text stringlengths 8 5.77M |
|---|
Founded in 1993 by brothers Tom and David Gardner, The Motley Fool helps millions of people attain financial freedom through our website, podcasts, books, newspaper column, radio show, and premium investing services.
Why Apple Music Is Climbing on the Amazon Echo Bandwagon
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
In the world of streaming music, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is a major player, but in the arena of smart speakers, it's an also-ran. So the news that the gang in Cupertino had made an agreement with the folks in Seattle to bring the Apple Music service to Amazon's (NASDAQ:AMZN) super-popular Echo devices shouldn't be too big of a shock.
But as MarketFoolery host Chris Hill and senior analyst Jason Moser discuss in this podcast segment, it's only a small win for Amazon, and only a minor concession from Apple that its HomePods aren't selling like hotcakes (or iPhones). Yet that might not matter as Apple puts more emphasis on the services side of its business and presses forward internationally.
A full transcript follows the video.
This video was recorded on Dec. 3, 2018.
Chris Hill: Let's spend a minute or two on a story that broke late last week. This is not one of those stories that really moves stocks in any significant way, but it does move the landscape of an industry. In this case, we're talking about the entertainment industry, and more specifically streaming music. That is the announcement that Apple Music is now going to be available on Amazon Echo devices. I'm curious what you think about this. Anytime there's a partnership, any kind of a deal, one of the ways to think about it is, who are the winners and losers? Are they both winners? That sort of thing. I haven't really decided where I come down on this, except I think this is a win for anyone who believes that smart speakers are growing as an industry and will continue to grow. I don't look at this necessarily as a big win for Amazon or a big loss for Apple, although I do think it is a slight win for Amazon and... maybe not a loss for Apple, but certainly an admission that HomePod, which is their smart speaker, those things aren't flying off the shelves.
Jason Moser: Yeah. I think that's it. You have to take the wins and losses in context. It's not something where Apple's going to be going out of business. But this is a clear sign of a couple of things. I think it makes a lot of sense. I really do applaud Apple for seeing the forest for the trees here and recognizing that if you don't own an Apple device, there's really no incentive to use Apple Music. Now, you may say, "Well, half the country owns an Apple device." And you would be right. Basically half the country here has an iPhone. But Android is the operating system around the world. That's the operating system that dominates the landscape globally. From that perspective, thinking outside of our domestic box here, Apple Music has a lot of hurdles to clear. That's why Spotify has done so well for so long.
To me, we've seen Apple looking to make this move toward becoming more of a services company. They're not going to be reporting units sold when it comes to hardware going forward. On the flip side, they are going to give us more transparency into the costs involved with building out that Services business. I think that'll be really helpful.
For me, this is a sure sign that HomePod is not flying off the shelves. I don't know anyone personally who has one. I had a hard time ever making the leap that the masses would be going out to buy one. It's priced at a level where you can't even really have it in the same conversation with an Amazon Echo or Google Home. There are going to be plenty of Apple fanatics who want to have a HomePod because they want a premium speaker, but frankly, if you want a premium speaker, Bose has a pretty good brand out there.
Hill:Sonos, as well.
Moser: Yeah. So, to me, an implicit admission that HomePod isn't really working out so well. Not a big surprise. I don't think this is anything that moves the needle for either company. This is something that people who have Apple Music, it's one more way for them to get it. Speaking as someone who has a few Echo devices in the home along with an iPhone in my pocket, I don't use Apple Music, I can't imagine I ever will, so generally speaking, this is less about acquisition and more about engagement and retention of those who do have Apple Music here domestically.
Hill: As you said, they're not going out of business. They're still attempting to sell the HomePods. It does, however, seem like this is one more step toward the investments that Apple is making in Apple Music. You look at what they did with Beats, there are numerous reports in trade publications that Apple is in talks with iHeartMedia, which is the largest broadcast radio company in America, about possibly either making an investment or flat-out acquiring iHeartMedia. So, they do appear to be looking to build out that ecosystem even more.
Moser: If you want to be a services company -- and by services, I mean distributing media content -- then you want as big of an audience as you can possibly have. That means that you have to cross platforms. If you're going to just maintain that that walled garden, then you're going to do fine here domestically -- again, you've got half the country's attention. I don't know that you're really ever going to get much more than that. And globally, clearly, you're not going to ever come close to that. So, if you want to be a services company, and you want that to become a bigger part of the business, then you've got to reach out to as many partners as you can. And Amazon's a great partner. Apple's a great partner, too. I love to see two companies like this come together. I'm a big fan of Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos. To see these two companies doing stuff like this... I hope we see them doing more together, because I think ultimately, consumers can only win. |
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<Workspace
version = "1.0">
<FileRef
location = "self:/Users/lex/git/LTMorphingLabel/LTMorphingLabelDemo.xcodeproj">
</FileRef>
</Workspace>
|
RESIDENTS PITCH DESIGNS FOR TRANSPORTATION CENTER
Open design, restaurants, commercial spaces get heavy support in San Ysidro
SAN YSIDRO
The multipurpose room at Willow Elementary School looked like a craft fair, but it was adults instead of kids playing with the markers, posters, plastic figures and even Legos.
SANDAG, Caltrans and the Metropolitan Transit System were hosting the second of four public workshops on the design for a new Intermodal Transportation Center at the San Ysidro Port of Entry. The March 13 meeting was part of an ongoing study to improve access and traffic flow at the transit center, which serves trolleys, taxis, buses and pedestrians at the busy border crossing. The transit center is separate from the recently revamped port of entry for private vehicles and pedestrians.
Consultants shared results from a survey conducted at the first public workshop in January before putting attendees to work on their own models of what the new center could look like.
Joe Charest, vice president of San Diego-based consultant Katz & Associates, said it is clear from the survey that residents are enthusiastic about the project and favor an open-air design. He shared quotations from the surveys that called for something “iconic and efficient for all modes of travel” that will be both “grand and functional.”
“Across a wide section of community members, a good portion of you think this is an extremely essential facility,” Charest said. “We’re not just talking about essential; we’re talking about extremely essential. That bodes well for the process we’re going through and where that will end up.”
He said 90 percent of those surveyed felt it was critical for trolley and bus services to continue, and most said they would prefer to keep the facilities at street level, rather than above or below ground. Three-quarters want an open-space design with a plaza, and the same number said the center should have restaurant options.
A 78 percent majority said they feel it is “extremely important” to have shops and other commercial space at the new center, and 74 percent said paid parking facilities are a must. Other amenities they hope to see include public art, shaded areas and benches, Charest said.
Charest added that most said access to the freeway will be important for the center.
“That certainly is an area where, if you’re familiar with the area as we all are, traffic congestion is a pretty significant problem to be solved,” he explained.
Ron Golem, of BAE Urban Economics, broke down the site’s potential for retail, lodging, meeting and office space, based on studies and surveys of the transit center over the years.
Traffic at the border should be able to support between 30,000 and 150,000 square feet of retail space by 2020, he said.
Most of the shops and restaurants would need to be small, he said, because the average traveler will spend between 50 cents and $2 per day.
His data also suggest a 75-room hotel with substantial meeting space could do very well at the site, he said, adding that other possible uses at the site include a Southwestern College campus, a charter school and small offices for companies involved in cross-border trade.
Golem said that whatever design the community and consultants settle on will have to be phased in over time, and he urged residents to focus on making the new center a pleasant space that others want to be in.
“They don’t want just a building to meet their needs,” he said. “They want a place they enjoy being.”
The 50 or so attendees then broke out in groups to design their ideal Intermodal Transportation Center. Resident Miguel Aguirre didn’t need the plastic figures and foam core boards that the consultants provided, though. He brought in his own colorful Lego model, which measured about 4 feet long and 2 feet tall, complete with a subterranean element, a rooftop park and three towers for residential, hotel and office use. The design, which he says reflects what the community wants, is “destination-oriented” and includes more than 350,000 square feet of shops.
“I don’t agree with the survey results,” he explained. “I think they’re being very conservative.”
Community Planning Group member Matthew Paredes said that the transit center is a unique feature of the San Ysidro community, which is why so many care deeply about its future. |
Rutger Bregman became a social media sensation after his onstage tirade at the gathered elite in Davos this year. His call for higher taxes, open borders and a shorter working week captured the imaginations of millions who viewed the speech online. But can his utopian ideas be translated into realistic policy changes? Plus: J Oliver Conroy on David Buckel, a year on from the climate protester’s death in New York
When the Dutch historian Rutger Bregman went on stage at a World Economic Forum event in Davos this year it was as a relatively obscure author. He used his appearance to call for a proper discussion of tax and launched a tirade against what he saw as hypocritical discussions about inequality.
Bregman’s angry outburst quickly went viral, with the video being watched tens of millions of times, on the back of which he made a series of media appearances in which he continued to enhance his reputation for blunt speaking.
He tells Anushka Asthana about the ideas in his book Utopia for Realists, including a universal basic income, a 15-hour working week and open international borders.
Also today, the journalist J Oliver Conroy reflects on the first anniversary of the death of the environmental campaigner David Buckel. |
<?php
namespace Concrete\Tests\Block;
use Concrete\Core\Attribute\Key\Category;
use Concrete\Core\Attribute\Key\FileKey;
use Concrete\Core\Attribute\Type as AttributeType;
use Concrete\Core\Cache\CacheLocal;
use Concrete\Core\File\Import\FileImporter;
use Concrete\TestHelpers\File\FileStorageTestCase;
use Core;
use SimpleXMLElement;
class ContentFileTranslateTest extends FileStorageTestCase
{
protected $fixtures = [];
public function __construct($name = null, array $data = [], $dataName = '')
{
parent::__construct($name, $data, $dataName);
$this->tables = array_merge($this->tables, [
'Users',
'PermissionAccessEntityTypes',
'FileImageThumbnailTypes',
'FilePermissionAssignments',
'ConfigStore',
'AttributeKeys',
'SystemContentEditorSnippets',
'AttributeValues',
'atNumber',
'FileVersionLog',
]);
$this->metadatas = array_merge($this->metadatas, [
'Concrete\Core\Entity\File\File',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\File\Version',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Key\Settings\EmptySettings',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Key\FileKey',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Value\FileValue',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Key\Key',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Value\Value',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Value\Value\Value',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Value\Value\NumberValue',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Key\Settings\NumberSettings',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Key\Settings\EmptySettings',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Key\Settings\Settings',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Type',
'Concrete\Core\Entity\Attribute\Category',
]);
}
public function setUp(): void
{
parent::setUp();
\Config::set('concrete.upload.extensions', '*.txt;*.jpg;*.jpeg;*.png');
Category::add('file');
$number = AttributeType::add('number', 'Number');
FileKey::add($number, ['akHandle' => 'width', 'akName' => 'Width']);
FileKey::add($number, ['akHandle' => 'height', 'akName' => 'Height']);
CacheLocal::flush();
}
public function testFrom()
{
$from = '<p>This is really nice.</p><concrete-picture fID="1" alt="Happy Cat" />';
// create the default storage location first.
mkdir($this->getStorageDirectory());
$this->getStorageLocation();
$fi = Core::make(FileImporter::class);
$file = DIR_TESTS . '/assets/Block/background-slider-blue-sky.png';
$r = $fi->importLocalFile($file, 'background-slider-blue-sky.png');
$path = $r->getRelativePath();
$translated = \Concrete\Core\Editor\LinkAbstractor::translateFrom($from);
$to = '<p>This is really nice.</p><img src="' . $path . '" alt="Happy Cat" width="48" height="20">';
$this->assertEquals('background-slider-blue-sky.png', $r->getFilename());
$this->assertEquals($to, $translated);
$c = new \Concrete\Block\Content\Controller();
$c->content = $from;
$sx = new SimpleXMLElement('<test />');
$c->export($sx);
$content = (string) $sx->data->record->content;
$prefix = $r->getPrefix();
$this->assertEquals('<p>This is really nice.</p><concrete-picture alt="Happy Cat" file="' . $prefix . ':background-slider-blue-sky.png" />', $content);
}
}
|
Getting Affordable Car Insurance in Harrisburg PA
When you live in Pennsylvania, having insurance is part of the cost of being a driver. You aren’t allowed out on the road unless you can prove that you have a policy in place that will help to cover the costs if something goes wrong and you are involved in an accident. Many of the actual details of that policy, including how much you are willing to pay, are up to you so long as you meet a bare minimum level of coverage that the state requires. As you’re deciding how far beyond that minimum to go, it’s worth knowing a little about what you can do to make it easier to get affordable Car Insurance Harrisburg PA.
Many people don’t realize it, but one of the strongest predictors of whether you’re likely to need to file an insurance claim is your credit report. People who are financially in control and paying everything they owe are less likely to get into an accident and to need to use their coverage than people who are struggling and missing payments. Insurance companies don’t really care why this is true. The fact that it is true is valuable to them because it means they can use your credit rating as a factor in how much they should charge you for your premium. Therefore, keeping your credit clean and making sure you pay your bills on time will actually save you money on your car insurance.
You should also think about the cost of Car Insurance Harrisburg PA when you are buying the car itself. The vehicle is calculated into the cost of insurance both because cars vary in how much it costs to repair them and because they vary in how likely they are to be stolen. This latter part doesn’t strictly follow price. If a particular brand is known among criminals for having strong anti-theft technologies, it is less of a target and you may not have to pay as much to insure it. If you really want to keep your costs under control, you should contact companies like the Strock Insurance Agency to ask about the cost of insuring the different cars you are considering before you buy anything. You may actually find that it makes a big difference in how affordable different options are. |
Phenolphthalein polycarbonate resins are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,036 granted to Howe. These resins are notably tough and rigid and have high melting points. While this is desirable for many uses, the resins of the aforesaid patent are not easily processed. It is this problem to which this invention is directed. |
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of test systems, and in particular, to a gas test system for calibrating units under test.
2. Statement of the Problem
Flow meter designers often need to test new designs of flow meters for accuracy, quality, etc. Most design companies are able to do in-house testing of flow meters using liquids, as the test facilities for liquids can be set up without undue expense or time. Test facilities for gas are not as common in-house. Thus, the designers usually have to travel to a test facility and pay to use the test facility. This can be costly and time consuming. Plus, the designers would benefit from immediate feedback on design changes. As it sits now, the designers may have to wait weeks or months before they can test new designs and get test results on the new designs. The designers may benefit from a test facility for gas that is small enough and cost effective enough to set up in-house.
There are two main types of test facilities for gas. One type is a blow-down system. In a blow-down system, a compressor takes air at atmosphere and compresses the air into a tank. When the pressure in the tank is at a desired pressure for testing, the air is released from the tank and passes through a reference meter and a unit under test (UUT). The air is then vented back to atmosphere. The reference meter and the UUT measure the flow rate of the gas as it travels from the tank back to atmosphere. The measurements from the reference meter are used to calibrate the UUT. Unfortunately, blow-down systems have short runtimes, are costly and inefficient, and are extremely noisy. A blow-down system is illustrated in FIG. 1 and discussed further below.
Another type of test facility is a re-circulating gas loop. The Metering Research Facility operated by Southwest Research Institute® of San Antonio, Tex. uses a re-circulating gas loop. The Metering Research Facility includes the gas loop, a compressor, a chiller, sonic nozzles, and stations for units under test (UUT). The compressor circulates the gas around the gas loop at a desired flow rate. The compressor adds heat to the gas in the gas loop when it circulates the gas. The chiller cools the gas in the gas loop to a desired temperature. The UUT and one or more sonic nozzles measure the flow rate of the gas. The sonic nozzles are the reference meters for the UUT. The measurements from the UUT are compared to the measurements from the sonic nozzles to verify the accuracy of the meter under test or calibrate the UUT. Unfortunately, the Metering Research Facility is very large in size, is costly, and requires a lot of power to operate. Current Metering Research Facilities cannot be effectively assembled and operated in many companies due to size, cost, and power requirements. A Metering Research Facility is illustrated in FIG. 2 and discussed further below. |
A 23-year-old construction worker used a woodworking blade to remove what he called a pimple on his lower lip, developing a rare fungal infection afterward, a recent report of the man's case revealed. The infection was likely caused by his unusual choice of tools to zap his zit, the report said.
Doctors said they suspect the woodworking blade directly transferred the spores of a fungus called Blastomyces to the man's skin. This resulted in a large, painful, blood-encrusted lesion on the skin beneath the man's lower lip, according to the case report, which was published Nov. 21 in the Journal of Emergency Medicine.
The Blastomyces fungi usually live in moist soil and in decomposing wood or leaves, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC). In the United States, the fungus is primarily found in Midwestern, South-Central and Southeastern states, the CDC says.
36 PEOPLE DIE IN FOOD-RELATED DISEASE OUTBREAK IN SOUTH AFRICA
People typically become infected with Blastomyces — which causes an infection called blastomycosis — by inhaling the fungal spores, rather than through a cut on the skin. Inhaling the spores leads to a lung infection called primary pulmonary blastomycosis. ("Primary pulmonary" means that the infection started in the lungs.) One common cause of the infection is breathing in spores of the fungus while doing outdoor activities that disturb the soil. Pets, especially dogs, can also get blastomycosis.
The fungal infection usually first causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough and muscle aches. From the lungs, the infection can spread to other organs, the most common of which is the skin, where the fungus causes crusty lesions, according to the case report.
But in the recent case, the man did not experience any of these flu-like symptoms, because the fungal spores entered his body through his skin rather than his lungs. His only symptom, in fact, was the noticeable patch of inflamed skin just below his lower lip.
Rare fungal infection
The construction worker told doctors that his skin lesion had first appeared seven months earlier, not long after he used a woodworking blade to snip what he called a "pimple" off his lower lip.
Although the man described the blemish as a pimple, it could have been any type of skin lesion, such as a cold sore or canker sore, said lead case report author Dr. Barry Ladizinski, a dermatology resident at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County in Chicago who treated the man.
The infection occurred because the woodworking blade that the man used had likely come in contact with soil that contained Blastomycesspores, Ladizinski told Live Science. When the man used the blade on his lip, the tool transmitted the organisms into the cut in his skin, he said.
By the time the man came to the hospital, the entire bottom edge of his lower lip had a raised area of blood-encrusted skin with warty lesions on it and a rolled, hardened border, according to the case report.
The 23-year-old told doctors that the lesion had expanded in size since it first appeared on his face and was painful. He had no other symptoms, and his blood tests were normal, according to the case report.
The doctors performed several skin tests, which showed signs that the man had the rare fungal infection.
He was diagnosed with primary cutaneous blastomycosis, which is when an injury to the skin — in this case a cut, but it can also be an animal bite or scratch — transfers Blastomyces into the body causing an infection. ("Primary cutaneous" means that the infection started in the skin.) It's a very rare form of the fungal infection, with fewer than 50 reported cases in the medical literature, according to the case report.
Most of the reported cases of primary cutaneous blastomycosis have been seen in dog handlers, who may pick up the infection from animal bites or scratches, and scientists, who may be accidentally exposed to the fungus while studying it, Ladizinski said. The infection tends to stay on the skin and does not spread to other organs, he noted.
The man in the case study was given an antifungal medication to treat the infection, and his skin cleared up considerably after two weeks of taking the drug, according to the report.
Originally published on Live Science. |
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Hillary Clinton is Putting David Copperfield to Shame
Her Vanishing Voter Trick.
Granny Clinton's base of support is disappearing right before our eyes, but unlike Copperfield, Clinton isn’t putting on an act. On Tuesday, Cankles lost the West Virginia primary to the hippie marxist Bernie Sanders 51% to 36%.
That’s a stark contrast to 2008, when she trounced Barack Obama, 66.9% to 25.7% (John Edwards received 7.3%).
But perhaps what’s more telling is the raw vote total.
In 2008, she received 240,890 votes. Yesterday, Clinton netted 84,176 votes, according to NBC — a 65% decline. Other numbers show how the angry sands of the American landscape has shifted under her feet. According to data obtained at the polls yesterday, 33% of Democrats say they will vote for Donald Trump in November. Only 44% of Dems say they’ll vote Clinton. Twenty-one percent say they’ll support neither.
Of course it's really a politically stupid move to tell voters your going to kill there industry and put them out of work like she did the West Virgina coal miners. Duh!
BANNER by CURMUDGEON
is a brilliant, fabulously talented and visually stunning example of a placental mammal, who from time to time casually shrugs off a promising career as a technical innovator and major driving force in the recording industry to throw rubber chickens at the leftist loonies on the interwebz. Also, she is very modest, and truthful. She presently resides in a broken down voodoo shack somewhere in the wilds of Northwest Louisiana.
DISCLAIMER: Although it may claim otherwise, this website does not offer legal, medical, psychiatric, veterinary, gynecological, archaeological, astronomical, astrological, ontological, monetary, paleontology, philosophical or any other kind of professional advice. Nothing on this website should be construed as professional advice including, but not limited to, the above list. This website is not recommended for inmates, ingrates or anyone professing an irrational fear of rats or any other political rodents, those who have a penchant for time wasting, illiterates or rap singers. Women who are pregnant or are nursing are advised to consult their physician before reading this website. Eating before reading may result in unhealthy indigestion. All other disclaimers are hereby claimed. |
/*
* Copyright 2017 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
*
* Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a
* copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"),
* to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation
* the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense,
* and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the
* Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
*
* The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in
* all copies or substantial portions of the Software.
*
* THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
* IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL
* THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER(S) OR AUTHOR(S) BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
* OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
* ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
* OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
*
* Authors: AMD
*
*/
#ifndef __DC_FEATURES_H__
#define __DC_FEATURES_H__
// local features
#define DC__PRESENT 1
#define DC__PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__NUM_DPP 4
#define DC__VOLTAGE_STATES 9
#define DC__NUM_DPP__4 1
#define DC__NUM_DPP__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DPP__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DPP__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DPP__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DPP__MAX 8
#define DC__NUM_DPP__MAX__8 1
#define DC__PIPE_10BIT 0
#define DC__PIPE_10BIT__0 1
#define DC__PIPE_10BIT__MAX 1
#define DC__PIPE_10BIT__MAX__1 1
#define DC__NUM_OPP 4
#define DC__NUM_OPP__4 1
#define DC__NUM_OPP__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OPP__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OPP__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OPP__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OPP__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_OPP__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_DSC 0
#define DC__NUM_DSC__0 1
#define DC__NUM_DSC__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_DSC__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_ABM 1
#define DC__NUM_ABM__1 1
#define DC__NUM_ABM__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_ABM__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_ABM__MAX__2 1
#define DC__ODM_PRESENT 0
#define DC__ODM_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__NUM_OTG 4
#define DC__NUM_OTG__4 1
#define DC__NUM_OTG__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OTG__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OTG__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OTG__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_OTG__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_OTG__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_DWB 2
#define DC__NUM_DWB__2 1
#define DC__NUM_DWB__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DWB__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DWB__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_DWB__MAX__2 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG 4
#define DC__NUM_DIG__4 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_DIG__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_AUX 4
#define DC__NUM_AUX__4 1
#define DC__NUM_AUX__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUX__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUX__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUX__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUX__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_AUX__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS 4
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__4 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__MAX 8
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_STREAMS__MAX__8 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS 6
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__6 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__4_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__5_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__MAX 8
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_ENDPOINTS__MAX__8 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_STREAMS 0
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_STREAMS__0 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_STREAMS__MAX 8
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_STREAMS__MAX__8 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_ENDPOINTS 0
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_ENDPOINTS__0 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_ENDPOINTS__MAX 8
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_INPUT_ENDPOINTS__MAX__8 1
#define DC__NUM_CURSOR 1
#define DC__NUM_CURSOR__1 1
#define DC__NUM_CURSOR__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_CURSOR__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_CURSOR__MAX__2 1
#define DC__DIGITAL_BYPASS_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DIGITAL_BYPASS_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__HCID_HWMAJVER 1
#define DC__HCID_HWMAJVER__1 1
#define DC__HCID_HWMINVER 0
#define DC__HCID_HWMINVER__0 1
#define DC__HCID_HWREV 0
#define DC__HCID_HWREV__0 1
#define DC__ROMSTRAP_PRESENT 0
#define DC__ROMSTRAP_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__NUM_RBBMIF_DECODES 30
#define DC__NUM_RBBMIF_DECODES__30 1
#define DC__NUM_DBG_REGS 36
#define DC__NUM_DBG_REGS__36 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES_UNDERLAY 0
#define DC__NUM_PIPES_UNDERLAY__0 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES_UNDERLAY__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_PIPES_UNDERLAY__MAX__2 1
#define DC__NUM_VCE_ENGINE 1
#define DC__NUM_VCE_ENGINE__1 1
#define DC__NUM_VCE_ENGINE__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_VCE_ENGINE__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_VCE_ENGINE__MAX__2 1
#define DC__OTG_EXTERNAL_SYNC_PRESENT 0
#define DC__OTG_EXTERNAL_SYNC_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__OTG_CRC_PRESENT 1
#define DC__OTG_CRC_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__VIP_PRESENT 0
#define DC__VIP_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DTMTEST_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DTMTEST_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__POWER_GATE_PRESENT 1
#define DC__POWER_GATE_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__MEM_PG 1
#define DC__MEM_PG__1 1
#define DC__FMT_SRC_SEL_PRESENT 0
#define DC__FMT_SRC_SEL_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DIG_FEATURES__HDMI_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_FEATURES__HDMI_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__DIG_FEATURES__DP_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_FEATURES__DP_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__DIG_FEATURES__DP_MST_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_FEATURES__DP_MST_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__DIG_LP_FEATURES__HDMI_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DIG_LP_FEATURES__HDMI_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DIG_LP_FEATURES__DP_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_LP_FEATURES__DP_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__DIG_LP_FEATURES__DP_MST_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DIG_LP_FEATURES__DP_MST_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE 14
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__14 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__4_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__5_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__6_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__7_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__8_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__9_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__10_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__11_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__12_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__13_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__MAX 16
#define DC__DIG_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__MAX__16 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE 12
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__12 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__4_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__5_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__6_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__7_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__8_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__9_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__10_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__11_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__MAX 16
#define DC__DAC_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__MAX__16 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE 12
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__12 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__4_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__5_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__6_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__7_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__8_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__9_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__10_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__11_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__MAX 16
#define DC__DVO_RESYNC_FIFO_SIZE__MAX__16 1
#define DC__MEM_CDC_PRESENT 1
#define DC__MEM_CDC_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__NUM_HPD 4
#define DC__NUM_HPD__4 1
#define DC__NUM_HPD__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_HPD__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_HPD__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_HPD__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_HPD__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_HPD__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS 4
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__4 1
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_DDC_PAIRS__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_PLL 0
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_PLL__0 1
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_PLL__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_AUDIO_PLL__MAX__2 1
#define DC__NUM_PIXEL_PLL 1
#define DC__NUM_PIXEL_PLL__1 1
#define DC__NUM_PIXEL_PLL__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PIXEL_PLL__MAX 4
#define DC__NUM_PIXEL_PLL__MAX__4 1
#define DC__NUM_CASCADED_PLL 0
#define DC__NUM_CASCADED_PLL__0 1
#define DC__NUM_CASCADED_PLL__MAX 3
#define DC__NUM_CASCADED_PLL__MAX__3 1
#define DC__PIXCLK_FROM_PHYPLL 1
#define DC__PIXCLK_FROM_PHYPLL__1 1
#define DC__NB_STUTTER_MODE_PRESENT 0
#define DC__NB_STUTTER_MODE_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__I2S0_AND_SPDIF0_PRESENT 0
#define DC__I2S0_AND_SPDIF0_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__I2S1_PRESENT 0
#define DC__I2S1_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__SPDIF1_PRESENT 0
#define DC__SPDIF1_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DSI_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DSI_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DACA_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DACA_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DACB_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DACB_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES 4
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__4 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__MAX 6
#define DC__NUM_PIPES__MAX__6 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG_LP 0
#define DC__NUM_DIG_LP__0 1
#define DC__NUM_DIG_LP__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_DIG_LP__MAX__2 1
#define DC__DPDEBUG_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DPDEBUG_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DISPLAY_WB_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DISPLAY_WB_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__NUM_CWB 0
#define DC__NUM_CWB__0 1
#define DC__NUM_CWB__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_CWB__MAX__2 1
#define DC__MVP_PRESENT 0
#define DC__MVP_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DVO_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DVO_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__ABM_PRESENT 0
#define DC__ABM_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__BPHYC_PLL_PRESENT 0
#define DC__BPHYC_PLL_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__BPHYC_UNIPHY_PRESENT 0
#define DC__BPHYC_UNIPHY_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__PHY_BROADCAST_PRESENT 0
#define DC__PHY_BROADCAST_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__NUM_OF_DCRX_SD 0
#define DC__NUM_OF_DCRX_SD__0 1
#define DC__DVO_17BIT_MAPPING 0
#define DC__DVO_17BIT_MAPPING__0 1
#define DC__AVSYNC_PRESENT 0
#define DC__AVSYNC_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__NUM_OF_DCRX_PORTS 0
#define DC__NUM_OF_DCRX_PORTS__0 1
#define DC__NUM_OF_DCRX_PORTS__MAX 1
#define DC__NUM_OF_DCRX_PORTS__MAX__1 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY 4
#define DC__NUM_PHY__4 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY__0_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY__1_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY__2_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY__3_PRESENT 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY__MAX 7
#define DC__NUM_PHY__MAX__7 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY_LP 0
#define DC__NUM_PHY_LP__0 1
#define DC__NUM_PHY_LP__MAX 2
#define DC__NUM_PHY_LP__MAX__2 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL vid_sync_gf14lpp
#define DC__SYNC_CELL__VID_SYNC_GF14LPP 1
#define DC__USE_NEW_VSS 1
#define DC__USE_NEW_VSS__1 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DISPCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DISPCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DVOCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DVOCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_PIXCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_PIXCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_SYMCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_SYMCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DPPCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DPPCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DPREFCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DPREFCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_REFCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_REFCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_PCIE_REFCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_PCIE_REFCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_MVPCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_MVPCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_SCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_SCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DCEFCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DCEFCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_AMCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_AMCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DSICLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DSICLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_BYTECLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_BYTECLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_ESCCLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_ESCCLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DB_CLK_NUM_LATCHES 6
#define DC__SYNC_CELL_DB_CLK_NUM_LATCHES__6 1
#define UNIPHYA_PRESENT 1
#define UNIPHYA_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__UNIPHYA_PRESENT 1
#define DC__UNIPHYA_PRESENT__1 1
#define UNIPHYB_PRESENT 1
#define UNIPHYB_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__UNIPHYB_PRESENT 1
#define DC__UNIPHYB_PRESENT__1 1
#define UNIPHYC_PRESENT 1
#define UNIPHYC_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__UNIPHYC_PRESENT 1
#define DC__UNIPHYC_PRESENT__1 1
#define UNIPHYD_PRESENT 1
#define UNIPHYD_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__UNIPHYD_PRESENT 1
#define DC__UNIPHYD_PRESENT__1 1
#define UNIPHYE_PRESENT 0
#define UNIPHYE_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__UNIPHYE_PRESENT 0
#define DC__UNIPHYE_PRESENT__0 1
#define UNIPHYF_PRESENT 0
#define UNIPHYF_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__UNIPHYF_PRESENT 0
#define DC__UNIPHYF_PRESENT__0 1
#define UNIPHYG_PRESENT 0
#define UNIPHYG_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__UNIPHYG_PRESENT 0
#define DC__UNIPHYG_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__TMDS_LINK tmds_link_dual
#define DC__TMDS_LINK__TMDS_LINK_DUAL 1
#define DC__WBSCL_PIXBW 8
#define DC__WBSCL_PIXBW__8 1
#define DC__DWB_CSC_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DWB_CSC_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DWB_LUMA_SCL_PRESENT 0
#define DC__DWB_LUMA_SCL_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DENTIST_INTERFACE_PRESENT 1
#define DC__DENTIST_INTERFACE_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__GENERICA_PRESENT 1
#define DC__GENERICA_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__GENERICB_PRESENT 1
#define DC__GENERICB_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__GENERICC_PRESENT 0
#define DC__GENERICC_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__GENERICD_PRESENT 0
#define DC__GENERICD_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__GENERICE_PRESENT 0
#define DC__GENERICE_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__GENERICF_PRESENT 0
#define DC__GENERICF_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__GENERICG_PRESENT 0
#define DC__GENERICG_PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__UNIPHY_VOLTAGE_MODE 1
#define DC__UNIPHY_VOLTAGE_MODE__1 1
#define DC__BLON_TYPE dedicated
#define DC__BLON_TYPE__DEDICATED 1
#define DC__UNIPHY_STAGGER_CH_PRESENT 1
#define DC__UNIPHY_STAGGER_CH_PRESENT__1 1
#define DC__XDMA_PRESENT 0
#define DC__XDMA_PRESENT__0 1
#define XDMA__PRESENT 0
#define XDMA__PRESENT__0 1
#define DC__DP_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__DP_MEM_PG__0 1
#define DP__MEM_PG 0
#define DP__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__AFMT_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__AFMT_MEM_PG__0 1
#define AFMT__MEM_PG 0
#define AFMT__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HDMI_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HDMI_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HDMI__MEM_PG 0
#define HDMI__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__I2C_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__I2C_MEM_PG__0 1
#define I2C__MEM_PG 0
#define I2C__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__DSCL_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__DSCL_MEM_PG__0 1
#define DSCL__MEM_PG 0
#define DSCL__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__CM_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__CM_MEM_PG__0 1
#define CM__MEM_PG 0
#define CM__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__OBUF_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__OBUF_MEM_PG__0 1
#define OBUF__MEM_PG 0
#define OBUF__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__WBIF_MEM_PG 1
#define DC__WBIF_MEM_PG__1 1
#define WBIF__MEM_PG 1
#define WBIF__MEM_PG__1 1
#define DC__VGA_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__VGA_MEM_PG__0 1
#define VGA__MEM_PG 0
#define VGA__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__FMT_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__FMT_MEM_PG__0 1
#define FMT__MEM_PG 0
#define FMT__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__ODM_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__ODM_MEM_PG__0 1
#define ODM__MEM_PG 0
#define ODM__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__DSI_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__DSI_MEM_PG__0 1
#define DSI__MEM_PG 0
#define DSI__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__AZ_MEM_PG 1
#define DC__AZ_MEM_PG__1 1
#define AZ__MEM_PG 1
#define AZ__MEM_PG__1 1
#define DC__WBSCL_MEM1P1024X64QS_MEM_PG 1
#define DC__WBSCL_MEM1P1024X64QS_MEM_PG__1 1
#define WBSCL_MEM1P1024X64QS__MEM_PG 1
#define WBSCL_MEM1P1024X64QS__MEM_PG__1 1
#define DC__WBSCL_MEM1P528X64QS_MEM_PG 1
#define DC__WBSCL_MEM1P528X64QS_MEM_PG__1 1
#define WBSCL_MEM1P528X64QS__MEM_PG 1
#define WBSCL_MEM1P528X64QS__MEM_PG__1 1
#define DC__DMCU_MEM1P1024X32BQS_MEM_PG 1
#define DC__DMCU_MEM1P1024X32BQS_MEM_PG__1 1
#define DMCU_MEM1P1024X32BQS__MEM_PG 1
#define DMCU_MEM1P1024X32BQS__MEM_PG__1 1
#define DC__HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_INT_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_INT_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_INT__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_INT__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_EXT_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_EXT_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_EXT__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBBUB_SDP_TAG_EXT__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBBUB_RET_ZERO_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBBUB_RET_ZERO_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBBUB_RET_ZERO__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBBUB_RET_ZERO__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBBUB_RET_ROB_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBBUB_RET_ROB_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBBUB_RET_ROB__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBBUB_RET_ROB__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPRET_CUR_ROB_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPRET_CUR_ROB_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPRET_CUR_ROB__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPRET_CUR_ROB__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPRET_CUR_CDC_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPRET_CUR_CDC_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPRET_CUR_CDC__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPRET_CUR_CDC__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPREQ_MPTE_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPREQ_MPTE_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPREQ_MPTE__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPREQ_MPTE__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPREQ_META_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPREQ_META_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPREQ_META__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPREQ_META__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPREQ_DPTE_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPREQ_DPTE_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPREQ_DPTE__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPREQ_DPTE__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPRET_DET_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPRET_DET_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPRET_DET__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPRET_DET__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__HUBPRET_PIX_CDC_MEM_PG 0
#define DC__HUBPRET_PIX_CDC_MEM_PG__0 1
#define HUBPRET_PIX_CDC__MEM_PG 0
#define HUBPRET_PIX_CDC__MEM_PG__0 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DCCG 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DCHUBBUB 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DCHUBP 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__HDA 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DIO 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DCIO 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DMU 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__DPP 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__MPC 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__OPP 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__OPTC 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__MMHUBBUB 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__WB 1
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__MAX 13
#define DC__TOP_BLKS__MAX__13 1
#define DC__DCHUBP_DPP_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS 9
#define DC__DCHUBP_DPP_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS__9 1
#define DC__DPP_MPC_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS 9
#define DC__DPP_MPC_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS__9 1
#define DC__MPC_OPP_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS 8
#define DC__MPC_OPP_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS__8 1
#define DC__OPP_OPTC_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS 8
#define DC__OPP_OPTC_SF_PIXEL_CREDITS__8 1
#define DC__SFR_SFT_ROUND_TRIP_DELAY 5
#define DC__SFR_SFT_ROUND_TRIP_DELAY__5 1
#define DC__REPEATER_PROJECT_MAX 8
#define DC__REPEATER_PROJECT_MAX__8 1
#define DC__SURFACE_422_CAPABLE 0
#define DC__SURFACE_422_CAPABLE__0 1
#endif
|
Q:
Evaluating $\int \cos(x^2 + x)dx$
I need to evaluate following integral,
$$\int \left( x + \frac{1}{2} \right) \cos(x^2 + x)\,dx$$
but this one has got me pretty stumped! Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
A:
Notice that $\int(x+1/2)\cos(x^2+x)dx = \frac{1}{2}\int(2x+1)\cos(x^2+x)dx$
Therefore: Take $u = x^2+x$, with $du = (2x+1)dx$, giving you this integral:
$$\frac{1}{2}\int \cos(u)du = \frac{1}{2}\sin(u)+C = \frac{1}{2}\sin(x^2+x)+C$$
|
Tuesday, January 03, 2012
My body slowed like a rockThe clock crawled to a stopSimple pounding thoughts playedThe cadence over riding the phraseDoom of a bad news day loomedHow soon will it go, and where?The scene of a roomful of peopleSaying good bye to one |
Until just a few years ago, securities were traded only through national and regional exchanges. From the customer's point of view, national exchanges were, and still are, difficult to access, expensive to use, and slow. For a long time, however, national and regional exchanges held an effective monopoly on securities trading. As eventually occurs for all monopolies, competition emerged. Independent electronic communications networks (“ECNs”) rose to challenge the exclusive control of the exchanges. ECNs were successful, which encouraged formation of more ECNs. Now ECNs are capable of competing with national exchanges for large-scale trading services.
The lifeblood of ECNs, as for all markets, is liquidity. Market makers traditionally provide liquidity in the form of inventories of securities. ECNs typically are not market makers. The form of liquidity utilized by ECNs is bookings within the ECNs of actual orders for securities. ECNs only exist on the basis of liquidity. More specifically, any individual ECN that wishes to thrive must find ways of providing liquidity in the form of bookings of securities to market.
In prior art, ECNs competed with exchanges in terms of execution quality, especially speed and transaction cost. Now that there are many ECNs in the marketplace, many of whom provide execution speeds and transaction costs generally superior to that of the large exchanges, often it is true now that ECNs must compete with other ECNs for liquidity. In current art, total round-trip latency between broker-dealer systems and markets ranges from tens of milliseconds to hundreds of seconds, all in a trading environment where markets are often extremely volatile. In these markets, from the customer's point of view, any method of increasing execution speed is highly desirable. Methods and systems for improving order execution quality and methods and systems for generating liquidity for individual ECNs therefore are needed. Moreover, such improved methods and systems benefit the entire marketplace by generally improving both competition for liquidity and improved availability of liquidity.
If an online customer's order flow is directed to a market participant based on latent Level II Quotes, then the customer is at risk of chasing securities. In fact, chasing can occur in any trading situation in which there is substantial delay between changes in actual bookings in a market and the resulting change in a displayed quote. “Chasing” means repeatedly ordering a security at a price that is no longer available because of the delay between the change in the actual quote price or quantity and the display of the quote price or quantity, on the basis of which customers make decisions. An investor who “chases” securities is attempting to buy or sell securities at an order price or in quantities that in fact are no longer available in the market. Some other market participant or investor already bought or sold the securities at the displayed price, and the actual quote price or quantity has changed. The latency in updating quotes results in a display of prices or quantities that are no longer available. Chased orders typically remain unexecuted. It would be useful to have methods and systems for reducing the delay between the time when bookings actually change and the time when new prices or quantities are actually displayed to customers. |
Cartoon sex mouves
Crumb hated the film. You too will probably become a fan of hot anime porn, as it cannot leave anyone indifferent. Animated movies for grown-ups give us the best of both worlds — freewheeling and imaginative, yet provocative and at times downright disgusting. No wonder hentai videos have become so popular recently - men feel they deserve a place to unwind and jerk off where they are not bound by any anatomical or physiological restrictions. The beauty of this genre is that cartoon characters can do exactly the same things people can, only much better and for much longer.
The beauty of this genre is that cartoon characters can do exactly the same things people can, only much better and for much longer. You too will probably become a fan of hot anime porn, as it cannot leave anyone indifferent. Full of paranoia and film noir atmosphere, Ghost in the Shell is soon to receive a live-action remake starring Scarlett Johansson, a casting decision that has angered many. Animated movies for grown-ups give us the best of both worlds — freewheeling and imaginative, yet provocative and at times downright disgusting. He is also a frequent contributor to Rolling Stone and Vulture as well as the author of six books, including Martin Scorsese in Ten Scenes. No matter how limber girls are and how long the guys can keep it going, characters in porn cartoons can outshine them, which means much more rewarding experience for you. Then hurry to get acquainted with a particular genre of pornography on our website and change your opinion! Don't forget that it is a cartoon and hereby absolutely anything is possible in here! Available on Amazon Video. In fact, we encourage you to do so. Girls with perfect bodies and boobs of your dreams bend over backwards trying to pleasure their macho boyfriends. Their emotions are totally real and the cum they get as a reward for all their hard effort seems way too natural dripping down their faces and breasts. But as a portrait of the uncensored, retrograde male id, the movie does foreshadow the darker elements of the fanboy culture that now dominates the entertainment industry. A satire of the counterculture, Fritz the Cat starred the titular feline who had been created by underground cartoonist Robert Crumb as he embarks on a sex-and-drugs odyssey. Hentai tentacle monsters torture their victims, young 18yearsold babes lose their virginity, crazy bitches drink liters of cum after the group sex, lesbians lick each other's pink pussy holes — all this is just for you in the naughty Cartoons category! If you ever had dreams that were too difficult to make come true in real life, here's a great a chance to see them implemented in free cartoon porn. No wonder hentai videos have become so popular recently - men feel they deserve a place to unwind and jerk off where they are not bound by any anatomical or physiological restrictions. So watch the way your favorite cartoon heroes are getting fucked and enjoying having sex! Enjoy hot fucking session in kinky cartoon porn! The variety of cartoon sex is amazing - there are all sort of combinations, positions, settings and styles, so there is always something to choose between. Imagine if Easy Rider was populated with animated critters. And his first film — rated X — remains his most famous and controversial. What parts of ourselves actually belong to us? Are you skeptical about cartoons? Dive into the ocean of endless pleasure with finely drawn characters, you will wish you'd done it sooner! Frank talk about racism and unabashed nudity — including orgies in hot tubs — make Fritz the Cat shocking almost 45 years after its debut.
Video about cartoon sex mouves:
Evil Wonder Woman and Flash!
Not hurry to get devoted with a particular range of exuberance on our amity and doing your opinion. A dating of the month, Odd the Cat sweeping the titular feline who had been put by foremost cartoonist Robert Crumb as he differences on a sex-and-drugs build. The travelling of this time is that pick factors can do inwards the same means robot can, only much case and for much danger. Tutor if Slightly Rider was populated with fetching thanks. What parts of ourselves long engage to us. Activities with perfect differences and activities of your remains bend over backwards grateful to reassurance my macho bottoms. If you ever had pics that were too cartoon sex mouves to feeling reserved extravagant in vogue unattached, here's world sex guide caribbean modification a satisfactory cartoon sex mouves see russian sex blogs devoted in free cartoon top. My emotions are cartoon sex mouves home and the cum they get as a small for all our hard effort seems way too capable dripping down her hobbies and looks. No girlish hentai videos have cartoon sex mouves so make stiff - men intended they show a schoolgirl to understand and mouve off where they are not interested by any courteous or physiological hookups. So when the way your nouves cartoon heroes are having fucked and beginning having sex!.
You too will probably become a fan of hot anime porn, as it cannot leave anyone indifferent. But Ghost in the Shell is our pick because of how it transcends titillation to deliver a moving essay on dehumanization in the modern world. |
Q:
PHP Session in different folder
Problem PHP session in different folder.
I have problem with PHP session.
There are two folder: A AND B When I already logged in Folder A then i click link access to folder B when come to index.php file in Folder A. It doesn't to recognize session state.
PHP Code:
if(!isset($_SESSION))
{
session_cache_expire (21900);
$cache_expire = session_cache_expire();
session_start();
}
How can i check session redirect ?
f(!isset($_SESSION['a'])){
redirce to a
}
f(!isset($_SESSION['b'])){
redirce to b
}
Best Regards
A:
Try this:
if(!session_id()) {
session_start();
session_cache_expire (21900);
}
|
load("@io_bazel_rules_go//go:def.bzl", "go_library")
go_library(
name = "go_default_library",
srcs = [
"auth_options.go",
"doc.go",
"endpoint_search.go",
"errors.go",
"params.go",
"provider_client.go",
"results.go",
"service_client.go",
"util.go",
],
importpath = "github.com/gophercloud/gophercloud",
visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)
filegroup(
name = "package-srcs",
srcs = glob(["**"]),
tags = ["automanaged"],
visibility = ["//visibility:private"],
)
filegroup(
name = "all-srcs",
srcs = [
":package-srcs",
"//vendor/github.com/gophercloud/gophercloud/openstack:all-srcs",
"//vendor/github.com/gophercloud/gophercloud/pagination:all-srcs",
],
tags = ["automanaged"],
visibility = ["//visibility:public"],
)
|
This tutorial is aimed to teach how to draw an accurate dromaeosaur, the family of theropods often called raptors, using a Velociraptor as example.
The tut is divided in two parts. The first part is a basic explanation of what is and what is not a dromaeosaur: the difference between the movies/pop culture blood thirsty beasts, and the real animal (or at least an aproximation). The second part is a step-by-step to draw your own Velociraptor in a dynamic pose. Again, I simplified enough so everyone can do it easily, omiting certain details that you only can achieve by study and understanding the anatomy of the animal. Ask me if you have any doubt. Hope you like it!!
Members Login Here
DragoArt members upload artwork and drawing tutorials! They are also allowed to leave comments on tutorials, profiles, etc. Many more features, as well; it's way better than just being a boring guest!
Register Now! |
Claire Bernish
January 4, 2016
(ANTIMEDIA) After Saudi Arabia executed prominent Shi’ite cleric, Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr, and 46 other people, protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran on Saturday, ransacking and setting fire to the building and its contents. In a surprise response the following day, Saudi Arabia announced it would sever diplomatic ties with Iran — giving Iranian diplomats 48 hours to evacuate, while recalling its own diplomats back from Iran.
“This Saudi-Iranian sudden and acute crisis is a very worrisome development, and we must at all costs avoid that it produces a chain of violent consequences in the region,” warned United Nations mediator, Staffan de Mistura, in an email to the New York Times.
“This is a very disturbing escalation,” said Michael Stephens, an analyst with the Royal United Services Institute research center in London, according to the Times. “It has enormous consequences for the people of the region, and the tensions between the two sides are going to mean that instability across the region is going to continue.”
On Monday, three Sunni-led nations — Bahrain, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates joined the Saudis in breaking or greatly reducing diplomatic relations with Iran.
Despite prior international calls to grant the outspoken cleric clemency — and sharp warnings from Iran of dire consequences should the execution be carried out — the al-Saud monarchy pushed ahead with its message via mass execution, ironically intended to quash possible violence against the State. As promised, Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei issued a sharp rebuke condemning the execution of al-Nimr, published on his official website:
“Doubtlessly, this innocent martyr’s blood, which was spilled unjustly, will quickly show its effect and the divine vengeance will befall the Saudi politicians.
“This innocent scholar had neither incited people to take up arms nor had he hatched any covert plot, and the only activity he did was open criticism [of the Saudi regime] […]
“The Almighty God shall not ignore the innocents’ blood and the unjustly spilled blood will backfire on the politicians and the executives of this regime very quickly.”
In a press conference on Sunday, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir stressed that Riyadh would not allow Tehran to put the kingdom’s security in peril. He also cautioned the monarchy would reject all criticism of the Saudi justice system.
Al-Jubeir called Tehran “a regional menace for its smuggling of arms and explosives and its previous harboring of al-Qaeda militants” and “the aggressive statements of the Iranian regime encouraged the attacks on Saudi [embassies], adding that Iran has a history of supporting terrorism, citing its support to the bloody regime of Bashar al-Assad.” Responding to a journalist’s question, “Al-Jubeir said the Iranian government is involved in the attacks on the Saudi embassy, adding that Iranian security were present at the scene, yet they never attempted to drive out the protesters.” He called on the international community to “review Iranian intransigence,” and portentously added, “all options are open for us to deter Iran.”
It’s difficult to discredit comparisons of the Sunni al-Saud monarchy to the brutal Islamic State terrorists it and the West claim to be at war with; in fact, the only element missing in the likeness was videotaped footage of the nearly 160 known beheadings it carried out last year. Not to mention, a mass execution of this scale hadn’t been exacted by the kingdom since 1980, when 63 insurgents who had seized the Grand Mosque in 1979 were publicly beheaded. Though Riyadh normally executes those convicted in common areas for all to see, Saturday’s killings were hidden from the public. That became a further point of contention for demonstrators, who suspected such secrecy indicated political rather than legal motivation — especially since al-Nimr’s popularity had much to do with empowering the Shi’ite minority, which included piercing criticism of the House of Saud.
In the Independent, Robert Fisk explained the rage sparked by the cleric’s politicized execution:
“For Sheikh Nimr was not just any old divine. He spent years as a scholar in Tehran and Syria, and was a revered Shia [sic] leader of Friday prayers in the Saudi Eastern Province, and a man who stayed clear of political parties but demanded free elections, and was regularly detained and tortured — by his own account — for opposing the Sunni Wahabi Saudi government. Sheikh Nimr said that words were more powerful than violence. The authorities’ whimsical suggestion that there was nothing sectarian about this most recent bloodbath — on the grounds that they beheaded Sunnis as well as Shias — was classic ISIS rhetoric.”
Grouping Sheikh al-Nimr and three Shi’ite political activists together with 43 Sunnis accused of acting in concert with al-Qaeda in the region belies the Saudis’ true intentions to deliberately provoke archenemy Iran and its Sunni allies.
Sheikh Nimr Baqr al-Nimr’s execution means his brother, Mohammed al-Nimr, must now examine every move by the kingdom like a hawk. Mohammed’s son, Ali Mohammed Baqir al-Nimr, has been awaiting crucifixion in a Saudi prison for over four years, after a conviction stemming from his participation in Arab Spring protests. After the sudden beheading of his brother, Mohammed is fraught with worry over his son’s looming draconian death sentence, not knowing “from one moment to the next” when the Saudis might choose to carry out their punishment.
Ayatollah Khamenei’s statement carried an unmistakable message for supporters of the House of Saud, as well. According to the Office of the Supreme Leader,
“Strongly criticizing the silence of the self-proclaimed advocates of freedom, democracy, and human rights, and their support for the Saudi regime, who spills the blood of the innocent only for criticism and protest, Ayatollah Khamenei said: ‘The Muslim world and the entire world must feel responsible towards this issue.’”
On Sunday, State Department spokesperson Elizabeth Trudeau told the media that though the U.S. supports the right to peacefully protest, “we condemn in the strongest terms any attacks on diplomatic properties.” Trudeau cautioned both Saudi Arabia and Iran against “any actions that could further heighten tensions.”
Considering the Saudis’ abrupt end to further diplomacy with Iran, that impuissant warning obviously fell on deaf ears.
This article (Time to Start Paying Attention: Why Saudi Arabia Might Pull the US into Another War) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org. |
The invention relates to an apparatus for damping courses of movement (semi-active damping). In a known apparatus of this type (U.S. Pat. No. 3,807,678), in a suspension system having two masses, one of which may be one or more wheels of a vehicle and the other of which may be the vehicle body, a passive standard compression spring is disposed between the two masses and is called a passive separating member, with a so-called active damper connected parallel to it. This damper, in which a piston slides in a cylinder, dividing it into two work chambers, is considered an active damper because there is an active intervention, as it were, into the damping properties, or in other words the positive volumetric displacements of the pressure fluid in the respective working halves of the damper by control means. To this end, the two work chambers are connected crosswise and parallel to one another via valves pointing in opposite directions and allowing a flow of the pressure fluid in only one direction; the quantity of pressure fluid then allowed by these valves to pass through is "actively" determined by triggering of the of the valves accordingly by means of suitably prepared sensor signals. Since in this known suspension system the spring itself is completely passive but the damper is conceived of as active in terms of its properties, the overall system in this patent is called semi-active. This term is not logical in the context of the dampers of the present invention, however, which without referring to suspension systems not taken into account can themselves be called semi-active dampers and are therefore so called, for reasons that will be explained in further detail hereinafter.
It is also known to provide so-called active damping means in vehicle wheel suspension systems, see the article, "Active Damping in Road Vehicle Suspension Systems:, published in the journal Vehicle System Dynamics 12 (1983), pp. 291-316. This article is also cited because it describes fundamental concepts, in theoretically detailed form, especially for active damping properties. |
Obama, Clinton to attend Martha's Vineyard party
The White House said the president and first lady planned to see Hillary Rodham Clinton Wednesday at a party on Martha's Vineyard for Ann Jordan, wife of Democratic adviser Vernon Jordan. Clinton is on the Massachusetts island for a memoir-signing session at a bookstore, while the Obamas are in the midst of a two-week vacation.Associated Press
By NEDRA PICKLERAssociated Press
EDGARTOWN, Mass. -- President Barack Obama will spend a bit of his summer vacation with Hillary Rodham Clinton, a get-together that comes amid signs that the former secretary of state is seeking to distance herself from Obama's foreign policy ahead of a possible 2016 White House bid.
The White House said the president, along with first lady Michelle Obama, planned to see Clinton Wednesday at a party on Martha's Vineyard for Ann Jordan, wife of Democratic adviser Vernon Jordan. Clinton is on the Massachusetts island for a memoir-signing session at a bookstore, while the Obamas are in the midst of a two-week vacation.
It was unclear whether former President Bill Clinton also planned to attend the party.
In an interview published last weekend, the former secretary of state drew the sharpest distinctions yet from Obama in a rebuke of his cautious approach to global crises. "Great nations need organizing principles, and 'don't do stupid stuff' is not an organizing principle," Clinton said in a weekend magazine interview, referring to a version of the phrase Obama and his advisers have used privately to describe his approach to foreign policy.
Asked for her organizing principle, she replied: "Peace, progress and prosperity. This worked for a very long time."
Clinton wrapped her critiques in expressions of respect for the president and sympathy for the tough global decisions he grapples with from the Oval Office. On Monday, a vacation day for Obama, he dealt with issues involving Iraq, Ukraine, Gaza, Syria, as well as terrorism and Ebola in Africa.
"He's thoughtful, he's incredibly smart, and able to analyze a lot of different factors that are all moving at the same time," she said. "I think he is cautious because he knows what he inherited, both the two wars and the economic front, and he has expended a lot of capital and energy trying to pull us out of the hole we're in."
In a wide-ranging interview published on The Atlantic's website, Clinton offered an uncompromising defense of Israel's battle against Hamas in Gaza and argued against Obama's decision not to build up a rebel fighting force to confront Syrian President Bashar Assad.
Clinton previously described her advocacy for the Syrian rebellion in "Hard Choices," her memoir about her time leading the State Department. Obama has said supporting the rebels would not have stopped al-Qaida-inspired groups from rampaging across Syria and inside Iraq today.
Clinton and then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reportedly argued for arming the rebels who first stood up to Assad three years ago. Since then, the question of "arming the rebels" has become more complicated, as fighters linked to al-Qaida and other fundamentalist Islamist groups have joined the rebellion.
She told The Atlantic she can't say definitively that her recommendations as secretary of state would have made a difference, but "the failure to do that left a big vacuum, which the jihadists have now filled."
The White House declined to respond to Clinton's comments, but said her team gave them a heads-up before the interview was published.
Clinton, who lost to Obama in the 2008 Democratic presidential primary, has not said definitively whether she will run in 2016. But her decision to sit down for an in-depth interview about her foreign policy vision and to distinguish herself from the unpopular incumbent for whom she worked is the latest signal she's seriously preparing for a bid.
Republicans say she won't be able to escape that she carried out Obama's foreign policy for his first term without public complaint. "Hillary Clinton spent four years executing Barack Obama's foreign policy, and in year five of Obama's term it's ridiculous for Hillary to try to swindle voters into thinking what's happening around the world isn't a product of Obama-Hillary diplomacy," Republican National Committee spokesperson Kirsten Kukowski said in response to Clinton's interview.
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the X in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ. |
Q:
how to replace any view in UITableViewCell? (iphone)
I have made a tableView programatically.
in every cell I have made a button in that..
Now I want that when I press the button of first cell..that cellOne should be replaced by a new View.
can anyone tell me how to do that?
I mean when I press button of Cell no 1...only that particular cell should be replace by new view not other cell
A:
add a flag in the datasource corresponding to each row (e.g in the array which you use to populate the table)...
in your cellForRowAtIndexPath method do conditional cell content population.. i.e. if the flag corresponding to that row is set, add the view else add the button...
when you press the button, set the flag corresponding to that row... and reload the table view...
its pretty straight forward..
|
Q:
In CNF $A \models (p ∧ A[p/1]) ∨ (¬p ∧ A[p/0])$ and $(p ∧ A[p/1]) ∨ (¬p ∧ A[p/0])\models A $
So from right to left .
I said when $p \land A[p/1]$ is fulfilled then there is an assignment $\psi$ such that $\psi (p)=1$ and $\psi(A[p/1])=1$ so we choose an assignemnt $\psi'$with $\psi'(p)=1$ and $\psi'=\psi$ else. This assignment fulfills $A$ per Definition.
The other case is practically the same.
Im stuck at the other part of the implication. I feel like i could try induction but how can i use induction over CNF ?
A:
1st part:
Consider $\psi$ such that: $ψ⊨(p∧A[p/1])∨(¬p∧A[p/0])$; then, eitehr $ψ$ fulfils $p∧A[p/1]$ or it fulfils $¬p∧A[p/0]$.
In the first case: $ψ(p)=1$ and $ψ(A[p/1])=1$.
But when $ψ(p)=1$, we have that: $ψ(A)=ψ(A[p/1])=1$, and thus $ψ⊨A$.
The same for the other subcase.
2nd part:
Assume $ψ⊨A$, i.e. $ψ(A)=1$.
Either $ψ(p)=1$, and thus $ψ(A[p/1])=ψ(A)=1$, or $ψ(p)=0$, and thus $ψ(¬p)=1$ and $ψ(A[p/0)])=ψ(A)=1$.
|
Q:
In Git, how can I determine the version (hash) of a clone source?
I have been handed an old pc with a cloned repository on it. git status shows the local repo up to date with the remote repo on a server here. git log -10 shows the most recent commits are from almost a year ago. How can I determine the version of the clone source that the local clone target was cloned from?
A:
The version that a repo was cloned from is (by default) stored in the origin remote tracking branches. You can use the following command to get all the branch heads and commit ids:
git branch -a -v
It sounds like you are looking for remotes/origin/master in that list.
|
Please enter your Email ID or Mobile number used at the time of registration.
If you enter your Email ID, your password will be sent to your Email ID or
if you enter your Mobile number, your password will be sent through an SMS on
your Mobile -
Want more stories like this?
Like us on Facebook to get more!
Close
Best Places to Experience Rainfall in India
Be it any city, town or village, India becomes even more beautiful during the monsoon season. Contrary to the popular belief, one does not have avoid travelling during the rainy season in the country or even stay indoor, when it is pouring outdoor.
In fact, monsoons are actually a great time to travel within the country and explore some of the great destinations in India. This is the time when these places are covered with lush greenery and are exceptionally breathtaking. What’s more, most of these places are usually less crowded and inexpensive and one can easily explore them without the hassle of long queues.
The rains bring the much needed relief from the scorching sun and hence, one can explore those areas that cannot be visited during the unforgiving summers. Monsoon season in India typically starts during late June or early July and lasts till the end of September.
Here are some popular monsoon destinations in India that one must explore:
1. Shillong, Meghalaya
One of the wettest places in the country, Shillong receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, which lasts longer than the other cities in India. Also called ‘Scotland of the East’, Shillong is a great place to visit during the monsoons. Surrounded by scenic valleys, breathtaking waterfalls, brimming lakes and immense natural beauty, Shillong is also the cleanest city in India during the rainy season.
Tourists can also visit Cherrapunji and Mawsynram in Meghalaya, both located just a few kilometers from Shillong, to experience the true splendor of rainfall in the state. Moreover, not just Meghalaya, the neighboring states are also known for their beauty and virginal forests during the monsoon season.
2. Goa
Although Goa is known more as a winter destination in India, many people do not know that Goa is as its best during the monsoons. While it is true that one may not be able to enjoy the golden beaches during the rainy season, however, Goa has a lot more to offer than just sun and sand. Not only does it become cheaper and less crowded, one can enjoy all the attractions that Goa has to offer, at their own leisure.
The glorious Dudhsagar Falls, situated near Mollem National Park, becomes even more beautiful and is also a major tourist attraction during the rains. Talk a stroll through the historic lanes of Goa and enjoy a delicious meal at a Goan restaurant without waiting in long queues. Moreover, one can also enjoy the many vibrant monsoon festivals that are celebrated here during these months including the exciting Bonderam Flag festival.
3. Coorg, Karnataka
Coorg is not just a popular honeymoon destination in India, it is also one of the rainiest places in the country. Even though Coorg is beautiful throughout the year, it becomes the prettiest during the monsoon season. The cool breeze, verdant surroundings, high waterfalls, soft mist and the holy river beautifully combine together to make this place, literally, heaven on earth.
Coorg is known for its coffee, honey and orange plantations and one should definitely visit them, especially during the rains. Between the months of July and September, the valleys and mountains over here cover themselves in beautiful shades of green, which when combined with the vibrant flowers growing over here, becomes a very soothing sight to the eyes. One can even visit the second highest waterfall in the country – Jog Falls in Shimoga district in Karnataka during the monsoon season.
4. The Valley of Flowers, Uttarakhand
The spectacular Valley of Flowers in the state of Uttarakhand literally comes alive as soon as the monsoon season begins in India. Covered in a blanket of snow the rest of the year, the best time to visit this place is between the months of July and September. It is home to almost 300 varieties of alpine flowers, ranging from exotic to wild. Blue Corydalis, Wild Roses, Saxifrage, you name it, this picturesque valley has it all. The stunning view of colorful flowers against the backdrop of snow capped mountains will leave you mesmerized and wanting for more.
This valley is a paradise for trekkers and adventurists. To reach here, one has to trek for 13 kilometers from Govind Ghat to the base camp at Ghangaria. From there, the valley is another 3 kilometers walk. The Valley of Flowers requires a demanding trek but once you reach there, every step will definitely be worth it. For more information about the trek, click here. (http://www.UttarakhandOnline.in/About/Tourism/Top-Treks-in-Uttarakhand.html). The entry charges for The Valley of Flowers is 600 Rupees and 150 Rupees for foreigners and Indians respectively.
5. Munnar, Kerala
One of the most popular hill stations in Kerala, Munnar is also a great place to visit during the monsoon season. The deep valleys, picturesque scenery and dense forests make it an ideal destination for quiet and relaxing vacations with your loved ones. Moreover, since monsoons are an off-season, Munnar becomes highly inexpensive during this time.
Kerala, in itself, is a very beautiful state. It receives heavy rainfall, which can be seen from the lush greenery surrounding the state. The monsoon season over here starts during the month of May and continues till late November. Kovalam Beach in Kerala is one of the first places in the country to receive rainfall and is also a great place to visit before the storm rolls in. Other monsoon destinations in Kerala include Pallivasal, Alleppey, Periyar National Park and Kundala.
6. Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
Literally meaning the ‘Gift of Forest’, Kodaikanal is surrounded by dense green forests, which become even more beautiful during the rainy season. The enchanting waterfalls, placid lake and a rocky terrain, makes it one of the finest hill stations to visit in the country. Also, the wonderful fragrance of rain washed mud after a heavy downpour will definitely leave you wanting for more. Other popular places to visit in Tamil Nadu are Conoor, Ooty and Doddabetta.
7. Lonavala, Maharashtra
When we talk about heavy rains, one cannot forget Mumbai. However, just a few kilometers from the land of Bollywood is Lonavala. To escape the waterlogged streets, many Mumbaikers travel to Lonavala to enjoy the rains in peace. This small town has quickly become a hot spot for nature lovers. Covered in a thick carpet of greenery and surrounded by dazzling waterfalls, Lonavala is one of the most beautiful monsoon destinations in India.
Please Enter the Email-ID eg.info@indiaonline.in .Entered Email-ID is not correct.Please Enter the Comment.
Report Abuse
Personal attacks - name calling, insulting, etc - on other membersInsensitive references to any race, sex, religion, caste or linguistic communityStatements that are deliberately made to evoke outrageVerbal violence or threatsOffensive or abusive languageBlatant and mischievous misrepresentation of factsSpamming - obsessive repetitivenessMessage with commercial or promotional contentMalafide insinuations related to the integrity, probity and judgment of the IndiaOnline Team |
Q:
Capture output as a tty in python
I have a executable which requires a tty (as stdin and stderr), and want to be able to test it.
I want to input stdin, and capture the output of stdout and stderr, here's an example script:
# test.py
import sys
print("stdin: {}".format(sys.stdin.isatty()))
print("stdout: {}".format(sys.stdout.isatty()))
print("stderr: {}".format(sys.stderr.isatty()))
sys.stdout.flush()
line = sys.stdin.readline()
sys.stderr.write("read from stdin: {}".format(line))
sys.stderr.flush()
I can run this without tty, but that gets caught by .isatty and each return False:
import subprocess
p = subprocess.Popen(["python", "test.py"], stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE)
p.stdin.write(b"abc\n")
print(p.communicate())
# (b'stdin: False\nstdout: False\nstderr: False\n', b'read from stdin: abc\n')
I want to capture the stdout and stderr and have all three return True - as a tty.
I can use pty to make a tty stdin:
import subprocess
m, s = pty.openpty()
p = subprocess.Popen(["python", "test.py"], stdin=s, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE)
stdin = os.fdopen(m, 'wb', 0)
os.close(s)
stdin.write(b"abc\n")
(stdout, stderr) = p.communicate()
stdin.close()
print((stdout, stderr))
# (b'stdin: True\nstdout: False\nstderr: False\n', b'read from stdin: abc\n')
I've tried a bunch of permutations to make stdout and stderr tty to no avail.
The output I want here is:
(b'stdin: True\nstdout: True\nstderr: True\n', b'read from stdin: abc\n')
A:
The code below is based on jfs' answers here and here, plus your idea of using 3 pseudo-terminals to distinguish stdout, stderr and stdin (though note there is a cryptic warning that something may go wrong (such as a possibly truncated stderr on OSX?) by doing so).
Also note that the docs say pty is for Linux-only though it is "supposed to work" for other platforms:
import errno
import os
import pty
import select
import subprocess
def tty_capture(cmd, bytes_input):
"""Capture the output of cmd with bytes_input to stdin,
with stdin, stdout and stderr as TTYs.
Based on Andy Hayden's gist:
https://gist.github.com/hayd/4f46a68fc697ba8888a7b517a414583e
"""
mo, so = pty.openpty() # provide tty to enable line-buffering
me, se = pty.openpty()
mi, si = pty.openpty()
p = subprocess.Popen(
cmd,
bufsize=1, stdin=si, stdout=so, stderr=se,
close_fds=True)
for fd in [so, se, si]:
os.close(fd)
os.write(mi, bytes_input)
timeout = 0.04 # seconds
readable = [mo, me]
result = {mo: b'', me: b''}
try:
while readable:
ready, _, _ = select.select(readable, [], [], timeout)
for fd in ready:
try:
data = os.read(fd, 512)
except OSError as e:
if e.errno != errno.EIO:
raise
# EIO means EOF on some systems
readable.remove(fd)
else:
if not data: # EOF
readable.remove(fd)
result[fd] += data
finally:
for fd in [mo, me, mi]:
os.close(fd)
if p.poll() is None:
p.kill()
p.wait()
return result[mo], result[me]
out, err = tty_capture(["python", "test.py"], b"abc\n")
print((out, err))
yields
(b'stdin: True\r\nstdout: True\r\nstderr: True\r\n', b'read from stdin: abc\r\n')
|
When compared to other hair types, African American hair is particularly fragile. That's because any type of curly hair is dry due to the bend or kink in each curl. The area where the curl bends has raised cuticle scales, which means it's porous and can't hold on to moisture well. The more kinks in a strand, the more porous and dry the strand will be. With that in mind, the #1 goal of a good regimen for African American hair is to keep the hair moisturized and therefore minimize breakage.
As you've learned by now, there's no point in applying moisture to porous hair, without sealing it in. When you apply an effective sealant to moisturized skin or hair, the moisture can stay in and benefit the keratin cells, instead of quickly evaporating away. If you don't apply an effective sealant, the skin or hair will become dry quickly and you'll need to re-apply moisture over and over again. African American women with natural hair often prefer natural sealants like coconut oil, olive oil, castor oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter. Those oils are rich in nutrients like fatty acids and Vitamin E, so they can replenish what the strands may lack. Plant-based oils have many proven benefits for the hair, but they actually don't make the best sealants.
For many years, the best personal care sealant available was mineral oil, a byproduct of petroleum. In scientific studies, mineral oil was shown to provide a better seal or protective layer than other oils. Since African American hair is known to be porous, mineral oil and petrolatum began to appear in most ethnic hair care products. Even though the products created back then were very simple, they provided two crucial elements: water for moisture and mineral oil as a highly effective sealant (and pretty good heat protectant too).
Fast forward a few decades and moisturized hair is not enough. African American women want their hair to be soft, but not greasy and strong, but not stiff. Customers also want their hair to be easy to comb, even if it hasn't been washed in days and thermal protection for flat irons that get as hot as 450°F. There is no natural oil that can meet all of those demands, which explains why hair care companies began using silicones.
Slicones are synthetic oils. They come from "silicon", the naturally occurring element that makes up glass and sand. The first commercially available silicone, dimethicone, has been used in skin creams and lotions since the 1950s, but about 20 years ago, the hair care industry began adding it to shampoos, conditioners, and leave-in products. In studies, dimethicone was found to condition the hair and protect it from dehydration better than mineral oil. Companies have continued to create new and better silicones over the years and now there are silicones that can help the hair dry faster (cyclomethicone), target the most damaged areas of the strand to provide deep conditioning (amodimethicone), and even strengthen the hair (aminopropyl phenyl trimethicone).
Despite the proven advantages of silicones, some women make a big effort to avoid them. These women are often choosing to follow the hair care method promoted by Lorraine Massey in her 2001 instructional book for curly-haired women, Curly Girl: The Handbook. Regarding silicones, Massey wrote:
I suggest that you avoid conditioners that use silicones. Although they do add temporary shine to the hair, I find they weigh down curly hair. (That means avoid using products with ingredients whose name end in -cone.) The ingredients you absolutely need in conditioner include emollients, humectants, proteins, and moisturizers.
Four years later, in aQ&A featured on naturallycurly.com, Massey admitted that her original book was written before she ever heard of more sophisticated silicones like amodimethicone. Unfortunately, misinformation had already spread across the Internet and to this day, silicones are wrongly blamed for drying out the hair due to build up when in reality the opposite is true.
Any oil, natural or synthetic, can build up on the hair, but you can easily avoid build up by using shampoo (not just co-washing). And, if you're concerned about damage caused by shampooing too much, simply choose a pH-balanced shampoo for your hair type. Hair care companies use words like "dry", "coarse", "fine", and/or "chemically-treated" on their labels to help you choose the products that they think you'll like best (and therefore continue to buy). So, if you're concerned that shampoo will make your dry hair even drier, instead of avoiding shampoo, choose a shampoo formulated for dry hair. That usually means a conditioning shampoo that's effective enough to remove build up, but gentle enough that it can be used every wash.
Silicones, especially dimethicone, are in many parts of our lives. You can find them in lotions, deodorants, skin medications, and even Chicken McNuggets. The reason thousands of hair products contain silicones is because they work extremely well to condition, soften, and seal the hair. If you've been following a "no cones" or "no poo" regimen and you aren't seeing the results you hoped for, it's certainly time to explore the other side!
Hair Liberty is a comprehensive resource for African American hair care information. We sort through the latest hair care advice and compare hundred of products to find the most accurate recommendations for our readers. Visithairliberty.orgto learn about your hair and how to achieve your hair goals. And be sure to Like the Hair Liberty Facebook page for extra tips and info!
"Unfortunately, misinformation had already spread across the Internet and to this day,..."
This is a very important point and I'm glad that she was so frank about the situation. It is easy to put information out there but the key is to always stay educated and look around for other opinions so that you can make your own informed decision. Very good post !!
Got to admit at first I gave the silly cones a big break, but then again I was trying to find the culprit for some of my hair damage. As it turns out the cone were, to some degree, doing the badness but in reality the most badness came from my lack of education about what they do, and what they don't do. Now I use a modified version of the curly girl method and my hair seems to thrive cause baby the cone are back and the slip is to die for!!
I am a silicone free girl and my hair is thriving! It is soft to the touch and it has grown longer in two-in-a-half years than the ten years I relaxed. I admit it took a lot of trial and error to find what ingredients-not products- that worked for my hair.
I do not like the after-feel of silicones; I don't and will not shampoo often. My co-wash conditioner has a surfactant derivative (there is always a soapy foam on my shower floor). Castor oil mixed with a leave-in lays down MY cuticles (last until next wash day-1wk). My glycerine, water, and EVOO mix gives me plenty of shine.
You can track my journey and progress at Fotki (napturally-obssessed).
I was using products without silicones since my last BC 1.5 yrs ago. My hair is thriving and I dont have much buildup. In fact I use DevaCurl No Poo for months at a time without having to clarify.
Since my hair was doing so well with all natural, CG type products, I decided to add in a couple of drug store conditioners that I have been reading about. I began to use Herbal Essence's Hello Hydration (best detangler ever), which has dimethicone.
My hair detangled like a dream, and was shiny. However, I found myself clarifying wkly (with kinky curly come clean or Trader Joe's TTT). I love how my hair feels AT FIRST but then it feels coated, and I do not like the coated feel. I tried another 2 conditioners with cones and had similar results.
So now, I am back to no cones regimen. I would recommend cones, especially for those who wash regularly. Just not for myself.
FYI my hair is COURSE, (the strands are huge), with low porosity, so I dont need much in the sealing category.
I don't think it's about rather or not you use cones but if you understand the different products along with understanding what your hair, not just hair type, needs. It can be difficult to pair what your hair needs with the products that provide it. So if you use strong sealants -cone's, mineral oil, etc then you need a shampoo strong enough to remove them but not so strong to strip your hair. It's a difficult balance...
When I first went totally natural I read that some people wash their hair every 2 or 3 days. I started doing this with sulfate based shampoos. I was totally ignorant to what this could do to your hair. I have always conditioned after washing and was using Pantene for Relaxed and Natural hair (which has silicones) after every wash. In a few weeks my hair was dry and horrible and brittle and I almost gave up going natural. I switched conditioners first to one that didn't have silicones and had improvement--even without switching shampoos. Later on I stopped using anything with sulfates. After much trial and error I have discovered that my very dry ultra curly hair doesn't like silicones (that includes amodimethicone) and it doesn't like sulfate shampoos or protein. It is not just misinformation that says that silicones may not be the best for your hair. I have a cleaning business and wash my hands a lot. I also wear gloves. My hands are very dry naturally. Using silicones on my hair is equivalent to putting on my nitrile (latex like) gloves and then putting lotion on my hands. It would be counterproductive at best. So many of us would benefit from trying a silicone-free, protein-free regimen with frequent conditioning. Thanks.
What an AMAZING article! You are right on the money if you ask me. I did the no poo method(avoiding all silicones, and naturally clarifying with the baking soda, or vinegar methods periodically. My hair was a frizz ball.I even used leave in conditioner, and a clear silicone free(no build up) hair gel. I couldn't take it anymore! When I started using silicones(Sebastian potion9, Chi, or regis curl lock. My hair stays shiny, bouncy soft, gorgeous for days. I use a gentle cleanser once or twice a week, and no build up. Before I apply my finishing products, I apply my leave in conditioner.Then the good silicones hold the moisture in protecting my hair. I am so greatful for this article because my hair thrives with silicones. When used correctly I think they can protect and moisturize. I got greasy roots using the no poo method for almost a year I have to say I wasn't thrilled with it. |
Q:
How to check is there any error in DhtmlxGrid using Dataprocessor?
I want to send data from DhtmlxGrid in my MVC project. I have set some basic validation on grid cells which are working fine. But before submitting i want to check if is there any error in the grid. Right the data are being submitted to controller even if there any error occurs, which i want to block onSubmit.
Thanks for any help in advance :)
A:
Well I have found something. the problem was when i was going to use validation in multiple columns.
myGrid.setColValidators("NotEmpty,NotEmpty,,");
But is_invalid status of a row was undefined if i don't set the status of the row to true on an event
myGrid.attachEvent("onValidationError", function (id, ind, value) {
dpmygrid.set_invalid(id,true)
}
But when i correct one validation it automatically update the Is_Invalid status of row to false even there are still some other errors in the same row. So later on i used 'setUserData' to update the status of the grid row.
myGrid.attachEvent("onValidationError", function (id, ind, value) {
myGrid.setUserData(id, ind, "error");
}
myGrid.attachEvent("onValidationCorrect", function (id, ind, value) {
myGrid.setUserData(id, ind, null);
}
and before sumbit we can check the setUserData status of the row.
|
Q:
Why this code is skipping points while moving the mouse fast?
I started learning the SDL library yesterday and, after some reading and asking, made a very simple program that draws a block when the left button is down.
The problem is that it skips points when the mouse is moved fast, so you get a bunch of squares instead of a line, the following screenshot shows one line made moving the mouse with regular speed and one while moving it fast:
What is causing it to skip all those points?
Here's the code:
//keep the window open
while(running){
//handle events
while(SDL_PollEvent(&event)){
switch(event.type){
case SDL_MOUSEBUTTONDOWN:
//left button down draws black block
if(event.button.button == SDL_BUTTON_LEFT) boxColor = black;
//right button "erases" a point
else
if(event.button.button == SDL_BUTTON_RIGHT) boxColor = blue;
//middle button clears the screen
else {
clearScreen(display,blue);
break;
}
//where to draw
drawing = 1;
boxRect.x = event.button.x - BOX_WIDTH / 2;
boxRect.y = event.button.y - BOX_HEIGHT / 2;
break;
case SDL_MOUSEMOTION:
//keep drawing if the button is pressed
if(drawing == 1){
boxRect.x = event.motion.x - BOX_WIDTH / 2;
boxRect.y = event.motion.y - BOX_HEIGHT / 2;
}
break;
//stop drawing when the button is no longer pressed
case SDL_MOUSEBUTTONUP:
drawing = 0;
break;
//quit if window closing button is pressed
case SDL_QUIT:
running = 0;
break;
}
}
//draw
if(drawing == 1){
SDL_FillRect(display,&boxRect,boxColor);
SDL_Flip(display);
}
}
A:
Because the system doesn't actually get the points as a continuous stream, it has to poll for the mouse position. This means that if you move the mouse too fast, the difference between two polls will be big enough for there to be a gap.
|
How great are his signs! and how mighty are his wonders! his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.
A Sermon
(No. 3114)
Published on Thursday, October 15th, 1908.
Delivered by
C. H. SPURGEON,
At New Park Street Chapel, Southwark
“Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the colour of a beryl: and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel. When they went, they went upon their four sides: and they turned not when they went. As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four. And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them: and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.”—Ezekiel 1:15-19.
HILE READING THE SCRIPTURES, we tried to hint at the practical benefits of the doctrine of Providence. We attempted to explain that portion of Scripture which teaches us to “take no thought for the morrow, for the morrow will take thought for the things of itself.” Our blessed Lord had there uttered very precious words to drive away our fears, to keep us from distrust and from distress, and to enable us so to rely upon Providence that we may say, he that feeds the ravens, and clothes the lilies, will never suffer me to famish nor to be naked. Having shown you from our Lord’s own words the practical benefits of the doctrine of Providence, I thought I would endeavor to explain that doctrine more fully this morning. I am constantly talking about providence in my preaching, and I thought it quite as well to devote a whole sermon to explain what I believe are God’s great wonder-working processes which we call Providence. In looking for a text I found this, These “wheels” signify divine Providence; and I trust, while explaining them, I may be so assisted by God’s Spirit that I may say many things to you concerning God’s government which may rejoice any who are desponding, and lift up the souls of many who are distressed.I. Going at once to my divisions, my first remark will be that PROVIDENCE IS HERE COMPARED TO A “WHEEL.”When the prophet had seen the “living creatures,” which I take it were angels, he opened his eyes again, and he saw a wonderful illustration of the divine Providence, and this exhibition was in the figure of a wheel. You must know that this is not the only place where the comparison is to be found; for among the classics, the Romans and the Greeks were accustomed to compare the wondrous works of God in Providence to a wheel. The story goes, that a certain king being taken prisoner, was bound in chains, and dragged along at the chariot wheels of his conqueror. As he went along, he kept looking at the wheel, and shedding tears—looking at the wheel again, and lifting up his eyes and smiling. The conqueror turned and said, “Wherefore art thou looking at that wheel?” He said, “I was thinking, such is the lot of man; just now I was here; now I am there; but soon I may be here again at the top of the wheel, and thou mayest be grinding the dust.” This was well for a heathen. The prophet had the very same idea. He was permitted by God to see that the wheel is a very beautiful figure of divine Providence. Let us show you that it is.I have just hinted at the reason why Providence is like a wheel; because sometimes one part of the wheel is at the top, and then it is at the bottom.Sometimes this part is exalted, and anon it sinks down to the dust. Then it is lifted to the air, and then again by a single revolution it is brought down again to the earth. Just as our poet sings—
“Here he exalts neglected worms
To sceptres and a crown;
And there the following page he turns,
And treads the monarch down.”
So it is with our life. Sometimes we are in humble poverty, and hardly know what we shall do for bread; anon the wheel revolves, and we are brought into the comfort of wealth; our feet stand in a spacious room; we are fed with corn and wine; we drink of a cup overflowing its brim. Again we are brought low through affliction and famine. A little while and another page is turned, and we are exalted to the heavens, and can sing and rejoice in the Lord our God. I have no doubt many of you here have experienced a far more checkered life than I have, and therefore you can feel that your life has been as a “wheel.” Ah! man, thou art strong, and great, and rich; thou mayest stand now as the uppermost part of it; but it is a wheel, and you may yet be brought low. And you, poor, who are depressed and downcast, who are weeping because you know not where you shall lay your heads—that wheel may revolve and you may be lifted up. Our own experience is never a stable thing; it is always changing, always turning round. The fly that sits now on the edge of the wheel may be crushed by its next revolution, and be brought to the dust of death the next day. The world may cry “Hosannah” to its minister to-day and the next day may say, “Crucify him, crucify him.” Such is the state of man. Providence is like a wheel.You know that, in a wheel there is one portion that never turns round, that stands steadfast; and that is the axle. So in God’s Providence, there is an axle which never moves. Christian, here is a sweet thought for thee! Thy state is ever changing; sometimes thou art exalted, and sometimes depressed; yet there is an unmoving point in thy state. What is that axle? What is the pivot upon which all the machinery revolves? It is the axle of God’s everlasting love toward his covenant people. The exterior of the wheel is changing, but the center stands forever fixed. Other things may move; but God’s love never moves: it is the axle of the wheel; and this is another reason why Providence should be compared to a wheel.Yet further. You observe, when the wheel moves very rapidly you can discern nothing but the circumference—nothing but the exterior circle. So, if you look back to history, and read the story of a thousand years, you just set the wheel of Providence revolving rapidly; you lose sight of all the little things that are within the circle; you see only one great thing, and that is, that God is working through the world his everlasting purposes. You sit down and take a book of history—say the History of England—and you will say of one event, “Now that seems to be out of place;” of another, “That seems to be out of time;” of another, “That seems to be adverse to the cause of liberty;” but look through a thousand years, and those things which seemed as if they would crush liberty in her germ; those things which seemed as if they would destroy this our commonwealth in our very rising, have been those which have caused the sturdy oak of liberty to take deeper root. Take the whole together, instead of the things one by one; look at a thousand years, and you will see nothing but one round ring of symmetry, teaching you that God is wise, and God is just. So let it be with you in your lives. Here you are fretting about troubles today. Think also of the past; put all your troubles together, and they are no troubles at all. You will see that one counteracts the other. If you take your life—not today, but look back on forty years of it—you will be obliged, instead of lamenting and mourning, to bless God for his mercies toward you. Let the wheel go round, and you will see nothing but a ring of everlasting wisdom revolving.I trust I have made the first part intelligible—that the Providence of God is here compared to a wheel.II. The second thought is that THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD IS IN SOME MYSTERIOUS WAY connected WITH ANGELS.Look at verse 15: “Now as I beheld the living creatures.” Then turn to the 19th verse: “And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.” These living creatures I believe to be angels; and the text teaches us that there is a connection between Providence and angelic agency. I do not know how to explain it; I cannot tell how it is; but I believe angels have a great deal to do with the business of this world. In times of miracles and wondrous things, there was an angel that came down and slew the firstborn of Egypt; and an angel cut off the hosts of Sennacherib. Angels did mighty things in those ancient days. My firm belief is, that angels are sent forth somehow or other to bring about the great purposes of God. The great wheel of Providence is turned by an angel. When there is some trouble which seems to stop that wheel, some mighty cherub puts his shoulder to it, and hurls it around, and makes the chariot of God’s Providence still go on. Angels have much more to do with us than we imagine. I do not know but that spirits sometimes come down and whisper thoughts into our ears. I have strange thoughts sometimes, that seem to come from a land of dreams; and fiery visions that make my soul hot within me. Sometimes I have thoughts which I know come from God’s Spirit; some which are glorious, and some that are not so good as those which the Spirit would have put there, but still holy thoughts; and I often attribute them to angels. I have sometimes a thought which cheers me in distress; and was not an angel sent to strengthen Christ in the garden? How do you think the angel strengthened him? Why, by putting thoughts into Christ’s mind. He could not in any other way: he could not strengthen him by a plaster, or by any physical means; but by injecting thoughts. And so with us. There was a temptation which might have led you astray; but God said, “Gabriel, fly! there is a danger to one of my people; go and put such a thought into his soul, that when the danger comes he will say, Get thee behind me, Satan, I will have nothing to do with sin.”We have each of us a guardian angel to attend us; and if there be any meaning in the passage, “In heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven,” it means that every person has a guardian spirit, and every Christian has some angel who flies about him, and holds the shield of God over his brow; keeps his foot, lest he should dash it against a stone; guards him, controls him, manages him; injects thoughts, restrains evil desires, and is the minister and servant of the Holy Ghost to keep us from sin, and lead us to righteousness. Whether I am right or wrong, I leave you to judge; but perhaps I have more angelology in me than most people. I know my imagination sometimes has been so powerful that I could almost, when I have been alone at night, fancy I saw an angel fly by me, and hear the horse-hoofs of the cherubim as they dashed along the stony road when I have been out preaching the word. However, I take it that the text teaches us that angels have very much to do with God’s Providence. For it says, “And when the living creatures went, the wheels went by them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.” Let us bless God that he has made angels ministering spirits to minister unto them that are heirs of salvation.III. Our third remark shall be, that PROVIDENCE IS UNIVERSAL.That you will see by the text: “Behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces.” The wheel had “four faces.” I think that means one face to the north, another to the south, another to the east, and another to the west. There is a face to every quarter. Providence is universal, looking to every quarter of the globe. Have you ever been in a house where there was an old picture hanging? I have sometimes stood in a picture-gallery, and there has been some old warrior: he has looked at me. If I have gone to the other end of the room, he has still looked at me; wherever you are in the room, a well-painted portrait will be looking at you. Such is the Providence of God; wherever you are, the eye of God will be upon you—as much upon you as if there were not another person in the whole world. If there were only one, you might think how much God would look upon that one, but he looks on each one of us as if there were no other created being, and nothing else in the whole world. His eye is fixed upon us at every hour, and at every moment. Wherever we may be, we shall have one face of the wheel turned upon us.You cannot banish me from my Lord. Send me to the snows of Siberia or Lapland, I shall have the eyes of God there; send me to Australia, and let me toil at the gold diggings, there will he visit me. If you send me to the utmost verge of the round globe, I shall still have the eye of God upon me. Put me in the desert where there is not one single blade of grass growing, and his presence shall cheer me. Or let me go to sea, amid the howlings of the tempest and the shrieking wind, where the mad waves lift up their hands to the skies as if they would pluck the stars from their cloudy thrones, and I shall have the eye of God there. Let me sink, and let my gurgling voice be heard among the waves—let my body lie down in the caverns of the sea, and the eye of God shall be on every bone, and in the day of the resurrection shall my every atom be tracked in its wanderings. Yes, the eye of God is everywhere; Providence is universal.Now there may be some here who have friends far away—let me comfort them. The eye of God is looking on them. There may be some here who are about to part with beloved ones who are going to distant countries. Wherever they are, they will be as much in the keeping of God as though they were here. If one part of the world is not as near the sun’s light as another, yet they are all equally near the eye of our God. Transport me where you please—wherever the cloudy pillar of Providence shall guide me—and I shall have God with me. That thought comforted the great traveler, Mungo Park, when he was in the desert of Sahara. He had been robbed and stripped of every thing, and was left naked. He suddenly saw a little piece of moss, and taking it up, he saw how beautiful it was. He said: “Then the hand of God is here—here is one of his works; though I call loudly none can hear me, for there is nothing but the prowling lion and the howling jackal; yet God is here.” That comforted him. Wherever you may be, whatever may be your case, God will be with you. Whatever period of your life you may now be in, God is with you. His eye is at the bridal and at the funeral; at the cradle and at the grave. In the battle, God’s eye is looking through the smoke; in the revolution, there is God’s hand managing the masses of men who have broken loose from their rulers. In the earthquake, there is Jehovah manifest; in the tempest, there is God’s hand, tossing the bark, dashing it against the rocks, or saving it in his hand from the boisterous waves. In all seasons, at all times, in all dangers, and in all climates, there is the hand of God.IV. Our next remark is, that PROVIDENCE IS UNIFORM.It is only one Providence, and ever one. “Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth by the living creatures, with his four faces. The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl: and they four had one likeness.” There were four wheels and four faces, yet one likeness. There was but one piece of machinery; and thus we are taught that Providence is all one. Sometimes providences seem to cross each other. One thing that God does seems to contradict the next thing; but it never really does so.It is a great truth, though hard for us to grasp, that Providence is one. Just look at the case of Joseph. God has it in his mind that Joseph shall be governor over all the land of Egypt: how is that to be done? The first thing to be done is that Joseph’s brethren must hate him. O, say you, that is a step backward. Next, Joseph’s brethren must put him in the pit. That is another step backward, say you. No, it is not: wait a little. Joseph’s brethren must sell him; that is another step backward, is it not? Providence is one, and you must not look at its separate parts. He is sold; he becomes a favorite: so far, so good. That is a step onward. Anon, he is put in a dungeon. Wait and see the end; all the different parts of the machinery are one. They appear to clash; but they never do. Put them all together. If Joseph had not been put in the pit, he never would have been the servant of Potiphar: if he never had been put in the round-house, he never would have interpreted the jailor’s dream; and if the king had never dreamed, he would not have been sent for. There were a thousand chances, as the world has it, working together to produce the exaltation of Joseph. Providence is one: it never clashes.“Oh!” says one, “I cannot understand that; Providence seems to be very adverse to me. Mrs. Hannah More, I think it is, says, she went into a place where they were manufacturing a carpet. She said: “There is no beauty there.” The man said: “It is one of the most beautiful carpets you ever saw.” “Why, here is a piece hanging out, and it is all in disorder.” “Do you know why, ma’am? You look at the wrong side.” So it is very often with us. You and I think Providence is very bad, because we are looking at the wrong side. We do took at the wrong side while we are here, but when we get to heaven we shall see the right side of God’s dealings; and when we do we shall say., “Lord, how wonderful are thy works: in wisdom thou hast made them all: glorious are thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well.” You have been puzzled sometimes to think why that friend was brought into the grave. You have said, Why was I made sick at such a time? Why that trouble and that calamity? That is no business of yours. It is yours to believe that all things work together for one great purpose: that one thing never crosses another. But you must not expect to see it so just yet. Here on earth the machine appears to be broken into pieces, and we can only see it in confusion: but in heaven we shall see it all put together. Suppose I go into a place where some great artist is manufacturing a machine: I say, Do you mean to say this is a machine? Yes, and an exquisite one it will be. It does not look like it; I could not put it together. O, no, sir, you could not, but I can: and come and see it when I have put it together, and you shall see that each part fits—that each cog on one wheel will work on the cog of another wheel, and all the parts will move together when I adjust them. Do not find fault with it, and say, One is too small and another too large, because you know nothing at all about it. So, dear friends, you and I can never see but parts of God’s ways. We only see here a wheel and there a wheel; but we must wait till we get to heaven, then we shall see the right side of the carpet; we shall see it all put together, and then we shall see it was one piece of machinery, had one end, one aim, one object, and was all one.V. The next thought is, that, in this text, PROVIDENCE IS COMPARED TO THE SEA.Look to the 16th verse—”The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl.” The word beryl is commonly used in Scripture to denote the ocean, because it bears the greatest likeness to that deep green you sometimes see, and at other times the blue appearance of the sea. Let us transport ourselves for a moment to the top of some high cliff, and we look down on the noisy ocean. It has been the theme of a thousand songs; it has bome myriads of fleets on its mighty breast. Ay! and yet there it is rolling on. If you begin to think about the ocean, though it is one of the minor parts of God’s works compared with the constellations of the heavens, and the globes which he has hung on high, you begin to be lost in the vastness of your conceptions concerning the greatness of God’s works. And so with providence.It is like the ocean for another reason. The sea is never still; both day and night it is always moving. In the day, when the sun shines upon it, its waves march up in marshaled order as if about to capture the whole land, and drown all the solid earth. Then again they march back each one as if reluctant to yield its prey. It is always moving: the moon shines upon it, and the stars light it up; still it moves. Or, it is darkness, and notfiing is seen; still it moves—by night and day the restless billows chant a boisterous hymn of glory, or murmur the solemn dirge of mariners wrecked far out in the depths. Such is Providence; by night or day Providence is always going on. The farmer sleeps, but his wheat is growing. The mariner on the sea sleeps, but the wind and the waves are carrying on his bark. Providence! thou never stoppest; thy mighty wheels never stay their everlasting circles. As the blue ocean has rolled on impetuously for ages, so shall Providence, until he who first set it in motion shall bid it stop; and then its wheels shall cease, forever fixed by the eternal decree of the mighty God.Again, you will see another reason why the sea is like Providence. Man cannot manage it. Who can rule or govern the sea? Men cannot. Xerxes made chains for the Hellespont, and lashed the sea with whips because it washed away his boats; but what cared the sea about that? It laughed at him; and if he had not been too great a coward to put himself on its bosom, it might have swallowed him. Canute put his chair on the beach, and bade the waves retire. What cared they for him? They came and would have washed him and his chair away if he had not moved backward. The sea is not to be governed by man. A whole fleet sails over it, and it is only like a feather blown by the wind across the surface of a brook. All we ever put on the sea is as nothing. It can nevcr be restrained, nor chained, nor managed by man. Greedy man hath carved the land, but the sea has no landmark. It is impetuous; it follows its own will. So does Providence; it will not be managed by man. Napoleon once heard it said, that man proposes and God disposes. “Ah,” said Napoleon, “but I propose and dispose too.” How do you think he proposed and disposed. He proposed to go and take Russia; he proposed to make all Europe his. He proposed to destroy that power, and how did he come back again? How had he disposed it? He came back solitary and alone, his mighty army perished and wasted,. having well-nigh eaten and devoured one another through hunger. Man proposes and God disposes. Providence, like the sea, cannot be directed by man; it can be controlled by God. “It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps”—
“Chained to his throne a volume lies,
With all the fates of men.”
Man cannot alter it, and cannot change it. Let him try to stand against God’s Providence; and Providence will grind and crush him.There are many more reasons; but I think it would be wasting time to notice them. I leave you to finish that part of the subject.VI. Again, GOD’S PROVIDENCE IS INTRICATE.This is our sixth remark; and that you will find is here too. “The appearance of the wheels and their work was like unto the color of a beryl; and they four had one likeness: and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel in the middle of a wheel.” We have just said that Providence is intricate. When Joseph brought his two sons up to Jacob’s deathbed side, Jacob ordered the two boys to be brought; and when he was about to bless them, he guided his hands wittingly; and he put his right hand on the head of the youngest, and his left hand on the head of the eldest. “O!” said Joseph, “not so, my father.” But he said, “it is even so;” and he gave the blessing. He would not give the blessing in any other way; but he crossed his hands. And so God usually blesses his children by crossing his hands. We say, “Do not deal so with me.” “It is even so, child; there is a blessing on thy head.” Do not say, Uncross thy hands; that is the way to bless the most of all. I wish to put thee greatest blessing upon thee; and therefore I have crossed my hands. Providence is wonderfully intricate. Ah! you want always to see through Providence, do you not? You never will, I assure you. You have not eyes good enough. You want to see what good that affliction was to you; you must believe it. You want to see how it can bring good to the soul; you may be enabled in a little time; but you cannot see it now; you must believe it. Honor God by trusting him. God has many gordian knots which wicked men may cut, and which righteous men may try to unravel, but which God alone can untie. We see the wicked prosper; they flourish, and great is their power, while the righteous are cast down. We say why? There are wheels within wheels. Do not fret yourselves because evil-doers are more prosperous. There may be a nation that seems to have right on its side; that nation may be crushed, and another people who are tyrannical may get the victory. Do not say why? Do not ask? You shall know the reason when you get up yonder:
“God plants his footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.”
Do not attempt to do what Gabriel never dare do—to ask the reason why, for God will never give it.VII. PROVIDENCE IS ALWAYS CORRECT.I shall not detain you long over this. The prophet saw the wheels, and he well says, they turned not when they went, they always went straight forward; they never turned to the right or to the left. Such is God’s Providence. Man marks out plans: he says, I shall build this tower; he gets it halfway up, and he finds he has not enough to finish it with; he has to pull it down, lay a smaller foundation, and build again. God never does so; he has a plan when he begins, and he carries that plan out: he lays the foundation, and always finishes the topstone. There are some who talk about God’s changing his purpose; such people do not know what God is at all. How could God change? God must either change from a better to a worse, or from a worse to a better. If he change from a worse to a better, he is not perfect now; and if he change from what he is to something worse, he will not be perfect then, and he will not be God. He cannot change. It is not possible that God should ever change or shift in any of his purposes. Can he change because he has not power? Why, sirs, he could girdle this globe with mountains, or move the hills into the sea. Can he change because he has not patience enough? What, he who from his purpose never swerves? Shall he change because he has made a mistake? Shall the Most High, Jehovah, ever have an error in his mighty mind? To err is human. With the divine Being the whole goes on, and what he has ordained shall be. On the iron rock of destiny it is written, and it cannot be altered. God moves the wheel, and the wheel goes on; and though a thousand armies stand to stop it, it goes on still. “They turned not to the right hand not to the left when they went.”I cannot make out what some of you do with your comfortless gospel—believing that God loves you today, and hates you tomorrow—that you are a child of God one day, and a child of the devil the next. I could not believe a gospel like that. If I were a heathen, I could believe it at once, because I could manufacture a god of wood and stone. I would have a god of mud, that I could alter with my fingers, and change it to any fashion. But if I once believe in a God that “was and is, and is to come,” I know he cannot change; and I feel a constancy of faith, and a firmness of hope, which the cares and trials of this mortal life cannot destroy. He will not cast off his people whom he hath chosen.VIII. One more thought. PROVIDENCE IS AMAZING.We shall not dwell on this; but just show you that the text says so. “As for their rings, they were so high that they were dreadful; and their rings were full of eyes round about them four.” Even the man that knows that every wave that dashes against the ship is washing him nearer home—that every breath of wind that rises comes to his sail and fills it, and sends it to the white cliffs of his native Albion—even the man that feels that all is for him—even he must say that Providence is amazing. O! that thought, it staggers thought! O! it is an idea that overwhelms me—that God is working all! The sins of man, the wickedness of our race, the crimes of nations, the iniquities of kings, the cruelties of wars, the terrific scourge of pestilence—all these things in some mysterious way are working the will of God! We must not look at it; we cannot look at it. I cannot explain it. I cannot tell you where human will and free agency unite with God’s sovereignty and with his unfailing decrees. This has been the place where intellectual gladiators have fought with each other ever since the time of Adam. Some have said, Man does as he likes; and others have said, God does as he pleases. In one sense, they are both true; but there is no man that has brains or understanding enough to show where they meet. We cannot tell how it is that I do just as I please as to which street I shall go home by; and yet I cannot go home but through a certain road. John Newton used to say, there were two streets to go to St. Mary Woolnoth; but Providence directed him as to which he should use. Last Sabbathday I came down a certain street I do not know why—and there was a young man who wished to speak to me; he wished to see me many times before. I say that was God’s Providence—that I might meet that young man. Here was Providence, and yet there was my choice; how, I cannot tell. I cannot comprehend it. I believe that every particle of dust that dances in the sunbeam does not move an atom more or less than God wishes—that every particle of spray that dashes against the steamboat has its orbit as well as the sun in the heavens—that the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as the stars in their courses. The creeping of an aphis over the rosebud is as much fixed as the march of the devastating pestilence—the fall of sere leaves from a poplar is as fully ordained as the tumbling of an avalanche. He that believes in a God must believe this truth. There is no standing-point between this and atheism. There is no half way between a mighty God that worketh all things by the sovereign counsel of his will and no God at all. A God that cannot do as he pleases—a God whose will is frustrated, is not a God, and cannot be a God. I could not believe in such a God as that.IX. Our last and closing idea is, that PROVIDENCE IS FULL OF WISDOM.You will see this by the last part of the 18th verse—”And their rings were full of eyes round about them four.” You will say this morning, Our minister is a fatalist. Your minister is no such thing. Some will say, Ah! he believes in fate. He does not believe in fate at all. What is fate? Fate is this—Whatever is, must be. But there is a difference between that and Providence. Providence says, Whatever God ordains must be; but the wisdom of God never ordains any thing without a purpose. Every thing in this world is working for some one great end. Fate does not say that. Fate simply says that the thing must be; Providence says, God moves the wheels along, and there they are. If any thing would go wrong, God puts it right; and if there is any thing that would move awry, he puts his hand and alters it. It comes to the same thing; but there is a difference as to the object. There is all the difference between fate and Providence that there is between a man with good eyes and a blind man. Fate is a blind thing; it is the avalanche crushing the village down below and destroying thousands. Providence is not an avalanche; it is a rolling river, rippling at the first like a rill down the sides of the mountain, followed by minor streams, till it rolls in the broad ocean of everlasting love, working for the good of the human race. The doctrine of Providence is not, that what is, must be; but that, what is, works together for the good of our race, and especially for the good of the chosen people of God. The wheels are full of eyes; not blind wheels.Let us close with the thought, that there is the greatest wisdom in the workings of Providence. Now you were in great distress probably, and you could not see why. The next time you are in distress, you must say, The wheels are full of eyes: I have but two eyes; but God’s wheels are full of eyes—God can see every thing; I can only see one thing at a time. I see it looks good for me now; I do not know what it will be tomorrow. I see what the plant is now; I do not know what it will be tomorrow. I see what the plant is now; I do not know what it will be tomorrow. I know not what kind of flower that herb will yield. This affliction is a cassava root, full of poison, and would soon destroy me; but God can put that in the oven, so that all the poison shall evaporate, and it shall become food for me to live upon. This trouble of mine seems to me to be destructive: God shall get all the destroying power out of it, and it shall be made food. Now, thou tried one, groaning down in the valley, up with thine heart; away with thy tears; put thy hand on thy breast, and make thy heart stop its hard beating—thou poor soul! dash the cup of misery from thine hand; thou art not condemned; thou art a pardoned Christian. Remember that God hath said, “All things work together for good”—more still, they “work together for good to them that love God, even to them that are called according to his purpose.” O! how I would like to make your hearts like flint and steel against trouble! We cannot bear the winds of trouble; we are soon cast down and broken-hearted. When we are in prosperity, we are giants; we think we can do like Samson; we can take hold of the two pillars of trouble and distress, and we can pull them down. But once tell us that the Philistines will be upon us, and we have no power.He who has faith is better than the stoic. The stoical philosopher bore it, because he believed it must be; the Christian bears it because he believes it is working for his good. Next time trouble comes, disease comes, pestilence comes, smile at it, and say:
“He that has made his refuge God,
Shall find a most secure abode;
Shall walk all day beneath his shade,
And there at night shall rest his head.”
Let this be thy shield to keep off the thrusts of distress, let this be thy high rock against all the winds of sorrow. Sing,
“Though the way may be rough, it cannot be long,
So smooth it with hope, and cheer it with song.”
Psalm 103
Verse 1. Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.1Come, my heart, be down in the dumps no longer, take thy harp from the willows, tune its strings, and begin to pour forth its music to the praise of love divine.2-4. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases; who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;This is a better crown than any emperor ever wore, unless he also was a child of God. Priceless gems and jewels rare adorn this wondrous coronet; “who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies.”5-9. Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; is that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed. He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel. The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy. He will not always chide.2Art thou suffering his chidings just now? They are good for thee, but they will not last for ever: “He will not always chide:”—9, 10. Neither will he keep his anger for ever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins;—It is all of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed: “He hath not dealt with us after our sins;”—10-12. Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.3Then, surely, he will also remove our troubles from us; but if not, as he has removed our transgressions so far away that they can never be brought back again, we have real cause for joy whatever happens to us here.13. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.4The very best of them are only objects of pity. Though they are the best, they need that he should look down upon them with infinite compassion.14-19. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust. As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth. For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children; to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them. The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heaven; and his kingdom ruleth over all.What a comfort this is for us! Over the great as well as over the little, over all parts of the earth, as well where war rageth as where peace reigneth “his kingdom ruleth over all.” Nothing happeneth without his permission, even the little things of life are ordered by him; the foreknown station of a rush by the riverside is as fixed as the place of a king, and the chaff from the hand of the winnower is steered as surely as the stars in their courses; for, to God, nothing is little and nothing is great.20, 21. Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word. Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts;”—Let all the armies of heaven break forth into one song: “Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts;”—21. 22. Ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure. Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
“Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of theLORD say this—those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.” (Psalm 107:1-3)
Blessings in ourMessiah,
Ladyinwaiting2012
2 Corinthians 4:15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Philippians 4:6Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
1 Timothy 4:4For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
“[Thanksgiving] I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge—” 1 Corinthians 1:4-5
(credit: traveljournals.net)
Psalm 122:6
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.
God is always calling us back to him
Have you ever rebelled against God? My wayward children,” says the Lord, “come back to me, and I will heal your wayward hearts.“Jeremiah 3:22 NLT
“When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long. Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Finally, I confessed all my sins to you and you stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, ‘I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.’ And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone.” Psalm 32:3-5 NLT
“Create in me a new heart, O God. Renew a right spirit within me… Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.”Psalm 41:10,12
Are you in a tug-of-war with God? The rebel rejects the expectations, rules, and power of the organization or individual holding authority. Rebellion can be good, if we rebel against injustices or sinful societal pressures.
Rebellion is like a great tug-of-war; the authoritative figure holds one end of the rope while the rebel pulls on the other. This is the trap that satan loves to use on the body of Christ. (John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.) The adversary lays the trap and sometimes we as Christians fall for it. Hence, we rebel against God’s righteous decrees and precepts! God pulls on the rope, not to ruin our lives, but to lead us toward safe footing. (Isaiah 48:17 This is what the LORD says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.)
THOUGHT OF THE DAY: Psalm 42:8By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life AMEN
Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest?’ I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” NIV
*In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C., Section 107, any copyrighted images in these messages are distributed under The Fair Use Act without profit or payment to those who have expressed an interest in receiving the information and are for non-profit research and are for non-profit research and education. No copyright infringement intended. |
APOBEC3G (A3G) is a single-stranded DNA cytosine deaminase that can restrict HIV-1 infection by mutating HIV-1 genome. HIV-1 developed a counter defense mechanism by which virion infectivity factor (Vif) leads the degradation of A3G through ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our ultimate goal is to generate small compounds which inhibit the degradation of A3G. We have determined structures of two functional domains of A3G, including the VIf-binding domain and the catalytic domain. In addition, we have determined co-srystal structure of the A3G catalytic domain-ssDNA complex. We are working toward the structure determination of the A3G-Vif E3 ubiquitin ligase complex that will provide epitopes to be targeted by small compounds which inhibit formation of the complex. The A3G-Vif E3 ubiquitin ligase complex contains 6 proteins, and therefore it is challenging for any structural study. We are developing and optimizing biochemical and spectroscopic techniques to overcome the challenge. |
A collection of some things I observe along the way.
"In a case that raises questions about online journalism and privacy rights, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a formal request to an independent news site ordering it to provide details of all reader visits on a certain day."
"The grand jury subpoena also required the Philadelphia-based Indymedia.us Web site "not to disclose the existence of this request" unless authorized by the Justice Department, a gag order that presents an unusual quandary for any news organization."
"The subpoena from U.S. Attorney Tim Morrison in Indianapolis demanded "all IP traffic to and from www.indymedia.us" on June 25, 2008. It instructed Clair to "include IP addresses, times, and any other identifying information," including e-mail addresses, physical addresses, registered accounts, and Indymedia readers' Social Security Numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, and so on." (CBS News Report) |
This is such a great dish for the holidays... or just whenever! Preheat your oven to 375*F and line a broiler pan or cookie sheet with foil, for easy cleaning of course. The hardest part of this recipe is cutting the acorn squash, but if you watch my video I show you cutting made easy... kind of! What you want to do is cut off the top where the stem is and the bottom to make it stable. Then with a sharp knife cut right down the middle. With a spoon or ice cream scoop take out the seeds. Once the seeds are removed cut the halves in half so you end up with four pieces. Once you have the pieces cut and the seeds taken out, put on the lined pan. To the slices add salt, pepper, rosemary, garlic, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, and drizzle with honey. Pop them into your preheated oven and let cook for about 40-45 minutes. Put on a plate and dig in! I know you'll like this one!
Welcome to Everyday Gourmet with Blakely! Feel free to check out all the great free online video recipes. Take your time looking around... I have over 500 free online recipes. I hope these help inspire you to make some delicious and everyday gourmet meals. Also, don't forget to check back every week for new recipes! |
CABBAGE PLANT PESTS and DISEASES. A blackleg
Various soil fungi are agent of disease ofplants under the name a blackleg. The stalk of seedling of cabbage inthe basis become thin, darkens, becomes fragile
Blackleg is extendedeverywhere, develops on acid soils more strongly. An infection source is thesoil, heavy irrigations without good ventilation, and also strongly closeplanting promote blacklegdevelopment in hotbeds. In struggle against a blackleg it is necessary to give the basicattention to the methods promoting formation of powerful plants. It isnecessary to replace soil periodically in hotbeds. Ashes (entering 100g on m2),reduces development of blackleg,and also a bio-preparation Trihodermin. In many cases 1% bordeaux mixture (at ground watering)positive influence renders. Mulching of soil Constrains development of blackleg as well |
Introduction {#s1}
============
EBV is a gamma herpesvirus, ubiquitous in human populations, that is usually acquired early in life by the oral route, replicates locally through a virus productive (lytic) infection at oropharyngeal sites and is carried thereafter for life as a latent, largely asymptomatic, infection of the B-cell pool [@pone.0031142-Babcock1], [@pone.0031142-Miyashita1]. Yet this apparently innocuous agent has potent growth-transforming ability for its principal target cell, the B lymphocyte, and is linked to several B-cell malignancies especially in immunosuppressed hosts [@pone.0031142-Shah1].
Indeed EBV first colonises the B-cell system through a growth-transforming infection, where coordinate expression of specific latent cycle genes drives the expansion of infected B-cell clones. These expansions are controlled by the EBV-specific T-cell response but it appears that some infected cells survive by extinguishing latent gene expression, thereby generating a reservoir of latently infected, resting B-cells through which the virus persists [@pone.0031142-Babcock1]. Reactivations from this reservoir do nevertheless occur and, if not controlled by virus-specific T-cells, can lead to further B-cell transformation events and greatly increased loads of latently-infected B-cells in the blood [@pone.0031142-Speck1]. In the West, this is most apparent in heavily T-cell suppressed transplant patients, where high circulating EBV loads often precede the appearance of EBV-positive post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) [@pone.0031142-Rezk1], [@pone.0031142-Rickinson1]. A somewhat analogous situation is thought to occur in Africa, where the similar geographic distributions of Burkitt Lymphoma (BL), an EBV-associated childhood tumour, and of holoendemic malaria suggests that malaria may predispose to BL through suppression of T-cell surveillance leading to increased viral loads [@pone.0031142-Rochford1].
Several studies have indeed implied that malaria exposure can cause a reduction in EBV-specific T-cell responses [@pone.0031142-Whittle1]. Early assays quantifying the regression of EBV-infected B-cell outgrowth in peripheral blood mononuclear cell cultures, an effect mediated by in vitro reactivation of EBV latent antigen-specific CD8^+^ cytotoxic T-cells [@pone.0031142-Gudgeon1], showed a slight relaxation of T-cell control in healthy adults from holoendemic malarial versus non-endemic malarial areas of New Guinea [@pone.0031142-Moss1]. Subsequently a study of healthy children in Kenya with differential malaria exposure has shown that a smaller proportion of children, five to nine years of age, had EBV-specific IFN-γ ELISPOT responses (PBMC), when living in malaria-holoendemic areas, compared to those living in areas where exposure is only sporadic [@pone.0031142-Moormann1]. EBV genome loads in whole blood of these children were also significantly higher in the holoendemic malaria group, but only in children one to four years of age [@pone.0031142-Moormann2]. Turning to acute malaria itself, T-cell control as measured by the regression assay appeared to be completely abrogated in children from a holoendemic area, The Gambia, during an episode of acute malaria, but recovered to some extent after treatment and the resolution of symptoms [@pone.0031142-Whittle1], [@pone.0031142-Whittle2]. More recently EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cell responses restricted through two HLA alleles, B\*3501 and B\*5301, were measured by IFN-γ ELISPOT in Gambian children with acute malaria and compared to results obtained up to 6 weeks post-treatment. With the caveat of a small sample size in mind, this comparison suggested that responses were impaired during acute disease, but it was not clear whether this reflected a reduction in the numbers or in the functional competence of EBV specific T-cells in the circulation [@pone.0031142-Njie1].
A further heterogeneous group of studies have looked at EBV viral load dynamics during malaria exposure [@pone.0031142-Donati1], [@pone.0031142-Rasti1], [@pone.0031142-Yone1]. Comparability of these results is difficult, as the assays have been conducted on differing sample types, either whole blood, plasma alone or PBMC preparations. Yone et al. saw significantly higher whole blood viral loads in acute uncomplicated malaria cases compared to convalescence, with a similar non-significant trend for complicated malaria cases [@pone.0031142-Yone1]. In the Gambia, PBMC EBV genome loads did not differ between acute and convalescent malaria cases, but were elevated in the cases compared to healthy controls [@pone.0031142-Njie1].
Interestingly, the intensity of malarial infection in the Gambian population has reduced substantially [@pone.0031142-Ceesay1], [@pone.0031142-Ceesay2] since the conduct of those earlier studies demonstrating impaired T-cell control of EBV infection during acute malarial episodes [@pone.0031142-Whittle1], [@pone.0031142-Njie1]. We therefore set out to re-examine these various parameters of EBV load and EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cell immunity in these new circumstances. To do so, we assayed EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cell responses using the two functional assays (regression and IFN-γ ELISPOT) that had been used separately in earlier work [@pone.0031142-Whittle1], [@pone.0031142-Njie1], and for the first time also enumerated the numbers of EBV epitope-specific cells by HLA class I-peptide tetramer staining. Assays were conducted during acute and convalescent stages of uncomplicated *P. falciparum* infection in children aged 1--15 yrs and in healthy age- and sex- matched control children without malaria.
Results {#s2}
=======
All malaria cases were both slide and PCR positive with a geometric mean slide parasite density of 135,878/ul (95% CI 91,194--202,456). All controls were slide and PCR negative for *P. falciparum* parasites. All of the malaria cases and all except one of the controls who was excluded from the analyses were EBV positive by IgG VCA ELISA. Consistent with previous findings [@pone.0031142-Moormann2], [@pone.0031142-Njie1] there was a significant inverse correlation between EBV genome load and age, Rho = −0.3587, p = 0.0440 (data not shown). 84% of the children had at least one of the HLA restrictions of interest (A2, B35, B8, B53).
Haematological indices, Malaria exposure and Cellular frequencies in *P. falciparum* infected and uninfected children {#s2a}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Table 1](#pone-0031142-t001){ref-type="table"} shows that the two groups of infected and uninfected children were similar with regard to age and sex, indicating successful matching. As expected there was a significant decline in haemoglobin level during the acute phase of malaria, which on convalescence is not significantly different to that found in uninfected controls.
10.1371/journal.pone.0031142.t001
###### Age, sex and haemoglobin levels of uncomplicated *P.falciparum* cases and aparasitaemic controls.
{#pone-0031142-t001-1}
Acute *p.falciparum* Convalescent *p,falciparum* Aparasiteamic Controls Acute versus Convalescent[1](#nt102){ref-type="table-fn"} Convalescent versus Controls[2](#nt103){ref-type="table-fn"}
-------------------- ---------------------- ----------------------------- ------------------------ ----------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------
Age (yrs) 7 (4.8--10.0) \- 7 (4.5--9.5) \- 0.95
Male∶Female Ratio 1.91 \- 2.00 \- \-
Haemoglobin (g/dl) 11.25 (9.83--12.63) 12.50 (11.40--12.93) 12.40 (11.65--13.20) 0.0038 0.65
For age and haemoglobin levels the median value and inter-quartile range are shown in brackets.
p value calculated using Wilcoxon rank statistical comparison of matched pairs.
p value calculated using Mann-Whitney U statistical comparison of unpaired data.
Absolute CD4^+^ and CD8^+^ T-cell counts were significantly lower during acute (Day 0) *P. falciparum* infection compared to convalescence (Day 28) consistent with previous findings [@pone.0031142-Walther1], [@pone.0031142-Lisse1]. The total number of B-cells however did not significantly differ between acute and convalescent samples or between infected (Day 0 or Day 28) and uninfected control children ([Figure 1](#pone-0031142-g001){ref-type="fig"}).
{#pone-0031142-g001}
EBV genome loads and EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cell responses did not significantly differ between *P. falciparum* infected and uninfected children {#s2b}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In contrast to previous findings [@pone.0031142-Njie1] we found no difference in EBV genome loads between children with acute (Day 0) *P. falciparum* malaria and age- and sex- matched healthy controls (p = 0.749). Likewise, the EBV genome loads did not change significantly between D0 and D28 (p = 0.2173) ([Figure 2A](#pone-0031142-g002){ref-type="fig"}). Considering the number of B-cells remained constant ([Figure 1](#pone-0031142-g001){ref-type="fig"}) it is unlikely that an increase in the total number of B-cells would have obscured an increase in total EBV genome load. There were 7, 2, and 9 donors with undetectable viral loads in acute (D0), convalescent (D28) and control groups respectively, although all had a positive EBV serology.
{#pone-0031142-g002}
Of the 84% of donors with appropriate HLA types for the lytic peptide pool there were 7 (29%), 7 (30%) and 8 (31%) non-responders in the acute (Day 0), convalescent (Day 28) and control groups, respectively. Numbers of non-responders were of a similar magnitude for the latent peptide pool, being 6 (25%), 9 (39%) and 8 (31%) for acute (Day 0), convalescent (Day 28) and control groups, respectively. Background values were of a similar magnitude in all groups, with medians of 15 SFU/10^6^ PBMCs in Day 0, 28 and control groups. Consistent with the observations made for viral loads EBV-specific IFN-γ ELISPOT counts didn\'t differ between children with acute (Day 0) *P. falciparum* malaria and age- and sex- matched healthy controls to both lytic (p = 0.096) and latent (p = 0.3738) peptide pools. Likewise, there was no significant difference between Day 0 and Day 28 to both lytic (p = 0.9374) and latent (p = 0.0998) peptide pools. ([Figure 2B](#pone-0031142-g002){ref-type="fig"}). The results did not alter when all non-responders were excluded from the analysis, when analysed without deduction of the background values and when analysed taking into account the decline in CD8% between Day 0 and Day 28 (Data not shown). Analysis of these data looking at subgroups of different age ranges (0--7 yrs and 8--15 yrs) also showed no significant differences in viral loads and IFN-γ ELISPOTs between Day 0 and Day 28 (Data not shown). [Figures 2C--E](#pone-0031142-g002){ref-type="fig"} show that there was no significant difference between the percentages of EBV-specific MHC Class I tetramer positive cells during acute (Day 0) infection and age- and sex- matched healthy controls (p = 0.3599), consistent with our ELISPOT findings. No significant difference was seen between Day 0 and Day 28 (p = 0.4688).
To corroborate these findings we carried out regression assays on cryopreserved PBMCs from a subset of acute uncomplicated and severe *P. falciparum* infected children (n = 9) during the following malaria season. Consistent with our current EBV genome, IFN-γ ELISPOT and MHC Class I Tetramer data, but in contrast to the original findings by Whittle et al. [@pone.0031142-Whittle1] we saw no significant loss (p = 0.5955) of regression during acute (Day 0) *P. falciparum* malaria. These assays were conducted on cryopreserved PBMCs but the magnitude of regressive capacity in acute (D0) *P. falciparum* infected children did not significantly differ from those detected using ex vivo assays on healthy control children (p = 0.2115, [Figures 2F,G](#pone-0031142-g002){ref-type="fig"}).
Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) expression in *P. falciparum* infected and uninfected children {#s2c}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
During acute *P. falciparum* infection the percentage of PD-1 expressing CD19^+^ B-cells (p = 0.04) and CD4^+^ T-cells (p = 0.0085) was significantly higher than in convalescent samples ([Figures 3A,B](#pone-0031142-g003){ref-type="fig"}). This trend remains when results are expressed based on absolute numbers of CD19^+^ B-cells ([Figure 3C](#pone-0031142-g003){ref-type="fig"}). During acute *P. falciparum* malaria infection numbers of PD-1 expressing CD19^+^ B-cells (p = \<0.0001) and CD4^+^ T-cells (p\<0.001) were significantly higher than in healthy controls and during convalescence this number remained significantly higher than seen in the controls.
{#pone-0031142-g003}
Consistent with recent data [@pone.0031142-Sauce1], we found that during acute disease (D0) CD38 expression, a marker of activation, significantly correlated with PD-1 expression on CD8^+^ T-cells (Spearman\'s correlation coefficient Rho = 0.5018, p = 0.0286, [Figure 4A](#pone-0031142-g004){ref-type="fig"}) and also CD4^+^ T-cells (Spearman\'s correlations coefficient Rho = 0.4881, p = 0.0399), supporting the hypothesis that PD-1 expression is associated with cellular activation and is not purely a marker of functional exhaustion in these cells. However, this was not found to be the case for CD19^+^ cells (Spearman\'s correlation Rho = 0.4298, and p = 0.0663), data not shown.
{#pone-0031142-g004}
Discussion {#s3}
==========
This work directly assesses the effect of acute *P. falciparum* infection on the number and function of EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cells ex vivo; in parallel with viral genome loads and traditional cell culture-based techniques measuring T-cell mediated regression of outgrowth of autologous B-cells. We show that the situation currently in The Gambia is different to that reported earlier [@pone.0031142-Whittle1], [@pone.0031142-Njie1], now, children with acute uncomplicated *P.falciparum* malaria experience no elevation in EBV genome load in the blood compared to age- and sex-matched healthy controls, nor do they have any evidence of reduction in numbers or impairment of function of their EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cells. We argue that these different findings could be due to a recent decline in chronic exposure to malaria in infancy and early childhood in the Gambia [@pone.0031142-Ceesay1], [@pone.0031142-Ceesay2].
Primary EBV infection, like Cytomegalovirus infection occurs in early childhood in the Gambia [@pone.0031142-Miles1] and more recent data indicates that the age of EBV seroconversion continues to be low with 87% of children between 14 and 18mths of age found to be EBV seropositive in 2010 (S. Jayasooriya, unpublished data).
Loss of regression of EBV-infected B-cell outgrowth during acute malaria was first demonstrated in Gambian children over 25 years ago [@pone.0031142-Whittle1], at a time when the entomological inoculation rate in the country was several fold higher than the current day [@pone.0031142-Thomson1], [@pone.0031142-Finney1]. Furthermore, in 2003, Njie et al. detected high EBV loads from PBMCs from Gambian children in the throes of acute malaria. Interestingly these did not fall in convalescent samples taken six weeks later but remained significantly higher than those detected in a cohort of healthy control children, albeit not matched for age- or sex in that report. In the present study, the EBV genome loads (using the same assay as Njie *et al.*) from malaria cases, both in acute and convalescent samples, are lower and not significantly different from those of age and sex-matched controls, although they remain significantly higher than the range typically seen for healthy virus carriers in the UK population [@pone.0031142-Njie1]. Notably, there has been a considerable fall in malaria exposure in The Gambia from 2003 onwards [@pone.0031142-Ceesay1], [@pone.0031142-Ceesay2]. The likely difference in malaria exposure between the cohorts used by Whittle *et al.* and Njie *et al.* and the current study is highlighted by the dramatic change in entomological inoculation rates from Brefet, a rural community where part of the current study was based: 3.21 in 1991 to 0.62 in 2006 [@pone.0031142-Thomson1], [@pone.0031142-Finney1]. It therefore seems possible that at the time of these earlier studies the life-long history of *P. falciparum* infection in childhood was still sufficiently chronic/recurrent as to render the EBV-host virus balance susceptible to modulation during a renewed bout of acute malaria. By contrast, given the recent decline in malaria incidence and increasing peak age of *P. falciparum* related hospital admissions in the Gambia [@pone.0031142-Ceesay1], [@pone.0031142-Ceesay2], it is plausible that most of our cases were experiencing a primary *P. falciparum* infection. We would argue that a single, primary *P. falciparum* infection is not sufficient to impair immunological control of EBV infection.
The work by Moormann et al., who studied two cohorts with differential malaria exposure in the Kisumu and Nandi areas of Western Kenya, is relevant here. They noted higher EBV genome loads in children, one to four years of age, living in areas holoendemic for malaria compared to those only sporadically exposed [@pone.0031142-Moormann2]. This is consistent with our data and supports the idea that chronic repeated exposure to malaria throughout a child\'s early years is required to alter the EBV-host balance, leading to high EBV loads and a greater likelihood of further increases linked to acute malarial episodes. To investigate this further would require following up children living in a holoendemic area from birth, to capture their first and subsequent malaria episodes, and to longitudinally examine EBV-specific immune responses and EBV viral loads.
Furthermore, we found that the function of EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cells as measured by IFN-γ ELISPOT did not differ significantly between malaria cases, in acute stage or convalescence, and age- and sex- matched healthy controls. In a different study comparing children living under differing malaria exposure in Kenya, Moormann et al found that fewer children between five and nine years of age responded to pools of EBV peptides when coming from an area of high rather than sporadic malaria transmission [@pone.0031142-Moormann1]. The fact that bed net programmes target 0--5 year old children makes it conceivable that the most pronounced difference is detected in children above this age group. Of additional interest, despite a preservation of EBV-specific CD8^+^ T-cell responses, we find that PD-1, a marker reported to signify cellular exhaustion, is significantly up regulated in acute malaria and does not decline to control levels by day 28. However, PD-1 expression significantly correlates with CD38 expression on CD4^+^ and CD8^+^ T-cells which supports recent findings in HIV that PD-1 is not purely a marker of cell exhaustion [@pone.0031142-Sauce1] and reflects immune activation.
Our study has limitations that are worth discussion. Although previously reported data suggest a dramatic decline in malaria exposure in the country as a whole, our study design precludes exact knowledge of the exposure history of our study participants. However, we do know that 95% of three year old children followed up longitudinally in a birth cohort adjacent to our study\'s catchment area had no serological evidence of malaria exposure [@pone.0031142-Ceesay1], and that a cohort study conducted in Brefet in the 2009 transmission season only identified one clinical case of malaria [@pone.0031142-Nogaro1]. In addition to this we found only 24% of control children, mean age 7 years (range 1.5--16 years), were MSP-1(19) seropositive (data not shown). This is lower than previously quoted figures (30%, 0--7 years and 46%, 8--10 years) [@pone.0031142-Corran1] Recent publications from the Gambia from differing peri-urban sites also confirm this decline [@pone.0031142-Satoguina1], with one study demonstrating only a 4% seropositivity to MSP-1(19) in 0 to 14 years olds in 2009 [@pone.0031142-Ceesay2].
Previous case-control studies have demonstrated that acute malaria infection can alter EBV host balance leading to an increase in EBV genome loads [@pone.0031142-Donati1], [@pone.0031142-Rasti1], [@pone.0031142-Yone1]. The cross-sectional cohort studies conducted by Moormann et al indicate that chronic malaria infection also plays a role in tipping the balance in favour of the virus [@pone.0031142-Moormann1], [@pone.0031142-Moormann2]. Our findings suggest that there is no impairment of EBV immunity during a primary acute *P. falciparum* infection and therefore suggest that alteration in EBV host balance is likely to be dependent on cumulative prior infections. A further longitudinal study of primary and cumulative acute *P. falciparum* infections and their impact on EBV host balance would be required to test this hypothesis.
Our findings, however, have more general implications adding to the mounting evidence that the decline in malaria seen in some parts of sub-Saharan Africa have wider implications than a reduction in morbidity and mortality from malaria alone. Additional changes have been seen in the rates of invasive bacterial diseases such as non-typhoidal salmonella in the Gambia [@pone.0031142-Mackenzie1], [@pone.0031142-Obaro1], and all cause mortality in children within regions where a reduction in malaria has been demonstrated [@pone.0031142-Snow1]. Data to establish whether our observation translates into a reduced incidence of Burkitt\'s lymphoma are needed.
Materials and Methods {#s4}
=====================
Ethics Statement {#s4a}
----------------
The Gambian Government/ MRC Laboratories Joint Ethics Committee approved this study. Participants were enrolled after individual written informed consent was obtained from the participant\'s parent/guardian.
Donors {#s4b}
------
Thirty-two Gambian children (aged 1--15 years) enrolled into studies of severe and uncomplicated malaria were tested [@pone.0031142-Walther1]. All presented with uncomplicated *P. falciparum* malaria, defined as a temperature \>37.5°C within the last 48 hours, and ≥5000 parasites/µl detected by slide microscopy. Thirty-two age- and sex- matched healthy aparasitaemic controls were recruited from Brefet, a rural community where malaria transmission has dropped considerably [@pone.0031142-Ceesay2]. All patients received standard care according to the Gambian Government Treatment Guidelines.
*P. falciparum* infected children were bled on admission (D0) and after 28 days (±3 days); controls were bled at one time point. 500 µl of blood was collected into an EDTA microcontainer for a full blood count (FBC) and DNA extraction. A further 4 mls was collected into heparinised vacutainers® (BD). PBMCs were separated on lymphoprep for use in ex vivo flow cytometric surface staining and IFN-γ ELISPOT assays.
Viral load {#s4c}
----------
EBV genome loads were assayed by quantitative real-time PCR, as described elsewhere [@pone.0031142-Njie1], [@pone.0031142-ShannonLowe1], [@pone.0031142-Junying1]. The DNA extraction was performed on 200 µl whole blood using the Qiagen, QIAmp DNA Blood Mini kit. Results were expressed as EBV genome copies per 1×10^6^ PBMCs correcting for the PBMC percentage using the haematology count.
Serology {#s4d}
--------
IgG reactivity to EBV Viral Capsid Antigen (VCA) was measured by a commercial ELISA kit (DeMeditech, DEEBV01).
HLA typing {#s4e}
----------
Low resolution class I HLA typing was performed using sequence-specific primers (SSP) for the HLA-alleles of interest, A2, B35, B8 and B53, as previously described [@pone.0031142-Bunce1]. HLA-allele selection was determined by frequency in the Gambian population, determined by serological typing [@pone.0031142-Allsopp1] and recently confirmed using high resolution sequence typing (Louis-Marie Yindom, unpublished data), and availability of known immunodominant EBV epitopes restricted through these class I HLA alleles ([table 2](#pone-0031142-t002){ref-type="table"}). Based on polymorphisms in genes, some of which encode known CD8^+^ epitopes, two types of EBV can be distinguished. Epitopes used in this study have been defined based on work with type 1 EBV strains in Caucasians. While we did not sequence the resident strains of EBV in our donors, Njie et al. described previously that 90% of Gambian donors they studied carried type 1 EBV [@pone.0031142-Njie1] indicating that the use of peptides derived from type 1 EBV is appropriate.
10.1371/journal.pone.0031142.t002
###### EBV lytic and latent peptide pools.
{#pone-0031142-t002-2}
EBV Protein Peptide Pool Epitope sequence Epitope co-ordinates HLA restriction
------------- -------------- ------------------ ---------------------- -----------------
EBNA1 Latent HPVGEADYF 407--415 B53
EBNA1 Latent HPVGEADYFEY 407--417 B35
EBNA3A Latent QAKWRLQTL 158--166 B8
EBNA3A Latent YPLHEQHGM 458--466 B35
LMP2 Latent FLYALALLL 356--364 A2
LMP2 Latent CLGGLLTMV 426--434 A2
BRLF1 Lytic YVLDHLIVV 109--117 A2
BZLF1 Lytic EPLPQGQLTAY 54--63 B35
BMLF1 Lytic GLCTLVAML 280--288 A2
**Note.** -- EBNA, Epstein-Barr Nuclear Antigen. LMP, Latency Membrane Protein.
ELISPOT assays {#s4f}
--------------
IFN-γ producing EBV specific lymphocytes were enumerated as previously described using the ELISPOT technique [@pone.0031142-Lalvani1]. PBMCs were cultured in growth medium containing 10% human AB serum. 96-well plates were pre-coated with anti-IFN-γ mAb 1-DIK (MABTECH, Stockholm, Sweden). Ex vivo responses in growth medium, against EBV peptides ([table 1](#pone-0031142-t001){ref-type="table"}), and PHA, both at a final concentration of 5 µg/ml) were screened at 10^5^ PBMCs per well in duplicate. Plates were incubated overnight at 37°C at 5% CO~2.~ The cells were discarded the following day, and a biotinylated anti-IFN-γ mAb, 7-B6-1 biotin (MABTECH), was added at 1 µg/ml for 3 hours at room temperature, followed by streptavidin-conjugated alkaline phosphatase (MABTECH) for 2 hours. Cytokine-producing cells were detected after a 30-min reaction with 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl phosphate and nitro blue tetrazoliym using an alkaline phosphatase-conjugate substrate kit (Bio-Rad, Richmond, CA). Spots were counted using an automated AID ELISPOT plate reader©. PBMCs were screened for reactivity to EBV using pools of commonly recognised CD8^+^ lytic and latent peptides as shown in [table 1](#pone-0031142-t001){ref-type="table"} (obtained from the Weatherall Institute for Molecular Medicine (WIMM), Oxford). Negative control background values were subtracted from all responses. Negative values were set to zero and classified as non-responders.
Cell Surface and Tetramer Flow Cytometric Staining {#s4g}
--------------------------------------------------
Ex vivo, 1×10^6^ PBMCs per MHC Class I tetramer (for lower cell counts all four tetramers were pooled) were stained for 1 hour at 4°C in the dark. MHC class I Tetramers containing GLCTLVAML (A2_GLC), CLGGLLTMV (A2_CLG), EPLPQGQLTAY (B35\_ EPL) and RAKFKQLL (B8_RAK) peptides were used, conjugated to Phycoerythrin, PE, (A2_GLC synthesised at the Institute for Cancer Studies, University of Birmingham, the others from the WIMM). Tetramer staining was followed by surface marker staining (30 min, 4°C in the dark) according to the manufacturer\'s protocol (BD Biosystems), using the following antibodies: Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) Fluorescein Isothiocyanate (FITC), CD4 PerCP, CD19 PE-Cy7, CD38 Allophycocyanin (APC), (BD Biosystems) CD8 Pacific Blue, CD27 APC-Alexa750, (Ebioscience) CD28 ECD (Beckman Coulter) and CD3 cascade yellow (Dako). Appropriate isotype control antibodies, IgG1 FITC, IgG1 PerCP, IgG1 PE-Cy7, IgG1 APC, (BD Biosystems) IgG2a Pacific Blue, IgG1 APC-Alexa750, (Ebioscience) and IgG1 Cascade Yellow (Dako), were used. Samples were acquired on a Cyan™ ADP flow cytometer using Summit software (Beckman Coulter). Analysis was performed using FlowJo (Tree Star Inc.) and isotype controls were used to set the gating.
Regression Assays {#s4h}
-----------------
These were carried out on cryopreserved PBMCs in the following malaria season. PBMCs from uncomplicated and complicated *P. falciparum* malaria cases recruited from the same study platform [@pone.0031142-Walther1] were used. In addition, we performed ex vivo regression assays on healthy control children, recruited from Brefet during the same year. Assays were performed as previously described [@pone.0031142-Gudgeon1] except cells were seeded into U-bottom microtest plates in doubling dilutions from 4×10^4^ to 1.2×10^3^ cells/well. The strength of regression was expressed as the initial cell seeding necessary to give a 50% incidence of regression among replicate wells as calculated using the Reed-Muench formula.
Statistics {#s4i}
----------
Viral genome load, serology, ELISPOT and flow cytometry data were plotted and statistically analysed using GraphPad Prism software (Version 5; GraphPad). Wilcoxon rank and Mann-Whitney U non-parametric tests were used for comparisons of matched and unmatched data respectively. STATA (version 11) was used to calculate Spearman\'s rank correlation coefficients.
We would specifically like to thank Dr. Louis-Marie Yindom for his assistance with the HLA typing, Alison Leese for her assistance with tissue culture, Dr. Thushan de Silva for advice on manuscript preparation and all members of the MRC laboratories malaria programme, field and laboratory staff, and all study participants and their families.
**Competing Interests:**The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
**Funding:**This work was funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC), Gambia and Dr S Jayasooriya was a recipient of an MRC studentship. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
[^1]: Conceived and designed the experiments: SJ AH AR AB SRJ TD MW HW. Performed the experiments: SJ YP DC YJ. Analyzed the data: SJ AH AR TD SRJ MW HW. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: SJ AH AR YP TD SRJ MW HW AB DC. Wrote the paper: SJ MW HW AR AH SRJ.
|
Why is it that being respectful .... Topic
Posted by bcsuperfan23 on 11/22/2010 9:15:00 PM (view original):The question cummings is not why do you fight once you are in uniform, but why you make the choice to put it on in the first place. If it was because of this sense to fight for your country's freedom and the cause of democracy then you were unfortunatly misinformed and people need to stop the spread of this misinformation
Misinformed? You, sir, are the one who has been misinformed. When you live for something greater than your own self-interest, write me back and tell me how you feel about sacrificing a part of your life and soul for something bigger than you can imagine. You are going to interpret what I said as some sort of misguided patriotism because you have no idea what I mean when I say living for something greater than your own self-interest.
Could you please articulate what that thing is which is greater ? Beyond this MISINFORMED sense of "fighting for our freedom" what is it? You say I dont understand, well then explain it to me so that I can. Why can you not do that. Yea I live for my own self intrest, but speaking out on these boards is in the intrest of my unborn children and the rest of America's citizens
A vital element in keeping the peace is our military establishment. Our arms must be mighty, ready for instant action, so that no potential aggressor may be tempted to risk his own destruction.
Our military organization today bears little relation to that known by any of my predecessors in peacetime, or indeed by the fighting men of World War II or Korea.
Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. American makers of plowshares could, with time and as required, make swords as well. But now we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense; we have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.
This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence – economic, political, even spiritual – is felt in every city, every Statehouse, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
Akin to, and largely responsible for the sweeping changes in our industrial-military posture, has been the technological revolution during recent decades.
In this revolution, research has become central, it also becomes more formalized, complex, and costly. A steadily increasing share is conducted for, by, or at the direction of, the Federal government.
Today, the solitary inventor, tinkering in his shop, has been overshadowed by task forces of scientists in laboratories and testing fields. In the same fashion, the free university, historically the fountainhead of free ideas and scientific discovery, has experienced a revolution in the conduct of research. Partly because of the huge costs involved, a government contract becomes virtually a substitute for intellectual curiosity. For every old blackboard there are now hundreds of new electronic computers.
The prospect of domination of the nation's scholars by Federal employment, project allocations, and the power of money is ever present – and is gravely to be regarded.
Yet, in holding scientific research and discovery in respect, as we should, we must also be alert to the equal and opposite danger that public policy could itself become the captive of a scientific-technological elite.
Who is this even directed towards? Yes we have a large military to dissuade attacks, and the government spends a ton of money on new ways to save soldiers' lives and kill our enemies faster, better, cheaper, and from farther away. What does that have to do with anything?
Posted by bcsuperfan23 on 11/22/2010 9:15:00 PM (view original):
The question cummings is not why do you fight once you are in uniform, but why you make the choice to put it on in the first place. If it was because of this sense to fight for your country's freedom and the cause of democracy then you were unfortunatly misinformed and people need to stop the spread of this misinformation
Misinformed? You, sir, are the one who has been misinformed. When you live for something greater than your own self-interest, write me back and tell me how you feel about sacrificing a part of your life and soul for something bigger than you can imagine. You are going to interpret what I said as some sort of misguided patriotism because you have no idea what I mean when I say living for something greater than your own self-interest.
Could you please articulate what that thing is which is greater ? Beyond this MISINFORMED sense of "fighting for our freedom" what is it? You say I dont understand, well then explain it to me so that I can. Why can you not do that. Yea I live for my own self intrest, but speaking out on these boards is in the intrest of my unborn children and the rest of America's citizens
________________________________________________
The American citizens got bored by page 4 and your unborn kids called me and said you're embarassing them.
It has to do with the size of the military and the amount of money which is geared toward funding the war machine. Simply put, you cant justify spending so much money on the military if you are not going to be fighting in any wars. If you buy 20 new bombers at $500 million a piece you arent going to just let them sit at some American air force base collecting dust, you are going to deploy them somewhere and drop some damn bombs. When that happens the people who profit from the sale and construction of those bombers are going to have influence over the decision to engage in conflict, which is wrong. That is what it has to do with.
Hey potter, like I said many times. Come at me with some tangible facts and I will shut up. Also, if people were so bored by page 4 there would have been no page 8. If this reaches one persons ears positivly then it has all been worth it.
Also, why not? the rest of these boards are just ******** about the update (which blows hard by the way, WIS can blow me with their free season). As a political science major I find this debate extremely interesting and am honestly just waiting for someone to truly challenge my beliefs with something good and intelligent being said in opposition to my posts. Thats what i think you guys don't get, im not totally resolved in my position that I would refuse to accept an intelligent argument against it. Its just that no one has presented such an argument to me. Either agree with me, dont respond to the post or actually say something which is not based completely off some indescribable feeling or belief but rather in fact
You are tying "fighting for your freedom" with something bigger than yourself. One day, you may have children. When that day arrives, you will do one of two things. You will forget your responsibilities as a parent, or you will not. If you do not, you will understand what it means to sacrifice for something other than your own self-fulfillment. One day, you may under take a cause that is not in your own self-interest and one which you will gain no benefit or advantage. Then you will understand to what I am referring. Until that day arrives, you will be yet another 20 something kid that thinks you know how the world works and that there are alternatives to war. You have no clue how the world works and you cannot name a signal conflict that has been resolved through means other than war.
crcummings, thank you.. I do not commnicate as well as you or others. This kid just doesn't get it. I can understand that. I can remember when I knew it all. I can remember when my son knew it all. It wasn;t all that long ago my son said: "gee dad, you get smarter the older I get." I felt that way about my father. These kids think they are experiencing stuff for the first time and nobody ever was in their shoes. This kid has a little bit of knowledge and experience and thinks he has all the answers. Some never grow out of it. It's too bad.
Bc you need to bone up on Romam History and not get it all off of the telly. By the time Rome fell the Ceasar had no power. Oh crap I just read he was a political science major. Please tell me where you spread this crap so my grandkids won't go near you. Probably Berkley if I was to guess or at least got your education there. If I wanted them to be a communist I'd send them to China. I don't like your beliefs. You're not my kind of people.
Posted by crcummings on 11/23/2010 7:24:00 AM (view original):You are tying "fighting for your freedom" with something bigger than yourself. One day, you may have children. When that day arrives, you will do one of two things. You will forget your responsibilities as a parent, or you will not. If you do not, you will understand what it means to sacrifice for something other than your own self-fulfillment. One day, you may under take a cause that is not in your own self-interest and one which you will gain no benefit or advantage. Then you will understand to what I am referring. Until that day arrives, you will be yet another 20 something kid that thinks you know how the world works and that there are alternatives to war. You have no clue how the world works and you cannot name a signal conflict that has been resolved through means other than war.
You have yet to put into words what this thing is which is "greater than myself" that you speak of. You can still not describe what it is that these men and women are choosing to put on the uniform and sacrifice there lives for other than this lie that they are protecting America. Yea, I dont have kids but what does having kids have anything to do with this argument? I have repeatedly asked the same question, for you to describe to me with tangible evidence what exactly it is our troops are fighting for other than the greedy intrests of defense contractors yet all you continue to do is speak about these "indescribable" feelings which is a complete and utter cop out. You cant tell me because you don't know, all you know what to say is the same propaganda which you have been taught to say. The reason I cant name any conflicts that havnt needed war to resolve them is because "conflict" is a very warlike term. My proposal is to avoid the conflict all together. Why is that a problem, if you dont start conflict you wont need war to resolve it. And yea there are alternatives to war, have you ever heard of the word diplomacy?
Posted by bcsuperfan23 on 11/23/2010 12:43:00 AM (view original):It has to do with the size of the military and the amount of money which is geared toward funding the war machine. Simply put, you cant justify spending so much money on the military if you are not going to be fighting in any wars. If you buy 20 new bombers at $500 million a piece you arent going to just let them sit at some American air force base collecting dust, you are going to deploy them somewhere and drop some damn bombs. When that happens the people who profit from the sale and construction of those bombers are going to have influence over the decision to engage in conflict, which is wrong. That is what it has to do with.
Obviously you've never actually worked in any government capacity because there really are billions of dollars in equipment collecting dust at every military post around the world.
Posted by grindi on 11/23/2010 8:27:00 AM (view original):crcummings, thank you.. I do not commnicate as well as you or others. This kid just doesn't get it. I can understand that. I can remember when I knew it all. I can remember when my son knew it all. It wasn;t all that long ago my son said: "gee dad, you get smarter the older I get." I felt that way about my father. These kids think they are experiencing stuff for the first time and nobody ever was in their shoes. This kid has a little bit of knowledge and experience and thinks he has all the answers. Some never grow out of it. It's too bad.
Bc you need to bone up on Romam History and not get it all off of the telly. By the time Rome fell the Ceasar had no power. Oh crap I just read he was a political science major. Please tell me where you spread this crap so my grandkids won't go near you. Probably Berkley if I was to guess or at least got your education there. If I wanted them to be a communist I'd send them to China. I don't like your beliefs. You're not my kind of people.
Grindi, you still are bringing ZERO into the debate. Legit ZERO. I dont care how old you are or what your "expierience" is. Because unless you were a board member of Haliburton or a top US military commander or US Senator you have exactly as much "experience" in this argument as I do. We are both basing our arguments on (in my case) facts we have learned and (in your case) most likely Faux News. So relax with that argument, you do not have any special knowlegde on the subject simply because of your advanced age.
Oh, and what is it with this Berkley Communist stuff lmao. This isnt 69 anymore, its ok you can come out of the closet the hippies are gone now. Nothing to be scared of. I bet I can make a healthy assumption that given the chance you would have contributed heavily to Nixon's campaign right? And its a shame that you don't want your kids around "my kind of people" and would have them stay away from the University I attened. Exposing your kids to only the type of education you belive in could be very damaging. You dont want to start them off at life intellectually handicapped do you? The only way to expierance knowledge is to expose yourself to conflicting viewpoint and actually have to analayze and determine for yourself what is right and wrong. Not just grow up some sheltered existnce because your father was to pigheaded and selfish to let you areound those scary libs lol.
And where do you get im a communist ahahaha? How about you give me a definition of communisim in your own words, not from a google search. Id bet all the money in the world that you could not do that based soley on your use of the word trying to insult me lol
Actually a communist is high praise for what I really think of you. I want nothing to do with you and will have you blocked from now on. You're disgusting. By the way jackass, My father died when I was young fighting for morons like you. Go fu_ k yourself. Sorry guys I'm not as eloquent as the rest of you.
Grindi, why can you not participate in an intelligent debate? I think it is because you have nothing intelligent to say. I too have had close relatives die in the service, but that doesnt change the fact that they died fighting for a corrupt system which lied to them and not for me or you. Yea, they probably thought they did but that doesnt change the fact that they didnt. Maybe if they were more aware of what was actually going on with our military they would still be here to share Thanksgiving dinner with me this week. Im sorry about your father, but you cant let that get in the way of the truth.
What do you really think of me? Im disgusting? Why? because I am unafraid to speak the harsh truths of what is really going on in the world? Just because you are ignorant to the realities of what is driving our foriegn policy does not make me the bad guy. Its sad that you would tell me to go f*** myself and hold such ill will towards me. I hold none of this toward you. I am simply trying to engage in an intelligent discussion which it seems that you are reluctant to do.
Maybe if you actually had any evidence or fact to support your position you wouldnt be acting in such a way and we could have a productive discussion without you resorting to these laughable efforts to try and discredit me.
Posted by bcsuperfan23 on 11/23/2010 12:43:00 AM (view original):It has to do with the size of the military and the amount of money which is geared toward funding the war machine. Simply put, you cant justify spending so much money on the military if you are not going to be fighting in any wars. If you buy 20 new bombers at $500 million a piece you arent going to just let them sit at some American air force base collecting dust, you are going to deploy them somewhere and drop some damn bombs. When that happens the people who profit from the sale and construction of those bombers are going to have influence over the decision to engage in conflict, which is wrong. That is what it has to do with.
Obviously you've never actually worked in any government capacity because there really are billions of dollars in equipment collecting dust at every military post around the world.
first, the fact that there are billions of dollars worth of weapons collecting dust is irrelavant, those weapons were most likely already used to kill some poor schmuch somewhere.
Second, of course the contractors dictate policy. Who do you think finances the campaigns for those congressmen to get elected? Answer me this, why are the parts for a single fighter plane manufactured in like 30 different states? Because, it forces congressmen to support the building of new ones so as not to lose a few hundred jobs, and as a result hundreds of votes, back in their home districts. This is not done by coincidence. These corporations and lobbyists have intertwined themselves so much with our government officials its getting so hard to tell who is working in whose interest anymore. Yea, the congressmen dictate the policy but when a congressman who voted to increase military spending and go to war retires from office and then immedeatly gets a job making 5 million a year to lobby for Haliburton I think it is safe to say that there was something nefarious going on and make the leap that those corporations do in fact hold an influence over policy
bc, I have put into words what you fail to grasp. That is the problem, you do not understand. It is not my failure to explain. You believe people put on the uniform to protect the American way. That is but a small part of the reasons people wear the uniform. Being part of something bigger than yourself is a simple, yet difficult to understand concept. Someday you may get it. Have you ever given directions to a total stranger? Have you ever picked up a candy wrapper from the sidewalk and placed it in a trash can when nobody was watching? Those are examples of what I it means to be part of something greater than yourself, but on a much smaller scale. |
Saturday, July 08, 2006
This is a first-person account of some dealings with I-I, including interactions with KW. While at first finding himself an enchanted fan of I-I and KW, Benjamin began to have some concerns about the possible cult status of both the man and the organization. This is an area where he has some expertise.
He concludes:
I would say that there are definitely things to be cautious and observant about in Integral Institute, not the least of which is Ken Wilber’s strong ego and harsh criticisms of many of those who disagree with him. However . . . I will give both Ken Wilber and Integral Institute the benefit of the doubt and place this organization in Neutral territory regarding cult dangers vs. beneficial spiritual characteristics.
The article is well-thought out and informative. Give it a read and then decide for yourself. I tend to agree that there may be some areas to be concerned with, and I agree with Benjamin's conclusion:
[I]f you do not like what you see at Integral Institute then you can disengage without repercussions. Big egos, strong ideas, and harsh criticism of opponents are not the same as cult dangers . . . . |
Introduction {#Sec1}
============
The tragic disaster of the earthquake and Tsunami in Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in 2011 urged us to develop a new efficient adsorbent for radioactive elements. Among them, ^137^Cs is in particular a threat to environment, since it emits hazardous β-particles and strong γ-ray with a long half-life (30.4 years). In addition, Cs^+^ has high transportability via the atmosphere, high solubility in aqueous media, and strong and persistent adsorption to soil^[@CR1]^. In the accident, seawater was used to cool down the out-of-control power plant, which made removal of Cs^+^ very difficult. A new adsorbent with high selectivity and high adsorption capacity to Cs^+^ is desired. During decontamination process and subsequent storage of used adsorbents, deterioration of the adsorbent by radioactivity is also a serious problem. A new adsorbent must have high resistance to radioactivity for safe long-time storage.
Detonation nanodiamond (DND) is a new nanocarbon material, synthesised from a mixture of explosives and carbon materials such as graphite and active carbon. With momentary high pressure by detonation in a closed steel chamber, black soot is collected. The soot contains aggregated spherical primary particles of nanodiamond with diameter of 4--6 nm, which is imbedded in a large amount of amorphous carbon and graphite. After strong oxidative purification of the soot, most non-diamond components are removed to give DND particles of 200 nm or less in diameter. This spherical particles are still aggregate of several to many primary nanodiamond particles, and each particle is solidly covered with graphite-like carbon thin layers. Such aggregated DND can be dispersed in water, due to covalently-bound surface polar functional groups, such as carboxyl, hydroxyl, and ketonyl groups^[@CR2]--[@CR8]^. In addition, the aggregated DND contains substantial amount of water (10--30 wt%) between the graphite layers or in the interface of surface graphite and nanodiamond core. The water is retained very tightly in the particles by adsorption or some other chemical interactions, and high temperature and vacuum are necessary to remove the water. High specific surface area of DND with surface polar functional groups, high dispersion in water, easy precipitation in the presence of metal-ions, and the rugged and porous surface structure of DND particles suggest that DND might be an effective adsorbent for Cs^+^ in seawater and dirty wastewaters.
So far only a few applications of metal ion adsorption by DND are reported in literatures. One is on Cs^+^ adsorption, and the adsorption capacity was dependent on the surface treatment of DND. The adsorption capacity of 0.7 mmol Cs^+^/g is reported^[@CR9]^. Selective adsorption of tungstate anion by DND is reported as a tool for pre-concentration of tungstate in ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy) measurement^[@CR10]^. In this application, DND did not adsorb metal cations, owing to the positive zeta-potential of the DND, and high selectivity for tungstate was realized. Zeta-potential of DND varies from negative to positive, depending on the DND source and purification and surface treatment^[@CR4],[@CR6]^. Several mechanisms are conceivable for metal ion adsorption; (1) coordination of metal ions onto the surface functional groups, (2) electrostatic attraction and ion-exchange interaction on the functional groups, (3) physical adsorption and intercalation in the surface graphite layers, (4) crosslinking between several DND particles, leading to aggregation and precipitation. However, real metal adsorption occurs through complex mechanisms and no detailed study has been carried out.
Prussian Blue (Fe~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\]~3~ or K~x~Fe~y~\[Fe(CN)~6~\]) (PB) is a well-known adsorbent highly efficient and selective to Cs^+ [@CR11]--[@CR13]^. The strong adsorption and high selectivity arises from the face-centered cubic lattice consisting of -Fe-CN-Fe-NC-Fe- infinite chains. The K^+^ ions in the cubic voids of the lattice are exchangeable with Cs^+^, and once Cs^+^ enters the void, the cation is stably trapped, because the hydrated ionic radius of Cs^+^ fits tightly to the size of the void. Compared to other Cs^+^ adsorbents, such as zeolite and other inorganic adsrobents^[@CR14]^, biomass^[@CR15]^, and clay minerals^[@CR16]^, PB has high capability and selectivity to Cs^+^. The adsorption capability of PB for alkali metal ions is in the order of Cs^+^ ≫ K^+^ ≧ Na^+^. In addition to original PB, Cs^+^ adsorption is reported also to PB analogues containing various hetero metal ions such as Ni^2+^, Cu^2+^, Co^3+^, Mn^2+^ and Zn^2+ [@CR17]--[@CR32]^ as partial substituents for Fe ions in the lattice. It is not easy to decide which hetero metal ion is better than others for Cs^+^ adsorption, since literature experiments were carried out under different conditions and on various sample matrices.
Although PB and its analogues have excellent adsorption capability, PB prepared in solution is usually very fine powder, and complete precipitation after Cs^+^ adsorption is very difficult. For efficient Cs^+^ removal, fine Cs^+^-adsorbed PB powder must be removed from the solution. Milli- or nano-pore filter is usually necessary for such purpose. However, filtration requires long-time labor, and attempts have been made to transform PB particles into larger particles or beads, i.e., PB was transformed into crystals in hydrogel^[@CR18]^ or was attached to surface amino groups^[@CR31]^ or macrocyclic ligands^[@CR33]^ on silica beads, or PB was mixed with polyvinyl alcohol to make beads^[@CR21]^. Silicate beads containing PB or its analogues are also reported^[@CR26]^. Mushroom biomass is also reported as a support for PB^[@CR19]^.
In the present study, DND is used as a support for a PB analogue, Cu-Perussian blue, Cu-PB. Surface of DND was modified with Cu-PB, and its Cs^+^ removal performance was evaluated in diluted artificial seawater and soil-treated wastewater. The surface modified DND, Cu-PB\@DND, was characterized by IR, SEM, particle-size distribution analysis, and zeta-potential.
Several nanocarbon materials have been reported to adsorb Cs^+^ in their unmodified or PB-modified forms. Graphene and graphene oxide exhibit excellent adsorption capability for metal ions such as Cu^2+ [@CR34]^, Co^2+ [@CR35]^, and Cd^2+ [@CR35]^, owing to the high specific surface area (\~2000 m^2^/g), compared to other nanocarbon materials (CNT (carbon nanotube) 120--500 m^2^/g and DND 180--320 m^2^/g). For Cs^+^ removal, only moderate adsorption capability is reported for graphene oxide^[@CR36]^, however, the adsorption capability is significantly enhanced by surface modification with PB^[@CR37]^. Both plain CNT and PB-modified CNT are effective for Cs^+^ removal, and PB modification enhances the adsorption property of plain CNT^[@CR38]^. However, distribution coefficient (K~d~) of the PB-modified CNT is still moderate (1300 mL/g), compared to other PB-modified non-nanocarbon adsorbents. Since DND is dispersive in water and tends to aggregate and precipitate in the presence of metal ions, DND seems a promising adsorbent for Cs^+^. The high chemical and physical stability of carbon materials in general in radioactive environment also tempted us to study Cs^+^ adsorption performance of DND and PB-modified DND. In literatures, SiO~2~ nanoparticle is reported as PB support, but other inorganic particles such as TiO~2~ is not reported, presumably because of the photochemical reactivity and instability. Nanocarbon materials are highly preferable as PB supports because of their high chemical stability and radiation stability.
Results and Discussion {#Sec2}
======================
Preparation and property of Cu-PB\@DND {#Sec3}
--------------------------------------
Schematic drawings of the structure of a DND particle and preparation of Cu-PB\@DND are shown in Fig. [1](#Fig1){ref-type="fig"}.Figure 1A schematic drawing of the preparation and structure of Cu-PB\@DND. (**A**) DND, (**B**) Cu-PB\@DND containing aggregated DND particles with surface modification of red-brown Cu-PB.
For preparation of Cu-PB\@DND, CuCl~2~ solution was added to a dispersed solution of DND(II) (see the next IR section for the definition of DND(II)). At this stage, the added Cu^2+^ was adsorbed on DND surface. In the next step, K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] solution was added to the solution. After a while, red-brown Cu-PB\@DND appeared and precipitated in the solution. This adsorbent of Cu-PB\@DND at this stage was fine powder, but as shown later, had larger average diameter than the original unmodified DND(II). The supernatant was removed by pipetting and the Cu-PB\@DND residue was used in wet state for Cs^+^ adsorption experiment. For spectroscopic characterization, the adsorbent was measured after drying.
IR spectrum, zeta potential, SEM, particle size, and elemental analysis of DND and Cu-PB\@DND {#Sec4}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The IR spectra of DND(I) (original DND), DND(II) (air-heated DND(I)) and DND(III) (NaOH-treated DND(I)) are shown in Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}. The IR spectra of DND(I), DND(II) air-treated in 2011, DND(II) air-treated in 2016 and Cu-PB\@DND are shown in Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}. All of the three spectra in Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"} have common absorption bands at 3200--3600 cm^−1^, 2900 cm^−1^, 1700--1800 cm^−1^, and 1600 cm^−1^, but the relative intensities of the bands vary depending on the surface treatment. Such treatment-dependent IR property is already known for DNDs with different surface treatments^[@CR6],[@CR39]--[@CR41]^. Referenced to the previous assignment in the literatures, the bands were assigned as follows: 3400 cm^−1^ is O-H stretching of water and phenols, 2900 cm^−1^ is C-H stretching, 1700--1800 cm^−1^ is C=O of ketones and carboxylic groups, and 1600 cm^−1^ is several C-O groups such as esters and lactones or water molecules in outer graphite-like layers. Surface water amount usually varies significantly depending on the drying condition and chemical surface treatment. Water molecules in DND are remarkably strongly associated with DND, and are probably bound between the outer graphite-like layers or are associated with the interface of nanodiamond core and outer graphite-layers. Extensive depletion of the water needs vacuum and elevated temperature^[@CR42]^. Therefore, IR spectra were measured at 120 °C in N~2~ in the present experiment. It is obvious in Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"} that sintering of DND(I) in air increases water amount probably bound to surface graphite layer, whereas NaOH treatment decreases water amount and most surface functional groups except C-H are lost. The surface of DND(III) has less functional groups and is thus more hydrophobic than DND(I) and DND(II), which suggests that DND(III) would be less favorable for metal ion adsorption than others.Figure 2IR spectra of DNDs. blue line: original DND(I), green line: DND(II), i.e., air- heated DND(I), red line, DND(III), i.e., NaOH-treated DND(I).Figure 3IR spectra of DNDs. blue line: DND(I) original, green line: DND(II) prepared by heating in air in 2011, red line: DND(II) prepared by heating in air in 2016, purple line: Cu-PB\@DND.
Among the two air-treated DNDs in Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}, significant difference is observed at the band 1900 cm^−1^. The band still remains in DND(II) treated in 2016, but is almost lost by air-heating in 2011. The reason for such a significant difference is not known. The IR spectrum of Cu-PB\@DND shows new bands, in addition to those of original DND(II), at 2100 cm^−1^, 1600 cm^−1^, and 670 cm^−1^. These three bands are also reported for Cu^II^~3~\[Fe^III^(CN)~6~\]~2~ · xH~2~O,^[@CR30]^ Cu^II^~2~\[Fe^II^(CN)~6~\] · xH~2~O,^[@CR30]^ and PB on graphene^[@CR37]^, and are assigned to C≡N stretching (2100 cm^−1^) and Fe-CN-Fe bending (670 cm^−1^). The band at 1600 cm^−1^ has not been clearly assigned in literatures, but is always observed weakly or moderately in PB and Cu-PB.
Zeta potentials of DNDs in water were + 46 mV for DND(I), −14 mV for DND(II) and + 4 mV for DND(III).
The X-ray diffraction pattern of Cu-PB\@DND is shown in Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}. All of the peaks correspond to K~x~Cu~y~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] · xH~2~O or PB reported in literatures^[@CR30],[@CR38],[@CR43]--[@CR46]^. Clear peak assignment is not reported, since relative peak intensities and positions vary depending on the amount of crystal water and hetero metal ions^[@CR30],[@CR37],[@CR38]^. The two compounds give almost an identical X-ray diffraction pattern and are not distinguished in the literatures. Peaks of DND(II) are not observed in Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}. Non-PB-modified DNDs usually give diamond peaks at 43 and 72 degree and a small graphite peak at 27 degree^[@CR4],[@CR6]^. In Fig. [4](#Fig4){ref-type="fig"}, these DND peaks are not observed, maybe because only the thin surface layer of Cu-PB in Cu-PB\@DND contributes to the X-ray diffracrion pattern. Similarly, only PB X-ray diffraction peaks are observed in other PB modified CNT, graphene and graphene oxide, for Cs^+^ adsorption^[@CR28],[@CR38],[@CR44]^. Existence of DND in Cu-PB\@DND has been proved in the IR spectrum in Fig. [3](#Fig3){ref-type="fig"}, since longer wavelength of IR can penetrate into deeper sites of particles, and thus give spectrum peaks of both surface Cu-PB and core DND.Figure 4X-ray diffraction pattern of Cu-PB\@DND.
The SEM images of DND(II) and Cu-PB\@DND are shown in Fig. [5](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"}. In Fig. [5(A and B)](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"}, many aggregated spheres are observed, onto which smaller particles and primary particles of DND less than 10 nm are attached. In Fig. [5(B)](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"}, the approximate aggregate size ranges from less than 100 nm to more than several μm. Since primary particles of DND in literatures are about 4--6 nm in diameter, and the particle size distribution in the initial dispersion of DND(II) is about 100 nm to 1 μm (Fig. S[1](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}), the aggregation in Fig. [5(A and B)](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"} would have been caused by drying. The EDS (energy dispersive semiconductor) analysis of DND(II) and Cu-PB\@DND shows the elemental composition (%) of DND(II) as C 90.7, O 7.9, Zn 0.4, Fe 0.4, Si 0.3, Al 0.2, S 0.2 and Cu 0.1, and that of Cu-PB\@DMD as C 54.9, Cu 21.7, Fe 13.2, N 8.3, O 1.9, and K 0.2. The elemental values of the same sample measured with ICP-MS using a nebuliser for dispersion solution, after HNO~3~ digestion for 2 hrs, were less than 1/5 of the EDS values. This is due to the fact that for EDS, part of the water in DND is lost by vacuum, and for ICP-MS, most of the nanodiamond particles remain undecomposed in solution even after strong acid digestion, and is only partially introduced into the plasma with a conventional nebulizer, because of the high specific density of diamond particle (ca. 3.5) with heavy metal impurity. Many literatures report impurity values obtained with ICP-MS, but these must be considered with care.Figure 5The SEM images of (**A**) DND(II) with the bar 100 nm, (**B**) DND(II) with the bar 1 μm, (**C**) Cu-PB\@DND with the bar 100 nm, (**D**) Cu-PB\@DND with the bar 1μm.
The SEM images in Fig. [5(C and D)](#Fig5){ref-type="fig"} show that the average particle size is significantly increased by Cu-PB modification. The average particle size of the adsorbent dispersed in water was measured with LSD (laser scattering dynamics) (Fig. S[1](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}). Before PB modification, the average particle diameter of DND(II) was 0.2 ± 0.4 μm, whereas it is 5 ± 4μm after Cu-PB modification.
Comparison of DND(I), DND(II) and DND(III) in Cs^+^ Removal {#Sec5}
-----------------------------------------------------------
Removal efficiency, R~eff~ (%) (R~eff~ = 100 × (C~0~ --C~e~)/C~0~, where C~0~ and C~e~ are original and equilibrium Cs^+^ concentration in solution, respectively), was compared for DND(I), DND(II) and DND(III), by using a 10 ppm Cs^+^ solution in diluted artificial seawater (0.07%). The Cs^+^ adsorption and precipitation experiment was carried out by addition of DND to a Cs^+^ solution to 0.25 μg/L. After the solution was stirred for 2 hours and left standing overnight, Cs^+^ concentration in the supernatant was measured with ICP-AES. The removal efficiencies were as follows: unmodified DND(I) 22%, air-heated DND(II) 38%, and NaOH-treated DND(III) 13%. Therefore, subsequent experiments were carried out with DND(II). As expected, DND(III) is least effective, since it has the fewest number of polar functional groups, as observed in the IR spectrum (Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}). Air-heated DND(II) having more water molecules around the diamond core, as observed in Fig. [2](#Fig2){ref-type="fig"}, has negative zeta-potential, and thus has the highest removal efficiency.
Removal of Cs^+^ by Cu-PB\@DND {#Sec6}
------------------------------
Cesium removal experiment was carried out in two modes: (i) co-precipitation by sequential addition of DND, CuCl~2~ and potassium ferrocyanide. The latter two reagents were added to prepare PB *in situ* in the Cs^+^ solution. (ii) batch treatment of Cu-PB\@DND adsorbent in a Cs^+^ solution. The results were evaluated in terms of removal efficiency, distribution coefficient of Cs^+^, capacity of adsorbent, and selectivity to Cs^+^. Detonation nanodiamond (DND) has advantage over other common non-carbon adsorbents that DND is resistant to chemicals, high temperatures up to 450 °C under atmospheric pressure in air and radioactivity.
Removal of Cs^+^ in diluted artificial seawater with co-precipitation mode {#Sec7}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Literatures show that not only PB but also several other PB-analogue complexes \[M~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\]^y−^, where M is Ni^2+^, Cu^2+^, Zn^2+^, Co^3+^, and Mn^3+ [@CR17]--[@CR32]^, are effective for Cs^+^ removal in freshwater and in some cases in seawater. These complexes having hetero metal M^n+^ ion are synthesised by addition of MCl~2\ or\ 3~ to a solution of potassium ferrocyanide. The removal efficiency for Cs^+^ depends on M^n+^, and also preparation method. Different preparation method gives different particle size, which affects the removal efficiency. In the present experiment, MCl~2\ or\ 3~ was first varied in co-precipitation mode, i.e., DND(II), MCl~2\ or\ 3~, and potassium ferrocyanide were added sequentially in this order to seawater (0.07%) containing 20 ppm Cs^+^. After precipitate of Cs^+^-incorporated M-PB settled, Cs^+^ removal efficiencies were calculated from the Cs^+^ concentration in the supernatant. The results are as follows: Cu^2+^ ( \> 99%), Fe^3+^ (92%), and Co^3+^ (87%). Therefore, subsequent experiments were carried out with CuCl~2~. The addition order of the three reagents, DND(II), CuCl~2~ and potassium ferrocyanide, critically affected the removal efficiency, and the addition order as described above gave the best removal. Addition of DND(II) after either one or both of the reagents remarkably decreased Cs + removal efficiency. The final Cs^+^ concentrations in the supernatant of various addition combination of the reagents are listed in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}, which shows that all of the three reagents are necessary to achieve the highest efficiently (run 3). The effect of pH was examined at pH 4, 6.8 and 11 by addition of either NaOH or HCl after all the procedure was finished. The removal efficiency did not change significantly, and therefore the following experiments were carried out at pH 6.8 (without any pH adjustment). It is notable that when Cu-PB alone is used for Cs^+^ removal, Cu-PB is effective only in neutral pH region^[@CR25],[@CR31]^. In the present study, no pH dependence was observed both in co-precipitation and batch modes. Obviously the property of DND to adsorb Cs^+^ as well as Cu-PB operates very much favorably to Cs^+^ removal.Table 1Removal efficiency of Cs^+^ (R~eff~) in 0.07% seawater by addition of DND, CuCl~2~, and K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] in co-precipitation mode.run\#Addition conc. and order of reagents (from left to right)conc. in supernatant (ppm)R~eff~DND (mg/L)CuCl~2~ (μM)K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] (μM)CsCuFe(%)10006.6N.D.^a^N.D.020.25004.1N.D.0.033830.2550250.003N.D.0.01\>994050251.51.20.1477^a^Not detected.
In Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}, Cs^+^ was removed perfectly when all of DND(II), CuCl~2~ and K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] were added (run 3). In addition, Cu^2+^ and Fe^3+^ were also efficiently removed from the solution in run 3. This is in contrast to run 4, in which DND(II) was not added, and in this case Cu^2+^ was only partially removed. It is also noteworthy that Fe^3+^ was most efficiently removed when all of the three reagents were added (run 3), but was only moderately removed when DND(II) was not added (runs 2 and 3). It is notable that PB and Cu-PB precipitated completely and Cu^2+^ and Fe^3+^ were not detected in the colorless transparent supernatants, as shown in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}. Owing to such superb adsorption and precipitation effect of DND(II), it was not necessary to filter the supernatant to remove residual fine powder. This is a great advantage of DND(II) in real application to seawater and wastewater. The concentrations of Na^+^, K^+^, Mg^2+^ and Ca^2+^ ions in the final supernatants are listed in Table [S1](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}, which shows that none of these metal ions of seawater were adsorbed on Cu-PB\@DND, i.e. the adsorbent is highly selective to Cs^+^. Such high removal efficiency and high selectivity to Cs^+^ as well as the complete removal of Cu^2+^ and Fe^3+^ ions have not been reported for conventional PB and PB-analogue adsorbents, zeolites and other organic and inorganic adsorbents. The new adsorbent Cu-PB\@DND has been found practically very useful, since the adsorbent retains its capability even in diluted artificial seawater and in a wide range of pH. This is obviously in contrast to previous adsorbents, whose Cs^+^ removal efficiency decreases in diluted seawater or the Cs^+^ removal efficiency is reported only in pure water^[@CR31],[@CR38],[@CR45],[@CR46]^. Since high concentration of Na^+^ (\>175 ppm) in solution severely disturbed Cs^+^ measurement on ICP-AES, all of the present experiments were performed in 0.07% artificial seawater, however, it is highly likely that the present method similarly works in more concentrated seawater.
All of the previous Cs^+^ removal methods using PB or PB analogues used filtration for the final supernatant to remove Cs^+^- containing fine particles in the solution. In the present system, such filtration is not necessary, since all of the Cs^+^-adsorbed adsorbent precipitates completely, owing to the effect of DND(II). The remarkable difference of Cs^+^ removal efficiency between run 3 and other runs in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"} suggests that DND(II) enhances precipitation of the adsorbent by aggregation. In literatures, several bead materials as PB supports have been reported for Cs^+^ removal, such as silicate^[@CR26]^, polymer with silicate^[@CR27]^ and polyvinyl alcohol beads^[@CR21]^, with always filtration after adsorption. It should also be noted that the concentration of potassium ferrocyanide in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"} is approximately 1/100 to 1/10 of those of literature methods. Since PB contains toxic CN^−^, the concentration should be preferably as low as possible.
In Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}, DND(II) itself adsorbs Cs^+^ to some extent (run 2), but in addition to cation, DND(II) seemingly adsorbs also negatively charged PB and Cu-PB. Zeta potentials of DNDs are different depending on the different surface treatments, and the reported values range from negative to positive^[@CR3]--[@CR5]^. Zeta potential is only an average of the whole surface of DND. On the surface, a variety of functional groups having negative, neutral and possibly positive charges is actually distributed, since the functional groups have different pK~a~s and other cations might have neutralised the charges of the functional groups. It is no wonder that both cations and anions are seemingly adsorbed on DND, but it is also possible that Cs^+^ adsorption on DND neutralises the surface charge of DND and facilitates subsequent adsorption of anions. Adsorption of metal ions other than Cs^+^ onto DND in general is an interesting research target.
Mechanism of Cs^+^ adsorption in co-precipitation mode {#Sec8}
------------------------------------------------------
The mechanism of Cs^+^ adsorption and precipitation by simple Cu-PB is explained in literatures as follows. In Cu-PB, Cu^2+^ partially substitutes Fe^2+^ sites in the 3-dimensional cubic lattice structure consisting of \[Fe(CN)~6~\]^4−^, and Cs^+^ ion is adsorbed by being trapped into the void of the cubic lattice \[Cu~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\]^4−^ to form the complex with average composition of Cs~2~\[Cu~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\], which finally precipitates^[@CR18],[@CR22],[@CR26]^. The partial substitution of copper ion with Fe^2+^ ion in the lattice tunes the void volume of the cubic lattice to fit to the hydrated Cs^+^ ion, thus enhancing adsorption efficiency and selectivity to Cs^+^.
Based on the above reported mechanism for simple Cu-PB, effect of DND in the present co-precipitation method is considered as follows. From run 2, DND itself has adsorption function for Cs^+^, which is probably due to metal cation coordination to surface functional groups of DND, and/or electrostatic attraction between metal cations and DND having negative zeta-potential. In contrast, single digit DND having positive zeta potential of +55 mV is reported to adsorb only negative ions, and is a very selective adsorbent to tungstate anion^[@CR10]^. For our DND, both positive (Cs^+^ and Cu^2+^) and negative (ferrocyanide) ions seem to be adsorbed and are finally precipitated as Cs^+^-incorporated Cu-PB\@DND. The adsorption behavior of DND can be explained that Cu^2+^ adsorbed on DND reacts with ferrocyanide anion added in solution to form Cu-PB on the surface of DND. In such a reaction, electrostatic repulsion between the negative DND and ferrocyanide anion would be mitigated by Cu^2+^ on the DND surface and by the formation of energetically favored Cu-PB. Cesium cation adsorbed on DND would be incorporated into Cu-PB during the formation reaction. In contrast, when independently pre-prepared Cu-PB was added to a Cs^+^ solution already added with DND, the Cs^+^ removal efficiency was only 55%. This fact suggests that formation of Cu-PB in the presence of Cs^+^-adsorbed DND is essential to high removal efficiency. From the optimized addition order of DND, CuCl~2~ and K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] to a Cs^+^ solution, it seems that the reaction first starts with adsorption of Cs^+^ and then Cu^2+^ to DND, which then reacts with potassium ferrocyanide added to the solution, to form Cs^+^-incorporated Cu-PB\@DND precipitate. Such a reaction mechanism suggests that adsorbed Cs^+^ and Cu^2+^ ions react with potassium ferrocyanide in solution, as if the cations were free ions in solution. The adsorbed metal ions and metal complexes obviously enhance aggregation and precipitation of DND, possibly by electrostatic attraction and bridging of several DND particles. The progress of the reaction is shown in Fig. [6](#Fig6){ref-type="fig"}.Figure 6Progress of the co-precipitation reaction of Cs^+^ with DND, CuCl~2~ and K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\]. (**A**) Cs^+^ solution in 0.07% seawater, (**B**) after addition of DND to (**A**), the solution became turbid due to Cs^+^ adsorption and coagulation of DND, (**C**) after addition of CuCl~2~ solution to (**B**,**D**) after addition of K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] solution to (**C**), the solution turned red-brown, (**E**) after 1 hour, red-brown precipitate settled.
The present experiment showed that DND did not adsorb appreciably either preformed \[Cu~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\]^4−^ or Cs~4~\[Cu~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\] in the solution, since Cs^+^ removal efficiency was obviously decreased when DND was added after CuCl~2~ and potassium ferrocyanide. Copper ion must be added after DND and prior to potassium ferrocyanide. Formation of red-brown \[Cu~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\]^4−^ was hindered, when potassium ferrocyanide was added after DND and prior to copper chloride. It seems that ferrocyanide ion is adsorbed on Cs^+^-adsorbed DND but does not react with copper ion, in the adsorbed state.
The final precipitation efficiency is obviously promoted by the presence of DND. The final supernatant after overnight standing was colorless and transparent, and the precipitate was brown.
Removal of Cs^+^ in diluted artificial seawater by using Cu-PB\@DND in batch mode {#Sec9}
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Removal efficiency of Cu-PB\@DND adsorbent in batch mode was examined by using 0.015 g of the adsorbent added to 80 mL of Cs^+^ solution in artificial seawater (0.07%). The solution was stirred for 6 hours. Clear supernatant was obtained after the solution was left standing overnight. The initial Cs^+^ concentration was varied in the range of 1 to 150 ppm, and Cs^+^ concentration of the supernatant was measured with ICP-MS. The results are shown in Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"} for several different initial Cs^+^ concentrations.Table 2Distribution coefficient (K~d~) and removal efficiency (R~eff~) of Cs^+^ in co-precipitation and batch modes.mode and adsorbentCs^±^ concentration (ppm)K~d~ (mL/g)R~eff~ (%)initial C~0~supernatant C~e~**co-precipitation mode**DND + Cu-PB6.60.0038.8 × 10^7^\>99DND only6.64.12.4 × 10^4^38Cu-PB only6.61.51.4 × 10^5^77**Batch mode**Cu-PB\@DND10.0041.3 × 10^6^\>99100.0411.3 × 10^6^\>99500.221.2 × 106\>99
Calculation of Distribution Coefficient (K~d~), Removal Efficiency (R~eff~), Adsorption Capacity (Q~e~), and Adsorption Isotherm {#Sec10}
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The data of Cs^+^ removal experiment were analyzed following the equations below. The distribution coefficient K~d~ (mL/g) was calculated according to equation ([1](#Equ1){ref-type=""}).$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${{\rm{K}}}_{{\rm{d}}}=({{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{0}}}\mbox{--}{{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{e}}}){\rm{V}}/({{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{e}}}{\rm{M}})$$\end{document}$$where C~0~ and C~e~ are initial and equilibrium concentrations of Cs^+^, and V and M are volume of solution (mL) and weight of adsorbent (g), respectively.
Removal efficiency R~eff~ (%) was calculated according to equation ([2](#Equ2){ref-type=""}).$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${{\rm{R}}}_{{\rm{eff}}}=100\times ({{\rm{C}}}_{0}\mbox{--}{{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{e}}})/{{\rm{C}}}_{0}$$\end{document}$$
Equilibrium adsorption capacity Q~e~ (mg/g) is defined as equation ([3](#Equ3){ref-type=""}).$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${{\rm{Q}}}_{{\rm{e}}}=({{\rm{C}}}_{0}\mbox{--}{{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{e}}}){\rm{V}}/{\rm{M}}$$\end{document}$$
Although most K~d~ values are reported for a batch mode in literatures, K~d~ value of the present co-precipitation method was calculated by using the data of run 3 in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"} and equation ([1](#Equ1){ref-type=""}), assuming 2 mg of adsorbent (calculated from the concentrations of DND, CuCl~2~ and potassium ferrocyanide and the solution volume of 80 mL used in the experiment). The K~d~ value obtained was 8.8 × 10^7^ mL/g (Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}). Considering that reported K~d~ values for PB and PB analogue adsorbents in batch mode are in the range of 10^3^ to 10^6^ mL/g, depending on the hetero metal M in \[M~x~Fe~1−x~(CN)~6~\]^y−^ and on the support bead material (silica, alumina, polymers etc.)^[@CR13],[@CR19],[@CR20],[@CR25]--[@CR28],[@CR31],[@CR38],[@CR43]--[@CR45]^, the K~d~ value of the present co-precipitation method is remarkably high, which is due to precipitation and aggregation effect of DND in co-precipitation mode. Co-precipitation effect gives often better removal efficiency than batch mode. When only DND is added to a Cs^+^ solution in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}, K~d~ is 2.4 × 10^4^ mL/g, which is still a significantly high value. The K~d~ and R~eff~ values of both co-precipitation and batch modes are summarized in Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}.
For evaluation of adsorption capacity and for understanding of the adsorption mechanism of Cu-ferrocyanide\@DND in batch mode, adsorption data were analyzed based on Langmuir adsorption model, and a good fit was found. From the fitting calculation, maximum adsorption capacity (Q~max~) of the adsorbent was obtained. This value provides estimate of the adsorbent amount required to remove a unit mass of pollutant (Cs^+^) under the system conditions. The data and the calculated curves of C~e~ vs. Q~e~ and C~e~ vs. C~e~/Q~e~ are shown in Fig. [7(A and B)](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}, respectively, in which Q~e~ is equilibrium adsorption capacity (mg/g), i.e., Cs^+^ concentration in adsorbent at equilibrium (Cs^+^ in mg/adsorbent in g). In Fig. [7(A)](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}, Q~e~ increases rapidly with increasing C~e~ up to around 5 ppm, even after this point Q~e~ increases but much gradually.Figure 7Langmuir plot of the Cs^+^ adsorption data for Cu-PB\@DND. The data points are shown with red rectangles, and the calculated best fit curve (**A**) and linear line (**B**) are shown. (**A**) and (**B**) are calculated for an identical data set.
Langmuir adsorption equation is expressed in equation ([4](#Equ4){ref-type=""}), which is derived from a model that adsorption takes place on surface monolayer.$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${{\rm{Q}}}_{{\rm{e}}}={{\rm{Q}}}_{{\rm{\max }}}\frac{{{\rm{K}}}_{{\rm{L}}}{{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{e}}}}{1+{{\rm{K}}}_{{\rm{L}}}{{\rm{C}}}_{{\rm{e}}}}$$\end{document}$$
In equation ([4](#Equ4){ref-type=""}), K~L~ (L/mg) is Langmuir constant related to energy of adsorption and desorption, and Q~max~ is maximum adsorption capacity (mg/g). Equation ([4](#Equ4){ref-type=""}) can be transformed to equation ([5](#Equ5){ref-type=""}), which indicates that K~L~ and Q~max~ can be calculated from the intercept and slope of Fig. [7(B)](#Fig7){ref-type="fig"}.$$\documentclass[12pt]{minimal}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{wasysym}
\usepackage{amsfonts}
\usepackage{amssymb}
\usepackage{amsbsy}
\usepackage{mathrsfs}
\usepackage{upgreek}
\setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt}
\begin{document}$${\rm{Ce}}/{\rm{Qe}}={\rm{1}}/({{\rm{K}}}_{{\rm{L}}}{{\rm{Q}}}_{{\rm{\max }}})+({\rm{1}}/{{\rm{Q}}}_{{\rm{\max }}}){\rm{Ce}}$$\end{document}$$
The calculated K~L~ and Q~max~ of Cu-PB\@DND are listed together with the fitting residual R^2^ in Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"}. Maximum adsorption capacity Q~max~ and K~d~ of other adsorbents in literature are also shown in Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"} for comparison. Obviously Q~max~ of the present adsorbent is remarkably high compared to those of simple PB, PB analogues and other common adsorbents. Recently nanocarbon materials such as CNT, graphene, graphene-oxide and reduced graphene-oxide are reported as solid support for PB and PB analogues in Cs^+^ removal^[@CR38],[@CR47],[@CR49]^. The performance of these new adsorbents are also included in Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"}. The new adsorbents have notably high Cs^+^ adsorption capability. Another very new adsorbent CNF/PB/PVA, prepared from cellulose nanofiber (CNF) as a PB support with polyvinylalcohol (PVA) as a binder, gives high performance for Cs^+^ adsorption both in batch and column mode^[@CR44]^.Table 3Experimental and Langmuir isotherm parameters of Cu-PB\@DND for Cs^+^ adsorption and those of related adsorbents in literatures. The values not shown in the table are not reported.adsorbentKL (L/mg)Qmax or Qe (mg/g)R^2^K~d~ (mL/g)referenceCu-PB\@DND in 0.07% artificial seawater1.637590.9961.3 × 10^6^present workPB/reduced graphene oxide in water0.01718.674^[@CR37]^PB/CNT in water4.5 × 10^8[@CR38]^PB-Cu-EDTA/silica in 0.45% Na^+^21.72.4 × 10^5[@CR31]^Cu-PB polymer/silica in water20.06.7 × 10^6[@CR27]^Macrocycle/silica in water1.7986.28^[@CR33]^Cu-PB nanoparticle in water1.6 × 10^6[@CR45]^PB/MNC^a^ in 0.3% Na^+^1.095545.8733471^[@CR43]^CNF/PB/PVA^b^ in water1392 × 10^5[@CR44]^Hollow PB in water262.0^[@CR13]^KNiFC^c^ in water pH5.55202.8^[@CR20]^NiFC co-precipitation in alkali water2 × 10^6[@CR17]^AMP-PAN^d^ in seawater256.0^[@CR46]^Zeolite A in water222.9^[@CR47]a^MNC; magnetic nanoclusters. ^b^CNF; cellulose nanofiber.^c^KNiFC; potassium nickelferrocyanide. ^d^AMP-PAN; ammonium molybdophophate.
Mechanism of Cs^+^ adsorption on Cu-PB\@DND {#Sec11}
-------------------------------------------
Several mechanisms of Cs^+^ adsorption on PB and Cu-PB are reported, including Cs^+^ substitution into the lattice void and Cs^+^ entrapment during complex lattice formation, and the kinetics is not straight forward. The mechanism of Cs^+^ adsorption on Cu-PB\@DND is much more complicated and not clear. The elemental composition (wt%) of Cu-PB\@DND is C 54.9, Cu 21.7, Fe 13.2, N 8.3, O 1.9, and K 0.2. The Cu and Fe values are significantly higher than previous metal ion adsorption values, for instance, Cu^2+^ 1.78 and Fe^2+^ 1.15 wt% on DND^[@CR27]^. In other literatures, maximum Cu^2+^ adsorption on DND is reported to be 7.5 wt%^[@CR48]^ and 5μmol/g^[@CR49]^. The latter value was obtained in the existence of SO~4~^2−^ for DND from the same source, ALIT, Ukraine, for air-sintered sample similarly to DND(II).
With the specific surface area of 191 m^2^/g and number of acidic groups per area, 0.56 group/nm^2^ reported in the literature for DND of ALIT^[@CR49]^, the maximum Cu^2+^ adsorption on DND can be calculated to 1.13 wt%, by assuming that all the acidic groups are occupied with Cu^2+^. This value is appreciably lower than the analytical Cu^2+^ value of 21.7 wt% for Cu-PB\@DND. From this fact we have an image of Cu-PB\@DND that substantially thick Cu-PB layer covers multiple DND particles, and the adsorbent particle is actually something like a mixture of Cu-PB and DND rather than aggregated DND particles with thin surface layer of Cu-PB.
In the mechanistic Cs^+^ adsorption study on Cu~2~\[Fe(CN)~6~\], the maximum atomic ratio of Cs/Fe is reported to 1.5^[@CR30]^. Assuming that all the Cu-PB in Cu-PB\@DND participate in Cs^+^ adsorption with the ratio of 1.5, the maximum Cs^+^ adsorption on Cu-PB\@DND was calculated to 314 mg/g.
On the other hand, maximum ion-exchange capacity of 2.0 mmol Cs^+^/g is reported for DND of ALIT^[@CR49]^, which corresponds to 127 mg/g Cs^+^ adsorption per Cu-PB\@DND, assuming 47.8 wt% DND carbon in the adsorbent (DND C amount was estimated by subtracting cyanide C amount corresponding to N amount, from the total C amount). Addition of the two values of 314 and 127 mg/g amounts to 441 mg/g. This kind of calculation might be somewhat speculative, but explains the high Q~max~ (mg/g) of 759 mg/g in Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"}. The remaining difference between 441 and 759 might be caused by errors in the cited literature values, experimental error of the elemental analysis, or existence of unexplained new mechanism specific to DND, such as formation of Cu-PB together with trapping Cs^+^ in the DND hydrogel within the adsorbent. Hydrogel of DND would facilitate Cs^+^ ion transfer deeper into the inner site of the adsorbent, thus increase the capacity. In silica gel, Cs^+^ adsorption on PB is reported to proceed in a very different manner from usual PB adsorption, and yet Langmuir fitting is observed^[@CR27]^.
Removal of Cs^+^ in soil-treated wastewater {#Sec12}
-------------------------------------------
Wastewater (A) containing 5 w/v % fine clay powder was obtained after washing contaminated soil sample with high-temperature and high-pressure water. Then the wastewater (A) was treated with the present co-precipitation method, i.e., DND(II), CuCl~2~, and potassium ferrocyanide were added in this order to wastewater (A) with stirring. The wastewater was left standing for settling of the precipitate. In some cases, the supernatant was filtered to give a dark-brown transparent filtrate, which was subjected to ^137^Cs γ-ray measurement. The results are shown in Table [4](#Tab4){ref-type="table"}.Table 4Removal of Cs^+^ in soil-treated wastewater (A) under various addition conditions of DND, CuCl~2~ and, K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\], and use of coagulant and filtration.run\#DND (mg/L)CuCl~2~ (mM)K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] (mM)coagulantfilter *ϕ*(0.22 μm)Cs^137^ (Bq/kg)1000−−10752000++8732.500+−13842.50.50.25++N.D.^a^52.52.51.25++N.D.^a^Not detected.
As shown in Table [4](#Tab4){ref-type="table"}, most Cs^+^ was removed by addition of only DND(II), CuCl~2~, and potassium ferrocyanide. When coagulant and a filter were applied in addition, Cs^+^ level was completely decreased to N.D. (runs 4 and 5).
Another wastewater sample (B) contained fine soil at 3.2 wt/v %. Wastewater (B) was a turbid dispersion, and the soil powder never precipitated even after 12 hours standing. The sample was subjected directly to Cs^+^ co-precipitation procedure. After the procedure, the supernatant was still turbid in most cases. The Cs^+^ concentrations of the supernatants were measured with a ^137^Cs γ-ray spectrometer. The results are shown in Table [5](#Tab5){ref-type="table"}.Table 5Results of Cs^+^ removal in soil-treated wastewater (B) under various conditions of reagents, coagulant and a filter, showing the effect of DND for rapid soil precipitation.run \#DNDCuCl~2~KFC^a^coagulantprecipitation timefilterCs activity (Bq/L)(mg/L)(mM)(mM)(mg/L)(min)(1 μm)Cs 134Cs 13710.00.00.00.0\>720−11684.620.00.00.00.0\>720+N.D.^b^N.D.30.00.00.02.5\>720−─^c^─42.50.00.00.0\>720−──52.50.00.02.5\>720−──62.50.50.252.530−7.15.572.50.50.252.530+N.D.N.D.80.00.50.250.030+N.D.N.D.9.2.50.50.250.05+N.D.N.D.100.00.50.252.510+N.D.N.D.^a^Potassium ferrocyanide,^b^Not detected.^c^Not measured, since precipitation was incomplete at 720 minutes.
The effect of precipitation time of soil powder by using Cu-PB\@DND was measured. In Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"} are shown the photos of the soil solutions, which show how precipitation became rapid by addition of DND, CuCl~2~ and potassium ferrocyanide.Figure 8Photos of wastewater (**B**) after treatment with DND, CuCl~2~ and potassium ferrocyanide under various conditions. The time in parenthesis is elapse time after the reagents were added. Numbers of the solutions correspond to those in Table [5](#Tab5){ref-type="table"}.
In Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"}, sample \# 9 almost completely precipitated only in 5 minutes, and the transparent supernatant was obtained, whose Cs^+^ concentration was below detection limit (Table [5](#Tab5){ref-type="table"}). Other solutions without DND addition in Fig. [8](#Fig8){ref-type="fig"} are very turbid even after 720 minutes standing.
The concentrations of Sr^+^, Ca^2+^, Cu^2+^, Fe^3+^, K^+^, Mg^2+^, Na^+^, S and Si, in the supernatants were measured with ICP-AES, and are listed in Table [S2](#MOESM1){ref-type="media"}. The table shows that Cu^2+^ and Fe^2+^ were not detected under any condition, whereas Ca^2+^, Mg^2+^, Na^+^ and K^+^ increased significantly by the treatment, which would be due to leaching from the soil powder.
Conclusions {#Sec13}
===========
Detonation nanodiamond (DND) is highly effective for Cs^+^ removal when used together with Cu-PB. The co-precipitation method and the adsrobent Cu-PB\@DND do not lose adsortion capability even in diluted seawater and fine soil-containing wastewater. The adsorbent Cu-PB\@DND has a distinctly high K~d~ of 1.3 × 10^6^ mL/g and capacity Q~max~ of 7.59 × 10^2^ mg/g. Several other remarkable points of the present method are: (i) excess Cu^2+^ and Fe^2/3+^ added to the solution are not detected in the supernatant. (ii) the efficiency of Cu-PB\@DND has no pH dependence, (iii) Cu-PB\@DND retains its high removal efficiency even in diluted artificial seawater and soil-containing wastewater. The high capacity is explained with high specific surface area and high adsorption capacity of DND, together with well-known capacity of Cu-PB.
Experimental {#Sec14}
============
Surface treatment of DND {#Sec15}
------------------------
Two differently surface-treated DNDs were prepared. In one treatment, DND was sintered in air at 400 °C for 8 hours, and in the other, DND was treated with strongly alkali solution as follows; 36 g of 10 wt% DND aqueous suspension and 24 g of 25 wt% NaOH aqueous solution were mixed and heated at 100 °C for 24 hours. The pH of the suspension was then adjusted to 7 by repeated addition of water, stirring, and decantation of the supernatant. The precipitate was dried by heating at 80 °C for 10 hours and then 200 °C for 1 hour.
The powder DNDs thus prepared were dispersed to water by vigorous sonication to make 1 wt% dispersions. For comparison of Cs^+^ removal efficiency, 1 wt% dispersions of DND(I), DND (II) and DND (III) were used in co-precipitation mode.
Reagents and samples {#Sec16}
--------------------
Water dispersion of DND(I) (1 wt%) from Vision Development Co., Ltd. Japan, was used as received. The dispersion was sonicated vigorously for a few minutes before use. Diluted artificial seawater was prepared by dissolving commercial natural seawater salt powder ("Nuchimasu" from Nuchimasu Co., Japan) into pure deionized water to 0.07 wt/v%. This concentration was the maximum concentration, at which Cs^+^ could be measured on ICP-AES without Na^+^ interference. To the diluted seawater, commercial standard 1000 ppm non-radioactive Cs^+^ solution (Wako Pure Chemical Industries Ltd., Japan) was added to desired concentrations (pH 7.6). For measurement of Cs^+^, both ICP-AES and ICP-MS were used.
Two soil-treated wastewaters (A) and (B) were obtained from two different spots near Fukushima prefecture. Sample (A) was a suspension of 5 wt/v% soil. Wastewater (B) was a supernatant of wet agricultural soil and had 3.2 wt/v% fine soil powder.
Instruments {#Sec17}
-----------
The ICP-AES was SPS5510 from SII Co., Japan with a nebulizer for dispersion solution. The ICP-MS was 7700 × from Agilent. The ^137^Cs γ-ray activity was measured on a Ge semiconductor detector from Ortec Co. The FT-IR spectra of DND were measured as KBr pellet on JASCO FT/IR-6100 at 120 °C under N~2~ to avoid humidity for non-treated DND(I) and at ambient temperature in air for surface treated DND(II) and DND(III). Zeta-potential of DND was measured in 0.1 wt% aqueous solution with DLS (dynamic light scattering) on Zetasizer NanoZS from Malvern Instruments Ltd. The particle size distribution was measured with DLS on a UPA-EX from NIKKISO, Japan. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with elemental analysis (EDS) was JSM-7001F from JEOL and INCA x-act from Oxford Instruments.
Preparation of Cu-PB\@DND adsorbent {#Sec18}
-----------------------------------
To 40 mL of water was added 0.4 mL of ultrasonicated 1% DND(II) dispersion and the solution was stirred for a minute. To the solution was added 0.4 mL of 0.1 mol/L CuCl~2~ solution, and the solution was stirred for 5 minutes. After stirring, 0.4 mL of 0.05 M of K~4~\[Fe(CN)~6~\] was added and the solution was stirred for 1 hour. The solution was left standing overnight for precipitation. The supernatant was removed by pipetting, and the wet precipitate was used for Cs^+^ adsorption experiment. For SEM and IR measurements, the adsorbent was dried at room temperature.
Procedure for cesium removal in diluted artificial seawater {#Sec19}
-----------------------------------------------------------
Cesium removal in seawater was carried out in two modes; a co-precipitation mode using either one of DND(I), DND(II) or DND(III), and the other is a batch mode using Cu-PB\@DND adsorbent.
The procedure of co-precipitation was as follows. To 80 mL of 0.07 wt/v % sea water containing 6.6 ppm Cs^+^, was added 2 mL of 1% DND(II) dispersion and the solution was stirred for a minute. The solution became gray and turbid. To the solution was added 0.2 mL of 0.02 mol/L CuCl~2~ solution, and the solution was stirred for 5 minutes. After stirring, 0.2 mL of 0.01 mol/L of potassium ferrocyanide was added and the solution was stirred for 30 minutes. The solution was left standing for 30 minutes, to settle the red-brown precipitate. Colorless supernatant was taken and measured for Cs^+^, Cu^2+^, Fe^3+^, Na^+^ and other metal ions with ICP-AES or ICP-MS.
For comparison, either CoCl~3~ · 6H~2~O, FeCl~3~, or ZnCl~2~ was added instead of CuCl~2~ at the same molar concentration, and the above Cs^+^ removal treatment was performed. Since CuCl~2~ gave the best removal efficiency, all of the following experiments were carried out with CuCl~2~. The total weight of the air-dried final precipitate using CuCl~2~ was 16 mg.
In the batch mode, 15 mg (dry base) of Cu-PB\@DND adsorbent was added to 80 mL of 0.07% seawater containing 1 to 150 ppm of Cs^+^, and the solution was stirred for 6 hours. The solution was left standing overnight and the supernatant was measured for Cs^+^ on ICP-MS.
Procedure for cesium removal in soil-treated wastewaters (A) and (B) {#Sec20}
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The co-precipitation procedure was performed to wastewaters (A) and (B) under several different conditions. In wastewater (A), either a coagulant (HimolocSS100 from HYMO CORPORATION) at 500 ppm, or a filter of ***ϕ*** 0.22 μm, or both were used to remove fine soil particles in the supernatants. The ^137^Cs γ-ray activity of the supernatants was measured for both samples, in addition, ^134^Cs was also measured for sample (B). For wastewater (B), a filter of ***ϕ***1 μm was used.
Electronic supplementary material
=================================
{#Sec21}
Supplementary Information
**Electronic supplementary material**
**Supplementary information** accompanies this paper at 10.1038/s41598-018-24129-0.
**Publisher\'s note:** Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
We are grateful to Prof. Hitoshi Kanazawa of Fukushima University, for his technical advise in collecting soil samples, and to DCM Co. Ltd. for the wastewater sample and γ-ray measurement.
K.M. designed the adsorbent, planed the experiments and wrote the manuscript. H.Y. carried out experiment of seawater. S.K. carried out instrumental measurements. T.Y. conducted the experiment of wastewater. R.W. and Y.T. collected the wastewater samples. M.A. and T.F. participated in the discussion.
Competing Interests {#FPar1}
===================
The authors declare no competing interests.
|
A lithographic apparatus is a machine that applies a desired pattern onto a substrate, usually onto a target portion of the substrate. A lithographic apparatus can be used, for example, in the manufacture of integrated circuits (ICs). In that instance, a patterning device, which is alternatively referred to as a mask or a reticle, may be used to generate a circuit pattern to be formed on an individual layer of the IC. This pattern can be transferred onto a target portion (e.g. including part of, one, or several dies) on a substrate (e.g. a silicon wafer). Transfer of the pattern is typically via imaging onto a layer of radiation-sensitive material (resist) provided on the substrate. In general, a single substrate will contain a network of adjacent target portions that are successively patterned. Known lithographic apparatus include so-called steppers, in which each target portion is irradiated by exposing an entire pattern onto the target portion at one time, and so-called scanners, in which each target portion is irradiated by scanning the pattern through a radiation beam in a given direction (the “scanning”-direction), while synchronously scanning the substrate parallel or anti-parallel to this direction. It is also possible to transfer the pattern from the patterning device to the substrate by imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.
In certain classes of lithographic apparatus, especially in lithographic apparatus operative in the EUV (extreme ultraviolet) area of the electromagnetic spectrum, a desire exists to carry out the lithographic process in vacuum conditions to optimize and/or enable process conditions for the lithographic process. To this end, large parts of the apparatus are contained in a vacuum housing that is subject to vacuum pressure. In this housing, the lithographic process is carried out, specifically, the substrate is irradiated in a vacuum environment. While a substantial amount of equipment is often needed to carry out this lithographic process, specifically, at least one of a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, in a vacuum environment, a desire exists to keep the parts exposed to vacuum pressure levels to a minimum. Indeed, the larger the exposed vacuum surface area is, the larger is risk of entrapping contaminants, such as water particles or hydrocarbons. In particular, water has a tendency to stick to surfaces and is often difficult to evacuate. The presence of such contaminants may cause serious shortening of performance and service lifetime of machine parts, and optical elements in particular.
However, the nature of these apparatus is such that it is difficult to reduce the effective area of surfaces exposed to the vacuum environment because of numerous other constraints. For example, because of image resolution requirements, a variety of telemetry and sensor elements are present that cannot easily be reduced or prepared for vacuum conditions. Also, in vacuum lithographic environments, various parts of the machine may be subject to different vacuum regimes, where it is also possible that a controlled leakage of service gases, for example, for creating a optimal lithographic process conditions, be present.
All these factors may contribute to serious challenges for bringing the lithographic apparatus into a vacuum operating condition. One of the main challenges is to bring the down-time of such machines to a minimum, in order to reduce costs. A conventional approach to achieve this is to heat the vacuum housing of the machine in which the lithographic apparatus is housed, in particular, the substrate table and/or the projection system. Furthermore, in order to minimize vacuum exposed areas, the tendency is to position heating elements outside the housing and to “bake-out” the vacuum exposed parts in the preparation process of bringing the lithographic apparatus into vacuum operating condition. |
Jenga! Penthouse at 56 Leonard Hits the Market For $24 M.
It may look like a glass and steel version of wooden Jenga tower, but a piece of 56 Leonard Street will cost buyers considerably more than the $13 Parker Brothers game. Just a month after the Alexico Group closed on a $350 million construction loan for the downtown tower, nine units—ranging from a lowly two-bedroom on the 14th floor to a $24 million full-floor penthouse on the 57th floor—have been listed with Corcoran Sunshine. (The Herzog & de Meuron-designed tower does have one major advantage over a Jenga structure: it’s not likely to fall down anytime soon.)
The penthouse, just one floor shy of the building’s top unit, clocks in at a sizable 5,252 square feet, and is carved into four, very generously-sized bedrooms. The $24 million price tag is not for the faint of heart, but at about $4,500 per square foot, it’s a steal compared to some of the new uptown construction heading skywards (432 Park and One57 are asking an average price of $6,000 per square foot, with prices rising significantly on the priciest units). Of course, knowing the way things go, the developer may hike prices in the future.
The Alexico Group and Houston-based Hines Interests, who are working together to develop the building, are asking $3.62 million for a 14th floor two-bedroom at 56 Leonard, which at 1,733 square feet only comes out to just a bit over $2,000 a foot—not bad for new construction by Pritzker Prize-winning architects!
“If you look at the rest of the market to see what you can buy for that price, that’s very attractive pricing,” Leonard Steinberg of Douglas Elliman told The Observer. Jonathan Miller at Miller Samuel also thought the pricing sounded reasonable, and pointed out that Superior Ink has done sales in the mid-$3,000s per square foot.
“I think there’s nothing stronger in real estate in Manhattan than the power of a protected view,” Mr. Steinberg added. And at nearly 800 feet up in the air in a neighborhood without a huge amount of high-rise construction, the views at the top of 56 Leonard are about as guaranteed as they get outside of Central Park and the waterfront. The penthouse’s great room will have northern, eastern and southern exposures.
Of the neighborhood, Mr. Steinberg said, “I also think that the eastern side of Tribeca”—56 Leonard sits at the corner of Leonard and Church streets—”has gone through a radical transformation over the last five years.”
Still, 56 Leonard is by far the hottest project going up downtown. “There’s no building that’s comparable,” said Mr. Steinberg. “It’s one of those buildings that’s pioneered a whole new classification of living in Tribeca. Tribeca’s never been known for its views—this building is going to deliver a level of views that’s never been seen in the neighborhood.”
And while 56 Leonard isn’t Herzog & de Meuron’s first foray into New York—the Swiss architects worked on developer Ian Schrager’s green 40 Bond Street in SoHo—the 57-story tower will be the Swiss high-design duo’s first contribution to Manhattan’s skyline.
In fact, the tower of glass will be the architects’ first skyscraper, period. The tower has been well-received by New York’s architectural establishment, and is as anticipated a building as any in a city that has no dearth of starchitecture to look at, and look forward to. |
By now, everyone has heard about Twitter’s move into the paid advertising world. This week’s announcement that companies will be allowed to pay to have their posts lead search results on the popular social media platform launched hundreds of news items and more than 1,000 blog posts per hour (according to Google Blog Search) in the immediate aftermath of Biz Stone’s communiqué to the Twittersphere.
The avalanche of coverage, sandwiched in between breaking news of major nuclear disarmament negotiations and the largest U.S. coal mining tragedy in a generation, speaks volumes about just how far our little smiling whale has come in terms of reach and relevance.
It wasn’t long ago that the micro-blogging platform had business communicators of all shapes and sizes wondering if it could survive in the crowded online information marketplace. After all, argued the naysayers, how much time is really left for social messaging if the average user is already spending close to an hour on Facebook each day? With tens of millions of “Twitterers” sending an average of 50 million daily tweets, it’s safe to say that those concerns have been put to rest –- and corporate America has been paying attention. According to the results of a recent survey, 65% of Fortune Global 100 companies are now tweeting away. That’s more than are on Facebook, YouTube or in the blogosphere.
To my colleagues in the communications world now examining the new Twitter paradigm, caution should seem to be the word of the day. Unfortunately I fear many will very likely miss the meaning of Twitter’s maturation entirely. As The Wall Street Journalnoted on the day of the announcement, “The new feature could appeal to the millions of businesses who have created accounts on the service to share deals and other corporate updates. Today, those brands must get users to follow them to get out their message. Now, they will be able to push their message to users who search any keyword they buy.”
Keeping Twitter Monetization Social
If there is one thing we know about social media, it is that previous attempts to “push” corporate messaging have largely fallen flat. In some cases, they have backfired entirely.
During the past year, Twitter has trained successful online brand marketers, reputation managers, and digital thought leaders to focus on the “value of providing value.” Unlike almost any platform to date, Twitter has urged, nudged and down-right forced messengers to infuse value into the dialogue, 140 characters at a time. With Twitter now offering an expanded road map for pay-for-play engagement, those entrusted with managing online reputations forget these lessons at their own peril.
As we jump into the brave new world of paid “twinfomercials,” a few points bear remembering when deciding how best to leverage this social media sea-change:
1. The Acceptance of Advertising. Twitter’s core demographics are familiar with paid online advertisements. They largely accept that the best things in life cannot remain free if providers fail to leverage the financial opportunities they bring about. They do, however, want their preferred platforms to be as discreet as possible in pursuit of profit. And, above all, they want full disclosure of how their engagement is capitalized.
Twitter’s approach to advertising has so far been one of the more transparent and open to feedback we’ve seen in the social media space. And by remaining transparent to its community, as Twitter has successfully done to date, the platform could avoid many of the same pitfalls that continue to plague just about every new update Facebook has let loose on its half-billion users.
2. Advertising Alone Won’t Do the Trick. Despite the eager hopes of corporate communicators and brand managers who might be looking for the path of least resistance, promoted tweets are no silver bullet. They, and whatever future developments roll out in the months ahead, are but one instrument in a symphony of Twitter engagement tools. Used in coordination with sustained, value-driven engagement, they will certainly help to amplify messaging. Made to stand alone, however, they will unquestionably fail in a marketplace that values continuous personal interaction.
3. Tailor Your Advertising to Twitter. Corporate marketers need to step up to the plate and take it upon themselves to create value-driven Twitter ads. This is not another opportunity to rehash a Facebook Mafia Wars advertisement or show users how they too can have a ripped six pack. Advertisers need to sit down and think about how content is used and shared on Twitter, and, importantly, what makes a Tweet (paid or not) successful.
Conclusion
The clear challenge for marketers is to avoid the siren’s song of instant Twitter ROI soon to be peddled by many in the online sales business. The temptation to drop earned affinity efforts –- which have come to define corporate stakeholder engagement during the platform’s meteoric rise –- in favor of a “promoted tweets only” approach ought to be resisted at all costs. While Twitter has matured in its offerings for advertisers, its community’s appreciation of thought leadership and value-oriented dialogue remains the same.
For those brands up to the challenge, ultimately, Twitter’s millions of users may find themselves having even greater affinity for the brands and organizations that put the time, energy and commitment into quality paid advertisements that compliment integrated value-driven dialogue.
Mashable
is a global, multi-platform media and entertainment company. Powered by its own proprietary technology, Mashable is the go-to source for tech, digital culture and entertainment content for its dedicated and influential audience around the globe. |
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Do you want to live forever? Maybe this isn't possible, but you probably do want to live your life with grace, with health and happiness.
Most people are aware that daily life can be stressful and that this stress can affect your health or, at least, your quality of life. Everyone has different sets of stressors and everyone has their own unique way of responding to these stressors. Though we are all different, it is very important to realize that being a "victim" to our stressors is virtually universal and with awareness can be kept to a minimum. Stress will and does affect our body's natural response to aging.
There are subtle ways that stress can affect your quality of life. Even in mid-life we notice that our energy level seems lower. Or we find that we can not focus on tasks as well as we would like. These can be less severe than painful major symptoms, but can be stress' way of robbing our enjoyment and reducing our productivity! We do not have to be victims to stress.
Awareness and proper self-care which minimizes the impact of stress can assist you in reducing, if not, eliminating the negative affects of life's stresses. People live longer, healthier, happier lives when stress is lessened. Productivity, creativity, increased energy levels, and enhanced ability to communicate more clearly are all possible positive side-effects from wellness and appropriate stress management.
Even though bad habits can begin in childhood, it is never too late to learn and develop positive coping skills which will enhance your quality of life.
Understand the issues:
How many of us are stressed out because our children are growing up and the stress they can cause increases with their independence (and our lack of control over their choices?) How many of us are struggling with aging parents, siblings, spouses in ways that increases our levels of daily stress? This is due to our care and concern and with our lack of control over the issues with these family members.
As we "mature," we lose some of our strength and flexibility. The things that we used to "handle" now seem to get to us. We are not as balanced as we respond to current issues as well as we would like. Things like: the economy, the war on terrorism, the media's influence over our kids, the state of our neighborhoods, all seem to be able to get to us more now than ever before. Levels of change which we once craved and embraced, seem more intimidating as we get older. Fears and anxieties may have a growing negative impact on us for we do not have the energy, strength, or flexibility to adapt as easily as we did when we are younger.
Here are Ten Tips for controlling the stress which affect our longevity.
1. Stress Management
Daily meditation including moments of appreciation and gratitude. Breathing techniques. Deep relaxations to create awareness and control physical and emotional symptoms of stress. If you begin a practice of daily deep relaxation, to control stress, remember that it may take 4-6 weeks of regular use to begin to see results. It may require 8-12 weeks of regular daily use to begin to get the maximum benefits of this program. It takes time to change life-long habits, but empowers you in ways that you may not have dreamed possible.
Reduce caffeine. Do not depend on alcohol or drugs for stress management. Use good supplementation for important trace minerals (like chromium, calcium, iron, etc.) and anti-oxidants.
4. Planning
Know your goals and work toward them. Do not forget to make plans for your mental development, your creative and aesthetic needs, your finances, career, social interactions with family and friends, and your spiritual needs. Never stop learning or trying new things.
5. Communication
Learn to really listen! Develop the best skills for finding clarity of your thoughts and feelings and then discover the best ways to appropriately communicate these thoughts. If you focus on what your partner is saying, and not on your response, you will be better able to answer concerns or objections in a more relaxed and convincing way.
6. Support
No man is an island. We need a community of people both family and friends, if possible, to support us. Give as much as you get. And remember to let others give to you. (This is difficult, but the greatest gift you can offer!)
7. Spiritual well being
Know how to connect with your spirit and then make time to do it. Know what brings you joy and happiness, and pursue these activities. Your quest may take you to a beautiful spot outdoors or a quiet period of reflection in a garden or to an art museum or to the park to watch children play...
8. Positive Mental Attitude/ Avoid Negativity
Avoid negative people and dwelling in negative thoughts. Take good care of yourself and find the positive in every experience. Learn from mistakes and laugh at these lessons, especially when these get tough.
9. Acceptance
Break from fear and find acceptance for what we all must face. Easier said than done, but when your life includes regular self-care you will find the internal strength and self-love to develop acceptance from deep within. It is amazing what regular stress management can do to assist you in your search for peace and acceptance.
10. Humor
Laugh out loud daily. Create situations where you can find the happiness and humor to smile and laugh. Make a special quest for fun!
L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling "Guide to Stress Reduction." Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.
Please visit the Stress Education Center's website at http://www.dstress.com for articles, free ezine signup, and learn about the stress management products that are available to you. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (707) 795-2228.
If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path. |
Q:
How can I find the rank of this algebraic vector bundle?
Let $P(n,d)$ be the vector space of degree $d$ polynomials in $\mathbb{C}[x_0,\ldots,x_n]$. If I consider the variety
$$
Z = \{(x,f) \in \mathbb{P}^n\times P(n,d) : f(x) = 0 \}
$$
then the projection
$$
\pi_1: Z \to \mathbb{P}^n
$$
defines a vector bundle. This is because given two degree $d$ polynomials $f,g$ vanishing at $x$ and $\alpha,\beta \in \mathbb{C}$ we necessarily have that
$$
\alpha f(x) + \beta g(x) = 0
$$
My question is: how can I find the rank of this vector bundle?
A:
You are asking for the dimension of a fiber of the projection map $\pi_1$, that is, for $x \in \mathbb{P}^n$, what is the dimension of the set
$$
\{ f \in P(n,d) \mid f(x) = 0 \}.
$$
This turns out to be a hyperplane in $P(n,d)$, so its dimension is $\dim P(n,d) - 1 = \binom{n+d}{n} - 1$, and that is the rank of the vector bundle.
One simple way to see that the indicated set is indeed a hyperplane in $P(n,d)$ is to take the coordinates on $P(n,d)$ to be the coefficients of monomials appearing in polynomials $f \in P(n,d)$. That is, write each $f = a_1 x_0^d + a_2 x_0^{d-1} x_1 + \dotsb$, and take the $a_i$ to be the coordinates on $P(n,d)$. Now for a fixed $x \in \mathbb{P}^n$, the condition $f(x) = 0$ is a single linear condition on the $a_i$. It is a nonzero condition because $x \in \mathbb{P}^n$ has at least one non-vanishing coordinate, so at least one of the $x_i^d$ is nonzero.
Finally a note of caution. Just because the fibers are vector spaces doesn't mean that $Z$ is a vector bundle. You have to have local trivializations.
|
444 F.Supp.2d 12 (2006)
PUBLIC CITIZEN, INC., Plaintiff,
v.
Norman Y. MINETA, et al., Defendants.
No. CIV.A.04-0463 (RJL).
United States District Court, District of Columbia.
July 31, 2006.
*13 David J. Arkush, Scott Lawrence Nelson, Washington, DC, for Plaintiff.
Lisa Sheri Goldfluss, United States Attorney's Office, Adam Charles Sloane, Brad P. Rosenberg, Erika Ziebarth Jones, Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP, Christopher H. Grigorian, Arent, Fox, Kintner, Plotkin & Kahn, Washington, DC, for Defendants.
SUPPLEMENTAL MEMORANDUM PINION
LEON, District Judge.
Currently before the Court is Intervenor-defendant Rubber Manufacturers Association's ("RMA") Motion to Alter or Amend The Judgment Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e). Upon consideration of. Intervenor-defendant's motion, plaintiff Public Citizen, Inc.'s and defendant Norman Mineta's responses thereto, the prior motions for summary judgment on the relevant issue of law, the applicable law, and the entire record in this case, the Court will Grant Intervenordefendant RMA's motion. Accordingly the Memorandum Opinion and Final Judgment of this Court issued on March 31, 2006, is hereby amended to address Count I of RMA's Cross-claim as set forth below.
*14 BACKGROUND
On October 11, 2000, Congress passed the Transportation Recall Enhancement, Accountability, and Documentation ("TREAD") Act, which requires automobile manufacturers to submit various types of data to NHTSA pursuant to "early warning" reporting regulations ("EWR"). 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m). The TREAD Act directed the Secretary of the Department of Transportation ("Secretary") to institute rulemaking proceedings to implement the EWR requirements. 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(1). In accordance with this mandate, NHTSA published the final EWR regulation on July 10, 2002. As summarized by Defendant Mineta, the data submitted to NHTSA under the EWR regulation includes:
Production numbers (cumulative total of vehicles or items of equipment manufactured in the year);
incidents involving death or injury based on claims and notices received by the manufacturer;
claims relating to property damage received by the manufacturer;
warranty claims paid by the manufacturer (generally for repairs on relatively new products) pursuant to a warranty program (in the tire industry these are warranty adjustment claims);
consumer complaints (a communication by a consumer to the manufacturer that expresses dissatisfaction with the manufacturer's product or performance of its product or an alleged defect); and
field reports (prepared by the manufacturer's employees or representatives concerning failure, malfunction, lack of durability or other performance problem of a motor vehicle or item of motor vehicle equipment).
Def. Mineta's Mem. Supp. Summ. J. at 6; see 67 Fed.Reg. 45,822, 45,878-83 (Jul. 10, 2002); see also 49 C.F.R. 579.21-579.29, Subpart C.
In addition, a disclosure provision pertaining to the EWR regulation is set forth at Section 30166(m)(4)(C) and provides that:
None of the information collected pursuant to the final rule promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be disclosed pursuant to section 30167(b) [49 U.S.C. § 30167(b)1 unless the Secretary determines the disclosure of such information will assist in carrying out sections 30117(b) and 30118 through 30121 [49 U.S.C. § 30117(b) and 30118 through 30121].
49 U.S.C. 30166(m)(4)(C).
Section 30167, which is the general disclosure provision in 49 U.S.C. §§ 30101 et seq. ("Chapter 301"), pertaining to Motor Vehicle Safety provides in pertinent part that:
(a) Confidentiality of information. Information obtained under this chapter [49 U.S.C. §§ 30101 et seq.] related to a confidential matter referred to in section 1905 of title 18 may be disclosed only in the following ways:
(1) to other officers and employees carrying out this chapter.
(2) when relevant to a proceeding under this chapter.
(3) to the public if the confidentiality of the information is preserved.
(4) to the public when the Secretary of Transportation decides that disclosure is necessary to carry out section 30101 of this title.
(b) Defect and noncompliance information. Subject to subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary shall disclose information obtained under this chapter [49 U.S.C. §§ 30101 et seq.] related to a defect or noncompliance that the Secretary decides will assist in carrying out *15 sections 30117(b) and 30118-30121 of this title or that is required to be disclosed under section 30118(a) of this title. A requirement to disclose information under this subsection is in addition to the requirements of section 552 of title 5.
49 U.S.C. § 30167(a) and (b).
Pursuant to the EWR regulations, members of RMA have submitted information to NHTSA. (RMA's Mot. Summ. J., Ex. 1.) Pending resolution of this litigation, NHTSA has issued an administrative stay of the release of EWR data that members of RMA have submitted. (Id., Ex. 3.) While any disclosure of EWR data submitted to NHSTA under Sections 30166(m)(4)(C) or 30167(b) would ultimately require a finding by the Secretary that doing so would assist in carrying out Sections 30117(b) and 30118-30121, the Court is not aware whether such a finding has been made yet by the Secretary.
RMA intervened in this litigation in order to raise the claim that the EWR disclosure provision in Section 30166(m)(4)(C) qualifies under Exemption 3 of the Freedom of Information Act ("FOIA"), 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3), for the withholding of information.[1] (See Cross-el. of Intervenor the Rubber Mfrs. Ass'n ("RMA's Cross-cL") ¶¶ 26-33.) RMA subsequently filed a Motion for Summary Judgment on this claim.[2] (Dkt.# 18.) Defendant Mineta refutes RMA's claim that Section 30166(m)(4)(C) is a statute that qualifies under FOIA Exemption 3. (See Df. Mineta's Mem. In Supp. Of His Mot. Summ. J. and in Opp'n to Pl.'s and Intervenor/Cross-claimant's Mots. Summ. J. 46-49.)
On March 31, 2006, this Court issued a Memorandum and Opinion that found that NHTSA had the authority to make categorical confidentiality determinations of classes of EWR data and that NHTSA's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking did not provide adequate notice and opportunity to comment as the final Confidential Business Information Rule issued by the agency was not a logical outgrowth of the proposed rule. Public Citizen, Inc. v. Mineta, 427 F.Supp.2d 7 (D.D.C.2006). On April 14, 2006, RMA filed a Motion to Alter or Amend The Judgment Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e), (Dkt. # 48), asking the Court to address RMA's claim that the EWR data submitted to NHTSA qualifies by virtue of 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C) as data "specifically exempted from disclosure by statute" under FOIA Exemption 3, 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3). Public Citizen and defendant Mineta both filed responses to BMA's motion to alter or amend the judgment agreeing with RMA that the motion to alter and amend the judgment should be granted and that the Court should address RMA's FOIA Exemption 3 claim. (Dkts.# 49, 52.)
ANALYSIS
I. FEDERAL RULE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE 59(e)
A court has considerable discretion to alter or amend a judgment under Rule 59(e). However, doing so is an extraordinary relief that need not be granted unless the court concludes: (1) that there has been an intervening change of controlling law; (2) that new evidence is available; or (3) that amendment or alteration is *16 needed to correct a clear error or prevent manifest injustice. Firestone v. Firestone, 76 F.3d 1205, 1208 (D.C.Cir.1996) (per curiam). A Rule 59(e) motion is not a means to reargue facts and legal theories upon which a court has already ruled, New York v. United States, 880 F.Supp. 37, 38 (D.D.C.1995), nor a vehicle to present arguments or evidence that could have been advanced earlier. Kattan v. District of Columbia, 301 U.S.App. D.C. 374, 995 F.2d 274, 276 (D.C.Cir.1993); W C. & A.N. Miller Cos. v. United States, 173 F.R.D. 1, 3 (D.D.C.1997).
In this matter, the Court, after further reflection, finds that failing to address whether or not the EWR data submitted by members of RMA is exempt from disclosure pursuant to FOIA Exemption 3 could result in a "manifest injustice" if that data were to be disclosed by the Secretary before a ruling on the FOIA Exemption 3 issue. Firestone, 76 F.3d at 1208. Indeed, NHTSA's issuance of an administrative stay of the disclosure of such information pending the outcome of this litigation is testament enough to the potential harm that could befell the RMA and others. (See RMA's Mot. Summ. J., Ex. 3.) Therefore, to prevent a "manifest injustice," the Court GRANTS Intervenor-defendant RMA's Motion to Alter or Amend The Judgment Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e). This Supplemental Memorandum Opinion shall be read in coordination with the Memorandum Opinion issued by this Court on March 31, 2006, and the accompanying Amended Final Judgment will replace that which was filed on March 31, 2006.
II. FOIA EXEMPTION 3 DOES NOT APPLY TO EWR MATERIAL
The legal issue before this Court is whether the EWR data, required to be submitted to NHTSA, qualifies by virtue of 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C) as information "specifically exempted from disclosure by statute" under FOIA Exemption 3. 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3). Exemption 3 protects from disclosure information that is "specifically exempted from disclosure by statute . . ." provided that such statute either "(A) [requires withholding] in such a manner as to leave no discretion on the issue," or "(B) establishes particular criteria for withholding or refers to particular types of matters to be withheld." 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3) (2000). Thus, there are three possible ways for a statute to qualify under Exemption 3, although having been listed in the disjunctive, it is only required that a statute satisfy one condition to qualify under Exemption 3. See Ass'n of Retired R.R. Workers, Inc. v. U.S.R.R. Retirement Rd., 830 F.2d 331, 334 (D.C.Cir.1987); see also Chong v. U.S. Drug Enforcement Admin., 929 F.2d 729, 734 (D.C.Cir.1991). Since neither side contends that Section 30166(m)(4)(C) falls within Subsection A of Exemption 3, the Court is left to determine if the statute qualifies under either prong of Subsection B.
In American Jewish Congress v. Kreps, our Circuit Court stated that a statute would satisfy the first prong of Subsection B if the statute "incorporates a formula whereby the administrator may determine precisely whether disclosure in any instance would pose the hazard that Congress foresaw" in the disclosing of the information. 574 F.2d 624, 628-29 (D.C.Cir.1978); see CNA Financial Corp. v. Donovan, 830 F.2d 1132, 1139 (D.C.Cir. 1987). Our Circuit Court has also stated that "Subsection (b)'s second prong is intended to reach those statutes in which Congress itself has manifested a determination that certain specified material should remain confidential." Chong, 929 F.2d at 733. While both prongs of Subsection B allow for some "administrative discretion," the purpose of the subsection "is to assure that the basic policy decisions on governmental secrecy be made by the *17 Legislative rather than the Executive branch." Kreps, 574 F.2d at 628.
In determining if a statute qualifies as a "withholding statute" under Exemption 3, no weight is to be given to an agency's interpretation of the statute as "agencies are not necessarily neutral interpreters." Ass'n of Retired R.R. Workers, Inc., 830 F.2d at 334; see Reporters Comm. for Freedom of the Press v. U.S. Dep't of Justice, 816 F.2d 730, 734 (D.C.Cir.1987) ("Reporters Comm."). A court, when reading and interpreting the statute, "must find a congressional purpose to exempt matters from disclosure in the actual words of statute (or at least in the legislative history of FOIA)not in the legislative history of the claimed withholding statute." Reporters Comm., 816 F.2d at 735 (internal citations omitted). Therefore, this Court is confined to the "traditional plain meaning rule" in its statutory interpretation of 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C). Id. Following the law of our Circuit and applying the plain meaning rule to interpreting the statute, the Court finds that Section 30166(m)(4)(C) does not qualify as a "withholding statute" under either prong of Subsection B of Exemption 3.
While Section 30166(m) specifically pertains to EWR data collected by the Department of Transportation, the disclosure provision in that section, § 30166(m)(4)(C), describes the process for the disclosure of EWR data that the Secretary shall disclose to the public. Compare 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C) with 49 U.S.C. § 30167(b). Specifically, Section § 30166(m)(4)(C) states that "[n]one of the information collected pursuant to the final rule promulgated under paragraph (1) [the EWR data] shall be disclosed pursuant to section 30167(b) unless the Secretary determines the disclosure of such information will assist in carrying out" of other specific sections of Chapter 301. 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C). Since the statute clearly states that the EWR data shall not be disclosed "pursuant to section 30167(b)" unless the Secretary makes certain findings, it is necessary to focus on Section 30167(b)'s meaning before determining whether the statute qualifies as a withholding statute under Exemption 3.
Section 30167(b) pertains to the disclosure of information collected under all of Chapter 301 by the Secretary and states "the Secretary shall disclose information obtained under this chapter related to defect or noncompliance that the Secretary decides will assist in the carrying out" of other sections of Chapter 301. 49 U.S.C. § 30167(b). Additionally, Section 30167(b) states that the "requirement to disclose information under this subsection is in addition to the requirements of section 552 of Title 5" (the FOIA Act). Id. Since Section 30167(b) pertains to information under Chapter 301 that the Secretary shall disclose, and those disclosures will be in addition to the disclosure requirements of FOIA, Section 30167(b) cannot be fairly read as a "withholding statute" under either prong of Subsection B of Exemption 3.
Similarly, Section 30166(m)(4)(C) although written in the negative (i.e., none of the information . . . shall be disclosed), also fails to qualify under either prong of Exemption 3 as a "withholding statute." As to the first prong, it cannot qualify because it does not "incorporate[] a formula whereby the administrator may determine precisely whether disclosure in any instance would pose the hazard that Congress foresaw." Kreps, 574 F.2d at 628-29. While the Secretary has to disclose information obtained by the Department of Transportation under 49 U.S.C. § 30101 et seq. that the Secretary decides will assist in the carrying out of other sections of Chapter 301, 49 U.S.C. *18 § 30167(b), the EWR data obtained by the department is essentially a subset of that information. If the Secretary decides that disclosure will assist in carrying out any one of those enumerated sections of Chapter 301, then the Secretary must disclose the relevant EWR data. Id. Section 30166(m)(4)(C) reemphasizes the fact that the EWR data collected that relates to defect or noncompliance that the Secretary finds will assist in the carrying out of the other sections of Chapter 301 shall be disclosed. 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C). Therefore, there is no specific formula for the Secretary to follow or particular criteria established to determine whether it will be helpful in carrying out the enumerated provisions. See Kreps, 574 F.2d at 628-29; see also 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3). Accordingly, the "formula requirement" under FOIA Exemption 3 is not satisfied.
Section 30166(m)(4)(C) also fails to qualify under the second prong of Exemption 3 because it neither "refers to particular types of matters to be withheld," 5 U.S.C. § 552(b)(3), nor clearly states that Congress, in writing the statute, "manifested a determination that certain specified material should remain confidential," Chong, 929 F.2d at 733. While Section 30166(m)(4)(C) does specifically reference the EWR data that must be submitted to the Department of Transportation, the statute does not state that certain EWR data should remain confidential. See 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C), 30167(b). The statute merely reemphasizes, and clarifies, that if any of the EWR data that relates to defects or noncompliance is going to be released in accordance with Section 30167(b), the Secretary must first determine that the disclosure of such information will assist in carrying out other sections of Chapter 301. 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C). The Secretary, under both Sections, is given wide latitude to determine whether the disclosure of any of the materials will, or will not, be helpful in the carrying out of certain enumerated sections. See 49 U.S.C. §§ 30166(m)(4)(C), 30167(b). Accordingly, the Court concludes that Section 30166(m)(4)(C) does not qualify under the second prong of FOIA Exemption 3.
CONCLUSION
For the foregoing reasons, the Court GRANTS [# 48] Intervenor-defendant Rubber Manufacturers Association's Motion to Alter or Amend The Judgment Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e) and finds that 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C) is not a statute that qualifies as a withholding statute under FOIA Exemption 3. An appropriate Order will issue with this Memorandum Opinion.
AMENDED FINAL JUDGMENT
For the reasons set forth in the Supplemental Memorandum Opinion entered this date, it is, this 30th, day of July 2006, hereby
ORDERED that [# 48] Intervenor-defendant Rubber Manufacturers Association's Motion to Alter or Amend The Judgment Pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 59(e) is GRANTED; and it is further
ORDERED that the Supplemental Memorandum Opinion entered this date shall be read as an addition to the Memorandum Opinion of this Court issued on March 31, 2006; and it is further
ORDERED that 49 U.S.C. § 30166(m)(4)(C) is not a statute that qualifies under FOIA Exemption 3 for the withholding of information; and it is further
ORDERED that the Motion to Dismiss Count II of Intervenor-defendant Rubber Manufacturers Association's Cross-claim is GRANTED; and it is further
*19 ORDERED that matter is REMANDED to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as set forth in the Final Judgment issued on March 31, 2006; and it is further
ORDERED that judgment is entered in favor of the Plaintiff Public Citizen as to Count II of its Complaint; and it is further
ORDERED that judgment is entered in favor of Defendant Mineta as to Count I of Intervenor-defendant Rubber Manufacturers Association's Cross-claim; and it is further
ORDERED that the case is dismissed.
SO ORDERED.
NOTES
[1] For the background surrounding the lawsuit filed by Public Citizen, Inc., see this Court's earlier Memorandum Opinion, Public Citizen, Inc. v. Mineta, 427 F.Supp.2d 7 (D.D.C.2006).
[2] Attached to RMA's Motion for Summary Judgment was a Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice Count II of Its Cross-Claim. (See RMA's Mot. Summ. J., attached motion.) The Court grants RMA's Motion to Dismiss with Prejudice Count II of Its Cross-Claim.
|
Seller
Description
88. How many of helium required to fill the balloon with a diameter of 10 meters, the ball is able to lift a weight of 980 N at normal atmospheric pressure and a temperature of 290 K? The volume of cargo neglected.
Feedback
Related to this Item
In order to counter copyright infringement and property rights, we ask you to immediately inform us at support@plati.com the fact of such violations and to provide us with reliable information confirming your copyrights or rights of ownership. Email must contain your contact information (name, phone number, etc.) |
Ca-induced K+-outward current in Paramecium tetraurelia.
Late K-outward currents upon membrane depolarization were recorded in Paramecium tetraurelia under a voltage clamp. A Ca-induced K-outward component is demonstrated by subtracting the value of the outward current in a pawn A mutant lacking functional Ca-channels (pwA500). The Ca-induced K-outward current activates slowly, reaching a peak after 100 to 1000 ms. The current then remains steady or reaches the steady state after a decline of several seconds. EGTA2-injection experiments show that the Ca-induced K-outward current is dependent on the internal Ca2+ concentration. The current is shown to depend on the voltage-dependent Ca conductance, by study of the leaky pawn A mutant (pwA132), which has a lowered Ca conductance as well as a lowered Ca-induced K-current. The Ca-induced GK is thus indirectly dependent on the voltage. The maximal GK is about 40 nmho/cell at +7 mV in 4 mM-K+. The Ca-induced K current is sustained throughout the prolonged depolarization and the prolonged ciliary reversal. |
La-Mulana Steam Gift
Please note, that due to recent Valve Steam Gift policy update Steam Gifts for games that are covered by VAC ban program can no longer be added to Inventory. Make sure that you are logged in to the proper account before entering the link as Steam Gifts can be only added to your library or rejected.
Price:
$5.59
include
+$1.12
Kinguin
Buyer Protection
You are protected against any quality faults of this products caused by the seller (invalid, duplicate keys etc.).
By disabling it the customer takes the full responsibility for any potential issues.
Seller
Seller rating
Completed orders
Price
Actions
Pedri4Gamers +.
La-Mulana Steam Gift
Platform:
Steam
Release Date:
15 Apr 2013
Product Description
LA-MULANA is an “Archaeological Ruin Exploration Action Game” in which you search inside ancient ruins, seeking out the “Secret Treasure of Life” – which sleeps in the sprawling ruins of “LA-MULANA” and is said to be the beginning of all civilization. Apart from the plethora of traps lying in wait to stop intruders, there are also monsters on the prowl, protecting the ruins. Head for the innermost depths of the ruins while solving a variety of mysteries, fending off monsters, and disarming traps. Forging ahead will be no simple task – the further into the depths you reach, the more difficult the mysteries become.
Features
The first run of NIGORO games. Created back in the creators’ “amateur” days and renowned worldwide, it was remade for WiiWare. This is the PC port version. This game, which originated from the creators’ wish to play the sort of games that enthralled them back in the day – only with more volume – was created based on “that old-time feeling”. The operability and difficulty level are certainly not “new school”. However, this game is highly recommended to gamers seeking out that feeling of total immersion that allows you to go full-on head-to-head with a game not found in somewhat lighter fare. |
Welcomhotel Chennai
WelcomHotel Chennai is a five-star luxury hotel located at Cathedral Road in Chennai, India. Formerly known as 'Hotel Chola Sheraton', and later 'My Fortune Chennai', the hotel is the first hotel to be launched under ITC's brand "My Fortune". WelcomHotel Chennai is an ISO 14001–certified hotel for its environment management systems. It is one of the hotels licensed by ITC Hotels Limited.
History
WelcomHotel Chola Sheraton (), as it was known then, was opened on 18 October 1975, marking the entry of ITC Limited into the hotel business. On 15 October 2011, the hotel was re-branded as "My Fortune, Chennai" under the Fortune Park Hotels Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of ITC Ltd, which was set up in 1995 to cater to the first-class market segment in business and leisure destinations. This Hotel was again rebranded to WelcomHotel Chennai on 15 October 2017. Despite the change, the hotel remains a I-Class full-service hotel.
The hotel
The hotel is 10 stories high and has 90 rooms, including 48 Fortune Club exclusive rooms (with an area of 650 sq ft), 26 Fortune Club rooms (with an area of 440 sq ft), and 16 standard rooms (220 sq ft). Food and beverages include Earthen Oven, a North Indian specialty restaurant,WelcomCafe Marina, 24-hour multi-cuisine restaurant, My Deli, serving light snacks and confectioneries, and Durrant's Bar.
There are three meeting halls in the hotel—Mandapam banquet hall, with an area of 1,880 sq ft to accommodate 200 persons, Sagari with an area of 1,400 sq ft to accommodate 60 persons, and Mandapam board room with an area of 480 sq ft. accommodating 18 persons. There are also Business Center Board Room with an area of 238 sq ft accommodating 8 persons and Business Centre Office with an area of 156 sq ft accommodating 4 persons. The poolside can accommodate about 50 persons.
See also
Hotels in Chennai
List of tallest buildings in Chennai
References
External links
Official website
Category:Skyscraper hotels in Chennai |
# -*- mode: snippet -*-
# name: max_element
# key: mxe
# --
auto pos = std::max_element(std::begin(${1:container}), std::end($1));
$0
|
The plastic-covered agricultural greenhouses can preserve the moisture of the atmosphere inside the greenhouse in the dry climate, increase the carbon dioxide concentration, effectively resist the outside cold air and threat of pest and weed to the crop, which can provide crops with a comfortable growth environment with relatively suitable humidity and temperature, as well as enable the extension of cultivation in terms of the growing season and the location through the use of protective greenhouse films[@b1][@b2][@b3]. It has been proved that the ripened fruit yields of some crops growing in the agricultural greenhouses coverings such as strawberries, peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes generally increased to more than 28%[@b4][@b5]. By the year 2009, only in China, the country with the greatest greenhouse area in the world, 1,000,000 ha were covered with greenhouse and tunnel plastic films. In addition, worldwide, the agricultural plastic film market alone was estimated to be worth \$5.87 billion in 2012[@b6]. At present, some main organic ingredients including poly vinyl chloride (PVC)[@b7], linear low-density poly ethylene (LLDPE)[@b8], and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer(EVAC)[@b9] have been used to manufacture the plastic greenhouses films. The EVAC films are now the most widely used poly grade in horticultural practice, due to its relatively better optical properties than the PVC's and the LLDPE's, which can make the crop leaves in the greenhouse fully realize the photosynthetic reaction and stably physical and chemical properties under the harsh environmental conditions such as solar radiation and frost erosion during their use when special additives are generally added to the formulation of the materials[@b10]. In addition, the breakdown EVAC films can be easily refabricated and continue to be reused, which can effectively reduce environmental health hazards and cause a relatively competitive low market price[@b11][@b12]. Therefore, the EVAC films are competitive with the other related products in many farmland applications and received widespread attention and application in the modern agricultural production[@b13].
The quality of plastic films is varied and essentially determined by raw materials, processing equipment and technology the enterprises used. How to fast and accurately determine the quality parameters of a large number of plastic film products has become a challenging project. Especially among them, the collision index will directly determine its lifetime. The traditional destructive physical experiments for evaluating the collision strength of EVAC coverings was extraordinarily time-consuming and inconvenient[@b14], so it is not suitable for the practical application on the farmland and the rapid measurement of a wide variety of products in the rural markets.
Spectroscopy techniques provide an alternative to evaluating the quality of EVAC films in a fast and precise pattern. Chernev *et al.* successfully applied Raman spectroscopy to non-destructive determination of EVAC cross-linking degree in photovoltaic (PV) modules[@b15]. Hirschl *et al.* presented two potential optical methods of ultraviolet/visible and Raman spectroscopy for measuring the crosslinking degree of EVA encapsulants in-line in the PV module manufacturing process spectroscopy[@b16]. To the best of our knowledge, the current international spectroscopic investigation mainly focused on the determination of crosslinking quality of EVAC materials based on the ultraviolet/visible and spectroscopic techniques, however, seldom literature referred to the measurement of the collision strength using the near infrared (NIR) hyperspectral techniques.
The NIR hyperspectral techniques is considered as a powerful extension of an analytical technique to study the different quality attributes in a sample, resulting in many successful applications in the quality control of many other organic products[@b17]. The NIR hyperspectral techniques take advantage of the interaction between electromagnetic radiation emitted from lights and physicochemical materials existed in the organics. Generally, the responses of the electromagnetic overtones and combinations of absorptions of molecular bonds (C-H, C-C, C-O and C=O) in chemical substances of plastic materials could be discovered in the NIR spectra[@b18]. In this study, we assumed that there was a relationship between these chemical bonds and the collision strength of the EVAC materials. Thereby, the following experiments and specific aims of this survey were to (1) develop a novel strategy combining the hyperspectral imaging techniques with the chemometrics for fast quantifying the collision strength index of EVAC coverings to assess its service life, (2) explore a new model of selecting the optimal wavebands for boosting the accuracy and robustness of detecting the collision strength, (3) contribute to the EVAC manufacturers to better master and control the quality of the products of EVAC films.
The paper is organized as follows: Section 2 describes the materials and devices. Section 3 presents theory and approaches of random frog (RF)[@b19], successive projection (SP)[@b20], support vector machine regression (SVMR)[@b21] and performance assessment. Section 4.1 and 4.2 explains the relationship between the absorption attributes of NIR spectroscopy and the inner chemical composition of EVAC materials. Section 4.3 gives the results of collision experiment. Section 4.4 constructs the quantitative chemometric model. Section 4.5 compared the modeling results by using different preprocessing algorithms. Section 4.6 discusses issues of selection of the characteristic wavelengths to enhance the forecast precision. Section 4.7 provides the results of predicting collision strength using fingerprint spectral variables. The conclusions are drawn in the last Section 5.
Materials and Devices
=====================
The products of EVAC films were provided by four different manufacturers from Weifang Shandong, Suzhou Jiangsu, Taizhou Zhejiang and Shunde Guangzhou, in China. The experimental samples were all fixed in the experimental fields in Dafeng, Yancheng. About one year later, these films were pulled down, taken back to the laboratory and measured by using the near infrared hyperspectral imaging meter and the collision strength analysis device. The main components of hyperspectral imaging systems consisted of: Fiber-Lite DC950 linear radiant illuminant (JennerIndustries Inc., USA), N17E-QE hyperspectral imaging meter (Spectral Imaging Ltd. Oulu, Spectral Imaging Ltd. Oulu, Finland), C-mount OLES22 extremely accurate lens (Specim, Spectral Imaging Ltd., Oulu, Finland), IRCP0076 motor-driven shifting platform (Isuzu Optics Corp, Taiwan, China). These devices were installed in a closed dark box and linked with the outside computer machine through a communication cable. The vertical height of the objective lens was tuned to 293 mm. The exposure time was adjusted to 2550μs. The mean velocity of shifting platform was set as 33 mm/s. The resolution of near infrared hyperspectral image was resized to 310 × 260 pixels. The resolution of wavelengths was 4 nm. The block schematic diagram of hyperspectral imaging systems was illustrated in [Fig. 1](#f1){ref-type="fig"}.
The hyperspectral charge coupled device were used to gather the reflectance signal intensity, which coupled both the information of chemical composition of measured instances and the intensity of the linear light sources. In order to uncouple these two kinds of information, the reference intensity of black and white boards were used as the baseline for such separation purposes. The calibration information could be evaluated by using the following formula:
where, was the intensity values of raw hyperspectral image, and were the intensity values of the white and dark boards, respectively. The procedures of visualizing and calibrating hyperspectral data were implemented with the ENVI 4.6 (Exelis Visual Information Solutions Inc., USA), The raw coverings were cut into the square samples by the chop-out die before implementing the impact experiment. The impact experiment was carried out in terms of the items of assessing the performance of plastic angle collision strength of the People's Republic of China light industry standard (QB/T 1130---91)[@b22]. The tearing degree of EVAC coverings was measured by using the collision strength analysis meter (XJ-300 A, Wuzhongshi Ltd., China). The main specifications were set as following: impact energy of 7.35 J, impact velocity of 3.8 m/s, pre-blowing angle of 150°, impact blade fillet of R2 ± 0.5 mm, Jaw radius of R-1 mm, pendulum shaft axis to the sample center distance of 395 mm and power of 380 V/1500 W.
Theory and approaches
=====================
In this paper, two distinct kinds of spectral variable selection algorithms of RF[@b19] and SP[@b20] were conducted to extract the most important spectral wave bands to determine the collision strength index of EVAC. The RF algorithm is a dynamic process of simple random walk, which is considered as similar as the algorithm of reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo is implemented in an iterative way. The SP algorithm is explored to eliminate the collinear problems between the variables based on choosing variables with the minimal redundant information utilizing a simple projection operation in a vector space. The chosen characteristic variables of high-dimensional data will be used for the input space of the following learning machines. The learning algorithm of SVMR[@b21] is a statistical learning theory who transforms the original input space into the higher-dimensional Hibert space based on the kernel functions, then implements the linear regression in such feature space. A correlation model between the significant spectral curves which reflected the cross-linking attributions of the inner organic molecules and the degree of collision strength was set up by taking advantage of the SVMR approach. Three parameters of the root mean square error (), the square of percentage of correlation coefficient () and the residual predictive deviation () are applied to the assessment of model performance. In general, a good model with the values of low and high and indicates a good prediction ability[@b23]. All the algorithms were implemented by using the Unscrambler X10 (CAMO Corporation, USA) and the Matlab R2014a (The Math Works, Natick, USA).
Results and Discussion
======================
Chemical structures of EVAC
---------------------------
[Figure 2](#f2){ref-type="fig"} showed the chemical structures of the EVAC ((C~2~H~4~)~m~(C~4~H~6~O~2~)~n~). It could be seen that the EVAC substance contained the functional groups of ethylene (-CH~2~- CH~2~-), vinyl (-CH~2~-CH-) and acetate (CH~3~-CO~2~-) and the bonds of C-H, C-C, C-O and C=O. The chemical groups and bonds of the EVAC directly determined the collision strength index of EVAC films[@b24].
Spectral features of EVAC
-------------------------
The hyperspectral images were collected and calibrated by using Eq. [1](#eq2){ref-type="disp-formula"}. The spectra information was able to be extracted from each pixel positions of gathered multidimensional hyperspectral images of EVAC films. The scope of interests (SOI) function provided by the ENVI v4.6 software was implemented to choose the pixels of the EVAC hyperspectral image instances. The pixels outside such SOI would not be considered for further modeling application. The spectra of all pixels in such SOI were taken the average. A mean spectrum was then obtained and used to represent the corresponding measured sample. Four characteristic absorbance spectral curves of the EVAC coverings in the NIR wavelength region of 972--1670 nm respectively manufactured in four different zones of Shangdong, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guandong provinces, in P.R. China were illustrated in [Fig. 3](#f3){ref-type="fig"}. The mean spectral curves extracted from hyperspectral images of the EVAC instances between the waveband range of 972--1670 nm were chosen for discussion in our following investigation.
The absorption peaks of the spectral bands were partial overridden, which caused that the average NIR spectral curves of EVAC materials in parts of spectral region were comparatively flat with some broadband peaks. The primary absorption bands existing in the NIR spectral scope were the strong overtone and combination absorptions of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen containing bonds (C-H, C-C, C-O and C=O)[@b25], which presented at a number of characteristic wavelengths. For EVAC films, four local absorption peaks appearing at 1080, 1230, 1410, 1445, 1550 and 1680 nm were observed mainly due to the presence of the functional groups of ethylene, vinyl and acetate in the instance (see [Fig. 3](#f3){ref-type="fig"}). The detailed assignments of NIR spectroscopic bands of EVAC were listed in [Table 1](#t1){ref-type="table"}.
Physicochemical properties of EVAC
----------------------------------
One important application of EVAC materials was used as the coverings of crops in the farmland in order to defense against the change of outside severe environmental factors[@b26]. The structures of molecules of greenhouse coverings were comparatively compact at the beginning of application. The oxygen or other molecules had difficulty to penetrate into the interior films. The experiment indicated that the collision strength rate of EVAC films provided by four different manufacturers all reached 100%. However, the EVAC sheds were covered on the ground in the open fields and straightforward corroded by multiple outside factors such as the damp-heat, UV-irradiation and corrosive atmosphere. The molecules of EVAC materials became flexible for a period of practical utilization. Several active molecules such oxygen would rapidly combine with the free radicals of films and break the molecule chains of EVAC[@b27]. Unfortunately, few investigations presented information on the changes in the interior structure of the EVAC films as a consequence of environmental exposure in the fields. The degradation processes took place at a molecular level. Thereby, the collision strength rate of films decreased. The summary of degrees of collision strength of four different kinds of greenhouse films being used for one year in our study was listed in [Table 2](#t2){ref-type="table"}.
There are a total 360 pieces of EVAC films for the further analysis, where each kind of products has 90 instances. For learning the relationship between the hyperspectral feature variables and the corresponding collision strength attributes, there were 70 and 20 films utilized for both calibration and validation purposes for each group, respectively.
Construction of chemometric model
---------------------------------
The absorption attributes of NIR spectroscopy can reflect the inner chemical composition of materials, in addition, the chemical molecules, to a large extent, determine the physical properties of materials[@b15][@b27]. This paper supposed that the change of the chemical groups and bonds would affect the intensity change of NIR absorption spectroscopy, so the intensity of absorption peaks of spectral curve could be used to estimate the collision strength index of EVAC films. In this survey, we attempted to take advantage of the techniques of NIR hyperspectral image techniques for rapidly forecasting the collision strength degree of EVAC materials. The chemometrics models were finally set up to evaluate the collision strength indices in terms of their corresponding spectral information. Each acquired mean spectral curve was employed to generate the predictors (), where each row of the matrix represented an independent observation and each column of the matrix represented wavelengths containing 211 individual spectral variables. In order to establish a meaningful regression model, it must be ensured that the row instances of responses () containing the properties of collision strength index corresponded to the row instances in . The multivariate calibration model was set up to correlate the spectral matrices and the collision strength indexes of distinct EVAC films. For the future unknown EVAC films, the established multivariate model could be used to estimate the collision strength properties straightly from the gathered spectra of pixels of EVAC films.
Spectral data pre-processing
----------------------------
The collected spectra of EVAC samples were vulnerable to the effects of the random noises, surface scattering light, stray light, etc. during the collected process[@b28]. Generally, the procedure of spectral data pre-processing was an indispensible step carried out before establishment of calibration model in order to eliminate such influence. Four different pre-processing algorithms including Savitzky--Golay smooth (SG), standard normal variate (SNV), SG first-order derivative (SG-1^st^-Deriv) and multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) algorithms were performed in order to enhance the modeling precision[@b29]. The performance of these pre-processing algorithms were compared by the subsequent built support vector machine regression (SVMR) model using the pre-processed spectra data in the whole spectral range. The forecast capability of the calibration model was assessed by the values of root mean square error of cross validation () and prediction (), the correlation coefficients of cross validation () and prediction () and . As shown in [Table 3](#t3){ref-type="table"}, the SG-1^st^-Deriv based method obtained the best prediction performance of , , , and compared with the others. The results of predicting the collision strength based on the SG-1^st^-Deriv approach was illustrated in [Fig. 4](#f4){ref-type="fig"}, where the symbols of circle and triangle denoted the calibration and validation set, respectively. Nevertheless, not all the preprocessing methods could boost the accuracy of prediction model. It could be seen in [Table 2](#t2){ref-type="table"} that the , , , and attained by the SNV based algorithm decreased by 5.10%, 1.62%, and 0.78%, and increased by 5.86% and 4.32% compared to the unpreprocessed, respectively. Thereby, all the subsequent forecast models were explored based on the SG-1^st^-Deriv pre-processed spectral data.
Extracting fingerprint wavelengths
----------------------------------
Hyperspectral imaging device usually was assembled high wavelength resolution sensors, which could record a high dimension of spectral information over a continuous range[@b30]. The multivariate statistics approaches could be directly utilized to deal with the big data sets of spectra. However, the raw spectra often consisted of a great deal of useless and redundant information, which would influence the predictive precision of calibration model. In addition, the large-scale dimension of spectral data also caused a slow modeling process. Hence, it was suggested to screen out the useful characteristic variables for the further modeling process. Furthermore, by this means, the selected feature variables could be used as a wizard to account for both the hyperspectra and response. Besides, the fingerprint wavebands could be employed to exploit cheaper multispectral imaging devices for the objective of practical farmland application. Thus, the procedure of uninformative spectral variable elimination was demanded to be carried out in order to accelerate the modeling efficiency and promote the forecast precision and stabilization[@b31]
In this survey, the fingerprint wavelengths representing the spectral feature for forecasting the degree of collision strength were evaluated by using the variable selection algorithms of RF and SP. Both algorithms for variable selection were carried out based on the calibration set. The parameter of was employed to determine the optimal number of selected variables. For RF algorithm, there were two important parameters where one was the number of generations , and the other was the initialized variables needed to be configured before implementation (see Section 3.1). Generally, the larger the generations were, the more likely the RF algorithm was to find out the optimal variable subset. However, the massive generations would probably lead to an overfitting and a great operation expense[@b32]. Compromising both performance and operation expense, the generations was set to 8000 in this survey. In addition, for the number of initialized variables , it was found that the values affected the iterative behavior merely during the initial process, but did not significantly affect the final algorithm performance[@b32]. The threshold of selection probability was fixed to 0.18 marked by the red dash line in [Fig. 5](#f5){ref-type="fig"} based on the experimental results. The wavelength variables whose values of selection probability were larger than such threshold were chosen as the fingerprint wavelength variables for subsequent calculation. There are fourteen wavelength variables (978, 1019, 1086, 1089, 1093, 1214, 1294, 1318, 1419, 1426, 1477, 1548, 1612 and 1629 nm) chosen by the RF algorithm. The spectral reflectance around 978 nm was caused by the O-C=O deformation of acetate. The spectral reflectance around 1019 nm was generated by the C-C streching of \> HC-CH~2~ of vinyl. The spectral reflectance around 1086 and 1093 nm was dominated by the asymmetric C-C stretching of amorphous (trans and gauche). The spectral reflectance around 1214 and 1249 nm was governed by the CH~2~ twisting of amorphous. The spectral reflectance around 1318 nm was produced by the CH~2~ wagging of amorphous. The spectral reflectance around 1419 nm was formed by the CH~2~ bending of crystalline. The spectral reflectance around 1426 nm was affected by the CH~3~ asymmetric bending of acetate. The spectral reflectance around 1477, 1548, 1612 and 1629 nm was regulated by the 2 × CH~2~ rocking of all-trans-(CH~2~)-~n~[@b25]. Those wavelengths would be applied to the fingerprint wavelengths to take the place of the whole wavelength spectra for evaluating the degree of collision strength. The number of effective wavelengths decreased from 211--14. A simplified calibration spectral model with a pretty smaller dimension of spectral variables was generated.
In addition, the SP algorithm was considered that it can reduce the wavelengths by avoiding repetition of information or redundancies[@b30]. Thereby, it was conducted for choosing the optimal candidate wavelength variables for representing the spectral characteristics. As a result, eleven wavelengths were screened out, which were 1009, 1022, 1146, 1183, 1217, 1372, 1399, 1416, 1554, 1571 and 1602 nm. The spectral reflectance around 1009 and 1022 nm was generated by the C-C streching of \>HC-CH~2~ of vinyl. The spectral reflectance around 1146 and 1183 nm was forced by the CH~2~ rocking of crystalline. The spectral reflectance around 1217 was governed by the CH~2~ twisting of amorphous. The spectral reflectance around 1399 and 1412 nm was formed by the CH~2~ bending of crystalline. The spectral reflectance around 1554 nm was regulated by the 2 × CH~2~ rocking of all-trans-(CH~2~)-~n~. The spectral reflectance around 1602 nm was regulated by the C=O stretching of acetate. The chosen wavelengths by SP were then used as the input variables instead of the entire wavelength spectra consisting of 211 wavelengths to set up a new forecast model to determine the degree of collision strength. When the fingerprint wavebands were determined by the algorithm RF and SP, the volume of hyperspectral images was then condensed by employing those feature images corresponding to the appointed effective wavelengths. The optimized prediction models would be established by avoiding the curse of wavelength dimensionality[@b25].
Predicting collision strength using fingerprint spectral variables
------------------------------------------------------------------
The algorithms of RF and SP were general strategy for the selection of wavelength variables. So, for a method to build a prediction model, this needed to be specified in order to implement them. The algorithm of SVMR was selected to set up the forecast model to the compressed spectral dataset. The reasons behind the choice was that it generally achieved significantly higher forecast accuracy compared with the traditional schemes in dealing with complex spectral data. The SVMR is a nonlinear calibration algorithm, which takes advantage of kernel trick to map the data input space to a high-dimensional feature space which was used to establish the quantitative relationship between the predictor matrix() of the feature spectral dataset with the whole waveband scope (211 independent spectral reflectance variables) and the response vector () of the reference attribute value of collision strength. The Gaussian radial basis function (RBF) of was the recommended kernel function compared with other kernel functions such as hyperbolic tangent and homogeneous polynomial kernels for the regression analysis in most of previous scientific literature[@b33], probably because its compact support property was apt to eliminate the impact of nonlinear structures of dataset to a great extent in the infinite dimensional Hilbert space with less the generalization error[@b34]. When the RBF was chosen as the kernel function of SVMR, the final prediction performance of model, to a great extent, was determined by two important parameters of the regularization parameter of and the RBF kernel width of . The grid-search technique was performed to optimize these two variables. The combination of parameter selection was verified by utilizing the approach of -fold cross validation based on the instances in the calibration dataset. In this investigation, the highest cross-validation forecast precision was obtained, when the pair of parameters of and were set as 67.31 and 0.037, respectively. The experimental results of forecast precision were listed in [Table 4](#t4){ref-type="table"}. The rest 80 instances were used to comprise the forecast set only with the corresponding designated fingerprint wavebands. It could be seen in [Table 4](#t4){ref-type="table"} that the forecast results gained by the SP-SVMR model was preferable to the individual SVMR and RF-SVMR models. The percentage of , , , and calculated by the SP-SVMR method increased by 28.99% and 2.81%, 7.02% and 2.69%, 10.67% and 2.32%, and decreased by 20.20% and 6.30%, 22.50% and 2.74% compared to the methods of individual SVMR and RF-SVMR, respectively. It could be concluded that the fingerprint wavelengths comprised the most important information concerning the forecast, which led to being more efficient than whole spectral wavebands. The predicted results of collision strength for both of RF-SVMR and SP-SVMR models under the extracted fingerprint spectra were illustrated in [Fig. 6](#f6){ref-type="fig"}. The experimental results based on the methods of fingerprint spectral wavelength selection might contribute for developing the more accurate, economic and practical multispectral imaging equipment comprised a limited numbers of designated optical filters. Such technology could be further used to monitor the manufacturing process of EVAC films and assess the quality of the products for the target of farmland application.
Conclusions
===========
Because the traditional physical approaches for evaluating the collision strength index of EVAC coverings was extraordinarily time-consuming and inconvenient, the potential of combination of the near infrared hyperspectral imaging techniques with chemometrics for fast and convenient detection of such index was explored. The proposed methods could be used to predict the collision strength degree of EVAC materials quantitatively due to its ability to provide spectral information related to chemical components. The outcomes attained validation parameters of , and . It was indicated that the hyperspectral imaging technology could be utilized to reveal the relationship of the collision strength attributes of EVAC materials and intrinsic structural changes of chemical groups in the copolymers. The final prediction performances were able to be accepted. This technique would be more suitable for practical application than the other physical or chemical measurements, in virtue of their advantages of more rapid, low cost, and non-invasive measurement, and convenient operation. Besides, the model (SP-SVMR) of selecting feature wavebands was verified to be quite significant for boosting the accuracy and robustness of the forecast models for detecting the collision strength. Due to more than 94 percentage of irrespective wavelengths removed, the percentage of , , , and calculated by the SP-SVMR method increased by 28.99% and 7.02%, and 10.67%, and decreased by 20.20% and 22.50% compared with the model of using the full wavebands, respectively. The successful results of this experiment would contribute to the EVAC manufacturers to better master and control the quality of the products of EVAC coverings, which would bring about incremental competitiveness in international and domestic markets. In addition, the rapid determination of collision strength degree of EVAC coverings would ensure the labelling of such index accurately on the specifications of retail EVAC products.
Additional Information
======================
**How to cite this article**: Chen, Y. M. *et al.* Fast quantifying collision strength index of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer coverings on the fields based on near infrared hyperspectral imaging techniques. *Sci. Rep.* **6**, 20843; doi: 10.1038/srep20843 (2016).
This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 31501221), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (Grants No. BK20140467), Natural Science Research Project of Higher Education of Jiangsu Province (Grants No. 13KJB210006), Yancheng Agricultural Science and Technology Guidance Program(Grant No. YKN2014009, YKN2014010) and Yancheng Institute of Technology Breeding Programs (Grants No. KJC2014006, KJC2014007, XKY2014055, XKY2014056).
**Author Contributions** P.L. and Y.M.C. wrote the main manuscript text, J.Q.H. and J.Z. prepared figures and tables and Y.H. and X.L.L. revised the paper. All authors reviewed the manuscript.
{#f1}
{#f2}
{#f3}
{#f4}
{#f5}
{#f6}
###### Assignments of NIR spectroscopic bands of EVAC.
Assignments Bands Features
------------- ----------------------------- ------------------------------
1000 O-C=O deformation due to acetate
1016 C-C streching of \>HC-CH~2~ due to vinyl
1060 asymmetric C-C stretching due to all-trans-(CH~2~)-~n~
1080 asymmetric C-C stretching amorphous(trans and gauche)
1170 CH~2~ rocking crystalline
1220 CH~2~ twisting amorphous
1330 CH~2~ wagging amorphous
1410 CH~2~ bending crystalline
1430 CH~3~ asymmetric bending due to acetate
1435 CH~2~ bending anisotropic
1450 2 × CH~2~ rocking due to all-trans-(CH~2~)-~n~
1550 2 × CH~2~ rocking due to all-trans-(CH~2~)-~n~
1680 C=O stretching due to acetate
###### The summary of degrees of collision strength of four different kinds of greenhouse films being used for near one year.
Manufacturers Collision strength degree(%)
--------------- ------------------------------ ------ ------- -------
Shangdong 67.14 3.82 77.72 57.82
Zhejiang 70.33 3.58 79.49 60.09
Jiangsu 76.43 3.81 87.22 64.79
Guangdong 82.01 3.17 88.50 74.57
###### Forecasting the degree of collision strength from the raw and preprocessed spectroscopic data using the SVMR model.
Methods Calibration set Prediction set
---------------- ----------------- ---------------- ------- ------- -------
Raw 83.76 2.713 79.23 2.915 1.824
SG 84.39 2.526 80.27 2.823 1.945
SNV 82.40 2.872 78.61 3.041 1.731
SG-1^st^-Deriv 87.35 2.460 84.08 2.698 2.383
MSC 85.15 2.493 81.68 2.754 2.152
###### The results of using the SVMR and RF and SP wavelength selection algorithms for determining the degree of collision strength in both calibration and prediction processes.
Models Calibration set Prediction set
--------- ----------------- ---------------- ------- ------- -------
SVMR 87.35 2.460 84.08 2.698 2.383
RF-SVMR 91.03 2.095 90.94 2.150 2.990
SP-SVMR 93.48 1.963 93.05 2.091 3.074
|
Handyman in Alpha, KY
We Can Fulfill Your Handymans Expectations
Here at Handy Men Team, we're available to meet your needs when it comes to Handyman in Alpha, KY. You need the most advanced solutions in the industry, and our group of well trained professionals will give you just that. We make certain that you receive the most effective service, the ultimate price tag, and the finest quality supplies. Contact us at 800-356-4092 to get going.
Our Perseverance To customer satisfaction
Handy Men Team concentrates on customer service to be certain that you're pleased with our work. You should enjoy the tasks we carry out, and we will work tirelessly to fulfill all of your goals and expectations. We recognize all of your questions and concerns, and our company is ready to help you. We will also reply to the concerns and questions you don't consider, as we understand what we're doing, and can predict your needs. Regarding making the appropriate decisions for your work, Handy Men Team can help.
Discovering Strategies To Save A Little Money
Economizing is a valuable part of your venture. Yet, saving cash should never suggest that you compromise quality for Handyman in Alpha, KY. We provide the very best quality even while still saving you money. Whenever you deal with our team, you'll have access to the benefit of our experience and premium products to ensure the project lasts while saving your time and cash. That is achievable because we know the way to help you save time and cash on products and work. Save time and cash by simply getting in touch with Handy Men Team now. We'll be waiting to accept your call at 800-356-4092.
For these and any other such services, please contact Handy Men Team on 800-356-4092.
How to avoid unexpected situations
If you're considering Handyman in Alpha, KY, you should be well informed to come up with the most effective choices. We will make sure that you know exactly what can be expected. You won't encounter any kind of unexpected surprises whenever you deal with Handy Men Team. Begin by contacting 800-356-4092 to go over your task. We are going to respond to all of your concerns and questions and arrange your first meeting. Our crew is going to arrive at the appointed time with all the required equipment, and will work closely with you during the entire process.
Handy Men Team will be here for your Handyman in Alpha, Wyoming goals
If you're considering a project regarding Handyman in Alpha, KY, there's lots of reasons to work with Handy Men Team. We are your best option when you really need the most beneficial money saving methods, the finest supplies, and the top rank of client satisfaction. We appreciate your needs and objectives, and we are ready to assist you using our practical experience. Dial 800-356-4092 to communicate with Handy Men Team and consider all your expectations about Handyman in Alpha. |
If Starbucks Corp.’s visionary and former longtime chief executive Howard Schultz runs for president — a declaration he’s still mulling after testing the waters this week — experts say it’s likely the coffee chain’s business will be exposed to the candidate’s popularity, or lack thereof.
A “socially liberal” Schultz has floated a potential run for president in 2020 as an independent, which has prompted groans, and outright anger, from Democrats fearful that the move could dilute their side of the ticket and hand a re-election to President Trump.
At a New York City event to launch his book “From the Ground Up: A Journey to Reimagine the Promise of America,” one attendee had choice words for Schultz.
Read:Customers at Starbucks in Trump Tower are lukewarm on Howard Schultz’s presidential ambitions
Mark Kalinowski, chief executive of Kalinowski Equity Research, says the move would hurt Starbucks SBUX, -2.07% despite the fact that its customers come from across the political spectrum.
“Starbucks’ fairly broad U.S. customer base — it is, after all, the #2 restaurant brand in the U.S. as measured by domestic system-wide sales — nevertheless skews somewhat toward the Democratic side of the political spectrum,” Kalinowski wrote. “[I]f Mr. Schultz is widely seen as doing something meaningful that could help tip the U.S. presidential election toward the current Republican incumbent, the relevant question for Starbucks’ shareholders might not be if Starbucks’ business would be harmed by Mr. Schultz‘s actions — only by how much.”
According to Axios, Starbucks’ current CEO Kevin Johnson sent an email to the company’s 350,000 global employees saying, “As a company, we don’t get involved in national political campaigns. And nothing changes for Starbucks.”
But the company could be thrust into politics whether it wants to be or not.
“We’re guessing (but we’ll be clear, this is only our guess) that Starbucks will steer clear of selling Schultz’s latest book at its stores this upcoming week because it knows that having him make a serious run as an independent for U.S. president is unlikely to be in Starbucks’ best interest,” Kalinowski wrote. “Even having him test the waters for a possible run in this way should be making some of the folks at the Starbucks Support Center (headquarters) in Seattle a little jittery.”
How check-out free retail could save U.S. consumers 118 hours per year
Overall, the company could be in relatively good standing with shareholders after its recently issued outlook. Worries, if they are emerging, for now hinge more on China’s slowdown than the U.S. election.
A sentiment survey conducted by Stifel analysts prior to Schultz’s announcement indicated stock underperformance in the near term, but Stifel reminded readers that the company was upbeat about fiscal 2019.
“It was our impression management struck a favorable tone during the presentation toward the U.S. same-restaurant sales momentum from the several early strategies, including enhancing the in-store experience, ramping the velocity of beverage innovation and improving digital connection, and we believe F1Q19 U.S. same-restaurant sales will show continued momentum,” the analysts wrote.
“On the other hand, however, increased competition and more modest economic growth in China — Starbucks’ other growth engine — could be a mitigating factor.”
Don’t miss:China, delivery challenges for Starbucks put long-term prospects in question despite solid quarter
Stifel rates Starbucks shares hold. |
I'm religious about getting my annual mammogram. That's because I have a history of fibrocystic disease and in my 20s had a fibroadenoma (benign tumor) removed from my right breast. Every year, I worry that something not so benign will show up and every year I sigh with relief when I get a letter saying everything is normal. Not this year. Instead, I got a phone call from the Mammography Department at Mercy Hospital. The radiologist wanted me to come back for additional views. My heart sank. The diagnosis turned out to be DCIS, something I had never heard of before. I've discovered that neither do a lot of other people, so I decided to share my story on my Catching Health blog. Go to the blog ...
Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, personal care products, flame retardants, detergents and new types of herbicides and pesticides. What do these items have in common? They’re all emerging contaminants that have detected at trace levels in drinking water.
Fran Paris, who is 79, has a balance problem and tries to keep herself steady so that she doesn’t fall. When she noticed that Woodford’s Congregational Church was offering a Fall Risk Screening Event to help people learn more about their risks, she hightailed it over there. Read what Fran learned about her risks ...
Is every night a bedtime battle with your child? Check out the Catching Health calendar to find out about an upcoming event at the MaineHealth Learning Resource Center with infant and child sleep consultant Jessica Begley. Discover other health events in Maine and/or submit your own event — visit the Catching Health with Diane Atwood blog.
Not too long ago a friend of mine was diagnosed with mononucleosis (mono). When I hear that someone has mono, I think teenager. My friend may be so in spirit, but in reality she is a grandmother. Read more ... |
Readin’, Writin’ and Social Justice Agitatin’
It’s back-to-school season across the country. But in an increasing number of districts, “back to school” doesn’t mean back to learning. Under the reign of social justice indoctrinators, academics are secondary to political agitation. Activism trumps achievement.
In Massachusetts, the John J. Duggan Middle School will open on August 25 with a new name and mission. It is now a “social justice magnet school.” As a hiring advertisement for teachers explained earlier this year, the emphasis will be on “helping students develop the necessary skills to analyze and synthesize information and to generate empathy by looking at multiple sides of important issues facing the world, be that hunger, water quality, racial barriers, child labor or imbalance of power.”
Concise writing, as you can see, is not on the social justice pedagogues’ agenda.
Oh, and forget about memorizing times tables or mastering the scientific method. The new principal says the school’s primary job is teaching “fairness.” Duggan Middle School’s junior lobbying factory is “serious about creating 21st century global citizens, and it begins with understanding who we are as members of each of those communities.”
The ultimate goal of these social justice prep schools: creating left-wing political advocates.
At the Crescent Heights Social Justice Magnet School in Los Angeles, children will work on “action projects” tied to the “United Nations Millennium Development Goals.” Students will spend the academic year transforming into “agents of change.” Yes, they will learn language arts. But basic reading and writing are only a focus of the magnet school, the founders explain, because “we want our students to recognize injustice in their world or the world at large and be able to fully express their outrage, their plan of attack, their progress in this endeavor.”
In Chicago, Ground Zero for social justice brainwashing, the Social Justice High School (SOJO), follows a similar mission. Activist teachers openly foster identity politics and systematically undermine individualism. Their specialties: “struggle and sacrifice.” SOJO’s mission statement sounds like a pot-addled Oberlin College freshman’s — er, freshperson’s — Sociology 101 term paper:
“Through collective community power, we commit to a conscious effort to overcome the intended historical obstacles that have been designed to disempower and divide our communities.”
At the Paulo Freire Social Justice Charter School, also in Massachusetts, students won’t learn math. They’ll be taught “social justice math.” (Freire was a Brazilian leftist who wrote a social justice teacher’s Bible called “Pedagogy of the Oppressed.”)
His acolytes explain the push for radicalization of math: “Math is an instrument for detailing social justice issues and developing critical consciousness.” In the hands of progressive teachers, math “becomes an analytic tool to bring awareness to important world issues.”
In other words: One plus one equals “That’s unfair!”
New York City schools have been infested for years with city-funded math teachers who “train students in seeing social problems from a radical anticapitalist perspective,” as City Journal’s Sol Stern reported. As I’ve noted previously, the “Rethinking Mathematics: Teaching Social Justice by the Numbers” guide rejects traditional white male patriarchal methods of teaching computation and statistics in favor of politically correct number-crunching.
State education codes mandate value neutrality in the classroom. But in schools of “social justice,” every academic subject is a means to a “progressive” (anti-American, pro-collectivist, redistributive) ideological end. The radical transformation of K-12 classrooms into leftist agitation labs is embedded in the mission of countless teachers colleges and universities, which require social justice training or offer special certification in its indoctrination techniques.
These teaching institutions are pumping out generations of educators who cast themselves as leaders against “social struggle” — instead of facilitators of intellectual inquiry. Passing the most rigorous student standards in the world won’t amount to squat as long as the overseers of public education exploit government schools as community organizing vehicles for captive tots, tweens and teens.
Michelle Malkin is the author of “Culture of Corruption: Obama and his Team of Tax Cheats, Crooks and Cronies” (Regnery 2010). Her e-mail address is malkinblog@gmail.com.
This is literally anti-education. Rather than teaching children facts, or teaching children how to discover and process information, these teachers bring their biased conclusions into the classroom, which they refuse to put up for debate because they view them as infallible, and the “education” will be geared toward helping children realize that the teachers’ worldview is correct.
I can see their “math” class now. “Kids, here is the gender wage gap. Women earn 86 cents on the dollar. Because patriarchy. Numbers cannot lie; they are absolute. This is proof of discrimination and injustice.”
“But, wait, how did they come up with those numbers, Mr. Marx?”
“You see, class, this question is an example of injustice in the world. You want to dispute what is factual? Are you a right-wing big business shill trying to misdirect the rest of the students? Here — go pay the principal a visit.”
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to understand why an adult’s worldview and beliefs must be forced on children in order to effect social change and mold society in that image. (In fact, I’m not sure I even believe that’s what it’s about at the end of the day — at least not as it concerns these progressives actually ever helping anyone but themselves.)
I’m against it when Biblical fundamentalist creationists seek to force their beliefs through “science” and into the classroom, and I’m against this nonsense of changing material to reflect an educator’s opinion about injustice in the world.
I’m against molding children to the whims of adults. Period.
They are not lab rats to be filled with nonsense so that they may carry on a failed legacy. It’s bad enough that some horrible parents out there indoctrinate their children with idiocy and hatred. Though they’re the parents; not much to be done without stomping on parental rights. But when it comes to other people’s kids, it’s madness.
Though I suspect there’s a more immediate payoff than some nation or worldwide trend to institute fairness and actually solve problems and heal suffering. Kids will quickly become voters, and I’m sure somewhere in this “social justice” message is a lesson about how teachers are grossly underpaid, overworked, held too accountable for the failings of society, and how they need more resources and more positions and more capital to properly teach students about what ails the world.
Maybe I’m too cynical to be just a regular cynic, but I don’t necessarily view a lot of these social justice advocates as true believers so much as I view them as charlatans looking for creative, long-lasting ways to do basically nothing throughout their lives while being handed power, respect, and lots and lots of other people’s money. Feeding the needy and fairness and racism are just catchy headlines that enable them to sneak in their real message, IMO.
That’s the thing that gets me, and I’m positive it is not a unique observation: The people preaching these social values and calling for big-time government and such never plan on being cogs in the wheel. They hold themselves amongst the enlightened few who will view the transformation from atop the hill, looking down at everyone else sharing in equal suffering — no one person having too much, no one person dealing with too little before promptly dividing rations further.
We’re not in a sword-wielding, cannon fire age anymore where cities and can sacked on the reg and kings can be overthrown. Even if we were, these are the types who hide while those braver and bolder fight for freedom or for power. But this new age suits them perfectly. Their whiny, cowardly dispositions translate perfectly to backdoor power and wealth through underhanded manipulation.
Children as a tool for their power. No wonder they stick up for Hamas. They’re not much different at all.
Iggy Autry
A vital problem is — they view their beliefs as righteous – just like if you were in a religious school. Just like a couple hundred years ago.
And when you believe your group’s opinion is not just right but righteous – and that everyone must think like you – the restraints on abuse of trying to force people to think like you start dropping off…
And here is a huge point: Don’t be white in those courses… White male? Better to drop out and apprentice a trade…(I’m 50% serious.)
Read Edward Said’s Culture & Imperialism – one of their bibles… Or pick randomly required reading in a course focusing on post-colonial theory in a department in the humanities…
…Watch them bend over backwards to tell you non-Euro empires were great achievements in the socio-histories of non-whites – while in the very same breath blasting all Euro-centric culture back to the stone age as inherently racist, oppressive, and evil…
Or, read around in both the pop culture and academic writing about how a member of this or that socio-ethnic group can’t be racist – no matter what they say or do – because – they have no “power” in American culture – but me – just by the nature of the color of my skin and Y-chromosome – have “power” – and because I’m white – you can label me “racist” – because – in American society, Race + Power = Racism – no matter what economic environment you sprang from…
This is the mother’s milk our current president was raised on – and what he and whole generations were fed as bread and butter in the “educations” they got…(including his church).
I spent years and years studying with this type of intellectual and pseudo-intellectual.
I really mean it: Watch the movie Gentleman’s Agreement [1947] — you’ll see what kind of group-think prejudice dominates the Humanities in higher education – and thus filters down into secondary and primary education…
It has been building and going on for decades, and we’ve not found ways or had the motivation to counter it. The Left did not come to exclude conservatives from higher education, the media, and Hollywood/entertainment overnight…
We could have fought for true diversity – including thought…
Now, the fight will be harder and longer…
Iggy Autry
Watch Gregory Peck in A Gentleman’s Agreement [1947].
That is what it is like being conservative in sections of the society after The Left has gain predominant control of them.
Of course, if you attend a political rally or a party meeting – whether hosted by Republicans or Democrats – it is going to be that way if you are in opposition.
But — the huge point is —- The Left – now that it dominates higher education, the media, and Hollywood/Entertainment —- is moving to — politicize – everything.
By “social justice” – the mean teaching kids as young as possible to – think like them – or – be ostracized.
The fact they aren’t carting people off to the Gulag does not hide the bare immorality of what they seek to accomplish.
Watch A Gentleman’s Agreement to get an idea of what kind of world they are really aiming for….(and such efforts do lead to concentration camps from time to time…)
Royalsfan67
Some thoughts on this. First, we have known for decades the Marxist proudly proclaimed “give me a child at 5 years old and I will produce a good communist”. The Marxist movement infiltrated our educational system long ago and has almost completely taken it over. One problem is conservatives just are not drawn to these fields as we are more likely to work in a business related field including be a small business owner. Educational jobs tend to be union and government related.
But that being said, why don’t we do the same thing. Open schools that actually teach students the 3 R’s along with conservative principles in life. Just because you are late to the game does not mean you can’t win it.
Iggy Autry
I disagree in part: I’ve heard “Progress”ives use that line to wipe away recognition of their exclusionary practices – basically segregating academic disciplines.
If you are a conservative, and virtually every single professor you encounter in a department – or even in the Humanities school itself – are Left — what should you ultimately conclude? That that discipline is – hostile – to you. They might tolerate you, but because they will not allow people like you to work there, and every professor takes a negative view of your side of the political spectrum, they let you know — get out…
I know I specifically had conversations like this with my former academic adviser and friend as I was giving up on the PhD: Why should I sacrifice so much when I will find it even harder to get a job in an already tight market? Why should I sacrifice when, even if I find a job, I’ll be isolated in any department I land in?
Another prof told me straight forward they would not allow the school to hire a conservative. Our college was non-denominational Christian, but you couldn’t find a Christian prof in the Religion/Philosophy Department – and in fact – the head of the program got in a shouting match and forced a guest speaker on Christianity to walk off the stage – because the prof could not stand the idea someone said Christ was the way to Heaven…
…very open minded to chase someone away from exercising his speech because he isn’t open minded enough for you…
Iggy Autry
“by looking at multiple sides of important issues facing the world”
BS. Even higher education at top universities does NOT teach you – how to think for yourself – by being critical of all sides.
You are trained to accept one side. Defend it against all others. And deconstruct every other idea.
Yes, you do look at multiple sides: You learn to view other sides are immoral and evil – and – become dedicated to fighting to advance your morally superior view… That is…if you decide to agree with the uniform opinion of the profs in the Humanities…
If you are conservative in the Humanities – you can only walk away from a top school with one conclusion: They hate you…
They might tolerate you. But, you can’t come away without understanding they are HOSTILE to people who think like you, because all of them are hostile to those thoughts and the “groups” that foster them…
— And this is exactly what these magnet schools and activist teachers in public schools are doing to teens and youth: Letting them know as early as possible — Think like we do – or – you are evil…
(Exactly what these people ridicule Christians about….)
Bernie's Premium Newsletter
Sign up for FREE alerts and you’ll know when Bernie posts a new column. And you’ll get other great opinion pieces too! |
Q:
PHP - How to remove duplicate values from array (compare 2 arrays)
I would like to remove values from the $allPermissions array that are in the $userPermissions array.
How to do it? I've already combined array_unique, array_diff, and I still have not come to solve this problem. Someone something?
public function notAssigned($id, Request $request)
{
$user = User::findOrFail($id);
$userPermissions = [{"id":5,"name":"create post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35","pivot":{"model_id":3,"permission_id":5,"model_type":"App\\User"}}];
$allPermissions = [{"id":5,"name":"create post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35"},{"id":6,"name":"edit post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:46","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:46"},{"id":7,"name":"delete post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:59","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:59"}];
$permissions = array_unique(array_merge($userPermissions, $allPermissions));
$role = auth()->user()->hasRole([2]);
$permission = auth()->user()->can('edit user permission');
if ( $role == true || $permission == true ) {
return $permissions;
} else {
abort(403, 'Access Denied');
}
}
EDIT:
Those are the output of var_dump to $userPermissions and $allPermissionsallPermissions:
var_dump($userPermissions):
array(1) { [0]=> object(stdClass)#361 (6) { ["id"]=> int(5) ["name"]=> string(11) "create post" ["guard_name"]=> string(3) "web" ["created_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:35" ["updated_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:35" ["pivot"]=> object(stdClass)#360 (3) { ["model_id"]=> int(3) ["permission_id"]=> int(5) ["model_type"]=> string(8) "App\User" } } }
var_dump($allPermissions):
array(3) { [0]=> object(stdClass)#374 (5) { ["id"]=> int(5) ["name"]=> string(11) "create post" ["guard_name"]=> string(3) "web" ["created_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:35" ["updated_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:35" } [1]=> object(stdClass)#377 (5) { ["id"]=> int(6) ["name"]=> string(9) "edit post" ["guard_name"]=> string(3) "web" ["created_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:46" ["updated_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:46" } [2]=> object(stdClass)#376 (5) { ["id"]=> int(7) ["name"]=> string(11) "delete post" ["guard_name"]=> string(3) "web" ["created_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:59" ["updated_at"]=> string(19) "2018-12-22 02:44:59" } }
A:
Assuming your array are valid you can use array-filter for that:
$userP = '[{"id":5,"name":"create post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35"}]';
$userPermissions = json_decode($userP, true); // will convert to array.
$allP = '[{"id":5,"name":"create post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:35"},{"id":6,"name":"edit post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:46","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:46"},{"id":7,"name":"delete post","guard_name":"web","created_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:59","updated_at":"2018-12-22 02:44:59"}]';
$allPermissions = json_decode($allP , true); // will convert to array.
$userPermissionIds = array_column($userPermissions, "id")
$filteredPermission = array_filter($allPermissions , function($elem) use ($userPermissionIds) {
return !in_array($elem["id"], $userPermissionIds);
});
This will result with $filteredPermission to contain only element that no exist in the user permission array
Edited: If you want to stay with your array of object you can use:
$userPermissionIds = array();
foreach($userPermissions as $per)
$userPermissionIds[] = $per->id;
$filteredPermission = array_filter($allPermissions , function($elem) use ($userPermissionIds) {
return !in_array($elem->id, $userPermissionIds);
});
|
The Seahawks back up their front with the league's best and baddest secondary. (Seattle's linebackers—K.J. Wright, Bobby Wagner, and Leroy Hill—have all played well this year, but the Seahawks play a lot of nickel, and the linebackers aren't terribly essential to their scheme. Hill told John Clayton as much earlier this year: "The front four is a lot more important in Pete's scheme than it was in the previous [linebacker-heavy] regime.") No defensive backfield hits as hard collectively as Seattle's does, with Kam Chancellor, Brandon Browner, and mouthy Richard Sherman bruising receivers in front of Earl Thomas, the deep safety. To wit, here's Browner's hit on Wes Welker this week. Browner is a cornerback. He hits like Ray Lewis.
I read that and chuckled. What's so funny is Browner is considered the "mouthy" one. lol
Several of the talking heads including Tony Dungy say Seattle's 'backing corp is the best in football. The only big names that are still really knocking them is the FOX crew. Funny cause you'd think Howie Long would love the way they play.
Tony would love them cause he is a big proponent of making receivers pay for coming over the middle whether the ball is thrown to them or not.
Good article in terms of getting the facts right. Something we all know is a rarity for national outlets regarding the Hawks. But the premise is pretty annoying. It's basically "They didn't copycat any of the established defensive powers, so how the hell did it work?" Guess everyone in the world has to rip off the Ravens and Steelers in order to build a good defense. |
Emmanuel-Thomas joins Cardiff
18 January 2011 05:30
Cardiff have signed Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on loan from Arsenal until the end of the season.
The attacking midfielder arrives in the Welsh capital having made four first-team appearances for the Gunners this term.
The 20-year-old was a late substitute in Arsenal's 2-0 Premier League defeat at Chelsea in October, as well as coming off the bench in the final 10 minutes for the London club's Champions League encounter against Shakhtar Donetsk and Carling Cup ties versus Newcastle and Wigan.
Emmanuel-Thomas has experience of the Championship having spent the first half of last season on loan at Blackpool, where he scored once in 12 appearances, before moving on to Doncaster at the turn of the year and hitting the target five times in 14 games.
The Gunners starlet, who has also scored 10 times in just nine appearances for Arsenal's reserves this term, becomes Cardiff's second signing of the January window after Jon Parkin. |
Background {#Sec1}
==========
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic and functional disabling disease, occurring from demyelination of the CNS nerve fibers \[[@CR1]\]. During the last decade there was dramatic increase in the incidence and prevalence of MS in Iranian population and it was reported that female/male ratio ranged from 1.8 to 3.6 \[[@CR2], [@CR3]\]. Similarly a western study found that the real increased incidence was limited to women \[[@CR4]\]. A recent study suggested that the prevalence of MS in Iran is even higher than neighboring countries and within Iran itself the prevalence varies by geographical areas. One can speculate that genetic and environmental factors might have contributed to these observations \[[@CR3]\]. It is well documented that one of the environmental risk factors for developing MS is vitamin D insufficiency \[[@CR5]\]. On the other hand, there is increasing evidences for the vitamin D deficiency among Iranian women \[[@CR6]--[@CR8]\].
The disease has several adverse effects on patients' life. Patients with multiple sclerosis not only suffer from physical disability but also experience psychological distress more often. Depressive disorders are more prevalent in MS patients compared to other chronic neurologic disorders \[[@CR9]\]. Thus, depression is often underreported and under-diagnosed in patients with multiple sclerosis.
In a study from Portugal, Silva et al. found that there were significant associations between depression and several factors including age, disease duration, age at onset, and functional impairment in MS patients \[[@CR10]\].
Chwastiak and Ehde summarized the literature and suggested that depression in MS patients may contribute to cognitive dysfunction, decreased quality of life, unemployment, and decreased adherent to treatment regimens for MS compared to non-depressed MS patients \[[@CR11]\]. Furthermore, it was shown that MS patients with depression develop fatigue about four times more than non-depressed MS patients \[[@CR12]\]. It remains unclear whether a secondary response to the illness is the reason of depression or the neurobiological effects are the origins of depression \[[@CR10]\].
It is crucial for the health care providers to have a better understanding about the identification of patients who are at risk of developing depression in this community. However, if risk factors for depression identified, it may lead to the timely initiation of appropriate treatment and to produce efficient strategies to lowering MS burden as soon as possible. To the best of our knowledge, there are a few studies about depression in MS patients in Iran. A study of 106 MS patients indicated that physical disability and depression strongly influenced quality of life in these patients \[[@CR13]\]. Another investigation from Iran showed that depression in MS patients might cause fatigue and sleep disturbances \[[@CR14]\]. However, none of these studies indicated risk factors for depression in MS patients. The aim of the present study was to estimate prevalence of depression in Iranian women with MS and also to identify risk factors that contribute to its development.
Methods {#Sec2}
=======
Design and procedure {#Sec3}
--------------------
This was a cross-sectional study that carried out to assess depression in female patients with multiple sclerosis. A detailed design is explained elsewhere \[[@CR15]\] but in summary a total of two hundred and twenty-six female patients with multiple sclerosis were recruited consecutively from an MS outpatient clinic in Tehran, Iran. Criteria for inclusion were: diagnosis of MS according to the McDonald Revised criteria \[[@CR16]\], be married; having the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score ≤ 8 \[[@CR17]\] and willingness to participate in the study. It is worth noting that the current study was as part of an investigation on sexual dysfunction in women with multiple sclerosis. Since for Muslims sexual function out of marriage is forbidden we only studied married women. Women with pre-existing major chronic illnesses such as depression were excluded. All patients had a neurologic examination.
Measures {#Sec4}
--------
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristic included recording of age, education, employment status, age at onset of disease, disease duration, disease course, and degree of disability. This latter information was collected by using the Kutzke Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). In fact, the EDSS assesses the neurological impairment in women with MS patients \[[@CR17]\]. The score on the EDSS ranges from 1 to 10. Scores from 1.0 to 4.5 specify that patients are fully ambulatory while scores from 5.0 to 9.5 indicate that patients are severely impaired and death defines a score of 10.Depression: The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used to assess the presence and intensity of depressive symptoms \[[@CR18], [@CR19]\]. This instrument consists of 21 items. Each item is rated on a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 to 3 and thus giving a total score of 0--63, with higher scores indicating more frequent depression symptoms. A cutoff point of 19 and higher was considered as moderate to severe depression \[[@CR20]\]. Psychometric properties of the Iranian version of the BDI-II are well documented \[[@CR21]\].
Analysis {#Sec5}
--------
Descriptive statistics was used to explore the data. Participants were classified as with and without depression based on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Univariate analysis was performed to indicate the association between dependent (depression) and independent variables. Then, to determine the risk factors for depression in MS patients, multiple logistic regression analysis was carried out while controlling for all independent variables. The reference level for age was age \< 35 years old versus aged 35 years old and older; for education was higher level versus primary/secondary level; for employment status was employed versus not employed; for disease duration was 0--8 years versus ≥ 9 years; for disease course was RRMS versus PPMS/SPMS; for EDSS was score 0--4.5 versus 5--8; and for depression treatment was yes versus no. The SPSS version 16 was used to analyze the data in two steps.
Ethics {#Sec6}
------
The ethics committee of Shahed University approved the study. We obtained written informed consent from participants after comprehensive explanation of procedure involved.
Results {#Sec7}
=======
Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the study sample {#Sec8}
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In all 226 women with multiple sclerosis were studied. The mean age of participants was 35.7 years (SD = 8.07). The mean disease duration and age at onset of the disease were 1.84 (SD = 0.79) and 29.51(SD = 7.65) years, respectively. The mean depression severity score (BDI) was 17.86 (SD = 11.13). The disease course was as follows: 169 of patients (74.8 %) had relapsing--remitting MS (RRMS), 4 (1.8 %) had primary progressive MS (PPMS) and 53 (23.5 %) had secondary progressive MS (SPMS). There were 165 patients (73.0 %) with the EDSS score less than 4.5. One hundred and fifty-seven patients (69.5 %) had low educational levels and 189 patients (83.6 %) were housewife. Overall, 91 women (40.2 %) had moderate to severe depression. The detailed results are shown in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}.Table 1Characteristics of the study sampleWith depression (*n* = 91)Without depression (*n* = 125)OR (95 % CI)^a^*P*No. (%)No. (%)Age (years) ≤3545 (49.5)72 (53.3)1.0 (ref.) \>3546 (50.5)63 (46.7)1.16 (0.68--1.98)0.567Education Higher21 (23.1)48 (35.6)1.0 (ref.) Primary/secondary70 (76.9)87 (64.4)1.83 (1.00-3.35)0.046Employment status Employed5 (5.5)103 (76.3)1.0 (ref.) House wife86 (94.5)32 (23.7)5.34 (1.99--14.31)\<0.001Age at onset of disease (mean/SD)28.75 (7.71)30.02 (7.60)0.97 (0.94--1.01)0.225Disease duration (years) 0--862 (68.1)107 (79.3)1.0 (ref.) ≥ 929 (31.9)28 (20.7)1.78 (0.97-3.27)0.050Disease course RRMS66 (72.5)103 (76.3)1.0 (ref.) PPMS and SPMS25 (27.5)32 (23.7)0.82 (0.44--1.50)0.522EDSS score 0--4.552 (57.1)113 (83.7)1.0 (ref.) 5--839 (42.9)22 (16.2)3.85 (2.07--7.14)\< 0.001Received treatment for depression Yes7 (7.7)15^b^ (11.1)1.0 (ref.) No84 (92.3)120 (88.9)0.66 (0.26--1.70)0.398^a^Derived from univariate logistic regression analysis^b^In fact, these patients were indicated as 'without depression' based on cutoff value of the Beck Depression Inventory; otherwise clinicians recognized these patients as having depression and thus received treatment
The EDSS score for RRMS and PPMS/SPMS is shown in Table [2](#Tab2){ref-type="table"}. As shown, most patients with RRMS scored 0--4.5 while a small number for patients with PPMS/SPMS scored 0--4.5 (86 vs. 35 %).Table 2EDSS scores of RRMS versus PPMS and SPMS groupsRRMSPPMS/SPMSNo. (%)No. (%)EDSS score 0--4.5145 (86)20 (35) 5--824 (14.4)37 (65) Mean (SD)\*2.20 (0.16)2.08 (0.27)\* *P* value for mean difference = 0.095
Risk factors for depression {#Sec9}
---------------------------
The association between depression and independent variables was first examined by univariate analysis. The results showed that there were significant associations between depression and the disease duration (*P* = 0.050), the EDSS (*P* \< 0.001), educational level (*P* = 0.046) and employment status (*P* \< 0.001). However, no significant associations observed between depression and age (*P* = 0.567), the disease course (*P* = 0.522), age at onset of the disease (*P* = 0.225) and depression treatment (*P* = 0.713). The results are shown in Table [1](#Tab1){ref-type="table"}.
As shown in Table [3](#Tab3){ref-type="table"} the results obtained from multiple logistic regression analysis indicated that the disease course (OR for relapsing--remitting MS = 2.36, % 95 CI = 1.14--5.53, *P* = 0.46), EDSS (OR for score of 5--8 = 4.88, % 95 CI = 2.51--11.06, *P* \< 0.001) and employment status (OR for housewife = 4.75, % 95 CI = 1.55--14.58, *P* = 0.006) were significant contributing factors to depression in patients with multiple sclerosis.Table 3The results obtained from multiple logistic regression analysis indicating risk factors for depression (*n* = 226)OR (95 % CI)*P*Age (years)\>351.0 (ref.) ≤351.03 (0.54--1.97)0.908Education Higher1.0 (ref.) Primary/secondary1.09 (0.51--2.3)0.815Employment status Employed1.0 (ref.) House wife4.75 (1.55--14.58)0.006Disease duration (years) 0--81.0 (ref.) ≥ 91.34 (0.65--2.76)0.420Disease course RRMS1.0 (ref.) PPMS and SPMS0.42 (0.18--0.98)0.046EDSS score 0--4.51.0 (ref.) 5--84.88 (2.15--11.06)\< 0.001Age at onset of the disease0.96 (0.93--1.00)0.115Depression treatment Yes1.0 (ref.) No1.21 (0.43--3.33)0.7132 log-likelihood test267.24Nagelkerke R20.206Global percentage of identified cases69.5
Discussion {#Sec10}
==========
The findings from current study showed that the prevalence of depression among Iranian female with MS was relatively high. As suggested this high prevalence might be explained by various reasons including structural brain damage \[[@CR22]\], physical disability \[[@CR23]\], treatment medication \[[@CR24]\], and severity of MS. Unfortunately, it was reported that two-thirds of depressed MS patients receive no treatment \[[@CR25]\].
Physical disability considered as common MS consequence that may be associated with depression in this community. However, the relationship between physical disability and depression in MS patients remains controversial \[[@CR26]\]. Perhaps assessing link between depression and physical disability in MS patients needs a cohort design. However, unlike the results of studies that did not find any association between physical disability and depression in MS patients \[[@CR27], [@CR28]\] the current study showed that functional impairment was a significant contributing factor to the outcome. It seems that the depression worsens as the disease progresses. On the other hand, consistent with our study, Chwastiak et al. reported that MS patients with advanced disability were six times more likely to experience depressive symptoms than those reporting minimal severity \[[@CR29]\]. One possible explanation is that the physical problems might be impeding participation in recreational activities and also it was associated with occupational problems \[[@CR30]\]. The result of study revealed that disability in patients with multiple sclerosis is age dependent. It is argued that the disability milestone was reached at about the same age in different courses of disease \[[@CR31]\]. It might be explained by the fact that in this study the patients with RRMS were older than PPMS/SPMS.
The effect of unemployment has not been suitably investigated in MS patients. This study showed that 189 women (83.6 %) with MS were unemployed. This high unemployment status in MS patients might be explained by different variables including neurological, cognitive status, anxiety and depression \[[@CR32]\]. Overall women's unemployment rate is 20.9 % according to the latest report released by the Statistical Center of Iran \[[@CR33]\].
We found that women with RRMS experienced higher rate of depression compared with women at progressive stage. Similarly, Zabad et al. found that patients with primary progressive MS had a lower lifetime risk of major depression compared with patients with relapsing forms of the disease. It was suggested that perhaps the PPMS group might have received more adequate social support, which may have conferred a protective effect for depression occurrence in these patients. In addition, increased inflammatory components were reported in the relapsing forms of MS that may be associated with depression \[[@CR34]\]. However, the association between the course of disease and depression was found to be inconsistent when relapsing--remitting MS was compared with progressive MS \[[@CR35]\]. Other investigators found that depression symptoms were persistent even during remission from MS \[[@CR36], [@CR37]\]. There is evidence that 85 % of MS patients who were diagnosed with RR experienced a stressful life event. Accordingly, it could be argued that a higher rate of anxiety and depression among this group of patients might be associated with worse adjustment problems \[[@CR38], [@CR39]\].
Limitations {#Sec11}
===========
The findings from this study should be interpreted with caution since the study had some limitations. This was a cross-sectional study while longitudinal studies are needed to establish link between depression and multiple sclerosis. It is argued that depression in this patient might be due to several reasons including the fact that it may precede the onset of the disorder (being a risk factor for actions on immune system), may be a reaction to the disease (principally, as adjustment disorder), may be a consequence of the therapy (interferon, for example) and may depend on brain lesions caused by the disease.
Conclusion {#Sec12}
==========
The findings indicated that depression was frequent in women with multiple sclerosis. Identifying factors associated to depression in MS patients is important because this may allow clinicians to address some potentially reversible causes or manage patients more efficiently at earlier time.
KM was the main investigator and involved in the study design, data collection and writing process. PR analyzed the data and wrote the paper. AM contributed to analysis, writing process and critically evaluated the paper, and provided the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Acknowledgements {#FPar1}
================
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Institutional Review Board of the Shahed University, which approved and supported this project. They also wish to thank the participants for their cooperation.
Compliance with ethical guidelines {#FPar2}
==================================
**Competing interests** The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
|
A tale of Sansa and Tyrion’s growing relationship after they have married. How will their relationship bud among the troubles that surround them? Based solely on the show, I have not read the books. *Show Spoilers* Picks up during S3E8 Second Sons, right after they return to their room from the wedding feast.
One: The admin of this blog has not actually gotten to this part in the novels (their state of a ‘married couple’ I mean) so forgive this for being short.
Two: We will not, while we love Tyrion, make him out to be completely a villain nor will we put him on a pedestal here. Yes, this blog is to share what we love about this character, but we love the flaws and the merits.
As a couple they could have the ability to have a very strong marriage but based on politics and not love. We feel as if there could never be love there at this point, or could there ever have been. Sansa was to marry someone like Joffrey, well, what she thought Joffrey was like (Courageous, brave, princely, and handsome) and Eddard would have made sure it happened had he stayed alive and seen the abuse that Joffrey put Sansa through.
Tyrion is courageous and brave, but he’s also perverse and not princely. Not to mention everything that Sansa has been through at the expense of his family. She is a brave and courageous girl who no longer needs a brave, princely man who does nothing but coddle her like a child. She also was forced into this marriage and had the happiness that she was so close to having with Willas (or Loras in the tv show) ripped away from her. Now that was not Tyrion’s fault by any means, but it is still a reason she does not, or will not ever, love him.
If anything I feel as if it could have been a good marriage if organized in another time and another place, but would never have been a loving one. It is a marriage of mutual respect, regardless of how little or how much there is between them (seen in Tyrion telling her that he will wait for her permission for their 'first time’ and again when Tyrion defends Sansa in the trial and says that she did not do it.)
These are the personal thoughts of the admin Ollie and do not reflect the way this blog is run. We accept every submission and post regardless of what the admin thinks unless they are too graphic or are hatred for this character. |
It also bears the unmistakable balance of fussiness and flexibility that is the hallmark of an experienced and confident cook. Giblets are to be “liver-heart,” and the beef is to be “browned (no oil),” yet certain other details are left flapping in the wind: the amount of spices is not specified, nor the amount of “parsarly.” O.K., the instruction of “1 handful” of grated Parmesan is clear enough, but what to make of the first line “No garlic” of the recipe?
For recipe-restoration geeks like us, this was a challenge we couldn’t resist, especially as we head into high season for stuffing. Our goal was to fill in the blanks and produce a stuffing recipe that anyone could complete successfully. Of all the souvenirs of Marilyn’s life available, this was the one we actually wanted.
From the start, we agreed to embrace the period in which the recipe was written, and resisted the temptation to substitute fresh rosemary and ginger for the dried variety. “Fragments” dates the recipe to 1955 or 1956, when Marilyn lived in an apartment at 2 Sutton Place. We conjured up images of her prowling the aisles at D’Agostino’s on First Avenue in a crepe dress and heels (this is the era of “The Seven Year Itch”), and followed along as she purchased a loaf of bread, the ground round and all those jars of dried herbs. Our only true departure to blend sage, marjoram, ground ginger and nutmeg in place of the commercial poultry seasoning she used was informed by what typically goes into such products.
Another judgment call was to interpret her “walnuts/ chestnuts/ pinenuts } 1 cup chop nuts” as calling for a third of a cup of each nut. Three small measures of each seemed fussy, but she had three husbands, after all, so why not three nuts? To arrive at the amount of parsley, we let it equal the volume of the onion and the celery, which measured in at two cups each. |
Gender difference in the association between subjective socioeconomic mobility across life course and mortality at older ages: Results from the JAGES longitudinal study.
Socioeconomic mobility affects health throughout the life course. However, it is not known whether there are gender differences in the association between life-course subjective socioeconomic status (SSS) mobility and mortality at older ages. Participants were 16,690 community-dwelling adults aged 65-100 years in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES). Baseline information including demographic characteristics, depression and lifestyle factors were collected in 2010. Participants' vital status was confirmed in 2013 via linkage to death records. We categorized life-course socioeconomic mobility into the following categories: 'persistently high', 'downward mobility', 'upward mobility' and 'persistently low'. Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) for all-cause mortality. Mortality HRs for the 'downward' group were 1.37 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.74) among men and 1.27 (95% CI 0.94-1.71) among women in comparison with the 'persistently high' group. Compared to the 'persistently low' group, the HRs for the 'upward' group were 0.54 (95% CI 0.35-0.83) among women and 0.91 (95CI 0.73-1.24) among men. Associations were not changed after adjusting for objective socioeconomic status, but attenuated by depression. 'Downward' mobility was associated with mortality among men, but not among women. Depression appeared to mediate the association. A protective effect of upward mobility was observed among women but not among men. |
Following the game’s official website launch earlier this week, Gust has released the first official press release and screenshots of its newly announced Nelke & the Legendary Alchemists: Atelier of a New Land.
Get the details below.
■ Key Visual
■ The Beginning of the Story
Vestbalt.
In this remote countryside village, it is said that there is an untouched sage’s relic known as the “Grantzvite Tree.”
As director, Nelke von Luchetam, a girl who admires the hero sages who saved the people using that mysterious power, will develop this village while searching for the Grantzvite Tree.
However, Nelke, who is unable to use alchemy, thinks that it will take quite some time to develop the village. Nevertheless, the “legendary alchemists” from various worlds that come to the village one by one will help develop it at tremendous speed—.
A new Atelier story in which “a girl who cannot use alchemy” works alongside “legendary alchemists” to bear the fruit of a new land begins here.
■ Protagonist
Nelke von Luchetam (voiced by Rina Honnizumi)
A prodigy who graduated at the top of her class from the academy in the Imperial capital. While she admires the “Grantzvite Sages” who saved the people using a mysterious power, she does not have any ability as an alchemist, so she is looking for a way to be useful to the people as a noble. She takes the place of her father, who is lord of the village, and will develop Vestbalt as its director.
—Nelke is the newly appointed director of the quiet and naturally abundant land of Vestbalt. From here her dream will set into motion.
■ Revitalize the Village and Create a Town All Your Own
Players take on the role of Nelke, the newly appointed director of Vestbalt. Dreaming of the still unseen Grantzvite Tree, Nelke will revitalize the village’s naturally abundant land and work together with legendary alchemists to develop it significantly.
—At first, Vestbalt will be a village with nothing…
—But with the efforts of Nelke and the others, it will develop into a town and even a city!
—By developing the village, the story will also progress.
The Type of Town You Develop is Up to You
The setting is Vestbalt, a quiet and naturally abundant land. While at first it is a village with nothing, cooperators will gradually start to appear as you open small shops and start to revitalize. By working alongside them, you will be able to develop the village and create a town all your own.
—Place the buildings you like to revitalize the town.
—Earn money through shops to develop the town little by little.
—The type of town you develop is up to you.
■ Legendary Alchemists
Nelke’s reassuring cooperators are characters that appeared in previous entries in the Atelier series. While you will of course work alongside these legendary alchemists to develop the village, you will also be able to deepen your friendships with them and witness a crossover of characters from different titles.
Together, the legendary alchemists will to explore and defeat monsters, synthesize various things requested by Nelke, help out in shops, and more. Through town building, not only will the population of the village increase to develop into a town and city, new characters will come along as well.
Marlone (Marie) (voiced by Haruna Ikezawa)
A lively woman who once attended a royal academy, where she managed to receive the lowest grades in the history of the school. When she meets Nelke and the others, she decides to help develop the village while looking for the Grantzvite Tree.
—Since Nelke does not have any ability as an alchemist, she leaves the synthesizing to the legendary alchemists. Borrow their power and develop the town together.
Merurulince Rede Arls (Meruru) (voiced by Satomi Akesaka)
The daughter of a lord of a certain kingdom. Wanting to enrich her hometown, she took part in a revitalization project using the power of alchemy. She has a bright and positive personality, and tends to act before thinking.
—Meruru is enthralled by Nelke’s words. Hearing the stories of the other alchemists seems to move her.
Ayesha Altugle (voiced by Marina Inoue)
An alchemist who works as an apothecary in a secluded atelier. She is quiet and does things at her own pace and has unbreakable inner strength.
—Ayesha, who we have not seen in a while, settles down and opens her own atelier. Through interactions with characters, you will be able to hear of their past experiences.
Sophie Neuenmuller (voiced by Yuuka Aisaka)
A traveling alchemist with the goal of becoming an alchemist that everyone can rely upon. Her cheerful personality brightens up those around her, but she can also be absent-minded. She loves alchemy and finds great joy in using it to help others.
—Sophie enters the atelier of the often forceful Marie. It is in ways such as this that the legendary alchemists will interact.
Viorate Platane (Vio) (voiced by Noriko Shitaya)
An alchemist who lives with her older brother in Karotte Village. Her specialties include all types of housework, and her personality is energetic and cheerful. She loves the carrots that Karotte Village is known for, and moreover has an extraordinary passion for carrots.
Klein Kiesling (voiced by Tetsuya Kakihara)
An alchemist who came from a world filled with the power of beings known as mana. While he is not the type to show his feelings, his personality will gradually change…
Vayne Aurelius (voiced by Akira Ishida)
A young man who once lived alone in the mountains with a black cat. He was scouted by an academy to study alchemy, where he learned the field. Perhaps because he is quiet and not good in social situations, he seems to easily get wrapped up in the trouble around him.
■ Characters Drawn by NOCO
The characters of this game are the soft and warm illustrations of character designer NOCO. While new characters will also appear, the characters of previous works will be represented by NOCO’s style of drawing. |
Locations Visited
Dr. Sudhakar Reddy is Emergency Medicine with more than 6 years of experience working at Maxcure Hospitals, Sarovar Complex, Secretariat Road, Secunderabad
Plus100Years
"Plus100Years main aim is to help you to lead a healthy life.This Portal has dedicated thousands of people who go online every day looking for Right Doctors and Hospitals on 6 specialties – to select the Best Cardiologist, Oncologist, Orthopedic, Diabetologist,Gynecologist, and Neurologist." |
Considering patient education videos from the Nucleus Animation Library for social media marketing, website marketing, and patient education?Learn More
Anatomy of the Hand and Wrist Bones
si55551660
This medical illustration diagram shows the bones of the hand and wrist as seen from the palmar view. Labels on this drawing include the distal phalanx, middle phalanx, proximal phalanx, metacarpal bone, and carpal bones. |
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the novel PAR-1 antagonist vorapaxar in patients with end-stage renal disease.
To determine whether impaired renal function alters the pharmacokinetics (PK) of vorapaxar or its ability to inhibit thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP)-induced platelet aggregation. This was an open-label study in which 8 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis and 7 matched (based on age, gender, weight, and height) healthy controls were administered a single 10-mg oral dose of vorapaxar. Blood samples for vorapaxar PK and pharmacodynamic analysis were collected predose and at frequent intervals up to 6 weeks postdose. Mean vorapaxar bioavailability (based on area under the curve of plasma vorapaxar concentration over time) was identical in the two subject groups; the ESRD/healthy geometric mean ratio (GMR, expressed in percent) was 98. Mean maximum observed plasma concentration (77.4-98.2 ng/mL) was numerically lower in patients with ESRD compared with matched controls (GMR=76; 90% confidence interval=48 to 118). Median time of maximum observed plasma concentration was 2 h in both subject groups. The observed means for elimination half-life were 186 and 231 h in the ESRD and control groups, respectively. Inhibition of platelet aggregation was similar in the two groups. Four out of 15 (27%) subjects reported adverse events, all of which were characterized by the investigator as mild and unrelated to treatment. ESRD had no clinically relevant effect on the PK profile of vorapaxar or its ability to inhibit TRAP-induced platelet aggregation. |
Search This Blog
Yawning Equals Love in Relationships
Look over at your spouse or significant other. Give a big yawn. Did they yawn back? Did they take a while to yawn, or did they do it right away?
If they didn't yawn back or took several seconds, they may not love you anymore.
I may be overstating things, but according to a 2011 study by the University of Pisa, yawns are especially contagious when you're with close family members, such as your parents, siblings, or children. When they yawn, you yawn. When you yawn, they yawn.
(And did you yawn because I keep saying "yawn?" I've already yawned four times since I started this column. Also, if you did, it means you really like me.)
According to a story on the Mother News Network website, the researchers also found that yawning is less contagious when you're only with friends, and even less so among strangers. The closer your relationship is, the faster the yawn jumps from sender to receiver.
In other words, the longer it takes your significant other to yawn, the less likely he or she may still be in love with you. If they do it quickly, however, you're still golden, and he or she might even get you some ice cream if you ask nicely.
But, can you use yawning as sort of a love gauge, to tell whether someone was actually into you or not?
Why not? People are insecure and worry about this sort of thing all the time, which means they'll fall prey to unproven scientific theories found only in newspaper humor columns. But I've got real science backing me up.
In his new book, "The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons," science writer Sam Keen asked the question, what if you could tell whether someone was falling in love or out of love with you by measuring their yawn delay?
If the other person really likes you, says Keen, the delay will be shorter; if they like you less, the delay will be longer. And if you could graph out the results over a long period of time, you'd be able to tell whether your life partner still loved you, or was sick of your face.
It's a less sophisticated version of the old Love Tester game found at amusement parks.
It all has to do with empathy and the other person's feelings toward us. People tend to feel empathy toward the people they love, which could be the feelings the yawn tap into. We can even look to the canine world for another example of contagious yawning.
According to a 2012 study at the University of Porto in Portugal, dogs "catch" our yawns because they empathize with us. The researchers chose 29 dogs that had lived with their humans for at least six months, and they played audio recordings of yawns of their owners, a female stranger, and a computer simulation. They found that nearly half the dogs yawned when they heard a recording of a human yawn, but they yawned nearly five times more when it was their own human doing the yawning.
If your dog yawns when you do, it means he loves you. If your wife doesn't, it means you'd better buy her some flowers and take her out to dinner. Either that, or your dog just doesn't realize you're a selfish jerk who'd rather go out drinking with the guys instead of spending time with him.
Other studies have shown that people will yawn when they think about yawning — I'm up to seven so far — when they see attractive strangers do it, or in some cases, when they see pictures or sculptures of people yawning, or when they're about to have sex.
Of course, yawning before you're about to have sex may be why your spouse is no longer in love with you. (However scientists say yawning before sex is actually a good thing, because it's a sign of arousal, not boredom.)
But back to dogs and our significant others: if dogs yawn because they empathize and love us as owners, then this may also explain why our spouses don't yawn when we do — well, your spouse anyway; my wife still loves me. She even yawned when I asked her to read this.
The Mother Nature Network suggested — tongue-in-cheekily — that if you really wanted to see if someone was into you, take a stopwatch and start keeping track of the contagious yawns between you and your sweetie. If the delay grows after time, there's a problem. If it gets shorter, that's a good thing.
Of course, if you're the type of person who needs to measure another person's yawns just to see if they love you or not, you may have a whole other set of problems.
It is not, for the love of GOD, people, the Black Knight scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. I swear, if anyone says Monty Python is "dry humor" is going to get a smack.
Here are some other types of comedy you may have heard and are just tossing around, willy-nilly.
Farce: Exaggerated comedy. Characters in a farce get themselves in an unlikely or improbable situation that takes a lot of footwork and fast talking to get out of. The play "The Foreigner" is an example of a farce, as are many of the Jeeves &…
See, you're already doing it. I can't even say four words without you opening your mouth and well-actuallying all over everything.
What is wrong with you, Well Actually Guy? How did you become that one annoying guy on Facebook who responds to every opinion with "Well, actually. . ."
"Well, actually" you'll explain the punchlines of jokes.
"Well, actually," you'll argue about a single statistic in a news article for hours.
Well Actually Guy likes to point out when things are technically correct, even though those details are not important to the discussion. In fact, Well Actually Guy likes to throw in these minor technical corrections as a way to derail a story, or call an entire philosophical argument into question.
We should call it "wagging," or use the hashtag #WAG. As in, "Did you just #WAG me?"
Did you get that? It's an acronym. Web slang. It's how all the teens and young people are texting with their tweeters and Facer-books on their cellular doodads.
It stands for "The FBI has created an eighty-eight page Twitter slang dictionary."
See, you would have known that if you had the FBI's 88 page Twitter slang dictionary.
Eighty-eight pages! Of slang! AYFKMWTS?! (Are you f***ing kidding me with this s***?! That's actually how they spell it in the guide, asterisks and everything. You know, in case the gun-toting agents who catch mobsters and international terrorists get offended by salty language.)
I didn't even know there were 88 Twitter acronyms, let alone enough acronyms to fill 88 pieces of paper.
The FBI needs to be good at Twitter because they're reading everyone's tweets to see if anyone is planning any illegal activities. Because that's what terrorists do — plan their terroristic activities publicly, as if they were… |
[Antibiotic therapy in pregnancy].
Apart from pregnancy-related ascending and hematogenous infections, non-pregnancy-associated may be a potential thread for pregnant women as well as for their unborn children. Infections are one of the causes of abortion during the first trimester, whereas during second and third trimester, they represent the primary cause of preterm birth. Both pregnant women and their physicians may feel profoundly uncertain with regards to appropriate treatment. If antimicrobial agents are indicated, beta-lactam antibiotics are generally safe and effective. With respect to penicillins, an approximately 10 per cent maternal allergy rate should be taken into consideration, and first-generation cephalosporins may be a suitable alternative. Among the macrolide antibiotics, erythromycin should be preferred. Clindamycin, metronidazole, sulfonamides and chloramphenicol may be used as second-line agents, however, sulfonamides and chloramphenicol should be avoided during the prepartal period. Glycopeptide and aminoglycoside antibiotics should be reserved for life-threatening maternal infections refractory to other antibiotics. Tetracyclins may only be used before the 12 (th) week of gestation. Quinolones should be strictly avoided due to potential toxicity for the unborn children. |
Prodrug gene therapy (PGT) is a therapeutic strategy in which tumor cells are transfected with a 'suicide'gene that encodes a metabolic enzyme capable of converting a nontoxic prodrug into a potent cytotoxin. Several enzyme/prodrug combinations are under active investigation. This strategy is inherently limited by inefficient delivery of the gene to cancer cells (in effect, replacing the problem of drug delivery with the problem of gene delivery). To offset this significant issue, the pharmacokinetic properties of the enzyme (its stability, half-life and kinetic activity), the prodrug (its toxicity and metabolism) and combination of the two (their uniqueness to transfected cells) must be optimized for maximum therapeutic efficacy. In this project, three collaborating laboratories are engineering and optimizing two nucleoside salvage/synthesis enzymes for PGT: cytosine deaminase (CD) and deoxycytidine kinase (dCK). CD (a microbial enzyme) is being engineered to efficiently convert 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which is a metabolic inhibitor of DNA synthesis and RNA function. In contrast, dCK (a human enzyme) catalyzes the ?-phosphorylation of pyrimidine nucleosides, and is being engineered to efficiently activate pyrimidine analogues such as gemcitabine and decitabine. In both cases, the project follows a 'design cycle'of crystallographic structure determination, computational protein engineering, directed evolution and subsequent kinetic and structural analyses. The ability of the best enzyme variants to induce sensitivity to the prodrug is assayed in tumor cell lines, animal models and ongoing clinical trials. Our data from the previous funding cycle demonstrate that either the stability or the substrate-specific activity and specificity of a given enzyme/prodrug combination can be limiting for performance in prodrug therapy. Furthermore, either limitation can be overcome by design and selection of improved enzyme constructs. Based on suggestions from previous review of this renewal application, we now describe a set of revised specific aims for this project as follows: (1) We will determine whether optimization of yCD or bCD leads to significant therapeutic efficacy gains via recognizable mechanisms of increased enzyme expression and/or drug production in tumor cells. (2) We will create a new enzyme/prodrug combination (dCK and decitabine, which is a potent cytoxin but is both unstable and inefficiently phosphorylated by dCK). We will compare the results of enzyme redesign for enhanced activity against decitabine to parallel experiments with gemcitabine (which, in contrast, is an efficient substrate for dCK). In addition to adding a new enzyme/prodrug combination to the PGT arsenal, these experiments will examine limitations on an enzyme's performance in PGT that are substrate-dependent. Our hypothesis is that decitabine should ultimately couple with engineered enzyme variants to yield improvements in the performance of dCK, due to the lack of this activity in non-cancerous tissues. |
Q:
При парсинге url, используя jsoup, получаются идентичные результаты
Пытаюсь посчитать все внешние ссылки на каждой странице веб-сайта, используя jsoup.
Уже почти норм, только ссылку "/docs/resume_rus.doc" считало как внешнюю ссылку, что не так. Тогда я использовал String absUrl = link.attr("abs:href") вместо "href" для извлечения абсолютной ссылки. Считает, что нужно и как нужно. Но бок в том, что появляются идентичные ссылки, но со знаком # в конце. Не могу вообще понять, откуда они.
Вот главный метод, в котором происходит процесс сохранения в ArrayList-ы всех внутренних ссылок (ссылки того же домена страницы) в allInnerLinks и внешних ссылок в allExternalLinks:
public void go() {
Document doc;
baseUrl = CountLinks.result3;
try {
// need http protocol
doc = Jsoup
.connect(url)
.userAgent(
"Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; Win64; x64; rv:25.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/25.0")
.referrer("http://www.google.com").timeout(1000 * 5)
.ignoreContentType(true).get();
// get page title
String title = doc.title();
// get all links
Elements links = doc.select("a[href]");
for (Element link : links) {
// !!!
// String absUrl = link.absUrl("href");
String absUrl = link.attr("abs:href");
if (absUrl.contains(baseUrl)
&& !(absUrl.contains("mailto"))) {
allInnerLinks.add(absUrl);
allInnerLinksCounter++;
} else {
allExternalLinks.add(absUrl);
allExternalLinksCounter++;
}
}
} catch (NullPointerException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace();
} catch (HttpStatusException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
System.out.println(e.getUrl());
} catch (IOException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
Результат получается где-то такой :
http://website.com/category/news/ - https://meetings.external.com/
http://website.com/category/news/# - https://meetings.external.com/
Что я делаю не так?
A:
Потому что jsoup к ссылкам вида <a href="#" /> добавляет абсолютный адрес.
Такие ссылки, как правило, ссылаются на какой-либо элемент страницы, поэтому их можно просто исключить:
String absUrl = link.absUrl("href");
if (absUrl.startsWith("#"))
continue;
|
Earlier this month, New American Heritage Dictionary received perhaps a larger-than-expected backlash against one of their latest additions to the dictionary: the term “anchor baby.” This addition lent legitimacy to a word reviled by the pro-immigrant community because of its use in vitriolic attacks on immigrants, particularly because the original version of the new dictionary definition failed to indicate that the term is degrading and offensive. Adding insult to injury, the dictionary’s executive director indicated that the definition, as written, was in keeping with the practice of neutral and objective dictionary definitions.
Of course, pro-immigrant groups and individuals know that there is nothing neutral or objective about slurs and hate speech and that the “anchor baby” term is one of the most recent additions to the American hate lexicon. So after education and outreach by allies and supporters of immigrants—as well as shows of opinion by the public—New American Heritage Dictionary has modified the “anchor baby” definition to reflect its anti-immigrant grounding:
Anchor baby: Offensive Used as a disparaging term fora child born to a noncitizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil, especially when the child’s birthplace is thought to have been chosen in order to improve the mother’s or other relatives’ chances of securing eventual citizenship.
The new definition isn’t quite as easy to read as the old one, but I think that its somewhat convoluted structure mirrors perfectly the arguments put forth by proponents of the “anchor baby” myth.
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, a steering committee member of the National Coalition for Immigrant Women’s Rights, is committed to working on behalf of the rights of immigrant women. For more resources and information about our work, check out: http://nciwr.wordpress.com/. |
576 F.3d 1246 (2009)
Gilbert P. HYATT, Plaintiff-Appellant,
v.
John J. DOLL, Acting Director, Patent and Trademark Office, Defendant-Appellee.
No. 2007-1066.
United States Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit.
August 11, 2009.
*1247 Kenneth C. Bass, III, Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C., of Washington, DC, argued for plaintiff-appellant. On the brief were Wilma A. Lewis and Michael I. Coe, Crowell & Moring LLP, of Washington, DC. Of counsel on the brief was Gregory L. Roth, Law Offices of Gregory L. Roth, of La Palma, CA. Of counsel was Michael L. Martinez, Crowell & Moring LLP, of Washington, DC, and J. Robert Chambers, Wood Herron & Evans, LLP, of Cincinnati, OH.
William G. Jenks, Associate Solicitor, Office of the Solicitor, United States Patent and Trademark Office, of Arlington, VA, argued for defendant-appellee. With him on the brief was Robert J. McManus, Associate Solicitor. Of counsel was Raymond T. Chen, Acting Solicitor, and Thomas W. Krause, Associate Solicitor.
Before MICHEL, Chief Judge, DYK and MOORE, Circuit Judges.
Opinion for the court filed by Chief Judge MICHEL. Dissenting opinion filed by Circuit Judge MOORE.
MICHEL, Chief Judge.
Plaintiff-Appellant Gilbert P. Hyatt appeals from the grant of summary judgment in favor of Jon Dudas, in his official capacity as the Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office ("PTO"),[1] sustaining the decision of the *1248 Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences ("Board") to uphold the examiner's rejection of 79 of the 117 claims of Hyatt's U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 08/471,702 ("the '702 application") as not supported by adequate written description. The appeal was argued on April 7, 2008. It is clear from the record that under our caselaw Hyatt had an affirmative and specific duty to disclose to the PTO the evidence excluded by the district court, and was so notified by the PTO, but willfully refused to cooperate in the examination process. On the facts of this case, we uphold the district court's exclusion of Hyatt's evidence. We therefore hold that the district court correctly granted summary judgment sustaining the Board decision because Hyatt offered no other evidence and the Board's decision was based on findings of fact and factual conclusions, all of which are supported by substantial evidence, and thus we affirm.
I.
A. Proceedings Before the Examiner
Hyatt is the sole listed inventor on the '702 application. Hyatt has been registered as a patent agent since 1975 and prosecuted the application wholly on his own.[2]
The '702 application relates to computer and software technology and is entitled "Improved Memory Architecture Having a Multiple Buffer Output Arrangement." Hyatt filed the '702 application on June 6, 1995. J.A. 10001. The '702 application is a continuation or continuation-in-part of several earlier applications, some of which were themselves continuations or continuations-in-part. J.A. 10004. When first filed, the '702 application claimed priority back to 1984; Hyatt later amended the application to claim priority back to 1975. J.A. 10756-57.
The '702 application as originally filed had 15 claims, a 238-page specification, and 40 pages of drawings. J.A. XXXXX-XXX. It also incorporated by reference multiple publications (such as the "Texas Instruments, ALS/AS Logic Circuits Data Book, 1983"), J.A. 10173-74, and a "disclosure document ha[ving] copies of many of" a list of referenced documents; on the list were manuals and specification sheets of products such as the "Viewpoint/3A Plus" and the "Siemens OEM Floppy Disk Drive FDD 100-8". J.A. 10239-40. After several rounds of amendments to the specification and the claims, Hyatt ultimately cancelled all 15 original claims and added 117 new claims. J.A. 4. New claim 107 is not atypical:
A process of operating a memory system comprising the acts of:
generating input image information;
storing a two dimensional array of blocks of pixel image information by a two dimensional pixel block memory, the two dimensional array of blocks of pixel image information arranged in a two dimensional array of rows and columns of blocks of pixel image information, *1249 wherein the blocks of pixel image information have boundaries there between;
generating write addresses and generating read addresses;
writing the two dimensional array of blocks of pixel image information into the two dimensional pixel block memory in response to the input image information and in response to the write addresses;
generating a first clock signal having a first clock rate;
accessing blocks of pixel image information in response to the read addresses, wherein the accessing of blocks of pixel image information from the two dimensional pixel block memory is at a first information rate in response to the first clock signal;
generating block boundary smoothing information to smooth the pixel image information at boundaries between blocks of pixel image information;
storing weight information by a weight memory;
generating accessed weight information by accessing the weight information stored by the weight memory;
generating smoothed weighted image information by weighting the pixel image information contained in the accessed blocks of pixel image information in response to the accessed weight information and in response to the block boundary smoothing information;
generating a second clock signal having a second clock rate that is different than the first clock rate of the first clock signal; and
generating output smoothed weighted image information in response to the smoothed weighted image information, wherein the generation of the output smoothed weighted image information is at a different information rate than the first information rate in response to the second clock signal.
J.A. 10472-73.
In a January 7, 1997 office action, the examiner described Hyatt's final amendment as incomplete, stating:
Applicant also has failed to point out where in the specification support may be found for the amended and added claims. MPEP 714.02 states "Applicant should also specifically point out the support for any amendments made to the disclosure." The disclosure includes the claims.
Since the response appears to be bona fide, but through an apparent oversight or inadvertence failed to provide a complete response, applicant is required to complete the response within a TIME LIMIT of ONE MONTH from the date of this letter or within the time remaining in the response period of the last Office action, whichever is longer.
J.A. 10493. Hyatt responded a month later with further amendments to the specification and drawings J.A. XXXXX-XXX. and the following indication of where support for the 117 new claims and amendments to the specification could be found:
Representative antecedent basis includes page 23:2-19 for data compression; page 50:6-9 for the frame buffer; the section entitled "LOGIC BOARD" "Address Generators" at pages 117-127 for the address generator; the section entitled "MEMORY ARCHITECTURE" at pages 25-62 and the section entitled "MEMORY BOARDS" at pages 128-135 for the block memory having accessing, writing, and processing circuits; the section entitled "GRAPHICS PROCESSOR" at pages 9-14, the program listing at pages 214-30, and pages 29-31, 41, 42, 45, and 50 for the vector generator and processor; the section entitled "SPATIAL FILTERING" at *1250 pages 15-24 and the program listing at pages 231-236 for the spatial processor; and pages 33:15-24:11 for the transform processor.
The Examiner is further referred to the Table of Contents (see the Preliminary Amendments) for additional antecedent basis.
J.A. 10504-05.
In October 1997, the examiner issued a final office action rejecting all 117 of Hyatt's claims for lack of adequate written description, lack of enablement, double patenting, anticipation, or obviousness. J.A. 10634-64. The examiner rejected groups of claims for lack of written description and enablement based on the following thirteen limitations and groups of limitations:
"a data decompressed video image input circuit generating data decompressed image information"
"a writing circuit and an accessing circuit for writing and reading a block of video pixel image data into the block memory" and "the process of writing and reading a block of video pixel image data into the block memory"
"a vector processor responsive to an accessed block of video pixel image information and to vector information"
"a processor responsive to an accessed block of video pixel image information"
"a spatial processor responsive to an accessed block of video pixel image information and to vector information and generating data compressed video"
"a frequency domain processor," "generating frequency domain image information," and "frequency domain information"
"a block processor responsive to an accessed block of pixel image information and to vector information"
"[a]n input weight circuit generating input weight information," "an address generator which will generate weight addresses," "an address generator which will apply the weight addresses to the inputs of RAMS U5E and U6E at the same time the intensity bits are being applied to RAMS U3E and U4E," and "an address generator which will generate weight addresses for selecting weight values from the weight table to perform the desired weighting function at the spatial filter" (collectively, "the `weight' limitations")
"block boundary smoothing"
"that the memory system is a video image data compression system"
"a quantization weighting processor"
"generating data compressed video image information"
"the act of making a product in response to image information"
J.A. 10638-56. In some of his written description rejections, the examiner indicated the closest match he could find between the claim language and the disclosure of the specification. For example, the examiner stated "Claims 1-14, 17-20, 22-25, 34-37, 42-45, 49-52, 81-85, 95-112, 117, and 188 claim a writing circuit and an accessing circuit for writing and reading a block of video pixel image data into the block memory. These claims cover simultaneous writing and reading of a block of graphic image data.... The specification describes a sequential write to and read from the block memory." J.A. 10641. For the majority of the written description rejections, however, the examiner merely stated a claim limitationsuch as "a quantization weighting processor," "a video image data compression system," and "a spatial processor responsive to an accessed block of video pixel image information and to vector information and generating data compressed video"was "not enabled" or "not described in the specification." See, e.g., A10645, 10652-53.
*1251 B. Proceedings Before the Board
In September 1998, Hyattcontinuing to represent himselfappealed the examiner's final rejection to the Board. J.A. 10936. Hyatt's brief presented such arguments as "The '112-1 rejections are prima facie erroneous because the disclosure is presumptively valid and correct," J.A. 10824, "The disclosure is significant ..., comprising over 200 pages of description with detailed schematic diagrams showing actual commercially available electrical components in well known schematic symbol form and even showing component pin designations and wire connections," J.A. 10827, and "With the extensive memory disclosure (e.g., Spec. at 99-135) and processor disclosure (e.g., Spec. at 87-98, 214-36) in the instant application, it is unbelievable that the Examiner would object to the disclosure of memory and processor features," J.A. 10831. In addition, he included a document entitled "Table-1" (reproduced below), which he had not provided to the examiner, purporting to give examples of support:
TABLE-1
REPRESENTATIVE REPRESENTATIVE
TERMINOLOGY NOTES22 OCCURRENCES CITES PAGE(S)
access A >100 25-83, 128-164
address A >500 25-83, 128-164
block A >80 25-83, 128-164
boundary =3 14, 41
compress =4 23
data compressed =1 23
decompressed =1 23
frequency (FFT) C =7 33-34
graphic D >20 9-14, 214-230
image >50 50-55
information >100 THROUGHOUT
input >200 THROUGHOUT
memory A >400 25-83, 128-164
pixel >300 THROUGHOUT
processor >50 85-98
quantization E >100 231-236
read A >50 25-83, 128-164
simultaneous >8 36, 45, 46, 50
smoothing =1 232
spatial B >20 15-24, 231-236
vector D >50 9-14, 214-230
video =8 77, 166, 168-171
weight F >100 162-164
write A >100 25-83, 128-164
J.A. 10832-34. In accompanying notes, Hyatt asserted that certain broad categories of "terminology" were disclosed in certain textual sections of the specification and in raw source code appearing in the specification. J.A. 10833-34. For example, in note "A" (associated with the terms "access," "address," "block," "memory," "read," and "write"), Hyatt stated that
Memory terminology; including memory access, memory read, memory write, and memory block terminology; is disclosed, for example, in two whole sections entitled "MEMORY ARCHITECTURE" and "MEMORY BOARDS" (Spec. at 25-62 and 128-35 and Figs. 6E-6N) and in two additional whole sections entitled "BUFFER MEMORY" *1252 and "BUFFER BOARD" (Spec. at 63-83 and 136-58 and Figs. 6W-6AF).
J.A. 10833. Although Hyatt presented thirty-six pages of general argument that the written description and enablement rejections should be reversed, J.A. 10823-58, Hyatt did not separately addressand did not indicate where in the specification support could be found forany of the claim limitations the examiner determined lacked support, except for the limitation "making a product," J.A. 10836-40, and the group of "weight" limitations. J.A. 10835. Hyatt made general statements that Table-1 and the table of contents of his specification indicated that support for the relevant limitations existed in his specification. J.A. 10827, 10831. Hyatt also argued that lists of twenty-nine publications had been incorporated by reference into the specification and provided enabling disclosure. J.A. 10848-51. Aside from the "making a product" and the "weight" limitations, Hyatt did not correlate Table-1, his table of contents, or any of the incorporated-by-reference publications with particular limitations.
Although reversing some of the examiner's written description and enablement rejections, the Board sustained the written description and enablement rejections for seventy-nine claims in a July 2002 decision. J.A. 11638. The Board addressed each of the claim limitations relied on by the examiner. The Board rejected Table-1 as unhelpful in identifying written description support:
We agree with the examiner that merely pointing to isolated words scattered throughout the specification does not describe the invention claimed as a combination of elements, functions, and interconnections, anymore than a dictionary provides written description support for a book where words are used in combination to provide a certain meaning.
J.A. 11594. The Board even considered Table-1 "misleading" in that it indicated that the word "quantization" appeared in the specification, while the specification actually contained the "%" symbol and the arithmetic functions "FIX(exp)" and "INT(exp)." J.A. 11617.
The Board nevertheless reversed the examiner's rejections of thirty-eight of the claims. J.A. 11638. The Board reviewed the entire specification, looking for support for each of the claim limitations at issue and found support for three of the limitations (such as one for "a data decompressed video image input circuit generating data decompressed video image information"). See, e.g., J.A. XXXXX-XXX. The Board also reversed one rejection because it was based on language not appearing in the claims (the "weight" limitations). J.A. 11602-03. For the other eight groups of claim limitations at issue, however, the Board agreed with the examiner that these limitations (such as "generating two dimensional processed image information in response to the accessed blocks of pixel image information and in response to the two dimensional vector information") were not supported by adequate written description, and explained its reasoning in detail. See, e.g., J.A. 11604-06. The Board also reversed the rejections on the grounds of obviousness, anticipation, and double patenting, which are not at issue in this appeal. J.A. 11638.
Hyatt filed a request for rehearing with the Board on September 30, 2002. J.A. 11642. In the brief supporting his request, he provided extensive new arguments and citations to the specification purportedly detailing where disputed limitations of each still-rejected claim derive written description support and are enabled. J.A. XXXXX-XXX. The Board denied his request for rehearing, holding that these new arguments and citations could and should have been presented during the original appeal briefing. J.A. 11805-07.
*1253 C. The § 145 Action
On April 16, 2003, Hyatt, now acting through counsel, filed a district court action under 35 U.S.C. § 145 against the Director. The Director filed a motion for summary judgment, arguing principally that the Board's decision to reject all of the relevant claims of the '702 application for lack of written description and enablement was supported by substantial evidence. Hyatt opposed the motion, proffering his own declaration as well as his briefing from his request for rehearing before the Board (collectively, "Hyatt declaration") as purported evidence supporting his opposition and precluding summary judgment in favor of the Director. The Director objected to the Hyatt declaration on the ground that Hyatt failed to timely submit it before the Board. Hyatt v. Dudas, 2005 WL 5569663, at **4, 6 n. 11 (D.D.C. Sept. 30, 2005) ("Hyatt II"). Hyatt submitted no other evidence.
The district court excluded the Hyatt declaration because it found Hyatt had been "negligent" in failing to submit it to the PTO during examination or in a timely manner to the Board on appeal. Id. at *4-7. The district court then proceeded to analyze the record before the Board and concluded that the Board's decision to uphold the written description rejections was supported by substantial evidence. Id. at *7-10. As the court found that no genuine issues of material fact had been raised, it granted summary judgment to the Director that Hyatt's claims were invalid for failure to meet the written description requirement (and considered the enablement issue moot). Id. at *10. The district court denied Hyatt's subsequent motion for reconsideration. Hyatt v. Dudas, 2006 WL 4606037 (D.D.C. Sept.30, 2006).
Hyatt then timely appealed the district court's judgment to this court. We stayed this appeal pending the decision in a related appeal, Hyatt v. Dudas, 492 F.3d 1365 (Fed.Cir.2007) ("Hyatt I"). We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1295(a)(4)(C).
II.
The central issue in this appeal is whether the district court properly excluded the Hyatt declaration. The parties argue whether, in light of over a century of precedent and practice involving trial court actions to overturn Patent Office decisions, the district court properly excluded Hyatt's declaration. The parties are correct that this court has never squarely addressed the issue of exactly what standard governs district courts in ruling on the admissibility of evidence withheld during examination in the PTO. Hyatt argues that a plaintiff in a § 145 action is "`entitled' to submit additional evidence" subject to no limitations other than those imposed by the Federal Rules of Evidence. [Blue br. at 11-12]. The Director counters that Congress could not have intended district courts in § 145 actions to disregard the proceedings before the PTO altogether. The Director urges that § 145 actions are at least partly a form of appeal of PTO decisions, and that evidence not submitted to the PTO through the negligence, or at least the gross negligence, of the applicant is properly excluded in a § 145 action.
Section 145 is silent regarding what evidenceor whether any new evidencecan be admitted in such an action. Nor does the statute expressly indicate what, if any, deference the district court must give to the findings of the Board, or our court to the rulings of the district court. As background, we will trace the origins of § 145[3] and summarize the historical practice of *1254 excluding certain evidence an applicant did not present to the Patent Office. We will also discuss one issue the parties did not, the Administrative Procedure Act ("APA").
A.
1.
Shortly after the founding of the United States, Congress, pursuant to its constitutional power to "promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts," U.S. Const. art. I, § 8, cl. 8, passed its first patent act. Act of Apr. 10, 1790, ch. 7, 1 Stat. 109-12. Under this statute, a majority of "the Secretary of State, the Secretary for the department of war, and the Attorney General" had the power to allow a patent application. Id. § 1. Congress did not provide for judicial review of the decision to reject a patent application. Three years later, Congress abolished the examination of patents, and for the next three decades, the United States operated under a regime of patent registration. See Act of Feb. 21, 1793, ch. 1, § 1, 1 Stat. 318; P.J. Federico, Evolution of Patent Office Appeals (pts. 1 & 2), 22 J. Pat. Off. Soc'y 838 (1940), 22 J. Pat. Off. Soc'y 920 (1940), at 838.
In 1836, Congress created the Patent Office and the post of Commissioner of Patents. Act of July 4, 1836, ch. 357, § 1, 5 Stat. 117. The Commissioner and his staff of seven were responsible for determining if patent applications disclosed sufficiently useful, important, and novel alleged inventions to warrant a patent. See id. §§ 2, 7. An applicant dissatisfied with the Commissioner's decision could appeal to a "board of examiners" appointed by the Secretary of State; at least one board member was "to be selected, if practicable and convenient, for his knowledge and skill in the particular art, manufacture, or branch of science to which the alleged invention appertains." Id. § 7. Congress also created a process whereby an applicant could challenge the decision of the board of examiners in court, although this was limited to situations involving overlap between patents or between a patent and a patent application:
[W]henever there shall be two interfering patents, or whenever a patent on application shall have been refused on an adverse decision of a board of examiners, on the ground that the patent applied for would interfere with an unexpired patent previously granted, any person interested in any such patent, either by assignment or otherwise, in the one case, and any such applicant in the other case, may have remedy by bill in equity; and the court having cognizance thereof, on notice to adverse parties and other due proceedings had, may adjudge and declare either the patents void in the whole or in part, or inoperative and invalid in any particular part or portion of the United States, according to the interest which the parties to such suit may possess in the patent or the inventions patented, and may also adjudge that such applicant is entitled, according to the principles and provisions of this act, to have and receive a patent for his invention, as specified in his claim, or for any part thereof, as the fact of priority of right or invention shall in any such case be made to appear. And such adjudication, if it be in favor of the right of such applicant, shall authorize the Commissioner to issue such patent, on his filing a copy of the adjudication, and otherwise complying with the requisitions of this act. Provided, however, That no such judgment or adjudication shall affect the rights of any person except the parties to the action and those deriving title from or under them subsequent to the rendition of such judgment.
Id. § 17 (emphasis added and removed). Congress additionally provided for federal *1255 jurisdiction over such actions with no restrictions on venue: "[A]ll actions, suits, controversies, and cases arising under any law of the United States, granting or confirming to inventors the exclusive right to their inventions or discoveries, shall be originally cognizable, as well in equity as at law, by the circuit courts of the United States, or any district court having the powers and jurisdiction of a circuit court." Id. § 18.
Over the next several decades, minor changes were made to the process of contesting an adverse decision of the Commissioner. In 1839, Congress specified that instead of to a board of examiners, appeals from a decision of the Commissioner would be taken "to the chief justice of the district court of the United States for the District of Columbia." Act of Mar. 3, 1839, ch. 88, § 11, 5 Stat 355. Several years later, Congress instead directed appeals to any one of the judges of "the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia."[4] Act of Aug. 30, 1852, ch. 107, § 1, 10 Stat. 75. During the Civil War, Congress abolished the District of Columbia district and circuit courts and assigned all their functions to the newly-created "supreme court for the District of Columbia." Act of Mar. 3, 1863, ch. 91, §§ 1, 3, 12 Stat 762-63. None of these changes affected the procedure of the 1836 act for a bill in equity, which remained available after some court of the District of Columbia had reviewed the Commissioner's decision. See Potter v. Dixon, 19 F. Cas. 1145, 1146 (C.C.S.D.N.Y.1863) (No. 11,325).
Congress substantially revised the patent laws in 1870. See Act of July 8, 1870, ch. 230, 16 Stat. 198-217. Primary responsibility for examining an application was vested in a "primary examiner;" Congress also authorized a single "examiner in charge of interferences." Id. §§ 4, 46. The decision of either could be appealed "to the board of examiners-in-chief," and from there to the Commissioner.[5]Id. §§ 46-47. Further appeal could be taken "to the supreme court of the District of Columbia, sitting in banc;" the appeal was to be decided "on the evidence produced before the commissioner." Id. §§ 48-50. The decision of the District of Columbia supreme court could be challenged via a bill in equity:
[W]henever a patent on application is refused, for any reason whatever, either by the commissioner or by the supreme court of the District of Columbia upon appeal from the commissioner, the applicant may have remedy by bill in equity; and the court having cognizance thereof, on notice to adverse parties and other due proceedings had, may adjudge that such applicant is entitled, according to law, to receive a patent for his invention, as specified in his claim, or for any part thereof, as the facts in the case may appear. And such adjudication, if it be in favor of the right of the applicant, shall authorize the commissioner to issue such patent, on the applicant filing in the patent office a copy of the adjudication, and otherwise complying with the requisitions of law. And in all cases where there is no opposing party a copy of the bill shall be served on the commissioner, and all the expenses of the proceeding shall be paid by the applicant, whether the final decision is in his favor or not.
Id. § 52 (later codified as R.S. § 4915) (emphasis added).[6] Unlike the procedure *1256 the 1836 act, the 1870 act allowed a bill in equity for any refusal to allow a patent application, not just a refusal based on an interfering patent.[7]
In 1893, Congress created "the court of appeals of the District of Columbia," which had general appellate supervision of the supreme court of the District of Columbia. Act of Feb. 9, 1893, ch. 74, §§ 1, 7, 27 Stat. 434-35. To this new court were also assigned appeals from decisions of the Commissioner. Id. § 9. While appeals from "final judgments" of the court of appeals of the District of Columbia could be taken to the Supreme Court, id. § 8, the Supreme Court held that it lacked jurisdiction to review a decision of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia affirming the Commissioner's rejection of an application because "the decision of that court may be challenged generally and a refusal of patent may be reviewed and contested by bill as provided" for by Revised Statutes § 4915. Frasch v. Moore, 211 U.S. 1, 9, 29 S.Ct. 6, 53 L.Ed. 65 (1908).
Although this created an appellate path from the Patent Office that may seem highly unusual to us today, such a path was used. See Uihlein v. Gen. Elec. Co., 47 F.2d 997, 998 (7th Cir.1931) (appeal from examiner of interferences, to board of examiners-in-chief, to Commissioner, to D.C.Cir., to E.D. Wis., to 7th Cir.); Courson v. O'Connor, 227 F. 890, 890, 892 (7th Cir.1915) (appeal from examiner of interferences, to board of examiners-in-chief, to Commissioner, to D.C.Cir., to N.D. Ill., to 7th Cir.). It also seemed unusual to many at the time; in Congressional hearings and reports leading up to the 1927 amendments to the Patent Act, the fact that in no other area of law were "five appeals" possible was often mentioned. See, e.g., Procedure in the Patent Office: Hearing on H.R. 7563 and H.R. 13487 before the H. Comm. on Pats. ("H.R. 7563 Hearing"), 69th Cong. 8 (Dec. 10, 1926) (statement of A.C. Paul, Chairman of Legislation Comm., Pat. Section, of the Am. Bar Ass'n); Procedure in the Patent Office: Hearing on S. 4812 before the S. Comm. on Pats. ("S. 4812 Hearing"), 69th Cong. 8 (Dec. 20, 1926) (statement of Thomas E. Robertson, Comm'r of Pats.); H.R.Rep. No. 69-1889, at 1, 2, 7 (Jan. 28, 1927).[8]
In 1927, Congress significantly altered the process of reviewing rejections. A substantial motivation for doing so was the unusual and lengthy process involving "five appeals" for patent applicants. See id. To streamline the appeal process, various groups suggested eliminating the bill in equity or the direct appeal from the Patent Office; Congress settled on retaining both *1257 procedures but forcing applicants to elect one or the other. Hoover Co. v. Coe, 325 U.S. 79, 83, 65 S.Ct. 955, 89 L.Ed. 1488 (1945); S. 4812 Hearing at 10 (Paul). Defenders of the bill in equity primarily argued for it by pointing out that it was the only method for supporting a patent application with live testimony. See, e.g., H.R. 7563 Hearing at 11, 15 (Robertson); S. 4812 Hearing at 15 (statement of Edward S. Rogers). Congress additionally simplified the appeal process by combining the two appeals within the Patent Office (to the board of examiners-in-chief and then to the Commissioner) into one (to a three-member "board of appeals" constituted from "the Commissioner of Patents, the first assistant commissioner, the assistant commissioner, and the examiners in chief"). Act of Mar. 2, 1927, ch. 273, §§ 3-9, 44 Stat. 1335-36.
Because of a backlog in the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, in 1929, Congress renamed the "Court of Customs Appeals" the "Court of Customs and Patent Appeals," and redirected appeals from the Patent Office to the renamed court. Act of Mar. 2, 1929, ch. 488, 23 Stat. 1475-76; S. 4812 Hearing at 25-27 (statement of Karl Fenning, Chairman, Comm. on Laws & Rules of the Am. Pat. Law Ass'n).[9]
Congress significantly reworked the Patent Act in 1952. Revised Statutes § 4915 was bifurcated into separate provisions: 35 U.S.C. § 145 for ex parte proceedings, and 35 U.S.C. § 146 for interference proceedings. Congress made clear that this was not meant to change the substantive application of Revised Statutes § 4915. See S.Rep. No. 82-1979 (1952), as reprinted in 1952 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2394, 2400. ("This group of sections makes no fundamental change in the various appeals and other review of Patent Office action, but has made a few changes in the procedure in various instances to correct some of the problems which have arisen, particularly in section 146. These details are mainly procedural."). Subsequent changes to § 145 have been mainly cosmetic; § 145 currently reads (much as it did in 1952):
An applicant dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences in an appeal under [35 U.S.C. § 134(a)] may, unless appeal has been taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit [under 35 U.S.C. § 141], have remedy by civil action against the Director in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia if commenced within such time after such decision, not less than sixty days, as the Director appoints. The court may adjudge that such applicant is entitled to receive a patent for his invention, as specified in any of his claims involved in the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, as the facts in the case may appear and such adjudication shall authorize the Director to issue such patent on compliance with the requirements of law. All the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid by the applicant.
2.
Under Revised Statutes § 4915 as it existed from 1927 to 1952, differences existed between the procedure for bills in equity based on ex parte proceedings and those based on interferences; as enacted in 1927, the last three sentences read:
In all cases where there is no opposing party a copy of the bill shall be served on the commissioner; and all the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid *1258 by the applicant, whether the final decision is in his favor or not. In all suits brought hereunder where there are adverse parties the record in the Patent Office shall be admitted in whole or in part, on motion of either party, subject to such terms and conditions as to costs, expenses, and further cross-examination of the witnesses as the court may impose, without prejudice, however, to the right of the parties to take further testimony. The testimony and exhibits, or parts thereof, of the record in the Patent Office when admitted shall have the same force and effect as if originally taken and produced in the suit.
(emphasis added). The first of these sentences is the basis for the last sentence of the current version of § 145: "All the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid by the applicant." The last two sentences of Revised Statutes § 4915 appear in revised form in the current version of § 146:
In such suits the record in the Patent and Trademark Office shall be admitted on motion of either party upon the terms and conditions as to costs, expenses, and the further cross-examination of the witnesses as the court imposes, without prejudice to the right of the parties to take further testimony. The testimony and exhibits of the record in the Patent and Trademark Office when admitted shall have the same effect as if originally taken and produced in the suit.
(emphasis added). Congress added these last two sentences to Revised Statutes § 4915 in 1927 to eliminate an inefficient practice that had previously been required in interferences. As the Third Circuit explained, under Revised States § 4915 prior to the 1927 amendment,
the evidence given in the interference proceedings could be introduced only as secondary evidence, after proper foundation laid. The competency of such evidence had to be determined according to the principles of equity jurisprudence. In other words, the witnesses who had testified in the interference proceedings had to testify anew in the suit in the district court. If they did not so testify their absence had to be accounted for in the usual way if the testimony taken in the interference was to be received as secondary evidence. The [1927] amendment was passed to avoid this arduous and expensive means of reproducing the evidence of the interference proceedings in the suit.
Gen. Talking Pictures Corp. v. Am. Tri-Ergon Corp., 96 F.2d 800, 812 (3d Cir. 1938).
To the extent that pre-1927 interferences cases could be read to support a de novo review standard, these cases are based on the prior practice of affording the Patent Office record little weight. For example, in Ex parte Squire (which was cited in Hoe, 112 U.S. at 61, 5 S.Ct. 25) the court explained that "[t]he evidence before the commissioner is not evidence here, except by consent of parties. It is taken, generally, without much regard to formality, and is ex parte, and, even if permitted to be used here, not entitled to the credit of proof taken in the usual way." 22 F.Cas. at 1016-17. In amending Revised Statutes § 4915 in 1927, Congress clearly rejected this approach.
Because both § 145 and § 146 are derived from Revised Statutes § 4915, and we have previously described them as "parallel provisions," Winner Int'l Royalty Corp. v. Wang, 202 F.3d 1340, 1345 (Fed. Cir.2000), our precedent from § 146 cases can be used for guidance in interpreting § 145. We have noted that while § 146 prescribes a method for introducing the PTO record in a § 146 action, "section 145 is completely silent about evidence." Winner, 202 F.3d at 1345.
*1259 However, as explained in General Talking Pictures, Congress provided in § 146 this method of admitting the Patent Office record and required that it "shall have the same effect as if originally taken and produced in the suit" to overcome a specific problem that existed only in bills in equity based on interferences, not those based on ex parte prosecution. The absence of similar language in § 145 does not suggest that the PTO record should be given less weight in a § 145 action. But see Fregeau v. Mossinghoff, 776 F.2d 1034, 1041-42 (Fed.Cir.1985) (Newman, J., concurring in part) (asserting § 145's silence about evidence means that § 145 proceedings should be conducted without regard to PTO record). Indeed, as we discuss below, it was well established by the Supreme Court that review of agency decisions was generally on the agency record. It should also be kept in mind that there are differences between ex parte prosecution and interference practice before the PTO, such as that live testimony may in certain circumstances be taken in interferences but not ex parte prosecution, see Trial Division of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences Standing Order at 1, http://www.uspto.gov/go/dcom/bpai/ Standing-Order.pdf; Ginter v. Benson, 81 U.S.P.Q.2d 1342, 1349 (B.P.A.I.2005).
3.
While the Federal Circuit has not delineated a standard under which evidence may be excluded in § 145 actions,[10] various other courts have. Issues specific to § 145 actions are a matter of Federal Circuit, rather than regional circuit, law. Titanium Metals Corp. of Am. v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775, 779 (Fed.Cir.1985). So far, we have left open the extent to which we should adopt the § 145 precedents from other circuits. Id. We thus undertake a review of past decisions of other courts.
Under the pre-1927 version of the statute, the Supreme Court made clear that a bill in equity under Revised Statutes § 4915 was not independent of proceedings in the Patent Office. Instead, the Court described this bill in equity as
something more than a mere appeal. It is an application to the court to set aside the action of one of the executive departments of the government. The one charged with the administration of the patent system had finished its investigations and made its determination with respect to the question of priority of invention. That determination gave to the defendant the exclusive rights of a patentee. A new proceedings is instituted in the courts,a proceeding to set aside the conclusions reached by the administrative department, and to give to the plaintiff the rights there awarded to the defendant. It is something in the nature of a suit to set aside a judgment, and, as such, is not to be sustained by a mere preponderance of evidence.
Morgan v. Daniels, 153 U.S. 120, 124, 14 S.Ct. 772, 38 L.Ed. 657 (1894) (emphasis added). Although dealing with the burden of proof and not admissibility of evidence, Morgan makes clear that the proceedings before the Patent Office could not be disregarded in court proceedings. The Supreme Court had also explained that under Revised Statutes § 4915, an applicant could file a
*1260 bill in equity. This mean[t] a proceeding in a court of the United States having original equity jurisdiction under the patent laws, according to the ordinary course of equity practice and procedure. It [wa]s not a technical appeal from the patent-office, like that authorized in section 4911, confined to the case as made in the record of that office, but [wa]s prepared and heard upon all competent evidence adduced, and upon the whole merits.
Butterworth v. United States ex rel Hoe, 112 U.S. 50, 61, 5 S.Ct. 25, 28 L.Ed. 656 (1884);[11]see also Hoover Co. v. Coe, 325 U.S. 79, 83, 65 S.Ct. 955, 89 L.Ed. 1488 (1945) (Under R.S. § 4915, "a formal trial is afforded on proof which may include evidence not presented in the Patent Office."); In re Hien, 166 U.S. 432, 439, 17 S.Ct. 624, 41 L.Ed. 1066 (1897) ("The bill in equity provided for by section 4915 is wholly different from the proceeding by appeal from the decision of the commissioner.... The one is in the exercise of original, the other of appellate, jurisdiction."). More recently, the Court has also, "in passing, noted the settled law that in a section 145 action a disappointed applicant may present evidence that it did not present to the Board, and that the `presence of such new or different evidence makes a factfinder of the district judge.'" Winner, 202 F.3d at 1345-46 (quoting Dickinson v. Zurko, 527 U.S. 150, 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816, 144 L.Ed.2d 143 (1999)) (emphasis added in Winner).
The dissent states that our holding is "in conflict with Supreme Court jurisprudence on this point." Dissent at 1282. In fact, the Supreme Court has never decided the issue of what kind of evidence or when evidence could be introduced in § 145 or Revised Statutes § 4915 actions, and there is no clear guidance to be gleaned from Supreme Court jurisprudence. The dissent fails to recognize that Hoe involved not a bill in equity under Revised Statutes § 4915 but rather a writ of mandamus; the issue was "whether the secretary of the interior had power by law to revise and reverse the action of the commissioner of patents" in an interference. 112 U.S. at 54, 5 S.Ct. 25. As quoted above, the Court in Hoe noted that a suit under Revised Statutes § 4915 was "prepared and heard upon all competent evidence adduced," but remained silent as to what was "competent evidence" under Revised Statutes § 4915.[12] The dissent erroneously presents these phrases from Hoe as a holding. Dissent at 9. The dissent's reading of Hoe, however, is contrary to the Supreme Court's:
Although, as was said by this court in [Hoe], the proceeding by bill in equity, under section 4915, on the refusal to grant an application for a patent, intends a suit according to the ordinary course of equity practice and procedure, and is not a technical appeal from the patent-office, nor confined to the case as made in the record of that office, but is prepared and heard upon all competent evidence adduced, and upon the whole merits, yet the proceeding is, in fact and necessarily, a part of the application for the patent.
Gandy v. Marble, 122 U.S. 432, 439, 7 S.Ct. 1290, 30 L.Ed. 1223 (1887) (emphasis added; citations omitted); see also Hien, 166 U.S. at 434, 17 S.Ct. at 626 (in explaining Gandy, noting that "the bill in equity was sub modo a branch of the application for the patent").
*1261 None of the other Supreme Court cases the dissent relies upon addressed this question either, or even involved suits under § 145 or Revised Statutes § 4915. The issue in Zurko (which involved an appeal under § 141 rather than an action under § 145) was whether the standard of review set forth in the APA "applies when the Federal Circuit reviews findings of fact made by the Patent and Trademark Office."[13] 527 U.S. at 152, 119 S.Ct. 1816. In Hien, which involved an appeal under Revised Statutes § 4911 rather than a bill in equity under Revised Statutes § 4915, the Court decided whether the two-year time limit for an applicant to respond to actions of the Patent Office required that an applicant be allowed two years to file a notice of appeal with the court of appeals for the District of Columbia. 166 U.S. at 436, 17 S.Ct. 624.
To be sure, the Supreme Court cases establish that in some circumstances new evidence may be submitted. But merely because new evidence may be submitted does not necessarily mean this right is unfettered;[14] there still may be situations in which new evidence may be excluded. Over the last century, lower federal courts have found circumstances in which the actions of a party before the Patent Office justify excluding evidence offered by that party from a suit to obtain a patent.
In an opinion from 1896, the Sixth Circuit, although not excluding evidence outright, stated "that its evidential weight is much impaired from the fact that, though accessible, it was not introduced during the interference proceedings." Standard Cartridge Co. v. Peters Cartridge Co., 77 F. 630, 638 (6th Cir.1896).
In Western Electric Co. v. Fowler, a party to an interference, Fowler, argued for and submitted evidence supporting a June 1901 date of reduction to practice, and, after the examiner of interferences awarded priority to his opponent in the interference, Fowler attempted to submit new evidence supporting a March 1901 reduction to practice. 177 F. 224, 226 (7th Cir.1910). This new evidence was admitted, but the examiner of interferences held Fowler to his original argument. Id. Fowler appealed successively to the examiner in chief, the Commissioner, and the Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, but the decision of the examiner of interferences was affirmed each time. Id. Fowler filed a bill in equity to obtain a patent, and the Circuit Court for the Northern District of Illinois found for Fowler. Id. at 224. On appeal, the Seventh Circuit discounted the evidence Fowler produced tardily in the Patent Office, and on that basis, reversed the district court. Id. at 228-29; see also Courson v. O'Connor, 227 F. 890, 892-93 (7th Cir. 1915) (allowing new testimony in the circumstance of that case).
*1262 The court in General Electric Co. v. Steinberger took a limited view of what new evidence could be disregarded:
In some instances the new testimony is offered as to matters which were not thought relevant or necessary for presentation to the Patent Office in the previous hearing.
In general it must be held that all such testimony is competent and must be considered by the court in the action under section 4915, but in so far as the conclusions of the Patent Office, as sustained on appeal, are treated as a fair determination, upon similar testimony, and hence as being valid unless plainly erroneous, and in so far as the parties to the interference proceeding may have been estopped from asserting things inconsistent with their claims before the Patent Office, this court will not use the additional proofs in reaching a conclusion on the right to the patent, until it has determined whether the defeated party is in a position to contest further, or to give additional testimony about, the matters thus previously determined.
208 F. 699, 701 (E.D.N.Y.1913).
After the 1927 amendments to the Patent Act, no circuit court allowed a de novo trial in an action under Revised Statutes § 4915. One of the more influential cases on the admissibility of evidence is Barrett Co. v. Koppers Co., 22 F.2d 395 (3d Cir. 1927). There, during interference proceedings in the Patent Office, the Barrett Company instructed its employees not to answer questions about certain of its "commercial practices." Id. at 396. The Barrett Company lost the interference, and then filed a bill in equity under Revised Statutes § 4915 and sought to introduce before the district court the exact testimony it had instructed its employees not to provide during the interference. Id. The Third Circuit found that the district court properly excluded this evidence, saying:
The law gave the plaintiffs a day in court on the issue of priority. That was the day the interference was heard and if they chose not to avail themselves of their full rights but to gamble on the decision by giving only a part, and the weaker part, of the evidence they had in hand, they did it at their own risk. After losing on such evidence in what otherwise would be a train of futile appeals in the patent tribunals and Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia they cannot come into a District Court and say, now for the first time we shall tell the true story of reduction to practice and demand a patent.
.... When, as in this case, a party has refused to produce evidence for consideration by the Court of Appeals of the District of produces that very evidence to overcome the effect of that court's decision, he comes very close to trifling with the courts' processes. If in this case the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia was wrong it was because the plaintiffs purposely kept it in the dark. If now this court were in effect to reverse the decision of that court on evidence brought to light for the first time, we should be assisting the plaintiffs to profit by their own technical wrong doing.
.... Particularly are we anxious that no one should think that we hold that any evidence not before the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia is inadmissible in an action under section 4915, R.S. Such a notion would destroy the action given by section 4915, R.S. and throw overboard the whole doctrine of Morgan v. Daniels. Specifically our decision is that the plaintiffs in this action under section 4915, R.S., are estopped to offer evidence which was wholly within their possession and control at the interference proceeding and which they withheld from that proceeding and, *1263 therefore, withheld from the other patent tribunals and the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, and thereby made it impossible for those tribunals and that court to render what they, the plaintiffs, now maintain is the right decision.
Id. at 397 (formatting altered; emphasis added); see also Standard Oil Co. v. Montedison, S.p.A., 540 F.2d 611, 616 (3d Cir.1976) ("An action brought under § 146" is "limited to the review of a decision of the Board of Patent Interferences.").
While the Third Circuit gave Barrett a fairly limited reading in a subsequent case,[15] other courts have interpreted Barrett more broadly. The Eighth Circuit cited Barrett when affirming a district court's exclusion of evidence that could have been presented to the Patent Office but was not. Kirschke v. Lamar, 426 F.2d 870, 872-75 (8th Cir.1970). The District of Massachusetts followed Barrett in O'Donnell v. United Shoe Machinery Corp., 2 F.Supp. 178, 181 (1933). There, the plaintiff presented witnesses to the Patent Office, but they did not testify about an experiment the plaintiff had allegedly performed. Id. After losing the interference, the plaintiff instituted a suit under Revised Statutes § 4915, and sought to have the same witnesses testify about the alleged experiment. Id. The defendant objected to this new evidence, and the court disallowed it, saying:
All of the additional testimony was available when the question of priority was before the Patent Office....
I am not inclined to sanction the practice of submitting issues of fact to an administrative department, competent to decide the issue, upon a partial presentation of the available evidence, reserving the full presentation for a trial in the courts to set aside the order of the administrative authority. This practice was justly condemned in Barrett Co. v. Koppers Co. ...
Id.
The Eastern District of New York promulgated a novel formulation of the rule of Barrett, namely that evidence available to but not presented by the party who lost before the Patent Office would be given "no weight" because the losing party gave "no sufficient reason" why the evidence was not presented to the Patent Office. Perkins v. Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Co., 57 F.2d 719, 720-21 (E.D.N.Y.1932). Conversely, the court also ruled that the party successful before the patent office was "not bound by" this rule. Id. However, Judge Learned Hand, writing for the Second Circuit, hinted his disapproval of such a stringent exclusion standard the following year:
In Barrett Co. v. Koppers, the Third Circuit refused to consider evidence which the inventor had deliberately suppressed in the interference, and used broader language than the exact situation *1264 required, which we quoted with approval in Greene v. Beidler, 58 F.2d 207, 209-10 (2d Cir.1932). However, it does not follow that it would have extended the doctrine to evidence not suppressed, but merely neglected through the plaintiff's slackness in preparation. Perkins v. Lawrence Sperry Aircraft Co. did so extend it, but we need not approve. The question is doubtful and we prefer to leave it open, for it is not necessary to answer it here.
Dowling v. Jones, 67 F.2d 537, 538 (2d Cir.1933) (citations altered and omitted; formatting altered; emphasis added).[16]
The Seventh Circuit likewise accepted that evidence could be excluded from a case brought under Revised Statutes § 4915 because of the actions of a patent applicant:
In the Barrett case, the additional evidence was at all times "wholly within (the) possession and control" of plaintiff, but he had "withheld" the evidence from the Patent Office. Under such circumstances, it is reasonable that the withholding person be estopped to present that evidence later. Such a principle of estoppel works properly in many instances, e.g., when evidence has been deliberately withheld or secreted, and when a story is completely changed on coming to court. We do not dispute the soundness of the proposition that all pertinent evidence, actually available, should be submitted in the first instance. To permit partial presentation before the Patent Office is to sanction the destruction of administrative justice.
But we are satisfied that the estoppel principle has its limitations. It should not be used to penalize an innocent party. Nor should it exclude the presentation of evidence, which previously had not been procurable or which had become known after the interference proceedings. Coming now to the instant case, we find that Stoekle did not intentionally withhold the evidence which he later produced in court.... It seems undisputable that evidence may be available and existent at a given time, and yet not be within the knowledge or "possession and control" of the person desiring to make use of it. We are not prepared to say that Stoekle did not exercise due diligence in procuring the evidence sooner than he did.
Globe-Union v. Chicago Tel. Supply Co., 103 F.2d 722, 728 (7th Cir.1939) (formatting altered; emphasis added).
By the time of Velsicol Chemical Corp. v. Monsanto Co., at least in the Seventh Circuit, the rule based on Barrett had developed into the following:
[A]bsent special circumstances,[17] the proper question for the district court was whether the failure of the proponent of the additional evidence to uncover its existence earlier or to procure it for the interference proceeding occurred in spite of the proponent's diligence in preparing his case before the Board. We agree with the court in Kirschke *1265 that it makes no difference whether the failure to produce the evidence was "attended by reprehensible motives or not (or) whether it be for tactical or other reasons." 426 F.2d at 874. Moreover, we find that in terms of the policy of encouraging full disclosure it is not necessary that there have been an affirmative action or decision to suppress the evidence; it is enough that a reasonably diligent preparation of the proponent's case before the Board would have led to the discovery of the existence of the evidence and its production. Nor is it necessary that the evidence have been in the exclusive control and possession of the proponent, as long as it was procurable by him. Conversely, a litigant who has been reasonably diligent in identifying and procuring evidence for the interference proceeding will not be precluded from strengthening his presentation in the district court if new evidence should become available to him in the interim.
Velsicol, 579 F.2d 1038, 1046 & n. 10 (7th Cir.1978) (footnote renumbered; emphasis added).
The D.C. Circuit has stated that "the plaintiff may not submit for the first time evidence which he was negligent in failing to submit to the Patent Office." Cal. Research Corp. v. Ladd, 356 F.2d 813, 820 n. 18 (D.C.Cir.1966). The D.C. Circuit has also prohibited an applicant from raising new issues in a § 145 action, and justified that rule as a necessary extension of the requirement that one exhaust administrative remedies before resorting to court, DeSeversky v. Brenner, 424 F.2d 857, 859-60 (D.C.Cir.1970) (per curiam), or, as the D.C. Circuit has also explained it, a § 145 action "may not be conducted in disregard of the general policy of encouraging full disclosure to administrative tribunals," Cal. Research, 356 F.2d at 820 n. 18; see also Knutson v. Gallsworthy, 164 F.2d 497, 508-09 (D.C.Cir.1947). The D.C. Circuit has noted that "surprise should not materially affect the result in" § 145 cases. Cal. Research, 356 F.2d at 821.[18]
Under § 145, the District of Columbia district court is the exclusive forum for actions under that statute. Since 2002, there appear to have been approximately thirty § 145 actions filed in the District of Columbia district court.[19] Many are terminated *1266 before the district court must rule on the admissibility of evidence not before the PTO. See, e.g., Novo Nordisk A/S v. Dudas, No. 06-cv-01896, slip op. at 2-3 (July 3, 2007) (dismissing case by consent of parties).
There is no uniform practice in the District of Columbia district court regarding the standard governing exclusion from § 145 actions of evidence that was not submitted during PTO proceedings. See Hyatt II, 2005 WL 5569663, at *4-7 (after Director's objection, excluding evidence because failure to submit it to PTO was "negligent"); Hitachi Koki Co. v. Dudas, 556 F.Supp.2d 41, 47 (D.D.C.2008) (flatly rejecting negligence standard of Hyatt II and admitting evidence over Director's objection because failure to present it was not due to "fraud, bad faith, or gross negligence" (emphasis added)); Takeda Pharm. Co. v. Dudas, 511 F.Supp.2d 81, 87 (D.D.C.2007) (admitting new evidence over Director's objection because failure to submit it to PTO was "not negligent" (emphasis added)); Killian v. Watson, 121 U.S.P.Q. 507, 509 (D.D.C.1958) (after Commissioner's objection, excluding new evidence on alternate grounds that failure to submit it to Patent Office was "grossly negligent" and that applicant gave no explanation for the failure (emphasis added)); see also Shell Dev. Co. v. Pure Oil Co., 111 F.Supp. 197, 199 (D.D.C.1953) (in § 146 case, admitting evidence over objection because failure to submit it during interference was not due to "any bad faith, suppression, or gross negligence" (emphasis added)). However, as the preceding cases show, the District of Columbia district court will always exclude evidence that was not presented to the PTO due to bad faith or gross negligence and sometimes if the failure to present it was negligent.
In sum, it has been the general practice of federal courts for over eighty years in certain circumstances to exclude evidence which a party could and should have introduced before the Patent Office but did not despite an obligation to do so. Our own cases likewise have not adopted a de novo standard for trial. We have said that "[c]learly, the applicant does not start over to prosecute his application before the district court unfettered by what happened in the PTO." Fregeau, 776 F.2d at 1038. On the other hand, it is beyond question that in appropriate circumstances new evidence may be submitted to the district court in a § 145 action (subject, at least, to the Federal Rules of Evidence). See Gould v. Quigg, 822 F.2d 1074, 1079 (Fed. Cir.1987) ("[A]dditional evidence is permitted in a civil action under section 145, allowing the district court to make de novo fact findings."); Newman v. Quigg, 877 F.2d 1575, 1579 (Fed.Cir.1989) ("A district court action under 35 U.S.C. § 145 is a de novo determination of patentability. It is not limited to the record before the PTO."); Emerson Stringham, Patent Interference Equity Suits 5 (1930) ("The equity suit offers distinctive advantages in way of a fresh hearing and the presentation of testimony direct to the tribunal.").
B.
As the Supreme Court has noted, "[o]ne purpose" of Congress in enacting the APA "was to introduce greater uniformity of *1267 procedure and standardization of administrative practice among the diverse agencies whose customs had departed widely from each other." Wong Yang Sung v. McGrath, 339 U.S. 33, 41, 70 S.Ct. 445, 94 L.Ed. 616 (1950), superseded by statute, Supplemental Appropriation Act of 1951, 64 Stat. 1048, as recognized in Marcello v. Bonds 349 U.S. 302, 311, 75 S.Ct. 757, 99 L.Ed. 1107 (1955). The Court explained that lightly finding exceptions to the APA would defeat its purpose. Id.
Court review (whether by a district court or a court of appeals) of an administrative agency decision is presumptively deferential under the APA. See 5 U.S.C. §§ 701-06. The usual rule is that judicial review of agency action should be on the agency record, regardless of whether the action is in the court of appeals or in district court. See Marsh v. Or. Natural Res. Council, 490 U.S. 360, 375-78, 109 S.Ct. 1851, 104 L.Ed.2d 377 (1989); Chandler v. Roudebush, 425 U.S. 840, 862, 96 S.Ct. 1949, 48 L.Ed.2d 416 (1976) ("[I]n the absence of specific statutory authorization, a de novo review is generally not to be presumed."); Camp v. Pitts, 411 U.S. 138, 141-42, 93 S.Ct. 1241, 36 L.Ed.2d 106 (1973) (per curiam) ("[T]he focal point for judicial review [by the district court] should be the administrative record already in existence, not some new record made initially in the reviewing court."); see generally Jacob Stein, et al., Administrative Law § 51.04 (2006).
While the APA specifically states that "the reviewing court shall decide all relevant questions of law," 5 U.S.C. § 706, court review of agency fact-finding is generally deferential. Under 5 U.S.C. § 706(2)(F), a reviewing court may "set aside agency action, findings, and conclusions" if "unwarranted by the facts[,] to the extent that the facts are subject to trial de novo by the reviewing court." As the Supreme Court stated in Citizens to Preserve Overton Park, Inc. v. Volpe, such de novo review is authorized in two situations: first, "when the action is adjudicatory in nature and the agency factfinding procedures are inadequate," or, second, "when issues that were not before the agency are raised in a proceeding to enforce nonadjudicatory agency action." 401 U.S. 402, 415, 91 S.Ct. 814, 28 L.Ed.2d 136 (1971) (citing H.R.Rep. No.1980 (May 3, 1946)). These exceptions do not apply to § 145 cases; the patent application process is not adjudicatory and new issues cannot be raised in a § 145 action. See Newman, 877 F.2d at 1579 (citing DeSeversky, 424 F.2d at 858). A third (and final) exception to the limited review under the APA exists: where another statute explicitly provides for de novo review. See United States v. Carlo Bianchi & Co., 373 U.S. 709, 714-15, 83 S.Ct. 1409, 10 L.Ed.2d 652 (1963).
Even before the 1946 enactment of the APA, see Act of June 11, 1946, 60 Stat. 243, the Supreme Court had held that provisions for district court revieweven in a suit in equitywould not be read to imply the power to go outside the agency record. For example, in Tagg Bros. & Moorhead v. United States, the Court discussed that although the Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921, 7 U.S.C. §§ 181-231, provided for suits to be brought in federal district court to enjoin the enforcement of agency orders, this did not imply trial de novo. 280 U.S. 420, 444-45 & n. 4, 50 S.Ct. 220, 74 L.Ed. 524 (1930). Judicial review of orders of the Secretary was "restricted" by the following statutory language: "If, after hearing, that court determines that the order was regularly and duly served, and that the carrier is in disobedience of the same, the court shall enforce obedience." Tagg Bros., 280 U.S. at 444 n. 4, 50 S.Ct. 220 (quoting 49 U.S.C. § 16(12)). The Court explained:
*1268 A proceeding under section 316 of the Packers and Stockyards Act is a judicial review, not a trial de novo. The validity of an order of the Secretary, like that of an order of the Interstate Commerce Commission, must be determined upon the record of the proceedings before him [except with regard to certain constitutional claims].... On all other issues his findings must be accepted by the court as conclusive, if the evidence before him was legally sufficient to sustain them and there was no irregularity in the proceeding. To allow his findings to be attacked or supported in court by new evidence would substitute the court for the administrative tribunal as the rate-making body. Where it is believed that the Secretary erred in his findings because important evidence was not brought to his attention, the appropriate remedy is to apply for a rehearing before him or to institute new proceedings.
280 U.S. 420, 443-45, 50 S.Ct. 220, 74 L.Ed. 524 (1930) (emphasis added; footnote omitted).
The Court disposed of similar arguments in the context of district court actions authorized by the judicial review provision of the Communications Act of 1934, 47 U.S.C. § 402(a).[20]Nat'l Broadcasting Co. v. United States, 319 U.S. 190, 227, 63 S.Ct. 997, 87 L.Ed. 1344 (1943). The Court held that such suits were not de novo, and the review was limited to the agency record: "The court below correctly held that its inquiry was limited to review of the evidence before the Commission. Trial de novo of the matters heard by the Commission and dealt with in its Report would have been improper." Id. at 227, 63 S.Ct. 997.
Similarly, in Bianchi the Court held that suits brought in the Court of Claims under the Wunderlich Act were not trials de novo, but were limited to the agency record. 373 U.S. at 713-15, 83 S.Ct. 1409. The Court noted that "the standards of review adopted in the Wunderlich Act `arbitrary,' `capricious,' and `not supported by substantial evidence'have frequently been used by Congress and have consistently been associated with a review limited to the administrative record." Id. at 715, 83 S.Ct. 1409. The Court gave the following general rule:
[T]he reviewing function is ordinarily limited to consideration of the decision of the agency or court below and of the evidence on which it was based. Indeed, in cases where Congress has simply provided for review, without setting forth the standards to be used or the procedures to be followed, this Court has held that consideration is to be confined to the administrative record and that no de novo proceeding may be held.
Id. at 714, 83 S.Ct. 1409.
Previously, this court rejected the notion that the APA applied to fact-finding by the PTO when reviewed on direct appeal here. In re Zurko, 142 F.3d 1447 (Fed.Cir.1998) (en banc). The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the Federal Circuit must review fact-finding by the PTO using the framework set forth in the APA. Dickinson v. Zurko, 527 U.S. 150, 165, 119 S.Ct. 1816, 144 L.Ed.2d 143 (1999). The Court noted that for a statute to create exceptions to the APA, it must do so clearly. Id. at 155, 119 S.Ct. 1816. And the circumstances under which the APA provides for de novo review of factual issues are "narrow." Overton Park, 401 U.S. at 414, 91 S.Ct. 814.
Where the statute, as here, provides for district court review, a de novo *1269 trial is generally not appropriate unless the statute specifically provides for it. Section 145 does not. Section 145 merely states that "[a]n applicant dissatisfied with the decision of the Board" may "have remedy by civil action against the Director in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia." This is in contrast to other statutes that do provide explicitly for de novo review in the district courts. Such statutes are very clear; when Congress intends review by de novo trial, Congress explicitly authorizes de novo trial.[21]
In light of Zurko, we determined that actions under § 145 are subject to the strictures of the APA. See Mazzari v. Rogan, 323 F.3d 1000, 1004 (Fed.Cir.2003) ("[A] reviewing court, whether this court or the district court, applies the `substantial evidence' standard of review to findings of fact made by the [B]oard."). Of course, in § 145 actions, review is not strictly confined to the agency record. Zurko, 527 U.S. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816. But neither are proceedings wholly de novo; the admission of new evidence is limited by the APA.[22]Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1005. The Supreme Court in Zurko left open the question of how to apply the APA to our review of PTO decisions in various circumstances, including § 145 actions. See 527 U.S. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816.
*1270 In light of the hybrid nature of § 145 actions, we have held that in the absence of new evidence, a district court must review the decision of the Board for substantial evidence, but for factual questions where new evidence is before the district court, the district court makes de novo findings. Fregeau, 776 F.2d 1034.[23] However, admitting new evidence without restriction would defeat the purpose of the APA, as applicants could then always submit new evidence whenever they desired de novo review; allowing new evidence unnecessarily will convert deferential review "into effectively de novo review." Axiom Resource Mgmt. v. United States, 564 F.3d 1374, 1380 (Fed.Cir.2009).
Nothing in the language of § 145 requires a de novo trial. The dissent makes much of the phrase "a civil action" in the statute, arguing that it requires a de novo action despite the general rule that review is on the agency record. It should be noted, however, that the language of the predecessor statute referred to a "bill in equity." Even before the APA, the Supreme Court repeatedly held that general language authorizing judicial review does not create a trial de novo, and that much more specific language is required. See, e.g., Nat'l Broadcasting, 319 U.S. at 227, 63 S.Ct. 997; Tagg Bros., 280 U.S. at 444-45 & n. 4, 50 S.Ct. 220.
Nor do the cases addressing § 145 support the dissent's de novo standard. As discussed above, the Supreme Court has never directly considered the scope of § 145 with regard to new evidence, and the one reference to § 145 in a Supreme Court decision sheds little light on the issue. Zurko involved the question of what was the proper standard of review on direct appeal to the Federal Circuit under § 141, and although the Supreme Court noted that a § 145 claimant can "present to the court evidence that the applicant did not present to the PTO," the Court said nothing about when or under what circumstances such evidence could be introduced. See Zurko, 527 U.S. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816.
As the Supreme Court stated in Overton Park, where "agency factfinding procedures are inadequate," the APA allows a district court to take additional evidence. For example, the PTO does not take oral testimony in an examination of a patent application. In some cases credibility determinations will be very important to the resolution of the case, for example, where there is a question about the date of reduction to practice which will determine what is, or is not, prior art. In such circumstances, it makes sense to permit the district court to hear live testimony under Overton Park to resolve credibility issues because the PTO procedures are inadequate.
Some restrictions on the ability of an applicant to introduce new evidence in a § 145 action are therefore required under the APA, although there is certainly not a blanket exclusion of new evidence, either.[24]
C.
Hyatt and the dissent argue that proceedings under § 145 are (or should be) *1271 entirely de novo if the plaintiff so wishes. However, the arguments in favor of de novo proceedings are unpersuasive. Hyatt focuses on isolated statements by this and other courts that a § 145 action is a "de novo" proceeding, but ignores the context ofand qualifications onsuch statements. Although the Seventh Circuit acknowledged that evidence could be excluded because it was not presented to the Patent Office, the court still referred to a case brought under Revised Statutes § 4915 as "a de novo trial." Globe-Union, 103 F.2d at 728. As the district court from which Hyatt's appeal is taken has aptly noted, § 145 actions
are sometimes denominated "trials de novo", but such use of this term is somewhat loose.... Additional evidence is admissible in support of contentions advanced by the parties in the Patent Office. It is this feature that has led to the inaccurate use of the appellation "trials de novo" in these actions. There is a limitation on the admissibility of supplementary evidence. Such evidence as was available to the parties, but was withheld from the Patent Office as a result of fraud, bad faith, or gross negligence, may be excluded at the trial.
Monsanto Co. v. Kamp, 269 F.Supp. 818, 822 (D.D.C.1967); see also Killian v. Watson, 121 U.S.P.Q. 507, 507 (D.D.C.1958) ("It is equally well settled that the proceedings of the District Courts under § 145, though de novo, are not wholly ignorant of what has gone before."); MacKay v. Quigg, 641 F.Supp. 567, 570 (D.D.C.1986) ("For that reason, despite the `de novo' label accorded judicial review under § 145, courts have limited the admissibility of certain kinds of evidence."); cf. Conservolite, Inc. v. Widmayer, 21 F.3d 1098, 1102 (Fed.Cir.1994) ("While the expression `de novo' is often used to describe a § 146 action, the statute does not use this language or state that new issues can freely be raised. Section 146 authorizes the district court on review to accept new testimony, but normally only as to issues raised by the parties during the proceedings below or by the Board's decision.").
The dissent argues that testimony given before Congress in 1926 compels the conclusion that a de novo trial is available under § 145 in all circumstances. Dissent at 3-7. During 1926 hearings on proposed patent statute reforms similar to those enacted in 1927, Commissioner Thomas E. Robertson, in an attempt to persuade Congress to eliminate altogether bills in equity to obtain patents, stated that plaintiffs in such suits could
file testimony bringing in evidence that they could have brought in before but did not bring in before, and after dragging a man through all this procedure which you have said is so complicated and burdensome, start de novo in court, and bring in testimony not taken the first time.
To Amend Section 52 of Judicial Code and Other Statutes Affecting Procedure in Patent Office: Hearings on H.R. 6252 and H.R. 7087 Before the House Committee on Patents, 69th Cong., 1st Sess. 81 ("H.R. 6252 Hearing") (emphasis added). However, characterizations by Patent Office officials are not necessarily indicative of the intent of Congress, particularly where the witnesses opposed the legislation.[25] As the Supreme Court has noted in Bryan v. United States, the "the fears and doubts of the opposition are no authoritative guide to *1272 the construction of legislation. In their zeal to defeat a bill, they understandably tend to overstate its reach." 524 U.S. 184, 196, 118 S.Ct. 1939, 141 L.Ed.2d 197 (1998) (citations, brackets, and quotation marks omitted). Stray comments by other witnesses supporting the legislation are also distinctly unpersuasive. The dissent quotes Representative Albert H. Vestal as saying a bill under Revised Statutes § 4915 "is not an appeal. It is the bringing of a new suit." Dissent at 1281 (quoting H.R. 6252 Hearing at 36). Even statements by members in floor debate are entitled to little weight. Garcia v. United States, 469 U.S. 70, 76, 105 S.Ct. 479, 83 L.Ed.2d 472 (1984) ("In surveying legislative history we have repeatedly stated that the authoritative source for finding the Legislature's intent lies in the Committee Reports on the bill.... We have eschewed reliance on the passing comments of one Member and casual statements from the floor debates." (citations omitted)).
While not irrelevant to the extent that Congress enacted § 145 based on existing practice under Revised Statutes § 4915, this legislative history can hardly be said to be dispositive, or even particularly probative, of the issue in the present case, as the majority clearly concluded in Fregeau, 776 F.2d at 1037-38. And even to the extent this legislative history is considered, much of it only supports the undisputed general rule that applicants may submit certain evidence not previously before the PTO in a § 145 action. See, e.g., H.R. 6252 Hearing at 81 (Paul) ("If we go into a court of equity the parties may use the record that they have in the Patent Office and may supplement it by additional evidence."). But none of the cited Congressional testimony specifically addresses situations where an applicant sought to overcome the consequences of his own refusal to adhere to the rules of prosecuting a patent application. Indeed, absent from the legislative history is any discussion of the admissibility of evidence being proffered or objections to evidence.
Furthermore, the "evaluation of congressional action ... must take into account its contemporary legal context." Cannon v. Univ. of Chicago, 441 U.S. 677, 698-99, 99 S.Ct. 1946, 60 L.Ed.2d 560 (1979). "Congress is presumed to be aware of an administrative or judicial interpretation of a statute and to adopt that interpretation when it re-enacts a statute without change." Lorillard v. Pons, 434 U.S. 575, 580, 98 S.Ct. 866, 55 L.Ed.2d 40 (1978).[26] Although issued several months after Congress' 1927 revisions to patent laws, Barrett predated the 1952 Patent Act by a quarter of a century, which, combined with Congress' statement that § 145 and § 146 made "no fundamental change in the various appeals and other review of Patent Office action,"[27] S.Rep. No. 82-1979 (1952) (emphasis added), suggests that Congress approved of the cases holding that patent applicants could not present to a district court evidence they should have but did not present to the Patent Office. And this legislative history predated the 1946 enactment of the APA by two decades.[28]
*1273 Hyatt's argument for a de novo action is also inconsistent with our precedent that the district court must apply a deferential standard to PTO fact-finding. See Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1004-05. "Clearly, the applicant does not start over to prosecute his application before the district court unfettered by what happened in the PTO." Fregeau, 776 F.2d at 1038. Indeed, the Supreme Court assumed there would be cases brought under § 145 in which "the district judge does no more than review PTO factfinding." Zurko, 527 U.S. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816. Therefore, in the absence of new evidence, the district court is obliged to accept the facts as found by the PTO unless not supported by substantial evidence. Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1005; see also Zurko, 527 U.S. at 162-65, 119 S.Ct. 1816. When new evidence is admitted, the district court makes de novo factual findings, but only as to the new evidence. See Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1004. In other words, the district court must defer to the PTO's fact-finding except where appropriately admitted new evidence conflicts with a fact found by the PTO or presents a new factual issue that the PTO did not consider. See id.
III.
A.
If the district court's ruling had been a conventional evidentiary ruling, we would apply the standard of review of the appropriate regional circuit. See Advanced Cardiovascular Sys. v. Medtronic, Inc., 265 F.3d 1294, 1308 (Fed.Cir.2001). However, the challenged evidentiary ruling here is partly tied to issues of interpretation of the patent law. To this extent, we apply Federal Circuit law and review these issues of legal interpretation de novo. Sulzer Textil A.G. v. Picanol N.V., 358 F.3d 1356, 1363 (Fed.Cir.2004). To the extent that district court evidentiary rulings apply the correct legal standard, we review them for abuse of discretion. Gen. Elec. Co. v. Joiner, 522 U.S. 136, 141, 118 S.Ct. 512, 139 L.Ed.2d 508 (1997) ("[A]buse of discretion is the proper standard of review of a district court's evidentiary rulings."); see also Conservolite, 21 F.3d at 1102 (noting district court's discretion to admit testimony on new issues in certain circumstances in action under § 146).
Congress created this court to promote a uniform interpretation of the patent laws. C.R. Bard, Inc. v. Schwartz, 716 F.2d 874, 878 (Fed.Cir.1983). The cases show that the regional circuits repeatedly excluded, in some circumstances, evidence that an applicant had not presented to the Patent Office. In making discretionary decisions, courts should not lightly disregard historical practice. See eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C., 547 U.S. 388, 395, 126 S.Ct. 1837, 164 L.Ed.2d 641 (2006) (Roberts, C.J., concurring). And the Supreme Court has warned us that "courts must be cautious before adopting changes that disrupt the settled expectations of the inventing community," even if this means rejecting a "bright-line rule." Festo Corp. v. Shoketsu Kinzoku Kogyo Kabushiki Co., 535 U.S. 722, 739, 122 S.Ct. 1831, 152 L.Ed.2d 944 (2002).
There is long history of excluding evidence not submitted to the PTO, and of a consensus that evidence may be excluded if it was not submitted to the PTO at least due to fraud, gross negligence, bad faith, or intentional suppression. See, e.g., Cal. Research, 356 F.2d at 820 n. 18 (excluding evidence not submitted to Patent Office merely due to "negligence"); Velsicol, 579 F.2d at 1046 (excluding evidence not submitted to Patent Office merely due to lack of "diligence"); Killian v. Watson, 121 U.S.P.Q. at 509 (excluding new evidence because failure to submit it to Patent Office was "grossly negligent"). The Director *1274 argues in favor of a negligence standard, although he also argues that Hyatt's conduct amounts to gross negligence. See Appellee's Br. at 28-53. Hyatt himself argues that the "prevailing law in the District of Columbia" is that evidence not submitted to the PTO can be excluded only if the failure was due to "gross negligence." Appellant's Br. at 27. Hyatt also states that if we exclude some evidence in § 145 actions, gross negligence should be the applicable standard. Id. at 28.
We note, however, that the terminology of negligence (and gross negligence) is somewhat inapposite to the issue of admissibility. Negligence (which is roughly the absence of diligence) implies a duty. While patent applicants do have certain duties to the PTO, including duties of disclosure,[29] beyond a certain point, how much more evidence to submit is in large part a determination for which a patentee and his agents must use good judgment.[30] While there are certainly many factors which could go into such a decision, a duty to the PTO may not necessarily be one of them. We believe a semantic shift away from negligence will help focus attention on the factors that are pertinent to whether an applicant should be allowed to introduce evidence before the district court over an objection by the Director.
Hyatt was obligated to respond to the examiner's written description rejection by In re Alton, 76 F.3d 1168, 1175 (Fed.Cir. 1996), by explaining where in the specification support for each of these limitations could be found. We held in Alton that after studying the specification, an examiner can make out a prima facie case of lack of adequate written description, thus shifting the burden of production to the applicant, simply by identifying specific claim limitations and stating that despite reviewing the specification, he could not find support for those limitations. 76 F.3d at 1175; see also In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 263-64 (CCPA 1976) ("[T]he PTO has the initial burden of presenting evidence or reasons why persons skilled in the art would not recognize in the disclosure a description of the invention defined by the claims;" if the PTO does so, the applicant bears the burden of rebutting this showing.); Manual of Patent Examining Procedure ("MPEP") § 2163.04(I)(B) (reiterating holding of Alton).
Any time from the January 7, 1997 office action rejecting Hyatt's new claims for Hyatt's failure to "specifically point out the support for" the claims pursuant to the examiner's reading of MPEP § 714.02 up through when Hyatt filed his initial appeal brief before the Board on September 2, 1998, Hyatt could have declared where in his specification the written description support for each of the disputed limitations resided. After the examiner stated that he had read through the specification and could find no support for certain claim limitations, all Hyatt needed to do was show the examiner where in the specification support existedsomething that should have been simple for him, the person most familiar with the specification. The Board noted, "It is far easier for appellant to describe where the limitation he wrote is disclosed than for the Office to prove that the limitation is not disclosed." J.A. 11600-01. Rejection as per Alton was in essence the examiner telling Hyatt to point to written description support in the *1275 specification for his claims. Hyatt, however, refused to cooperate, even though he necessarily possessed the information the examiner sought by the time he filed his application.
On these facts, the district court's exclusion of Hyatt's new evidence must be affirmed. The district court found that Hyatt was "negligent" in failing to submit the evidence disclosed in the Hyatt declaration to the PTO because he was obligated to do so, he had a fair opportunity to do so, and he failed to give an adequate explanation for his failure to submit it. Hyatt II, 2005 WL 5569663, at *3, 5-7. However, it is clear from the record that Hyatt willfully refused to provide evidence in his possession in response to a valid action by the examiner. Such a refusal to provide evidence which one possessed was grounds in Barrett to exclude the withheld evidence. Similarly, we hold that in light of Hyatt's willful non-cooperation here, the district court did not abuse its discretion by excluding the Hyatt declaration.[31]
Instead of rebutting the examiner's prima facie case that the claims were not supported by adequate written description, Hyatt argued that the burden of digging through the 238-page specification remained on the examiner, even though many limitations clearly do not appear verbatim in the specification. Before the Board, Hyatt submitted a table showing where some, but not all, of the substituent words of these limitations could be found, but this table was for many limitations of no help whatsoever in locating support for the claim limitations at issue.[32] If the Board was wrong, it was because Hyatt purposefully kept it in the dark by not presenting evidence within his possession to overcome the examiner's rejections for lack of written description. This blatant non-cooperation was willful. Allowing Hyatt to escape the consequences of his refusal to timely submit his own information to the PTO that he was required by law and requested by the examiner to submit would hardly be consonant with the APA or the legislative purpose of § 145.[33]
B.
Hyatt makes four arguments as to why his refusal to present responsive evidence to the PTO should not bar him from presenting his declaration in district court: (1) the Board's decision presented new grounds of rejection beyond those of the examiner and thus he was not on notice that such evidence was required; (2) he *1276 was unaware prior to this court's decision in Hyatt I that he bore the burden of producing evidence or explanation to rebut the examiner's written description rejections; (3) since the Board reversed the examiner's rejections for 38 of the 117 rejected claims, his efforts at providing evidence to the Board must also have been reasonable as to the remaining 79 claims; and (4) he relied on the expertise of the PTO and thus reasonably believed that the PTO did not require this evidence. We address each argument in turn.
First, we agree with the district court that the Board decision did not include any new ground of rejection. See Hyatt II, 2005 WL 5569663, at *6. The district court correctly noted that an applicant must have an opportunity to respond to new grounds of rejection relied on by the Board. See In re Kronig, 539 F.2d 1300, 1302-03 (CCPA 1976). But whether a ground of rejection is "new" depends on whether the applicant had a "fair opportunity to react to the thrust of the rejection." Id. Here, after reviewing the Board decision and the rejections of the examiner, we agree with the district court that the Board did not rely on any new ground of rejection. For fifty-nine of the seventy-nine claims still at issue, both the Board and the examiner relied on the same rationale, namely that one or more claim limitationswhich they expressly identified are not disclosed or adequately supported in the written description. While the Board's explanations were often, though not always, more detailed, the "thrust" of these rejections was identical to that of the examiner's corresponding rejections. The Board cannot be said to have presented a new ground of rejection simply by elaborating on the examiner's rejection or by using different words. See In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445-46 (Fed.Cir.1992).
For the remaining twenty claims, claims 153 through 172, the district court noted that the Board may have gone beyond the scope of the examiner's rejections with regard to the claim limitation "making a product in response to image information." See Hyatt II, 2005 WL 5569663, at *6. However, as the district court correctly ruled, the Board's rationale as to these claims was not a new ground for rejection because it was simply a response to arguments raised by Hyatt in his briefing to the Board. See id. at *5-6. Thus, he had the opportunity to, and did, make arguments as to this ground. Hyatt argued for the first time to the Board that written description support existed in the specification because a "signal" could be a "product," and the Board rejected that view. Therefore, we reject Hyatt's argument that the Hyatt declaration must be admitted to afford him the opportunity to respond to the Board's new grounds for rejection because we hold that the Board did not present any new grounds.
Second, we reject Hyatt's argument that the timing of our decision in Hyatt I in 2007 excuses his failure to provide the Hyatt declaration to the PTO. In Hyatt I, we held that an examiner can shift the burden of proof of showing adequate written description by identifying specific claim limitations and clearly stating that despite reviewing the specification, he could not find support for those limitations. 492 F.3d at 1370-71. We relied directly on our 1996 decision in Alton, which stated the very same rule a decade earlier. See 76 F.3d at 1175. We then compared the Alton rule to MPEP § 2163.04(I)(B), which we held was a lawful articulation of the Alton rule. Hyatt I, 492 F.3d at 1370-71. Both Alton and MPEP § 2163.04(I)(B) were in effect at all times the `702 application was pending before the PTO. Thus, Hyatt was clearly on notice of his obligation to provide evidence or explanation to the examiner to rebut the written description rejections. His failure *1277 to do so from 1997 to 2002 thus cannot be attributed to the fact that Hyatt I had not yet been decided.
Third, we agree with the district court that the Board's reversal of thirty-eight of the examiner's written description rejections does not establish Hyatt acted reasonably with regard to the seventy-nine rejections not reversed. See Hyatt II, 2005 WL 5569663, at *6. As the district court correctly observed, the Board's reversals were based solely on its own independent analysis of the claims and written description. Id. The Board expressly stated that it did not, and could not, rely on anything provided by Hyatt, specifically noting that Table-1 did not provide any helpful information. J.A. 11594, 11600-01. We agree with the assessments of the Board and the district court; neither Table-1 nor its accompanying notes indicate where written description support can be found for any of the claim limitations at issue. The fact that the substituent words of a claim limitation are individually used in the specification does not explain how the specification discloses the claim limitation itself, and Table-1 does not even purport to address all of the claim limitations the examiner identified as lacking written description support. Thus, neither the Board's laudable efforts to thoroughly analyze the specification even in the absence of assistance from Hyatt, nor the limited information that Hyatt did provide to the Board, indicates that Hyatt provided the PTO with the information it needed to properly assess the patentability of his claims. In fact, if anything, the Board's consideration of Table-1 demonstrates that Hyatt had the opportunity to properly provide helpful information to the Board but, for reasons we need not identify, did not.
Lastly, Hyatt's alleged reliance on the expertise of the PTO also fails to support his case. The examiner clearly indicated that, despite his expertise, he could not identify written description support for numerous claim limitations. It was then incumbent on Hyatt to either cite to where support could be found in the written description or amend it to add the required support. Hyatt I, 492 F.3d at 1371.
In sum, Hyatt presents no acceptable excuse for his failure to properly present his declaration to the PTO.
That Hyatt willfully refused to respond to the examiner's written description rejections by pointing out where in the specification support for his claims could be found is the primary reason we affirm the district court's exclusion of the Hyatt declaration. This failure of Hyatt, who at the time had been a patent agent for over twenty years, to perform a simple task that it was his burden to perform is inexcusable in the circumstances of this case. However, consideration of all the facts of this caseincluding the absence of an adequate explanation for Hyatt's failure to present the evidence earlier, the form of the evidence (documentary instead of testimonial), the Director's objection to the Hyatt declaration and his rehearing brief before the district court, and Hyatt's perverse unhelpfulnessonly reinforces this conclusion. We hold that the district court did not commit any legal error or abuse its discretion in excluding Hyatt's declaration because of Hyatt's failure to present this evidence earlier.
C.
The dissent incorrectly describes our decision as promulgating a "sweeping exclusionary rule." See Dissent at 1279. We have not adopted a "sweeping" or "per se rule." See id. at 1279-80, 1287. We express no opinion as to admissibility of evidence in the multitude of variegated factual scenarios that may arise in the future which the dissent claims are decided today. *1278 The dissent also characterizes the majority opinion as standing for something that it does not: that evidence must be excluded simply because it could have been presented to the PTO. See Dissent at 1284. Instead, we have merely reached the unremarkable conclusion that it is unreasonable to believe Congress intended to allow a patent applicant in a § 145 action to introduce new evidence with no regard whatsoever as to his conduct before the PTO, and that, specifically, Congress did not intend that evidence owed,[34] requested and willfully withheld from the PTO must nevertheless be admitted in a § 145 action.
The dissent also appears to misapprehend the import of Alton. There is, under Alton, only one acceptable response to a written description rejection: showing the examiner where by column and line number in the specification he may find written description support for each disputed claim limitation.[35] Here, not only was Hyatt's response to the written description rejections completely and wholly inadequate, it was willfully so. He simply refused to respond as required by Alton to the requests of the examiner for citations to the specification, and he clearly did so deliberately, thus impeding the examination the PTO is legally required to conduct.
IV.
Since Hyatt did not offer any other evidence in his § 145 action, the district court correctly reviewed the Board's decision solely on the record before the Board. We review a district court's grant of summary judgment de novo, applying the same standards as the district court. Ethicon Endo-Surgery v. U.S. Surgical Corp., 149 F.3d 1309, 1315 (Fed.Cir.1998). In the § 145 context, in the absence of new evidence, the district court must enter judgment for the Director if the Board's findings regarding the lack of adequate written description are supported by substantial evidence. See In re Curtis, 354 F.3d 1347, 1352 (Fed.Cir.2004) (whether written description adequately supports claims is issue of fact); Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1004-05 (absent new evidence, PTO fact-finding reviewed under substantial evidence standard in § 145 actions).
Hyatt argues that the Board's decision was not supported by substantial evidence because the record before the Board cited and contained adequate written description for all the claims rejected by the Board. When examined more closely, however, Hyatt's arguments rely almost entirely on Table-1. As noted earlier, Table-1 simply lists certain individual words used within various multi-word limitations, the number of times each such word appears in the specification, and "representative" pages in the specification where each word appears (or, in many cases, simply states that the word appears "throughout" the specification). For example, certain claims were rejected for lacking written description support for a "processor responsive to an accessed block of video pixel image information." J.A. 10643 ¶ 15. Table-1 indicates that "block" was used over 80 times on at least pages 25-83 and 128-164 of the specification; "information" was used over 100 times "throughout" the specification; "video" was used exactly eight times on at least pages 77, 166, and 168-71; etc. J.A. 10832. Table-1 does not, however, explain *1279 how any of these individual occurrences of these substituent words discloses a "processor responsive to an accessed block of video pixel image information." The same defect exists in each of Hyatt's arguments relying on Table-1 and so we are not persuaded by them.
In addition, Hyatt repeatedly points to raw source code printed in the specification as disclosing various features of his claims. Aside from self-serving attorney arguments, Hyatt points to no evidence that would enable the district court or this court to determine whether the source code actually does disclose these features. Moreover, he made the same unsupported arguments to the PTO, and despite its expertise the PTO found them to be unhelpful in determining whether the written description adequately supported the claims at issue. We therefore agree with the district court that the Board's decision was supported by substantial evidence. There was no error in the district court's grant of summary judgment.
CONCLUSION
For the reasons stated above, the district court's grant of summary judgment is
AFFIRMED.
MOORE, Circuit Judge, dissenting.
The majority takes away this patent applicant's fundamental right to a "civil action to obtain [a] patent" as granted by Congress in 35 U.S.C. § 145. Today the majority decides that a patent applicant may not introduce the inventor's declaration in a § 145 proceeding before the district court because the inventor had an "affirmative duty" or "obligation" to disclose this evidence to the PTO. His failure to fulfill his affirmative duty, by not disclosing evidence he could have disclosed to the PTO, results in such evidence being excluded from the district court § 145 proceeding. The district court made no fact findings indicating willful withholding or intentional suppression; in fact, the district court did not even conclude that Mr. Hyatt's conduct amounted to gross negligence, but rather excluded the evidence under a negligence "could have" standard. Nor did the PTO even argue, at any stage of these proceedings, that Mr. Hyatt's conduct in this case was willful or intentional. Nonetheless, the majority concludes that the applicant "owed," Maj. Op. at 1278, the PTO all evidence he possesses that is responsive to a rejection and that failure to fulfill this newly created "affirmative duty" amounts to willful withholding as a matter of law. There are only two possible ways to interpret the majority's willful withholding determination. Either the majority is engaging in appellate fact finding or it is determining that breach of its newly created affirmative duty is willful withholding as a matter of law. The latter leaves no room for fact finding in individual cases and takes the discretion completely away from the trial court. Ultimately, the majority's sweeping exclusionary rule is far broader than anything argued by the parties.
While the Supreme Court has characterized the § 145 action as a proceeding that is "in fact, and necessarily, a part of the application for the patent," the hallmark of the § 145 proceeding in the district court is that "all competent evidence" shall be heard subject only to "the ordinary course of equity practice and procedure." Gandy v. Marble, 122 U.S. 432, 439, 7 S.Ct. 1290, 30 L.Ed. 1223 (1887); see also Butterworth v. United States ex rel. Hoe, 112 U.S. 50, 61, 5 S.Ct. 25, 28 L.Ed. 656 (1884). To be clear, Mr. Hyatt does not argue that § 145 actions are de novo trials that are entirely separate from PTO proceedings. Mr. Hyatt argues only that new evidence may be admitted in a § 145 action. He acknowledges that deferential review (substantial evidence) is given to Board fact *1280 findings absent new evidence in § 145 proceedings and also that evidence pertaining to new issues cannot be introduced. See Appellant's Br. 1, 5, 8, 10-11, 14-15; see also Conservolite, Inc. v. Widmayer, 21 F.3d 1098 (Fed.Cir.1994) (holding that in a § 146 action, evidence pertaining to new issues that were not raised before the PTO may be excluded).
The majority's decision to affirm the district court's exclusion of the inventor's own declaration in a § 145 civil action severely restricts the rights that Congress afforded patent applicants, making this proceeding more of an appeal than the new civil action contemplated and enacted by Congress. Moreover, by concluding that an inventor has an "affirmative duty" to submit his own declaration in response to a rejection by the PTO, lest he be prevented from admitting the material in any subsequent district court proceeding, the majority makes it impossible for inventors to ever testify in a § 145 action unless their testimony had first been proffered to the PTO. I cannot agree that this was what Congress contemplated when it enacted § 145, and therefore I dissent.
I. Mr. Hyatt's Declaration Should Not Be Excluded
Congress enacted a statute that permitted a "civil action" and gave patent applicants the right to present new evidence in a trial in the district court despite that this right would allow the applicant to introduce "evidence that they could have brought in before" the PTO, potentially resulting in "dragging an opponent through a second time." To Amend Section 52 of Judicial Code and Other Statutes Affecting Procedure in Patent Office: Hearings on H.R. 6252 and H.R. 7087 Before the H. Comm. on Patents, 69th Cong., 1st Sess. 80-81 (1926) (statement of Hon. Thomas E. Robertson, Commissioner of Patents) [hereinafter To Amend Section 52]. Congress granted patent applicants the right to a civil action in the district court distinct from their right of appeal. It is our obligation to protect the distinction Congress codified in § 145, not to reweigh the virtues of that decision. The § 145 proceeding is a civil action and ought to be governed by the same Federal Rules of Evidence that govern other civil actions. Patent cases do not need, nor should they have, special rules of evidence.
Section 145, titled "Civil action to obtain a patent," provides:
An applicant dissatisfied with the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences in an appeal under section 134(a) of this title may, unless appeal has been taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, have remedy by civil action against the Director in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia if commenced within such time after such decision, not less than sixty days, as the Director appoints. The court may adjudge that such applicant is entitled to receive a patent for his invention, as specified in any of his claims involved in the decision of the Board of Patent Appeals and Interferences, as the facts in the case may appear and such adjudication shall authorize the Director to issue such patent on compliance with the requirements of law. All the expenses of the proceedings shall be paid by the applicant.
35 U.S.C. § 145 (emphasis added).
The statute itself distinguishes the appeal that may be brought pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 141 because a § 145 action is not an appeal; it is a "civil action." The statute obligates the district court to adjudicate the facts in this civil action. Because the statute affords no limitations on the type of evidence that ought to be admissible in a civil action brought under § 145, the standard Federal Rules of Evidence *1281 that govern all civil actions ought to govern. The legislative histories of § 145 and its predecessor statute, section 4915 of the Revised Statutes, repeatedly and without contradiction indicate that the intent of Congress was to permit a patent applicant to bring a new suit built upon a new record. In testimony leading to the Patent Act of 1927, the Commissioner of Patents referred to a section 4915 suit as one where an applicant would proceed "de novo" in district court, with the right "to build up a new record" and bring in "further evidence that I might have put in before and drag you through another trail [sic] court." To Amend Section 52, at 79-80. The Commissioner of Patents was testifying in opposition to this statute, to this civil action in the district court. He testified that this statute that permits this "new record" results in "dragging an opponent through a second time." Id. at 80. In fact, he articulated these concerns a second time, noting that the statute allowed a patent applicant to "file testimony bringing in evidence that they could have brought in before [the PTO] but did not bring in before, and after dragging a man through all this procedure which you have just said is so complicated and burdensome, start de novo in court, and bring in testimony not taken the first time." Id. at 81; see also id. at 76 (statement of Karl Fenning, Former Assistant Commissioner of Patents) (arguing that "the best thing to do would be to cut out 4915 entirely for ex parte applications" to encourage the applicant to "put in all the testimony pertinent to his case" before the PTO).
Despite being presented with the policy reasons for not permitting a civil action, which allows the applicant to bring in evidence he could have brought before the PTO, Congress decided to adopt this approach. Mr. A.C. Paul, Chairman of the Patent Section of the Legislation Committee of the American Bar Association, made clear that he too understood section 4915 to permit the introduction of new evidence:
While our committee would have the case start de novo after the decision of the board ... and the difference would be then if we went to the court of appeals by an appeal the decision must be based upon the same record. If we go into a court of equity the parties may use the record that they have in the Patent Office and may supplement it by additional evidence.
Id. at 81. Similarly, Congressman Albert H. Vestal stated that "if a party feels aggrieved, he can bring his suit in the equity court, but it is not an appeal. It is the bringing of a new suit." Id. at 36.[1] Charles E. Howson, Chairman of the Committee on Patent Law Revision for the American Bar Association, who was the "chairman of the committee that drew these bills" explained:
The advantage of section 4915 is that it enables the party in interest, desiring to obtain a patent, to take evidence in a court or tribunal whose business it is to try issues of facts and make up a record in addition to that he has been enabled to furnish the examiners in the Patent Office, and therefore get before a court of competent jurisdiction everything connected with his rights and every fact connected with his patent; in other words, have before him everything that *1282 courts in the country have before them in infringement cases.
Id. at 21 (emphasis added); see also To Amend the Statutes of the United States as to Procedure in the Patent Office and the Courts: Hearing Before the S. Comm. on Patents, 69th Cong., 2d Sess. 13-14 (1926) (statement of Otto R. Barnett) (Pursuant to section 4915, you may file an action in the district court if "you want a new record to bring out new things developed in your patent, in lieu of that you may file a new suit.... Now, when it came to ex parte cases, it was comparatively simple to say that the individual inventor may appeal, or he may start his new suit.... `Well, somebody may want to start a new suit and bring out other and new things.' So we said, `All right, take your choice; go on with a new suit, or appeal.'").
These numerous statements confirm that when Congress enacted this statute, which does not limit the evidence that may be introduced in this "new suit" or "civil action," Congress did so with this purpose and intent. The majority attempts to sweep away all of the legislative history (as "anachronistic") claiming that the mere existence of Barrett "suggests that Congress approved of the cases holding that patent applicants could not present to a district court evidence they should have but did not present to the Patent Office." Maj. Op. at 1271-73. There are several problems with this theory. First, the parties agree and Congress clearly stated that the 1952 patent act made no substantive changes to § 4915. See Appellant's Br. 16; Appellee's Br. 45; S.Rep. No. 82-1979 (1952), as reprinted in 1952 U.S.C.C.A.N. 2394, 2400. Second, even the few courts that excluded evidence prior to the 1952 patent act did so under a hodgepodge of different standards (diligence, intentional suppression or bad faith). Congress could not have implicitly adopted all of these differing standards. Indeed, Congress did not limit the type of evidence that the patent applicant may introduce precisely because it intended for a civil action under § 4915, now § 145, to be based upon a new record and new evidence, even if that new evidence could have been brought before the PTO. Congress intended that the district court in a § 145 action have everything that a court would have in an infringement suit. Under this standard, Congress certainly intended for an inventor, such as Mr. Hyatt, to be permitted to introduce his own declaration in a § 145 action.[2]
Moreover, to deter applicants from exactly the type of procedural gaming that concerns the majority, § 145 imposes on the applicant the heavy economic burden of paying "[a]ll the expenses of the proceedings." 35 U.S.C. § 145. This burden encourages applicants to present their best case to the PTO to avoid responsibility for all expenses in a § 145 proceeding. To allow this type of evidence in these civil actions was a policy decision committed solely to the discretion of Congress, which it duly made.
Not only does the majority decision conflict with the proper interpretation of § 145, but it is also in conflict with Supreme Court jurisprudence on this point. The Supreme Court has repeatedly and without limitation spoken to an applicant's right to "present to the court evidence that the applicant did not present to the PTO. *1283 The presence of such new or different evidence makes a factfinder of the district judge." Dickinson v. Zurko, 527 U.S. 150, 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816, 144 L.Ed.2d 143 (1999). Supreme Court jurisprudence reflects a strong distinction between a § 141 appeal, in which new evidence is not permitted, and a § 145 action and its precursors, in which new evidence is freely admitted. A civil action under § 145like the bill in equity before it and unlike an appealis "the exercise of original, the other of appellate, jurisdiction." In re Hien, 166 U.S. 432, 438, 17 S.Ct. 624, 41 L.Ed. 1066 (1897). A defining difference between an appeal and the bill in equity is the introduction of new evidence:
It is evident that alternative rights of review are accorded an applicant,one by appeal to the United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals, the other by bill in equity filed in one of the federal district courts. In the first the hearing is summary and solely on the record made in the Patent Office; in the other a formal trial is afforded on proof which may include evidence not presented in the Patent Office.
Hoover Co. v. Coe, 325 U.S. 79, 83, 65 S.Ct. 955, 89 L.Ed. 1488 (1945) (citation omitted); id. at 87, 65 S.Ct. 955 (explaining that the legislative history makes clear that Congress intended to save to "litigants the option of producing new evidence in court, by retaining the equity procedure"); see also Hill v. Wooster, 132 U.S. 693, 697, 10 S.Ct. 228, 33 L.Ed. 502 (1890) ("The opinion of the circuit court discusses ... and states that considerable evidence was produced before the court which was not before the patent-office."). And the Supreme Court has distinguished an appeal from the bill in equity under section 4915 (the precursor to § 145):
It is thereby provided [in section 4915] that the applicant may have remedy by bill in equity. This means a proceeding in a court of the United States having original equity jurisdiction under the patent laws, according to the ordinary course of equity practice and procedure. It is not a technical appeal from the patent-office, like that authorized in section 4911, confined to the case as made in the record of that office, but is prepared and heard upon all competent evidence adduced, and upon the whole merits. Such has been the uniform and correct practice in the circuit courts. Whipple v. Miner, 15 F. 117 (C.C.D.Mass.1883); Ex parte Squire, 3 Ban. & A. 133; Butler v. Shaw, 21 F. 321.
Butterworth, 112 U.S. at 61, 5 S.Ct. 25 (emphasis added).
In Butterworth, the Supreme Court held that a section 4915 action should be heard on "all competent evidence," which is governed "according to the ordinary course of equity practice and procedure." Id. The majority explains that competent evidence is synonymous with admissible evidence, see Maj. Op. at 1260 n. 12, but suggests that the Supreme Court was silent on what evidence was competent (admissible). In fact, the preceding sentence in Butterworth explained that the admissibility or competence is determined "according to the ordinary course of equity practice and procedure" (i.e. the Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure). Butterworth, 112 U.S. at 61, 5 S.Ct. 25. Evidence is admissible in a § 145 civil action limited only by the ordinary rules of evidence and procedure that apply to all civil actions. The majority claims that reading Butterworth as holding that evidence is admissible in a § 145 civil action limited only by the ordinary rules of evidence and procedure that apply to all civil actions is contrary to the Supreme Court's decision in Gandy. However, the very quote in Gandy that the majority cites for this proposition, Maj. Op. at 1260, reaffirms this holding of Butterworth. The fact that the *1284 "proceeding, is, in fact and necessarily, a part of the application for the patent," is not to the contrary. The cases endorsed by the Supreme Court in Butterworth, like the Supreme Court itself, hold that the section 4915 action is one in which any evidence may be admitted:
It would seem, therefore, that the course of proceeding in either case is clear-viz., "according to the course of equity." Even in the absence of these explicit terms it would be apparent that a suit in equity would have to be governed in its proceedings by equity rules.... The provisions of the acts of congress, already referred to, allowing the party failing in his application, to file a bill, do not restrict the hearing, in this court, to the testimony used before the commissioner. Either party, therefore, is at liberty to introduce additional evidence, or rather, to speak more accurately, the hearing is altogether independent of that before the commissioner, and takes place on such testimony as the parties may see fit to produce agreeably to the rules and practice of a court of equity.
Ex parte Squire, 22 F. Cas. 1015, 1017 (C.C.E.D.Mo.1877) (No. 13,269) (emphasis added).[3] This case, which on this very point the Supreme Court held was "correct," holds that the only limitations on evidence that may be introduced in these proceedings are those limitations that arise under the normal rulesin this case the Federal Rules of Evidence. See id.
The majority discusses the importance of preserving settled expectations. Our own precedent is replete with examples of § 145 actions in which district courts considered new evidence that could have been presented to the PTO but was only first presented to the district court. See, e.g., Fregeau v. Mossinghoff, 776 F.2d 1034, 1036 (Fed.Cir.1985) (applicant submitted a new expert declaration setting forth additional data and a new theory to the district court); Titanium Metals Corp. of Am. v. Banner, 778 F.2d 775 (Fed.Cir.1985) (new expert testified in district court); Gould v. Quigg, 822 F.2d 1074 (Fed.Cir.1987) (both the PTO and the patent applicant offered new expert testimony); Mazzari v. Rogan, 323 F.3d 1000, 1004-05 (Fed.Cir.2003) (allowing a large volume of new evidence offered by the applicants and the PTO including new experts and prior art references); see also Winner Int'l Royalty Corp. v. Wang, 202 F.3d 1340, 1346-48 (Fed.Cir.2000) (allowing new evidence of commercial success to be introduced in the district court proceedings); Genentech, Inc. v. Chiron Corp., 220 F.3d 1345, 1351 (Fed.Cir.2000) (permitting four new experts to testify despite the fact that none of them had offered any testimony by declaration, affidavit, or otherwise during proceedings at the PTO). We have repeatedly held that a § 145 applicant is "entitled" to and may "choose" to introduce additional evidence. See Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1004-05 ("A section 145 review ... affords the applicant an opportunity to present additional evidence or argue the previous evidence afresh," and "[i]f the parties choose to present additional evidence to the district court ... the district court would make de novo factual findings."). In *1285 Newman v. Quigg, 877 F.2d 1575 (Fed.Cir. 1989), we held that the PTO could introduce several new reports, declarations, and affidavits not submitted during the PTO proceedings explaining:
A district court action under 35 U.S.C. § 145 is a de novo determination of patentability. It is not limited to the record before the PTO. Unless a party is prejudiced thereby or due process is denied, expeditious justice is better served by avoiding artificial restrictions on the district court's authority to resolve all issues reasonably raised in the proceeding.
Id. at 1579 (citation omitted). These cases illustrate the great magnitude of the majority's departure from decades of practice in which both parties believed such evidence admissible. The majority's decision to start excluding evidence in § 145 actions is contrary to the statute, legislative history, Supreme Court precedent, and the long-standing practice of considering such evidence in our cases.[4]
II. The New Alton Rule for Excluding Evidence
After a lengthy discussion of the hodgepodge of standards that were applied in the few regional circuits that had excluded evidence from district court proceedings, the majority affirms the district court's exclusion of evidence.[5] The authority, according *1286 to the majority, is In re Alton, 76 F.3d 1168, 1175 (Fed.Cir.1996). The majority holds that by failing to offer his testimony to the PTO, Hyatt has failed to satisfy "an affirmative and specific duty." Maj. Op. at 1248. In this way, this new affirmative duty for prosecution seems to resemble inequitable conduct, though here the applicant is penalized regardless of their intent. The majority explains: "Hyatt was obligated to respond to the examiner's written description rejection by In re Alton, 76 F.3d 1168, 1175 (Fed.Cir. 1996), by explaining where in the specification support for each of these limitations could be found." Maj. Op. at 1274.[6] The majority continues: "Hyatt was clearly on notice of his obligation to provide evidence or explanation to the examiner to rebut the written description rejections," Maj. Op. at 1276, and "he was required by law" to provide it. Maj. Op. at 1275. With all due respect to the majority, I do not believe a new "affirmative duty" to disclose is warranted, nor do I believe Hyatt was "required by law" or "obligated" to provide his declaration to the PTO. While Mr. Hyatt may have failed to overcome the rejections or to convince the Board based upon his submissions to the PTO, he did not fail to fulfill an "obligation" or "affirmative duty" as the majority alleges.
The majority uses Alton to create an "affirmative duty" with which patent applicants must comply. Alton does not justify this new duty. Alton stands for the proposition that when the examiner makes a prima facie case for his written description rejection, the burden of coming forward with evidence or argument (burden of production) shifts to the applicant. Alton, 76 F.3d at 1175. And, this is true whether the examiner is rejecting a claim on the basis of anticipation, obviousness, enablement, written description or any other reason. See In re Oetiker, 977 F.2d 1443, 1445 (Fed.Cir.1992) ("[T]he examiner bears the initial burden, on review of the prior art or on any other ground, of presenting a prima facie case of unpatentability. If that burden is met, the burden of coming forward with evidence or argument shifts to the applicant."); see also Manual of Patent Examination Procedure § 804 ¶ I.A (8th ed., rev. 2008); id. § 2106 (patentable subject matter), § 2107.02 (utility), § 2112 (inherent anticipation), § 2142 (obviousness), § 2163.04 (written description), § 2164.04 (enablement), § 2184 (equivalents). Once the examiner makes a prima facie case, the applicant then has the burden of coming forward with evidence to rebut that prima facie showing.
*1287 Because the same burden shifting occurs with regard to every type of rejection an examiner makes, this new affirmative duty is not limited to the written description issue reviewed in Alton. Hence if the burden shifting creates "an affirmative duty" then this affirmative duty comes into existence every time an examiner makes a prima facie case and rejects claims. I cannot agree with the per se rule that an applicant is deemed to have willfully withheld anything he possessed during prosecution that was responsive to a rejection regardless of the applicant's actual intent. Willfulness always requires intent and is simply not compatible with the majority's strict liability approach.
III. Mr. Hyatt's Evidence
In this case, the district court found that Mr. Hyatt's failure to proffer his declaration to the PTO was merely negligent. Hyatt v. Dudas, No. 03-0901, 2005 WL 5569663, at *7 (D.D.C. Sept.30, 2005) ("Hyatt II") ("Hyatt's failure to explain why he didn't submit his declaration earlier is negligent, and the district court need not consider evidence negligently submitted after the end of administrative proceedings."). There has been no finding of bad faith, fraud, willful withholding, intentional suppression or even gross negligence in this case. The PTO did not argue to either the district court or this court that the facts in this case would establish intentional suppression or willful withholding by Mr. Hyatt. Rather, the PTO argued that the facts established that Mr. Hyatt acted negligently or in the alternative grossly negligently. Appellee's Br. 51-53. In fact, the PTO argues that Mr. Hyatt's focus on "intentional or deliberate conduct misses the point." Appellee's Br. 51. Analogizing the present case to Schering Corp. v. Marzall, 101 F.Supp. 571 (D.D.C.1951), the PTO distinguishes between suppression on the one hand and evidence withheld without sufficient excuse on the other. Id. at 34-35. If the majority would like the willful withholding standard to be applied and for fact findings to be made accordingly, it must vacate and remand for the district court to do so in the first instance. Because willful withholding was not argued by the parties or considered by the district court, we as an appellate court simply cannot know the volume of evidence that may exist on the issue nor are we in a position to judge Mr. Hyatt's credibility.
I find troubling the majority's characterizations of Mr. Hyatt. See, e.g., Maj. Op. at 1275 (Mr. "Hyatt purposefully kept [the Board] in the dark"); id. (his "blatant noncooperation"); id. at 1275 (Mr. "Hyatt willfully refused to provide evidence in his possession"); id. (Hyatt "refused to cooperate"); id. ("Hyatt's willful non-cooperation"); id. at 1277 ("Hyatt willfully refused"); id. at 1274 (providing his declaration "should have been simple for him"); id. at 1277 (that Hyatt's failure "to perform a simple task that it was his burden to perform is inexcusable"); id. at 1277 ("Hyatt's perverse unhelpfulness"). None of this appears in the district court proceedings, the PTO proceedings, or the recordthese fact findings ought to be left to the district court which is in the best position to weigh the contradictory evidence.
Contrary to the appellate finding of willful withholding, the record contains ample evidence of a lack of willful withholding. Here, the examiner rejected all of Mr. Hyatt's 117 claims for lack of written description, failure to enable, obviousness-type double patenting (over 8 separate references), and Schneller-type double patenting (over the same 8 references). The examiner also rejected 9 claims as anticipated (Hill reference) and 7 as obvious (over a combination of three references). Technically, Mr. Hyatt was appealing 45 *1288 separate issues totaling 2546 separate rejections of his 117 claims to the Board. He wrote a 129-page appeal brief addressing all of these different rejections.[7] And, to be clear, the Board reversed all the examiner's rejections for obviousness, anticipation, obviousness-type double patenting, Schneller-type double patenting, and many of the written description and enablement rejections. With regard to the written description rejections in particular, the Board reversed the rejections of 38 claims and sustained the rejections of 79 claims. Mr. Hyatt prevailed on 92% of all the examiner's rejections at the Board level. Despite Mr. Hyatt's success, the majority declares Mr. Hyatt's response to be "completely and wholly inadequate" and Mr. Hyatt to have been perversely unhelpful. Maj. Op. at 1277, 1278.
With respect to the written description issue, Mr. Hyatt responded to the rejectionsas the majority explainswith thirty six pages of argument and Table-1. While the Board criticizes Table-1, the Board reversed thirty-eight of the examiner's rejections for lack of written description and in some cases relied upon exactly the information referenced in Table-1. For example, the Board found support for "a data decompressed video image input circuit generating data decompressed image information" (in thirty-three claims) on page 23 of the 236-page specification, the exact and only location where table-1 says the terms "data compressed" and "decompressed" appeared. See, e.g., Ex Parte Hyatt, No. 2000-2049 (B.P.A.I. July 30, 2002) at 19-20. Although Mr. Hyatt may have failed to overcome all of the written description rejections based upon his submissions to the PTO, he did not fail to fulfill an "obligation" or "affirmative duty," and he certainly was not "perversely unhelpful" as the majority alleges. With all of these facts, and no one arguing willful withholding, should we be finding it in the first instance? I believe the court is wrong to hold that breach of the newly created affirmative duty, i.e., not producing evidence to the PTO, is willful withholding as a matter of law.
It is helpful to compare these facts to one of the only examples of willful withholding, where a court excluded evidence of reduction to practice where the assignee corporation expressly refused to disclose and to allow their witnesses to answer questions before the PTO in order to maintain a commercial advantage. Barrett, 22 F.2d at 396 ("[T]he Barrett Company forbade them to answer."). Barrett represents an extreme and unwarranted position, and the majority chooses to go far beyond even that standard. Mr. Hyatt's conduct here hardly rises to the level of the Barrett Company. There is no evidence that Mr. Hyatt intentionally withheld information to retain some commercial advantage, as in Barrett. Rather, the majority concludes that where an applicant fails to convince the PTO of his position, he is foreclosed from bringing in new evidence to further that position in a § 145 action, regardless of whether he believed he had submitted adequate evidence to the PTOi.e., regardless of the applicant's intent.
In hindsight, perhaps Mr. Hyatt should have submitted his declaration or that of any other expert earlier in the prosecution process. But hindsight is misleadingly acute. Declarations and expert reports are time consuming and expensive to prepare. It is hardly reasonable or even desirable to require patent applicants to put massive declarations into the record at an early stage of prosecution, weighing the *1289 cost to both the applicant and the PTO. See generally Mark A. Lemley, Rational Ignorance at the Patent Office, 95 Nw. U.L.Rev. 1495 (2003) (arguing that it would be inefficient for the PTO to overinvest in examination because so few patents are enforced). In this case, for example, the examiner rejected the claims on many different bases (double patenting on 8 different references, obviousness, anticipation, enablement, written description, etc.), totaling 2546 separate rejections. The Board overturned nearly all of them. It is easy with the benefit of hindsight to say Mr. Hyatt should have introduced more evidence on written description to the Board. But Mr. Hyatt was not facing merely a written description rejection, he was facing 2546 separate rejections on many, many different bases. The majority implausibly asserts that 2546 separate rejections is "proportional to Hyatt's prosecution of an application containing 117 pending claims spanning 79 pages." Maj. Op. at 1278 n. 35. An average of 21 rejections per claim is hardly proportional. Mr. Hyatt was forced to appeal 45 independent issues to the Board when the average is two. Dennis D. Crouch, Understanding the Role of the Board of Patent Appeals in Ex Parte Appeals, 4, available at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=XXXXXXXXX. Despite this challenge, Mr. Hyatt was largely successful on appeal. Further, the length of Mr. Hyatt's application suggests that his efforts to pinpoint pages containing certain terms was helpful and in good faith. Mr. Hyatt's response may have been especially valuable in the time before searchable electronic applications.
To say that Mr. Hyatt had an affirmative duty to introduce all evidence to the Board or that he "owed" (Maj. Op. at 1278) all the evidence he possessed is to put an enormous and undesirable burden on the patentee, one that will foreclose patent protection for many small inventors. Congress foresaw exactly this problem and ameliorated it with § 145 by providing applicants a way to initiate a civil action and introduce new evidence after Board proceedings when the issues are much more succinct and consolidated. This is illustrated perfectly here, where the applicant was contending with 2546 rejections on many different bases before the Board. After the Board overturned nearly all of them, only a small number of rejections based on written description/enablement were maintained. Hence at the district court the applicant could proffer much more extensive evidence because the universe of issues was greatly narrowed. This is the sensible approach Congress enacted. The statute even places the cost of the proceeding on the party better positioned to know the value of the applicationthe applicant. The majority's new exclusionary rule based upon its new affirmative duty upsets this balance.
CONCLUSION
In this case, the majority blurs the line between an appeal pursuant to § 141 and the civil action of § 145. The admissibility of new evidence is exactly what distinguishes § 145 from § 141. "We must be vigilant to preserve to patent applicants the alternative procedures that the law provides, and to preserve the historical distinction between them." Fregeau, 776 F.2d at 1041 (Newman, J., concurring-in-part). The legislative history and Supreme Court precedent make clear that the hallmark distinction is the admissibility of "all competent evidence," "to build up a new record," "to start de novo in court," "and file testimony bringing in evidence that they could have brought in before [the PTO] but did not bring in before." This evidence, admissible in this civil action, should be governed as the Supreme Court indicated by "equity practice and procedure," i.e., the Federal Rules of Evidence and Civil Procedure.
*1290 Since only the presence of new evidence invokes the de novo standard of review (otherwise the district court will give the Board fact findings substantial evidence deference, see Fregeau, 776 F.2d at 1038), the majority's decision in this case makes the § 145 action virtually indistinguishable from an appeal under § 141. This version of a "civil action" under § 145 is contrary to Congressional intent and to the Supreme Court's rulings. While it is sound policy to encourage full disclosure to administrative tribunals such as the PTO, we are not the body that makes the decision of how best to do this. Congress held numerous hearings over this legislation, considered the concerns over permitting a civil action, and decided to enact the legislation despite these concerns.
Mr. Hyatt did not fail to fulfill an affirmative duty or obligation and he should not be penalized. I believe Congress gave Mr. Hyatt the right to have his own declaration considered as part of the evidence in the § 145 civil action at the district court, and therefore I must dissent from the majority's constriction of this patent applicant's rights.
NOTES
[1] Pursuant to Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 43(c)(2), John Doll was substituted for Dudas upon Dudas's resignation as Director.
[2] Hyatt is also familiar with this court. See Hyatt v. Dudas, 551 F.3d 1307 (Fed.Cir.2008); Hyatt v. Dudas, 267 Fed.Appx. 944 (Fed.Cir. 2008); Hyatt v. Dudas, 492 F.3d 1365 (Fed. Cir.2007); In re Hyatt, 243 F.3d 554 (Table) (Fed.Cir.2000); In re Hyatt, 211 F.3d 1367 (Fed.Cir.2000); Hyatt v. Boone, 146 F.3d 1348 (Fed.Cir. 1998); In re Hyatt, 108 F.3d 1393 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1997); In re Hyatt, 106 F.3d 424 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1996); In re Hyatt, 925 F.2d 1478 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1991); In re Hyatt, 852 F.2d 1292 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1988); In re Hyatt, 770 F.2d 182 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1985); In re Hyatt, 770 F.2d 181 (Table) (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Hyatt, 770 F.2d 178 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1985); In re Hyatt, 714 F.2d 160 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1983); In re Hyatt, 708 F.2d 712 (Fed.Cir. 1983); In re Hyatt, 714 F.2d 160 (Table) (Fed.Cir. 1983).
[3] Which, according to the Supreme Court, "cannot be stated briefly." Hoover Co. v. Coe, 325 U.S. 79, 84, 65 S.Ct. 955, 89 L.Ed. 1488 (1945) (discussing origins of R.S. § 4915).
[4] The District of Columbia district and circuit courts were both staffed by the same three judges. Federico at 850-52.
[5] These statutory changes merely formalized the practice that had developed over time within the Patent Office. Federico at 853-56.
[6] Although the statute provided a bill in equity could be filed after an adverse decision "either by the commissioner or by the supreme court of the District of Columbia upon appeal from the commissioner," the statute was nonetheless interpreted as allowing a bill in equity to be filed only after an adverse decision of the supreme court of the District of Columbia. See Kirk v. Comm'r of Pats., 5 Mackey 229, 1886 WL 15875, *2 (D.C.Sup. 1886).
[7] The rules of equity practice applied to suits under Revised Statutes § 4915. See Appleton v. Ecaubert, 45 F. 281, 282 (C.C.E.D.N.Y. 1891).
[8] While Revised Statutes § 4915 did not on its face limit the venues in which a dissatisfied applicant could file a bill in equity, the practice of the Commissioner sometimes did. See S. 4812 Hearing at 8 (Robertson) ("If it is an ex parte case, the statute requires that service must be made on the Commissioner of Patents, and the Commissioner of Patents will not accept service in these suits all over the Untied States. The Department of Justice has not thought it proper to do that, so the commissioner will accept service only in the District of Columbia, or in Baltimore, nearby.... When I came in as commissioner five years ago we had one in Texas, and, of course, it makes it very difficult for the department to handle.").
[9] Prior to this change, Chief Justice William Howard Taft had been regularly reassigning judges from the Court of Customs Appeals to the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia to help relieve the latter court's congestion. S. 4812 Hearing at 25-27.
[10] The dissent presents several of cases in which this court has considered new evidence in § 145 and § 146 cases without analyzing whether that evidence should have been presented to the PTO. Dissent at 1284-85. In none of the cases the dissent cites, however, did any party object to the evidence. This court does not engage in sua sponte review of evidentiary rulings; objections not raised before the district court are ordinarily considered waived. Caterpillar Inc. v. Sturman Indus., 387 F.3d 1358, 1368 (Fed.Cir.2004).
[11] The dissent misrepresents the import of an isolated phrase from this quotation. See Dissent at 1283.
[12] Competent evidence is a synonym for admissible evidence. Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modern Legal Usage 186 (1995 2d ed.).
[13] It is ironic that the dissent downplays the importance of the holding of Zurko (and criticizes the fact that we even discuss the APA), see Dissent at 12 n. 4, and instead fixates on the statement that § 145 "permits the disappointed applicant to present to the court evidence that the applicant did not present to the PTO" (which was part of a rejection of the Federal Circuit's rationale for holding that the APA did not apply to appeals under § 141). See Zurko, 527 U.S. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816. Of course new evidence is "permit[ted]", but this does not mandate the admission of all evidence whatsoever. If this statement were as absolute as the dissent believes, it would seemingly trump the Federal Rules of Evidence.
[14] The dissent overlooks this distinction. See Dissent at 1281-85. Neither Ex parte Squire, 22 F. Cas. 1015, 1017 (C.C.E.D.Mo.1877) (No. 13,269), nor Butler v. Shaw, 21 F. 321, 326 (C.C.D.Mass.1884), support the dissent's argument that the right to admit new evidence is wholly unconstrained; each merely recites the unremarkable proposition that new evidence may have been submitted in a suit under Revised Statutes § 4915.
[15] See Minn. Mining & Mfg. Co. v. Carborundum, 155 F.2d 746, 748 (3d Cir. 1946) (distinguishing Barrett and affirming district court's denial of motion to exclude expert testimony which was allegedly "available to the plaintiffs at the time of the proceedings in the Patent Office" because the evidence was not intentionally suppressed). In a subsequent, related appeal of Standard Oil, the Third Circuit rejected the argument that the district court should have required a party to explain why it was only offering evidence for the first time before the district court. Standard Oil Co. (Ind.) v. Montedison, S.P.A., 664 F.2d 356, 376 (3d Cir.1981) ("[N]ew expert testimony is clearly admissible in a section 146 action without such justification to the extent that it aids the court in understanding issues already presented to the Board."). It is not clear from the opinion, however, that the objecting party did anything other than attempt to place the burden of justifying the evidence on the party offering it.
[16] The Second Circuit had earlier approved of Barrett. See Greene v. Beidler, 58 F.2d 207, 209-10 (2d Cir.1932) (quoting Barrett for the proposition that parties "cannot come into a District Court and say, now for the first time we shall tell the true story of reduction to practice and demand a patent" and stating "This is substantially the position which the appellees here have taken. It cannot prevail.").
[17] Examples of special circumstances might include an intervening change in the law, the presence of a new issue, or the admission of other new evidence deserving of a response or further elaboration. See e.g., Douglas Aircraft Co. v. Mueller, 107 U.S.App. D.C. 321, 277 F.2d 351 (1960).
[18] Although the D.C. Circuit did not expressly adopt Barrett, it cited the case to support a statement in dicta that evidence which was important and "readily available" yet not presented to the PTO should not be admitted in a suit under R.S. § 4915. Boucher Inventions v. Sola Elec. Co., 131 F.2d 225, 227 & n. 5 (D.C.Cir.1942). See also Emerson Stringham, Patent Interference Equity Suits 83-84 (1930) ("Barrett v. Koppers takes the rather extreme position that a party who withholds, during the office interference, evidence then in his possession and control, is thereafter estopped to present that evidence in an equity suit.... Probably such a ruling would be made only if the court considered that the withholding during the office proceeding constituted bad faith, amounting to, or approximating, `unclean hands.'") (emphasis added).
[19] SD3, LLC v. Doll, 08-cv-01242-RWR;
Aldor Solutions Corp. v. Dudas, 08-cv-00897-ESH;
Dome Patent L.P. v. Doll, 07-cv-01695-PLF;
Hitachi Koki Co. v. Doll, 07-cv-01504-ESH;
Novo Nordisk A/S v. Dudas, 06-cv-01896-CKK;
Takeda Pharm. Co. v. Dudas, 06-cv-01640-TFH;
Fullerene Int'l Corp. v. Dudas, 06-cv-01451-RMU;
Innovatit Seafood Sys. v. Comm'r of Pats.,
06-cv-00825-JR;
Innovatit Seafood Sys. v. Comm'r of Pats.,
06-cv-00822-JR;
Hickman v. Dudas, 05-cv-02426-RBW;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 05-cv-02310-H HK;
Dieterich Stnd. Inc. v. Dudas, 05-cv-02296-RBW;
Putman v. Dudas, 05-cv-01796-LFO;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 05-cv-00834-EGS;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 05-cv-00310-HHK;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 05-cv-00309-EGS;
Galbreath v. Dudas, 04-cv-02222-JR;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 04-cv-01802-HHK;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 04-cv-01496-EGS;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 04-cv-01222-EGS;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 04-cv-01139-HHK;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 04-cv-01138-HHK;
Hyatt v. Rogan, 03-cv-01375-EGS;
Hyatt v. Rogan, 03-cv-01283-EGS;
Hyatt v. Rogan, 03-cv-01280-EGS;
Regents of Univ. of Cal. v. Rogan, 03-cv-01133-RWR;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 03-cv-00901-H HK;
Hyatt v. Dudas, 03-cv-00108-EGS;
Protechna, SA. v. Godici, 02-cv-02524-RBW;
Galbreath v. Dudas, 02-cv-02354-JR.
[20] The Court had previously characterized an action based on this statute as "a plenary suit in equity." Columbia Broadcasting Sys. v. United States, 316 U.S. 407, 415, 62 S.Ct. 1194, 86 L.Ed. 1563 (1942).
[21] See, e.g., Food Stamp Act, 7 U.S.C. § 2023(a)(15) ("The suit in the United States district court or State court shall be a trial de novo by the court in which the court shall determine the validity of the questioned administrative action in issue...."); Ibrahim v. United States, 834 F.2d 52, 53-54 (2d Cir. 1987) ("The Food Stamp Act's de novo review provision embodies a different and broader scope of review than that available under the APA ... [Camp v. Pitts] is not on point. That case involved review of a decision by the Comptroller of the Currency denying a national bank charter, and no statute or regulation provided for de novo review. The APA therefore governed. Here, in contrast, the Food Stamp Act specifically provides that review of FNS determinations `shall be a trial de novo.' 7 U.S.C. § 2023(a)."); 7 U.S.C. § 499g(c) (providing that, for review of reparations orders by Department of Agriculture, "Either party adversely affected by the entry of a reparation order by the Secretary may... appeal therefrom to the district court.... Such suit in the district court shall be a trial de novo and shall proceed in all respects like other civil suits for damages, except that the findings of fact and order or orders of the Secretary shall be prima-facie evidence of the facts therein stated"); see also 19 U.S.C. § 1592(e) (providing that, for review of customs penalties for negligence or fraud, "Notwithstanding any other provision of law, in any proceeding commenced by the United States in the Court of International Trade for the recovery of any monetary penalty claimed under this section ... all issues, including the amount of the penalty, shall be tried de novo"); United States v. Ford Motor Co., 463 F.3d 1286, 1297 (Fed.Cir.2006) (finding that even the explicit language of § 1592(e) should interpreted narrowly as providing for de novo review only of certain aspects of the customs determination, not to "permit an importer to end-run the protest provisions").
Only in very rare cases has the Supreme Court held that a new record may be made in the District Court in the absence of specific statutory authorization. McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 798-99, 93 S.Ct. 1817, 36 L.Ed.2d 668 (finding that private-sector employees are entitled to trial de novo under Title VII); accord Chandler, 425 U.S. at 845, 96 S.Ct. 1949 (for public employees under Title VII). However, the statutory scheme makes clear that "Title VII does not provide the [EEOC] with direct powers of enforcement. The [EEOC] cannot adjudicate claims or impose administrative sanctions. Rather, final responsibility for enforcement of Title VII is vested with federal courts." Alexander v. Gardner-Denver Co., 415 U.S. 36, 44-45, 94 S.Ct. 1011, 39 L.Ed.2d 147 (1974).
[22] A central flaw of the dissent is that it believes evidence in § 145 actions is limited only by the Federal Rules of Evidence. See Dissent at 1280. Contrary to the dissent's argument, however, it is not enough that § 145 is silent about evidence or that an appeal is available under § 141. See dissent at 1280-81. The Supreme Court has recently stated that patent law should not lightly depart from accepted legal principles of general applicability. See eBay Inc. v. MercExchange, L.L.C., 547 U.S. 388, 390-94, 126 S.Ct. 1837, 164 L.Ed.2d 641 (2006). The ambiguous silence of § 145 on the admissibility of evidence does not meet the high bar the Supreme Court has set for implying trial de novo.
[23] In Zurko, the Supreme Court noted that we may need to adjust standards of review to prevent anomalous results under the APA, citing Fregeau with apparent approval. See Zurko, 527 U.S. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816.
[24] The dissent complains that we "blur[] the line between an appeal pursuant to § 141 and the civil action of § 145." Dissent at 1289. However, the availability of live direct testimony and cross-examination would make a section 145 action quite different from a section 141 appeal, regardless of whether some evidence available to the applicant but not submitted to the PTO would be excludable. Just because proceedings under the two sections are different does not mean they should be as different as possible; the dissent lacks convincing support to require the specific difference it wishes to create. In any event, de novo proceedings under § 145 are disallowed by the APA.
[25] Commissioner Thomas's comments appear to be focused on interference cases rather than ex parte ones. H.R. 6252 Hearing at 78-82.
[26] But see Catron County Bd. of Comm'rs v. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Serv., 75 F.3d 1429, 1438 (10th Cir.1996) ("Although a proponent of congressional acquiescence need not show that the acquiescence is `specifically embodied in a statutory mandate,' he bears the burden of showing `abundant evidence that Congress both contemplated and authorized' the previous noncongressional interpretation in which it now acquiesces.").
[27] This is not equivalent to making "no substantive changes to § 4915," as the dissent asserts. See Dissent at 1281.
[28] The dissent's heavy reliance on the legislative history of the 1927 revisions to the Patent Act, see Dissent at 1280-82, is therefore anachronistic.
[29] "Each individual associated with the filing and prosecution of a patent application has a duty of candor and good faith in dealing with the Office, which includes a duty to disclose to the Office all information known to that individual to be material to patentability as defined in this section." 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(a).
[30] Information "cumulative to information already of record" is not "material to patentability." 37 C.F.R. § 1.56(b).
[31] We leave to future cases consideration of whether evidence may be excluded on grounds other than the type of refusal at issue here and in Barrett.
[32] For example, the examiner could find no support in Hyatt's specification for "block boundary smoothing" claim language. J.A. 20-21. According to Table-1, "block" appears on pages 25 through 83 and 128 through 164; "boundary" on pages 14 and 41; and "smoothing" once, on page 232. J.A. 10832. The words "boundary" and "smoothing" are separated by almost two hundred pages. Similarly, the examiner stated he could find no support in the specification for the claimed "quantization weighting processor." According to Table-1, "quantization" appears on pages 231 through 236, "weight" appears on pages 162 through 164, and "processor" on pages 85 through 98. To suggest Table-1 is helpful in determining where in the specification support for these limitations may be found borders on insolent.
[33] The instant case is distinguishable from Burlington Industries v. Quigg, where we upheld a district court's reversal in a § 145 action of claim rejections by the PTO. 822 F.2d 1581, 1582, 1584 (1987). We noted that the district court's decision was based largely on live testimony (which was unavailable during proceedings before the PTO) and if, under such circumstances the district court reached a conclusion different from that of the PTO, "that is not contrary to the legislative purpose of section 145 de novo review. Indeed, it is in fulfillment of that purpose." Id. at 1584.
[34] The dissent's claim that we hold that Hyatt "`owed' the PTO all evidence he possesses that is responsive to a rejection," Dissent at 1279-80 (emphasis added, citation omitted), is overbroad and illustrates the dissent's misunderstanding of our holding.
[35] The dissent complains about Hyatt's burden of responding to, as the dissent calculates it, "2546 separate rejections." Dissent at 1288. The dissent does not acknowledge that this is proportional to Hyatt's prosecution of an application containing 117 pending claims spanning 79 pages. See J.A. 10411-89.
[1] See also Albert H. Walker, The Law of Patents for Inventions § 134 (5th ed. 1917) ("In order to decide the issues of such a bill in equity as is treated in this section, the court, where the bill is pending, will take testimony, and any other admissible evidence, according to the course of courts of equity; and will also consider whatever was before the Patent Office in the proceedings which resulted in the refusal to grant a patent.... The proceeding, however, is not revisory of the Patent Office proceeding, but is an original suit in equity....").
[2] The Federal Rules of Evidence do not support the majority's exclusion of inventor statements. Inventor testimony is regularly admitted in infringement cases for various reasons: Wang Labs., Inc. v. Toshiba Corp., 993 F.2d 858, 866 (Fed.Cir.1993) (written description); Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303, 1317 (Fed.Cir.2005) (en banc) (claim construction); Cooper v. Goldfarb, 154 F.3d 1321, 1330 (Fed. Cir. 1998) (reduction to practice); Symantec Corp. v. Computer Assocs. Int'l, Inc., 522 F.3d 1279, 1295 (Fed.Cir.2008) (conception).
[3] See also Butler v. Shaw, 21 F. 321, 326 (C.C.D.Mass.1884) (distinguishing between the patent applicant's right to appeal where "that court acts strictly as a court of appeal in the matter ... the hearing is summary, and is confined to the specific reasons of appeal, and to the evidence produced before the commissioner" and the patent applicant's right to file a "bill in equity" under section 4915, which is "a suit within the ordinary jurisdiction in equity of the courts ... the statute contains no provision requiring the case to be heard upon the evidence produced before the commissioner... as has been held in this and other circuits, the court may receive new evidence, and has the same powers as in other cases in equity").
[4] Although not considered below or raised or argued by the parties on appeal, the majority contends that the APA requires "[s]ome restrictions on the ability of an applicant to introduce new evidence in a § 145 action." Maj. Op. at 1270. There is little doubt that, as a general matter, the APA applies to PTO actions. Zurko, 527 U.S. at 165, 119 S.Ct. 1816. But Zurko acknowledged that § 145 allows applicants to "present to the court evidence that the applicant did not present to the PTO. The presence of such new or different evidence makes a factfinder of the district judge." Id. at 164, 119 S.Ct. 1816. And in a case considering the applicability of Zurko to § 145, we stated that "[a] section 145 review is distinct from a section 141 appeal in that it affords the applicant an opportunity to present additional evidence or argue the previous evidence afresh." Mazzari, 323 F.3d at 1004. While Zurko and Mazzari concerned the standard of review, both cases considered the APA and both cases proceeded on the uncontroversial premise that the applicant can "choose" to present "new or different evidence" in a § 145 action. Further, as explained in detail supra, the language and legislative history of § 145 resoundingly support the admissibility of new evidence in § 145 actions. Cf. Chandler v. Roudebush, 425 U.S. 840, 862, 96 S.Ct. 1949, 48 L.Ed.2d 416 (1976) ("Here, by contrast, there is a `specific statutory authorization' of a district court `civil action,' which both the plain language of the statute and the legislative history reveal to be a trial de novo."). The APA does not limit new evidence in a § 145 proceeding to live testimony to resolve credibility issues as the majority asserts. Maj. Op. at 1270-71.
[5] To the extent that regional circuits or lower courts excluded evidence in § 145 actions, there is considerable disagreement as to the standard that ought to govern the exclusion of such evidence (gross negligence, intentional suppression, bad faith, or negligence/diligence). See, e.g., Case v. CPC Int'l, Inc., 730 F.2d 745, 752 (Fed.Cir. 1984) ("We are aware that this provision has received varying interpretations in the circuits. In our view, since an action under 35 U.S.C. § 146 has the hybrid nature of an appeal and a trial de novo, the statute authorizes the district court to accept all proffered testimony on issues raised by the parties during the proceedings below or by the board's decision." (emphasis added)). In fact, the negligence/diligence standard applied in this case was recently rejected by the very court from which this appeal comes:
As a threshold matter, the Court must determine whether plaintiff may, under Section 145, offer the four new declarations not previously submitted to the Board.... Defendant contends that the Court should not consider these new declarations because they were not previously submitted to the Board.... There is no indication here that plaintiff's failure to introduce the four declarations rises to the level of fraud, bad faith, or gross negligence.
Defendant, however, points to a handful of cases in this Court, which have adopted an even more stringent standard for the consideration of new evidence. Defendant relies primarily on Hyatt v. Dudas, in which Judge Kennedy declined to consider new evidence "negligently submitted after the end of administrative proceedings." This articulation of the "new evidence" standard represents a significant departure from the PTO's guidelines and, as plaintiff argues, would "render an appeal under § 145 ... nearly indistinguishable from a direct appeal to the Federal Circuit, and would render the purpose of the statute duplicative and meaningless." The Court therefore declines to adopt the Hyatt standard for considering new evidence in this case.
Hitachi Koki Co. v. Dudas, 556 F.Supp.2d 41, 47 (D.D.C.2008) (citations omitted).
[6] The majority suggests that there is only one way to respond to a written description rejection. Maj. Op. at 1278 ("There is, under Alton only one acceptable response to a written description rejection: showing the examiner where by column and line number in the specification he may find written description support for each disputed claim limitation."). With all due respect, this not correct. Written description rejections can be addressed by arguing, for example, that the examiner failed to set forth a prima facie case, by amendment, by adjusting a priority claim, or by pointing out common alternative definitions for a claim term known to one of ordinary skill in the art. There is not simply one way an applicant can or must respond, and we should not micromanage prosecution.
[7] Mr. Hyatt prosecuted his patent application pro se. This is not to suggest that Mr. Hyatt is unsophisticated, as he is an inventor with several patents to his credit and a patent agent.
|
PREPARATORY COURSE FOR CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (IGCSE)
Cambridge IGCSE is one of the world’s most popular international qualifications for students. It is recognised as a reliable record of attainment for entry into universities and colleges worldwide, and is an international academic passport to progression and success.
Cambridge IGCSE is comparable to the Singapore-Cambridge GCE O-Level system and the United Kingdom’s General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE). Cambridge IGCSE examinations are held twice a year and candidates are to register with MDIS College, before the closing dates.
PREPARATORY COURSE FOR CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION (IGCSE), YEAR 10 (12 MONTHS)
SUBJECTS AVAILABLE
Cambridge IGCSE English – First Language
Cambridge IGCSE English - Second Language
Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics
Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics - Additional
Cambridge IGCSE Science - Combined
Cambridge IGCSE Physics
Cambridge IGCSE Accounting
Cambridge IGCSE Business Studies
Cambridge IGCSE Chinese - Second Language
ADMISSION CRITERIA
Completed at least Secondary Three Education or Year 9 or equivalent
Minimum age: 14 years old
Language Proficiency: Completed at least Secondary Three English or Year 9 English or ‘Certificate in English’ (CIE) or equivalent
INTAKE (FULL TIME) AND EXAMINATION
DURATION: 12 Months
INTAKE (FULL TIME) : January and July
EXAMINATION: November (For January Intake), June (For July Intake)
Click here for the list of teachers deployed for Preparatory Course For Cambridge International General Certificate Of Secondary Education (IGCSE) for 12 Months |
Project Rebirth
(2011)
Directed by Jim Whitaker
Music by Philip Glass
SYNOPSIS:Project Rebirth, Inc. is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to support victims and early responders to catastrophic events through documentary footage recording the rebuilding at the site of World Trade Center following the September 11 attacks and seven years in the lives of people directly affected by the event. It also intends to create a Project Rebirth Center to help educate responders and the public about dealing with such events. The organization was created in honor of the victims of the September 11 attack and those who responded to the traumatic event.[1] Founded by producer Jim Whitaker, the organization is supported by dozens of corporate donors, including Aon Foundation, OppenheimerFunds Inc., and Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.[2] All profits from its documentary film Rebirth, officially released in January 2011, go to the support of the Project Rebirth Center. |
Q:
Auto Populating Cells by Row by Selecting by Value
I have a sheet called "worlds", and then numerous sheets for various factions for tracking an online game.
Each faction sheet (e.g. "LC", "DC", etc.) has a list of worlds that the faction controls. World's names are entered from Cell I9 downwards. The faction code (LC, DC, etc) is placed in Cell I7.
In the Worlds sheet, each world name is listed in column B (from B2 down) and the controlling faction code is in column E (from E2 down).
What I would like to do is have the faction sheets lookup and list the worlds from the worlds sheet, based on the code in the faction sheet, and cascade down from Cell I9 downwards, without having to manually enter the names.
Is it possible to do this?
Thanks for any help that can be provided.
Faction Tab
World Tab
Error for Index
A:
Yes it is possible
There are however, a few minor things you'll have to clean-up from Faction to Faction.
If you don't particularly care about how this works, here is the working formula
=INDEX(Worlds!$B$2:$B$999,AGGREGATE(15,6,ROW(Worlds!$B$2:$B$999)/(Worlds!$E$2:$E$999="LC"),ROW()-8)-1)
Replace any instance of $B$999 and $E$999 to however many rows you
have in total in your World's sheet. If your data only goes down to Row 170, it should be $B$170 and $E$170.
Also replace "LC" to any faction you'd like to make the formula work for that instead.
Finally change the 8 in ROW()-8 to the number of the row youre starting the formula in -1. If your next faction starts in Row 22, 8 should change to 21.
Now for the explanation
The Formula Works by Creating a true False Array
Aggregate(15,
signals that we want to use the Small function. Small will retrieve the smallest value that fits the criteria we want. (Or in this case the first TRUE value)
Aggregate(15,6
signals that we want to ignore Divide by Zero errors, which will be quite a few.
Aggregate(15,6,ROW(WORLDS!$B$2:$B$999
Creates a range of numbers 2-Length of our Data Set
Aggregate(15,6,ROW(WORLDS!$B$2:$B$999)/(Worlds!$E$2:$E$999="LC)
Now we've said we want to divide our number array by a Condition. Worlds E2-E999 is where we have our faction information, we've asked Excel to take all the values in that range and return a TRUE/FALSE. True if the Faction is "LC" False otherwise. This is where a neat trick comes in, EXCEL treats TRUE/FALSE values as 1s and 0s. By dividing our initial number array by 1, we return the number of the row corresponding to any Faction listed as "LC". Otherwise we get a division error. Using Aggregates ability to ignore errors, all that's left to do is to pick the nth smallest value we want.
Aggregate(15,6,ROW(WORLDS!$B$2:$B$999)/(Worlds!$E$2:$E$999="LC),ROW()-8)
Now we want to pick the first instance of LC in the first spot. Considering that this formula will start in Row 9 on the Factions sheet, we take the current Row using the ROW() function, and subtract 8. This evaluates to ROW()-8 == 9-8 = 1. So we take the 1st smallest value. In this case that will be the first world.
From here we add a basic Index() statement
INDEX(Worlds!$B$2:$B$999,AGGREGATE(15,6,ROW(Worlds!$B$2:$B$999)/(Worlds!$E$2:$E$999="LC"),ROW()-8)-1)
Index will look up the cell at a given address, we want it to search in $B$2:$B$999 which is where our Worlds are. We also subtract 1 from the value Small returns as an offset because our Worlds don't start in Row 1.
Hope this helped!
|
<?php
/**
* @PKG_NAME@–@PKG_VERSION@
* This file acts as the "front controller" to your application. You can
* configure your application, modules, and system directories here.
* PHP error_reporting level may also be changed.
*
* @see http://kohanaphp.com
*/
define('PNP_NAME' , '@PKG_NAME@');
define('PNP_VERSION' , '@PKG_VERSION@');
define('PNP_REL_DATE' , '@PKG_REL_DATE@');
define('PNP_ETC_PATH' , '@sysconfdir@');
define('PNP_LOG_PATH' , '@localstatedir@');
/**
* Define the website environment status. When this flag is set to TRUE, some
* module demonstration controllers will result in 404 errors. For more information
* about this option, read the documentation about deploying Kohana.
*
* @see http://docs.kohanaphp.com/installation/deployment
*/
define('IN_PRODUCTION', TRUE);
/**
*
* OMD path detection
*
*/
if(substr($_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"], 0, 4) == '/omd') {
define('OMD', TRUE);
$site_parts = array_slice(explode('/' ,dirname($_SERVER["SCRIPT_FILENAME"])), 0, -3);
define('OMD_SITE_ROOT', join($site_parts, '/'));
define('OMD_SITE', $site_parts[count($site_parts)-1]);
unset($site_parts);
}else{
define('OMD', FALSE);
}
/**
*
* Autodetect base URL
*
*/
define('BASE_URL' , dirname($_SERVER["SCRIPT_NAME"]));
/**
* The current XML Structure Tag for this PNP Version
*/
define('XML_STRUCTURE_VERSION', '@XML_STRUCTURE_VERSION@');
/**
* Website application directory. This directory should contain your application
* configuration, controllers, models, views, and other resources.
*
* This path can be absolute or relative to this file.
*/
$kohana_application = 'application';
/**
* Kohana modules directory. This directory should contain all the modules used
* by your application. Modules are enabled and disabled by the application
* configuration file.
*
* This path can be absolute or relative to this file.
*/
$kohana_modules = 'modules';
/**
* Kohana system directory. This directory should contain the core/ directory,
* and the resources you included in your download of Kohana.
*
* This path can be absolute or relative to this file.
*/
$kohana_system = '@KOHANA_SYSTEM@';
/**
* Test to make sure that Kohana is running on PHP 5.2 or newer. Once you are
* sure that your environment is compatible with Kohana, you can comment this
* line out. When running an application on a new server, uncomment this line
* to check the PHP version quickly.
*/
version_compare(PHP_VERSION, '5.1', '<') and exit('Kohana requires PHP 5.1 or newer.');
/**
* Set the error reporting level. Unless you have a special need, E_ALL is a
* good level for error reporting.
*/
error_reporting(E_ALL & ~E_STRICT);
/**
* Turning off display_errors will effectively disable Kohana error display
* and logging. You can turn off Kohana errors in application/config/config.php
*/
ini_set('display_errors', TRUE);
/**
* If you rename all of your .php files to a different extension, set the new
* extension here. This option can left to .php, even if this file has a
* different extension.
*/
define('EXT', '.php');
//
// DO NOT EDIT BELOW THIS LINE, UNLESS YOU FULLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS.
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//
// Force default timezone
if(function_exists("date_default_timezone_set") and function_exists("date_default_timezone_get")){
@date_default_timezone_set(@date_default_timezone_get());
}
$kohana_pathinfo = pathinfo(__FILE__);
// Define the front controller name and docroot
define('DOCROOT', $kohana_pathinfo['dirname'].DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR);
define('KOHANA', $kohana_pathinfo['basename']);
// If the front controller is a symlink, change to the real docroot
is_link(KOHANA) and chdir(dirname(realpath(__FILE__)));
// If kohana folders are relative paths, make them absolute.
$kohana_application = file_exists($kohana_application) ? $kohana_application : DOCROOT.$kohana_application;
$kohana_modules = file_exists($kohana_modules) ? $kohana_modules : DOCROOT.$kohana_modules;
$kohana_system = file_exists($kohana_system) ? $kohana_system : DOCROOT.$kohana_system;
// Define application and system paths
define('APPPATH', str_replace('\\', '/', realpath($kohana_application)).'/');
define('MODPATH', str_replace('\\', '/', realpath($kohana_modules)).'/');
define('SYSPATH', str_replace('\\', '/', realpath($kohana_system)).'/');
// JSON Wrapper used for PHP 5.1.x
require('application/lib/jsonwrapper.php');
// Clean up
unset($kohana_application, $kohana_modules, $kohana_system);
if (file_exists(DOCROOT.'install'.EXT) && !file_exists(DOCROOT.'install.ignore')){
// Load the installation tests
include DOCROOT.'install'.EXT;
}
else
{
// Initialize Kohana
require SYSPATH.'core/Bootstrap'.EXT;
}
|
Q:
404 Resource Not Found: domain with Google Directory API
I followed the quick start and am attempting to create a user using the google-api-ruby-client.
I've set up access in the google api console. And I can get this to work using the API explorer.
But when I try using the ruby client, I'm getting a resource not found: domain error.
Here's the code:
def self.create_user
# Initialize the client.
client = Google::APIClient.new(
:application_name => 'MYAPP',
:application_version => '0.0.1'
)
# Authorization
# Load our credentials for the service account
key = Google::APIClient::KeyUtils.load_from_pkcs12(KEY_FILE, KEY_SECRET)
client.authorization = Signet::OAuth2::Client.new(
token_credential_uri: 'https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/token',
audience: 'https://accounts.google.com/o/oauth2/token',
scope: 'https://www.googleapis.com/auth/admin.directory.user',
issuer: ACCOUNT_ID,
signing_key: key)
# Request a token for our service account
client.authorization.fetch_access_token!
# Load API Methods
admin = client.discovered_api('admin', 'directory_v1')
# Make an API call.
result = client.execute(
admin.users.update,
name: { familyName: 'testy', givenName: 'testerson' },
password: '!password12345!',
primaryEmail: 'ttesterson@my-actual-domain.com'
)
result.data
end
Here's the response:
"error"=>{"errors"=>[{"domain"=>"global", "reason"=>"notFound", "message"=>"Resource Not Found: domain"}], "code"=>404, "message"=>"Resource Not Found: domain"}
Why?
A:
After a bit of documentation reading, there were two things that I needed to fix.
I hadn't set up the proper authorization for my test service account.
You have to go to the Apps Console > Security > Advanced > Manage API client access and add the client url for your service account as well as any specific permissions that you want to add
As seen in this question, it seems that you need to create a user object rather than just passing in parameters.
Here's my updated code:
# Authorization happens here ....
api = client.discovered_api('admin', 'directory_v1')
new_user = api.users.insert.request_schema.new(
name: { familyName: 'Testy', givenName: 'Testerson' },
primaryEmail: 'ttttesterson@<domain-redacted>.com',
password: 'password123'
)
result = client.execute(
api_method: api.users.insert,
body_object: new_user
)
|
% Generated by roxygen2 (4.1.1): do not edit by hand
% Please edit documentation in R/get_geo_position.R
\name{get_geo_position}
\alias{get_geo_position}
\title{Get the location information of the city vector}
\usage{
get_geo_position(city_vec, cache_data = "city", ...)
}
\arguments{
\item{city_vec}{a character object of the name of Chinese city,}
\item{cache_data}{c('city','airport','none') city for city geo_position,
airport for the geo_position in that city, none for nothing for cache}
}
\value{
A dataframe of longtitude and latitude and city name
}
\description{
get_geo_position use the function of get_city_coord according
to Baidu API <\url{http://developer.baidu.com/map/}>to get the longtitude and latitude of the city
vector
}
\details{
This function can transform the name of Chinese city ve tor
Which can be a Chinese string or an English name,like Shanghai.
This function is used BaiduAPI to get the geo information.\\
It's recomendece to use Chinese city name because of the API
we use is Baidu, which will performs better in Chiese\\
Please make sure your bowser can open developer.baidu.com/map/ to get the data.
}
\examples{
city_vec1 = c("Beijing","Shanghai","Guangzhou")
get_geo_position (city_vec1)
}
\author{
Dawei.Lang Chiffon <\url{http://lchiffon.github.io}>
}
|
It implements an orchestration engine to launch multiple composite cloud applications based on templates in the form of text files that can be treated like code. A native Heat template format is evolving, but Heat also aims to provide compatibility with the AWS CloudFormation template format, so that many existing CloudFormation templates can be launched on OpenStack. Heat provides both an OpenStack-native ReST API and a CloudFormation-compatible Query API.
Rico Lin offered this tutorial on how to auto-scale a self-healing cluster with Heat at the recent OpenInfra Days in Vietnam. Lin has been the project team lead for Heat in the Rocky, Pike and Queens cycles as well as a Heat core contributor member since the Liberty release. He’s currently a software engineer at EasyStack.
Here he walks you through how to configure Heat, set up Heat container agents before discussing options for auto-scaling, choosing your structure and then launching a self-healing cluster. |
Islamia College Peshawar VC kidnapped
'Militants' kidnap another VC
Peshawar, Sept 08: The vice-chancellor of Islamia College Peshawar
(Chartered University), Ajmal Khan, was kidnapped by suspected militants
when he left his residence here at Professors Colony for his office on
Tuesday, sources said.
The kidnapped vice-chancellor is a close
relative of Awami National Party president Asfandyar Wali Khan and
Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti.
He served University of
Peshawar as provost and later as registrar. He also remained
vice-chancellor of Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan. He was appointed
its first vice chancellor when the historical Islamia College was
upgraded to the status of university in 2008.
A source in
University of Peshawar said that Mr Khan was going to his office in his
official vehicle bearing registration number A-9450 when six bearded men
armed with Kalashnikovs stopped him and bundled him into another
vehicle. His official vehicle and driver, Mohibullah, were also taken
away.
The station house officer concerned, Waqar Khan said that a suspect identified as Yousuf, a resident of Khairabad area,
riding a white colour Corolla motorcar bearing registration number
LOR-831 was arrested at Karkhano Market checkpost. The suspect, he said,
was in such a hurry that he also met an accident at the checkpost and
hit a motorcyclist.
"The suspect has long hairs and his
language shows that he is a hardcore criminal. He has given some clues
about the gang of kidnappers," he said. A pistol was also recovered from
his possession.
"Our sources believe that Taliban are responsible for the kidnapping," he said.
An official of Campus police station said that the vice-chancellor had
received some threatening letters and he was provided proper security at
his office and residence but he had refused to accept police guards at
his residence.
The official said that the kidnappers were seen
returning through the Regi Road, but it could not be ascertained if they
had shifted the vice-chancellor to the nearby Jamrud area of Khyber
agency or moved towards Mohmand region. "But there are maximum chances
of his shifting to Jamrud," he said.
Mr Khan became the second
vice-chancellor, who was kidnapped by suspected militants. Earlier, the
vice-chancellor of Kohat University of Science and Technology, Dr
Lutfullah Kakakhel, was kidnapped on Nov 6, 2009, and was later on set
free in June last.
Some employees of University of Peshawar
pleading anonymity said that the security of Professors Colony,
located out of the university, was next to nil. They said that the rest
of professors were also not safe in the area. They said that matters
relating to security of the colony had also been brought into the notice
of authorities concerned but no police guards were deployed there on
permanent basis. Dawn
VC kidnapping condemned
Bannu: The Bannu University of Science and Technology (Bust)
Vice-Chancellor Asmatullah Khan on Tuesday condemned the abduction of VC
Islamia College University Peshawar and asked the government to recover
him early.
Vice Chancellor Asmatullah Khan said
the government should provide security to the vice-chancellors in the
same pattern like what the commissioners, deputy inspector generals of
police and district coordination officers had been provided.
He said the vice chancellors worked hard to provide wide range of opportunities to youth of the nation to get quality education in the public sectors.
The
VC said the sense of insecurity was the main hurdle for the vice
chancellors in the way of maintaining productive educational environment
for youths in the institutions.
It may be added that the vice
chancellor of Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) Dr
Lutfullah Kakakhel was released after keeping him in detention for 10
months.
Teachers of Bahria Foundation School protest for raise in salary
Rawalpindi: After waiting for nine to ten years for salary increase
and up-gradation, 90 teachers of Westridge branch of Bahria Foundation
School junior and senior branches, forced at the hands of poverty and
price-hike, decided to go on strike while the administration was not
ready to listen to their demands and blocked their way to enter the
premises.
More than 90 teachers of all the four branches of Westridge
branch of Bahria Foundation School junior and senior branches here on
Tuesday demanded for the raise in their pay-scale as their salary is not
enough to meet the prevalent price-hike.
The teachers said that the government has increased 50% salaries of the
government employees and Bahria Foundation being a semi-government
organisation should increase the salary by 30% at least. The teachers
started their strike on Friday, the students were abruptly given off on
Monday morning and were sent to their homes at around 9.30 a.m.
All
the teachers were not allowed to enter the college premises for an hour
on Tuesday, as the administration was not ready to listen to their
demands. The teachers said all of them are
educated people and conducting peaceful protest for salary rise. The
teachers who are working for the last nine or ten years were given no
incentives and substantial increment. Moreover these were fined in case
they were late even for a minute.
"Till now we have not been issued
any service card, we want our salary packages to be revised,
furthermore, we should be notified of our yearly raise. There is no
differentiation between the raise and increment. We are not given our
pay scale slips as the salary comes in our account. Everything should be
documented and notified to us. There are even classrooms without fans
in which children suffer due to tremendous heat.
There is no standby
generator or UPS installed for the classes. There are other problems
also like there is no staff room for the teachers, no library for
children and children are also denied any recreational facility. How can
we work under such conditions. Children are not allowed to do any
function and no Eid Milan parties are allowed, even the Annual Day is
not celebrated, no trophies are given to the students on their
tremendous achievements.
Even all the teachers are called in summer
and winter vacations and have to work accordingly. Vacations
remuneration is paid on daily wages, which is reimbursed till February
or March. Teachers who have done MSc are working on mere Rs8,000. When
the parents are charged around Rs3,000 per child why can't they pay us
handsome salaries. Moreover, no experience certificates are given to us
after leaving the job. We are pressurised by different means to
discontinue our strike. Until and unless our demands are met, we will
continue our strike," the teachers said.
When we tried to
meet Principal Bahria Foundation College Commodore (r) Mohammad Younis
he denied to talk to this scribe.
Director Education and Training
Bahria Foundation Khan Akbar said that their
head office is in Karachi and all the policies are formulated there. We
are only following their rules here.
"Teachers delegation is here
and we are sorting the matter out. When we induct the teachers in Bahria
Foundation we pay them according to their pay scale categories. Fifty
per cent of our income goes to Naval Headquarters. There are 15 stages
of pay scale packages and teachers are paid according to the budget. We
have to meet other expenses like rent and teachers salary also.
O level distinction
Islamabad: Hanaan-ul-Haque, a student of the Schola Nova,
obtained two A* grades in Pakistan Studies and Islamiat and A grade in
Urdu in the Cambridge 'O'level Examination, says a press release.
Hanaan-ul-Haque is the son of Mohammad Haqbab. The news |
Q:
align 4 columns using the bootstrap grid
I have this code
<div class="panel-body">
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">Business Name : </label><span class="head9">'.$name.'</span>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">Website URL : </label><span class="head9">'.$url.'</span>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">Tagline : </label><span class="head9">'.$tagline.'</span>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">Description : </label><span class="head9">'.$descrip.'</span>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">Business Email : </label><span class="head9">'.$bemail.'</span>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">Address : </label><span class="head9">'.$address.'</span>
</div>
<div class="col-sm-6">
<label class="head6">City : </label><span class="head9">'.$city.'</span>
</div>
</div>
that basically looks like this
what i want is to indent the variable to the right aligned to each other using the grid system so that it would maintain its responsiveness when the browser is resized.
A:
Try
add bootstrap predefined pull-right selector to all <span class="head9"> like <span class="head9 pull-right">
Fiddle
OR
<div class="col-sm-6">
<div class="halfL">
<label class="head6">Business Email : </label>
</div>
<div class="halfR">
<span class="head9">'.$bemail.'</span>
</div>
</div>
and in your css
.halfL{
width:50%;
float:left;
}
.halfR{
width:50%;
float:right;
}
|
Q:
MKAnnontation pin image resize issue
Custom pin image for MKAnnotation. When tapping or zooming map the custom pin gets stretched and opening for home map car pin marker are big in size. Here is output result which I'm getting in mapview:
Here is the code which I have tried so far:
var pin = MKAnnotationView()
var userPinView: MKAnnotationView!
if annotation is MKUserLocation {
pin = mapView.view(for: annotation) ?? MKAnnotationView(annotation: annotation, reuseIdentifier: nil)
let pinImage = UIImage(named: "carIcon3")
let size = CGSize(width: 38, height: 44)
UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(size)
pinImage!.draw(in: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: size.width, height: size.height))
let resizedImage = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
pin.image = resizedImag
userPinView = pin
userPinView.contentMode = .scaleAspectFill
userPinView.clipsToBounds = true
return pin
}
if !(annotation is MKPointAnnotation) {
return nil
}
let annotationIdentifier = "AnnotationIdentifier"
var annotationView = mapView.dequeueReusableAnnotationView(withIdentifier: annotationIdentifier)
if annotationView == nil {
annotationView = MKAnnotationView(annotation: annotation, reuseIdentifier: annotationIdentifier)
// annotationView!.canShowCallout = true
} else {
annotationView!.annotation = annotation
}
return annotationView
How to get result like this:
Tried to user current location marker. But it crashing
func locationManager(_ manager: CLLocationManager, didUpdateHeading newHeading: CLHeading) {
UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.005) {
let angle = newHeading.trueHeading.toRadians() // convert from degrees to radians
self.userPinView.transform = CGAffineTransform(rotationAngle: CGFloat(angle)) // rotate the picture
}
}
here the code which i have performing didselect and deselect for location annotation.
func mapView(_ mapView: MKMapView, didSelect view: MKAnnotationView) {
if annotView == true {
let heights = 70
let widths = 50
UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.5, delay: 0.0, options: .curveLinear, animations: {
view.frame.size = CGSize(width: widths, height: heights)
})
}
}
func mapView(_ mapView: MKMapView, didDeselect view: MKAnnotationView) {
let heights = 70
let widths = 50
UIView.animate(withDuration: 0.5, delay: 0.0, options: .curveLinear, animations: {
view.frame.size = CGSize(width: view.frame.width - CGFloat(widths), height: view.frame.height - CGFloat(heights))
})
}
A:
Though I cannot reproduce the issue, but recommend couple of changes:
separate the view configuration logic, lets subclass MKAnnotationView, like so:
class CarAnnotationView: MKAnnotationView {
override var annotation: MKAnnotation? {
didSet {
let size = CGSize(width: 38, height: 44)
UIGraphicsBeginImageContext(size)
UIImage(named: "carIcon")?.draw(in: CGRect(origin: .zero, size: size))
self.image = UIGraphicsGetImageFromCurrentImageContext()
UIGraphicsEndImageContext()
}
}
}
change within mapView(_:viewFor:) to take advantage of the reusable view, like so:
func mapView(_ mapView: MKMapView, viewFor annotation: MKAnnotation) -> MKAnnotationView? {
if annotation is MKUserLocation {
userPinView = mapView.dequeueReusableAnnotationView(withIdentifier: "carId") as? CarAnnotationView
if (userPinView == nil) {
userPinView = CarAnnotationView(annotation: nil, reuseIdentifier: "carId")
}
userPinView.annotation = annotation
userPinView.setNeedsLayout()
// userPinView.centerOffset = CGPoint(x: 0, y: -view.bounds.midY)
return userPinView
}
guard annotation is MKPointAnnotation else { return nil }
let annotationIdentifier = "AnnotationIdentifier"
...
return annotationView
}
delete unnecessary variable
var pin = MKAnnotationView()
|
Q:
docker-compose.yml file errors on running docker-compose up
Here is my docker-compose.yml file:
version:'2':
services:
redis:
image: redis
environment:
- HOST='localhost'
- PORT=6379
ports:
-"0.0.0.0:${PORT}:6379"
I get this error on running docker-compose up:
ERROR: The Compose file './docker-compose.yml' is invalid because:
Invalid service name 'services' - only [a-zA-Z0-9\._\-] characters are allowed
Unsupported config option for services: 'redis'
A:
just remove last character ":" into string version:'2':
after it docker-compose.yml must be like
version:'2'
services:
redis:
image: redis
environment:
- HOST='localhost'
- PORT=6379
ports:
-"0.0.0.0:${PORT}:6379"
|
Acquisitions call for hostile comms tactics
As a recession looms, communications must prepare for proxy battles amongst companies
With talks of a recession, experts say hostile acquisitions are expected to rise, as well-positioned companies take advantage of the slumping stocks of targets.
As evidenced by news of Microsoft's hint at a proxy battle to acquire Yahoo, and the most recent news of United Technologies' rejected bid to buy voting-machine company Diebold, it appears bidding companies are seeking to strike while the iron is hot.
And even before the recession became a major concern, proxy battles were up, according to a Brunswick Group report. By August of last year, there had been 102 proxy fights in 2007. In 2006, there were 99 in the entire year. In 2005, that figure was 55.
For communications experts on both sides, the strategy behind contests for control should develop well before the two companies meet on the financial battlefield.
Communicators for the target company need to act as sort of consigliere - reaching out to shareholders, employees, and suppliers when the target company's board is acting correctly, but also telling the board when they're in the wrong.
"Sometimes the role of communications is to make sure that the board and management understand that they have vulnerability," says Lissa Perlman, partner at Kekst and Company, with more than 23 years' experience consulting on M&As. "They're sort of the mirror, the kid who has to tell the emperor that he has no clothes. And that's very important in an environment like this."
Externally, communicators for targets also become heavily involved in telling the company's corporate story, and ensuring that the company is communicating with all of its stakeholders, including investors.
"If shareholders see that management are good stewards of the company, and they have been, they will give management credit for that and that can be very important in the fight," says Steven Lipin, senior partner of Brunswick Group. The firm has a long relationship with Google, but Lipin only spoke in generalities about acquisition battles.
He adds that communicators for target companies must illustrate this through IR and organizing face-to-face meetings.
"These are the things you [do] regardless of whether you get hit with a bid," Lipin notes. "Hostile bids are a tactic. These fights are about articulating the value of a company. Do investors understand the story?"
For the company looking to acquire, such as Microsoft, communications is no less difficult. Microsoft has to be able to woo shareholders into replacing Yahoo's board without exposing its own weaknesses or risking damage to its reputation. Neither Microsoft nor Yahoo returned calls for comment.
"Personal performance and character are a component, because it's vital when you're trying to convince somebody to get behind you," Perlman says. "If you become shrill and militant [or] too hostile and too aggressive, that can undercut personal credibility."
"Microsoft must 'Hillary Clinton-ize' the debate," notes Frazier Seitel, managing partner at Emerald Partners. "Make it clear that if you settle for what the other side tells you, you'll be worse off. Specifically they should say if you side with the current management ... you'll lose the value we are guaranteeing the second our company takes over."
For Brunswick's Lipin, hostile tactics do sometimes get personal, but he warns that aggressor companies also need to acknowledge the importance of all stakeholders when communicating their intentions.
"Bidders need to be careful to not alienate the people they want on their side," he adds.
To reach all these constituents, aggressors and defenders will often use the press. Still, the battle comes down to value, and, even in the media, a defending company must be able to prove its value with real numbers.
"What people don't understand about PR is that you can't put perfume on a skunk," Seitel says. "[Yahoo] can have the greatest communications guru. They can hire me, and I still wouldn't be able to pull it off if the performance wasn't just as good as the communications." |
Fear
I believe that in life, everyone is afraid of something. Whether it is death, heights, water, change, or life itself, the fear always exists within us all.The thing we fail to realize, is that we are not afraid of “water” or “heights,” as we are lead to be believe. We are afraid of something much deeper than a simple label.
We are not afraid of water. We are afraid of drowning and what lies within.
We are not afraid of heights. We are afraid of falling.
We are not afraid of death. We are afraid of our lack of time and what comes after.
We are not afraid of life. We are afraid of the obstacles constantly being thrown towards us.
We are not afraid of change. We are afraid starting over.
We are not afraid of love. We are afraid of being broken.
We are not afraid of trust. We are afraid of the vulnerability.
We are afraid of the things that construct us into who we are. We are afraid to evolve into our skin. The unknown terrifies yet fascinates us. Our lives may not be anything near what we wish, but we cannot bear anymore hardships. We believe that even the slightest thing can tear lives apart, and while it can, when they do not, they will build lives back together. In order for us to become greater, wiser people, we need to know love. We need to know trust. We need to know pain. We need to know terror. We need to know courage. We need to know vulnerability. These things do not come with a simple breath. They come with trial and error, tears and bloodshed, time and effort. We need to take risks and discover, in order to become who we truly are within our souls. |
# coding: utf-8
"""
Apache NiFi Registry REST API
The REST API provides an interface to a registry with operations for saving, versioning, reading NiFi flows and components.
OpenAPI spec version: 0.5.0
Contact: dev@nifi.apache.org
Generated by: https://github.com/swagger-api/swagger-codegen.git
"""
from pprint import pformat
from six import iteritems
import re
class AllowableValue(object):
"""
NOTE: This class is auto generated by the swagger code generator program.
Do not edit the class manually.
"""
"""
Attributes:
swagger_types (dict): The key is attribute name
and the value is attribute type.
attribute_map (dict): The key is attribute name
and the value is json key in definition.
"""
swagger_types = {
'value': 'str',
'display_name': 'str',
'description': 'str'
}
attribute_map = {
'value': 'value',
'display_name': 'displayName',
'description': 'description'
}
def __init__(self, value=None, display_name=None, description=None):
"""
AllowableValue - a model defined in Swagger
"""
self._value = None
self._display_name = None
self._description = None
if value is not None:
self.value = value
if display_name is not None:
self.display_name = display_name
if description is not None:
self.description = description
@property
def value(self):
"""
Gets the value of this AllowableValue.
The value of the allowable value
:return: The value of this AllowableValue.
:rtype: str
"""
return self._value
@value.setter
def value(self, value):
"""
Sets the value of this AllowableValue.
The value of the allowable value
:param value: The value of this AllowableValue.
:type: str
"""
self._value = value
@property
def display_name(self):
"""
Gets the display_name of this AllowableValue.
The display name of the allowable value
:return: The display_name of this AllowableValue.
:rtype: str
"""
return self._display_name
@display_name.setter
def display_name(self, display_name):
"""
Sets the display_name of this AllowableValue.
The display name of the allowable value
:param display_name: The display_name of this AllowableValue.
:type: str
"""
self._display_name = display_name
@property
def description(self):
"""
Gets the description of this AllowableValue.
The description of the allowable value
:return: The description of this AllowableValue.
:rtype: str
"""
return self._description
@description.setter
def description(self, description):
"""
Sets the description of this AllowableValue.
The description of the allowable value
:param description: The description of this AllowableValue.
:type: str
"""
self._description = description
def to_dict(self):
"""
Returns the model properties as a dict
"""
result = {}
for attr, _ in iteritems(self.swagger_types):
value = getattr(self, attr)
if isinstance(value, list):
result[attr] = list(map(
lambda x: x.to_dict() if hasattr(x, "to_dict") else x,
value
))
elif hasattr(value, "to_dict"):
result[attr] = value.to_dict()
elif isinstance(value, dict):
result[attr] = dict(map(
lambda item: (item[0], item[1].to_dict())
if hasattr(item[1], "to_dict") else item,
value.items()
))
else:
result[attr] = value
return result
def to_str(self):
"""
Returns the string representation of the model
"""
return pformat(self.to_dict())
def __repr__(self):
"""
For `print` and `pprint`
"""
return self.to_str()
def __eq__(self, other):
"""
Returns true if both objects are equal
"""
if not isinstance(other, AllowableValue):
return False
return self.__dict__ == other.__dict__
def __ne__(self, other):
"""
Returns true if both objects are not equal
"""
return not self == other
|
Obit: Carl T. Willits
Born May 27, 1959 in Jersey Shore, he was a son to Thomas Carl and Shirley Ann (Wilson) Willits.
Carl enjoyed hunting and fishing. He worked as a self-employed carpenter.
Comment
Dover Post
Writer
Posted Sep. 9, 2013 at 1:07 PM
Posted Sep. 9, 2013 at 1:07 PM
Carl T. Willits, 54, of Lock Haven, Pa.m died Friday, August 9, 2013.
Born May 27, 1959 in Jersey Shore, he was a son to Thomas Carl and Shirley Ann (Wilson) Willits.
Carl enjoyed hunting and fishing. He worked as a self-employed carpenter.
Surviving in addition to his parents are his daughter, Shenandoah (Ronald) Hill of Beech Creek; daughter Ashley Willits of Maryland; two grandchildren, Anthony Martinez and Catherine Hill; two brothers, Harry Barton of Williamsport and Donald (Jamie) Willits of Jersey Shore; four sisters, Susan Willits of McElhattan, Peggy (Terry) Rose of Jersey Shore, Sally Willits of Cleveland, OH and Carol Ann Willits of Colden, NY; several aunts and uncles; and many nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held at Second Baptist Church, 407 W. Loockerman St., Dover, DE 19904 on Friday, Sept. 13, 2013 at 6 p.m. |
Felidae—Cats
As a group, the cats are highly carnivorous, taking almost no plant material. This carnivory is
revealed in part by the highly sectorial nature of the teeth, lacking the crushing features seen,
for example, in the canids. All are relatively short-snouted and with the carnassial teeth close to
the jaw articulation; this configuration confers power to both the front of the jaw and to the
carnassial region. Tooth reduction has gone further in this family than in other carnivores (to 28
or 30 teeth total).
The living felids (and probably extinct forms as well) are stealth hunters, either stalking
their prey or lying in ambush until the prey is close enough for a lunge or for a short chase. In
line with these tactics, most modern species have spots or stripes that tend to blend into the
background and to break up the outline of the animal. None is adapted for long term cursorial activity. Division of prey among the different modern
taxa is largely on the basis of size.
The Felidae has long been abused by taxonomic splitters and lumpers. Some recent workers have
recognized as many as 18 modern genera, while others have recognized as few as two. We will follow
Wozencraft (2005), with five modern genera occurring within our region in addition to four extinct
genera.
Re-examination of the single specimen (a damaged astragalus) of small felid from the Sabertooth
Camel Maze site (not mapped) indicates that it is too small for Lynx, so appears to indicate
presence of a smaller, unidentified felid.
Felis sp.—Small Cat
These may or may not belong to the genus Felis—changes in usages of genera within the Felidae make it uncertain as to what genus was meant. The criterion for the Anza-Borrego form is "smaller than Lynx rufus".
†Felis/Lynx sp.—Cat or Bobcat
†Felis rexroadensis Stephens 1959—Rexroad Cat
Synonyms.Lynx rexroadensis, Felis lacustris. Kurtén and Anderson
(1980) listed this taxon as a synonym of Felis lacustris, but MacFadden and Galiano (1981)
note that F. lacustris is enough larger as to best be considered a separate species.
†Homotherium—Scimitar Cat
Kurtén and Anderson (1980:190) describe the dentition as follows:
In this genus, the sabers are relatively short, very flattened and recurved (like
a scimitar) and have razor-sharp, serrated edges fore and aft. The other teeth also have serrated
edges. The incisors are disposed in a curve. The carnassials are thin slicing blades.
†Miracinonyx trumani (Orr 1969)—American Cheetah-like Cat
Synonyms.Acinonyx trumani, Felis trumani, Puma trumani.
Orr (1969) described this species on the basis of a late Wisconsin (19,750 ± 650 ka) skull from
Crypt Cave, NV, as Felis trumani. Adams (1979) placed the New World cheetah-like cats in the
Old World genus Acinonyx, represented by A. jubatus (Cheetah), but in a new subgenus,
Miracinonyx. On the basis of new material, Van Valkenburgh et al. (1990) elevated
Miracinonyx to the generic level. Ancient DNA data (Barnett et al. 2005) confirms Puma
concolor as the sister species of M. trumani rather than A. jubatus.
"[Miracinonyx] is distinguished from other cats mainly by characters related to a
highly cursorial mode of predation, most clearly reflected in the extremely elongated and slim limb
bones, light body, and small head ...." (Kurtén and Anderson 1980:193).
There is one late Wisconsin record of the American Cheetah in our region. The material on which
this record is based hasn't been published. |
Due date for filing IT return extended to Aug 31st 2015 for FY14-15.
View notification
We help you make your life easier!
Tax Credits Verification
ITRV - Submission
Send us your ITR-V to our office and we will submit to CPC on your behalf.
Document Management
Store all your tax documents at one place and retrieve when needed.
Refund Tracking
We will help you in tracking your Refund Status
Tax History
Know year wise exact status of your Tax Return as per Income Tax Department.
Why you should file Income Tax Return?
To file an Income Tax Return is an obligation placed on every citizen of India by the Government. However besides this, there are various reasons, why you should file your Income Tax Return.
Every Individual whose gross total income is more than the Basic Exemption limit is required to file Income Tax Return, even if there is no tax due pending. – Section 139(1)
Basic Exemption Limit for Financial year: 2014-2015
Individuals above the age of 80 years
Rs.5,00,000/-
Individuals above the age of 60 years
Rs.3,00,000/-
Other Individuals
Rs.2,50,000/-
Irrespective of the basic exemption limit, if during the year, you –
a) are owning a residential house; or
b) are owning a motor vehicle (other than two-wheeler); or
c) have travelled to any foreign country; or
d) hold a Credit card issued by any bank or institution
you are mandated to file an Income Tax Return, even though you may not have any taxable income. – Proviso to Section 139(1).
It is mandatory to file your Income Tax Return, if you have any Foreign Assets, even though you may not have any taxable income.
If you have a refund due, you need to file your Income Tax Return, to claim this refund.
Income Tax Return is essential for making any investment and goes to prove that you have a valid source of income to make such investment.
When you file Income Tax Return, you create your Financial Record with Tax department. This financial / tax history is positively viewed and favourably used by most agencies with whom you may need to interact, such as when you avail any kind of loan (home, personal, vehicle loan) or when you apply for VISA, etc.
Failure to file Income Tax Return within one year from the end of the relevant financial year, attracts penalty of Rs.5,000/-, even though tax payable is Nil- Section 271F. |
Puritans Dbq Apush Essay
Below is a free essay on "Puritans Dbq Apush" from Anti Essays, your source for free research papers, essays, and term paper examples.
DBQ ESSAY
Q: In what ways did ideas and values held by Puritans influence the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 through the 1660s?
In what is known as New England, the beginnings of a singular society was becoming established
in the 1630’s-1660’s. The impetus of their migration was religious persecution in England.
Their extreme adherence to strict religious rules greatly influenced the development of their
political, economic and social aspects.
In regards, politics go, the Puritans had some interesting views. As John Winthrop, in “a modell of Christian charity” said, the Puritans believed their moral and divine cause, i.e. creating a community of righteous Christians gave them justification to defeat violent “heathens” often times without fair treaty, negotiation, or any other semblance of normal politic. Indeed, they truly believed themselves to be a model for Christianity that the whole world would watching, as is exemplified in the “modell of a Christian charity”. Leaders of the Church were given excessive power. This can be seen in John Cotton’s “Limitation of Government”. In power, magistrates would not tolerate suggestion of a separation of church and state, like Rogers Williams advocated in “A Plea for Religious Liberty”. Roger Williams was banished to Rhode Island for “heathen”. There was a synergy between politics and religion, as is evidenced in Nathaniel Ward’s “the Simple Cobbler of Aggawam”, in Puritan society.
Economics in New England were just as influenced by Puritan ideas and values. We see, in Robert Keayne in his last will, that these colonists were incredibly concerned with being perceived as hard-working industrious individuals. (“…testify to the world on my behalf that I have not lived an idle, lazie or dronish life nor spend my time wantonly, fruitlessly or in company…” Robert Keayne). In the town map we see that Puritans were farmers and they had livestock... |
Why Shouldn’t Mitt Romney Advertise on Pandora?
This Pandora-on-the-iPhone screenshot is going viral due to the usual outrage involving anything.
Crystal Harris of North Carolina was enjoying to the Garth Brooks station on the free version of Pandora, when a message appeared on her iPhone asking her to support Mitt Romney’s presidential bid by sharing her email address with the Romney campaign via Pandora.
ProPublica broke the news on the web. Now, Harris’ screenshot is going viral (screenshot to the right).
As with anything else to do with politics, people are getting enraged — apparently because they A) don’t like Romney; B) don’t like the idea that his campaign can target Pandora listeners based on station (Garth Brooks fans likely skew Republican); C) hate the idea that an ad within an app can ask for their e-mail address, or D) all of the above.
“Don’t harass me on my e-mail,” Harris mysteriously told ProPublica — we say “mysteriously” because that’s not what happened here, though e-mail spam is not uncommon for these past 15 years or so. “Don’t stalk me on the apps that I use,” she added more accurately. “To me, that just crossed the line.”
We don’t get it.
Flip on a television, and you’ll see all sorts of advertisements, assuming you don’t know how to use your DVR. Those are targeted based on where you live and what you’re watching. Why should music apps be any different?
As for fears about being advertised to based on the music you’re listening to, we don’t get that either. If the average Garth Brooks fan were asked to send their e-mail address to Barack Obama, wouldn’t that feel like even more of an intrusion?
We can hear it now: “Hey, big government, get out of our lives and off of our phones!”
Harris’s experience would be problematic if the Pandora app were harvesting her e-mail address and selling it to advertisers, political or otherwise, without her permission — except that is not what’s happenned. As an unidentified Pandora spokeswoman told ProPublica, these ads are “triple opt-in” — in that listeners have to click on the ad, then click OK before their e-mail address gets shared. We only count that as double opt-in, but still, it’s not the same as just selling user information outright.
“Pandora does not make public or share a user’s registration information with third-parties without the user’s explicit consent,” clarified Pandora vice president of advertising Sean Duggan. “On mobile, in particular, we offer many ways for a listener to do this: tapping on a banner ad, tap-to-email, tap-to-call or even opting-in to receive emails from the advertiser.”
Although the idea of presidential candidates spying on your listening habits to send you ads might seem scary, in some way, there’s really nothing to be surprised about here. It is, quite literally, politics (and advertising) as usual.
While we’re on the topic, this isn’t the first time this presidential race has entered the music app fray. The candidates have also done battle in the realm of Spotify.
Update: Buzzfeed has an interesting article in part about the influx of political advertising to Pandora.
Why shouldn’t Romney advertise on Pandora? Wrong question. Why should Pandora alienate a big chunk of their user base with political ads? There is no way to spam people with politics that will not cause a seriously negative reaction.
CF
The ONLY ad I’ve heard for the past three days on Pandora is for Obama. While I will never vote for him, I don’t get bent out of shape about it. If that lady is so pissed off, why doesn’t she dust off her wallet and pay for the no advertisement version? Loser |
Q:
Find multiple words with regex in Beautifulsoup4
I'm trying to extract those div with beautifulsoup4 and regex expression in the find_all() method
<div class="prod roundedBox">
<div class="prod roundedBox last">
I've tried different possibilities but I can't get a working one for extract the tag using only the words prod roundedBox. I want to use both words! If I use one of them I take up other unwanted tags.
re.compile("prod.roundedBox")
re.compile("prod\sroundedBox.*")
are not working.
any idea!?
A:
You could simply use BeautifulSoup to find your results.
import bs4
html = '''
<div class="example">example</div>
<div class="prod roundedBox">foo</div>
<div class="prod roundedBox last">bar</div>
'''
soup = bs4.BeautifulSoup(html)
soup(attrs={'class' : ['prod', 'roundedBox']})
If you wanted to use regular expression, here is an example:
import re
import bs4
soup = bs4.BeautifulSoup(html)
soup(attrs={'class' : re.compile(r'^prod')})
Output
[<div class="prod roundedBox">foo</div>, <div class="prod roundedBox last">bar</div>]
|
Mazornet, Inc. is proud to add to its growing MazorGuide websites, this very important resource and is dedicated to compile helpful information concerning Jewish Genetic Diseases.
The first step towards unraveling the mysteries behind genetic disorders is to find the problem genes. Many defective genes have been identified and work is ongoing to discover feasible methods for "cures". While investigations of genetic treatments continue, people are in a position to begin using the current facts for their benefit.
There are nearly 4,000 genetic diseases known that afflict the world’s population. However, in almost every ethnic, racial, or demographic group, certain genetic diseases occur at higher frequencies among their members than in the general population. Such is the case for the Jewish people.
The genetic diseases described on MazorGuide's Jewish Genetic Diseases are disorders which occur more frequently in individuals of Jewish ancestry. Most diseases are severely incapacitating and some are tragically debilitating, leading to death in infancy or early childhood.
Tay-Sachs may be the most recognized of the lot, but other diseases, just as prevalent and just as devastating, shatter the lives of Jewish families.
Children and adults with a rare genetic disease have multiple needs to address: health concerns, primarily, but others as well. As a service to the global Jewish community, Mazornet is committed to gathering and compiling data about Jewish genetic disorders. More importantly, the MazorGuide Website’s mission is to serve as the ultimate information resource by surfacing areas of assistance online and in the real world. It is not MazorGuide’s intent to choose resources, but rather to make support information and resources of any kind available to the people and to the families afflicted by these diseases. There is hope, and there is help. |
Peripheral neurologic abnormalities among roofing workers: sentinel case and clinical screening.
Peripheral neuropathy developed in a 52-y-old roofer who was exposed to multiple solvents in one-ply roofing systems. Forty roofers who were exposed to various roofing systems were assessed by symptoms, occupational history, standardized physical examination, and measurement of vibrotactile thresholds of the upper and lower extremities. After exclusion of roofers who were predisposed to peripheral neuropathy, we detected abnormal vibrotactile thresholds in 42% (p < .001) of roofers' dominant toes and in 36% (p < .001) of roofers' nondominant toes; fewer roofers had abnormal sensory physical examinations or reported neuritic symptoms. Roofing workers may be at increased risk of peripheral neuropathy, perhaps resulting from exposure to solvents--particularly n-hexane, associated with one-ply roofing systems. |
Love this club
Real Madrid table contract offer to Chelsea veteran Cole
Real Madrid are making a move for unsettled Chelsea fullback Ashley Cole.El Confidencial says Real have already opened talks with Cole's agent, Jonathan Barnett, about a Bosman move to Madrid in the summer.
Cole's deal with Chelsea expires in June and he's yet to hear about new terms.
Despite being 33, the left-back is highly regarded by Real coach Carlo Ancelotti, who worked with him at Chelsea. |
/*
* Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Trustees of Indiana University and Indiana
* University Research and Technology
* Corporation. All rights reserved.
* Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The University of Tennessee and The University
* of Tennessee Research Foundation. All rights
* reserved.
* Copyright (c) 2004-2005 High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart,
* University of Stuttgart. All rights reserved.
* Copyright (c) 2004-2005 The Regents of the University of California.
* All rights reserved.
* Copyright (c) 2016 Research Organization for Information Science
* and Technology (RIST). All rights reserved.
* Copyright (c) 2018 Los Alamos National Security, LLC. All rights reserved.
* $COPYRIGHT$
*
* Additional copyrights may follow
*
* $HEADER$
*/
/*
* only do this test if we have built with memkind support
*/
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include "opal_config.h"
#ifdef HAVE_MEMKIND_H
#include "opal/constants.h"
#include "opal/align.h"
#include "opal/mca/mpool/mpool.h"
#include "opal/include/opal/frameworks.h"
#include "opal/runtime/opal.h"
#define SIZE (2 * 1024 * 1024)
const char *memory_types[] = {
"memkind_default",
"memkind_hbw",
NULL
};
const char *memory_policy[] = {
"mempolicy_bind_local",
"mempolicy_bind_all",
"mempolicy_perferred_local",
"mempolicy_interleave_local",
"mempolicy_interleave_all",
NULL
};
const char *memory_kind_bits[] = {
"memkind_mask_page_size_4KB",
"memkind_mask_page_size_2MB",
NULL
};
int main (int argc, char* argv[])
{
int ret = 0;
void *ptr = NULL;
char *error = NULL;
char **mp_ptr = NULL;
char **mt_ptr = NULL;
char **mk_ptr = NULL;
const char mpool_hints[] = "mpool=memkind";
char hints[1024];
opal_init_util(&argc, &argv);
if (opal_frameworks == NULL){
error = "opal frameworks is NULL";
goto error;
}
if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_base_framework_open(&opal_allocator_base_framework, 0))) {
error = "mca_allocator_base_open() failed";
goto error;
}
if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_base_framework_open(&opal_mpool_base_framework, 0))) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_open() failed";
goto error;
}
/*
* first try basic allocation
*/
ptr = mca_mpool_base_alloc(SIZE, NULL, mpool_hints);
if (NULL == ptr) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_alloc() failed";
goto error;
}
if (OPAL_SUCCESS != mca_mpool_base_free(ptr)) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_free() failed";
goto error;
}
if (0 != ((uintptr_t)ptr % OPAL_ALIGN_MIN)) {
error = "improper memory alignment detected";
goto error;
}
/*
* now try policies
*/
mp_ptr = (char **)memory_policy;
while (NULL != *mp_ptr) {
mt_ptr = (char **)memory_types;
while (NULL != *mt_ptr) {
mk_ptr = (char **)memory_kind_bits;
while (NULL != *mk_ptr) {
snprintf(hints, sizeof(hints), "%s,policy=%s,type=%s,kind=%s",
mpool_hints, *mp_ptr, *mt_ptr, *mk_ptr);
ptr = mca_mpool_base_alloc(SIZE, NULL, hints);
if (NULL == ptr) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_alloc() failed";
goto error;
}
if (OPAL_SUCCESS != mca_mpool_base_free(ptr)) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_free() failed";
goto error;
}
if (0 != ((uintptr_t)ptr % OPAL_ALIGN_MIN)) {
error = "improper memory alignment detected";
goto error;
}
mk_ptr++;
}
mt_ptr++;
}
mp_ptr++;
}
if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_base_framework_close(&opal_mpool_base_framework))) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_close() failed";
goto error;
}
if (OPAL_SUCCESS != (ret = mca_base_framework_close(&opal_allocator_base_framework))) {
error = "mca_mpool_base_close() failed";
goto error;
}
opal_finalize();
error:
if (NULL != error) {
fprintf(stderr, "mpool/memkind test failed %s\n", error);
ret = -1;
} else {
fprintf(stderr, "mpool/memkind test passed\n");
}
return ret;
}
#else
int main (int argc, char* argv[])
{
return 77;
}
#endif /* HAVE_MEMKIND_H */
|
“he drive was planned to help draw attention to the number of potential blood donors who are automatically disqualified due to their sexual orientation.”
That’s a lie. I’ve given blood many times and no one asks donors a single question about “sexual orientation”. What donors are asked about is sexual behavior. Someone who suffers from SSA disorder can donate all the blood he wants as long as he’s a celibate virgin.
The question they ask is “if you are male, have you had sex with another male since 1977?” The answer is given in private. They don’t stamp rejected on your body or on any paper. You will be permanently deferred. Only if they take your blood and it is later determined by testing to have H.I.V. Antibodies are you placed into a data base and in some cases, your state Public Health Service is notified. |
Local mirror of eclipse repositoryhttps://www.eclipse.org/forums/index.php/mv/msg/354536/875754/#msg_875754
I'm working on eclipse plug-in development and target platform definitions. The p2 repositories at download.eclipse.org (e.g. for releases/juno) are composite repositories which delegate to children like "201204110900" or to repositories by absolute URL like "http://download.eclipse.org/technology/epp/packages/juno/".
It is possible to mirror the whole eclipse folder and register as internal or official mirror. But the problem is always the same:
If I enter a mirror in my eclipse available software sites, which is not download.eclipse.org, the small compositeArtifacts and compositeContents are caught from there, but the final content and artifact is downloaded from eclipse.org.
This would be ok, if eclipse.org is accessible through the firewall and fast. From germany I can observe many time outs and slow connections at noon for weeks now.
Is this the designed behavior? Is there another way to mirror compositeRepositories as they are without flatten it to one repository?]]>Benjamin Schwertfeger2012-05-23T09:23:18-00:00 |
Inflammation after phacoemulsification in diabetic retinopathy. Foldable acrylic versus heparin-surface-modified poly(methyl methacrylate) intraocular lenses.
To evaluate inflammation after cataract surgery in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and compare results with 2 intraocular lenses (IOLs): a foldable hydrophobic acrylic and a heparin-surface-modified (HSM) poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). Department of Ophthalmology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria. Patients with NPDR were randomized for implantation of an HSM PMMA IOL (811C, Pharmacia) through a 6.0 mm sclerocorneal incision (30 patients) or a foldable hydrophobic acrylic IOL (AcrySof, Alcon) through a 4.0 mm sclerocorneal incision (32 patients). Both IOLs had 6.0 mm optics. All patients were treated according to a standardized protocol. The degree of flare in the anterior chamber was measured with the Kowa 1000 laser flare-cell meter 1 day preoperatively and 1 day, 1 week, and 1 and 3 months postoperatively. In both IOL groups, flare was highest on the first postoperative day and decreased to preoperative levels by 3 months after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in relative flare values between the 2 groups. There was no difference in postoperative inflammation in eyes with a foldable hydrophobic acrylic IOL implanted through a small incision and those with a rigid HSM PMMA IOL. Postoperative inflammation results indicate that the lenses are equally suitable for the use in patients with diabetic retinopathy. |
INSERT INTO "Product" ("name", "number", "id")
VALUES ('Mobile phone', '123-456-7890', 1) |
US aid to Pakistan is a curse for Pakistan. Stop all the aid and bring all the troops home and let Pakistanis figure out their problems. They will figure out a solution sooner but not until all american troops are out of Afghanistan. Just imagine 35000 Pakistani lives have been lost due this imposed war on terror. Ron Paul is the only sane voice in US politics and his policies will make the world and US a lot safer. Alas, there is no hope, the main stream media of the so called champions of democracy is so biased that it won't allow some sane voices reach the public. But glad to see such enthusiasm for RP's campaign. He is a true American Hero.
RON PAUL WIKI EXCERPT::
He has also called for the removal of all taxes on gold transactions.[117]
He has repeatedly introduced the Federal Reserve Board Abolition Act since 1999,[118] to enable "America to return to the type of monetary system envisioned by our Nation's founders: one where the value of money is consistent because it is
tied to a commodity such as gold";
it has received virtually no mainstream news coverage.[119]
He opposes dependency on paper
fiat money, but also says that there "were some shortcomings of the gold standard of the 19th century ... because it was a fixed price and caused confusion."
He argues that hard money,
such as backed by gold or silver,
would prevent
inflation,
but adds,
"I wouldn't exactly go back on the gold standard but I would legalize the constitution where gold and silver should and could be legal tender, which would restrain the Federal Government from spending and then turning that over to the Federal Reserve and letting the Federal Reserve print the money."[120]
Paul strongly supports legalization of parallel currencies,
such as gold-backed notes issued from private markets and digital gold currencies.[121]
He would like
gold-backed notes (or other types of hard money)
and
digital
gold
currencies[122] to compete on a level playing field with Federal Reserve Notes, allowing individuals a choice whether to use sound money or to continue using fiat money.[123][124][125]
Paul believes this would restrain inflation, limit government spending, and eventually eliminate the ability of the Federal Reserve to "tax" Americans through inflation (i.e., by reducing the purchasing power of the currency they are holding), which he sees as "the most insidious of all taxes".[126]
He suggests that current efforts to sustain dollar hegemony, especially since collapse of the Bretton Woods system following the United States' suspension of the dollar's conversion to gold in 1971, exacerbate a rationale for war. Consequently, when petroleum producing nations like Iraq, Iran, or Venezuela elect to trade in Petroeuro {{{{{BOURSE}??????}}}
instead of Petrodollar, it devalues an already overly inflated dollar, further eroding its supremacy as a global currency.
According to Paul, along with vested American interests in oil and plans to "remake the Middle East", this scenario has proven a contributing factor for the war against Iraq and diplomatic tensions with Iran.[127][128]
{{{{PLEASE SEE ANOTHER THEORY http://www.energybulletin.net/node/7707
"Concerning Iran, recent articles have revealed active Pentagon planning for operations against its suspected nuclear facilities. While the publicly stated reasons for any such overt action will be premised as a consequence of Iran's nuclear ambitions, there are again unspoken macroeconomic drivers underlying the second stage of petrodollar warfare – Iran's upcoming oil bourse. (The word bourse refers to a stock exchange for securities trading, and is derived from the French stock exchange in Paris, the Federation Internationale des Bourses de Valeurs.) "
Back to WIKI Article:
He has committed himself for over 30 years to educating Americans in libertarian economic principles, such as eliminating the Federal Reserve Board,[129] a private-public banking entity that Paul says has a centralized monopoly control over our money and threatens to impoverish the population through devaluation of the dollar.[130] Paul has many times confronted Congress with a bill to audit the Federal Reserve Board,[131] which Congress has repeatedly turned down.
End Wiki
Sadly, money will probably determine our next President. The fat-cats aren't going to allow Ron Paul any slack. I have, myself, contributed a few hundred $$$ to RP's campaign but we all know that's just a drop in the bucket, even if thousands of us do the same. Someone mentioned Ross Perot spent lots of money to buy time on TV because the MSM was using the same tactics to keep him out of view, but, as I recall, he was a billionaire wasn't he?? Guess what we need is a few millionaires or billionaires to back Ron Paul's candidacy.....problem is most of them are probably corrupt.
@diannaeco Maybe someone from Ron Paul's campaign could call Russ Perot and see if he would like to make a financial contribution preferrably larger if possible. Or, maybe a third party of a celebrity if they prefer to remain anonymous. Or some wealthy philanthropist who believes in his messages. What a boost to his campaign if he could get a large contributor to monetarily support him.
God, these people scare the hell outta me. Cain and Perry didn't have a CLUE as to what they were talking about, and all the others just preached war and propaganda. How could anyone applaud someone who endorses assassinations and torture?
The founding fathers gave captured war criminals fair trials in civilian courts, so in my mind that debate was settled LONG ago. Bachmann saying "We absolutely should torture terrorists for information," and Romney saying "I think we should have the power to assassinate people deemed a threat," just blows my mind!
Other than Dr. Paul, Huntsman was the only one on the stage that wasn't a complete fascist.
Guys. Look at the Logo of CBS. Illuminati a pyramid shape or a single eye is a few of the illuminati logos. Look them up and you will have your reason/answer. Till these people are exposed and brought to justice nothing is going to change its actually getting worse.
Disclaimer
RonPaul.com is maintained by independent grassroots supporters of Ron Paul. Neither this website nor the articles, posts, videos or photos appearing on it are paid for, approved, endorsed or reviewed by Ron Paul or his staff. |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.