust features, the term point-of-sale will continue to refer to just a module within the overall system.
Retail Point Of Sale
A point of sale system is an important tool in any business, whether it is large or small, that engages in any type of sales. These systems use the amazing power of computing to perform a number of tasks that can simplify every aspect of a businesses, including but not limited to; sales, inventory and ordering.
From simple functions, like scanning barcodes and calculating correct change, to more complex functions like inventory control, a point of sale system can help make any business run more efficiently. Even basic systems can represent a huge time savings. These systems eliminate paper work by simplifying every aspect of a business's operation. Not only that, because many systems offer back-ups and on-line information storage a business can access information even from remote locations. So, whether it is at a traditional cash register or with a sales associate that is working in the field, these systems are powerful tools.
Early in the life of a company perhaps a fairly simple POS system will be adequate, but it should be capable of taking on more complex tasks as your business grows. Not all systems, just like not all businesses, are the same. So it is important to consider, how you will use it, and how adaptable to your future needs a point of sales system will be for your business.
Retail Point Of Sale
Point of sale (POS) systems are used by hundreds of businesses in order to streamline the purchasing process as well as track the various financial and inventory data that relates to the sales made. Although the general concept behind each system is virtually the same, different industries can purchase POS systems that are tailor made for their needs. Think of it is a delivery service: A bike delivery would work fine for a local newspaper, but UPS would have to shut down if it didn't have delivery trucks. The same concept applies to POS sale systems used in retail stores, restaurants, and hotels. Each specific industry can benefit from a system that is designed for their specific needs.
Retail POS systems are specialized at quick and easy one time sales. The items stored in their database are well defined, and although there can be many colors or sizes offered for one item, there isn't very much variation in the product. If one person buys a black jacket, although the jacket comes in blue, all the people who buy the black on are still getting the same item. This is why retail POS systems are the simplest in nature. In regards to the sale process, all they need is to pull up an item's information from inventory and remove it upon purchase. Of course, this is just in reference the the sales aspect of the system; there are still complex inventory control settings and sales efficiency metrics that that can be used, but in terms of making a sale, the retail system is the most simplistic.
Clearly, when starting a business it important to take the industry specific POS into account. Don't just try and find the best deal, but rather what will work best to make your company run efficiently. Understanding why each system is unique will help when trying to make the decision for what POS system to purchase. Although the examples given were for specific industries, the systems can be applied to different industries that have similar purchasing processes: The retail POS can be used in stores ranging from clothing to electronics and the restaurant system can be used in various hospitality related industries. | 2024-03-07T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9413 |
Direct visualization of flow-induced conformational transitions of single actin filaments in entangled solutions.
While semi-flexible polymers and fibres are an important class of material due to their rich mechanical properties, it remains unclear how these properties relate to the microscopic conformation of the polymers. Actin filaments constitute an ideal model polymer system due to their micron-sized length and relatively high stiffness that allow imaging at the single filament level. Here we study the effect of entanglements on the conformational dynamics of actin filaments in shear flow. We directly measure the full three-dimensional conformation of single actin filaments, using confocal microscopy in combination with a counter-rotating cone-plate shear cell. We show that initially entangled filaments form disentangled orientationally ordered hairpins, confined in the flow-vorticity plane. In addition, shear flow causes stretching and shear alignment of the hairpin tails, while the filament length distribution remains unchanged. These observations explain the strain-softening and shear-thinning behaviour of entangled F-actin solutions, which aids the understanding of the flow behaviour of complex fluids containing semi-flexible polymers. | 2023-12-16T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4688 |
"What do you see?" "The fire." "And within the fire?" "The color of the flames." "The sparks lifting up into the night sky." "The wood being consumed burned to nothingness." "And the joining?" "Do you see that as well?" "No." "I see nothing coming together." "So you believe that only the fire consumes the wood?" "Yes." "That is the pretense, not the truth." "The fire is a marriage between the air oxygen and the wood." "Between them they become something which neither is." "And yet both are." "I do not see that." "No." "You see the pretense." "As you go through life you will find many things that seem obvious." "Then you will remember the fire." "Everything is not what it pretends to be." "That is the lesson of the fire." "How will I know when something is not what it pretends to be?" "[BLOWS NOTE]" "Ask." "But every once in a while you will find that the pretense may be the truth." "[BLOWS NOTE]" "NARRATOR:" "The grandson of Kwai Chang Caine walks out of the past." "But I want to fight." "Yes." "So did your great-grandfather when he was your age." "NARRATOR:" "He teaches his son wisdom at a Shaolin temple." "An evil force destroyed that temple." "Father and son each believed the other had perished." "Fifteen years later, they were reunited." "Now Caine faced new challenges and his son grew up." "Look, I'm not my father." "I don't do kung fu." "I'm a cop." "That's who I am, that's what I do." "I am Caine." "I will help you." "Each subtle movement is repeated exactly." "It is not only the form, it is the art." "I'll never be able to do that." "You must've practiced a lot to be able to remember it." "It is not the moves I remember." "It is the picture I have in my mind." "And since the picture is always the same the movement is always the same." " What's the picture?" "CAINE:" "Ah." "A great heron floats toward the azure blue lake which I remember from my youth." "His wings flare." "His long thin legs reach out to touch the surface." "He is one with the sky as he will be one with the water and the earth." "He moves through all worlds with eloquence." " That's a beautiful picture." " It is yours to share." "I'm glad Rico found you." "I'm glad we all have." "The benefit is mine, master." "Rico." "We gotta talk." "Do not come in here like this." "When you do, you bring shame on yourself and on our family." "Stuff it, old man." " The deal's set." " I can't do it." "TIM:" "This one time." "Man, you know I just hit the streets." "I need this score." "He's not going back to stealing." "He's through with that." " What, the griff's talking for you now?" " Leave her out of this." "If she's important to you, I'm happy to leave her out." "We need you." "I need you to do this thing." "No." "Don't hang us out." "To enter into this house without permission is rude." "To bring violence with you brings disrespect to all who are here and cannot be tolerated." "This has nothing to do with you." "Come on, man, we can't make this score without you." "I can't do it." "Cute." "Cute." "[BOTH GRUNTING]" "MAN 1:" "Watch it." "MAN 2:" "Look out." "Get him." "MAN 1:" "Hey." "MAN 2:" "Watch out." "MAN 1:" "Come on." "You should've stayed out of this." "CAINE:" "If a man sees a wrong and does nothing how can he then still call himself a man?" "TIM:" "Can't stay with him forever." " Out of here." "I'm gonna catch up with you." "If that doesn't do it, there are other ways." "I ain't finished with you either." "Nobody does this to me." "Nobody." "They want Rico to work for them, he won't." "And before...." "Before, you know, I took classes with you and stuff, we" "They broke into places and stole things." "Rico's real good with locks." "And that's why they want him back." "But if he goes with them, he loses me." "And that ain't gonna happen." "I gotta go to work." "I'm gonna walk you to the bus because Tim is crazy." "He's liable to do anything." "No, I'll be all right." "You stay here." "Let him cool down." "Once he knows you're serious about staying away, he'll lose interest." "RICO:" "Okay." "Thank you." "You've given him the courage to do what's right." "I gave him nothing he did not already have." "Then you helped him find it." "I'm gonna go out the back way." "Not that I'm afraid of those guys, but" "Sansu has said:" ""A battle avoided cannot be lost."" "Smart guy." "I'm sorry your class was disturbed." "This is a place where lessons are learned." "Perhaps one was learned here tonight." "Not the one you intended." "Still, a lesson just the same." "[POLICE SIRENS WAILING NEARBY]" "[OFFICERS SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER RADIO]" "You know, this is stupid." "I make it 2-to-1 odds on Gladdis." "Any takers?" "WOMAN 1:" "Yeah, here's my money." "Take it." "Okay, all right." "I hate to do this, Gladdis, but you leave me no choice." "MAN 1:" "Pete, it's for you." " Just take a message." "WOMAN 2:" "Gladdis." "WOMAN 3:" "Gladdis." "WOMAN 4:" "Show him what a woman can do." " This is kind of sexy." " It's why I do it." "MAN 2:" "Muscles." " Ooh, Gladdis, you've been working out." " You wanna use rosin?" " No." "No, I like it smooth and slippery." "Whoo!" "Ha." "He's talking dirty." "You trying to throw my game." "Trying anything I can to keep from being embarrassed." "What can I offer you that can help me throw this match?" "You should've thought of that before you ran your mouth." "Me?" "You're the one who said you could take anybody." "All I did was laugh." " It's the way you laughed." "MAN 3:" "Okay." "All right." " Hey, Peter, they say it's important." " Just take a message." "All right." "Call the ball." "Go." "WOMAN 5:" "All right." "WOMAN 6:" "Come on." "You can do it." "MAN 1:" "It's Blaisdell." "There's trouble at your father's place." " Somebody's been killed." " What?" "GLADDIS:" "Yeah, all right." "WOMEN:" "Yes." "[GLADDIS CHEERS]" "GLADDIS:" "Give me five." "[OFFICER SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY OVER RADIO]" "[SIREN WAILING]" "[PEOPLE MURMURING]" "COP:" "Detective." "MAN 1:" "There's blood...." " What's going on?" " What's it to you?" " This is my father." " Are you asking as a cop or a kin?" " I'm just asking, Burt, that's all." " It looks like he put a knife in our victim." " No, not possible." "BURT:" "Look, here's how it adds up:" "It's his place no one else but him and the victim with whom witnesses said he'd been arguing." "The murder weapon is his knife." "Here, look." "MAN 1:" "What about fingerprints?" "MAN 2:" "Yeah, we got them, we got them." "PETER:" "This is for you." "I retrieved it from the ashes at the temple." "Ah." "I make that motive, opportunity, plus physical evidence." "What really happened?" "I heard a noise, I came down the stairs and the young man was lying there on the floor." "He was dead." "Well, did you see anyone, or--?" "Hey." "I'm being nice because he's your dad, but this is my collar, my investigation." " Did you read him his rights?" " Yeah, couple of times." "Okay, I think you should get a lawyer." "Why?" "If I have done nothing wrong." "It's not what you've done, Pop." "It's" " It's how it appears." "MAN 1:" "Get a picture of this for me." "COP:" "Stay back." "MAN 1:" "God, it's the priest, they're taking him away." "MAN 2:" "Somebody die?" "ANCIENT:" "Where you taking him?" "BURT:" "Don't interfere." "He's a priest." "He couldn't do anything wrong." " He couldn't." " That's for others to decide." " Now, get out." " The wheel that is time" "BURT:" "Think so?" "ANCIENT:" "moves on." "When the moment of departure again occurs another sad journey begins." "[ANCIENT SPEAKING IN CANTONESE]" "COP:" "Watch your head." "Got some ID?" " I do not." " Driver's license?" "I do not drive." "Credit card?" "Library card?" "Something with your name on it?" "You got a social security number?" "I do not." "Everybody's got numbers, bud." "Even a guy in pajamas." "You can't exist in this society without them." "What are you hiding?" "Is he protecting someone?" "Could be." "It's murder." "Well, I don't think he necessarily sees it that way." "You know, he might be seeing a troubled soul that needs protection." "Hell, I don't know why I said that." "I don't know what goes on in his head." "How far will he take it?" "How far?" "To honor what he believes?" "Like he said when I was a kid the righteous must be willing to ride the dragon to the land where the sun sleeps." " That's a dangerous game." " Yeah." " I'm gonna go see what I can find out." " It's not your case." "Well, I know." "Try not to step on any toes unless I have to." "Gonna be interesting to see what a records check turns up, huh?" "Yeah." "Might tell me where he's been all these years." "BURT:" "Turn to your right." "Now hold still." "These prints will go worldwide, along with your mug shot." "FBI, CIA, everybody." "Something will bubble up, always does." "You can not find what does not exist." "If I wasn't convinced about your guilt before I am now." "You got one phone call." "If I were you, I'd call a lawyer." "And a good one." "I wish to speak to my son." "How you holding up?" "I cannot stay here." "You must get me out." "I know." "I know it's tough in here." "This is a murder charge." "Bail's impossible." "It is very important." "Well, I can have you popped out for supper." "All we gotta do is give them the name of someone to take your seat." "To do that, I gotta know what you're not telling." "I cannot tell you anything more than I already have." "Well, what hell do you expect?" "Are you protecting somebody?" "Maybe you're waiting." "You waiting?" "Hoping someone's gonna come forward on their own?" "The reason you're not talking got to do with the fact that you're a priest?" "To answer your questions, I would have to reveal more than I wish to reveal." "I can't help you unless" "Unless you let me." "My son do you remember the lesson of the fire?" "CAINE:" "Your eyes see the pretense not the truth." "In your life, you will witness many things which seem obvious but then you will remember the lesson of the fire." "Everything is not what it pretends to be." "Beside the fact that you're not the killer what is the pretense and what is the truth?" "One truth is the knife did not do the killing." "Then what did?" "Pop." "Hey, Pete." "See what I'm down to?" "The personals." "Man, chick finds I cut up dead people for a living, gonzo, whoosh." "Look, check this out, see if it sounds like me." ""SWF, 30s, athletic, seeks young professional." "Some S M." "No three-eyed turtle." "No Dutch oven."" "No" "Dutch oven." "What could that be?" "Did you finish the preliminary workup on that kid we brought in from Chinatown?" "Haven't started." "When they say "young" in these ads, they mean, what, 50s?" "Nicky, I need to know." " He's got a knife in his guts." " Look, do me a favor please, just this time, show some interest." "They're holding my father on a murder charge." "Oh, jeez, Pete, your father?" "Tell me everything as soon as you can get it to me." "And just to make sure you're looking in the right places, the knife didn't kill him." "I'd separate the two of you if we had the space, but we don't, so get along." "Any trouble from either of you, I'll slap you in solitary." "[MAN 1 GRUNTS]" "MAN 2:" "You're dead." "MAN 1:" "Listen to me, will you listen?" "I'm waiting outside, then here comes the meter maid." "What's the buzz?" "I stay, she whistles at the black and white." " You ran, you left me hanging." " No, man." "I figured I'd circle the other side of the block when you bust out of the bank." "That my fault?" "MAN 2:" "Move aside, friend." "Is there not enough trouble here without causing more?" "You ain't seen trouble yet." "Trouble." "Is that what you wish to see?" "Do not ask the dragon unless you are prepared to receive him." "Do not ask for the tiger unless you wish to be eaten." "[CAINE LAUGHING MANIACALLY]" "Yes do not ask." "You understand me?" "GUARD:" "All right, settle down." "This guy's nuts." "Get him out of here." "He's gonna kill us all." " Don't make this worse than it is." " I have no wish to harm anyone." "You watch him, I tell you." "We're gonna take you out of here." "You can go easy or hard." "I will go as you wish." "See how you like being in here." "It's peaceful, relaxing." "It'll give you some time to, uh, reflect." "ANCIENT:" "I saw someone here." "I thought you were your father." "He's still in jail." "Who was here besides you and my dad?" "I'm not sure." "My memory tricks me." "PETER:" "There was an argument?" "ANCIENT:" "Yes." "Between Tim and...?" "The young man, Rico." "Can you tell me about Rico?" "Were he and the victim friends?" "Uh, they knew each other." "Whether they were friends, I do not know." "Okay." "Where can I find Rico?" "I believe he lives behind the dress shop." "Do they know that Caine is a Shaolin priest?" "Yes, they know." "[SIREN WAILS]" " We got a problem." "MAN:" "All right, thanks a lot." "My father." "Yeah, he went nuts." "Tried to take on all the prisoners in the holding tank." "Doesn't sound like him." "Yeah, well, they've got him in isolation." "Not quite the pacifist he was made out to be." "Turns out he's got a history of violence." "Oh, give me a break." "You want proof?" "This just popped out the state police nexus." "He was arrested seven years ago in Moab, Utah, attempted murder resisting arrest." " Moab, Utah." " Yeah." "Well, it says here all the charges were dropped." "Yeah, the witness changed his story." "And as we all know there's lots of reasons why witnesses change their story." " Yeah, like they made a mistake." " There are lots of reasons." " I'm here to see the prisoner Caine." " You mean the wacko." "GUARD:" "Put on quite a show, leaping, punching scared a couple of drunks right into taking the pledge." "I'll just be a minute." "Well, you sure have done it this time." "Talk about having no faith in the system." "Talk about a dumb move." "For that matter, having no faith in your son." "I hope you got a good reason for this." "I hope you got this all figured out because you have lost me." "Lost me." "He's meditating." "Keeps him calm." "I would just leave him alone." "No." "What?" "Just no." "When you were in high school and you wanted permission to do something that you knew I would disapprove like a rowdy night out you'd always slide into my den the way you slid into this office." "I see that slide, and the word "no" just leaps to my lips so the answer's no whatever it is." "Well, this is more important than some rowdy night out." "Yeah, I bet it is." "He's escaped." " It's not possible." " I know." " Obviously hasn't been reported." " No." "No." "So far you and I are the only two people that know." " We're not gonna keep it a secret." " Wait." "BLAISDELL:" "I can't wait." "In a couple of hours they're gonna know he's gone." "I need the time." " You're always breaking rules." " I don't just break rules." "If I get away with it, it's because I give them a deal or a promise I make good on." "Why did you come to me at all?" "Well, the thought of not coming to you never even occurred to me." "Look I believe he got himself thrown into solitary so that he could escape." " And why is he out, Peter?" " I don't know." "His reason is important than catching a murderer." "I'm just afraid that he's gonna get cornered by a bunch of nervous cops who think he's a killer." "You want me to ignore an escape, pretend it didn't happen?" "Two hours." "Paul, listen, you can call down, get him, bring him up for interrogation." "I don't know, something, Paul." "Two hours." "MAN:" "Yeah, they took my car, man." "Preliminary reports." "It's what you said." "How'd you know?" " Lucky guess." " If you hadn't said something..." " ..." "I probably would've missed it." " Thanks." "Where are you?" "CAINE:" "I am here." "I'm not even gonna ask how you slipped out, but tell me why." "A man's very existence is at stake." "Without my help, he will be destroyed." "You could've told me." "I would've helped." "In an hour, the city's gonna be looking for you." "And if they're like me, they're gonna start here." "Come on." "I don't know how you broke out, but this puts the nail right in your coffin." "You're back in the slam." "And you, Peter you just bought yourself more trouble than there is." "Burt." "[BURT GRUNTS]" "I didn't have time to argue." "Why are you here in the dark?" "This is something I must do." " Someone is coming here." " Yes." " To do what?" " To die." "You may stay if you wish." "But you must promise me you will say absolutely nothing and you will not interfere no matter what happens." "Lo Si?" "I did not expect you." "What you intend to do is not necessary." "It is." "It is the time." "Separated by one day it is the place from which he departed." "What's he talking about?" "He intends to die here." "My soul will follow his." "In time, my deed will bring them together." " Whose soul?" "Tim's soul?" "ANCIENT:" "Yes." "I will express my sorrow and my hope for forgiveness and for our souls to embrace." "He is the child of my brother." "He was left to my care and I failed him myself my family." "To take responsibility for another's child is a sacred trust." "A soul was left over to me." "I violated that trust." "No, but you didn't kill him." "I did kill him." "I only wanted to stop him just that." "Not to kill him." "ANCIENT:" "He came back as I was leaving." "We argued." "I told him that I was ashamed of him of what he was doing." "And that this community had a chance now because of you, Caine." "We all had a chance to end the fear and the violence which grips our lives." "He laughed." "Violence, he said, is only feared by the timid." "He pushed past me." "He picked the knife off the table." "He came at me." "I only wanted to disarm him." "Just that." "Not to kill him." "But the knife did not kill him." "I read the medical report." "He would've survived the knife." "He was strangled to death." "CAINE:" "My son is correct." "When you went for help, someone else entered saw the young man on the floor, and strangled him." "You are certain of this?" "Oh, forgive my doubting you, but" "Very certain." "So you see, there is no need to do what you have intended." "You do not have to kill yourself." "Your soul will not meet his because there is nothing to forgive." "There is." "I beg you to forgive this unworthy old man and the son of my brother." "His sins are not yours." "We finished?" "Finished?" "I do not know what you mean." "I mean, the Ancient's not gonna kill himself." "So you've done what you have to do." "Yes." "Good." "Where are you going?" "To catch a murderer." "And you, however the hell you got out of jail, get your ass back in." "Don't be here when he wakes up." "CLERK:" "You like this dress?" "WOMAN:" "Well, I don't know." "You know, if it had a white background" "PETER:" "I'm looking for Rico Rivera." " Why you looking for him?" "We need to talk." "You know where I can find him?" "I don't know." "He left town." "Which?" ""I don't know" or "He left town."" "I don't know, okay?" "Okay, if you wanna play it that way." "I thought it'd be easier." "Easier than what?" "Easier than Rico getting smacked by a SWAT team." "What are you talking about?" "What, you thought he'd skate?" "He could kill the guy and no one would find about it?" "Forget that, he's wanted on a murder charge." "And sooner or later he's gonna pop up his head and then whack." "Every cop knows a guy like Rico's not gonna hide more than five blocks from his home turf." "PETER:" "Oh, great." "Don't look down." "[YELLS THEN GRUNTS]" "RICO:" "Linda, what are you doing here?" " Did anyone follow you?" "LINDA:" "Nobody followed me." "RICO:" "Are you sure?" "LINDA:" "Yes." "MAN [NEARBY]:" "I never liked your...." "[RICO GRUNTS]" "[BOTH GRUNTING]" "[PETER YELLING]" "[RICO YELLING]" "[GROANING]" "[RICO GRUNTS]" "You let him go." "Let him go." "PETER:" "Can't do it." "I'll shoot." "PETER:" "It's not gonna make any difference." "Rico's gonna go down." "You keep waving that gun, you're gonna go too." "RICO:" "Give it up, Linda." "It's over." "Now, I'm gonna read you your rights and then you can tell me why." "He was gonna hurt Linda." "It's that simple." "I saw him down with a knife in his guts I took him out." "PETER:" "You wanna write him up?" "COP:" "Take down this guy's statement." " Now, let my father go." "Your father, like you didn't know, escaped." "What?" "Now, how could anybody get out of here?" "Burt called, said to check." "I did, the cell was empty." "It's on all the wires." "And I think he was missing when you went to see him." "I just wish I could prove it." "You better let me check the cell." "GUARD:" "Here you go, smart guy." "Empty." "PETER:" "Hi, Dad." "You know, something happened to me tonight when I was making an arrest." "Something that should make you very happy." "Oh?" "I remembered part of my kung fu training." "Ah." "But you forgot the most important part." "Yeah?" "What's that?" "To duck." "[CHUCKLING]" "Aw." "[ENGLISH SDH]" | 2024-02-07T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5909 |
Big Idea:
Can you help make writing better?
As students enter the room, they will have a seat, take out their Problem of the Day (POD) sheet and begin to work on the question on the SMARTboard. The POD also allows students to use MP 3 continually based on the discussions we have about the problem each day. We will use this problem later in the lesson to help explain Write It Wednesday.
POD Prompt: Lisa took some friends to the movies for her birthday. She spent a total of $34.00. Tickets to the movies cost $3.75 each and she spent $15.25 for snacks. How many tickets did she buy? Explain your answer.
Learning Target
The target for the day is also on the SMARTboard each day when students enter the room. The target for today’s lesson is for students to review and critique answers and to provide feedback for improvement.
Yesterday’s lesson was an introduction to the Better Answers/Answer Sandwich strategy to answer short answer and extended response questions. We will use this strategy the entire year to build my students’ competence in supporting their answers with reasoning.
We will review the strategy to ensure students have understanding of the steps involved and can apply the steps to justify their answers. Using the POD, I will introduce the Reviewer Form that students will use to provide feedback to classmates. We will discuss what "good" feedback is versus just telling somebody they did a "good job". We can brainstorm sample statements on the board and talk about the differences between some of the volunteered statements. I want them to get into the habit of providing substantive feedback and I want them to know how to help improve their answers. This feedback will be used to help students improve their answers as they apply the strategy to their work. After students provide feedback to a classmate, we will create a complete answer using the answers students created and the feedback provided. We will use the rubric to score our complete answer as a class.
Resources (2)
Resources
I chose this question as an opportunity for students to expand the answer using the strategy we are learning. The students may reach the same numerical answer as Michael, but I want them to formulate a Better Answer and show evidence of using the Answer Sandwich.
Michael was given this problem to model using a picture: 4 x 2/3. Explain your answer. | 2023-11-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4727 |
Extract from 1871 Truck Report
Allanton
These works, near Hamilton, belong to Mr. Austin. Poundage at the usual rate was charged here, but there .was no store. A deputation waited on the employer in July 1869 to see if he would take on the charge for poundage, and he agreed to do so if they took advances only once a fortnight. Those who were satisfied with this arrangement got their money without any charge. But the generality of the men do not take advantage of this arrangement, but "just have it as they did formerly and pay the shilling."
David Kilpatrick
I am a miner at Allanton. There is no store, but a poundage at 1s. We had a deputation last July to see if the master would take the poundage off, and he said he would, if we did not lift any money, except once in a fortnight, but if we lifted it oftener then we should have to pay poundage on the whole. The generality of the men have it just as they formerly did. We can only get it free of poundage by taking advances only once in the fortnight.
Thomas McMahon
I am a miner at Allanton. They have lately made a rule that if you take your advances only once there is no poundage. In all my experience I have found the men would like to have the appointment of their own doctor, and of their own schoolmaster, quite independently of any fancy for this or that doctor. The Roman Catholics have to pay for the schools connected with the works, though they do not send their children to them. I am a Roman Catholic. There is no school off-take at my present works. In some cases, Roman Catholics send their children to protestant schools in Scotland.
Ferniegair
Andrew Lindsay
I have been at Ferniegair for 13 years past. There is no store. They charged poundage till 12 months ago. The pays are fortnightly, and advances weekly. There is no school.
James Stewart
I am a miner at Ferniegair. There will be about 110 men. I prefer Ferniegair to any other place I have been in, but they have a lie week, which is too long. I think two days' lie would be plenty. I would like to have the choosing of my own doctor. I like a man who is a homely body to be my doctor. I do not think the doctor we have is fit to be a working man's medical practitioner. Our doctor thought a complaint I made was frivolous about a needle in my head. I think the general opinion is that we should have Dr. Lowden. He is a nice, quiet, kind, affable man; and I think he has as much skill as Dr. Lennox. | 2023-08-26T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/2168 |
function [H_x] = H_xfn(kMinus1State, imuMeasurement, deltaT )
%H_XFN Compute the 6x6 matrix H_x_k
%eTrans = kState.r_vi_i - (kMinus1State.r_vi_i + kMinus1State.C_vi'*d);
%eRotMat = kState.C_vi*(Phi*kMinus1State.C_vi)'
psiVec = imuMeasurement.omega*deltaT;
psiMag = norm(psiVec);
d = imuMeasurement.v*deltaT;
Psi = cos(psiMag)*eye(3) + (1 - cos(psiMag))*(psiVec/psiMag)*(psiVec/psiMag)' - sin(psiMag)*crossMat(psiVec/psiMag);
%Construct the H_x matrix
H_x = zeros(6,6);
H_x(1:3, 1:3) = eye(3);
H_x(1:3, 4:6) = -kMinus1State.C_vi'*crossMat(d);
H_x(4:6, 4:6) = Psi;
end
| 2024-06-01T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1548 |
Q:
Best way to sort an array of date string in JavaScript
what would be the best way to sort an array of date strings as such :
var array = ["Tue 7/28", "Sat 8/1", "Sun 8/2", "Mon 7/27", "Thu 7/30", "Fri 7/31", "Wed 7/29"];
into this:
var array = ["Mon 7/27", "Tue 7/28", "Wed 7/29", "Thu 7/30", "Fri 7/31", "Sat 8/1", "Sun 8/2"];
A:
You need to make the dates comparable somehow, so you can use a function to convert them into something comparable. You can skip the weekday and get the month and day and turn that into a number:
function decodeDate(s) {
parts = s.substr(4).split('/');
return parseInt(parts[0], 10) * 40 + parseInt(parts[1], 10);
}
Using that you can sort the array:
array.sort(function(a, b){ return decodeDate(a) - decodeDate(b); });
Demo:
function decodeDate(s) {
parts = s.substr(4).split('/');
return parseInt(parts[0], 10) * 40 + parseInt(parts[1], 10);
}
var array = ["Tue 7/28", "Sat 8/1", "Sun 8/2", "Mon 7/27", "Thu 7/30", "Fri 7/31", "Wed 7/29"];
array.sort(function(a, b){ return decodeDate(a) - decodeDate(b); });
document.write(JSON.stringify(array));
| 2024-05-22T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4573 |
[Neuroprotection for preterm infants with antenatal magnesium sulphate].
To evaluate in preterm born children the neuroprotective benefits and the risks, at short- and long-term outcome, of the antenatal administration of magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) in women at imminent risk of preterm delivery. Computer databases Medline, the Cochrane Library and the recommendations of various international scientific societies. Given the demonstrated benefit of antenatal MgSO4 intravenous administration on the reduction of cerebral palsy rates and the improvement of motor development in children born preterm, it is recommended for all women whose imminent delivery is expected or programmed before 32 weeks of gestation (WG) (grade A). The analysis of the literature finds no argument for greater benefit of antenatal MgSO4 administration in sub-groups of gestational age, or depending on the type of pregnancy (single or multiple pregnancy) or with the cause of preterm birth (NP2). Its administration is recommended before 32 WG, if single or multiple pregnancy, whatever the cause of prematurity (grade B). It is recommended 4g loading dose (professional consensus). With a loading dose of 4g intravenous (IV) in 20min, the serum magnesium is lower than with intramuscular suggesting a preference for the IV route (professional consensus). It is proposed to use a maintenance dose of 1g/h until delivery with a maximum recommended duration of 12hours without exceeding a cumulative dose of 50g (professional consensus). These doses are without severe adverse maternal side effects or adverse effects in newborns at short- and medium-term outcome (NP1). It is recommended to administer magnesium sulfate to the women at high risk of imminent preterm birth before 32 WG, whether expected or planned (grade A), with a 4g IV loading dose followed by a maintenance dose of 1g/h for 12hours (professional consensus), the pregnancy is single or multiple, whatever the cause of prematurity (professional consensus). | 2024-06-26T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7981 |
Q:
Pairing 2 lists Scheme
SCHEME/Racket/R5RS
Attempting to make a recursive procedure that pairs 2 lists of the same size. Just cant get the recursive call right.
This is what I have and I am stuck.
(define (pairs list1 list2)
(if (or (null? list1) (null? list2))
'()
(cons (car list1) (car list2))
))
Test Case:
(pairs '(1 2 3) '(a b c))
Desired Output: ((1 . a) (2 . b) (3 . c))
Current Output: (1 . a)
A:
You just have to cons the current result to the recursive call of the procedure, and that's it!
(define (pairs list1 list2)
(if (or (null? list1) (null? list2))
'()
(cons (cons (car list1) (car list2))
(pairs (cdr list1) (cdr list2)))))
| 2023-08-12T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/8848 |
Gastric Band Weight Loss Using Hypnotherapy
Completely Effortless
Session 1 - £100Session 2 - £100Session 3 - £100 Session 4 - £75
Gastric band with Hypnosis is a revolutionary hypnotherapy treatment designed for people who desperately want to lose weight. It has all the results of gastric band surgery – you will eat smaller portions and feel full – but is completely safe and pain free.Your first session normally last up to 90 minutes and is excellent for those who want to start their weight loss programme with a good kick! Seeing effects straight away after just one session. All further sessions are around 60 minutes long, During the programme not only will you eat less but Hypnotherapy will also be used to turn you away from unhealthy foods and move you towards healthy foods, eating slowly, eating when hungry, not bored!
Putting you back in control
The system is a long term solution to your weight problems.
Gastric band hypnotherapy allows the client to retain a subconscious belief that a real band has been fitted, leaving the stomach unable to cope with large meals.
By using the Virtual Gastric Band you will discover that you can eat less, feeling full more quickly and satisfied with smaller amounts of food. Gastric Band Hypnotherapy convinces your mind that your stomach size has been reduced to the size of a golf ball, allowing you to eat less and feel full at the same time.
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates. | 2024-06-05T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5893 |
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Much Ado about a Pipeline
November 8, 2011
The U.S. government is in the final stages of deciding whether a major new pipeline project bringing oil-sands-derived crude oil from Canada to the United States is in the U.S. “national interest.” Energy infrastructure projects in the United States are frequently subject to local, regional, and sometimes national opposition for a host of reasons ranging from concern over environmental impacts to effects on property rights. According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, 351 major infrastructure projects in the United States are caught up in regulatory or public acceptance hurdles (sometime the former triggered by the latter), including almost every kind of energy infrastructure imaginable from coal mining to transmission lines to solar or wind power generation facilities.1
This particular project, the Keystone XL pipeline proposed by Canadian pipeline company TransCanada, has attracted an unusually large amount of attention, however. The proposed 1,700-mile pipeline would bring approximately 830,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta, Canada, to Oklahoma and Texas. The project actually consists of two main sections of pipe connecting existing pipeline infrastructure to new delivery points. The first part would connect Cushing, Oklahoma, to Port Arthur and Houston, Texas. The second part would connect supply sources in Hardisty, Alberta, to existing pipeline infrastructure in Steele City, Nebraska. Like all other pipelines, the Keystone XL project must secure the appropriate permitting, land rights, and commercial contracts in both Canada and the United States in order to proceed. Because the Keystone XL pipeline crosses the border between the United States and Canada, TransCanada must also obtain a presidential permit, which is required for any new or substantially altered infrastructure crossing the border between the United States and Canada or Mexico (and includes things like land-crossings, bridges, pipelines, tunnels, etc.).2 Under Executive Order 11423, as amended, the U.S. secretary of state has the authority to receive applications and grant presidential permits for any new or modified cross-border infrastructure projects.
The process for reviewing presidential permit applications is fairly straightforward though the projects in question are sometimes controversial. The State Department, working with other federal agencies, conducts an environmental impact statement (EIS), receives public comment on the EIS, finalizes the EIS, and makes a national interest determination (NID). While the executive order does not explicitly define “national interest,” the State Department website states that a national interest determination includes but “extends beyond environmental impact, taking into account economic, energy security, foreign policy, and other relevant issues.” 3 Though most infrastructure projects in the United States experience some degree of local or even sometimes national opposition, the presidential permit process is usually fairly straightforward, especially considering all the other local permits that must be obtained long before a presidential permit is often sought. Exceptions do exist, however. In 2009, the State Department granted a presidential permit for the Alberta Clipper pipeline, an Enbridge pipeline designed to bring 450,000 barrels per day of crude oil from Alberta to Wisconsin. Despite a fairly routine and not highly controversial process, several environmental organizations subsequently sued the State Department for failure to adequately consider the environmental impact of the project. The case was ultimately dismissed.
The Keystone XL pipeline permit has attracted a degree of public opposition not commonly experienced for major pipeline projects in the United States. In many ways, it has become the primary battleground for environmental organizations who want to see more aggressive U.S. policies to combat climate change, protect the United States from potentially negative environmental impacts of pipeline development, possibly oil spills, and refining impacts, and stop the production of oil sands in Canada for both local environmental and larger climate change reasons. In response, proponents of the pipeline have launched an equally robust effort to promote the pipeline in the name of energy security and job creation.
Signs of controversy first emerged in early 2010 when the Environmental Protection Agency and a number of congressional Democrats began to express concern over the quality and thoroughness of the draft environmental impact statement. Despite State Department efforts to extend the public review comment period and conduct several new studies to support the final draft EIS, controversy over the pipeline has only increased. During the late summer of 2011, hundreds of demonstrators were arrested while protesting the pipeline in front of the White House. In the past couple of months, allegations of an improper relationship between the State Department and a TransCanada lobbyist who worked for the Clinton campaign, and a too-close-for-comfort affiliation between the company hired to conduct the EIS and TransCanada, have raised new concerns about the integrity of the review process. All of this controversy is, of course, much more scintillating because of the looming presidential election cycle and the perceived need for the administration to weigh the costs and benefits of offending pro- or anti-pipeline constituencies. In recent weeks press reports have indicated that the Obama campaign is concerned about the political and indeed fundraising impact of approving the pipeline and angering many progressive supporters of the administration.
State and local concern over the pipeline is also at play. In late October, the Nebraska governor (a Republican) called a special session of the state legislature to address concerns over the possible environmental impact of the pipeline on the Ogallala Aquifer and other environmentally sensitive areas. It is unclear whether Nebraska lawmakers have the legal ability or the political will to block or alter the pipeline development or what, if any, impact their decision to hold a special session will have on the presidential permit process.
After conducting the draft EIS and draft supplement EIS, issuing the final EIS, and conducting a 90-day public comment and hearing process on the national interest determination, the State Department has stated that it intends to issue a final decision by the end of 2011. In recent days, however, the White House and State Department have sent conflicting messages on the end-of-2011 target date and whether or not the State Department will actually make the decision. One news report states that an anonymous State Department official claims that the department may not meet its goal to issue a decision by the end of 2011. In addition, despite a press statement by White House spokesperson Jay Carney that the State Department is in charge of making the permit decision, President Obama seemed to indicate that he would make the decision, taking input from the State Department process and recommendations, the next day in a TV interview in Nebraska. The following day, the White House sought to smooth over the disjointed remarks saying that any position taken by the Obama administration would reflect the views and opinions of the administration and the president.
All of this intrigue makes it more difficult to weigh the merits of the project absent political considerations and distort the actual impact of the project. Below is a thumbnail sketch of the arguments being waged for and against the project.
Oil sands production is not that much more greenhouse gas intensive than conventional oil on a lifecycle emissions basis, and Canada has put in place measures to reduce emissions intensity over time.
Oil sands production has negative local land, water, wildlife, and air pollution impacts that are not adequately addressed in Canada.
Alberta has in place regulations to improve the entire range of environmental impacts of oil sands production.
The pipeline will have adverse environmental impacts in ecologically sensitive areas, and the current plans to do not take adequate steps to address these concerns (some opposition members are flatly opposed to the pipeline regardless of safety measures).
The proposed pipeline has met or exceeded all environmental and permitting conditions to deem it safe and has appropriate measures in place to deal with incidents or accidents should they occur.
The process of refining additional crude oil will have negative environmental and social justice impacts on areas of the country where this oil will be refined.
Refining additional volumes of crude oil or a different kind of crude oil will not change the environmental impact of regional refining activities, as local air pollution guidelines set standards for acceptable levels of air quality.
Energy Security
Increasing crude oil imports will only prolong our dependence on a fuel that is ultimately insecure due to limited global supply and oil price volatility due to the nature of the global market.
Canada is one of the most secure sources of oil supply in the world and has long been a secure source of supply for the United States.
The oil imported by this pipeline will not be used in the United States but instead shipped to other countries through access to Gulf of Mexico trade ports. The U.S. market does not need this crude oil anyway.
The pipeline will allow more crude oil to travel to the United States and allow greater market efficiency within U.S. oil markets; some oil- sands-derived products will be exported to more appropriate markets, but other product will remain in the United States. Any additional oil in the global market helps to enhance oil security by increasing supply.
Economic Benefit
The pipeline is bad for the economy because it will increase oil prices in certain parts of the country (the Midwest) and distract investment away from clean energy technologies that will be the source of future economic growth and competition.
The pipeline and associated upgrading and marketing will have significant positive impacts on local economies, and the additional oil supplies will provide downward price pressure on global oil prices, which will have a positive economic effect.
The pipeline will not create very many jobs and those jobs will not be high quality, high paying, or permanent.
The pipeline will create tens if not hundreds of thousands of quality jobs in a value-added economic activity.
Foreign Policy
Oil is bought and sold in a global market so buying oil from Canada does nothing to help alleviate dependence on other parts of the world. Canada does not need to ship this oil through the United States but can export it from its own shores.
Canada is a secure and stable oil supplier, trading partner, and ally of the United States. Dependence on oil from Canada is better than dependence on oil from other regions of the world. If the United States does not take advantage of this opportunity, it will be a bad trading partner and Canada will export its crude from its own coast.
Truth be told, an NDI is a very hard decision to make when there is this much public controversy over a given project. On the environmental side, public concern about the environmental integrity of any large energy project is entirely warranted given the myriad environmental incidents of the last several years: the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, natural gas pipeline explosions in California, the pipeline leak in the Yellowstone River, the groundswell of concern over groundwater contamination associated with unconventional gas development, and the nuclear disaster in Japan. Our laws and processes, moreover, make it well within the rights of environmental groups and local citizens to challenge the environmental integrity and safeguards of these projects. This ability to drive for higher safety and environmental standards is an important part of our nation’s history of advancing environmental protection. The part that appears to be missing is the fact that environmental safety is also in the interest of the government and the companies. Companies and governments lose a great deal from improper management of energy resources and infrastructure. They lose money by having to pay for remediation and compensate for damages. They lose the trust and faith of the general public, their customers, and the governments from whom they must seek future licenses. Some of them do not survive these losses. The truth of the matter is that no energy project comes without risks, environmental impacts, and trade-offs. Yes, society needs to have a conversation about whether or not some risks are too high, how best to mitigate those risks, and what to do when and if an accident occurs, but the conversation must also yield a result that is in the best interest of society and provide a plausible path forward. Still, there are legitimate local environmental concerns that can and should be worked out at a local level and the presidential permit process does not obstruct those reviews from taking place. For its part, the State Department EIS concluded that there are reasonable ways of managing the environmental risks and impacts of the Keystone XL pipeline. State legislators in Nebraska must also make their own decision.
On the energy security, economic, and foreign policy arguments, it is very difficult to find a solid reason why the project would be “against” the national interest. The United States has long encouraged strong trade ties with Canada and increased production of Canadian oil sands. It would be a significant reversal of position to now decide not to advance those two longstanding goals. On the trade point alone, Canada and the United States, as members of NAFTA, have granted energy trade a special and protected priority among categories of cross-border trade. Many previous cross-border energy projects and initiatives have been approved or advanced on this basis. It is hard to see how opposition to crude oil imports based on the higher emission profile of oil sands would be fair national treatment if we do not have a national consensus on the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or at the very least similar policies applying to heavier crudes in the United States. The United States has also long been a proponent, through the International Energy Agency and a variety of other international organizations, of promoting free and fair trade environments, governed by economically rational interests and promoting well-supplied and efficiently functioning global oil markets. This project, whether all or some of the oil-derived products stay in the United States or are sold abroad, is in line with those criteria. For those who believe that dependence on oil is in and of itself an energy security problem, it is not clear that failure to permit this pipeline will lead to more investments or more policies to encourage alternatives to oil for use in the transportation sector. It is also not entirely clear that investment in the Keystone XL pipeline would take away the opportunity to invest in green/clean energy technologies and sources that could also have important economic impacts for the United States.
The most disconcerting part of the controversy over the Keystone XL pipeline is what it seems to say about our national dialogue on energy policy. The political atmosphere has made it more and more obvious that this pipeline has come to represent a battleground for those who want to see the country on a path to a low-carbon energy future and those who believe in using currently available, abundant natural resources regardless of their carbon impact. The Obama administration came into office firmly on the side of the low-carbon pathway but failed to make headway on its policy objectives when the Congress failed to pass a cap and trade program. Since then, an economic downturn and a period of high energy prices that threatened the U.S. and global economic recovery have moderated their position a bit: the administration still maintains policy goals to reduce overall emissions, reduce oil consumption, and promote greater efficiency and alternative forms of transportation. It also recognizes, however, the need to maintain adequate and affordable supplies of fossil-based energy sources until alternatives are available at a wider scale. The current economic climate and concern over budget austerity, however, will challenge us to achieve even the most incremental transition toward low-carbon energy goals absent new policies and investments (although the shale gas revolution, if prudent and responsible development can be achieved, may provide a previously unexpected opportunity to contribute to these goals).
For those who believe that failure to address global climate change is a far more pressing global and national concern than energy security, economics, or foreign policy, this moderated position and, indeed, this pipeline represent a fundamental threat to society’s overall well-being and a sign of the administration’s waning commitment to that cause. The problem is that the administration is not the constituency that needs convincing. Firmly embattled in a fight for another term, weathering controversy over its green energy stimulus spending, and under attack for its efforts to regulate greenhouse gases and non-greenhouse gas pollutants, the administration is not in a particularly empowered position to move the ball forward on a low-carbon pathway absent significant support from the public and congress. The decision to permit or not permit this pipeline will not change that reality and, frankly, is the wrong way to advance low-carbon energy policy. Political or conventional wisdom holds that talking about climate change and the relationship between energy and climate change is not a popular thing to do right now. Failure to talk about it, however, doesn’t make those who support climate objectives go way, just as the reverse was true in the late 2000s when many environmentalists acted as if not addressing the concerns of climate skeptics would somehow make them go away as well. Fighting out these big questions about where the United States is headed vis-à-vis our national energy policy and climate change on a project-by-project basis is a terrible and uncoordinated way to proceed, but given the example of Keystone XL, it appears to be the path we’re on.
Thus far, it has been understandable that the White House and the president did not want to comment on approval of a pipeline while a review was underway. Making these vague comments on either side of the debate, however, does not provide the leadership that is lacking in our current energy policy discussion. Prolonging the decision would likely only make the problems worse. Rather than letting a pipeline serve as an all-important proxy for where the administration stands on energy and climate policy, the administration should strive to do a better job communicating with constituencies on both sides of this debate. Folks in the administration will argue that they have been doing this and continue to do this on a routine basis, but they have never adequately addressed the question of what’s next on climate change to the satisfaction of many of their cores supporters. Moreover, a lot has changed and continues to change on the global energy landscape—a post-Fukushima nuclear environment, the unconventional gas and oil revolution in the United States, and the question over how Americans view energy and environmental trade-offs in a period of slow or no growth.
Allowing one pipeline to be such an important symbol for a much more complex and difficult debate is really disturbing and not likely to yield positive conclusions for anyone.
Sarah O. Ladislaw is a senior fellow in the Energy and National Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, D.C. David L. Pumphrey is a senior fellow and deputy director of the CSIS Energy and National Security Program.
This Commentary is produced by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), a private, tax-exempt institution focusing on international public policy issues. Its research is nonpartisan and nonproprietary. CSIS does not take specific policy positions. Accordingly, all views, positions, and conclusions expressed in this publication should be understood to be solely those of the author(s). | 2023-10-18T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6970 |
#!/usr/bin/sh
export VOLK_GENERIC=1
export GR_DONT_LOAD_PREFS=1
export srcdir=../python
export GR_CONF_CONTROLPORT_ON=False
export PATH=../build/python:$PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=../build/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export PYTHONPATH=../build/swig:$PYTHONPATH
/usr/bin/python2 ./_examplify.py
| 2024-01-01T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7004 |
Update: The original article was updated to include a Binance spokesperson’s response.
Bitcoin futures offerings from cryptocurrency exchange Binance have come in for criticism as a pre-release tester identifies major flaws.
Rocky start for Binance PR move
In a series of tweets on Sept. 6, the account known as doublejump said both the options currently under consideration by Binance lacked basic features, which are essential for ease of use.
As Cointelegraph reported, Binance has released two separate versions of its futures trading platform for testing by users, and plans to reward those who test and correctly vote for the winner.
Platform A came from Binance’s own development team, while Platform B stemmed from exchange JEX, which Binance recently bought.
According to doublejump, however, neither is currently fit for purpose.
“Platform A is unusable because of its contract size granularity, but does have a nice interface and decent specifications otherwise. Platform B is not documented well and has an unwieldy leverage system,” the account summarized.
In response, a Binance spokesperson told Cointelegraph that “minimum contract size granularity is actually 0.001, @doublejump [...] accidentally thought it was 1 BTC.” Doublejump then also published a new tweet:
“Need to correct this point. Platform A does allow transactions below 1 BTC (in lots of 0.001 BTC) but the web UI has some major input validation issues, probably causing issues with my European localized system which does not use a period to separate decimals.”
Competition on the horizon
Further doubts focused on Binance’s choice of reference for Bitcoin (BTC) exchange rates. Doublejump noted the sources include HitBTC, while others involve Huobi, Bittrex and Binance itself.
While it remains unknown when the futures platform will launch, competition is set to increase this month with the launch of Bakkt’s physically-traded futures.
This week, meanwhile, Binance found itself in hot water after it emerged its futures documentation was copied from an existing offering by derivatives giant BitMEX. | 2023-12-28T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3063 |
Ben Okereke, who legally immigrated to America when he was 14-years-old, took part in Turning Point USA’s 2019 Young Black Leadership Summit Friday at the White House, where he thanked President Donald Trump for everything he has “done for the African American community so far.”
“With us this afternoon is Ben Okereke,” Trump said as he introduced the young veteran. “When Ben was 14- years-old, he legally immigrated to the United States after suffering many hardships in Cameroon, which I hear is a beautiful, beautiful place.”
Trump added, “To give back to our country, he joined the United States Army and honorably served for four years — (applause) — as a very talented field artillery specialist.”
Offered the opportunity to say a few words, Okereke took to the podium to express his thanks to President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
“Thank you,” Okereke said. “Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Mr. Vice President. And thank you, Charlie Kirk.”
He continued:
First of all, Mr. President, we would like to thank you for everything that you’ve done for the African American community so far. We thank you for criminal justice reform. We thank you for the lowest black unemployment rate in this country, sir.
He added, “And finally, most importantly, sir, thank you for saving America and thank you.”
Okereke was almost moved to tears as he spoke in front of members of the audience and thanked President Trump for “taking down the fake news media.”
“Finally, we want you to build a wall, sir,” Okereke concluded. “Frankly, because we don’t oppose immigration, but we oppose — but we oppose illegal immigration. So we want you to come to this country legally, if you’re going to come to this country.” | 2024-01-30T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1916 |
Q:
jQueryUI Tabs Appear On Top of All Other Elements
My plain old CSS menus are appearing behind jQuery UI stuff like tabs! Even though the z-index of the containing divs are correct. Is there a way to resolve this?
/* dropdown menu container */
#navigation-1 li ul.navigation-2 {
margin:0;
padding: 5px;
display:none;
position:absolute;
top:71px;
left:-71px;
border-radius: 4px;
border: 3px solid #ea453c;
background:white;
width: 730px;
box-shadow: 0 1px 6px #999;
z-index: 999;
}
A:
Yes. try to explore or experiments the position in the css like : relative, fixed, absolute etc.
Note: your not able to use z-index if your div/element doesnt have a position like relative, fixed, absolute etc. :D
| 2024-03-27T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3068 |
Mack Trucks has strong 2011
Truckmaker reports good sales for the year as companies replace aging fleets.
February 03, 2012|By Tyrone Richardson, Of The Morning Call
Mack Trucks' turnaround continues.
Mack, which is based in Greensboro, N.C., but produces all rigs at its Lower Macungie Township plant, produced 20,277 rigs in 2011, up 51 percent compared with 2010, the company reported Friday.
The year's total included 2,426 rigs produced in December, Mack's strongest month of deliveries since December 2006.
Mack officials have said that even though markets such as construction continue to be down in the sluggish economy, there is strong demand for highway rigs that pull trailers and are used in shipping.
Last year marked the second consecutive year Mack has reported an increase in production. In 2010, Mack produced 13,465 rigs, 21 percent more than 2009, which was the truckmaker's worst year in at least a decade.
Like most truckmakers, Mack, a subsidiary of Sweden'sVolvo AB, was hit hard in recent years by slowdowns in key industries, such as construction and shipping.
Truckmakers have been showing signs of a rebound in the last two years as companies replace aging fleets, industry officials have said.
Volvo also reported Friday that its fourth-quarter earnings before interest and taxes rose to 6.96 billion kronor ($1.03 billion) from 5.52 billion kronor a year earlier.
In addition to Mack, Volvo AB owns truckmakers Volvo and Renault.
Mack's 2011 production tally even beat some pre-recession totals, such as the 18,621 rigs it produced in 2007.
The surge in truck demand prompted the recent addition of 200 workers at Mack's Lower Macungie plant, which employs more than 1,000 workers. The company has also been featured in several movie and television features, which company officials believe could be boosting sales. | 2024-05-19T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6332 |
Organic-phase biosensors-new tools for flow analysis: A short review.
The ability of enzymes to operate in nonaqueous media offers a great potential for monitoring flowing streams. In particular, organic-phase biosensors can be applied for on-line assays of previously inaccessible sample matrices or for measuring analytes with poor water solubility. This paper reviews the fundamental aspects of organic-phase biosensors, together with their performance as flow injection detectors, examples of relevant applications and future opportunities. | 2023-08-08T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5890 |
JOHOR BARU: Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar has reminded state leaders of their responsibilities and warned that state executive councillors who fail to carry out their duties may be replaced.
“As the state ruler, I have been given the powers in the state’s constitution to appoint the Mentri Besar and state executive councillors from the elected representatives.
“As the person who appoints, I too have a responsibility to monitor and ensure those who have been appointed carry out their duties well, honestly and are trustworthy for the benefit of the people,” he said during his speech in conjunction with his 60th birthday celebrations at Istana Besar here on Thursday (Nov 22).
He added that if a state executive councillor failed in carrying out his or her duties, then he would discuss with the Mentri Besar to take action including replacing the exco.
“All excos need to work together with the Mentri Besar and should always work as a team and not for self-interest or following the political party that they represent,” he added.
“Do not be a thorn in the flesh,” he added.
Johor has 10 state executive councillors.
Sultan Ibrahim also reminded that although the state leadership has changed, their paramount agenda must always be to develop the state for the people.
It was, he said, their duty and responsibility.
Sultan Ibrahim added that all development projects that were carried out should be done based on the needs of the people and state and not due to urges or politicians' benefit.
“One example is the Bas Muafakat Johor project, which provides free buses for the people; it is a good initiative and needs to be expanded.
“There is no need to change the name of the project to Bas Harapan Johor,” he added.
Some 62 people received medals and titles in conjunction with Sultan Ibrahim’s birthday.
Mentri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian headed the state’s honours list.
He received the Darjah Mahkota Johor Yang Amat Mulia Pangkat Pertama Dato' Sri Paduka Mahkota Johor (SPMJ) which carries the title ‘Datuk'.
Another recipient of the SPMJ award is Johor State Secretary Datuk Azmi Rohani.
Five people received the Darjah Sultan Ibrahim Johor Yang Amat Disanjungi Pangkat Kedua Dato' Mulia Sultan Ibrahim Johor (DMIJ), which also carries the title ‘Datuk'.
They are Johor Baru City Council mayor Amran A. Rahman; Johor Land and Mines director Mohd Halim Hasbullah; Iskandar Puteri City Council mayor Adib Azhari Daud; deputy state secretary (development) Ramlee A. Rahman and Sultan of Johor's ADC SAC Sugumaran Raman.
Twenty-six people will receive the Darjah Sultan Ibrahim Johor Yang Amat Disanjungi Pangkat Ketiga Setia Mulia Sultan Ibrahim Johor (SIJ).
Meanwhile, 29 others will receive the Sultan Ibrahim Johor Medal Second Class (PSI II).
Members of the public, he said, would be invited to take part in a tea ceremony in conjunction with the Johor Ruler’s birthday, to be held at the Hockey Stadium in Batu Pahat on Nov 24. | 2023-09-21T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3303 |
Q:
Add Expires Header in Rails
Now I am trying to implement High web site performance following YSlow rules. In terms of Expires Header, I have configured in nginx like the following:
if ($request_uri ~* "\.(ico|css|js|gif|jpe?g|png)\?[0-9]+$") {
expires max;
break;
}
Yes, I got the good result because I could not see css and javascript files followed by timestamp at the end of file any more and it passed, but I still have problems with images which are retrieved from another domain. They still have no expires. Anyone knows how to deal with this problem? Thanks!
A:
You can't affect the expires headers of images served from other domains; the configuration of those assets is up to the administrator of the domain that is serving them.
| 2024-05-24T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4355 |
##简介
**JavaScript 秘密花园**是一个不断更新，主要关心 JavaScript 一些古怪用法的文档。
对于如何避免常见的错误，难以发现的问题，以及性能问题和不好的实践给出建议，
初学者可以籍此深入了解 JavaScript 的语言特性。
JavaScript 秘密花园**不是**用来教你 JavaScript。为了更好的理解这篇文章的内容，
你需要事先学习 JavaScript 的基础知识。在 Mozilla 开发者网络中有一系列非常棒的 JavaScript 学习[向导][1]。
> **译者注：** 文中提到的 ES5 是 ECMAScript 5 的简写，是 ECMAScript 标准语言的下一版本，正在开发中。
JavaScript 是此标准语言的一个方言。
[1]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript/Guide
| 2024-05-16T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4341 |
Q:
Why does forEach method accept lambda that invokes method with multiple arguments when Consumer only takes one argument?
I am playing with forEach on a List<String>, and I'm confused about why the following line is acceptable:
policies.forEach(policy -> test.addToDatabase(policy, stats));
Since forEach requires a Consumer, and the Consumer accept method only takes one argument, I don't understand why the call to addtoDatabase is acceptable, as it takes two arguments. See below for full test code. Note that I am only playing around here to learn, so this code is not meant to be perfect or elegant.
public class ConsumerTest {
private Random random = new Random();
public static void main(String[] args) {
ConsumerTest test = new ConsumerTest();
List<String> policies = new ArrayList<>();
policies.add("11111");
policies.add("22222");
policies.add("33333");
policies.add("44444");
policies.add("55555");
Stats stats = test.new Stats();
policies.forEach(policy -> test.addToDatabase(policy, stats));
System.out.println("Success count: " + stats.getSuccessCount() + "\nFailure count: " + stats.getFailureCount());
}
private void addToDatabase(String policy, Stats stats) {
// simulate success/failure adding to DB with Random
if (random.nextBoolean()) {
stats.incrementSuccessCount();
System.out.println("Success for Policy " + policy);
} else {
stats.incrementFailureCount();
System.out.println("Failure for Policy " + policy);
}
}
class Stats {
private int successCount;
private int failureCount;
public void incrementSuccessCount() {
successCount++;
}
public void incrementFailureCount() {
failureCount++;
}
public int getSuccessCount() {
return successCount;
}
public int getFailureCount() {
return failureCount;
}
}
}
A:
I am playing with forEach on a List of Strings, and I'm confused about why the following line is acceptable:
policies.forEach(policy -> test.addToDatabase(policy, stats));
It is. You confuse the parameter of the Iterable::forEach with the parameters of the statements inside the lambda expression. Since the only parameter inside the Iterable::forEach is Consumer<T> which is nothing than an implementation of the very same anonymous class:
Consumer<String> consumer = new Consumer<>() {
@Override
public void accept(final String policy) {
test.addToDatabase(policy, stats)
}
};
policies.forEach(consumer);
It is the same as:
Consumer<String> consumer = policy -> test.addToDatabase(policy, stats);
policies.forEach(consumer);
What is inside doesn't matter - the number of passed parameters into Iterable::forEach remains only one:
policies.forEach(policy -> {
log.info("adding to database");
test.addToDatabase(policy, stats);
log.info("added to database");
});
There is theoretically an unlimited number of statements and variables you can work with. The only condition that whatever you use inside the lambda expression must be effectively final.
| 2023-09-21T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1562 |
LINDE GAS BULGARIA
The wide range of applications for industrial gases in various industries, medicine, environmental protection, research and development ranks Linde Gas Bulgaria among the leading companies in this industry.
With over 20 distribution centers operating nationwide, there's bound to be a location near you. To find your nearest depot click on the link below
The company has office in Sofia and its own production facilities in Stara Zagora and Rousse.
Since the end of 2007 Linde Gas Bulgaria has its own ASU plant in Stara Zagora for producing liquid gases - oxygen, nitrogen and argon. Until then – the imported industrial gases are already fourth year produced in Bulgaria and reliably meet the needs of customers in the country.
Except the supplied cylinder gases and liquid phase, Linde Gas Bulgaria is specialized in the supply, installation and maintenance of necessary equipment, pressure vessels, construction of gas plants, power systems, service and testing.
Well-developed sales network of Linde Gas Bulgaria in all major cities of the country is a guarantee of quality and speed in customer service .
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Reviews
Write review about LINDE GAS BULGARIA (2)
Ask your current clients to write a review about you if you want to acquire new clients for LINDE GAS BULGARIA! According the last Global online research done by Nielsen of over 25 000 users in more than 50 countries, 70 percent of the users trust recommendations published in internet and make their decision about buying products and services based on this. | 2024-02-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1043 |
"So everything is simple, but at the same time, it looks complex to an offense," Carroll said. "And that's what we're trying to do: make it hard on them, but easy on us and just flying around, playing fast, not being scared of making mistakes. And you can see (Schwartz's) demeanor. He's all about hanging loose, but at the same time, getting after it. Always be accountable for what you're doing. Like I said, guys are buying into it, we like what we're doing right now, and it's showing in OTAs." | 2023-12-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6194 |
Impact of therapeutic plasma exchange on cyclosporine kinetics during membrane-based lipid apheresis.
Cyclosporine is used widely as an immunosuppressant in transplant recipients and for various autoimmune diseases. In some cases, these patients require therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE). Cyclosporine is known to be highly bound to lipoproteins, and their removal by TPE would be expected to have an impact on drug dosing. We studied cyclosporine kinetics in a 54-year-old woman who is status post-cardiac transplant and has been receiving weekly TPE for familial hypercholesterolemia. We obtained serial measurements of cyclosporine, low-density lipoproteins, and high-density lipoproteins at scheduled times related to the dosing of the medication on days that she received TPE versus a day she did not. We also measured cyclosporine, low-density lipoprotein, and high-density lipoprotein levels in the fixed volume (3.5 L) of the discarded plasma. Our results show a similar rate of decline of serum cyclosporine levels on TPE days as compared with a day without TPE. Net cyclosporine in the discarded plasma was found to be approximately 1 mg per treatment or less, a relatively insignificant amount when compared with the ingested daily dose of 150 to 250 mg twice a day. Despite substantial removal of lipoproteins, there is minimal impact of TPE on serum levels of cyclosporine, and dosage adjustment is not needed for patients undergoing this procedure. | 2023-09-09T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7913 |
This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-085113, file Mar. 24, 2000, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a semiconductor laser driving circuit for driving a semiconductor laser used in an optical disk or the like in accordance with an input control current.
In optical disks, laser printers, light communication systems or the like, an input control current corresponds to information to be recorded or transmitted is supplied from the outside of an integrated circuit, and a semiconductor laser driving circuit is used which is constituted of an integrated circuit for supplying a driving circuit to the semiconductor laser in accordance with the input control current. As a known example of such semiconductor laser driving circuit, for example, there is available U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,473 (Inventor: TAGUCHI) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,329 (Inventor: TAGUCHI).
The semiconductor driving circuit in these known examples has a structure such that a light output of the semiconductor laser is detected with a photodetector and a monitor current thus obtained is compared with the input control current to carry out a wide-band feed back control so that a difference between the two becomes minimum to drive the semiconductor laser. In these structures, there arises an offset at an input circuit and a control amplification circuit for supplying to an output circuit a voltage according to a difference current between a control current given to an input circuit which receives a current for driving the semiconductor laser and via the input current and a monitor current of the light output of the semiconductor laser. The offset becomes particularly conspicuous when the circuit is constituted with the CMOS transistor.
When the above offset is present in the semiconductor laser driving circuit, the following problem arises, for example, in the case of the optical disk device. In the beginning, this offset becomes a large error which cannot be ignored at the reproduction time at which the semiconductor laser is set to a low output light amount. For example, when the output light amount of the semiconductor laser becomes the predetermined value or more with this offset, information recorded on the optical disk is gradually erased. Then, when the output light amount of the semiconductor laser becomes less than the predetermined value, the S/N of the reproduction signal is lowered with the result that a normal reproduction becomes impossible.
On the other hand, it is desired that the semiconductor laser driving circuit is all constituted of CMOS transistors in order to meet with a strong demand on the lower consumption of power, and a cost reduction on the market of optical disk devices. However, in the CMOS transistor, the offset voltage of the input circuit or the control amplification circuit is extremely large as compared with the conventional bipolar transistor circuit with the result that the above problem becomes conspicuous. Thus, it is almost impossible to provide an overall CMOS transistor structure unless this offset is decreased.
Furthermore, in order to correspond to each kind of specifications of the optical system of the optical disk device, for example, the kind of the semiconductor laser and the difference in the monitor amount or the like peculiar to an optical channel which leads to the photodetector for the monitor from this semiconductor device, a loop gain of the feedback loop can be adjusted in a wide range, and it is required to increase and decrease the magnitude of the input control current from the outside in accordance with the magnitude of the monitor current. However, in the semiconductor laser driving circuit from the above known embodiment, since the loop gain variation capability by the control amplification circuit is limited, it is difficult to sufficiently cope with the loop gain. Furthermore, there is a problem in that when an attempt is made to increase and decrease the magnitude of the input current in accordance with the magnitude of the monitor current, an increase in the consumed power and a decrease in the transmission S/N of the input control current is invited.
An object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor laser drive circuit and a semiconductor laser device which can stably drive the semiconductor laser, for example, in the entire CMOS transistor circuit structure by sufficiently decreasing offset.
Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor laser device which can widely adjust a loop gain of a feed-back loop, and which can be easily controlled in conformity with the magnitude of a monitor current.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor laser driving circuit which drives a semiconductor laser in accordance with an input control current supplied from the outside, the device comprising:
an input circuit configured to convert the input control current into a control current inside of an integrated circuit;
a control amplification circuit configured to amplify a voltage corresponding to a difference current between the control current output from the input circuit and a monitor current corresponding to a light output of the semiconductor laser fed back from a photodetector for detecting the light output;
an output circuit configured to supply a drive current to the semiconductor laser in correspondence to an output from the control amplification circuit;
a first switch configured to interrupt the input control current to the input circuit;
a second switch configured to cut off the output of the control amplification from an input of the output circuit;
an offset compensation circuit configured to detect an offset generated in a signal channel up to the output of the control amplification circuit from an input of the input circuit in the state in which the first switch is operated to interrupt the input control current to the input circuit while the second switch is operated to cut off the output of the control amplification circuit from the input of the output circuit, upon a drive instruction of the semiconductor laser being given and compensate for the offset on the basis of the detection result.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor laser device for driving a semiconductor laser in accordance with an input control current supplied from the outside, the device comprising:
a semiconductor laser;
a photodetector configured to detect a light output of the semiconductor laser;
a current/current conversion circuit configured to convert the input control current into a control current inside of an integrated circuit;
a current change-over circuit configured to change over and output the control current output from the current/current conversion circuit at a conversion ratio which is controlled on the basis of the control signal from the outside;
a control amplification circuit configured to amplify a voltage corresponding to a difference current between a control current output from the current change-over circuit and a monitor current corresponding to the light output of the semiconductor laser fed back from photodetector; and
an output circuit configured to supply a drive current to the semiconductor laser in correspondence to an output from the control amplification circuit;
wherein the current/current conversion circuit, the current change-over circuit, the control amplification circuit, and the output circuit are constituted of the integrated circuit; and the device further comprising:
a current/voltage conversion resistor configured to convert the difference current between the control current and the monitor current into a voltage to supply the difference current to a voltage to supply the voltage to the control amplification circuit.
In the semiconductor laser driving circuit and the semiconductor laser device which are constituted in this manner, even when the offset is effectively decreased which is generated in a signal channel from the input of the input circuit up to the output of the control amplification circuit and circuits are entirely constituted of CMOS transistors for the decrease of consumed power and a cost reduction, the output light amount of the semiconductor laser can be stably controlled to a value corresponding to the input control current. Consequently, in the case where the semiconductor laser driving circuit and the semiconductor laser device are applied to the drive of the semiconductor laser for use in the recording and reproduction of, for example, an optical disk, it becomes possible to avoid such problems as damage and erasure of recorded information on the optical disk resulting from a large deviation of the output light amount from the desired value and a decrease in the S/N of the reproduction signal.
Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor laser device for driving a semiconductor laser in accordance with an input control current supplied from the outside, the device comprising:
a semiconductor laser;
a photodetector configured to detect a light output of the semiconductor laser;
an input circuit configured to convert the input control current into a control current inside of an integrated circuit;
a control amplification circuit configured to amplify a voltage corresponding to a difference current between the control current output from the input circuit and a monitor current corresponding to the light output of the semiconductor laser fed back from the photodetector;
an output circuit configured to supply a drive current to the semiconductor laser in correspondence to an output from the control amplification circuit;
a first switch configured to interrupt the input control current to the input circuit;
a second switch configured to cut off the output of the control amplification circuit from an input of the output circuit; and
an offset compensation circuit configured to detect an offset generated in a signal channel up to the output of the control amplification circuit from an input of the input circuit in the state in which the first switch is operated to interrupt the input control current to the input circuit while the second switch is operated to cut off the output of the control amplification circuit from the input of the output circuit, upon a drive instruction of the semiconductor laser being given and compensate for the offset on the basis of the detection result.
Furthermore, the input circuit further comprises a current change-over circuit for outputting an output current from the current/current conversion circuit by changing over the current at a conversion ratio which is controlled on the basis of the control signal from the outside. With the addition of such current change-over circuit, the output current of the current change-over circuit, namely the input voltage to the control amplification circuit can be largely changed without enlarging the set range of the input control current. Accordingly, it is possible to correspond to optical systems for output light monitors with various specifications provided in the optical disk device without depreciating the control precision of the drive current of the semiconductor laser. At the same time the problems such as increase in the consumed power and a reduction in the transmission S/N can be also settled.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter. | 2023-08-15T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1052 |
DICK BATE JOINS AS ACADEMY BOSS
2 November 2012
C as the club’s new Academy Manager following a thorough interview and selection process.Dick Bateardiff City are pleased to announce the appointment of
Dick has agreed to leave his position as Elite Coaching Director of The Football Association to join the Bluebirds and lead the Academy through the exciting stage of fully implementing the Elite Performance Player Plan (EPPP) proposals introduced in summer 2012.
Cardiff City will benefit from the wealth of experience that Dick has gained throughout his career since he first started coaching 35 years ago. He has long been recognised as one of the most influential and knowledgeable coaches in world football having worked for the FA in a variety of roles – including managing the England u17, u18, u19 and u20 squads and heading up the coach education programme for the governing body.
He has played a major role in the design and assessment of the coaching qualification programme Literally hundreds or current and aspiring managers have passed through Dick’s courses as part of taking the necessary exams for their ‘B’, ‘A’ and ‘Pro’ licences.
Dick has also worked on the coaching staff of a number of clubs in English football including Sheffield United, Notts County, Southend United, Leeds United, Lincoln City, Hereford United and Watford.
As well as his work domestically, Dick has also worked as Technical Director of the Canadian FA in 2005, Technical Director of the Malaysian FA (1992-95) and run coaching programmes across the world. He is a FIFA Technical Advisor and FIFA coach and has also written a number of coaching books and made numerous DVDs which are still used across the world by coaches and manager of all levels.
Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay said: ‘We are incredibly lucky to have attracted someone of Dick’s calibre for the role. I have known him for a number of years and there is no one more qualified to take our Academy to the next level. He has taught me an awful lot across my coaching career and I’m sure that all of the players and staff in the Academy, and across the club as a whole, will be excited by the idea of working with him and learning from him.’
Dick
added: ‘I’m really looking forward to starting at Cardiff.
I saw it as the perfect opportunity to really get my teeth into an exciting project with the advent of EPPP and the steps that the coaching infrastructure has taken since Malky Mackay came to the club.
It will be my job to make sure there is a flow of quality players coming through the Academy from the under 9s to the under 21s.’
Dick’s appointment concludes a three-week search, led by Manager Malky Mackay, Head of Player Recruitment Iain Moody and Head of HR Dawn Williamson, to fill the position following Neal Ardley’s decision to leave the club and take up the role of Manager at AFC Wimbledon on 10 October 2012.
Current Assistant Academy Manager Geraint Twose will work alongside Dick as part of the Academy Senior Management Team and will continue to build on the excellent work he has done since first joining the Bluebirds Academy in 2006.
Cardiff City are grateful to The Football Association for their help and understanding in releasing Dick from many of his obligations with them, allowing him to take up his position with the club soon. | 2023-11-03T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3948 |
Composite sucker rods have been used for a number of years to replace much heavier steel sucker rods used for artificial lift in downhole pumps. Fiberglass rods were first used and today carbon fiber rods have been developed for use. Composite rods perform well in tension, but will fail in compression, often splintering and sometimes creating “bird's nests” which requires pulling production tubing to remove failed sucker rod components from the well, which is extremely costly. During use, sucker rods are reciprocated upward and downward within production tubing to pull fluids from within wells, stretching the sucker rods as loads are applied and then sometimes compressing the sucker rods as loads are released, and subjecting sucker rods to cyclical loads. Other well dynamics, such as stuck pumps from trash, deviation, crooked well-bores with changing geometry can also induce compression loads into the sucker rod string. | 2023-10-28T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/8992 |
Abstract This paper estimates the incidence of corporate taxes on wages using a 20-year panel of German municipalities exploiting 6,800 tax changes for identification. Using event study designs and difference-in-differences models, we find that workers bear about one-half of the total tax burden. Administrative linked employer-employee data allow us to estimate heterogeneous firm and worker effects. Our findings highlight the importance of labor market institutions and profit-shifting opportunities for the incidence of corporate taxes on wages. Moreover, we show that low-skilled, young, and female employees bear a larger share of the tax burden. This has important distributive implications.
Citation Fuest, Clemens, Andreas Peichl, and Sebastian Siegloch. 2018. "Do Higher Corporate Taxes Reduce Wages? Micro Evidence from Germany." American Economic Review , 108 (2): 393-418 . DOI: 10.1257/aer.20130570 Choose Format: BibTeX EndNote Refer/BibIX RIS Tab-Delimited | 2024-01-28T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5396 |
Saturday, June 26, 2010
G20 started getting dangerously close to my house so I decided I should see if there was any immediate danger. Well I’m not going to caption but here’s what it looks like on the streets.
As tensions build the police fire rubber bullets into the crowd you can spot a rubber bullet near the end of this video.
After firing the rubber bullets the crowd gets rowdy and pushes back.
And as soon as the cops back off the Hooligans camouflaged into the rest of the crowd set fire to yet another police cruiser.
You can all make up your own captions about the event it should be somewhat self explanatory.
I’ll make it clear that I don’t support the actions of the violent protesters the peaceful ones were around but they’ve been largely overshadowed by the few violent ones. | 2024-02-05T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3608 |
Injection practices in Burkina Faso in 2000.
Unsafe delivery and overuse of injections can result in the spread of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and HIV. The aim of the present survey was to estimate the frequency of safe injection practices in Burkina Faso. Using the new standardized World Health Organization tool to assess injection practices, we selected 80 primary health facilities with a two-stage cluster sampling method, collected information using structured observations and provider interviews, and analyzed the data using Epi-Info software. We observed 116 injections in 52 facilities. In 50 facilities [96%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 85-99%] injections were given with a new, single-use syringe and needle. In 29 facilities (56%; 95% CI 36-74%), staff recapped needles using two hands. All 80 facilities visited had a stock in the community to provide new, single-use syringes and needles. In 61% (95% CI 54-79%) of facilities, staff reported needlestick injuries in the last 12 months. Used needles were discarded in open containers in 66 facilities (83%; 95% CI 55-96%) and observed in the surroundings of 46 facilities (57%; 95% CI 32-80%). In 2000, most of the health facilities in Burkina Faso were using sterile injection equipment. However, practices were still observed that could expose patients, health care workers, and communities to risks, and that required specific interventions. | 2024-01-09T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3316 |
Introduction {#bju14925-sec-0005}
============
In the treatment of localized prostate cancer (PCa), the addition of even a low dose of external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) to long‐term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been shown to improve overall survival in patients with high‐risk PCa compared with ADT alone [1](#bju14925-bib-0001){ref-type="ref"}. Delivering EBRT to 78--80 Gy with a conventionally fractionated scheme additionally provides an advantage with regard to biochemical disease‐free survival (BDFS), compared with low‐dose EBRT, but with slightly greater toxicity [2](#bju14925-bib-0002){ref-type="ref"}, [3](#bju14925-bib-0003){ref-type="ref"}. A modest dose escalation up to 84 Gy~1.5~ (equivalent dose at 2 Gy per fraction assuming α/β 1.5 Gy) using moderate hypofractionation (2.5--3.5 Gy/fraction) has shown non‐inferior relapse rates compared with conventional fractionation and might improve disease‐free survival (DFS) in intermediate‐risk PCa [4](#bju14925-bib-0004){ref-type="ref"}. Further dose escalation by combining EBRT and a brachytherapy boost has demonstrated an improvement in biochemical control compared with that attained with 78 Gy EBRT, but at the expense of unacceptable grade 3 urinary toxicity rates [5](#bju14925-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"}. Ultra‐hypofractionated radiotherapy (UHRT) regimens exploit the radiobiological advantage thought to be associated with the PCa low α/β ratio, by delivering a high dose per fraction (5--10 Gy) in \< 10 fractions, with a dose distribution that closely resembles the distribution associated with high‐dose‐rate brachytherapy. The most common UHRT scheme is given in four to five fractions of 7--9 Gy. Recent multi‐institutional pooled analyses and meta‐analyses have shown advantageous BDFS in patients undergoing UHRT compared to historical controls, with minimal severe toxicity rates for low‐risk and intermediate‐risk PCa [6](#bju14925-bib-0006){ref-type="ref"}, [7](#bju14925-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"}. For this group of patients, there is now level 1 evidence demonstrating that seven‐fraction UHRT is not inferior to conventional‐dose normofractionated radiotherapy [8](#bju14925-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}. However, there is a lack of data for patients with unfavourable‐risk disease; therefore, the role of UHRT in high‐risk patients is still controversial [9](#bju14925-bib-0009){ref-type="ref"}. In the present study, Extreme Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer (EHRAP), we hypothesized that UHRT (45.2 Gy delivered in eight fractions over 3 weeks) could be safely administered to patients with unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk PCa, and could yield favourable DFS rates compared with historical controls. In the present paper, we report the 5‐year outcomes of this phase II trial, focused on unfavourable PCa.
Patients and Methods {#bju14925-sec-0006}
====================
Patient Eligibility and Follow‐up {#bju14925-sec-0007}
---------------------------------
The study protocol was reviewed by an independent agency of the Ministry of Health (the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices, *AEMPS*) and approved by the institutional review board. All patients signed specific informed consent and were aware of the institution's standard radiotherapy treatment, which consisted of 20 fractions of 3.17 Gy, five fractions per week [10](#bju14925-bib-0010){ref-type="ref"}. Patients with locally advanced prostate adenocarcinoma (cT3b) or disseminated disease (cN1 or cM1) were excluded. Distant and lymph node metastases were assessed by abdominopelvic CT and bone scan (mandatory for patients with unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk disease). Pelvic MRI was used for T staging in 58 patients (38%), providing additional information for N staging. Men with recent acute urinary obstruction requiring bladder catheter or with a baseline IPSS \>19 were also ineligible. The following were not exclusion criteria: prior TURP; adenomectomy; low maximum urinary flow; and large prostate volume.
Patients were categorized according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk classification system, version 4 [11](#bju14925-bib-0011){ref-type="ref"}. Patients were prospectively assessed at baseline, weekly during the treatment, at 2 months, and every 6 months thereafter.
Radiation Treatment {#bju14925-sec-0008}
-------------------
### Planning {#bju14925-sec-0009}
Planning CT scans (2 mm thick) were performed with empty rectum and urethral catheter to contrast‐enhance the bladder. In 38% of the patients, multiparametric MRI was performed after the diagnosis in order to stage PCa and improve risk stratification.
Intermediate‐ and high‐risk patients were prescribed a dose of 45.2 Gy (92 EQD~1.5~) with 95% planning target volume (PTV) coverage delivered in eight fractions, while for low‐risk patients the dose was reduced to 43.84 (87.4 Gy~1.5~). Fractions were administered two to three times per week, Monday to Friday, over 3 weeks. The clinical target volume (CTV) included 3--5 mm of extraprostatic fat in unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk patients, depending on the rectal examination, ultrasonography, MRI and biopsy findings (location of Gleason 8--10 adenocarcinoma, periprostatic extension or nodules). For the low‐risk/favourable intermediate‐risk group the CTV encompassed 1--2 mm around the prostate gland. The CTV also included the proximal 2‐cm seminal vesicles along the vertical line for the unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk group and 1‐cm for favourable intermediate‐risk group. PTV margins of 3 mm posteriorly and 5--7 mm in the other dimensions were added to CTV.
Two modifications were made to the treatment protocol in 2015: an endorectal balloon (ERB) filled with 100 mL air was placed to reduce intra‐fraction motion and rectal toxicity [12](#bju14925-bib-0012){ref-type="ref"}, and the bladder was filled with 200 mL physiological saline solution through a paediatric bladder catheter prior to each treatment fraction. For patients without an ERB, the rectum and bladder were contoured (1 cm above and below the PTV) as solid organs. For patients with an ERB, the rectal and bladder wall (5‐mm thickness) was contoured instead. Dose--volume limits for normal tissues are summarized in Table [S1](#bju14925-sup-0004){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
### Treatment {#bju14925-sec-0010}
All patients included in the present study were treated with helical TomoTherapy® (Accuray, Sunnyvale, CA, USA). Unlike high‐dose‐rate brachytherapy or robotic linac, the achieved dose distribution was fairly homogeneous, with doses into the PTV ranging from 95% to 103% of the prescribed dose; therefore, there were no hot spots in the urethra or the prostate gland. As margins were wide, we ensured that \~8--10 mm beyond the prostate capsule received \~90 Gy~1.5~ in intermediate‐risk and high‐risk patients. Steep dose gradients between the prostate and rectum allowed the sparing of the lateral and posterior rectal mucosa from high doses. Dose distribution on a typical patient without an ERB and with an ERB is shown in Fig. [S1](#bju14925-sup-0001){ref-type="supplementary-material"}. After a cleansing enema, with the patient lying supine on the treatment unit couch, with knees flexed and feet flat, the ERB was placed by the physician at the depth previously determined during the simulation CT, using its marked scale and stopper. The depth of insertion, to position the balloon at the prostate/seminal vesicles in a comfortable and reproductible way, was rather variable among patients, and therefore had to be individualized. In the treatment position, using a simple positioning device (Combifix; CIVCO, Kalona, IA, USA), a megavoltage CT was acquired every day before treatment. Then, it was co‐registered with the simulation CT using CTV and bone anatomy, and finally, the isodose curves displayed to assist with the online correction of both the prostate‐seminal vesicles inter‐fraction shift and the ERB position, if necessary (Fig. [S2](#bju14925-sup-0002){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). Online corrections over 3 mm were uncommon (\<5% of the total treatment fractions). Prophylactic α‐blockers (tamsulosin 0.4 mg/day) or anti‐inflammatory medications (hydrocortisone enema, given a few millilitres once a day) were routinely administered during radiotherapy. Treatment was completed over a period of 13--23 days in 95% of the patients. ADT was prescribed for 6 months in favourable intermediate‐risk/unfavourable intermediate‐risk patients. It consisted of 1 month of bicalutamide 50 mg/day with one 6‐month injection of leuprolide or triptorelin, \~3 months before radiotherapy. For high‐risk patients ADT continued with 6‐month injections up to 24 months.
Study Endpoints {#bju14925-sec-0011}
===============
Toxicity {#bju14925-sec-0012}
--------
Baseline urinary and intestinal symptoms were recorded before the start of the radiotherapy. Physician‐reported toxicities were defined using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 3. Patient‐reported urinary toxicity was assessed with the IPSS. The minimal important difference (MID) or minimal clinically important difference is the smallest change in a treatment outcome that an individual patient would perceive as clinically meaningful. For IPSS, the MID threshold was defined as the mean IPSS value at baseline plus 0.5 standard deviation of the series. Side effects occurring within 2 months of radiotherapy treatment were categorized as acute toxicities, and those developing after 2 months were considered late toxicities. We also aimed to identify potential clinical predictors of genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities among the following: age; Charlson index; diabetes; hypertension; coronary artery disease; intake of anticoagulants/antiplatelet drugs; intake of α‐1‐blocker for symptomatic BPH; placement of bladder catheter before every radiotherapy fraction; history of adenomectomy/TURP; baseline IPSS (1--7 vs 8--19); baseline IPSS (irritative subscore, questions 2, 4, 7); baseline IPSS (obstructive subscore, questions 1, 3, 5, 6); baseline IPSS (question 3); placement of ERB; history of symptomatic haemorrhoids; ADT, radiotherapy dose (43.84 Gy vs 45.20 Gy); NCCN risk group; and year of radiotherapy treatment (2012--2014 vs 2015--2017). Late toxicity after radiotherapy, as a consequential late damage of acute toxicity, was also investigated.
Quality of Life {#bju14925-sec-0013}
---------------
Quality of life was assessed using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite (EPIC)‐26 questionnaire at baseline, 2 months after radiotherapy, then every 6 months for 3 years, and every year thereafter. For each domain, an MID threshold was defined as the mean EPIC score at baseline plus 0.5 standard deviation of the series. The impact of UHRT on quality of life will be extensively addressed in another publication.
Disease‐Free Survival {#bju14925-sec-0014}
---------------------
Failure was defined as biochemical recurrence or the administration of any salvage, antiandrogen, or systemic PCa therapy. An increase in PSA level of 2 ng/mL above the prior nadir was scored as a biochemical failure, unless followed by a decline to a new nadir. Patients who developed biochemical recurrence underwent either bone scan and CT or body MRI every 6 months.
Study Objectives and Statistics {#bju14925-sec-0015}
===============================
The primary objective of this prospective study was safety, i.e. to determine whether the 5‐year incidence of patients experiencing CTCAE grade 3 or higher toxicities exceeded 10%, a rate deemed excessive [13](#bju14925-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}. A sample size of 100 patients yielded 90% power for identifying an excessive toxicity rate at the one‐sided 5% significance level. Accounting for unevaluable patients, the minimal planned enrolment was 120 patients.
The secondary objective was efficacy, i.e. to determine whether, for unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk patients, UHRT improved 5‐year DFS from an expected rate of 75%, the average rate reported with ADT plus either dose‐escalated normofractionated EBRT [14](#bju14925-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#bju14925-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"} or EBRT with brachytherapy studies [16](#bju14925-bib-0016){ref-type="ref"}. Potential prognostic factors of GU or GI toxicity were assessed using a bivariate Cox proportional hazard model. Variables with a *P* value \< 0.2 were included in a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model. A *P* value of \<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results {#bju14925-sec-0016}
=======
Between May 2012 and October 2017, a total of 154 patients were treated, 92 of whom had unfavourable intermediate‐risk or high‐risk PCa. Patient characteristics are listed in Table [1](#bju14925-tbl-0001){ref-type="table"}. A total of 112 patients (73%) received ADT. Seventy‐nine men received neoadjuvant‐concomitant ADT over the course of 6 months. Thirty‐three continued the ADT (6‐month injections) up to 24 months. The median (range) follow‐up of the series was 48 (19--84) months. At the time of analysis, nine patients (5.7%) were no longer being followed up: seven died, and two were lost to follow‐up. One death may be linked to PCa, while the others were attributable to causes unrelated to either PCa or the treatment (four related to second tumours, one suicide, one congestive heart failure).
######
Patient, tumour and dosimetry characteristics.
Characteristic Entire series (*N* = 154) Unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk group (*N* = 92)
-------------------------------- --------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------
Age, years
Median (range) 72 (50--81) 73 (50--81)
Clinical stage, *n* (%)
T1c 56 (36) 17 (19)
T2a 21 (14) 9 (10)
T2b 26 (17) 20 (22)
T2c 19 (12) 14 (15)
T3a 30 (20) 30 (33)
Tx 2 (1) 2 (1)
Gleason score, *n* (%)
3 + 3 64 (42) 15 (16)
3 + 4 38 (25) 25 (27)
4 + 3 24 (15) 24 (26)
4 + 4 20 (13) 20 (23)
4 + 5 5 (3) 5 (5)
5 + 4 3 (2) 3 (3)
Initial PSA, ng/mL
Median (range) 9 (1.2--214) 13.5 (4.2--214)
\<10 84 (55) 32 (35)
10--20 53 (34) 43 (47)
\>20 17 (11) 17 (18)
NCCN risk group, *n* (%)
Low‐risk 28 (18)
Favourable intermediate‐risk 34 (22)
Unfavourable intermediate‐risk 35 (23)
Favourable high‐risk 37 (24)
Unfavourable high‐risk 20 (13)
ADT, *n* (%)
No 42 (27) 8 (9)
Neo‐con 79 (51) 53 (57)
Neo‐con‐adj 33 (22) 31 (34)
ERB, *n* (%) 75 (49) 49 (53)
Dosimetry
CTV, %
D98% 100.1
PTV, %
D98% 98.1
D2% 102.1
Rectal wall, %
V100% 5.2
V90% 15.1
V80% 19.8
Bladder wall, %
V100% 7
V90% 11.4
V50% 25.5
Median volumes, cm^3^
CTV 64.8
PTV 118.7
Rectal wall 23.4
Bladder wall 43.7
ADT, androgen deprivation therapy; CTV, clinical target volume; D2% (near maximum), percent of the prescribed dose covering 2% of the target volume; D98% (near minimum), percent of the prescribed dose covering 98% of the target volume; ERB, endorectal balloon; NCCN, National Comprehensive Cancer Network; Neo‐con, Neoadjuvant‐Concomitant; Neo‐con‐adj, Neoadjuvant‐Concomitant‐Adjuvant; PTV, planning target volume; Vn%, percentage of the organ‐at‐risk covered by *n*% of the prescribed dose.
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Relapse occurred in four patients for the entire series (97.4% crude BDFS) and three for the unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk group (96.7% crude BDFS). All had a PSA increase \>2 ng/mL over PSA nadir. No local recurrence of the PCa was detected after performing bi‐parametric MRI and rectal examination. Pelvic lymph node and distant metastases were observed in one patient. Bone metastases were documented in three patients: two in the high‐risk group and one in the favourable intermediate‐risk group, giving a crude metastasis‐free survival rate of 98%. Actuarial DFS plots are shown in Fig. [1](#bju14925-fig-0001){ref-type="fig"}. For the entire series, the actuarial 5‐year DFS rate was 94.3%. For the unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk PCa group, the estimated 5‐year DFS rate was 90%, which proved to be superior to the 75% historical control rate we chose for comparison with other forms of EBRT [14](#bju14925-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, [15](#bju14925-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"}. For unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk patients the 5‐year cumulative incidence of metastasis was 2.7% (Fig. [2](#bju14925-fig-0002){ref-type="fig"}). The crude metastasis‐free survival rate was 98%.
{#bju14925-fig-0001}
{#bju14925-fig-0002}
Figure [3](#bju14925-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"} provides a summary of the observed toxicities for the whole series. No grade 4 or 5 toxicities occurred. No patient reported acute grade 3 side effects. One patient experienced late grade 3 dysuria 9 months after radiotherapy as a result of a urethral ulcer that resolved within 3 months. It required a suprapubic bladder tap and pregabalin. The mean IPSS returned to baseline between 2 and 6 months after radiotherapy (Fig. [3](#bju14925-fig-0003){ref-type="fig"}). There was no late grade 3 intestinal toxicity. The incidence of grade 2/3 GU and GI toxicities at 3 years was 1.4/0% and 0/0%, respectively. Kaplan--Meier 5‐year cumulative Grade 2--3 GU and GI toxicities were 17.8% and 7.4%, respectively (Fig. [S3](#bju14925-sup-0003){ref-type="supplementary-material"}). These treatment‐related side effects were far below the 10% grade 3--5 toxicity rate deemed excessive [13](#bju14925-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}.
{#bju14925-fig-0003}
The 17 variables potentially correlated with acute or late urinary toxicity, and the 12 variables potentially correlated with acute or late intestinal toxicity are listed in Table [2](#bju14925-tbl-0002){ref-type="table"}. *P* values for all variables after univariate analysis are displayed. Those with *P* values \> 0.2 were included in the multivariate analysis. *P* values, hazard ratios and CIs for those variables are also shown in Table [2](#bju14925-tbl-0002){ref-type="table"}. Multivariable analysis showed that the placement of a urethral catheter was significantly associated with increased acute GU toxicity, whereas hypertension and history of α‐1‐blocker intake for symptomatic BPH were significant variables predicting for late GU toxicity. None of the prognostic factors investigated were found to be predictive of acute GI toxicity. Ischaemic cardiopathy might be correlated with higher incidence of late GI morbidity.
######
Predictors for the incidence of genitourinary and gastrointestinal grade ≥1 toxicities
Univariate analysis Multivariate analysis
---------------------------------- --------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
**Acute GU toxicity predictors**
Age (≤72 vs \>72 years) 0.733
Charlson index 0.469
Diabetes 0.925
Hypertension 0.777
Cardiopathy 0.623
History of α‐1 blocker intake 0.632
Anti‐aggregant/anticoagulant 0.115 0.840 0.751 (0.490; 1.175)
TURP/adenomectomy 0.349
ADT 0.592
Bladder catheter 0.005 0.008 1.742 (1.157; 2.662)
Dose (43.8 vs 45.2 Gy) 0.549
Baseline IPSS (\<8 vs ≥8) 0.544
Baseline IPSS (irritative) 0.770
Baseline IPSS (obstructive) 0.440
Baseline IPSS (question 3) 0.640
NCCN risk group 0.929
Year of the radiotherapy 0.011 0.210 0.966 (0.650;1.431)
**Late GU toxicity predictors**
Age (≤ 72 vs \>72 years) 0.249
Charlson index 0.365
Diabetes 0.676
Hypertension 0.036 0.030 2.041 (1.072; 3.887)
Cardiopathy 0.843
History of α‐1 blocker intake 0.024 0.030 2.110 (1.072; 4.151)
Anti‐aggregant/anticoagulant 0.529
TURP/adenomectomy 0.061 0.197 0.720 (1.072; 4.917)
ADT 0.139 0.458 1.342 (0.616; 2.924)
Bladder catheter 0.018 0.333 1.610 (0.614; 4.218)
Dose (43.8 vs 45.2 Gy) 0.156 0.216 1.805 (0.708; 4.599)
Baseline IPSS (\<8 vs ≥8) 0.144 0.548 1.211 (0.649; 2.262)
NCCN risk group 0.610
Year of radiotherapy 0.002 0.005 3.857 (1.501; 9.912)
**Acute GI toxicity predictors**
Age (≤72 vs \>72 years) 0.469
Charlson index 0.887
Diabetes 0.887
Hypertension 0.759
Cardiopathy 0.520
Placement of ERB 0.000 0.082 0.365 (0.118; 1.135)
Anti‐aggregant/anticoagulant 0.996
Haemorrhoids 0.210
ADT 0.546
Dose (43.8 vs 45.2 Gy) 0.252
NCCN risk group 0.424
Year of the radiotherapy 0.000 0.275 1.788 (0.630; 5.079)
**Late GI toxicity predictors**
Age (≤72 vs \>72 years) 0.477
Charlson index 0.368
Diabetes 0.365
Hypertension 0.361
Cardiopathy 0.099 0.000
Placement of ERB 0.000 0.158 3.222 (0.636; 16.328)
Anti‐aggregant/anticoagulant 0.449
Haemorrhoids 0.128 0.317 0.606 (0.227; 1.616)
ADT 0.422
Dose (43.8 vs 45.2 Gy) 0.342
NCCN risk group 0.002 0.162
Year of radiotherapy 0.000 0.214 2.902 (0.540; 15.587)
ADT, androgen deprivation therapy; ERB, endorectal balloon; GI, gastrointestinal; GU, genitourinary; NCCN, National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
The mean EPIC urinary irritative/obstructive subdomain score exhibited transient statistically significant declines at 2 months after radiotherapy that barely reached the MID. It subsequently returned to baseline at 6 months and continued to be around the baseline level thereafter (Fig. [4](#bju14925-fig-0004){ref-type="fig"}). UHRT had no impact on the urinary incontinence subdomain.
{#bju14925-fig-0004}
Discussion {#bju14925-sec-0017}
==========
A meta‐analysis published this year, including more than 6000 patients, stated that UHRT had sufficient evidence to be supported as a standard treatment option for localized PCa [7](#bju14925-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"}. It also highlighted that only few UHRT studies included patients with high‐risk PCa, and those that did only had a very small proportion of such patients. Additionally, most studies including high‐risk patients did not separately report outcomes by risk group; therefore, there is a lack of data from phase II/prospective trials on unfavourable PCa treated with UHRT. The present study (ISRCTN19419439) shows that UHRT for unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk PCa could be safely undertaken by experienced institutions, provided that planning and delivery requirements were fulfilled. Prescribing 92 Gy~1.5~ (delivered in eight fractions of 11.5 Gy~1.5~) over 3 weeks resulted in very low rates of 5‐year severe toxicity (grade 3+). Relapse rates were similar to dose escalation combining brachytherapy and EBRT, and compared favourably with historical controls of other forms of radiotherapy.
As our objective was to improve BDFS without increasing toxicity, our treatment schedule was designed to be equi‐effective for late normal tissue toxicity probability with our standard radiotherapy treatment (20 fractions of 3.17 Gy) under the linear quadratic model, i.e. 78 Gy~3~ (intermediate‐risk and high‐risk patients) or 74 Gy~3~ (low‐risk patients), while escalating radiation dose as close as possible to 100 Gy~1.5~ to PCa cells. Using EBRT exclusively, that objective could only be achieved through extreme hypofractionation. In order to diminish the intra‐fraction shift associated with the irradiation time, even using an ERB [17](#bju14925-bib-0017){ref-type="ref"}, dose per fraction had to be delivered, fulfilling demanding dosimetric criteria, in a treatment time that we considered acceptable, i.e. \<10 min. As a result of the previous considerations, our radiotherapy schedule consisted of eight fractions of 5.65 Gy prescribed to 95% of the PTV. Following the recommendations of Fowler et al. [18](#bju14925-bib-0018){ref-type="ref"} for avoiding excessive short overall times, fractions were planned to be administered two (Monday and Thursday) or three times (every other day) per week over 2.5--3 weeks instead of daily fractions over 1.5 weeks. ASTRO‐ASCO‐AUA evidence‐based UHRT guidelines suggest that avoiding consecutive daily treatments could decrease toxicity [19](#bju14925-bib-0019){ref-type="ref"}. The HYPO‐RT‐PC phase III trial has also found that, probably due to the shorter overall treatment time, early side effects were more pronounced with ultra‐hypofractionation than with conventional fractionation [8](#bju14925-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}. Finally, there is level 1 evidence that five‐fraction UHRT delivered once per week improves acute urinary and intestinal quality of life compared with every‐other‐day delivery [20](#bju14925-bib-0020){ref-type="ref"}. By contrast, repopulation of PCa and how the \'time factor\' might affect tumour control is currently unknown, especially for high‐grade tumours [21](#bju14925-bib-0021){ref-type="ref"}, [22](#bju14925-bib-0022){ref-type="ref"}. Also, in light of the discouraging results obtained after single‐dose high‐dose‐rate brachytherapy [23](#bju14925-bib-0023){ref-type="ref"} for low‐ to intermediate‐risk PCa we should be cautious when designing clinical trials for unfavourable PCa with few fractions (\< 5) or for an overall treatment time \< 7 days.
For low‐risk and favourable intermediate‐risk patients, this trial represents a considerable effective biological dose escalation (87 Gy~1.5~) over typical 76--78 Gy‐(IMRT) intensity‐modulated radiation therapy. The 5‐year BDFS rate of 97.9% observed in the present trial, EHRAP, was similar to the 5‐year BDFS rates of 90--95% reported with dose‐escalated 86 Gy‐IMRT [14](#bju14925-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"}, low‐dose‐rate brachytherapy [24](#bju14925-bib-0024){ref-type="ref"}, and UHRT [7](#bju14925-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"}. For this group of patients, any EBRT treatment delivering a dose up to 80--85 Gy~1.5~ (e.g. moderate hypofractionated EBRT, UHRT in five fractions of 7 Gy), or brachytherapy alone obtains excellent DFS outcomes with low toxicity rates.
To set in context the outcomes of the present trial, we gathered the data on BDFS rates and grade 3+ toxicity of several trials [5](#bju14925-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"}, [7](#bju14925-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"}, [8](#bju14925-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}, [25](#bju14925-bib-0025){ref-type="ref"}, [26](#bju14925-bib-0026){ref-type="ref"}, [27](#bju14925-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, [28](#bju14925-bib-0028){ref-type="ref"}, [29](#bju14925-bib-0029){ref-type="ref"}, [30](#bju14925-bib-0030){ref-type="ref"} with a minimum 5‐year follow‐up (Fig. [5](#bju14925-fig-0005){ref-type="fig"}).
{#bju14925-fig-0005}
Further information on these studies is summarized in Table [S2](#bju14925-sup-0005){ref-type="supplementary-material"}.
For unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk patients, the 5‐year BDFS rate of 90% observed in EHRAP compares favourably with the 70--80% rate observed in the 86 Gy‐IMRT group of the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre (MSKCC) [14](#bju14925-bib-0014){ref-type="ref"} and the 70% rate reported in the 78 Gy‐arm of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9406 [15](#bju14925-bib-0015){ref-type="ref"}. Our results are similar to the 92% 5‐year BDFS rate observed in Jackson's meta‐analysis for intermediate‐risk patients [7](#bju14925-bib-0007){ref-type="ref"}, and also comparable with the 89% 5‐year BDFS rate reported in the ASCENDE‐RT trial for the combined pelvic EBRT + brachytherapy + ADT arm [27](#bju14925-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}, but without the high grade 3 toxicity rates observed in the latter trial. Other trials treating patients with EBRT plus brachytherapy boost plus ADT resulted in 5‐year BDFS rates of 75--86% [31](#bju14925-bib-0031){ref-type="ref"}, [32](#bju14925-bib-0032){ref-type="ref"}. As mentioned previously, the HYPO‐RT‐PC phase III trial demonstrated that UHRT regimens are not inferior to conventionally fractionated 78‐Gy EBRT for intermediate‐risk patients [8](#bju14925-bib-0008){ref-type="ref"}. This trial also included a group of selected 62 high‐risk patients (maximum PSA allowed was 20 ng/mL), although the tumour control rates for this specific group were not reported. Their fractionation scheme was very similar to ours, delivering seven fractions of 6.1 Gy over 2.5 weeks, which, like the present study, is equivalent to 92 Gy~1.5~. The main differences between HYPO‐RT‐PC and EHRAP are: (1) HYPO‐RT uses three‐dimensional conformal radiotherapy in 80% of patients with two‐dimensional image guidance with intraprostatic fiducials vs helical tomotherapy with three‐dimensional image guidance and an ERB in EHRAP; (2) seminal vesicles were not included in the volume target in HYPO‐RT vs at least 2 cm of seminal vesicles in all patients in EHRAP; and (3) HYPO‐RT did not allow ADT vs 91% of unfavourable intermediate‐risk‐high‐risk patients receiving ADT in EHRAP. Recently, a randomized phase II trial compared five different UHRT and moderate hypofractionated schedules. At a median follow‐up of 7.5 years, the results suggested that the efficacy of the 10‐fraction arm and the 15/20‐fraction arm was superior to the five‐fraction arm, with no differences in late toxicity among groups [33](#bju14925-bib-0033){ref-type="ref"}. Based on these outcomes and the favourable tumour control results obtained by HYPO‐RT‐PC and EHRAP, UHRT schemes delivering 6--10 fractions should also be included in future phase III trials involving unfavourable intermediate‐risk and high‐risk PCa.
One may speculate whether increasing the radiotherapy dose close to 100 Gy~1.5~ was the main factor responsible for the high DFS rates observed in this trial. Another hypothesis is that the addition of ADT, even delivering such a high total dose, might have played a crucial role in the unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk patients. A multi‐institutional consortium study reported a 93% 5‐year BDFS rate in the unfavourable intermediate‐risk subgroup using UHRT alone [6](#bju14925-bib-0006){ref-type="ref"}, suggesting very high dose delivered with UHRT or through a brachytherapy boost may obviate ADT in this group of patients. However, a recent meta‐analyses of randomized trials addressing the role of ADT with dose escalation using a brachytherapy boost concluded that the addition of ADT to the brachytherapy boost further improved metastases free‐ and overall survival by 20--30% [34](#bju14925-bib-0034){ref-type="ref"}. Two‐year adjuvant ADT added to the conventional radiotherapy dose (76--82 Gy) improved BDFS and overall survival compared with short‐term ADT in high‐risk patients [35](#bju14925-bib-0035){ref-type="ref"}. To date, there are no published studies addressing the efficacy of long‐term ADT in combination with dose escalation to \> 85 Gy~1.5~ in high‐risk patients. For unfavourable PCa, in the absence of a randomized trial showing otherwise, dose escalation with brachytherapy or UHRT, should not replace ADT.
The toxicity of prostate UHRT relative to the combination of EBRT plus brachytherapy or other forms of moderate hypofractionated or conventional fractionated EBRT has been the subject of debate [5](#bju14925-bib-0005){ref-type="ref"}, [36](#bju14925-bib-0036){ref-type="ref"}, [37](#bju14925-bib-0037){ref-type="ref"}. Figure [5](#bju14925-fig-0005){ref-type="fig"} shows that late grade 2--5 toxicities in the present study were similar to those from centres using five‐fraction UHRT and compare favourably with other radiation therapies. In particular, we did not observe the high incidence of late urinary grade 3 toxicities associated with the combination of EBRT and brachytherapy. As a small percentage of late toxicities may develop beyond 5 years, the current toxicity rates we are presenting are unlikely to largely underestimate actual long‐term rates. For example, in the RTOG 9805 study, the rate of grade 2--5 GU toxicities increased \< 3% between 5 and 9 years after low‐dose‐rate brachytherapy [38](#bju14925-bib-0038){ref-type="ref"}. The present trial delivered a significant dose escalation, protracted overall treatment time, used three‐dimensional image guidance before every treatment fraction, avoided hot spots into the prostate gland, urethra and rectal mucosa, placed an ERB in half of the patients, and followed rigid constraints of dose to normal tissues. The rigorous control of these factors may account for the favourable late toxicity rates observed in the present study. It has been described that patients who develop acute grade 2+ urinary or intestinal symptoms during treatment experience higher incidence of late toxicity [13](#bju14925-bib-0013){ref-type="ref"}. To reduce the probability of late grade 2+ intestinal toxicity as a consequential effect of acute rectal injury [39](#bju14925-bib-0039){ref-type="ref"}, a corticosteroid enema was administered every night during the radiotherapy treatment with the purpose of preventing acute rectitis. Prophylactic treatment with topical rectal corticosteroids during radiotherapy significantly reduced the risk of rectal bleeding and radiation‐induced mucosal changes and improved patient\'s quality of life in a randomized clinical trial [40](#bju14925-bib-0040){ref-type="ref"}.
Reaching a median follow‐up \> 5 years is required for determining actual long‐term rates of DFS, as BDFS might significantly drop after 4--5 years [27](#bju14925-bib-0027){ref-type="ref"}. Further follow‐up is guaranteed.
In the present trial, a dose of 92 Gy~1.5~ was delivered in eight fractions over 3 weeks to \~98% of a large PTV that included \> 5 mm beyond the prostate capsule and half of seminal vesicles. The 5‐year BDFS rate of 90%, observed in this series of unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk patients, is a figure which is not surpassed by other radiotherapy techniques. The toxicity profile was very favourable and the impact on urinary quality of life minimal and transient. Further studies should define the most effective fractionation for unfavourable intermediate‐risk/high‐risk PCa, which should be compared with other curative treatments for localized PCa. The role of ADT along with very high radiotherapy dose also needs to be investigated.
Conflict of Interest {#bju14925-sec-0019}
====================
Dr. Macias reports grants from Castilla‐Leon Public Health Service, during the conduct of the study; and in 2018 I taught for free a webinar organized by Accuray based on an oral communication accepted in ASTRO 2018. Dr. Barrera Mellado has nothing to disclose.
ADT
: androgen deprivation therapy
BDFS
: biochemical disease‐free survival
CTCAE
: Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events
CTV
: clinical target volume
DFS
: disease‐free survival
EBRT
: external beam radiotherapy
EHRAP
: Extreme Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Localized Prostate Cancer
EPIC
: Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite
ERB
: endorectal balloon
GI
: gastrointestinal
GU
: genitourinary
MID
: minimal important difference
NCCN
: National Comprehensive Cancer Network
PCa
: prostate cancer
PTV
: planning target volume
RTOG
: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group
UHRT
: ultra‐hypofractionated radiation therapy
Supporting information
======================
######
**Figure S1.** Dose distribution on a typical patient without endorectal balloon (A) and with endorectal balloon (B). D Gy~1.5~ = equivalent dose at 2 Gy/fraction assuming a/b 1.5 Gy; D Gy~3~ = equivalent dose at 2 Gy/fraction assuming a/b 3 Gy; CTV = clinical target volume; PTV = planning target volume; % iso = isodose curve expressed as a percentage of the prescribed dose.
######
Click here for additional data file.
######
**Figure S2.** Example of on‐line image‐guided tomotherapy on a typical patient with endorectal balloon. Planning CT (grey) and daily megavoltage CT (green) used for position verification show a good correlation for endorectal balloon and clinical target volume coverage (95% isodose in red).
######
Click here for additional data file.
######
**Figure S3.** Physician‐recorded side effects. Cumulative incidence of urinary and intestinal grade 2+ late toxicity in the whole series.
######
Click here for additional data file.
######
**Table S1.** Main dose limits used for target volumes and organs‐at‐risk.
######
Click here for additional data file.
######
**Table S2.** Selected series of unfavorable prostate cancer patients treated with UHRT, hypofractionated EBRT, normofractionated EBRT, brachytherapy, and combination of EBRT and brachytherapy.
######
Click here for additional data file.
This study was funded with a scientific grant (GRS 903/A/14) from the Castilla‐Leon Public Health Service (SaCyL). The authors thank Maria‐Jose Fernandez‐Gomez from the University of Salamanca for assistance with statistical analysis, Lisa Goggin from Accuray Incorporated for technical support, and Pedro Soria‐Carreras, Enrique de Sena‐Espinel, A. Fernandez‐Lara and Francisco Gomez‐Veiga from the Salamanca University Hospital for their valuable suggestions. Oral communication at the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) 60th Annual Meeting (2018).
| 2024-02-09T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6312 |
// Code generated by 'github.com/traefik/yaegi/extract encoding/base64'. DO NOT EDIT.
// +build go1.15,!go1.16
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"reflect"
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| 2024-03-05T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4660 |
Tabae
Tabae or Tabai () was a city in ancient Caria, although, according to Strabo it was located in a plain in Phrygia on the boundaries of Caria. The place is now Tavas, near Kale, Denizli in Turkey; some inscriptions and numerous ancient remains have been found.
Stephanus Byzantius mentions two cities of this name, one in Lydia (which is conjectured to be Tabala), the other in Caria. Livy says that it was on the frontier of Pisidia towards the coast of the Gulf of Pamphylia. The town in question, however, some coins of which are extant, was one which claimed to have been founded by one Tabus. Others derive its name from tabi, which in Semitic languages means "good", and others from a native word taba, meaning "rock", which seems a probable derivation.
History
In 189 BC, the consul Gnaeus Manlius Vulso, having defeated the inhabitants who blocked his passage, exacted from Tabae a fine of 25 talents and 10,000 medimni of wheat.
Bishopric
Tabae was also the seat of a diocese, a suffragan of Stauropolis.
Three bishops of Tabae are known:
Rufinus, present at the Council of Ephesus (431);
Severus, at Constantinople (553);
Basilius, at Nicæa (787).
The Notitiae Episcopatuum continue to mention the see among the suffragans of Stauropolis until the 13th century.
No longer a residential see, Tabae is included in the Catholic Church's list of titular sees.
References
Attribution
External links
Catholic Hierarchy page
Coins
Category:Populated places in ancient Caria
Category:Populated places in Phrygia
Category:Former populated places in Turkey
Category:Roman towns and cities in Turkey
Category:Populated places of the Byzantine Empire
Category:History of Denizli Province
Category:Catholic titular sees in Asia | 2024-07-12T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3825 |
trans-Bis(dimethyl sulfoxide-kappaO)bis(3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2-carboxylato-kappa2N1,O2)copper(II).
The title compound, [Cu(C(9)H(5)N(2)O(3))(2)(C(2)H(6)OS)(2)], consists of octahedrally coordinated Cu(II) ions, with the 3-oxo-3,4-dihydroquinoxaline-2-carboxylate ligands acting in a bidentate manner [Cu-O = 1.9116 (14) A and Cu-N = 2.1191 (16) A] and a dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) molecule coordinated axially via the O atom [Cu-O = 2.336 (5) and 2.418 (7) A for the major and minor disorder components, respectively]. The whole DMSO molecule exhibits positional disorder [0.62 (1):0.38 (1)]. The octahedron around the Cu(II) atom, which lies on an inversion centre, is elongated in the axial direction, exhibiting a Jahn-Teller effect. The ligand exhibits tautomerization by H-atom transfer from the hydroxyl group at position 3 to the N atom at position 4 of the quinoxaline ring of the ligand. The complex molecules are linked through an intermolecular N-H...O hydrogen bond [N...O = 2.838 (2) A] formed between the quinoxaline NH group and a carboxylate O atom, and by a weak intermolecular C-H...O hydrogen bond [3.392 (11) A] formed between a carboxylate O atom and a methyl C atom of the DMSO ligand. There is a weak intramolecular C-H...O hydrogen bond [3.065 (3) A] formed between a benzene CH group and a carboxylate O atom. | 2023-09-16T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5824 |
Tough year for savings after base rate cut
It is one year on from the Bank of England’s decision to cut interest rates to record lows 0.25%. Research from Fidelity shows how it has dented your savings pot.
Its analysis shows that savers investing the full ISA allowance of £15,240 when rates were cut on 4th August 2016 into the FTSE All Share would now have an ISA portfolio worth £17,462.30.
This compares to £15,263.13 for the average cash savings account, a difference of £2,199.17 in just one year.
This is even more important as the rate of inflation has risen. Although inflation moderated in June, it’s still running at 2.6%. This means that in real terms, a £15,240 ISA allowance would have been worth £14,844 by the end of the year. Stock market investment has historically been a better way to protect long-term savings from inflation.
Maike Currie, investment director for personal investing at Fidelity International, said: “This week expect all eyes to be on the Bank of England’s ‘Super Thursday’ announcement for a steer on whether a rate rise is coming. However, it’s unlikely that the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street’s policymakers will be in any rush to hike rates from their current 300-year low, particularly following last week’s tepid second quarter growth of just 0.3% quarter-on-quarter, or 1.7% year-on-year. The Bank will be reluctant to risk the economic recovery with a premature rate hike, not least with the recent fall in inflation to 2.6%.
“Even though inflation has softened, long-term forecasts suggest that inflation will continue to sit above the Bank of England’s 2% target for the foreseeable future. With this in mind, and with interest rates set to remain at record lows for some time, investors need to look to the stock market to stand any chance of generating an inflation-beating return.”
Cherry has worked for a range of national, consumer and trade titles including the Financial Times, Telegraph, Investors Chronicle and Money Observer. She has co-authored a book on investing in emerging markets and is a multiple winner of the Investment Management Association and Association of Investment Companies freelance journalist of the year award.. | 2023-08-29T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6825 |
The importance of cell-mediated immunity in the course and severity of autoimmune anti-glomerular basement membrane disease in mice.
Anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) disease is a rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (GN) resulting from autoimmunity against the Goodpasture antigen alpha3(IV)NC1. In addition to the well-characterized antibody contribution, a T helper 1 (Th1) response has been suspected as the culprit for glomerular injury. We induced anti-GBM disease in DBA/1, C57BL/6, AKR, and NOD mice with recombinant human alpha3(IV)NC1 to investigate the involvement of humoral and cellular autoimmunity. DBA/1 mice had crescentic GN 11 wk postimmunization with alpha3(IV)NC1. C57BL/6 and AKR mice developed a chronic disease course resulting in comparable kidney injury to DBA/1 mice within 6 months. NOD revealed only minor glomerular changes. The rapid course and the severity of the disease in DBA/1 mice can be explained by our immunological findings in their sera and splenocytes: 1) high antibody titers specific for the putative clinically relevant epitope of alpha3(IV)NC1 with Th1-type isotypes, and 2) a strong proliferative response and high amounts of the inflammatory cytokine IFN-gamma, secreted by splenocytes stimulated in vitro with alpha3(IV)NC1, with only low amounts of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Our in vivo and in vitro results provide direct evidence that the balance between Th1 and Th2 responses associates with the outcome of anti-GBM disease in mice. | 2024-04-26T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3668 |
大学英语六级(CET6)历年听力t_cet6_200612
Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
11.A) Dr. Smith’s waiting room isn’t tidy. B) Dr. Smith enjoys reading magazines. C) Dr. Smith has left a good impression on her. D) Dr. Smith may not be a good choice.
12. A) The man will rent the apartment when it is available.
B) The man made a bargain with the landlady over the rent.
C) The man insists on having a look at the apartment first.
D) The man is not fully satisfied with the apartment.
13. A) Packing up to go abroad. B) Brushing up on her English.
C) Drawing up a plan for her English course. D) Applying for a visa to the United States.
14. A) He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.
B) He doesn’t think high blood pressure is a problem for him.
C) He was not aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.
D) He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.
15. A) To investigate the causes of AIDS.
B) To raise money for AIDS patients.
C) To rally support for AIDS victims in Africa.
D) To draw attention to the spread of AIDS in Asia.
16. A) It has a very long history. B) It is a private institution.
C) It was founded by Thomas Jefferson. D) It stresses the comprehensive study of nature.
17. A) They can’t fit into the machine. B) They have not been delivered yet.
C) They were sent to the wrong address. D) They were found to be of the wrong type.
18. A) The food served in the cafeteria usually lacks variety.
B) The cafeteria sometimes provides rare food for the students.
C) The students find the service in the cafeteria satisfactory.
D) The cafeteria tries hard to cater to the students’ needs.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19 .A) He picked up some apples in his yard.
B) He cut some branches off the apple tree.
C) He quarreled with his neighbor over the fence.
D) He cleaned up all the garbage in the woman’s yard.
20. A) Trim the apple trees in her yard. B) Pick up the apples that fell in her yard. C) Take the garbage to the curb for her. D) Remove the branches from her yard.
21. A) File a lawsuit against the man. B) Ask the man for compensation.
C) Have the man’s apple tree cut down. D) Throw garbage into the man’s yard.
22. A) He was ready to make a concession. B) He was not intimidated.
C) He was not prepared to go to court. D) He was a bit concerned.
Questions 23 to 25are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. A) Bad weather. B) Human error.
C) Breakdown of the engines. D) Failure of the communications system.
24. A) Two thousand feet. B) Twelve thousand feet.
C) Twenty thousand feet. D) Twenty-two thousand feet.
25. A) Accurate communication is of utmost importance.
B) pilots should be able to speak several foreign languages.
C) Air controllers should keep a close watch on the weather.
D) Cooperation between pilots and air controllers is essential.
Section B
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Passage One
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
26. A) His father caught a serious disease. B) His mother passed away.
C) His mother left him to marry a rich businessman. D) His father took to drinking.
27. A) He disliked being disciplined. B) He was expelled by the university. C) He couldn’t pay his gambling debts. D) He enjoyed working for a magazine.
28. A) His poems are heavily influenced by French writers.
B) His stories are mainly set in the State of Virginia.
C) His work is difficult to read.
D) His language is not refined.
29. A) He grieved to death over the loss of his wife.
B) He committed suicide for unknown reasons.
C) He was shot dead at the age of 40.
D) He died of heavy drinking.
Passage Two
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
30. A) Women. B) Prisoners. C) Manual workers. D) School age children.
31. A) He taught his students how to pronounce the letters first.
B) He matched the letters with the sounds familiar to the learners.
C) He showed the learners how to combine the letters into simple words.
D) He divided the letters into groups according to the way they are written.
32. A) It Can help people to become literate within a short time.
B) It was originally designed for teaching the English language.
C) It enables the learners to master a language within three months.
D) It is effective in teaching any alphabetical language to Brazilians.
Passage Three
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. A) The crop’s blooming period is delayed. B) The roots of crops are cut off.
C) The topsoil is seriously damaged. D)The growth of weeds is accelerated.
34. A) It’s a new way of applying chemical fertilizer.
B) It’s an improved method of harvesting crops.
C) It’s a creative technique for saving labor.
D) It’s a farming process limiting the use of ploughs.
35. A) In areas with few weeds and unwanted plants.
B) In areas with a severe shortage of water.
C) In areas lacking in chemical fertilizer.
D) In areas dependent on imported food.
Section C
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-oldscould understand (36)____ and subtraction. Now, British research (37)____Graham Schafer has discovered that infants can learn words for uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that 9-month-old infants could be taught, through repeated show-and-tell, to (38)_______the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that(39)________in some ways the received (40)______that, apart from learning to (41)______things common to their daily lives, children don’t begin to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no (42)______that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are words linked to (43)______situations in the home,” explains Schafer.”(44)____________________________________________________with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.”
Figuring out how humans acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others, Schafer says, and could lead to better treatments for developmental problems. (45)____________________________________________________________. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Schafer. But parents eager to teach their infants should take note: (46)____________________________________________________ . “This is not about advancing development,” he says. “It’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.”
Part III Listening Comprehension
Section A
11. D 12. C 13. B 14. C 15. D 16. A 17. B 18. A 19. B 20.D 21. A 22. C 23. B 24.A 25. A
Section B
26. B 27. C 28.C 29.D 30. A 31. D 32. A 33. C 34.D 35. B
Section C
36. addition 37. psychologist 38. recognize 39. challenges 40. wisdom 41. identify 42. secret 43. specific
44. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them
45. What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn
46. Even without being taught new words, a control group caught up with the other infants within a few moths
大学英语六级考试12月24日新六级试题（听力部分文字稿）
Section A
11. M: I need to find a dentist; you said you know Dr. Smith well, do you recommend her?
W: Well, I had to see her a few times, but what impressed me most was the magazines in her waiting room.
Q: What does the woman imply ?
12. W: I’m afraid I can’t show you the apartment at the moment, because the tenant is still living in it. It’s really a lovely place with a big kitchen and a sunny window for only two hundred dollars a month.
M: Sounds good, but we really can’t rent an apartment without seeing it first.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
13. M: So, that’s what’s been keeping you so busy recently!
W: Yes, I’ve been tied up with (被缠住) my studies. You know I’m planning to go to the United States this coming summer, but I’m a bit nervous about my English.
Q: What is the woman busy doing ?
14. W: How did you feel when you found out you had high blood pressure?
M: Shocked! The problem for me was that there no symptoms (症状); it seemed to have sneaked up on (悄悄接近某人然后突然出现) me.
Q: What does the man mean?
15. W: So, you’re just back from a trip to India. What were you doing there?
M: The trip was intended to bring to the world’s attention the fact that AIDS is not just an African disease; it’s also endangering (危及) other countries , notably, India and Thailand.
Q: What was the purpose of the man’s trip to India?
16. M: It’s quite clear from my visit this is a full-size comprehensive (综合性的) university. So why is it still called a college?
W: The College of William and Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning (高等学府)in this country. We have nurtured (培养，培育) great minds like Thomas Jefferson and we’re proud of our name.
Q: What do we learn from this conversation about the College of William and Mary?
17. M: Have the parts we need for the photocopying machine arrived yet?
W: I ordered them last week, but something is holding them up (耽搁).
Q: What does the woman say about the part needed for the photocopying machine?
18. W: The cafeteria provided many kinds of dishes for us today. Did you notice that?
M: Yes. Kind of (有点) rare, isn’t it?
Q: What does the man imply?
Conversation One
W: Hello, Patrick, is that you?
M: Yeah Jane, what can I do for you ?
W: I was calling about the apple tree that you were trimming (修剪，剪枝) yesterday. (19)
M: That was hard work!
W: I’m sure it was. It sure looked difficult.
M: Yeah, I’m glad it’s finished. Hauling the branches to the front for garbage pickup was no fun either.
W: Well, I don’t think you’re quite finished yet; some of the larger branches fell over into my yard, and I think you should come and get them. (20)
M: Listen Jane, I don’t see why I should do that. You eat all the apples that fall in your yard and you’ve never complained about that before.
W: Well, it’s easier to pick up apples than to drag tree branches all the way to the curb. (20) My kids pick up the apples, and the branches are just too big for them to drag.
M: Well, I guess you’ll just have to do it yourself Jane.
W: Patrick, I wish you would reconsider (斟酌，再考虑). We’ve always gotten along fairly well, but I think you’re out of line here. The branches are your responsibility.
M: Sorry Jane, I disagree! You take the benefits of the apple tree, but refuse to deal with the bad side of it !
W: Get the branches off my property or I’ll have to sue you. (21)
M: Yeah? For what? You’re taking those law classes too seriously (太较真， 太当回事)! (22) I’ll gotta go, I have to pick up my son.
W: You’ll be hearing from me. M: Yeah, yeah. See you in court Jane.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. What did the man do yesterday?
20. What did the woman ask the man to do?
21. What did the woman threaten to do?
22. What was the man’s reaction to the woman’s threat?
Conversation Two
M: Did you hear about the air crash that occurred in South America recently? It was quite a tragic accident!
W: No, I didn’t see anything in the news about it. What happened?
M: A foreign airliner was attempting to land at night in a mountainous area of Argentina and flew into a hill!
W: That sounds really terrible! Did anyone survive?
M: No, everyone aboard, including the crew, was killed instantly.
W: What were the circumstances? Was there bad weather, a fire, or an engine failure?
M: Apparently, there were some low clouds in the area, but mostly it was just miscommunication between the pilots and the air traffic controllers.(23)
W: Weren’t they both speaking in English, the official international aviation (航空) language?
M: Yes, they were. But the transmission from poor-quality radios was slightly distorted (歪曲，曲解) and the accents of the Spanish speaking controllers were so strong that the pilots misunderstood a vital instruction.
W: How could a misunderstanding like that cause such a serious accident?
M: The pilots were told “Descend to 2-2, 000 feet.” The instruction actually meant 22,000 feet, but they thought they heard descend to 2,000 feet. That’s a huge difference, and it should have been confirmed, but it was not. Unfortunately, the terrain (地形，地势) of the mountains in that region extends up to 2,000 feet.(24)
W: So the pilots did descend to the wrong altitude (高度，海拔) then, thinking they were following the air controllers instructions.
M: Sadly enough, yes they did. It was a really bad mistake. Many people died as a result of this simple misunderstanding.W: Wow, that’s a powerful lesson in how important it can be to accurately communicate with each other.(25)
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. What was the cause of the tragedy?
24. How high are the mountains in the region?
25. What lesson could be drawn from the accident?
Section B
Passage One
Edgar Poe, an American writer, was born in 1809. His parents were actors. Edgar was a baby when his father left the family. He was two years old when his mother died. (26) He was taken into the home of a wealthy business man named John Allen. He then received his new name, Edgar Allen Poe. As a young man, Poe attended the University of Virginia. He was a good student, but he liked to drink alcohol and play card games for money. As an unskilled game player, he often lost money. Since he couldn’t pay his gambling losses, he left university (27) and began working for magazines. He worked hard, yet he was not well-paid, or well-known. A t the age of 27, he got married. For a time it seemed that Poe would find happiness, but his wife was sick for most of their marriage, and died in 1847. Through all his crises, Poe produced many stories and poems which appeared in different publications, yet he didn’t become famous until 1845, when his poem, The Raven, was published. There is a question, however, about Poe’s importance in American literature. Some critics say Poe was one of America’s best writers, but others disagree. They say Poe’s work is difficult to understand (28) and most of his writing describes very unpleasant situations and events. Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 when he was 40 years old. It is said that he was found dead after days of heavy drinking. (29)
26. What happened to Edgar Allen Poe’s family when he was only two years old?
27．Why did Edgar Allen Poe leave the University of Virginia?
28．What do some critics say about Edgar Allen Poe?
29．How did Edgar Allen Poe’s life come to an end?
Passage Two
More than fifty years ago, the United Nations declared that literacy is a basic human right. It’s very important for improving the lives of individuals. However, it is estimated that 880 million adults around the world are illiterate, that is, they are unable to read or write. A majority of them are women. (30) More than 110 million school age children in the world do not attend school. Many others complete school or fail to finish their studies without learning to read or write. Many countries depend on the efforts of people who offer their time to help illiterate individuals. For example, John Mogger became concerned about the problem of illiteracy three years ago, so he started teaching five prisoners in Brazil. In his teaching, he developed a system with this group of prisoners. He says his way of teaching can help anyone learn how to read and write with about thirty hours of study. (32) To learn his system, people must first know how to write letters of the alphabet (字母表) and learn which sounds they represent. The system divides letters into three groups . The first group of letters can be written between two lines. The second can be written between two lines but part of the letter is above the top line. The third group has letters that are partly written below the lower line. (31) John Mogger taught his students to write simple words from the letters. In this way, his students learned more than seven hundred words. Many of them can now write to family members. They also can read newspapers and magazines.
30. According to the speaker, which group of people make up the illiterate population?
31．What is the most important feature of John Mogger’s method of teaching the alphabet?
32．What does John Mogger say about his teaching method?
Passage Three
Farmers usually use ploughs to prepare their fields for planting crops. Ploughs cut into the ground, and lift up weeds, and other unwanted plants. However, ploughing is blamed for causing severe damage to topsoil by removing the plants that protect the soil from being blown or washed away. (33) Many farmers in South Asia are now trying a process called Low Till Farming. Low Till Farming limits the use of ploughs. (34) in this method of farming seeds and fertilizer are put into the soil through small cuts made in the surface of the ground. Low Till Agriculture leaves much or all the soil and remains of plants on the ground. They serve as a natural fertilizer and help support the roots of future crops. They take in rain and allow it to flow into the soil instead of running off. It has been proved that Low Till Farming increases harvests and reduces water use, and this method reduces the need for chemical products because there are fewer unwanted plants. Scientists say Low Till Farming is becoming popular in South Asia, which is facing a severe water shortage. (35) They say the area will become dependent in imported food unless water is saved through methods like Low Till Farming. Currently, more than 150 million people in South Asia depend on local rice and wheat crops. Farmers grow rice during wet weather. During the dry season they grow wheat in the same fields. Farmers are using the Low Till method to plant wheat after harvesting rice. Scientists say Low Till Agriculture is one of the best examples in the world of technologies working for both people and the environment.
33. What is the main problem caused by the usual way of ploughing?
34．What does the speaker say about Low Till Farming?
35．Where is Low Till Farming becoming popular?
Section C
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-oldscould understand (36) addition and subtraction. Now, British research (37) psychologist Graham Schafer has discovered that infants can learn words for uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that 9-month-oldinfants could be taught, through repeated show-and-tell, to (38) recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that (39) challenges in some ways the received (40)wisdom that, apart from learning to (41)identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t begin to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no (42) secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are words linked to (43)specific situations in the home,” explains Schafer.” (44)This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will earn and they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.” Figuring out how humans acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others, Schafer says, and could lead to better treatments for developmental problems. (45) What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Schafer. But parents eager to teach their infants should take note: (46) Even without being taught new words, a control group caught up with the other infants within a few moths . “This is not about advancing development,” he says. “It’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.”
Part III Listening Comprehension (35 minutes)注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
11.A) Dr. Smith’s waiting room isn’t tidy. B) Dr. Smith enjoys reading magazines. C) Dr. Smith has left a good impression on her. D) Dr. Smith may not be a good choice.
12. A) The man will rent the apartment when it is available.
B) The man made a bargain with the landlady over the rent.
C) The man insists on having a look at the apartment first.
D) The man is not fully satisfied with the apartment.
13. A) Packing up to go abroad. B) Brushing up on her English.
C) Drawing up a plan for her English course. D) Applying for a visa to the United States.
14. A) He is anxious to find a cure for his high blood pressure.
B) He doesn’t think high blood pressure is a problem for him.
C) He was not aware of his illness until diagnosed with it.
D) He did not take the symptoms of his illness seriously.
15. A) To investigate the causes of AIDS.
B) To raise money for AIDS patients.
C) To rally support for AIDS victims in Africa.
D) To draw attention to the spread of AIDS in Asia.
16. A) It has a very long history. B) It is a private institution.
C) It was founded by Thomas Jefferson. D) It stresses the comprehensive study of nature.
17. A) They can’t fit into the machine. B) They have not been delivered yet.
C) They were sent to the wrong address. D) They were found to be of the wrong type.
18. A) The food served in the cafeteria usually lacks variety.
B) The cafeteria sometimes provides rare food for the students.
C) The students find the service in the cafeteria satisfactory.
D) The cafeteria tries hard to cater to the students’ needs.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19 .A) He picked up some apples in his yard.
B) He cut some branches off the apple tree.
C) He quarreled with his neighbor over the fence.
D) He cleaned up all the garbage in the woman’s yard.
20. A) Trim the apple trees in her yard. B) Pick up the apples that fell in her yard. C) Take the garbage to the curb for her. D) Remove the branches from her yard.
21. A) File a lawsuit against the man. B) Ask the man for compensation.
C) Have the man’s apple tree cut down. D) Throw garbage into the man’s yard.
22. A) He was ready to make a concession. B) He was not intimidated.
C) He was not prepared to go to court. D) He was a bit concerned.
Questions 23 to 25are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. A) Bad weather. B) Human error.
C) Breakdown of the engines. D) Failure of the communications system.
24. A) Two thousand feet. B) Twelve thousand feet.
C) Twenty thousand feet. D) Twenty-two thousand feet.
25. A) Accurate communication is of utmost importance.
B) pilots should be able to speak several foreign languages.
C) Air controllers should keep a close watch on the weather.
D) Cooperation between pilots and air controllers is essential.
Section B
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Passage One
Questions 26 to 29 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
26. A) His father caught a serious disease. B) His mother passed away.
C) His mother left him to marry a rich businessman. D) His father took to drinking.
27. A) He disliked being disciplined. B) He was expelled by the university. C) He couldn’t pay his gambling debts. D) He enjoyed working for a magazine.
28. A) His poems are heavily influenced by French writers.
B) His stories are mainly set in the State of Virginia.
C) His work is difficult to read.
D) His language is not refined.
29. A) He grieved to death over the loss of his wife.
B) He committed suicide for unknown reasons.
C) He was shot dead at the age of 40.
D) He died of heavy drinking.
Passage Two
Questions 30 to 32 are based on the passage you have just heard.
30. A) Women. B) Prisoners. C) Manual workers. D) School age children.
31. A) He taught his students how to pronounce the letters first.
B) He matched the letters with the sounds familiar to the learners.
C) He showed the learners how to combine the letters into simple words.
D) He divided the letters into groups according to the way they are written.
32. A) It Can help people to become literate within a short time.
B) It was originally designed for teaching the English language.
C) It enables the learners to master a language within three months.
D) It is effective in teaching any alphabetical language to Brazilians.
Passage Three
Questions 33 to 35 are based on the passage you have just heard.
33. A) The crop’s blooming period is delayed. B) The roots of crops are cut off.
C) The topsoil is seriously damaged. D)The growth of weeds is accelerated.
34. A) It’s a new way of applying chemical fertilizer.
B) It’s an improved method of harvesting crops.
C) It’s a creative technique for saving labor.
D) It’s a farming process limiting the use of ploughs.
35. A) In areas with few weeds and unwanted plants.
B) In areas with a severe shortage of water.
C) In areas lacking in chemical fertilizer.
D) In areas dependent on imported food.
Section C
注意：此部分试题请在答题卡2上作答。
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-oldscould understand (36)____ and subtraction. Now, British research (37)____Graham Schafer has discovered that infants can learn words for uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that 9-month-old infants could be taught, through repeated show-and-tell, to (38)_______the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that(39)________in some ways the received (40)______that, apart from learning to (41)______things common to their daily lives, children don’t begin to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no (42)______that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are words linked to (43)______situations in the home,” explains Schafer.”(44)____________________________________________________with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.”
Figuring out how humans acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others, Schafer says, and could lead to better treatments for developmental problems. (45)____________________________________________________________. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Schafer. But parents eager to teach their infants should take note: (46)____________________________________________________ . “This is not about advancing development,” he says. “It’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.”
Part III Listening Comprehension
Section A
11. D 12. C 13. B 14. C 15. D 16. A 17. B 18. A 19. B 20.D 21. A 22. C 23. B 24.A 25. A
Section B
26. B 27. C 28.C 29.D 30. A 31. D 32. A 33. C 34.D 35. B
Section C
36. addition 37. psychologist 38. recognize 39. challenges 40. wisdom 41. identify 42. secret 43. specific
44. This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will learn and that they can respond to them
45. What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn
46. Even without being taught new words, a control group caught up with the other infants within a few moths
大学英语六级考试12月24日新六级试题（听力部分文字稿）
Section A
11. M: I need to find a dentist; you said you know Dr. Smith well, do you recommend her?
W: Well, I had to see her a few times, but what impressed me most was the magazines in her waiting room.
Q: What does the woman imply ?
12. W: I’m afraid I can’t show you the apartment at the moment, because the tenant is still living in it. It’s really a lovely place with a big kitchen and a sunny window for only two hundred dollars a month.
M: Sounds good, but we really can’t rent an apartment without seeing it first.
Q: What do we learn from the conversation?
13. M: So, that’s what’s been keeping you so busy recently!
W: Yes, I’ve been tied up with (被缠住) my studies. You know I’m planning to go to the United States this coming summer, but I’m a bit nervous about my English.
Q: What is the woman busy doing ?
14. W: How did you feel when you found out you had high blood pressure?
M: Shocked! The problem for me was that there no symptoms (症状); it seemed to have sneaked up on (悄悄接近某人然后突然出现) me.
Q: What does the man mean?
15. W: So, you’re just back from a trip to India. What were you doing there?
M: The trip was intended to bring to the world’s attention the fact that AIDS is not just an African disease; it’s also endangering (危及) other countries , notably, India and Thailand.
Q: What was the purpose of the man’s trip to India?
16. M: It’s quite clear from my visit this is a full-size comprehensive (综合性的) university. So why is it still called a college?
W: The College of William and Mary is the second oldest institution of higher learning (高等学府)in this country. We have nurtured (培养，培育) great minds like Thomas Jefferson and we’re proud of our name.
Q: What do we learn from this conversation about the College of William and Mary?
17. M: Have the parts we need for the photocopying machine arrived yet?
W: I ordered them last week, but something is holding them up (耽搁).
Q: What does the woman say about the part needed for the photocopying machine?
18. W: The cafeteria provided many kinds of dishes for us today. Did you notice that?
M: Yes. Kind of (有点) rare, isn’t it?
Q: What does the man imply?
Conversation One
W: Hello, Patrick, is that you?
M: Yeah Jane, what can I do for you ?
W: I was calling about the apple tree that you were trimming (修剪，剪枝) yesterday. (19)
M: That was hard work!
W: I’m sure it was. It sure looked difficult.
M: Yeah, I’m glad it’s finished. Hauling the branches to the front for garbage pickup was no fun either.
W: Well, I don’t think you’re quite finished yet; some of the larger branches fell over into my yard, and I think you should come and get them. (20)
M: Listen Jane, I don’t see why I should do that. You eat all the apples that fall in your yard and you’ve never complained about that before.
W: Well, it’s easier to pick up apples than to drag tree branches all the way to the curb. (20) My kids pick up the apples, and the branches are just too big for them to drag.
M: Well, I guess you’ll just have to do it yourself Jane.
W: Patrick, I wish you would reconsider (斟酌，再考虑). We’ve always gotten along fairly well, but I think you’re out of line here. The branches are your responsibility.
M: Sorry Jane, I disagree! You take the benefits of the apple tree, but refuse to deal with the bad side of it !
W: Get the branches off my property or I’ll have to sue you. (21)
M: Yeah? For what? You’re taking those law classes too seriously (太较真， 太当回事)! (22) I’ll gotta go, I have to pick up my son.
W: You’ll be hearing from me. M: Yeah, yeah. See you in court Jane.
Questions 19 to 22 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
19. What did the man do yesterday?
20. What did the woman ask the man to do?
21. What did the woman threaten to do?
22. What was the man’s reaction to the woman’s threat?
Conversation Two
M: Did you hear about the air crash that occurred in South America recently? It was quite a tragic accident!
W: No, I didn’t see anything in the news about it. What happened?
M: A foreign airliner was attempting to land at night in a mountainous area of Argentina and flew into a hill!
W: That sounds really terrible! Did anyone survive?
M: No, everyone aboard, including the crew, was killed instantly.
W: What were the circumstances? Was there bad weather, a fire, or an engine failure?
M: Apparently, there were some low clouds in the area, but mostly it was just miscommunication between the pilots and the air traffic controllers.(23)
W: Weren’t they both speaking in English, the official international aviation (航空) language?
M: Yes, they were. But the transmission from poor-quality radios was slightly distorted (歪曲，曲解) and the accents of the Spanish speaking controllers were so strong that the pilots misunderstood a vital instruction.
W: How could a misunderstanding like that cause such a serious accident?
M: The pilots were told “Descend to 2-2, 000 feet.” The instruction actually meant 22,000 feet, but they thought they heard descend to 2,000 feet. That’s a huge difference, and it should have been confirmed, but it was not. Unfortunately, the terrain (地形，地势) of the mountains in that region extends up to 2,000 feet.(24)
W: So the pilots did descend to the wrong altitude (高度，海拔) then, thinking they were following the air controllers instructions.
M: Sadly enough, yes they did. It was a really bad mistake. Many people died as a result of this simple misunderstanding.W: Wow, that’s a powerful lesson in how important it can be to accurately communicate with each other.(25)
Questions 23 to 25 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
23. What was the cause of the tragedy?
24. How high are the mountains in the region?
25. What lesson could be drawn from the accident?
Section B
Passage One
Edgar Poe, an American writer, was born in 1809. His parents were actors. Edgar was a baby when his father left the family. He was two years old when his mother died. (26) He was taken into the home of a wealthy business man named John Allen. He then received his new name, Edgar Allen Poe. As a young man, Poe attended the University of Virginia. He was a good student, but he liked to drink alcohol and play card games for money. As an unskilled game player, he often lost money. Since he couldn’t pay his gambling losses, he left university (27) and began working for magazines. He worked hard, yet he was not well-paid, or well-known. A t the age of 27, he got married. For a time it seemed that Poe would find happiness, but his wife was sick for most of their marriage, and died in 1847. Through all his crises, Poe produced many stories and poems which appeared in different publications, yet he didn’t become famous until 1845, when his poem, The Raven, was published. There is a question, however, about Poe’s importance in American literature. Some critics say Poe was one of America’s best writers, but others disagree. They say Poe’s work is difficult to understand (28) and most of his writing describes very unpleasant situations and events. Edgar Allen Poe died in 1849 when he was 40 years old. It is said that he was found dead after days of heavy drinking. (29)
26. What happened to Edgar Allen Poe’s family when he was only two years old?
27．Why did Edgar Allen Poe leave the University of Virginia?
28．What do some critics say about Edgar Allen Poe?
29．How did Edgar Allen Poe’s life come to an end?
Passage Two
More than fifty years ago, the United Nations declared that literacy is a basic human right. It’s very important for improving the lives of individuals. However, it is estimated that 880 million adults around the world are illiterate, that is, they are unable to read or write. A majority of them are women. (30) More than 110 million school age children in the world do not attend school. Many others complete school or fail to finish their studies without learning to read or write. Many countries depend on the efforts of people who offer their time to help illiterate individuals. For example, John Mogger became concerned about the problem of illiteracy three years ago, so he started teaching five prisoners in Brazil. In his teaching, he developed a system with this group of prisoners. He says his way of teaching can help anyone learn how to read and write with about thirty hours of study. (32) To learn his system, people must first know how to write letters of the alphabet (字母表) and learn which sounds they represent. The system divides letters into three groups . The first group of letters can be written between two lines. The second can be written between two lines but part of the letter is above the top line. The third group has letters that are partly written below the lower line. (31) John Mogger taught his students to write simple words from the letters. In this way, his students learned more than seven hundred words. Many of them can now write to family members. They also can read newspapers and magazines.
30. According to the speaker, which group of people make up the illiterate population?
31．What is the most important feature of John Mogger’s method of teaching the alphabet?
32．What does John Mogger say about his teaching method?
Passage Three
Farmers usually use ploughs to prepare their fields for planting crops. Ploughs cut into the ground, and lift up weeds, and other unwanted plants. However, ploughing is blamed for causing severe damage to topsoil by removing the plants that protect the soil from being blown or washed away. (33) Many farmers in South Asia are now trying a process called Low Till Farming. Low Till Farming limits the use of ploughs. (34) in this method of farming seeds and fertilizer are put into the soil through small cuts made in the surface of the ground. Low Till Agriculture leaves much or all the soil and remains of plants on the ground. They serve as a natural fertilizer and help support the roots of future crops. They take in rain and allow it to flow into the soil instead of running off. It has been proved that Low Till Farming increases harvests and reduces water use, and this method reduces the need for chemical products because there are fewer unwanted plants. Scientists say Low Till Farming is becoming popular in South Asia, which is facing a severe water shortage. (35) They say the area will become dependent in imported food unless water is saved through methods like Low Till Farming. Currently, more than 150 million people in South Asia depend on local rice and wheat crops. Farmers grow rice during wet weather. During the dry season they grow wheat in the same fields. Farmers are using the Low Till method to plant wheat after harvesting rice. Scientists say Low Till Agriculture is one of the best examples in the world of technologies working for both people and the environment.
33. What is the main problem caused by the usual way of ploughing?
34．What does the speaker say about Low Till Farming?
35．Where is Low Till Farming becoming popular?
Section C
Adults are getting smarter about how smart babies are. Not long ago, researchers learned that 4-day-oldscould understand (36) addition and subtraction. Now, British research (37) psychologist Graham Schafer has discovered that infants can learn words for uncommon things long before they can speak. He found that 9-month-oldinfants could be taught, through repeated show-and-tell, to (38) recognize the names of objects that were foreign to them, a result that (39) challenges in some ways the received (40)wisdom that, apart from learning to (41)identify things common to their daily lives, children don’t begin to build vocabulary until well into their second year. “It’s no (42) secret that children learn words, but the words they tend to know are words linked to (43)specific situations in the home,” explains Schafer.” (44)This is the first demonstration that we can choose what words the children will earn and they can respond to them with an unfamiliar voice giving instructions in an unfamiliar setting.” Figuring out how humans acquire language may shed light on why some children learn to read and write later than others, Schafer says, and could lead to better treatments for developmental problems. (45) What’s more, the study of language acquisition offers direct insight into how humans learn. “Language is a test case for human cognitive development,” says Schafer. But parents eager to teach their infants should take note: (46) Even without being taught new words, a control group caught up with the other infants within a few moths . “This is not about advancing development,” he says. “It’s just about what children can do at an earlier age than what educators have often thought.” | 2024-06-23T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4067 |
Q:
Create an array from Image
I have an image (taken from my cell phone camera or maybe drawn in paint on my pc) in which I have white background and drawn lines inside a rectangular figure. I am only considered about the stuff inside the rectangle including it's boundary.
Now I want to create an array out of this such that for all the lines the array should have value 1 and for all the free space array should have 0.
I am working on ubuntu and once the array's been created, I use it further in my C program.
Any leads on what software can I use for this? I heard about imagemagick, will that be helpful?
Kindly help.
Thanks.
A:
I would follow those steps:
Load image (whatever format) with an image processing library. I propose CImg as an easy-to-use library.
Apply threshold image and create a b&w version. Here there can be some noise and you may have to play with the threshold value.
Detect the large rectangle (this is somewhat tricky) and crop its inside.
Now converting to an array should be easy, just be iterating the pixels and checking if it's black or white.
| 2024-05-08T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4349 |
New year; new cabinet? Theresa May is expected to announce her latest reshuffle this week - and could there be some tough news for Surrey's highest profile MPs?
With the Westminster rumour mill in full swing, there are mounting suggestions Mrs May's latest rejig could see some significant changes among cabinet ministers.
Surrey is somewhat unique in that it has a number of senior politicians who could be getting hot under the collar if the Prime Minister is plotting to freshen up her front bench.
From environment secretary Michael Gove , who made come back worthy of Lazarus last year, to Jeremy Hunt , who is set to become Britain's longest serving health secretary, which Surrey MPs have cause to be concerned about their role in the forthcoming reshuffle?
Read More
Last autumn, Tory MP Nadine Dorries said: "If I were Prime Minister, the person I would be demoting or sacking would be Philip Hammond. I think she very much wanted to do that before the election.
"I don't think he has been totally on board, I think he has been deliberately trying to make the Brexit negotiations difficult, stall them, obfuscate the issues."
Jeremy Hunt
South West Surrey MP Mr Hunt is set to become Britain's longest serving health sec (Image: Daily Mirror)
Dubbed the "great reshuffle survivor" , the South West Surrey MP is set to become Britain's longest serving health secretary since the dawn of the NHS, which was established in 1948 during the tenure of Aneurin Bevan.
Jeremy Hunt passed the five-year milestone in 2017 after he managed to retain the position in Mrs May's snap election reshuffle, but could things things change this year?
Read More
Chris Grayling
Grayling has been accused of misleading parliament (Image: Daily Mirror)
Transport secretary Chris Grayling could be the Surrey MP in the most danger after Lord Adonis called for his resignation.
Speaking to The Observer , Lord Adonis slammed the Epsom and Ewell MP following accusations he mislead parliament over the early termination of the East Coast rail franchise as it emerged the operator had been due to pay the Treasury more than £2 billion.
Read More
Lord Adonis, who resigned as head of the government-backed National Infrastructure Commission last week, said the decision has landed taxpayers with a potential bill running into billions and will lead to higher fares and less investment in the network.
This has prompted further criticism as one member of the public told Get Surrey Mr Grayling should be sacked for the "unacceptable rise in rail fares" and his support for Heathrow's controversial third runway.
Sam Gyimah
East Surrey MP Sam Gyimah has been parliamentary under secretary of state for prisons and probation since 2016 and is responsible for matters concerning prison reform, extremism, public protections and foreign national offenders.
There may be a few question marks over his role - what has he actually done to reform Britain's prison and probation system?
According to the government, Mr Gyimah introduced increased security measures in prisons, proposed increasing dangerous driving sentences and pardoned thousands of gay and bisexual men who were previously convicted under now abolished sexual offence laws.
Anne Milton
Could the former nurse become the next Health Secretary? (Image: Surrey Advertiser) | 2024-05-16T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9674 |
.\" **************************************************************************
.\" * _ _ ____ _
.\" * Project ___| | | | _ \| |
.\" * / __| | | | |_) | |
.\" * | (__| |_| | _ <| |___
.\" * \___|\___/|_| \_\_____|
.\" *
.\" * Copyright (C) 1998 - 2018, Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.
.\" *
.\" * This software is licensed as described in the file COPYING, which
.\" * you should have received as part of this distribution. The terms
.\" * are also available at https://curl.haxx.se/docs/copyright.html.
.\" *
.\" * You may opt to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute and/or sell
.\" * copies of the Software, and permit persons to whom the Software is
.\" * furnished to do so, under the terms of the COPYING file.
.\" *
.\" * This software is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY
.\" * KIND, either express or implied.
.\" *
.\" **************************************************************************
.\"
.TH CURLOPT_DISALLOW_USERNAME_IN_URL 3 "February 25, 2018" "libcurl 7.61.1" "curl_easy_setopt options"
.SH NAME
CURLOPT_DISALLOW_USERNAME_IN_URL \- disallow specifying username in the url
.SH SYNOPSIS
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_DISALLOW_USERNAME_IN_URL, long disallow);
.SH DESCRIPTION
A long parameter set to 1 tells the library to not allow URLs that include a
username.
.SH DEFAULT
0 (disabled) - user names are allowed by default.
.SH PROTOCOLS
Several
.SH EXAMPLE
.nf
CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
if(curl) {
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "http://example.com");
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_DISALLOW_USERNAME_IN_URL, 1L);
curl_easy_perform(curl);
}
.fi
.SH AVAILABILITY
Added in libcurl 7.61.0
.SH RETURN VALUE
Returns CURLE_OK if the option is supported, and CURLE_UNKNOWN_OPTION if not.
curl_easy_perform() will return CURLE_LOGIN_DENIED if this option is enabled
and a URL containing a username is specified.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR libcurl-security "(3), ", CURLOPT_PROTOCOLS "(3)"
| 2024-04-02T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4106 |
Sensitivity of human glioma cells to cytotoxic heteroconjugates.
Several anti-human glioma cytotoxic conjugates were studied in vitro. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the GE2 glioma-associated antigen (anti-GE 2) and MAbs to HLA-DR antigens (D1/12) or human diferric transferrin (Tfn) were linked to the potent cytotoxin ricin (anti-GE 2-ricin) or to its A subunit (anti-GE 2-RTA, D1/12-RTA, Tfn-RTA). Anti-GE 2-RTA had low cytotoxic activity in both the absence and the presence of lysosomotropic substances inhibiting intracellular degradation. Anti-GE 2-ricin was about 1,000 times more toxic than RTA alone, but showed only 14-fold target specificity. D1/12-RTA was about 20 times more toxic than RTA and its cytotoxic effect increased about 6- to 7-fold when cell-surface HLA-DR antigen expression was enhanced by IFN-gamma treatment. Human diferric Tfn linked to RTA demonstrated the highest cytotoxic activity, being about 5,000 times more toxic than RTA alone for glioma cells and about 6,000 times more toxic for Jurkat cells in the presence of the carboxylic ionofore monensin. Ricin toxin was only about 5 times more toxic for Jurkat and glioma cells than Tfn-RTA-monensin. Tfn-RTA was over 100,000 times more potent than the chemotherapeutic agent BCNU in reducing glioma cell survival in vitro. Addition of 80% human pooled cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) reduced Tfn-RTA toxicity about 10-fold. Kinetics of Tfn-RTA cytotoxicity at non-saturating concentrations indicated that over 80% of target cells could be killed within 8-10 hr in the absence and within 10-12 hr in the presence of human pooled CSF. | 2024-02-06T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4300 |
INCLUDES = \
-I$(top_srcdir)/glib \
-I$(top_builddir)/glib \
$(GTK_TEST_CFLAGS) \
$(POPPLER_GLIB_DISABLE_DEPRECATED) \
-DGTK_DISABLE_DEPRECATED \
$(POPPLER_GLIB_DISABLE_SINGLE_INCLUDES)
AM_LDFLAGS = @auto_import_flags@
if BUILD_GTK_TEST
bin_PROGRAMS = poppler-glib-demo
endif
poppler_glib_demo_SOURCES = \
main.c \
annots.h \
annots.c \
attachments.c \
attachments.h \
find.h \
find.c \
fonts.h \
fonts.c \
forms.h \
forms.c \
images.h \
images.c \
info.h \
info.cc \
layers.h \
layers.c \
links.h \
links.c \
outline.h \
outline.c \
page.h \
page.c \
print.h \
print.c \
render.h \
render.c \
selections.h \
selections.c \
text.h \
text.c \
transitions.h \
transitions.c \
utils.h \
utils.c
LDADD = \
$(top_builddir)/glib/libpoppler-glib.la \
$(top_builddir)/poppler/libpoppler.la \
$(GTK_TEST_LIBS)
| 2024-04-11T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3652 |
Mr. Merwin’s ardor for the natural world took frequent root in his poetry. But while for many poets nature begets odes, for him it was far more likely to inspire elegies. In “For a Coming Extinction,” part of his acclaimed 1967 verse collection, “The Lice,” he wrote:
Gray whale
Now that we are sending you to The End
That great god
Tell him
That we who follow you invented forgiveness
And forgive nothing
I write as though you could understand
And I could say it
One must always pretend something
Among the dying
When you have left the seas nodding on their stalks
Empty of you
Tell him that we were made
On another day
Stylistically, Mr. Merwin’s mature work was known for metrical promiscuity; stark, sometimes epigrammatic language; and the frequent use of enjambment — the poetic device in which a phrase breaks over two consecutive lines, without intervening punctuation.
“It is as though the voice filters up to the reader like echoes from a very deep well, and yet it strikes his ear with a raw energy,” the poet and critic Laurence Lieberman wrote, discussing “The Lice,” a collection whose bitter contents were widely understood as a denunciation of the Vietnam War. He added:
“The poems must be read very slowly, since most of their uncanny power is hidden in overtones that must be listened for in silences between lines, and still stranger silences within lines.”
The themes that preoccupied Mr. Merwin most keenly were those that haunt nearly every poet: the earth, the sea and their myriad creatures; the cycle of the seasons; myth and spirituality (he was a practicing Buddhist); personal history and memory; and, above all, life and its damnable evanescence.
Yet there was about his work an intensity of purpose — heightened by a formal style not quite like anyone else’s — that, his champions maintained, gave it a fervor often described as oracular. A “post-Presbyterian Zen poet and channeler of ancient paradoxes,” The Los Angeles Times called him in 2007.
In “Leviathan,” from his 1956 collection, “Green With Beasts,” Mr. Merwin evokes the epic verse of old through his strategic use of alliteration, the central organizing principle of Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse poetry:
The hulk of him is like hills heaving
Dark, yet as crags of drift-ice, crowns cracking in thunder,
Like land’s self by night black-looming, surf churning and trailing
Along his shores’ rushing, shoal-water boding
About the dark of his jaws; and who should moor at his edge
And fare on afoot would find gates of no gardens,
But the hill of dark underfoot diving,
Closing overhead, the cold deep, and drowning.
Some critics indicted Mr. Merwin’s later work for trafficking in a level of abstraction bordering on the obscure. It was rendered even less accessible, they complained, by the fact that by the late 1960s he had jettisoned punctuation almost entirely. (Mr. Merwin had his reasons, which spoke to the very heart of his lifelong poetic program.) | 2024-03-12T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6532 |
History of Medicine
Early Medical Guides in New Spain
Medical care in New Spain (early Mexico) was heavily influenced by Catholic religious orders and missionaries during the Spanish colonization of the Americas beginning in 1492 and continuing into the 19th century. Caring for the sick was part of the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy (charitable acts of mercy for bodily needs) outlined in the Bible and carried out by priests and lay members of the church. Tending to the medical needs of the poor and underserved fell naturally into the hands of these religious missionaries as a part of their "works of mercy" and they became the main source of medical care for many indigenous peoples.
Members of the Jesuit and Augustinian religious orders ministered to people in remote regions of New Spain where access to formally trained doctors was rare or non-existent. In addition to tending to the spiritual needs of the people, priests and lay members of these religious orders tended to the people's medical needs. It is, therefore, not surprising that many of the first medical books in New Spain were written by religious missionaries and by doctors who joined the religious life later in their lives. Many of these medical guides were infused with words of faith and dedications to the Virgin Mary, in addition to details on diagnosing and treating illnesses.
The fusion of faith, religion, and medicine was inevitable. As religion and medicine were intertwined over hundreds of years as a result of medical treatment administered by priests of religious orders, the early medical guides written by them, and the merging of Catholic and indigenous religious traditions, it is not surprising that faith and healing played such an important role in everyday life.
Friar Augustin Farfán, a member of the Augustinian religious order, authored two important medical texts: Tratado Breve de Medicina, (A Brief Treatise on Medicine) published in 1579, and Tractado breve de anothomia y chirugia, y de algunas enfemedades (Brief Treatise on Anatomy and Surgery, and of some illnesses), published in 1592.
A Spanish doctor by profession, Pedro Garcia Farfán was admired as an excellent surgeon and served as a family doctor to King Philip II of Spain. By 1568, he had joined the Augustinian Order, became known as Augustin Farfán, and traveled to the new Spanish colony. Tratado Breve de Medicina was one of the earliest medical guides of New Spain and was instrumental in helping treat many new diseases that afflicted indigenous peoples as a result of the introduction of these illnesses by Spanish settlers.
Tratado Breve de Medicina consists of four parts and an alphabetical index of diseases. The first part discusses the ailments of the stomach. The second part deals with methods to cure wounds of the mouth, throat, eyes, and the treatment for the common cold. In addition, Farfán criticizes formally trained physicians referring to them as "matasanos" or "bad doctors". The third part focuses on blood ailments while part four deals with both simple and complex sores, wounds of the head, stomach ulcers, and bladder problems. An index of diseases is provided at the end of the book.
Tratado Breve de Medicina first introduced the therapeutic uses of cocoa to Europe.
One year before the publication of Friar Augustin Farfán's Tratado Breve de Medicina, another important medical book was published, Summa y Recopilación de Cirugía (Sum and Compilation of Surgery) by Alonzo Lopez de Hinojosos.
Alonzo Lopez de Hinojosos, a Spanish physician, came to Mexico in 1567, and later in his life joined the Jesuit religious order. He is believed to be the first surgeon in New Spain and his book, Summa y Recopilación de Cirugía, the first treatise of surgery on the American continent. Summa y Recopilación de Cirugía is a combination of traditional European and indigenous medicine and provides remedies for diseases as well as instruction on traditional treatments such as purging.
Juan de Esteynefer, a Jesuit clergy in New Spain, authored one of the most influential medical guides in Latin America. Born in Europe, Johannes Steinhöffer arrived in Mexico in the late 1690's, and became known as Juan de Esteynefer. As a Jesuit clergyman, Esteynefer served the indigenous peoples in northern Mexico. After seeing the lack of medical care available in these remote areas and recognizing the suffering of the people, Esteynefer was moved to create an instructional medical guide to assist other Jesuit clergy and missionaries in caring for the medical needs of these indigenous communities. As he states in the subtitle of his book, Florilegio Medicinal,
"Of all illnesses, drawn from various and classical authors, for the good of the poor, and for those who lack doctors, in particular for the remote provinces, where the missionaries of the Company of Jesus [Jesuits] administer."
Florilegio Medicinal, first published in 1712 (Mexico), combines European medical knowledge with knowledge of indigenous herbs and medicinals of Mexico and was written in an understandable and accessible language. It is composed of three books or sections: Medicine, Surgery, and Drugs.
"Libro Primero", the first book, is an anthology of medicine providing information on causes and symptoms of
diseases and illnesses.
"Libro Segundo", the second book, is a "short epitome of medicine and surgery and the treatment of various tumors, wounds, ulcers, fractures, dislocation, bleeding, breathing, and leeches."
"Libro Tercero", the third and last book, is a catalog of drugs and how to compose and use them, including an alphabetically listing of drugs at the back of the book.
Florilegio Medicinal's popularity resulted in the reprinting of this medical guide four times during the 18th century and again in the 19th and 20th century. It was still being used as late as the 1970's by some folk healers in Mexico. | 2024-04-18T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9404 |
It was working fine for about two days--and then pulled down this WU that it doesn't know how to deal with.
Click to expand...
Normally deleting the work folder does the trick, but it sounds like it just reassigned another P762x to you. They have had problems lately with WU's being assigned to the wrong clients. Most likely, you will just have to give them time.
You may need to let them know like the following thread: http://foldingforum.org/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=23054
I just noticed that one of my WU's is 20+ hours old, and that's on one of my 560 Ti's. Looking into it further, I discovered that there have been various failures but the WU just keeps restarting. I have not seen that before.
I just noticed that one of my WU's is 20+ hours old, and that's on one of my 560 Ti's. Looking into it further, I discovered that there have been various failures but the WU just keeps restarting. I have not seen that before.
Click to expand...
That is truly weird. Is your nvidia driver up-to-date? Perhaps you need to back off your overclock a bit. I know I had to on those 7623's. One of my cards -the cheap bottom of the line Zotac - got too hot. If you're brave (I'm not) try bumping the voltage a bit. Just my 2 cents. | 2024-03-07T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9564 |
French Website Honoring the historic potato community of Saint-Alban d'Ay:The potato was known under the name of truffole, and it is about 1540, in our High-Vivarais, on the territory of the village of Saint-Alban d'Ay, hamlet of Bocuze, at three miles of Annonay, that this tuber was sown the first time in the Kingdom, having been imported by a monk franciscain of Tolede in Spain, named Pierre Sornas, native of Bocuze, which very old had been withdrawn in his family...In La Truffole en France by Charles du Faure de Saint Sylvestre- 1785
Tubers naturally mature as the plant senesces. With the improved production methods, potato vines remain healthy and green longer into the season. It is argued that for proper tuber maturity at harvest, vine desiccation is necessary.
High in the Andes, BBC reporter Euan McIlwraith meets a man spraying his potatoes. He has no protective equipment. His hands and shoulders are wet from the cocktail of pesticides he carries in his back-pack sprayer.
These products are categorised by their toxicity. The most dangerous carry a red warning label. In this region of Ecuador, 90% of all the pesticides bought are red label products.
�
Many die
The doctor at the local hospital says he sees the results of acute pesticide poisoning every day. People are admitted with stomach cramps, blinding headaches, serious skin diseases, and tunnel vision. The most serious cases have kidney failure, or have taken an overdose of pesticide. Many die.
The statistics do not reveal the thousands of cases of dizziness, nausea or memory loss which are not referred for medical help - nor the cases of cancer, depression or fertility problems which have been linked to certain chemicals.
Researchers in this area of Ecuador say farmers, their wives and children are all at risk, and six out of ten will have suffered nerve damage due to pesticide exposure.
�
Pesticide salesman
One of the biggest problems is lack of knowledge about pesticides and how they should be used. In a small corner store, a shopkeeper offers to sell Euan one of the most common red label products used in Ecuador - liquid carbofuran. He says he can supply it to anyone, including children.
When he is pressed to say why he does not sell less hazardous products, he explains it's all a matter of demand. Farmers want the strongest pesticides possible, and they do not buy the alternative products.
Most farmers and pesticide suppliers will have had no formal training about these highly hazardous substances. Researchers and campaigners say the challenge is to get information down to the grassroots as quickly as possible. | 2024-01-31T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1438 |
set -e
set -u
../../bin/dcd-client $1 file.d -c83 > actual1.txt
diff actual1.txt expected1.txt
../../bin/dcd-client $1 file.d -c93 > actual2.txt
diff actual2.txt expected2.txt
../../bin/dcd-client $1 file.d -c148 > actual3.txt
diff actual3.txt expected3.txt
| 2023-12-02T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1610 |
One of the founders of Verint, Jacob "Kobi" Alexander, is a former Israeli intelligence officer.
In 2007 a former commander of the highly secret Unit 8200 (i.e. Israel’s NSA) told Forbes that the technology of Comverse (i.e. the company that owns Verint) is based on Unit 8200 technology, Wired reported.
A co-founder and former chairmen of Narus, Ori Cohen, told Fortune in 2001 that his partners have done technology work for Israeli intelligence.
“Cautious estimates indicate that in the past few years... Unit 8200 veterans have set up some 30 to 40 high-tech companies, including 5 to 10 that were floated on Wall Street.” Referred to only as “Brigadier General B,” he added, “This correlation between serving in the intelligence Unit 8200 and starting successful high-tech companies is not coincidental: Many of the technologies in use around the world and developed in Israel were originally military technologies and were developed and improved by Unit veterans.”
The NSA, whose official mission is to spy on foreign communications, began eavesdropping on the international communications of Americans after President Bush secretly authorized the practice in 2002 — without the court-approved warrants ordinarily required for domestic spying — to search for evidence of terrorist activity.
The highly secret U.S. eavesdropping net, code-named Stellar Wind, has not stopped expanding since President Bush gave the initial executive order.
The $358 million CAPT Joseph J. Rochefort Building at NSA Hawaii was dedicated in January.
The 604,000-square-foot John Whitelaw Building at NSA Georgia was dedicated in March.
The NSA’s giant satellite listening post in Yorkshire, England — which has 33 giant dome-covered eavesdropping dishes — is expanding to accommodate a generator plant to provide power for new supercomputers (at $68 million) and a growing number of employees (many of whom are also employed by Lockhead Martin and Northrop Grumman).
In May Fort Meade will undertake a $2 billion, 1.8-million-square-foot expansion of NSA headquarters that will include a cybercommand complex and a new supercomputer.
In response to the reports, the NSA told Wired that the agency is "proud of the work we do to protect the nation, and allegations implying that there is inappropriate monitoring of American communications are a disservice to the American public and to the NSA civilian and military personnel who are dedicated to serving their country.” | 2024-04-13T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5060 |
212 Ga. 471 (1956)
93 S.E.2d 751
VEAL
v.
VEAL.
19393.
Supreme Court of Georgia.
Argued June 13, 1956.
Decided July 9, 1956.
Marvin O'Neal, Jr., Camp & Camp, Thomas L. Camp, for plaintiff in error.
Robert P. McLarty, Eugene R. Simons, contra.
WYATT, Presiding Justice.
The plaintiff in error filed suit against her former husband attempting to set aside a divorce decree and judgment that had been obtained upon her petition. The petition is in two counts. Count one prays for specific performance of an alleged verbal agreement concerning property. Count two seeks to have the judgment for divorce and alimony set aside on the ground of alleged duress. The trial court sustained a general demurrer to the petition. The exception here is to that judgment. Held:
1. The contract sought to be specifically performed is alleged to be as follows: "That when and if the defendant were to sell the house and lot known as 2825 Mornington Drive, N. W., Atlanta, Georgia, he would use one half of the money which he realized from such sale and apply it to the down payment on the purchase price of another house, in which house petitioner and the minor children of petitioner and defendant were to reside, and the defendant was, under such agreement, to make whatever monthly payments were necessary on the balance of the purchase price." Without passing upon the many questions here presented, it is sufficient to say that the alleged verbal agreement cannot be specifically performed for the reason that the alleged contract is not sufficiently definite to authorize a decree of specific performance. This court has many times pointed out that a contract which the courts will order specifically performed must be certain, fair, and for an adequate consideration. "And in order to authorize specific performance of a contract, its terms must be clear, distinct, and definite. A petition for specific performance, which fails to allege a case authorizing the relief sought under the application of the above-stated rules, is subject to demurrer." Coleman v. Woodland Hills, 196 Ga. 626 (27 S. E. 2d 226). See also cases there cited. A mere reading of the contract in this case is sufficient to disclose that none of the necessary allegations appears.
2. Count two of the petition, attempting to allege duress amounting to inceptive fraud, simply in substance alleges that the defendant, then the petitioner's husband, had before their separation been guilty of illicit relations with an unmarried female; that the said unmarried female told her father what had happened; that the father called the defendant by telephone and threatened to kill him; that she heard the conversation by answering an extension telephone; that this procedure was planned by the unmarried female in order to have her get a divorce; that she became frightened for fear that her husband would be killed and bring disgrace upon her and her children. Again, without passing upon all the questions here presented, it is sufficient to say that these facts simply are not sufficient to allege legal duress. Code, § 96-209, defines duress as follows: "Duress consists in any illegal imprisonment, or legal imprisonment used for an illegal purpose, or threats of bodily or other harm, or other means amounting to coercion or tending to coerce the will of another, and actually inducing him to do an act contrary to his free will." The facts in the instant case simply fail to constitute duress. No threats were made to the plaintiff in error. The only alleged threat was made to her husband, and no present ability to carry out that threat was alleged. See Mallory v. Royston Bank, 135 Ga. 702 (70 S. E. 586).
*472 3. It follows from what has been said above, the judgment sustaining the general demurrer to the petition was not error.
Judgment affirmed. All the Justices concur.
| 2024-01-24T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1447 |
Applied Materials Shares Dive Afterhours on Bleak Outlook
Top U.S. provider of semiconductor manufacturing equipment Applied Materials (AMAT) revealed late Tuesday a stronger-than-expected 85% improvement in second-quarter profit, though its outlook slid below estimates as customers continue to put orders on hold.
The company anticipates non-GAAP earnings for the third-quarter in the range of 31 cents to 37 cents a share, with sales down 3% to 10%, sequentially. The outlook reflects expected order delays, which have been occurring since the March 11 earthquake in Japan.
The forecast, which also includes the potential cost of long-term financing related to the planned buy of Varian Semiconductor, are below Wall Street’s current view of 37 cents a share on sales of $2.79 billion.
The Santa Clara, Calif.-based supplier of chip making equipment posted second-quarter net income of $489 million, or 37 cents a share, compared with $264 million, or 22 cents a share, in the same quarter last year.
Excluding one-time restructuring and acquisition costs, the company earned 38 cents a share, ahead of average analyst estimates polled by Thomson Reuters of 37 cents.
Revenue for the three months ended May 1 was $2.86 billion, up 25% from $2.3 billion a year ago, beating the Street’s view of $2.79 billion.
“Applied delivered one of the best quarters in the company's history, including record net sales in our solar business,” Applied CEO Mike Splinter said in a statement. “While near-term economic conditions have tempered our growth expectations, our outlook for the year remains strong driven by our customers' plans to invest in the advanced technologies needed to meet growing demand for mobile devices and consumer electronics.”
Fueling the sales were 7% and 9% sequential gains in its silicon systems and applied global services segments, respectively, and a whopping 80% improvement from last quarter in its display orders, due to growth in demand for touch panels and advanced mobile displays.
Offsetting the gains was an 8% drop to $612 million in its energy and environmental solutions unit, Applied’s second largest segment by revenue.
Stocks
Top Stories
U.S. stocks declined on Tuesday in a retreat from the previous session's sharp rally, but major indexes remained on track for first-quarter gains and the S&P 500 was set for its ninth straight quarterly rise. | 2024-05-13T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9076 |
Q:
How to fix problem with resources on android?
Getting the following in LogCat:
03-28 16:18:57.795: WARN/ResourceType(8351): No package identifier when getting name for resource number 0x00000001
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): Unable to find resource: 1
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): android.content.res.Resources$NotFoundException: Resource ID #0x1
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.content.res.Resources.getValue(Resources.java:891)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.content.res.Resources.getDrawable(Resources.java:579)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.ImageView.resolveUri(ImageView.java:485)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.ImageView.setImageResource(ImageView.java:270)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.SimpleCursorAdapter.setViewImage(SimpleCursorAdapter.java:217)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.SimpleCursorAdapter.bindView(SimpleCursorAdapter.java:165)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.CursorAdapter.getView(CursorAdapter.java:186)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.AbsListView.obtainView(AbsListView.java:1274)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.ListView.measureHeightOfChildren(ListView.java:1147)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.ListView.onMeasure(ListView.java:1060)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.View.measure(View.java:7964)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.ViewGroup.measureChildWithMargins(ViewGroup.java:3023)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.LinearLayout.measureChildBeforeLayout(LinearLayout.java:888)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.LinearLayout.measureHorizontal(LinearLayout.java:619)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.LinearLayout.onMeasure(LinearLayout.java:280)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.View.measure(View.java:7964)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.ViewGroup.measureChildWithMargins(ViewGroup.java:3023)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.FrameLayout.onMeasure(FrameLayout.java:245)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.View.measure(View.java:7964)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.LinearLayout.measureVertical(LinearLayout.java:464)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.LinearLayout.onMeasure(LinearLayout.java:278)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.View.measure(View.java:7964)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.ViewGroup.measureChildWithMargins(ViewGroup.java:3023)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.widget.FrameLayout.onMeasure(FrameLayout.java:245)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.View.measure(View.java:7964)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.ViewRoot.performTraversals(ViewRoot.java:763)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.view.ViewRoot.handleMessage(ViewRoot.java:1633)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:123)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:4363)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:521)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:860)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:618)
03-28 16:18:57.865: WARN/ImageView(8351): at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
Actually, resource files exists (R.drawable.star_on at drawable-hdpi and drawable-ldpi, Eclipse has this value in autocomplete), here is the extract from R.java:
public static final class drawable {
public static final int star_off=0x7f020007;
public static final int star_on=0x7f020008;
A:
Strange, but the problem was with setViewValue function - I was changing ListView icon based on DB value and I didn't return true there (returned false) and hence I was getting this error.
| 2024-05-21T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5819 |
Tifari Puppies
Foosa
(right) with 2 of her pups:
Henry 3.5 mo. (center) and Piper 1 year
Tifari Ridgebacks is a small hobby kennel. The word
"Kennel" is used loosely as our dogs live in our home with
us as family members. We only breed occasionally, and with
the health of our dogs in mind. We do not take deposits, but
do have a waiting list. All pups are not only whelped in the
house but raised there as well until placed in their new
homes at 8 weeks of age. The pups are given extensive
socialization and prospective puppy owners can visit
frequently. All pups will go home with a helpful packet of
information, a written health guarantee, a microchip, toys,
collar, and have been started on their vaccinations.
Want a Puppy?
Each breeding is planned carefully and according to the
code of Ethics required by the various RR Clubs and AKC.
Both the sire and dam have passed their OFA health
clearances for Hip and Elbow Dysplasia, as well as their
Heart, Thyroid, and Eyes. (Thyroid
and
CERF (eye) reports should be current, Eyes should be
retested within at least 18 months of any breeding
and Thyroid should be re-tested at ages 2,4,6 and 8
years. Testing once only in the life of the dog is
inappropriate and irresponsible) Here at
Tifari we want to take the health testing a step beyond, so
we also test the shoulders and patellas(knees) of our
breeding dogs. A DNA test for DM (Degenerative Mylopathy)
has recently become available and so we also test our
potential breeding dogs for this as well. All puppy buyers
will be provided with a copy of these certifications. Most
importantly, the temperaments of both parents will be
screened. Versatility and intelligence are other qualities
We look for when choosing the sire and dam for a breeding
match. We look for titles other than simply a Champion (Ch)
to show that the dogs have the intelligence and willingness
to learn and work for their owners. A well rounded dog will
have titles on both ends of their names!
Pile o' puppies!
The most important goal of Tifari RR's is to produce
beautiful pups that have GREAT temperaments. We strive for
dogs that are pretty and can be shown in the conformation
ring, but we understand most pups will grow up to be family
pets, so the first role of Tifari pups will be to be great
companion dogs, and the second will be to be a great
ambassador of the breed, be it in the show ring, lure
coursing, obedience, agility, therapy work, hunting, or at
the dog park...etc.
The "type" here at Tifari RR is a ridgeback that has a
nice square or blocky head and is of substantial Bone,
rather than the "whippet" style body or the "snipey" or
narrow head. We breed for the standard size: Females 25
inches and around 70 lbs. Males 27 inches and 85-95 lbs.
If you are interested in a puppy the first step is to fill
out our questionnaire.
After receiving it we will contact you to set up a meeting
in person and you can meet the dogs and our
family. Since we do not breed frequently there is
often a waiting list for one of our puppies.
The next MI LITTER IS PLANNED FOR Spring of 2017, Ayla x Hercules. Check out their litter announcement page for more information. We are looking for homes interested in showing and performance venues. | 2023-12-28T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1971 |
Q:
multiple invocations of synchronised methods from a thread
If a thread has two invocations to an object's synchronized methods. The thread will gain the monitor lock when executing the first invocation. But then, will the thread:
release the lock after finishing with first invocation, and try to gain it again when executing the second invocation?
or, will the thread keep the lock till it finishes with the second invocation also (not only for the first invocation). And then release it at the end?
In other words, will the thread gain the lock, finishes all invocations to the synchronized methods, and then release the lock? ... or should the thread make multiple gains and releases of the lock?
A:
Read here
When a thread invokes a synchronized method, it automatically acquires the intrinsic lock for that method's object and releases it when the method returns.
It's that simple. As the first method returns, the thread will release the object lock and it will have to acquire it again for the second method.
| 2023-09-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6592 |
Q:
Finding The Radix of A Quadratic Equation
I have found previous solutions to finding the radix of a quadratic equation, where both of the provided roots return the same radix or base. However, unless I am some type of arithmetic error of which I am not aware, currently I am obtaining two different bases neither of which satisfy my required conditions.
The problem statement and all variables are as follows:
Given x^2 - 11x + 29 = 0 with the solutions x = 4 and x = 8, find the radix of the equation.
I found with x = 4 -> radix = 21/2. This provides the correct root of x = 4, but the second root is not quite equal to the desired value of 8.
Similarly with x = 8 -> radix = 65/6, which again gives the one desired root this time of 8, and a second root which is less than four.
I'm wondering if perhaps I am to combine these two radixes in some manner, or if I have made an arithmetic error as I have tried this problem over and over, each time obtaining the same two radixes.
A:
There is no solution to this problem. To see why, lets assume that there is a base b that satisfies the conditions. The polynomial could be written as
x^2 - (b + 1) x + (2b + 9)
On the other hand, if the roots are 4 and 8 we would have that the polynomial should be the same as
(x - 4)(x - 8) = x^2 - 12x + 32
But this can only happen if both polynomials have the very same coefficients:
-(b + 1) = -12
2b + 9 = 32
Multiply the first eq. by 2 and sum it to the second:
7 = -24 + 32
which is absurd. Therefore there is not such a base b.
| 2023-11-09T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4231 |
The government has propped up the big banks for years through massive, never-ending bailouts and subsidies.
Bloomberg noted last year that 77% of JP Morgan’s net income comes from government subsidies.
Bloomberg reported yesterday:
What if we told you that, by our calculations, the largest U.S. banks aren’t really profitable at all? What if the billions of dollars they allegedly earn for their shareholders were almost entirely a gift from U.S. taxpayers? *** Lately, economists have tried to pin down exactly how much the subsidy lowers big banks’ borrowing costs. In one relatively thorough effort, two researchers — Kenichi Ueda of the International Monetary Fund and Beatrice Weder di Mauro of the University of Mainz — put the number at about 0.8 percentage point. The discount applies to all their liabilities, including bonds and customer deposits. Small as it might sound, 0.8 percentage point makes a big difference. Multiplied by the total liabilities of the 10 largest U.S. banks by assets, it amounts to a taxpayer subsidy of$83 billion a year. To put the figure in perspective, it’s tantamount to the government giving the banks about 3 cents of every tax dollar collected. The top five banks — JPMorgan, Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., Wells Fargo & Co. and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. – – account for $64 billion of the total subsidy, an amount roughly equal to their typical annual profits (see tables for data on individual banks). In other words, the banks occupying the commanding heights of the U.S. financial industry — with almost $9 trillion in assets, more than half the size of the U.S. economy — would just about break even in the absence of corporate welfare. In large part, the profits they report are essentially transfers from taxpayers to their shareholders.
The money hasn’t just gone to the banks shareholders … It has also gone to line the pockets of bank management:
Bailout money is being used to subsidize companies run by horrible business men, allowing the bankers to receive fat bonuses, to redecorate their offices, and to buy gold toilets and prostitutes
Indeed:
All of the monetary and economic policy of the last 3 years has helped the wealthiest and penalized everyone else. See this, this and this. *** Economist Steve Keen says: “This is the biggest transfer of wealth in history”, as the giant banks have handed their toxic debts from fraudulent activities to the countries and their people. Nobel economist Joseph Stiglitz said in 2009 that Geithner’s toxic asset plan “amounts to robbery of the American people”. And economist Dean Baker said in 2009 that the true purpose of the bank rescue plans is “a massive redistribution of wealth to the bank shareholders and their top executives”.
We’ve noted for years that the big banks – including Citi, Wells, Bank of America and the rest – areactually insolvent.
Breaking up the big banks would stabilize the economy … and dramatically increase Main Street’s access to credit.
But the government has chosen the banks over the little guy … dooming both:
Remember, the Federal Reserve has paid banks high interest rates to stash money (their “excess reserves”) with the Fed for the express purpose of preventing loans to Main Street.
And the Fed plans to throw more money at the banks when the Federal Reserve starts to tighten. As FTreports:
US Federal Reserve officials fear a backlash from paying billions of dollars tocommercial banks when the time comes to raise interest rates. The growth of the Fed’s balance sheet means it could pay $50bn-$75bn a year in interest on bank reserves at the same time as it makes losses and has to stop sending money to the Treasury. *** In an interview with the Financial Times, James Bullard, president of the St Louis Fed, said: “If you think of the profitability of the biggest banks, if you’re going to talk about paying them something of the order of $50bn – well that’s more than the entire profits of the largest banks.” *** At the moment it only pays 0.25 per cent interest on those reserves. But according to its exit strategy, published in June 2011, the Fed plans to raise interest rates before it sells assets. Interest of 2 per cent on $2.5tn of reserves would run to $50bn a year. *** The eventual tightening could lead to substantial amounts being transferred to commercial banks from the Fed, given the amounts of cash they have parked there. Wells Fargo has $97.1bn sitting at the Fed, the largest amount of any bank, ahead of JPMorgan Chase at $88.6bn and Goldman Sachs at $58.7bn, according to an FT analysis of SNL data. Foreign banks also have a striking amount of cash at the Fed, potentially aggravating the Fed’s PR problem. Analysts at Stone & McCarthy noted recently that there had been a steep increase in foreign banks placing reserves at the Fed and suggested that “US banks may have distaste for the opportunistic arbitrage”, between lower market rates and the interest on reserves, whereas overseas institutions “might not feel encumbered in the same fashion”. Canada’s TD Bank, Germany’s Deutsche Bank and Switzerland’s UBS each have more than $12bn at the Fed.
And while this post focuses on bailouts and subsidies to big American banks, a large percentage of the bailouts went to foreign banks (and see this). And so did a huge portion of the money from quantitative easing. More here and here. | 2023-08-16T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/2262 |
/*
* Copyright 2014 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.
*/
package com.google.gwt.dev.javac;
import com.google.gwt.dev.javac.testing.impl.MockJavaResource;
import com.google.gwt.thirdparty.guava.common.base.Joiner;
import java.util.List;
/**
* Test class for GwtIncompatible annotations in {@link JdtCompiler}.
*/
public class UnusedImportRemoverJdtCompilerTest extends JdtCompilerTestBase {
// TODO(rluble): write tests for all cases.
public void testParseError() throws Exception {
List<CompilationUnit> units = compile(SOME_CLASS,
PARSE_ERROR);
assertOnlyLastUnitHasErrors(units,
"Invalid escape sequence (valid ones are \\b \\t \\n \\f \\r \\\" \\' \\\\ )");
}
public static final MockJavaResource SOME_CLASS = new MockJavaResource(
"other.SomeClass") {
@Override
public CharSequence getContent() {
return Joiner.on("\n").join(
"package other;",
"public class SomeClass {",
" public static void method() { }",
"}");
}
};
public static final MockJavaResource PARSE_ERROR =
new MockJavaResource("some.ParseError") {
@Override
public CharSequence getContent() {
return Joiner.on("\n").join(
"package some;",
"import other.SomeClass;",
"public class ParseError {",
" String s = \"\\w\"",
" public static class Inner { ",
" Inner() { SomeClass.method(); }",
" }",
"}");
}
};
}
| 2024-06-05T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3464 |
Tag: Larry Walker
There is no greater honor in any sport than getting a plaque in the baseball Hall of Fame. I’m sure someone who believes the NFL or NBA is a greater honor will debate me on this, but there is never the sort of debate toward their hall’s as there is in baseball. That debate has grown into a fervor among baseball fans, writers and even players, as every one seems to have an opinion on this topic.
What has made it even more intense is what we should do with players who were “suspected” of enhancement thanks to steroids and other performance enhancement drugs, and whether or not they deserve a spot in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown or left on the outside looking in. In some ways, the people who vote on this honor are the judge, jury and executioner, as testing was not done during this period so for many of the players of that era there is no definite of what they did or did not do.
As a member of the IBWAA, this will be my fifth year of voting for ‘the Hall’ and as I have said in years past, I have no issue voting for anyone suspected for PED use, since I feel those players played within the parameters of the rules allowed at that time. I’ve long considered the Hall of Fame a museum of the game, not a church, and because of this I vote based on performance alone.
Now, there are a few differences between us in the IBWAA & our brethren in the BBWAA, one of which is the players we have already inducted. Last year we inducted Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Trevor Hoffman and Barry Bonds, and in years past we had already voted in Edgar Martinez, so he will not show up on our ballot this year. Also, we are allowed to vote for up to 15 players, where the BBWAA can only vote for 10.
Before we get to my actual votes, you can read my previous votes: Here is 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Also, follow Ryan Thibodaux on Twitter. That way you can follow how the voting is going before the big announcement on January 22nd. Without further ado, here are my votes for the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot.
Roy Halladay
Halladay might very well be the last of his kind, a pitcher who finishes what he started. Halladay came along during a period where the big shift into using relievers more often hadn’t quite hit yet, but was getting closer and closer every day. Halladay was that guy who you handed the ball to and that day the bullpen was probably getting a bit of a reprieve.
But it wasn’t just his stamina that made him great, in fact that is just a small portion of the picture. “Doc” was an ace in every sense of the world, as he threw his fastball with a bit of sink to it, sprinkled in with one of the hardest cutters in the game and topped off with a curveball and the occasional changeup that was closer to a split-finger fastball. Halladay’s game was all about location and movement.
What the numbers tell us about Halladay is that he is right up there with the greats of the game. He is 42nd all-time in WAR for pitchers, 71st in strike outs, 25th in strike out to walk ratio, 40th in ERA+, 28th in pitching runs, 20th in RE24, and 15th in WPA. He posted eight years with 5 WAR or better and four of those years were above 7 bWAR. While his early years saw a lot of ups and downs, the later one showed a pitcher who developed himself into one of the best of his era.
This also showed in the awards and “black ink” he compiled throughout his career. Halladay won a Cy Young Award in both leagues, was selected to 8 All-Star teams, threw a perfect game back in 2010 against the Marlins and later that year threw the first postseason no-hitter since Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series. Roy led his league in wins twice, complete games seven times, innings pitched four times, and ERA+, FIP and WHIP all one time apiece.
While Halladay has the numbers, the achievements and the iconic moments, the real story of his greatness is that of a baseball player who was an even better human being. After his death from a plane crash in late 2017, former teammate Cole Hamels spoke fondly of him at a life celebration in Florida:
Roy showed everyone what to do. He was not boastful. He was the most humble human being I’ve ever met. The type of talent and integrity he had in the game of baseball.“And on the outside? He was a loving father, a loving husband. And that right there really exemplifies more than the game of baseball.
So while some believed it might take awhile for Halladay to get voted in to Cooperstown, he now looks like a lock for induction this upcoming summer. With close to half of the ballots known, “Doc” is sitting at well above 90% of the votes and will take his rightful place in the baseball Hall of Fame this summer.
While it will be a special moment for his family, it has to be a somewhat bittersweet that he won’t be there himself to accept the plaque. Halladay overcame his early career struggles and turned himself into one of the best pitchers of all-time. His is a story that should be told till the end of time, and hopefully this honor will cement that legacy that earned him a spot in the conversation in the first place.
Credit: Lisa Blumenfeld
Todd Helton
There is going to be a big debate of whether or not former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton deserves enshrinement into the Hall of Fame and while some will question his numbers due to Coors Field, I do not. In my eyes, Helton was a well above-average hitter for a very long time, a plus defender and worthy of being a Hall of Famer.
But lets start with those numbers to really get a feel for what he accomplished over his 17 year career. Helton had a lifetime .316/.414/.539 line with 369 home runs, 1406 RBI’s and 61.2 bWAR. He ranks 67th all-time in batting average, 27th in on-base percentage, 36th in slugging percentage, 19th in OPS, 96th in runs scored, 97 in career hits, 62nd in total bases, 19th in doubles, 80th in home runs, 77th in RBI’s, 32nd in runs created, 40th in extra base hits and 34th in career WPA. I’ve always been a firm believer that if you are a great player you have to achieve numbers that litter the Top 100 of all-time and Helton does that.
But the elephant in the room that hurts Helton is the “Coors Field Effect”. Unfortunately, the splits tell us that Helton did benefit from playing at one of the better offensive ballparks in baseball, as he hit .345/.411/.607 at home and .287/.386/.469 on the road. There is a big enough disparity there that will cause some to shy away from voting for Helton, essentially saying he wouldn’t have his numbers if it weren’t for playing at Coors.
While he did perform better at home, the only real drastic difference in his home/road splits is home runs: he hit 227 at home and 142 on the road. Most of his other numbers are at least moderately comparable on the road, or at least enough that we shouldn’t discredit him for the work he did in his home ballpark.
The number that really should sway you to Helton’s side is his career OPS+, which is adjusted to a league average. Essentially, that number normalizes itself to factor in elements like ballparks and trends in different leagues. So even with that factored in, Helton has a career OPS+ of 133, which is 33% better than the league average. So when you take out the “Coors Field Effect”, Helton is still performing well above the normal hitter in baseball.
The numbers continue to speak of an elite hitter. Helton is ranked 18th all-time at first base at the Hall of Stats and his hitting stats are comparable to some all-time greats. His offensive similarity scores are right up there with Jeff Bagwell (HOFer), Miguel Cabrera (future HOFer), and Edgar Martinez (soon to be HOFer). Add in his elite defense and you have a guy who should be getting a plaque in Cooperstown at some point.
Helton can also add in some black ink (his 2000 season was an absolutely monster season), 5 straight All-Star nods, 3 Gold Glove awards and 4 Silver Sluggers at a very touted position. This all spells ‘Hall of Famer’ to me.
The good news is that while he won’t get the support I would like this year, he is polling at around 20% right now which should help him stay on the ballot for future years. Add in a number of players getting voted in this year and a few falling off, and you have a recipe for some to give him a deeper look in future years. Hopefully by the time it is all said and done, Todd Helton will receive the honor he deserves in the very near future.
Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Andruw Jones
If there is a name on this ballot that made me go back and forth on, it was Jones. 2018 was the first year he appeared on the ballot and while I took a long, hard look at his candidacy, in the end I passed. This year, I decided to take a deeper look and see if I should reconsider and on further review, Jones appears to be a prime candidate for election.
The strongest part of Jones’ game was his defense. He posted ten straight years of winning the Gold Glove Award and racked up 24.5 defensive WAR throughout his 17-year career. Elite defenders within the game should always get a second look, no matter how much we fawn over their offensive.
So while Andruw’s defense is without a doubt ‘Hall-worthy’, his work with the bat wasn’t that bad either. Career-wise, Jones hit .254/.337/.486 with 434 home runs, 1289 RBI’s and 62.8 bWAR. While these are very, very solid numbers, you can see where someone would be skeptical. But if you are like me, you appreciate a player’s 7-year peak.
Jones put up over six years of an OPS+ higher than 120 and ten years where he hit 20 home runs or more. 2005 was a stellar season for him, as he hit 51 homers, knocked in 128 runs and put up an OPS+ of 136. While that was the top of the mountain for Jones, in his prime he consistently produced well above-average offensively and was a force in the middle of the Atlanta offense.
When you add in his defense is where the numbers start really popping. Jones had six seasons where he had 5 win seasons (5 WAR or more) and eight 4 win seasons. When it comes to peaks, Jones was one of the elite players in the game and in fact he is 105th all-time in WAR for position players and 21st in defensive WAR.
Jones also has an impressive number of career totals that help his cause. He is 47th all-time in home runs, 88th in extra base hits and 66th in AB per HR. I normally prefer a Hall of Famer to have more numbers in the Top 100, but Jones’ superior defense brings his case right to the borderline.
So it comes down to how you feel about a player’s peak. If you are like me, you feel the peak is one of the biggest factors in a player’s candidacy and even if you fall off the board hard late in your career(like Jones did), the peak makes up for the regression.
If not, someone like Jones falls just short of the parameters for Cooperstown. This is why the case for him is a difficult one, since you are looking at a player who was a great, great player for a good chunk of his career. But once he started the fall, he fell hard and fast.
So while I wavered on Jones last year, this year it felt like the peak was so good and the defense was so elite that he was worthy of my vote. I can understand anyone who feels otherwise, as it really comes down to what you value on a player’s contributions to the game. To me, the fact Jones was the best defender at his position for close to ten years and a great run producer for around seven years for enough for me. For others, Jones’ case will fall just a bit short.
Roy Oswalt
Just like Andruw Jones, Roy Oswalt is the case for inducting him based off of his peak years. During his prime, Oswalt was one of the best pitchers of his era. Unfortunately, his is a career that hit a wall due to injuries.
Let’s start with the basics: Oswalt threw 2245.1 innings in his big league career, striking out 1852 batters and a career ERA of 3.36. On the surface, those are good numbers, but maybe not instant ‘Hall-worthy’ stats. Not even the 50 bWAR, 127 career ERA+ and 20 career complete games push him in the definite category of Hall of Famer.
But the peak is definitely a great one. During his first seven years in the league, Oswalt threw 1413 innings, posting a 3.07 ERA and striking out 1170 batters. Throw in an ERA+ of 143 and a FIP of 3.23 and you start making the argument for Oswalt being an elite pitcher.
Oswalt can even toss in some black ink for his case. He led the league in wins back in 2004, WHIP in 2010 and strike out to walk ratio in 2006. He also posted five 4 win seasons (and almost a sixth in 2004 when he had 3.4 bWAR), which helps his case as one of the best pitchers of his era.
But the overall numbers aren’t too bad when you really start to digest them. Oswalt is 105th in WAR for pitchers, 99th in strike outs per 9, 105th in strike outs, 26th in strike out to walk ratio, 50th in ERA+, 43rd in RE24 and 59th in WPA. It’s very obviously Oswalt wasn’t a compiler and it really makes you wonder what would have happened if he had been able to stay healthy more often late in his career.
In fact, Oswalt might be the ultimate borderline pitcher. His similarity score is on par with other pitchers right on the line: Bret Saberhagen, Jered Weaver and Cliff Lee. The Hall of Stats has him ranked 79th all-time among pitchers and that feels pretty accurate to me.
So if you feel Roy Oswalt is just short of being a Hall of Famer, I can see that. He is right on that line where you have to decide what a player’s true value is. To me, Oswalt is just over that line but I don’t know if he will see a second ballot to continue the discussion. Oswalt is currently polling at 1.1% on the BBWAA ballot with 45% made public at the moment. It’s too bad, because at the very least he deserves to stick around so there can be more discussions about his candidacy.
Manny Ramirez
Many voters have said the difference to them between Bonds or Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro or Ramirez is that the latter tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and was justly suspended. In fact, last year when I started filling out my ballot, I paused on Ramirez and had to really stop and think of which direction I wanted to go. Like I have said, my voting is performance based but an actual suspension (and for Manny it was multiple suspensions) muddies the water a bit.
After much contemplation, I went ahead and voted for Manny since he had put up Hall of Fame numbers before the suspensions. While Ramirez wasn’t a stellar defender (and that is evidenced by his career bWAR of 69.2), offensively he was a juggernaut. Manny posted a career line of .312/.411/.585 with 555 career home runs, and an OPS+ of 154. I firmly believe he could hit blindfolded and still produce league average numbers, as he was that good of a hitter.
Manny also contributed during the playoffs, where he hit .285/.394/.544 with 29 home runs and 78 RBI’s over 111 postseason games, all fairly on pace to his regular season averages. The awards are all there for him as he was a 12 time All-Star, 2 time Hank Aaron award winner, 2002 AL batting title, 2004 World Series MVP, and 9 time Silver Slugger award winner. If that isn’t impressive enough, the numbers are quite gaudy: 32nd all-time in oWAR, 32nd in On-Base Percentage, 8th in Slugging Percentage, 8th in OPS, 29th in total bases, 31st in doubles, 15th in home runs, 18th in RBI’s, 28th in OPS+, 21st in runs created, 17th in Adjusted Batting Runs, 20th in Adjusted Batting Wins, 16th in extra base hits, 11th in RE24, and 23rd in Win Probability Added. Those are Hall of Fame numbers and most of that accumulated before he tested positive for anything.
Would I hold it against anyone for not voting for him because of the suspensions? Nope. I get it.But for me, Ramirez has long been a Hall of Famer; the only thing those suspensions did was tarnish the perception of him, which is unfortunate. Instead of people remembering Manny for his child-like antics or immense hitting, he will be branded a cheater. He has no one else to blame for that, but I still felt like he had earned my vote, scarlet letter and all.
Credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Mariano Rivera
If there was a no-doubt, absolute lock on this ballot, it’s Mariano Rivera. There is no discussion, no trepidation or even a second thought: Rivera is the greatest closer in baseball history. The only reason to not vote for him would be if you are trying to save other players from falling off the ballot. That is how definite Rivera is.
Literally everything about his career backs this up. Thirteen All-Star nods, a World Series MVP, an ALCS MVP, and an astounding 0.70 postseason ERA just tell part of the story. He is 77th all-time in bWAR for pitchers, 3rd in WHIP, 8th in hits per 9, first in saves, 10th in strike out to walk ratio, first in ERA+, 18th in RE24, 5th in WPA and 4th in games played.
Rivera compiled 56.2 bWAR over his career, including 10 seasons of 3 WAR or more. The average Hall of Fame reliever has 38.1 bWAR over his career, a number that Rivera absolutely blows away. He simply was the best at what he did.
For him, it’s the numbers but also the moments. The playoff appearances, the World Series moments and the high-leverage situations that went along with it. Rivera was the guy you wanted on the mound if you need to protect a lead in a big game.
Rivera is currently polling at 100% on the known BBWAA ballots and is a lock to be in Cooperstown this upcoming summer. There has been a number of debates on whether or not he should or will get all of the votes, but to me that doesn’t matter. Whether he gets 99 or 100%, either way there is no doubt of his final destination. Mariano Rivera is a Hall of Famer and that is the end of the discussion.
Credit: Associated Press
Scott Rolen
If there is a player I voted for that I feel others will look past on first glance when they absolutely shouldn’t, it’s Scott Rolen. I mentioned last year how under-represented the position of third base is and voting for Rolen would go a long way toward making up some much-needed ground.
While the defensive metrics still feel a bit like a work in progress, there is no denying that he was an elite defender. Rolen sits 6th all-time in total zone runs as a third baseman, 32nd for range factor/9 innings for a third baseman and is second in defensive runs saved as a third sacker since 2002. Rolen was 48th all-time in defensive WAR, an eight-time Gold Glove winner and outside of maybe Adrian Beltre, was considered the elite defender at the position during his day.
Now, defense alone doesn’t get you in the hall, otherwise someone like Mark Belanger would have a nice little plaque. Luckily for Rolen, his offense was stellar as well. The stats don’t speak as a world beater as much as a consistent performer throughout his 17 year career; 99th all-time in WAR (67th for position players), 51st in career doubles, 74th in extra base hits and 104th in Win Probability Added. Like I said, not breaking any records but I doubt many would expect these kind of footprints stepping into the statistical records of baseball history.
But to truly honor Rolen’s greatness, all you have to do is view his place in third basemen all-time. Rolen sits 10th for third basemen all-time in WAR, 14th in WAR7, and 10th in JAWS. If you believe in those numbers as much as I do, you consider Rolen one of the greatest third baseman in history…but there is more. When considering the other players at his position, he is 6th in doubles, 15th in home runs, 14th in RBI’s, 14th in slugging percentage, and 11th in OPS.
To top it all off, the Hall of Stats has him listed as a 142 Hall Rating, 85th all-time overall and 8th among third baseman. In other words, he was great and totally deserves this honor. I really wish Rolen was getting more support this year, since I really feel like he is the third base equivalent of Alan Trammell. Great numbers, especially the more you dive into them but overshadowed by his peers who played at the same time. At some point he will get his acknowledgement, it’s just a matter of how long that takes to happen.
Curt Schilling
There might not be a bigger lightning rod on the Hall of Fame ballot than Schilling, who has caught quite a bit of scorn for his behavior on social media within the last couple of years. While I might not agree with his politics, I do realize it has nothing to do with his candidacy in the Hall and justly had no qualms in voting for him yet again this year.
Schilling’s numbers speak of a top-notch starter: 26th all-time in pitchers bWAR, 15th in strikeouts, 3rd best strikeout to walk ratio, 18th best Win Probability Added and 46th best ERA+. Those are just his regular season numbers; toss in the postseason and you have a surefire Hall of Famer.
Schilling has rubbed many a writer the wrong way (and by no means do I feel sorry for Curt; he would probably be better off learning when to keep quiet and because of that his vote totals have not been where they should be these last few years. I might not like Schilling the person, but the baseball player was one hell of a pitcher out on the diamond. For that, he has my vote.
Credit: Ron Antonelli via Getty Images
Gary Sheffield
Over the last few years I have gone back and forth on Gary Sheffield and his candidacy for the Hall of Fame. Maybe it was because he bounced around from team to team, or the fact that he bounced between the infield and the outfield throughout his career. Either way, it was easy to leave Sheff out of the conversation and feel like he was on the cusp of greatness.
But when I finally broke down the numbers, it really felt like his case has been one of the most overlooked when it comes to the hall. Sheffield played right field more than any other position, so I first stacked his numbers against the others at that position. Sheffield is 19th in WAR for right fielders, just below Shoeless Joe Jackson and Dave Winfield. He ranks a bit lower on his peak, as he sits 24th in WAR7, above Hall of Famers Winfield, Chuck Klein, Willie Keeler, and Enos Slaughter. He is also at 24th in JAWS while 7th in home runs, 8th in RBI’s, 12th in OPS and 15th in OPS+.
Now, right fielders are well represented in the hall (24 to be exact) so Sheffield holds his own in the position, even if he is slightly below the elite level. But as I mentioned earlier, I’m a big proponent of where players stack up all-time and that is where Sheffield shines. He is 35th in offensive WAR (obviously his defense dragged him down a bit in the WAR category), 88th in on-base percentage, 76th in slugging percentage, 58th in OPS, 69th in hits, 34th in total bases, 26th in home runs, 28th in RBI’s, 21st in walks, 78th in OPS+, 26th in runs created, 39th in extra base hits, 25th in RE24, and 16th in Win Probability Added. I’m sure the fact he played 22 seasons helped him compile a decent amount of those numbers, but he also was able to stay healthy and be a consistent run producer for almost the entirety of his career.
Sheffield had six seasons with an OPS+ of 150 or more and was above league average for all but two years of his career (one was his rookie year and the other was his age 39 season). So what has hurt Sheffield’s case? I’m sure a few people would mention that his name was in the Mitchell Report and had been linked to PED’s in the past. Like I mentioned, that doesn’t affect my voting. But the other concern was his defense. It didn’t really matter whether he was at shortstop, third base or the outfield, he just wasn’t a great fielder.
In the past I’ve not voted for Jeff Kent because of his defense and I didn’t vote for Omar Vizquel this year because of his lack of offense. So what was the difference with Sheff? His offense was so good that it crossed out any issues I had with his defense. I’m also a “Big Hall” guy and feel like Sheffield was one of the great hitters of his era. I can understand if someone leaves him off (he is a fringe guy in this regard), but for me he was far enough above the line to be considered one of the greats.
Billy Wagner
Wagner was a seven time All-Star, twice was in the top ten of the NL Cy Young award and took home the 1999 NL Rolaids Relief Award. While he sits in 6th place all-time in saves, that doesn’t mean as much to me as his 86% conversion rate, which is close to Trevor Hoffman’s 88.8%.
What does interest me is some of the deeper numbers when compared to fellow relievers. Wagner is 5th all-time for relievers in ERA+, 14th for relievers in bWAR (in fact, just under Hoffman), 4th in strikeouts for a reliever, 86th in Adjusted Pitching Runs, 93rd in Adjusted Pitching Wins, 55th in RE24, and 36th in Win Probability Added. All this was done in less than 1,000 innings, which for some is a hindrance rather than a positive.
I get that relievers today aren’t used in the same scenarios as their forefathers, and because of that their innings totals will seem meek in comparison. But that is also what the role calls for nowadays and there is something to be said for compiling numbers like this in a much shorter amount of time. For Wagner, it was more about the efficiency than the longevity; Wagner came in, shut down the opposing team and was done.
In some ways, Wagner and Hoffman are linked in that they both pitched about the same amount of time, in the same period and were equally efficient. Both were top of the food chain for their position and in my eyes, both should be in Cooperstown.
Credit: MLB.com
Larry Walker
This was the third year I voted for Walker and my take on him seemed to be a bit different from a lot of folks. For many, the fact that Walker played a large chunk of his home games in Coors Field (Walker was a Rockie from 1995 to 2004) seemed to deter voters from placing a vote for him; I had no issue with that, since I knew he hit on the road almost as well as he did at home.
No, my issue with him was injuries, as he had 7 seasons of less than 130 games, 12 of less than 140. Walker’s issue wasn’t the ‘Rocky Mountain High’s’ as much as the ability to stay on the field and play. The numbers speak volumes: .313/.400/.565 career slash line, 141 career OPS+, 5 time All-Star, 1997 NL MVP, 3 batting titles, and 7 time Gold Glove winner.
So what changed for me when it comes to Walker? His place in history. According to JAWS, Walker is the 10th best right fielder of all-time. All-Time! Just seeing who he is better than sounds like a who’s-who of right fielders: Shoeless Joe Jackson, Tony Gwynn, Ichiro Suzuki, Dwight Evans, Dave Winfield, Vladimir Guerrero, Willie Keeler, Paul Waner and Enos Slaughter, just to name a few.
Walker is 86th all-time in bWAR, 56th in bWAR for position players, 55th in on base percentage, 12th in slugging percentage, 14th in OPS, 31st in power-speed #, 38th in RE24, and 36th in Win Probability Added. Those numbers are just a sliver of what he could do; there are 7 other categories where Walker is in the Top 100 of all-time.
What makes me curious is the voting for Walker during the first seven years on the ballot; He peaked in 2012 at 22% and last year bumped up a bit to 34.1% and so far is polling at 67% this year. One has to wonder if the voters viewpoint of him would change if he hadn’t played so many games in Colorado. It took me awhile to recognize it, but Walker deserves to be with the other elite right fielders in Cooperstown.
So there you go, my 11 picks to be inducted into the IBWAA Hall of Fame. It feels more and more like the ballots are starting to weed themselves out and there is more room for voters to work with. As of this writing, four players are above the 75% required for the BBWAA’s election and when you add Harold Baines and Lee Smith’s election from the Today’s Game Committee, it should make for a busy summer in Cooperstown. But don’t worry; while the voting will commence on Tuesday, the debate will rage on.
Last week I looked at the Gold Glove Awards and surmised that while in years past the award wasn’t always about defense, the voting was improving and worthy defenders were being honored for their use of the leather. One of the biggest hurdles for me to jump around was how reputation played a big part in how some of the picks were chosen.
At the time I figured I was done discussing this topic for at least another year, but then mere days after I wrote the piece I stumbled across some numbers to back up my claim:
Over a span of 25 years, the winners of a Gold Glove were handed out to one of the top two defenders of their position only 38% of the time. Since Rawlings began working with SABR and SDI (SABR Defensive Index) was created to help evaluate, that number has jumped all the way to 88%! So over the last six years, voters have done 50% better than they did from 1988-2012. That is a massive improvement that speaks volumes of how far defensive metrics have come in such a short span of time. In fact, looking back at previous winners and losers really paints a better picture.
Credit: MLB.com
Before we go any farther, a great job has been done by Chris Dial, who is on the Board of Directors for SABR and his creation of RED (Runs Effectively Defended) helped form SDI. My stumbling across Chris’s twitter account pretty much has led us to this point.
So looking back, there were certain positions that voters actually did a fair job at when it came to picking a correct winner, most specifically catcher and third base. But there were some huge gaps in who won and who should have won at a couple of big positions. First base was a position that really showed a leaning toward reputation:
Credit: SABR.org
While guys like Mark Grace, John Olerud and Rafael Palmeiro (yes, Palmeiro had a number of years he was worthy, dismissing 1999) were rewarded for the most part for their defensive excellence, it also shows how the perception of Don Mattingly, J.T. Snow and Eric Hosmer guided them to gold despite not being one of the top two defenders at their position.
Credit: SABR.org
Shortstop also honored some greats, like Ozzie Smith and Cal Ripken while Omar Vizquel apparently won a number of Gold Gloves that he probably shouldn’t have.
Credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images
The two most notable miscues on this list are Derek Jeter and Barry Larkin, a current Hall of Famer matched in with a future one. Most have rallied against Jeter’s victories in the past, as it was very obvious his range (or lack thereof) was not of the top shelf variety. The fact these two won eight Gold Gloves while never finishing in the top two of their position speaks volumes of how the voting used to be handled.
There was one more position that I found to have a large gap between the should’s and should not’s, and that was the outfield:
Credit: SABR.org
Just looking at this list about made my jaw drop. While Griffey, Hunter and Walker were always thought of as defensive studs, the fact is they were only in the top two of their positions five times. Even more shocking is that Luis Gonzalez and Sammy Sosa should have won a couple of Gold Gloves rather than the zero they compiled.
This would probably be a good time to point out that none of this is saying that all of these players were bad defensively if they won and didn’t finish in the top two. Mr. Dial actually did a good job of pointing that out:
What I am about to say SHOULD NOT be construed that the people that won that were NOT in the top 2 in SDI were bad fielders. Some of them were, but most are/were good fielders, but just not in the top 2 in SDI, and thus, given the influence, would LIKELY not have won those GG.
So you can see where adding something like SDI has drastically changed the defensive landscape and showed who the real elite truly are when it comes to glovework. So with the awards handed out just last week, lets see how the voters did:
Credit: SABR.org
In the American League, outside of pitcher (Dallas Keuchel won despite being 8th in SDI among pitchers) and center field (Jackie Bradley, Jr. won and was 3rd in SDI at the position) the voters got it right. Both Royals that won (Alex Gordon and Salvador Perez) were in the top two at their position, with Salvy only behind Mike Zunino and Alex having the highest SDI among left fielders.
Meanwhile in the National League:
Credit: SABR.org
Catcher and first base were the two positions voters missed on, as Yadier Molina was 6th in SDI behind the dish and Anthony Rizzo won while finishing 4th. Molina once again points out how reputation wins out over numbers some times and while he is still a good defender at the age of 36, he shouldn’t have even been one of the finalists.
So out of 18 awards, only four of the winners were not in the top two at their respective positions. That means that the voters were 78% correct, which is probably about as good as we should expect when there is a human element involved. It is definitely a big improvement over what we saw for years and Rawlings should be commended for wanting to make this whole process more accurate.
The big thing for me is that the stigma of ‘The winners aren’t being honored for their defense’ is starting to fade away. These awards have been looked at as almost a joke for so long that it’s been hard to do a 180 degree turn and applaud the work done to make the honor mean something.
While defensive metrics are still a work in progress, they are improving every day and painting a different picture than the one we sometimes see with our eyes. So while these awards aren’t quite the Fielding Bible Awards, they are getting a little bit closer every day.
On Wednesday, the National Baseball Hall of Fame got a little bit bigger as the BBWAA (Baseball Writers’ Association of America) voted in four new inductees: Trevor Hoffman, Chipper Jones, Jim Thome and Vladimir Guerrero. Add in Alan Trammell and Jack Morris and you have six induction speeches on a sunny July afternoon in Cooperstown. Meanwhile, my brethren in the IBWAA did some house cleaning as well, as we inducted six players (Chipper Jones, Jim Thome, Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds and Trevor Hoffman) into our digital Hall of Fame. In my eyes, all the players mentioned above were worthy of this honor. It is also showing a shift in the thinking of baseball writer’s across the baseball landscape.
First, let’s discuss the BBWAA voting, which almost led to a five man class in 2018:
First, it was very obvious going into Wednesday that Chipper, Vlad and Thome were locks. All three were over 90% for the polling (which was sitting at around 55% of the ballots made public) that morning. Hoffman was a bit dicier, as he was sitting around 78.2% of public ballots. It appeared on the surface that he would get in, since he fell just five votes short in 2017.
Meanwhile, Edgar Martinez came up just a bit short, despite the fact he had been polling in the 80% range for the last couple weeks. The good news is that Edgar jumped up to 70.4%, less than 5% to the promised land as he enters his final year on the ballot in 2019.
Credit: Robert Hanashiro, USA TODAY Sports
Also making ground this year on the ballot was Mike Mussina and Larry Walker. Mussina bumped up to 63.5% and Walker 34.1%. Mussina feels like a lock for induction sometime in the next couple of years, while Walker has only two more years of eligibility left. Clemens, Bonds and Curt Schilling all appeared to stay put around where they have been, so next year could be a big one for all three of them.
I was glad to see Scott Rolen and Andruw Jones get enough support to stay on the ballot, and their climb could get a bit easier over the next couple of years, since there are less Hall-worthy candidates on the horizon. The one disappointment was Johan Santana, who is a borderline candidate for the hall. If you are like me and believe strongly in WAR7 (which is the seven-year peak or that players best seven years) and notice the similarities with Sandy Koufax, then you are probably leaning toward him being in. If you believe in a long career and lots of innings for a pitcher, then you are probably against him. The one thing that most of us can agree on is he probably deserved to at least stay on the ballot and let his case be judged for a few more years. Unfortunately, he is now bumped off and like Lou Whitaker, Jim Edmonds and Kenny Lofton before him, he won’t get a fair shake of letting his case be heard.
Overall I felt like the BBWAA did an admirable job and it does appear as if the ballot logjam is starting to sort itself out. That should be a good thing for fringe candidates and those players like Mussina and Martinez who need a little extra nudge to get them over the finish line.
Now onto an organization I am part of, the IBWAA. If you want to talk about making room on the ballot for the future, I believe we took care of that this year:
Six players are entering our “Digital Hall of Fame” and I’ll be the first to admit I was a bit shocked that we elected Clemens and Bonds, just because they have been floating around on our ballot as well. This is just me throwing out a theory, but our members tend to skew a bit younger and it has felt over the last couple of years like the younger writers have less of an issue with the “Steroid Era” than the older ones. I’m sure there are different reasons for that, whether it is the lack of testing during that period making it harder to really know who did what, or feeling like the rest of baseball was able to get off scot-free while inducting then-Commissioner Bud Selig just last year. Whatever the case may be, Bonds and Clemens were joined by Chipper, Thome, Mussina and Hoffman as part of the IBWAA Class of 2018.
With six players off the ballot, that should make it easier for us to focus on some other deserving candidates next year. Schilling and Walker both took big jumps and Scott Rolen posted a nice 44.7% of the vote in his first year on the ballot. Even Santana stuck around for round two, as he got 36 votes and sits at 21.1% in his first year. With next year’s class of Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay and Todd Helton being the main first year candidates, it should be easy for us to keep honoring players who deserve this highest honor. We also get 15 votes instead of the BBWAA’s 10, which also helps us keep players on the ballot longer. All in all, I feel like we as a group did a great job this year and I look forward to the results in 2019.
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In 2013, the BBWAA voted no player over the 75% threshold, which meant a very quiet summer in Cooperstown. Luckily, the last few years have made up for that error, as the writers have voted in 16 players over the last five years. Whether you prefer a bigger Hall of Fame or a smaller one, the truth is that we have seen a lot of worthy entries over these last few years. For every Tim Raines or Edgar Martinez that have to struggle and have people preaching their cause, there are the Chipper Jones’ and Jim Thome’s that have the numbers and look the part. Baseball is better when a light can be shone on the players of year’s past that helped make this the great game that it is. For all its flaws, baseball at its pinnacle is the grandest game of them all. To get to honor those that encompass that greatness…well, that just makes this process a whole lot sweeter.
There is no greater honor in any sport than getting a plaque in the baseball Hall of Fame. I’m sure someone who believes the NFL or NBA is a greater honor will debate me on this, but there is never the sort of debate toward their hall’s as there is in baseball. That debate has grown into a fervor amongst baseball fans, writers and even players, as every one seems to have an opinion on this topic. What has made it even more intense is what we should do with players who were “suspected” of enhancement thanks to steroids and other performance enhancement drugs, and whether or not they deserve a spot in the hallowed halls of Cooperstown or left on the outside looking in. In some ways, the people who vote on this honor are the judge, jury and executioner, as testing was not done during this period so for many of the players of that era there is no definite of what they did or did not do. Even Hall of Famer Joe Morgan has spoken out on the topic recently, which stirred the pot even more. As a member of the IBWAA, this will be my fourth year of voting for ‘the Hall’ and as I have said in years past, I have no issue voting for anyone suspected for PED use, since I feel those players played within the parameters of the rules allowed at that time. I’ve long considered the Hall of Fame a museum of the game, not a church, and because of this I vote based on performance alone. Now, there are a few differences between us in the IBWAA & our brethren in the BBWAA, one of which is the players we have already inducted. Last year we inducted Vladimir Guerrero and Ivan Rodriguez, and in years past we had already voted in Edgar Martinez, so he will not show up on our ballot this year. Also, we are allowed to vote for up to 15 players, where the BBWAA can only vote for 10. Before we get to my actual votes, you can read my previous votes: Here is 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. Also, follow Ryan Thibodaux on Twitter. That way you can follow how the voting is going before the big announcement on January 24th. Without further ado, here are my votes for the 2018 Hall of Fame ballot.
Barry Bonds
I have voted for Bonds every year and will continue to until he is finally elected. In my eyes, this is a no-brainer, as Bonds is one of the greatest baseball players ever, not just of his era. I could rattle off all the numbers that show how great he was, but I think the best way to explain it is this way: before there was any whispers about suspected steroid use, Bonds was a 5 tool player who could literally do anything on the baseball field…and then he became an offensive juggernaut that could not be contained. The all-time home run king took that whole era to another level and it wasn’t even close. You might not like him or what he had to do to elevate his game, but I am not concerned about any of that when it comes to voting. To me, Bonds is a slam dunk pick and should already be in the Hall of Fame.
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Roger Clemens
Like Bonds, Clemens is an easy pick, the greatest pitcher of his era and one of the greatest pitchers of all-time. Clemens won the Cy Young Award seven times throughout his career, and is on a list of statistics that garner him near the top of almost all pitching leader boards. Both Bonds and Clemens seem to be garnering more support, as the election of former Commissioner Bud Selig to the Hall seems to have allowed some voters to start putting an ‘x’ in the box next to their names. At one time it appeared both men would have to wait until they showed up on the Veteran’s Committee ballot before they would get elected; now we could see that wall busted through in the next couple of years.
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Billy Wagner
Wagner was a seven time All-Star, twice was in the top ten of the NL Cy Young award and took home the 1999 NL Rolaids Relief Award. While he sits in 6th place all-time in saves, that doesn’t mean as much to me as his 86% conversion rate, which is close to Trevor Hoffman’s 88.8%. What does interest me is some of the deeper numbers when compared to fellow relievers. Wagner is 5th all-time for relievers in ERA+, 14th for relievers in bWAR (in fact, just under Hoffman), 4th in strikeouts for a reliever, 86th in Adjusted Pitching Runs, 93rd in Adjusted Pitching Wins, 55th in RE24, and 36th in Win Probability Added. All this was done in less than 1,000 innings, which for some is a hindrance rather than a positive. I get that relievers today aren’t used in the same scenarios as their forefathers, and because of that their innings totals will seem meek in comparison. But that is also what the role calls for nowadays and there is something to be said for compiling numbers like this in a much shorter amount of time. For Wagner, it was more about the efficiency than the longevity; Wagner came in, shut down the opposing team and was done. In some ways, Wagner and Hoffman are linked in that they both pitched about the same amount of time, in the same period and were equally efficient. Both were top of the food chain for their position and in my eyes, both should be in Cooperstown.
Credit: MLB.com
Chipper Jones
If there is a position that is under-represented in Cooperstown, it is third base. Only 16 third baseman are enshrined into the “Hallowed Halls” (which is the lowest of any single position) but it looks as if number 17 will be inducted this summer, as Chipper Jones feels like a slam-dunk to get voted in. When it comes to just third baseman, Chipper is ranked high among the elite at his position: 6th in WAR, 8th in WAR7 (which are a combination of his seven best seasons), 8th in JAWS (which is a combination of the previous two WAR stats), 6th in hits, 3rd in home runs, 2nd in RBI’s, 7th in on-base percentage, 4th in slugging and 9th in OPS+. In the Hall of Stats, Chipper is ranked 6th all-time at the position and considering the other numbers that feels like a fair spot for him. While it is obvious he ranks among the best at his position, that did make me curious to see where his place was in the all-time rankings of baseball history. The numbers actually tell the story of a great baseball player: 51st in career WAR (32nd for position players), 25th in offensive WAR, 54th in on-base percentage, 51st in slugging percentage, 37th in OPS, 60th in career hits, 32nd in total bases, 33rd in home runs, 34th in RBI’s, 16th in career walks (this actually surprised me a bit), 72nd in OPS+, 25th in runs created, 28th in extra base hits, and 15th in career Win Probability Added. It is easy to tell that Jones was a Hall of Famer but there is more to it than just his place in history. Jones was drafted as a shortstop by the Braves, but ended up only playing 49 games at the position in the big leagues. While Chipper is known as a third baseman (and that is where he played the most games), Jones did spend the 2002-2003 seasons out in left field, as the Braves had Vinny Castilla playing at third base. To me, this felt a bit like Kris Bryant, who has floated around for the Cubs the last few years at third base and the outfield. Jones was also a switch hitter and easily one of the best of his kind in baseball lore. In fact, Fangraphs ranked the greatest switch hitters in MLB history a few years back and Jones came in at number two, just behind Mickey Mantle and ahead of Hall of Famers Eddie Murray, Tim Raines and Roberto Alomar. But what statistic stood out to me the most in Chipper’s career? From 1996 to the end of his career in 2012, Jones never posted an OPS+ below 116. In other words, for the duration of his career, Chipper never produced an offensive season below league average (his lowest was a 108 that he posted in his rookie year of 1995). To play 19 seasons in the big leagues and never get below the league average is the definition of consistency and is just one of many numbers that prove that Chipper Jones deserves induction to the baseball Hall of Fame.
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Jim Thome
Some hitters are adored for their ability to get on base, some are praised for their mastery of putting the ball ‘where it ain’t’…and then some are hailed for power and consistency; that would be the category that Jim Thome would fall into. Thome was one of the greatest home run hitters of his era and was that middle of the lineup force that few teams wanted to mess with. While the accolades are there (five time All-Star, a Silver Slugger award, 2002 Roberto Clemente award, 2004 Lou Gehrig Memorial Award and 2006 AL Comeback Player of the Year), the numbers are the meat and potatoes of Thome’s candidacy. Thome’s rank as a first baseman is a nod to just how great he was, considering how loaded that position is throughout the course of baseball history. Thome ranks 9th in WAR for first baseman, 19th in WAR7, 10th in JAWS, 2nd in home runs, 9th in RBI’s, 8th in slugging percentage, 8th in OPS and 13th in OPS+. This really amazes me, considering Thome is dealing with such classic first baseman as Gehrig, Foxx, Mize, Thomas and Pujols, just to name a few. Thome ranks 10th all-time for the position in the Hall of Stats, 96th all-time. Much like Chipper, his model of consistency was amazing. Outside of the 2005 season (where he appeared in only 59 games due to injury), he never posted an OPS+ below league average, and the lowest he posted in a season where he played at least 120 games was 117. In fact, he posted 10 seasons (10!) where he had an OPS+ of 150 or more. I’m a big proponent of where player’s rank all-time when it comes to their Hall candidacy, and Thome crosses those off with flying colors. He ranks 84 in career WAR (54th for position players), 44th in offensive WAR, 51st in on-base percentage, 23rd in slugging percentage, 18th in OPS, 41st in total bases, 8th in career home runs, 26th in RBI’s, 7th in walks, 47th in OPS+, 24th in runs created, 23rd in extra base hits, 5th all-time in at bats per home run, 21st in RE24, and 38th in Win Probability Added. While Thome wasn’t a great defensive player, teams weren’t employing him for his glove; it was all about his bat. But there is always one more thing that compels us to cheer for Jim Thome on his journey to Cooperstown: Thome might be one of the nicest guys that has ever played professional baseball. Don’t just take my word, take the word of Cleveland Indians President Chris Antonetti:
“The thing that stands out to me about Jim is just who he is — day-in, day-out,” Indians general manager Chris Antonetti told Rumblings. “It’s the way he treats the ushers and the parking-lot attendants, not just how great a guy he is in the clubhouse. He treats every person he meets with respect and dignity. And I’m not sure I can give anybody a better compliment.”
For those of you that wouldn’t vote for a Bonds or a Schilling for how they have acted in the past, Thome would be your measuring stick for the other side of the pendulum. A vote for Thome is not only for the great numbers that rank among the best in history. No, a vote for Thome is one for a guy who was a Hall of Fame player AND person. I’m pretty sure Thome is another lock to be giving a speech in upstate New York this upcoming summer.
Gary Sheffield
Over the last few years I have gone back and forth on Gary Sheffield and his candidacy for the Hall of Fame. Maybe it was because he bounced around from team to team, or the fact that he bounced between the infield and the outfield throughout his career. Either way, it was easy to leave Sheff out of the conversation and feel like he was on the cusp of greatness. But when I finally broke down the numbers, it really felt like his case has been one of the most overlooked when it comes to the hall. Sheffield played right field more than any other position, so I first stacked his numbers against the others at that position. Sheffield is 19th in WAR for right fielders, just below Shoeless Joe Jackson and Dave Winfield. He ranks a bit lower on his peak, as he sits 24th in WAR7, above Hall of Famers Winfield, Chuck Klein, Willie Keeler, and Enos Slaughter. He is also at 24th in JAWS while 7th in home runs, 8th in RBI’s, 12th in OPS and 15th in OPS+. Now, right fielders are well represented in the hall (24 to be exact) so Sheffield holds his own in the position, even if he is slightly below the elite level. But as I mentioned earlier, I’m a big proponent of where players stack up all-time and that is where Sheffield shines. He is 35th in offensive WAR (obviously his defense dragged him down a bit in the WAR category), 88th in on-base percentage, 76th in slugging percentage, 58th in OPS, 69th in hits, 34th in total bases, 26th in home runs, 28th in RBI’s, 21st in walks, 78th in OPS+, 26th in runs created, 39th in extra base hits, 25th in RE24, and 16th in Win Probability Added. I’m sure the fact he played 22 seasons helped him compile a decent amount of those numbers, but he also was able to stay healthy and be a consistent run producer for almost the entirety of his career. Sheffield had six seasons with an OPS+ of 150 or more and was above league average for all but two years of his career (one was his rookie year and the other was his age 39 season). So what has hurt Sheffield’s case? I’m sure a few people would mention that his name was in the Mitchell Report and had been linked to PED’s in the past. Like I mentioned, that doesn’t affect my voting. But the other concern was his defense. It didn’t really matter whether he was at shortstop, third base or the outfield, he just wasn’t a great fielder. In the past I’ve not voted for Jeff Kent because of his defense and I didn’t vote for Omar Vizquel this year because of his lack of offense. So what was the difference with Sheff? His offense was so good that it crossed out any issues I had with his defense. I’m also a “Big Hall” guy and feel like Sheffield was one of the great hitters of his era. I can understand if someone leaves him off (he is a fringe guy in this regard), but for me he was far enough above the line to be considered one of the greats.
Mike Mussina
When thinking about Mike Mussina, what is the first thing that springs to mind? Is it his start in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS? Or maybe his use of the knuckle-curve, which was his out pitch? Or does nothing specific pop into your mind when hearing Mussina’s name? I sometimes wonder if those of us on the Mussina bandwagon would have to praise his career if he had been even just a tad bit flashier.What I end up realizing is that part of what made him so great was that he wasn’t flashy and just went out for 18 seasons and performed as a top of the rotation starter in that span. There are no Cy Young awards on his mantle, but there are numbers that back up his greatness. Mussina has the 24th best bWAR for pitchers, 19th in strikeouts, 22nd best strikeout to walk ratio, 17th best adjusted pitching runs, 21st best adjusted pitching wins, 9th best RE24, and 10th best Win Probability Added. Mussina was that guy who you could count on for a big win or just to go out and save the bullpen from being overused. Mussina jumped up to 51.8% of the ballots in 2017 and it appears he is inching closer to the 75% he needs to reach the Hall. One of the pitchers that Mussina’s stats are comparable to is another former Oriole, Jim Palmer. While Palmer might have the accolades that Mussina does not have, the one thing in common is that both pitchers deserve to be in the baseball Hall of Fame.
Curt Schilling
There might not be a bigger lightning rod on the Hall of Fame ballot than Schilling, who has caught quite a bit of scorn for his behavior on social media within the last couple of years. While I might not agree with his politics, I do realize it has nothing to do with his candidacy in the Hall and justly had no qualms in voting for him yet again this year. Schilling’s numbers speak of a top-notch starter: 26th all-time in pitchers bWAR, 15th in strikeouts, 3rd best strikeout to walk ratio, 18th best Win Probability Added and 46th best ERA+. Those are just his regular season numbers; toss in the postseason and you have a surefire Hall of Famer. Schilling has rubbed many a writer the wrong way (and by no means do I feel sorry for Curt; he would probably be better off learning when to keep quiet) and because of that his vote totals went down last year, down 7.3 %, finishing at 45%. I might not like Schilling the person, but the baseball player was one hell of a pitcher out on the diamond. For that, he has my vote.
Trevor Hoffman
For the third consecutive season, I voted for Trevor Hoffman. There has been plenty of debate on whether or not closers should be judged on a different criteria than most other positions and to a small degree I get some of the trepidation. Closers today don’t always face the strongest part of the lineup and it seems odd to have your best bullpen arm only throw an inning or less an outing. The thing to remember though is that “the closer” is still a position and if you excel at it for 16 seasons, you should be rewarded justly. In some ways, the Hoffman argument is very similar to Tim Raines; Raines was the second best leadoff hitter of his time, behind another Hall of Famer in Rickey Henderson. Hoffman was the second best closer of his, behind future Hall honoree Mariano Rivera. Hoffman not only shouldn’t be punished for not being Rivera, but was about as consistent as one can be. During his career, Hoffman posted 15 consecutive seasons of 20+ saves (and I hate the save stat, but this is still very impressive) and had an 88.8% save conversion rate, which within itself is almost insane when you consider the amount of save opportunities he received in his career.Throw in his lethal change-up that was almost as deadly as Rivera’s cutter, and you have a one of the best relievers of all-time. He might be no Mariano Rivera, but then again who is? What Hoffman is though is a Hall of Fame closer.
Manny Ramirez
Many voters have said the difference to them between Bonds or Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro or Ramirez is that the latter tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and was justly suspended. In fact, last year when I started filling out my ballot, I paused on Ramirez and had to really stop and think of which direction I wanted to go. Like I have said, my voting is performance based but an actual suspension (and for Manny it was multiple suspensions) muddies the water a bit. After much contemplation, I went ahead and voted for Manny since he had put up Hall of Fame numbers before the suspensions. While Ramirez wasn’t a stellar defender (and that is evidenced by his career bWAR of 69.2), offensively he was a juggernaut. Manny posted a career line of .312/.411/.585 with 555 career home runs, and an OPS+ of 154. I firmly believe he could hit blindfolded and still produce league average numbers, as he was that good of a hitter. Manny also contributed during the playoffs, where he hit .285/.394/.544 with 29 home runs and 78 RBI’s over 111 postseason games, all fairly on pace to his regular season averages. The awards are all there for him as he was a 12 time All-Star, 2 time Hank Aaron award winner, 2002 AL batting title, 2004 World Series MVP, and 9 time Silver Slugger award winner. If that isn’t impressive enough, the numbers are quite gaudy: 32nd all-time in oWAR, 32nd in On-Base Percentage, 8th in Slugging Percentage, 8th in OPS, 29th in total bases, 31st in doubles, 15th in home runs, 18th in RBI’s, 28th in OPS+, 21st in runs created, 17th in Adjusted Batting Runs, 20th in Adjusted Batting Wins, 16th in extra base hits, 11th in RE24, and 23rd in Win Probability Added. Those are Hall of Fame numbers and most of that accumulated before he tested positive for anything. Would I hold it against anyone for not voting for him because of the suspensions? Nope. I get it.But for me, Ramirez has long been a Hall of Famer; the only thing those suspensions did was tarnish the perception of him, which is unfortunate. Instead of people remembering Manny for his child-like antics or immense hitting, he will be branded a cheater. He has no one else to blame for that, but I still felt like he had earned my vote, scarlet letter and all.
Scott Rolen
If there is a player I voted for that I feel others will look past on first glance when they absolutely shouldn’t, it’s Scott Rolen. I mentioned earlier how under-represented the position of third base is and voting for both Chipper and Rolen would go a long way toward making up some much-needed ground. While Chipper’s case mostly lies on his offense, Rolen’s leans a bit more toward his defense. While the defensive metrics still feel a bit like a work in progress, there is no denying that he was an elite defender. Rolen sits 6th all-time in total zone runs as a third baseman, 32nd for range factor/9 innings for a third baseman and is second in defensive runs saved as a third sacker since 2002. Rolen was 48th all-time in defensive WAR, an eight-time Gold Glove winner and outside of maybe Adrian Beltre, was considered the elite defender at the position during his day. Now, defense alone doesn’t get you in the hall, otherwise someone like Mark Belanger would have a nice little plaque. Luckily for Rolen, his offense was stellar as well. The stats don’t speak as a world beater as much as a consistent performer throughout his 17 year career; 99th all-time in WAR (67th for position players), 51st in career doubles, 74th in extra base hits and 104th in Win Probability Added. Like I said, not breaking any records but I doubt many would expect these kind of footprints stepping into the statistical records of baseball history. But to truly honor Rolen’s greatness, all you have to do is view his place in third basemen all-time. Rolen sits 10th for third basemen all-time in WAR, 14th in WAR7, and 10th in JAWS. If you believe in those numbers as much as I do, you consider Rolen one of the greatest third baseman in history…but there is more. When considering the other players at his position, he is 6th in doubles, 15th in home runs, 14th in RBI’s, 14th in slugging percentage, and 11th in OPS. To top it all off, the Hall of Stats has him listed as a 142 Hall Rating, 85th all-time overall and 8th among third baseman. In other words, he was great and totally deserves this honor. I really wish Rolen was getting more support this year, since I really feel like he is the third base equivalent of Alan Trammell. Great numbers, especially the more you dive into them but overshadowed by his peers who played at the same time. It would be great to see Rolen and Trammell get inducted together; unfortunately, it appears Rolen will have to wait for his honor. At some point he will get his acknowledgement, it’s just a matter of how long that takes to happen.
Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Johan Santana
There are so many factors when considering players for the Hall of Fame, and everyone’s criteria is different, especially since every player is a different case. Some of my main factors are placement on the all-time leaderboard, consistency, and being elite at your position. But what about longevity, you might be asking? While it can be a factor, I’ve always leaned more toward being great for a longer period, not just length of ones career. In other words, I strongly lean toward the seven-year peak, or WAR7, which defines a player’s best seven WAR years of his career. With that in mind, it was hard to say no to Johan Santana, a player who I’m sure some will say didn’t do enough in his career. I get that and even at first I wasn’t sold that he had performed good enough to deserve the honor. But breaking down the numbers showed while shorter than most, he packed a lot of great into his 12 year career. Let’s start with his ranking among starting pitchers, since that is really where the conversation begins. Santana ranks 100th in WAR, 63rd in WAR7 and 86th in JAWS. It’s interesting to mention JAWS in these conversations, as the man who created it, Jay Jaffe, actually has debated himself just where Santana stands in the pantheon of history:
From an advanced metrics standpoint, Santana is obviously short of the WAR-based career, peak and JAWS standards, but he outdoes many big-name Hall of Famers. His 51.4 career WAR (including offense) is tied for 102nd all time but beats that of 11 enshrined pitchers, including Sandy Koufax (49.0), Dean (44.9), and Catfish Hunter (41.4), not to mention Morris (44.1). His 44.8 peak score, which is tied with Dave Stieb for 61st, is higher than 25 of the 62 (or 26 of 63 if you include Morris), and his 48.1 JAWS, which ranks 85th, tops 15 enshrinees (plus Morris), including Koufax (47.5), Whitey Ford (46.0), Dean and Bob Lemon (both 43.9), and Hunter (38.3).
So despite his short career, Santana has managed to wedge himself into interesting company when it comes to some of the advanced metrics. I was interested to see where he placed when it comes to ERA+, and he did not disappoint, sitting in 16th place all-time at 136. But where I really wanted to check Santana was a comparison to Koufax, since both were great for a number of years and both retired at a younger age due to injuries. So here are some comparisons between the two:
When it comes to WAR, Santana trumps Koufax, 51.4 to 49.0.
For their seven-year peak, Koufax beats Santana, 46.1 to 44.8.
Now for JAWS, Santana slides by Koufax, 48.1 to 47.5.
Since both pitchers had 12 year careers, I thought I would look at some of the other stats and see where they stand. Koufax easily beats Santana in ERA, WHIP, Hits per 9, Strikeouts per 9, and Strikeouts, while Santana beats him in Strikeout to Walk Ratio.
Granted they played in different times, when starting pitchers were used differently, but there really doesn’t appear to be a huge gap between the two players overall. So then I ask the question: if you feel Koufax is a surefire Hall of Famer (which I’m pretty sure no one is arguing), then why isn’t Santana? To me he is, which is why I voted for him. The voting has not been going well for him so far (he is polling at 1.3% so far with 46.9% of the ballots known) and it appears he will fall off the ballot for next year. It’s unfortunate, because he really feels like a guy who should be getting a longer look. Instead, you have to hope the Modern Baseball Era committee will give him a longer look when that times comes. To quote Neil Young, “It’s better to burn out, than to fade away”.
Credit: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI / Associated Press
Larry Walker
This was the second year I voted for Walker and my take on him seemed to be a bit different from a lot of folks. For many, the fact that Walker played a large chunk of his home games in Coors Field (Walker was a Rockie from 1995 to 2004) seemed to deter voters from placing a vote for him; I had no issue with that, since I knew he hit on the road almost as well as he did at home. No, my issue with him was injuries, as he had 7 seasons of less than 130 games, 12 of less than 140. Walker’s issue wasn’t the ‘Rocky Mountain High’s’ as much as the ability to stay on the field and play. The numbers speak volumes: .313/.400/.565 career slash line, 141 career OPS+, 5 time All-Star, 1997 NL MVP, 3 batting titles, and 7 time Gold Glove winner. So what changed for me when it comes to Walker? His place in history. According to JAWS, Walker is the 10th best right fielder of all-time. All-Time! Just seeing who he is better than sounds like a who’s-who of right fielders: Shoeless Joe Jackson, Tony Gwynn, Ichiro Suzuki, Dwight Evans, Dave Winfield, Vladimir Guerrero, Willie Keeler, Paul Waner and Enos Slaughter, just to name a few. Walker is 86th all-time in bWAR, 56th in bWAR for position players, 55th in on base percentage, 12th in slugging percentage, 14th in OPS, 31st in power-speed #, 38th in RE24, and 36th in Win Probability Added. Those numbers are just a sliver of what he could do; there are 7 other categories where Walker is in the Top 100 of all-time. What makes me curious is the voting for Walker during the first six years on the ballot; He peaked in 2012 at 22% and last year bumped up a bit to 21.9%. One has to wonder if the voters viewpoint of him would change if he hadn’t played so many games in Colorado. It took me awhile to recognize it, but Walker deserves to be with the other elite right fielders in Cooperstown.
Credit: Getty Images
So there you go, my 13 picks to be inducted into the IBWAA Hall of Fame. One player that could get my vote next year is Andruw Jones. I reluctantly left him off this year, as I’m not 100% sold on him being one of the elite, but he is one that I did heavily consider during this process. One other player that fell quite a bit short was Omar Vizquel. There are those that believe his defense is enough to get him in. Unfortunately, his offense was more than lacking: a career OPS+ of 82 and only 45.3 WAR in his career shows that his defense was not enough to get my vote. 2019 should be interesting, as a number of big names will pop up on the ballot: Mariano Rivera, Roy Halladay, Todd Helton, Andy Pettitte, Lance Berkman and Roy Oswalt will all be on the list. It’s probably a good thing that it looks like as many as five players could be inducted this year, as a number of worthy candidates will be added next year. Don’t worry; while the voting will commence on Wednesday, the debate will rage on.
Nothing is debated more intensely each year than who should and shouldn’t be elected to the baseball Hall of Fame. The last few years have been filled with a moral dilemma for some, as they struggle with voting in players whose numbers are ‘Hall Caliber’, but the scarlet ‘S’ (for steroids) looms around their neck. This has led to a backloaded ballot for BBWAA members as they struggle with the decision of voting in a player who they feel would tarnish the game. Some of us(myself included) am not bothered by this, since the Hall is all about the history of the game, good or bad, and it is hard for me to sit here and tell you these players shouldn’t be voted in when there are no positive tests, because baseball was not testing at the time. So right there, you see the dilemma. As a member of the IBWAA, we have our own Hall of Fame and do our own voting each year. Our voting has not been completely parallel to the BBWAA’s, as last year Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz, Jeff Bagwell and Tim Raines all reached the 75% of the votes needed for election. In years past, Craig Biggio and Mike Piazza have been elected by us in the IBWAA, so they are no longer on the ballot either. As a group, we also decided that we can vote for up to 15 players on the ballot, which opens it up even more and has allowed the ballot not to get so clogged up. Before we get started with my votes, you can go back and read my last two years of voting: Here is 2014 and 2015. Also, to keep up to date with all of the BBWAA votes that have been revealed, follow Ryan Thibs on Twitter. That way you can follow how the voting is going before Wednesday’s big announcement. Without further ado, here are my votes for the 2016 Hall of Fame ballot.
Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds was also on my list the last two years and is easily one of the greatest baseball players ever, the all-time home run king and that is all tainted by supposed steroid use. To me Bonds was a Hall of Famer before his supposed use and was a 5 tool player early in his career. We can debate all day about whether or not PED users should be allowed in the Hall(and I am someone who believes the Hall of Fame is NOT sacred ground) but what is easy to decipher is that Bonds is one of the greats of the game. ‘Nuff said.
Roger Clemens
Roger Clemens is another duel year vote for me and like Bonds, has the PED albatross around his neck. Clemens is thegreatest pitcher of his era, a 7 time Cy Young award winner and should have been a first ballot Hall of Famer. Instead we are stuck continuing an argument that might never finish and also like Bonds, might have to wait for the Veteran’s Committee to get voted into Cooperstown. Clemens deserves to have a plaque next to the Johnson’s, Koufax’s, and Gibson’s of the world. When(or if) that happens is another issue.
(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)
Ken Griffey Jr.
Some votes are so easy you don’t even have to think about them before marking the box. So is the case with Ken Griffey, Jr., an easy first ballot Hall of Famer and one of the greatest players of his generation. Griffey came into the league as a wide eyed youngster, bringing his enthusiasm and childlike glee to stadiums everywhere. It would been awhile since the baseball world had seen a five tool player(outside of Bonds, of course) perform so easily and graceful on the field the way Griffey did. Griffey was a 13 time All-Star(10 as a Mariner, 3 as a Red), AL MVP in 1997, 10 time Gold Glove Winner and 7 time Silver Slugger award winner. At one point or another he lead the league in runs, home runs, RBI’s, slugging percentage, total bases and intentional walks. Griffey would finish 1st in the league in WAR once(1996, while finishing 1st three times for position players), while finishing 2nd three times(pulling a career bWAR of 83.6, 57th all time. The numbers just continue to stack up- 55th all time in OPS, 35th in slugging percentage, 33rd in runs scored, 50th in hits, 13th in total bases, 6th on the all time home run list and 15th career in RBI’s. There are some interesting stats that won’t pop out but are interesting nonetheless-22nd all time runs created, 7th all time extra base hits, and 6th all time intentional walks. The numbers show someone who is an easy vote for the Hall, but one has to wonder just how much higher Griffey would rank on all-time lists if not for injuries that curtailed him late in his career. It’s easy to point at his trade to Cincinnati before the 2000 season as the beginning of his decline, but that 2000 season was actually a solid one for Griffey. After that though, the injuries piled up and he went from being a player who could challenge Hank Aaron’s(at the time) all-time home run record to a ghost of his former self. In fact if you take out that 2000 season, Griffey only averaged 100 games a season during the rest of his time in Cincy, with an average of 22 home runs and 62 RBI’s per season. Even with these numbers you have a player who should be mentioned in the same breath as Mays, Ruth and yes, even Bonds, as one of the most prolific home run hitters(and all around best players) in baseball history. The question this year will be: will Griffey be the first player to be an unanimous selection to the Hall?
Trevor Hoffman
I’m sure my pick here will cause some debate, since there are those that believe you have to be Mariano Rivera to be a Hall of Fame closer, but much like the Tim Raines debate(which I am a strong supporter of), you can’t fault Hoffman for not being the best closer in baseball history. Yes, the closer in modern day baseball is a defined role that is the guy who closes out the game for his team, not always the guy who faces the toughest part of the lineup. Yes, the save is probably the worst stat in baseball, based just off of its parameters on how you can get one. But when you are the second best player at your position for 16 seasons, you deserve to get more recognition than to be just tossed aside and scoffed at. Here is why I voted for Hoffman and why I feel he is a Hall of Famer. First, he was as consistent as they come. Outside of 2003 when he was injured, Hoffman posted 15 consecutive years of 20 or more saves and is second all-time(ALL-TIME!) behind Rivera. I know some use the argument “well, he was no Gossage or Fingers or even Sutter”, and to be honest, no, he wasn’t. But that is the whole point behind this; no one compares to those guys anymore, because closers aren’t used the same way they were in the 70’s and early 80’s. Why compare a pitcher to guys who faced completely different game situations 30-40 years earlier? It’s not a fair assessment and people sure as hell don’t use that same comparison when talking about Rivera and his place in the game. Second, besides the consistency he was also fairly dominant, which sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. Hoffman is a 7 time All-Star, placed 2nd in the National League Cy Young award voting twice(!), has the 8th best K per 9 percentage, 8th best WHIP, 14th best ERA+ and the 18th best WPA(Win Probability Added) ever. That’s not even mentioning he also blew just 76 career saves, which gives him a 88.8% save conversion rate. What about his out-pitch? Hoffman had a lethal change-up that was one of the hardest pitches to handle during this period. Sure, it wasn’t Mariano’s cutter, but it got the job done and normally threw batters off of their game. No matter which way you cut it, Hoffman is one of the great closers in baseball history, even if you took away the save stat. Very few pitchers have been able to do what he has done and do it for as long as he did. Bottom line is that ‘closer’ is a position filled by each team in the big leagues and Hoffman was elite at that position for a very long time. That is why he gets my vote for the Hall of Fame.
(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Edgar Martinez
Edgar Martinez has been looked over for years but he was an easy pick for me the last two years. Edgar is the greatestDesignated Hitter of all-time, and one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. Apparently Martinez not playing much in the field hurts his case, but that honestly should be superseded by the fact that he was so good at one thing(hitting) that he is 76th in career WAR. Just like when discussing closers, Designated Hitters are a part of the game just as much as their late inning friends. Soon David Ortiz will be eligible for the Hall of Fame and you don’t hear anyone question whether or not he belongs. If he belongs, why doesn’t the guy who they named the DH Award after? Edgar is the GOAT and should be honored justly.
Mike Mussina
Mike Mussina probably never dazzled anyone over his 18 year big league career. He wasn’t the most dominant, didn’t really blow gas past batters or have that one pitch that no one could hit(although his knuckle curve was a nice little out pitch when he needed it). But more than anything Mussina was consistent and stayed that way for the entire span of his career. In fact if you didn’t know better you would think Mussina was a ninja with the way his numbers jump up on you. So here are just a few of the numbers Mussina compiled during his (what should be) Hall of Fame career: 5 time All-Star, 6 Top 5 finishes in American League Cy Young voting, 7 time Gold Glove winner, 57th all-time in career WAR(24th all-time for pitchers), 19th all-time career strikeouts(2813), 89th all-time career ERA+(123), and 270 career wins. Mussina also pitched a large chunk of his career during the ‘Steroid Era’ and the two ballparks he called home during his career(Camden Yards and Yankee Stadium) were both hitters parks. I’ve always considered ‘Moose’ the right-handed equivalent of Tom Glavine, a guy who wouldn’t blow you away but put up solid numbers year after year. 2014 was Mussina’s first year on the BBWAA ballot and he compiled 20.3% of the vote, which I have to believe will go up again this year. If you want flashy, Mussina isn’t your guy. But if you want a top of the rotation starter who you can rely on year after year for quality starts and quality innings, Mussina was a lock. Eighteen years of that quality should also mean he is a lock–for the Hall of Fame.
Curt Schilling
Just how much difference does a player’s postseason success factor into a Hall of Fame vote? In the case of Curt Schilling it matters a lot. In fact I would say without his playoff numbers Schilling probably wouldn’t get into the Hall. But when you add that to the mix, his true greatness shines through. A 2.23 ERA, .846 winning %, and a WHIP of .968(plus one bloody sock), all over 133 innings pitched in October shows just what kind of mettle Schilling really had. In fact, just go look at his postseason stats for 2001; ridiculous! When you then add in the regular season numbers it becomes much more obvious. Schilling was a 6 time All-Star, 1993 NLCS MVP, 2001 World Series MVP, 4 times was in the Top 5 of the Cy Young award voting, 62nd all-time in career WAR(26th for pitchers), 15th all-time in career strikeouts(3116), and 47th all-time in career ERA+(127). All this from a guy who floundered in the majors until he was 25 in 1992 with the Phillies. Schilling the person might not be a guy who we would agree with on a regular basis(and definitely don’t argue evolution with him) but none of that matters when it comes to Hall of Fame voting. Schilling was a front line starter in the big leagues for 15 years and has the numbers to prove it. That is ‘Hall Worthy’ if I have ever seen it.
Alan Trammell
It took me a long time(almost too long) but after really studying his case, I believe Alan Trammell is a Hall of Famer. Trammell case has probably been hurt for a number of reasons. Trammell’s offensive numbers don’t pop out at you and he never reached any of the big milestones that voters look for when it comes time to fill out a ballot. The argument for Trammell though outweighs a lot of the negatives; Trammell has a career WAR of 70.4, which makes him 94th all-time and 63rd amongst position players. To go a step further, Trammell has a career dWAR of 22.0, which places him 34th all-time. Trammell was solid with the bat, winning three Silver Slugger awards and in 1987 probably should have won the American League MVP(which went to George Bell of Toronto). Trammell was a 6 time All-Star, the 1984 World Series MVP, a 4 time Gold Glove winner during a period where he competed with Cal Ripken Jr. for the award, and walked more than he struck out in 7 different seasons(and had the same amount of both in 2 other seasons). Trammell is the batter equivalent of Mike Mussina; he never blew you away with anything but he was so consistent for a long period of time that what he put together was a Hall of Fame career. Still aren’t convinced? Joe Posnanski has made the argument that if you are of the belief that Derek Jeter is a Hall of Famer, then you should compare his numbers with Trammell’s. Joe points out just how close Jeter and Trammell were as players, with Jeter holding a slight edge over Alan offensively, while Trammell was easily a better defender. If Ozzie Smith can get into the Hall on his defense, and Jeter will get in on his offense(and leadership; you know that will be brought up) then Trammell deserves to be in for being the better all-around player. The sad part is that this will be Trammell’s last year on the ballot, which means after this year his case will be handed over to the Veteran’s Committee. I wish I had really studied his case sooner, not that my lone vote would mean much. If anything I wouldn’t have underrated Trammell as much as I did, not realizing he was way better than the memory remembers. Now about his double play partner, Lou Whitaker…
(Photo by A. Messerschmidt/Getty Images)
So eight votes from me this year, which was less than last year. I did consider a number of other players for this honor, players who I feel are just on the cusp but not quite there. On that list that I heavily considered was Larry Walker, Billy Wagner, Jeff Kent and Jim Edmonds. All were great players but I felt for now they fall just short for me. Does that mean I could change my mind? I could, honestly. I did when it comes to Trammell and Raines and I could with any of these guys in the future. Sometimes it just takes a longer look to really grasp how important a certain player was to his era. This is a special honor not given to just any player, but only to the greats of the game. The eight I voted for this year I consider great; next year Ivan Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Vladimir Guerrero will show up on the ballot for the first time. Oh, and Russ Springer. That means we have a year to determine who of that group should be inducted; yes, even Russ Springer. All these players add a certain element to the baseball Hall of Fame, good and bad. It is all part of the story that is this great game we call baseball. | 2024-06-30T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/3087 |
Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Mindoro
The Apostolic Vicariate of San Jose in Mindoro is a Latin Catholic missionary pre-diocesan jurisdiction on the western part of Mindoro island in the Philippines. Its seat is the Cathedral-Parish of St. Joseph the Worker, in San Jose.
Vicariates
Vicariate I: St. Joseph the Worker
Cathedral-Parish of St. Joseph the Worker - San Jose
Divine Mercy Parish - Murtha, San Jose
St. Joseph, Spouse of Mary Parish - Central, San Jose
Holy Trinity Quasi-Parish - Ilin and Ambulong Islands, San Jose
Divine Mercy Chaplaincy - St. Joseph Seminary, Mabini Extension, Labangan, San Jose
Nuestra Señora de Salvacion Chaplaincy - Caminawit, San Jose
St. Isidore the Farmer Chaplaincy - Bubog, San Jose
Sto. Niño Chaplaincy - Magbay, San Jose
Good Shepherd Parish - Magsaysay
St. Therese of Avila Parish - Sta. Teresa, Magsaysay
Chair of St. Peter Parish - San Pedro, Rizal
Sto. Niño Parish - Manoot, Rizal
Vicariate II: St. Sebastian
St. Sebastian Parish - Buenavista, Sablayan
St. Lorenzo Ruiz Parish - Ligaya, Sablayan
St. Joseph the Worker Parish - Pag-asa, Sablayan
St. Michael the Archangel Parish - Calintaan
Vicariate III: Our Lady of the Pillar
Our Lady of the Pillar Parish - Mamburao
Holy Cross Parish - Sta. Cruz
St. Joseph, Spouse of Mary Parish - Paluan
St. Raphael the Archangel Parish - Abra de Ilog
Vicariate IV: Our Lady of the Assumption
Our Lady of the Assumption Parish - Lubang
St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish - Tilik, Lubang
St. Isidore the Farmer Parish - Tagbac, Lubang
St. Raphael the Archangel Parish - Looc
References
External links
GCatholic with incumbent bio links
diocesan website
Category:1983 establishments in the Philippines
Category:Apostolic vicariates
Category:Roman Catholic dioceses in the Philippines
Category:Religion in Occidental Mindoro | 2023-10-08T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9226 |
Research on the aerobic granular sludge under alkalinity in sequencing batch reactors: Removal efficiency, metagenomic and key microbes.
Effects of additional alkalinity on the performance of aerobic granular sludge (AGS) in sequencing batch reactors (SBR) performing simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal (SNDPR) were evaluated. Results showed that COD and ammonia-N (NH4+-N) were slightly stimulated and remained high and stable with the increase of alkalinity up to 750 mg/L, while denitrification was boosted and total inorganic nitrogen (TIN) removal efficiency increased from 60.46% to 98.62% with an additional alkalinity of 750 mg/L. However, total phosphorus (TP) removal stayed unaffected and efficient. Illumina MiSeq sequencing revealed that microbial diversity and richness shifted mostly with 500 mg/L exterior alkalinity addition. Additional alkalinity altered the bacterial compositions within aerobic granules at various levels and the enrichment of Thiothrix and Acinetobacter was accounted for the promotion of COD and TIN removal. | 2024-04-03T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9281 |
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Hugo Gurdon asks who will replace FBI chief? possible listing
The Washington Examiner's Hugo Gurdon discusses President Trump's firing of FBI Director Comey, it's aftershocks and his likely replacement, with the Examiner's Byron York and the Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol
Blue_RaynerMay 14replySince they only now need 51 votes, they are clearly no longer being listened to.
List::
Clarke,
kelly
Pen,
Lee,
Rogers,
Pistol.
probably Pres., Trump will not be keeping Deputy FBI McCabe, so successor will be appointing his own.
Thank you. | 2024-04-14T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5597 |
Q:
How to use GLM in Android NDK Application
I am currently trying to port my OpenGL application to Android and am stuck on how to import and build GLM http://glm.g-truc.net/ properly. I have no trouble using GLM in standard C++ apps, however I am pretty new to the NDK. I have tried all other solutions posted around the web with no luck. Here is what I have so far:
I am using the latest version of GLM (0.9.4)
My .cpp file contains:
#include <glm\glm.hpp>
My Android.mk file looks like:
LOCAL_PATH:= $(call my-dir)
include $(CLEAR_VARS)
LOCAL_MODULE := libgl2jni
LOCAL_CFLAGS := -Werror
LOCAL_SRC_FILES := gl_code.cpp
LOCAL_LDLIBS := -llog -lGLESv2
APP_STL := gnustl_static
LOCAL_C_INCLUDES += \Development\OpenGL\glm-0.9.4.0\
include $(BUILD_SHARED_LIBRARY)
**\Development\OpenGL\glm-0.4.0** is the location of the GLM files on my C drive
Upon building, I receive this error:
In file included from jni/gl_code.cpp:28:0,
\Development\OpenGL\glm-0.94.0\glm\glm.hpp:86:18: fatal error: limits: No such file or directory
This resembles codemonkey's problem https://gamedev.stackexchange.com/questions/47128/android-ndk-build-cant-find-glm-headers where the 'APP_STL := gnustl_static' was suggested.
It appears that my source files are correctly setup, however there is some sort of compiler problem that I cannot identify. Any help is greatly appreciated!
A:
Follow this solution if you are using Android Studio.
First, download OpenGL Mathematics library here
Second, extract and copy folder "../glm/glm" to your project location at "../app/src/main/cpp"
Third, on CMakeList.txt, add the following:
# Import the CMakeLists.txt for the glm library
add_subdirectory(glm) # if your CMakeLists is at '../cpp'
# add_subdirectory(src/main/cpp/glm) # if your CMakeLists is at '../app'
# add lib dependencies
target_link_libraries(
# Specifies the target library.
native-lib
# Links the target library to the log library included in the NDK.
GLESv2
glm)
Fourth, on 'buidl.griddle' (Mobile App), make sure you have right path to your CMakeList
externalNativeBuild {
cmake {
path "src/main/cpp/CMakeLists.txt"
}
}
Fifth, include glm headers to your source file:
// open GL libs
#include <GLES2/gl2.h>
#include <glm/glm.hpp>
#include <glm/gtc/matrix_transform.hpp>
#include <glm/gtc/type_ptr.hpp>
#include <glm/gtx/rotate_vector.hpp>
#include <glm/gtx/closest_point.hpp>
Sample is available at android-ndk, see Android Endless Tunnel Game
A:
Sam Hocevar's answer to codemonkeys problem is correct. it's not glm that's the problem. It's the "limits" header file used by glm that's the problem.
If Sam's answer does not solve your problem, try changing the toolchain to an earlier version by adding the following to your Application.mk file:
NDK_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=4.4.3
And make sure that the STL includes for your project in Eclipse correspond with the toolchain.
Go to project->properties->C/C++ General->Paths and Symbols
make sure the following directories are included:
EDIT : these are only examples; make sure you use the correct platform and abi
/Path/To/NDK/sources/platforms/android-9/arch-arm/usr/include
/Path/To/NDK/sources/cxx-stl/gnu-libstdc++/4.4.3/include
/Path/To/NDK/sources/cxx-stl/gnu-libstdc++/4.4.3/libs/armeabi-v7a/include
EDIT : remark on first directory removed; seems glm looks for the limits file provided by the current stl implementation
| 2024-05-18T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/8111 |
Q:
Get Authenticatable Users from database in Laravel
In my Laravel project, default User extend as follows :
class User extends Authenticatable{
use Notifiable;
protected $fillable = [
'id','name', 'email', 'password','type',
];
protected $hidden = [
'password', 'remember_token',
];
}
When I'm trying to get all registered users using this,
$user = User::all();
return $user;
[{"id":0,"name":"sdfsd","email":"sdsdc@fdcs.gfhf","type":"a","created_at":"2016-12-11 19:44:39","updated_at":"2016-12-11 19:44:39"},{"id":0,"name":"dcsdc","email":"dsd@dscsdc.lll","type":"a","created_at":"2016-12-12 12:14:42","updated_at":"2016-12-12 12:14:42"}]
I got all the users but without their user ids.Id give as '0'.
And when I'm trying with 'where' constrain it gives a Exception.
So can I use User as a Eloquent model? How do I retrieve user table info in Laravel?
A:
Find public $incrementing = true; into Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model.php path file and update it with false and check.
You can get the more detail about same from Eloquent Model Conventions
Hope this should solve your problem
| 2023-08-26T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7029 |
January 3, 2004: Shields Up, Stardust
As the comet-exploring spacecraft Stardust approaches the Wild 2 comet's nucleus (closest pass will be Friday, Jan. 2), it has positioned itself with "shields" up to protect it from stray bits of high-velocity dust and rock. SpaceRef.com has the story. | 2024-05-19T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4019 |
Canada's biggest wireless carriers are in the midst of raising prices on some of their most popular cellular plans as the industry looks to shore up revenue growth.
BCE Inc. first announced a $5 monthly increase for new subscribers to certain share plans on its website last week and financial analysts and wireless technology website Mobile Syrup have tracked similar price hikes or planned increases by Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp.
BCE attributes the pricing adjustments to the impact of the weak Canadian dollar and the continued need to invest in its networks, pointing out it has recently received several awards for network performance. "Most equipment and smartphone suppliers are international companies and while having the best networks has been the key to Bell Mobility's marketplace performance, we have also faced a significant increase in costs due to the weakened dollar," spokesman Mark Langton said Monday.
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Telus also points to the low Canadian dollar and "the annual multibillion-dollar investments required to keep up with the growing demand for wireless data," and spokeswoman Emily Hamer noted that the price changes only apply to new contracts and renewals and won't affect existing customers.
Rogers spokesman Aaron Lazarus similarly said the adjustments reflect "ongoing network and service investments along with current market conditions impacting our industry."
Yet, analysts also see the price changes as a bid to make up for flagging growth in average revenue per user (ARPU), a metric the industry tracks closely.
When the national wireless code came into effect in December, 2013, it effectively eliminated new three-year contracts. As the carriers moved to two-year plans, they increased the rates charged on a monthly basis, arguing they had less time to recoup the cost of the upfront subsidies they offer on new devices.
But the effect of those higher prices first implemented about two years ago is now wearing off and carriers are looking for growth elsewhere.
"We believe these price increases come at a time when industry ARPU growth is decelerating post the transition to two-year contracts (a potential headwind for the stocks)," RBC Dominion Securities analyst Drew McReynolds wrote in a report last week. "While visibility around ARPU growth in 2016 remains limited, these price increases lower the risk that industry ARPU growth turns negative."
Scotia Capital Inc.'s Jeff Fan similarly pointed to the move from three- to two-year contracts and added that growth due to another general industry shift – from prepaid options to more lucrative monthly contracts – is also starting to fade.
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The analysts both forecast average ARPU growth across the Big Three will be about 1 per cent in 2016. That's down from their estimates of between 2.5- and 3-per-cent growth for 2015 (the companies report fourth-quarter results over the next three weeks).
In a four-page report on the price changes Monday, Mr. Fan also suggested that the Big Three carriers are taking a break from discounts after offering heavy handset subsidies in the fourth quarter of 2015 as they fought for subscribers in a particularly competitive period.
Mr. Fan highlighted the fact that prices are not increasing in Quebec, Manitoba or Saskatchewan, which are all provinces with four wireless players with competitive networks. Although Wind Mobile Corp. operates in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, its unreliable 3G network is likely not seen as a "perfect substitute" for taking market share from the Big Three, which all operate LTE networks.
He cautioned that while there is little the federal government and regulators can do to address such price increases in the short term, they could factor into future policy decisions to offer more support for fourth players, in particular Wind and Videotron Ltd. Such support could come through lower rates for wholesale roaming services or reserving cheaper cellular airwaves in spectrum auctions for fourth players.
Mr. Fan noted the companies are also cutting out or reducing "BYOD" (bring your own device) incentives, which have previously entitled customers who own their smartphone outright to monthly discounts of about $20 on their service plans. "We think that is a signal that the free-agent base may be getting too big … and the carriers want to incentivize them to sign contracts," he said. | 2023-10-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/7847 |
DISCLAIMER: This will rewrite your Git history and you won't be able to go back in time if you don't make a backup.
You have removed secret variables from your repo, but they obviously still show up in your Git history. There are several ways to get rid of them completely, and here's the quickest:
Make sure you have Java installed Install BFG On macOS: brew install bfg Clone your repo in its entirety (every refs) inside a bare repo git clone --mirror url/to/your/repo.git Create a file with a new line for each string you want to remove (each string will be rewritten as ***REMOVED*** by default) echo "my_secret_API_key" >> secret.txt
echo "glob:SECRET_*" >> secret.txt (search by glob pattern)
(search by glob pattern) echo "regex:password=\w+==>password=" >> secret.txt (search by regex pattern and change default rewritten text) Remove the strings in your repo history bfg --replace-text secret.txt repo.git cd repo.git Now is the time to verify in your history that everything's fine Clean your repo from dirty data git reflog expire --expire=now --all && git gc --prune=now --aggressive Push your changes (forcing is not necessary because you updated every refs) git push Notify your coworkers that they have to clean their branches git fetch origin/branch
git checkout -B branch origin/branch
Note that if your repo is public, the Git history might have been cloned somewhere in the world, so your sensitive are already compromised. In that case, beware of a "Streisand" effect...
In any case, it's best to regenerate your existing passwords, because they may have leaked.
In the future, try not to commit sensitive information in the first place ;) Here's some tips:
Use git diff --cached to verify the content that you're going to commit
to verify the content that you're going to commit Put sensitive information in *.secret files that are ignored in your .gitignore
I narrowed this article to removing sensitive information from files, but you can do much more with BFG, including removing secret files entirely. Check out all the BFG features! | 2024-03-04T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4513 |
Human Rights / Diversity
GENEVA (Reuters) – United Nations’ human rights experts voiced alarm on Thursday over alleged Chinese political re-education camps for Muslim Uighurs and they called for the immediate release of those …
To avert hospital closures and raw sewage overflowing onto the streets of Gaza, the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator on Wednesday called on Israeli authorities to allow UN-purchased emergency fuel back …
Disney’s Christopher Robin has been banned in China. While no specific reason was given for the rejection, the Hollywood Reporter attributed the decision to China’s crackdown on images of Winnie the Pooh. Pooh first … | 2024-07-17T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1415 |
DC Comics unveils new 'Superman' line
DC Comics has unveiled the last four titles in its upcoming company-wide relaunch.
The Source has confirmed that Grant Morrison will launch a new series of Action Comics alongside artist Rags Morales, marking the first Action Comics #1 since the title began in 1938.
"This momentous first issue will set in motion the history of the DC Universe as Superman defends a world that doesn't trust their first Super Hero," the issue's solicit said.
The title's sister series Superman is part of the relaunch, and will feature Crisis on Infinite Earths illustrator George Perez on writing duties and artwork by Jesus Merino.
Rounding out the Superman family of titles will be a new Supergirl series by Michael Green, Mike Johnson and penciller Mahmud Asrar, as well as Superboy from Generation X creator Scott Lobdell and artists R.B. Silva and Rob Lean. | 2024-04-29T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5711 |
WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 14: Muslims participate in a Friday prayer November 14, 2014 at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. Members of five Muslim communities joined the very first Muslim Friday prayer, also known as jumu'ah, held at the cathedral today. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
On Friday, the the Washington National Cathedral was filled with the sounds of Muslim prayers.
Muslims and people of other religious traditions have participated in Christian or Interfaith services at the Cathedral in the past. However, the November 14 event marks the first time American Muslims have been invited to lead their own traditional Jummah prayer inside the same sacred space that has hosted presidential funerals and other national religious services.
The service was briefly interrupted by a lone protester who, according to the NBC4, shouted, "Why can't you worship in your mosque, and leave our churches alone?" The woman was quickly escorted from the sacred space.
The Cathedral’s director of liturgy, Rev. Canon Gina Gilland Campbell, said the incident happened at the very beginning of the service and "did not dampen the day."
“Other than that, it was very quiet and peaceful inside the building,” Campbell told The Huffington Post on Friday. “Everyone was just captured by the beauty of the moment.”
The idea for the service emerged from a conversation between Campbell and South African Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, who delivered the sermon.
The two friends met while planning a memorial service for the late Nelson Mandela.
"It is an enormous testament of solidarity," Rasool told the Huffington Post earlier this week. "Of Christians toward Muslims who face the prospect of their religion being hijacked and towards Christians who face threats to their continued existence in place like the Middle East."
Rasool said that the building’s ornate carvings, arches, and long central aisle reminded him of ancient mosques.
“What struck me was how he could look at our building and see his mosque. That was a powerful moment,” Campbell told HuffPost. “To realize we could be standing in the same spot in the same building and see our own prayer traditions.”
The Jummah prayer was held with the support of Muslim leaders from the the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS), Masjid Muhammad (the Nation's Mosque), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), and the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC). The service is for invited guests, but was also livestreamed at the Cathedral's website.
The Cathedral removed some chairs from the north transept in order to place carpeting on the floor. The north transept also has limited Christian iconography, which the Cathedral said provided an “ideal space -- almost mosque-like -- with the appropriate orientation for Muslim prayers.”
Men and women were separated within the space and there was special seating for elderly worshippers, Campbell said.
Campbell felt that now was an important time for “voices of moderation” in all faith groups to speak out and demonstrate the “unitive power of prayer.”
“Hopefully, out of that will come some other kinds of work together,” Campbell added.
Rasool said the event was particularly important because "faith is endangered" in the world. | 2023-11-17T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6748 |
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on two things at once while learning the Rules of the Road and prepping for your
California DMV written permit test.
Step 2:Complete the Online Course. While you learn the Rules of the Road, and recieve your course completion certificate, you will earn High School Credit. It is the same FREE Online Drivers Ed course our driving school offers.
Step 3: Get CA High School Credit! When you complete the course we will send you official transcripts from Orion High School; a nationally accredited school, so the credits are recognized by public, private, and charter schools in California. Apply these credits toward graduation as non-core subject, elective credits. | 2024-05-04T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/1617 |
Q:
"Simple" Halide program gives stack overflow when compiled
Here's the code. I'm using Halide on VS2013, Win64 trunk of Aug 5, 2015. When I execute diag.compile_to_lowered_stmt("diag.html", {}, HTML), I get a stack overflow inside halide.dll.
Image<uint8_t> orig_uint = Tools::load_image("../foo.ppm");
Var x, y, c;
Func orig("orig"), orig_lum("orig_lum"), m45("m45"), m135("m135"), f45("f45"), f135("f135"), f4x4_horiz("f4x4_horiz"), f4x4("f4x4"), diag("diag");
Func orig_clamped = BoundaryConditions::repeat_edge(orig_uint);
const float wta = 1.0f, wtb = 3.0f, wt0 = wta * wta, wt1 = wta * wtb, wt2 = wtb * wtb;
orig(x, y, c) = cast<float_t>(orig_clamped(x, y, c));
orig_lum(x, y) = 0.299f * orig(x, y, 0) + 0.587f * orig(x, y, 1) + 0.114f * orig(x, y, 2);
m45(x, y) = abs(orig_lum(x - 1, y - 1) - orig_lum(x, y)) + abs(orig_lum(x, y) - orig_lum(x + 1, y + 1)) + abs(orig_lum(x + 1, y + 1) - orig_lum(x + 2, y + 2));
m135(x, y) = abs(orig_lum(x + 2, y - 1) - orig_lum(x + 1, y)) + abs(orig_lum(x + 1, y) - orig_lum(x, y + 1)) + abs(orig_lum(x, y + 1) - orig_lum(x - 1, y + 2));
f45(x, y, c) = wta * (orig(x - 1, y - 1, c) + orig(x + 2, y + 2, c)) + wtb * (orig(x, y, c) + orig(x + 1, y + 1, c));
f135(x, y, c) = wta * (orig(x - 1, y + 2, c) + orig(x + 2, y - 1, c)) + wtb * (orig(x, y + 1, c) + orig(x + 1, y, c));
f4x4_horiz(x, y, c) = wta * (orig(x - 1, y, c) + orig(x + 2, y, c)) + wtb * (orig(x, y, c) + orig(x + 1, y, c));
f4x4(x, y, c) = wta * (f4x4_horiz(x, y - 1, c) + f4x4_horiz(x, y + 2, c)) + wtb * (f4x4_horiz(x, y, c) + f4x4_horiz(x, y + 1, c));
diag(x, y, c) = select(m135(x, y) > m45(x, y), f45(x, y, c), select(m45(x, y) > m135(x, y), f135(x, y, c), f4x4(x, y, c)));
// schedule
orig_lum.compute_root();
m45.compute_root().bound(x, 0, orig_uint.width()).bound(y, 0, orig_uint.height());
m135.compute_root().bound(x, 0, orig_uint.width()).bound(y, 0, orig_uint.height());
f45.compute_at(diag, x);
f135.compute_at(diag, x);
f4x4.compute_at(diag, x);
diag.compute_root();
// compile so we can take a look at the code
diag.compile_to_lowered_stmt("diag.html", {}, HTML); // stack oflo here
Any ideas? I'm also happy to accept an improved schedule if you want to offer one -- I just wanted to get something basic running first.
(I added a bound pair after diag.compute_root(), but that didn't seem to help. I do want to clamp the diag coefficients eventually.)
A:
msvc uses a fairly small stack by default (1 MB), and many Halide compiler passes do deeply recursive stuff. I'd just increase the stack size to something like 8 megabytes (e.g. add the compile flag /STACK:8388608,1048576). That's what we do for the Halide tests on windows.
| 2024-03-21T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9482 |
Post-translational regulation of EAAT2 function by co-expressed ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 is impacted by SGK kinases.
The human excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT)2 is the major glutamate carrier in the mammalian CNS. Defective expression of the transporter results in neuroexcitotoxicity that may contribute to neuronal disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The serum and glucocorticoid inducible kinase (SGK) 1 is expressed in the brain and is known to interact with the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 to modulate membrane transporters and ion channels. The present study aimed to investigate whether SGK isoforms and the related kinase, protein kinase B (PKB), regulate EAAT2. Expression studies in Xenopus oocytes demonstrated that glutamate-induced inward current (IGLU) was stimulated by co-expression of SGK1, SGK2, SGK3 or PKB. IGLU is virtually abolished by Nedd4-2, an effect abrogated by additional co-expression of either kinase. The kinases diminish the effect through Nedd4-2 phosphorylation without altering Nedd4-2 protein abundance. SGKs increase the transporter maximal velocity without significantly affecting substrate affinity. Similar to glutamate-induced currents, [3H] glutamate uptake and cell surface abundance of the transporter were increased by the SGK isoforms and down-regulated by the ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2. In conclusion, all three SGK isoforms and PKB increase EAAT2 activity and plasma membrane expression and thus, may participate in the regulation of neuroexcitability. | 2024-04-10T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4261 |
Recently, as electrical components of a vehicle have been abruptly increased in kind and number, energy consumption of a battery for vehicle installation becomes growing, and thus charge to such a battery comes to be frequently carried out. There are a contact type and a plug type as a method for charging a battery for vehicle installation in the related art.
<Related Art 1: Contact Type in a Battery Mount State>
As a battery charging method in the related art in an electric vehicle (EV vehicle) such as a carrier that is used for the work in the yard, charging is performed by simply making front ends of a vehicle side terminal and a charger side terminal come into contact with each other (see Patent Document 1).
In this case, in order to secure connection reliability, one terminal pushes the other terminal by the repulsion of a spring to make the terminals come into certain contact with each other. According to this battery charging method 1 in the related art, the battery has already been installed in the vehicle, and thus it is not necessary to make the battery disengaged from an in-vehicle electric device side connector. Therefore, as advantages, terminals rarely rub each other, and thus the lifespan of the battery terminal is not shortened. By contrast, as problems, the electric vehicle is stopping during charging and thus is not usable.
<Related Art 2: Plug Type in a Battery Exchange Method>
In order to solve a problem called shortening of the charge time (=stoppage time), there is a battery exchange method to take out a battery which has been discharged from an undercarriage of a vehicle and to replace the discharged battery by a battery which has been charged.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are views explaining a battery exchange method in the related art. FIG. 9A is a conceptual view of the battery exchange method, and FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view illustrating terminal shapes of connectors of respective devices. According to the battery exchange method as illustrated in FIG. 9A, when a battery B1 for vehicle installation that is installed in a vehicle A comes to have been discharged, the battery B1 for vehicle installation that has been discharged is taken out from the vehicle A, and another battery B2 for vehicle installation which has already been charged is loaded on the vehicle A. Accordingly, since the charge time can be reduced, the stoppage time is with time only for connector connection, and thus the stoppage time can be greatly reduced.
According to the work of the meantime, a battery side connector terminal 20T which is the male terminal of a connector 20 of the battery B1 that has been discharged is taken off from the female terminal 100T of a vehicle side connector 100 that feeds in-vehicle electric devices 50 that are various motors such as power windows in the vehicle through a wire (electric wire), and then is put into a hollow part 100V of the female terminal 100T of a charger side connector 100 (that is, a connector for feeding from a charger 60 which supplies DC current that is obtained by rectifying an AC power AC to the wire W) outside the vehicle. On the other hand, another battery B2 for vehicle installation that has been charged is carried to the inside of the vehicle, and the battery side connector terminal 20T of the connector 20 of the battery B2 for vehicle installation is put into the hollow part 100V of the female terminal 100T of the vehicle side connector 100 that feeds the in-vehicle electric devices 50.
In this case, a connector housing 10 and the female terminal 100T of the vehicle side connector 100 have the same shapes as a connector housing 10 and the female terminal 100T of the charger side connector 100, respectively, and the battery side connector terminal 20T of the battery B1 or B2 for vehicle installation is taken off from the hollow part 100V of the female terminal 100T of one side connector 100, and then is put into the hollow part 100V of the female terminal 100T of the other side connector 100.
In the case of adopting such a battery exchange method, since the vehicle side connector is affected by vibration and dust during traveling of the vehicle, contacts may come off or dust may get in the contact type connector, and thus satisfactory reliability may not be achieved. Therefore, plug-type connector is generally used to achieve the secure connection between the connector terminals. | 2024-04-27T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/5793 |
International Studies (journal)
International Studies publishes original research articles on a wide range of issues and problems, as well as on the theoretical debates of contemporary relevance in the broader field of International Relations and Area Studies.
Published in association with Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
References
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
External links
Homepage
Category:SAGE Publishing academic journals
Category:Publications established in 1959
Category:International relations journals
Category:Triannual journals | 2024-01-20T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/6996 |
Q:
Firebase google-services.json with multiple projects?
For our app I am using two different firebase projects:
Live: Contains the live iOS & Android app
Test: Contains all our iOS & Android testing apps
As far as I could see the google-services.json (Android) contains the firebase project information and all related apps (as "client"). Is it supported to add a second "project_info" into this file?
A:
Why don't you try android application flavors, for that
Google just included support for flavors on version 2.0 of the play services plugin. Since this version of the gradle plugin com.google.gms:google-services:2.0.0-alpha3
you can do this
app/src/
flavor1/google-services.json
flavor2/google-services.json
Version 3.0.0 of the plugin will search for the json file in these locations (considering you have a flavor flavor1 and a build type debug):
/app/src/flavor1/google-services.json
/app/src/flavor1/debug/google-services.json
/app/src/debug/google-services.json
/app/src/debug/flavor1/google-services.json
/app/google-services.json
This worked for me even using flavorDimensions. I have free & paid in one dimension and Mock & Prod in the other dimension. I also have 3 buildTypes: debug, release and staging.
How many google-services.json files will depend on your project's characteristics, but you will need at least one json file for every Google project.
If you want more details about what this plugin does with these json files, here it is: https://github.com/googlesamples/google-services/issues/54#issuecomment-165824720
Link to the official docs: https://developers.google.com/android/guides/google-services-plugin
And go here to check the latest version of this plugin: https://bintray.com/android/android-tools/com.google.gms.google-services/view
| 2024-01-25T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/4262 |
This invention relates to an electric motor system having plural actuators which undergo cyclic deformation to generate propulsion forces.
Electric motor systems of both the rotary and linear propulsion types which embody magnetostrictive actuators are already known in the art, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,039,894 and 5,041,751, respectively issued Aug. 13 and 20, 1991 to Teter et al. and Clark et al. Piezoelectric actuators are also known in the art, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,382, issued Jan. 3, 1995 to Nishimura et al.
It is an important object of the present invention to provide a solid state type of electric motor having actuators made of electrically deformable material that are cyclically deformed under electrical control for smoother operation. | 2024-04-14T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/2331 |
This study suggests that the CBT should include a hazard perception test, and that more should be done to encourage learners to undertake an extended period of training after the CBT.
This study suggests that the CBT should include a hazard perception test, and that more should be done to encourage learners to undertake an extended period of training after the CBT.
The recommendations are from a research report which was commissioned to understand more about the riders who take compulsory basic training (CBT) and to gather the views of CBT instructors.
The report says the majority of trainers would like to see the introduction of a theory test which learners would take prior to attending CBT, and some learners were also supportive of this idea. It also calls for more clarity about how the theory element of CBT should be taught as “there appears to be considerable variation in approach at the moment”.
The report suggests the core CBT course should be kept to one day but with a strengthened requirement to extend training when needed. It adds: “The duration of CBT courses should be determined by the pace at which learners reach a competent standard as they progress through the syllabus and courses can take longer than one day to complete.”
Cost (particularly for young people) and convenience are the main factors that discourage learners from supporting an extended training period. The report says “it should be made easy and not overly costly for those who want extended training to be able to come back for another two hours on the road for example”.
It makes another call for consistency in measuring knowledge of the Highway Code and says that learners with “little or no knowledge of the Highway Code” should be asked to come back when they have read it.
It also suggests that DVSA should look at ways for trainers to easily share best practice, and encourage trainers to adopt a client centred learning approach. | 2024-03-08T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/8407 |
//
// Button groups
// --------------------------------------------------
// Make the div behave like a button
.btn-group,
.btn-group-vertical {
position: relative;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: middle; // match .btn alignment given font-size hack above
> .btn {
position: relative;
float: right;
// Bring the "active" button to the front
&:hover,
&:focus,
&:active,
&.active {
z-index: 2;
}
&:focus {
// Remove focus outline when dropdown JS adds it after closing the menu
outline: none;
}
}
}
// Prevent double borders when buttons are next to each other
.btn-group {
.btn + .btn,
.btn + .btn-group,
.btn-group + .btn,
.btn-group + .btn-group {
margin-right: -1px;
}
}
// Optional: Group multiple button groups together for a toolbar
.btn-toolbar {
.clearfix();
.btn-group {
float: right;
}
// Space out series of button groups
> .btn,
> .btn-group {
+ .btn,
+ .btn-group {
margin-right: 5px;
}
}
}
.btn-group > .btn:not(:first-child):not(:last-child):not(.dropdown-toggle) {
border-radius: 0;
}
// Set corners individual because sometimes a single button can be in a .btn-group and we need :first-child and :last-child to both match
.btn-group > .btn:first-child {
margin-right: 0;
&:not(:last-child):not(.dropdown-toggle) {
.border-left-radius(0);
}
}
// Need .dropdown-toggle since :last-child doesn't apply given a .dropdown-menu immediately after it
.btn-group > .btn:last-child:not(:first-child),
.btn-group > .dropdown-toggle:not(:first-child) {
.border-right-radius(0);
}
// Custom edits for including btn-groups within btn-groups (useful for including dropdown buttons within a btn-group)
.btn-group > .btn-group {
float: right;
}
.btn-group > .btn-group:not(:first-child):not(:last-child) > .btn {
border-radius: 0;
}
.btn-group > .btn-group:first-child {
> .btn:last-child,
> .dropdown-toggle {
.border-left-radius(0);
}
}
.btn-group > .btn-group:last-child > .btn:first-child {
.border-right-radius(0);
}
// On active and open, don't show outline
.btn-group .dropdown-toggle:active,
.btn-group.open .dropdown-toggle {
outline: 0;
}
// Sizing
//
// Remix the default button sizing classes into new ones for easier manipulation.
.btn-group-xs > .btn { .btn-xs(); }
.btn-group-sm > .btn { .btn-sm(); }
.btn-group-lg > .btn { .btn-lg(); }
// Split button dropdowns
// ----------------------
// Give the line between buttons some depth
.btn-group > .btn + .dropdown-toggle {
padding-right: 8px;
padding-left: 8px;
}
.btn-group > .btn-lg + .dropdown-toggle {
padding-right: 12px;
padding-left: 12px;
}
// The clickable button for toggling the menu
// Remove the gradient and set the same inset shadow as the :active state
.btn-group.open .dropdown-toggle {
.box-shadow(inset 0 3px 5px rgba(0,0,0,.125));
// Show no shadow for `.btn-link` since it has no other button styles.
&.btn-link {
.box-shadow(none);
}
}
// Reposition the caret
.btn .caret {
margin-right: 0;
}
// Carets in other button sizes
.btn-lg .caret {
border-width: @caret-width-large @caret-width-large 0;
border-bottom-width: 0;
}
// Upside down carets for .dropup
.dropup .btn-lg .caret {
border-width: 0 @caret-width-large @caret-width-large;
}
// Vertical button groups
// ----------------------
.btn-group-vertical {
> .btn,
> .btn-group,
> .btn-group > .btn {
display: block;
float: none;
width: 100%;
max-width: 100%;
}
// Clear floats so dropdown menus can be properly placed
> .btn-group {
.clearfix();
> .btn {
float: none;
}
}
> .btn + .btn,
> .btn + .btn-group,
> .btn-group + .btn,
> .btn-group + .btn-group {
margin-top: -1px;
margin-right: 0;
}
}
.btn-group-vertical > .btn {
&:not(:first-child):not(:last-child) {
border-radius: 0;
}
&:first-child:not(:last-child) {
border-top-left-radius: @border-radius-base;
.border-bottom-radius(0);
}
&:last-child:not(:first-child) {
border-bottom-right-radius: @border-radius-base;
.border-top-radius(0);
}
}
.btn-group-vertical > .btn-group:not(:first-child):not(:last-child) > .btn {
border-radius: 0;
}
.btn-group-vertical > .btn-group:first-child {
> .btn:last-child,
> .dropdown-toggle {
.border-bottom-radius(0);
}
}
.btn-group-vertical > .btn-group:last-child > .btn:first-child {
.border-top-radius(0);
}
// Justified button groups
// ----------------------
.btn-group-justified {
display: table;
width: 100%;
table-layout: fixed;
border-collapse: separate;
> .btn,
> .btn-group {
float: none;
display: table-cell;
width: 1%;
}
> .btn-group .btn {
width: 100%;
}
}
// Checkbox and radio options
[data-toggle="buttons"] > .btn > input[type="radio"],
[data-toggle="buttons"] > .btn > input[type="checkbox"] {
display: none;
}
| 2023-08-15T01:26:28.774034 | https://example.com/article/9666 |