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73,061,584 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrike%20Meier%20Yang | Ulrike Meier Yang (born 1959) is a German-American applied mathematician and computer scientist specializing in numerical algorithms for scientific computing. She directs the Mathematical Algorithms & Computing group in the Center for Applied Scientific Computing at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and is one of the developers of the Hypre library of parallel methods for solving linear systems.
Education and career
Meier Yang did her undergraduate studies in mathematics at Ruhr University Bochum in Germany, and worked in the Central Institute of Applied Mathematics of the Forschungszentrum Jülich in Germany from 1983 to 1985 and at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign from 1985 to 1995. She completed her doctorate through the University of Illinois in 1995 with the dissertation A Family of Preconditioned Iterative Solvers for Sparse Linear Systems, supervised by Kyle Gallivan.
She joined the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory research staff in 1998.
As of January 1st, 2023 Yang took office as a member of the SIAM Board of Trustees.
Recognition
She is a SIAM Fellow, in the 2024 class of fellows, elected for "pioneering work on parallel algebraic multigrid and software, and broad impact on high-performance computing".
References
External links
1959 births
Living people
German mathematicians
German women mathematicians
German computer scientists
German women computer scientists
American mathematicians
American women mathematicians
American computer scientists
American women computer scientists
Applied mathematicians
Ruhr University Bochum alumni
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory staff
Fellows of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics | Ulrike Meier Yang | [
"Mathematics"
] | 315 | [
"Applied mathematics",
"Applied mathematicians"
] |
73,065,907 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contingency%20%28electrical%20grid%29 | In an electrical grid, contingency is an unexpected failure of a single principal component (e.g., an electrical generator or a power transmission line) that causes the change of the system state large enough to endanger the grid security. Some protective relays are set up in a way that multiple individual components are disconnected due to a single fault, in this case, taking out of all the units in a group counts as a single contingency. A scheduled outage (like maintenance) is not a contingency.
The choice of term emphasizes the fact that a single fault can cause severe damage to the system so quickly that the operator will not have time to intervene, and therefore a reaction to the fault has to be defensively pre-built into the system configuration. Some sources use the term interchangeably with "disturbance" and "fault".
Contingency analysis
The contingency analysis application periodically runs on the computers at the operations centers providing suggestions to the operators based on the current state of the grid and the contingency selection. The software provides answers to the "what if" scenarios in the form of "alarms": "Loss of component X will result in overload of Y by Z%". By the 1990s analysis of a large interconnected system involved testing of many thousands of contingency events (millions if double contingencies were considered). An effect of each contingency requires performing a power flow calculation. Due to the rapid change of the state of a power system the run of the application shall complete in minutes (up to 30) for the results to be useful. Typically only selected contingencies, mostly single ones with some double ones are considered to speed up the process. The selection of contingencies is using engineering judgment to choose the ones most likely to cause problems.
Credible contingencies
The foreseen and analyzed contingencies are called credible. Examples of these are failures of:
a transmission line or tie line / HVDC link;
a generator;
a transformer;
a variable renewable energy cluster;
a voltage compensation device.
In continental Europe these contingencies are considered "normal", with "exceptional" credible contingencies being the failures of:
a double circuit transmission line;
two generators;
a bus bar.
Non-credible (also called "out-of-range") contingencies are not used in planning, as they are rare and their effects are hard to predict, for example, failures of:
an entire electrical substation;
a transmission tower that carries more than two lines.
N-X contingency planning
Reliability of the energy supply usually requires that any single major unit failure leaves the system with enough resources to supply the current load. The system that satisfies this requirement is described as meeting the N-1 contingency criterion (N designates the number of pieces of equipment). The N-2 and N-3 contingency refers to planning for a simultaneous loss of, respectively, 2 or 3 major units; this is sometimes done for the critical area (e.g. downtown).
The N-1 requirement is used throughout the network, from generation to substations. At the distribution level, however, the planners frequently allow a more relaxed interpretation: a single failure should ensure uninterrupted delivery of power to almost all the customers at least at the "emergency level" (Range B of the ANSI C84.1), but a small section of the network that contains the original fault might require manual switching with a service interruption for about an hour.
The popularity of contingency planning is based on its advantages:
each of the N elements in the system is analyzed separately, limiting the amount of work to be done and simplifying the failure options (e.g., generator failure, short circuit);
the process inherently provides a way to deal with the contingency if and when it will happen.
The N-1 contingency planning is typically sufficient for the systems with the usual ratio of peak load to capacity (below 70%). For a system with a substantially higher ratio, the N-1 planning will not deliver satisfactory reliability, and even N-2 and N-3 criteria might not be sufficient; therefore the reliability-based planning is used that considers the probabilities of the individual contingencies.
N-1-1 contingency is defined as a single fault followed by manual recovery procedures, with another fault occurring after the successful recovery from the first failure. Normal operating conditions are sometimes referred to as N-0.
References
Sources
Power engineering | Contingency (electrical grid) | [
"Engineering"
] | 934 | [
"Power engineering",
"Electrical engineering",
"Energy engineering"
] |
73,067,959 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual%20assistance | Sexual assistance is support for people of functional diversity so that they can have sexual access to their own body and sexual experiences. Some people with physical disabilities may not have the dexterity, mobility, or other freedom of movement to engage in sexual activities, including masturbation, without physical assistance from another party. The support provided may range from assistance with preparation, which may include self-grooming; accessing and using sex aids or sexual services; and physical assistance with bodily movement and positioning.
Ethics and criticism
Advocates of sexual assistance believe this practice allows people with disabilities to exercise their sexual rights on the same basis as non-disabled individuals do, thereby placing sexual assistance services into the same category as any other form of social assistance. Opposing positions consider that it is a form of prostitution which, in their view, is sexual exploitation, and should be abolished.
See also
Attraction to disability
Personal care assistant
Prostitution
Prostitution law
Right to sexuality
Sexuality and disability
Sexual and reproductive health and rights
Sexual surrogate
Sex therapy
Sex work
Yes, We Fuck!
External links
European Platform Sexual Assistance
Asistencia Sexual.
References
Prostitution
Sexuality
Disability and sexuality | Sexual assistance | [
"Biology"
] | 224 | [
"Behavior",
"Sexuality",
"Sex"
] |
73,069,302 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnetoactive%20phase%20transitional%20matter | Magnetoactive phase transitional matter (MPTM) are miniature robotic machines that can change their shape by switching between liquid and solid state.
Description
MPTMs consist of liquid metal embedded with a neodymium magnet. MPTMs can be programmed to change shape when needed, by using heating and ambient cooling. Heat is generated from an incorporated heating element, or by use of magnetic pulses, switching the robot into liquid mode. Ambient temperatures provides cooling to change the robot into a solid state. The magnetism of the metal holds the machine together while in liquid mode.
History
MPTMs were first created by a collaboration of scientists from Sun Yat-sen University, Carnegie Mellon University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Zhejiang University. Their robot incorporated a heating element, and was able to melt itself to change shape. The first MPTM incorporated neodymium, iron, and boron microparticles in gallium and had a melting point of 29.8 °C.
Potential uses
A January 2023 academic paper demonstrated the potential to use MPTMs for mechanical assembly in hard to reach locations, and in medical procedures. Medical use cases were delivery of drugs in the human stomach and the removal of foreign objects.
See also
Shapeshifting
References
2022 in science
Matter
Shapeshifting
2020s robots
Medical robots | Magnetoactive phase transitional matter | [
"Physics"
] | 265 | [
"Matter"
] |
73,069,527 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tha%20Tha%20Thabungton | Tha Tha Thabungton (; ) is a traditional Meitei language lullaby.
It is one of the Meitei folk songs traditionally sung by parents, usually mothers. It has reference to the aspects of bringing up their child, besides their biological relationship with their child. It also has reference to the musical harmony with the care of the child, which may also influence on the child's life and health.
In Meitei society, mothers usually carry their children on their backs or shoulders and sing the "Tha Tha Thabungton" cradle song, giving reference to the ) and the ).
Etymology
According to the opinion of some writers, "thabungton" () is the shortened form of "tha mapung maton" () (morphologically, "moon-full-top", literally meaning "full moon").
Lyrics
The Meitei language term "Morambi" () is translated as "darling child" in the publication of the "Oriental Institute of Cultural and Social Research". On the other hand, the same term "Morambi" () is defined as "a figure of baby, usu made of cloth" in a publication of the University of Chicago.
In popular culture
The lullaby "Tha, Tha Thabungton" () was featured in the 1972 Meitei language feature film Matamgi Manipur ().
The lullaby "Tha Tha Thabungton..." () was featured in a theatrical production named "Heyang Athouba" as a part of the "Rhythm of Manipur's 3rd Opera Production" organized at the JN Manipur Dance Akademi, Imphal on 28 July 2013.
Similar lullabies
Der Mond ist aufgegangen - a German language lullaby
Northeastern Cradle Song - a Chinese language lullaby
See also
Lairembigee Eshei
Shakuhachi meets Pena
Nura Pakhang (Eu e Tu)
Notes
References
External links
Tha Tha Thabungton at
Lullabies
Ficus
Meitei folklore
Meitei folklore in popular culture
Songs in Meitei
Meitei literature
Moon myths
Motherhood
Parenting
Songs about outer space
Songs about plants
Songs about trees
Songs about the Moon | Tha Tha Thabungton | [
"Astronomy"
] | 453 | [
"Astronomical myths",
"Moon myths"
] |
73,069,613 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonprofit%20Adopt%20a%20Star | Nonprofit Adopt a Star is a charitable fundraising program operated by White Dwarf Research Corporation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization based in Golden, Colorado USA. The program features the targets of NASA space telescopes that are searching for planets around other stars, and it uses the proceeds to support research by an international team of astronomers known as the Kepler/TESS Asteroseismic Science Consortium.
Supporters of the program receive a personalized “Certificate of Adoption” by email, and their selected star is updated in a public database, ensuring that each star can only be adopted once. The database shows an image of the star in Google Sky, along with the constellation name and coordinates, a link to a star chart, and a link to additional information about the star from the SIMBAD astronomical database.
History
The program was started in January 2008 by American astronomer Travis Metcalfe, and was originally known as "The Pale Blue Dot Project".
The original database only included stars observed by NASA’s Kepler space telescope, which operated from 2009 to 2013. After losing the ability to point at the original star field, the mission was renamed K2 in 2014 and observed a series of star fields near the ecliptic before running out of fuel in 2018. The launch of NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) in 2018 expanded the database to include bright stars in every constellation.
Proceeds from the program have supported several research projects of the international team, including characterization of the smallest known planet around Kepler-37 and the oldest known planetary system around Kepler-444, both discovered by the Kepler mission.
The phrase "Adopt a Star" is registered as a charitable fundraising service with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, but trademark infringement has continued by several for-profit companies.
In popular culture
In August 2009, the estate of Carl Sagan threatened legal action after a news article noted that the project was called Pale Blue Dot to echo the popular astronomer's description of the Earth as seen from space.
In July 2014, Ukrainian astronomers adopted a star with a disparaging nickname for Russian president Vladimir Putin and the insult went viral on social media.
In May 2022, Gucci adopted a star for each of the guests at their space-themed Cosmogonie fashion show, held at the Castel del Monte in Italy.
References
Non-profit corporations
Astronomy organizations
Research institutes | Nonprofit Adopt a Star | [
"Astronomy"
] | 479 | [
"Astronomy organizations"
] |
73,074,374 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yan%27s%20theorem | In probability theory, Yan's theorem is a separation and existence result. It is of particular interest in financial mathematics where one uses it to prove the Kreps-Yan theorem.
The theorem was published by Jia-An Yan. It was proven for the L1 space and later generalized by Jean-Pascal Ansel to the case .
Yan's theorem
Notation:
is the closure of a set .
.
is the indicator function of .
is the conjugate index of .
Statement
Let be a probability space, and be the space of non-negative and bounded random variables. Further let be a convex subset and .
Then the following three conditions are equivalent:
For all with exists a constant , such that .
For all with exists a constant , such that .
There exists a random variable , such that almost surely and
.
Literature
Freddy Delbaen and Walter Schachermayer: The Mathematics of Arbitrage (2005). Springer Finance
References
Probability theorems | Yan's theorem | [
"Mathematics"
] | 195 | [
"Theorems in probability theory",
"Mathematical theorems",
"Mathematical problems"
] |
73,074,954 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/0/1-polytope | A 0/1-polytope is a convex polytope generated by the convex hull of a subset of coordinates value 0 or 1, . The full domain is the unit hypercube with cut hyperplanes passing through these coordinates. A -polytope requires at least vertices, and can't be all in the same hyperplanes.
simplex polytopes for example can be generated vertices, using the origin, and one vertex along each primary axis, , etc. Every simple 0/1-polytope is a Cartesian product of 0/1 simplexes.
References
Polytopes
Convex hulls
Planes (geometry) | 0/1-polytope | [
"Mathematics"
] | 131 | [
"Mathematical objects",
"Infinity",
"Geometry",
"Geometry stubs",
"Planes (geometry)"
] |
73,075,588 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community%20Notes | Community Notes, formerly known as Birdwatch, is a feature on X (formerly Twitter) where contributors can add context such as fact-checks under a post, image or video. It is a community-driven content moderation program, intended to provide helpful and informative context, based on a crowd-sourced system. Notes are applied to potentially misleading content by a bridging-based algorithm not based on majority rule, but instead agreement from users on different sides of the political spectrum.
The program launched in 2021 and became widespread on X in 2023. Initially shown to U.S. users only, notes were popularized in March 2022 over misinformation in the Russian invasion of Ukraine followed by COVID-19 misinformation in October. Birdwatch was then rebranded to Community Notes and expanded in November 2022. As of November 2023, it had approximately 133,000 contributors; notes reportedly receive tens of millions of views per day, with its goal being to counter propaganda and misinformation. According to investigation and studies, the vast majority of users do not see notes correcting content. In May 2024, a study of COVID-19 vaccine notes were deemed accurate 96% of the time.
Critics have also highlighted how it has spread disinformation, is vulnerable to manipulation, and has been inconsistent in its application of notes, as well as its efforts in combating of misinformation. Elon Musk, the owner of X, considers the program as a game changer and having considerable potential. After a post by Musk received a Community Note, he claimed the program had been manipulated by state actors.
History
In February 2020, Twitter began introducing labels and warning messages intended to limit potentially harmful and misleading content. In August 2020, development of Birdwatch was announced, initially described as a moderation tool. Twitter first launched the Birdwatch program in January 2021, intended as a way to debunk misinformation and propaganda, with a pilot program of 1,000 contributors, weeks after the January 6 United States Capitol attack. The aim was to "build Birdwatch in the open, and have it shaped by the Twitter community." In November 2021, Twitter updated the Birdwatch moderation tool to limit the visibility of contributors' identities by creating aliases for their accounts, in an attempt to limit bias towards the author of notes.
Twitter then expanded access to notes made by the Birdwatch contributors in March 2022, giving a randomized set of US users the ability to view notes attached to tweets and rate them, with a pilot of 10,000 contributors. On average, contributors were noting 43 times a day in 2022 prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This then increased to 156 on the day of the invasion, estimated to be a very small portion of the misleading posts on the platform. By March 1, only 359 of 10,000 contributors had proposed notes in 2022, while a Twitter spokeswoman described plans to scale up the program, with the focus on "ensuring that Birdwatch is something people find helpful and can help inform understanding".
By September 2022, the program had expanded to 15,000 users. In October 2022, the most commonly published notes were related to COVID-19 misinformation based on historical usage. In November 2022, at the request of new owner Elon Musk, Birdwatch was rebranded to Community Notes, taking an open-source approach to deal with misinformation, and expanded to Europe and countries outside of the US.
Community Notes was then extended to include notes on misleading images in May 2023 and in September 2023 further extended to videos, but only for a group of power-users referred to as "Top Writers". Twitter subsequently ended the ability to report misleading posts, instead relying exclusively on Community Notes, with contributors proposing over 21,200 notes on the platform.
In October 2023, Elon Musk announced that posts "corrected" by Community Notes would no longer be eligible for ad revenue in order to "maximize the incentive for accuracy over sensationalism" and in order to discourage the spread of misinformation and disinformation on the platform. The move was criticised by some users and applauded by others. As of November 2023, it has expanded to over 50 countries, with approximately 133,000 contributors.
In January 2025, Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta will remove fact-checkers for Facebook, Instagram, and Threads, replacing them with a community-orientated system, similar to Community Notes. According to Meta, the feature will initially be launched for U.S. users.
Operation
The Community Notes algorithm publishes notes based on agreement from contributors who have a history of disagreeing. Rather than based on majority rule, the program's algorithm prioritizes notes that receive ratings from a "diverse range of perspectives". Programmer Vitalik Buterin has described the open-source algorithm as "insanely complicated". For a note to be published, a contributor must first propose a note under a tweet. The program assigns different values to contributors' ratings, categorising users with similar rating histories as a form of "opinion classification", determined by a vague alignment with the left and right-wing political spectrum. The bridging-based machine-learning algorithm requires ratings from both sides of the spectrum in order to publish notes, that can have the intended effect of decreasing interaction with such content.
Contributors are volunteers with access to an interface from which they have the ability to monitor tweets and replies that may be misleading. Notes in need of ratings by contributors are located under a "Needs your help" section of the interface. Other contributors then give their opinion on the usefulness of the note, identifying notes as "Helpful" or "Not Helpful". The contributor gets points if their note is validated, known as "Rating Impact", that reflects how helpful a contributors' ratings have been. X users are able to vote on whether they find notes helpful or not, but must apply to become contributors in order to write notes, the latter being restricted by "Rating Impact" as well as the Community Notes guidelines.
Application
Since 2023, Community Notes are often attached to shared articles missing context, misleading advertisements or political tweets with false arguments, from content receiving widespread attention.
Notes have appeared on posts by government accounts and various politicians: the White House, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. President Joe Biden; UK Prime Ministers Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss; former U.S. speakers of the House and presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy; U.S. representatives, senators, and Australian ministers; as well as X owner Elon Musk multiple times, that in February 2024 led to Musk arguing with the program.
The feature does not directly mention fact-checking but instead indicates that "readers added context". They can also note when an image is digitally altered or AI-generated. X allows contributors to add Community Notes to adverts, which the Financial Times noted was good for consumers but not for advertisers. This resulted in brands such as Apple, Samsung, Uber and Evony receiving notes on their adverts and being accused of false or misleading posts, advertisers deleting certain posts that received notes, as well as modifying content for future advertisements.
A source is attached to the note so the information can be verified, in a similar manner to Wikipedia, and notes reportedly received tens of millions of views per day. Elon Musk, the owner of X, considers the program as a "gamechanger for combating wrong information" and having "incredible potential for improving information accuracy". In December 2023, after receiving a note on one of his posts, Musk thanked contributors for "jumping in the honey pot" after stating that the system had been "gamed by state actors", with the intent of detecting so-called bad actors.
In July 2024, as part of a pilot program, X announced the ability for eligible users to request Community Notes for certain posts, that would be directed to "Top Writers" of the software. The threshold of five requests within 24 hours would determine a note being published.
Analysis
Former head of Twitter's Trust and Safety, Yoel Roth, has since expressed concern over the effectiveness of the system in the early stages of the program, stating that Birdwatch was never supposed to replace the curation team, but instead intended to complement it. Another former employee said it was "an imperfect replacement for Trust and Safety staff". In April 2022, a study presented by MIT researchers subsequently found users overwhelming prioritised political content, even though 80% were correctly considered misleading.
Wired noted that in the backend of the database most notes remain unpublished, and that numerous contributors engage in "conspiracy-fueled" discussions. According to Musk, anyone trying to "weaponize Community Notes to demonetize people will be immediately obvious", due to the open-source nature of the code and data.
Regarding the situation in Israel and Gaza, with the difficulty of identifying accurate information and the number of unknown factors, MIT professor David Rand said "what I expect the crowd to produce is a lot of noise", regarding the crowd-sourced system. A contributor otherwise described that the system is "not really scalable for the amount of media that's being consumed or posted in any given day", while X states that the program is having a "significant impact on tackling disinformation on the platform".
Studies
In October 2023, Community Notes experienced multi-day delays in publishing notes on misinformation in the 2023 Israel-Hamas war or failed to do so. One study by NBC News found that in the case of a fake White House press release claiming the destruction of the St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church – a week before the destruction – only 8% of posts had notes published, 26% had unpublished notes, while the majority had no proposed notes. Analysis from NewsGuard of 250 of the most-engaged posts, spreading the most common unsubstantiated claims about the Israel-Hamas war and viewed more than 100 million times, failed to receive notes 68% of the time. The report found Community Notes were "inconsistently applied to top myths relating to the conflict." The fact-checking website Snopes discovered three posts from verified users, who had shared a video of a hospitalized man from Gaza with false captions claiming it showed "crisis actors", had failed to receive any Community Notes after 24 hours. Bellingcat found the program spread false information, in reference to Taylor Swift's bodyguard due to misinformation. Wired has documented that Community Notes is susceptible to disinformation, after a graphic Hamas video shared by Donald Trump Jr. was falsely flagged as being a year old, but was instead found to be part of the recent conflict. The original note was later replaced with another citing the report from Wired.
In November 2023, the Atlantic Council conducted an interactive study of Community Notes highlighting how the system operated slowly and inconsistently regarding Israel and Gaza misinformation. In one example, an image originally received a Community Note but continued to spread regardless receiving over 3 million views after a week. Hundreds of viral posts from the notes public database were analyzed and according to researchers fast-moving breaking news wasn't labeled. Across 400 posts of misinformation, a note took on average 7 hours to appear, while others took 70 hours. The analysis however did show that over 50% of the posts received a note within 8 hours, with only a few taking longer than 2 days. The study included 100 tweets from 83 users who had signed up to X Premium in the past 4 months, along with 42 tweets from 25 accounts that were reinstated by Elon Musk, including Laura Loomer. The study also included Jackson Hinkle, who appeared multiple times.
Another NewsGuard report found advertising appearing on 15 posts with Community Notes attached in the week of November 13, 2023, indicating that "misinformation super-spreaders" may still be eligible for ad revenue, despite posts with notes attached being ineligible according to Musk. On November 30, a Mashable investigation found most users never see published notes, with examples of notes seen by less than 1% to 5% of users who viewed misinformation content, and overall, a disproportionate number of views on posts compared to the attached notes.
In May 2024, John W. Ayers, a behavioural scientist from the University of California, San Diego, published a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association based on fact-checking of COVID-19 vaccines. In the sample of 205 Community Notes, according to Ayers and other researches, the information was accurate in 96% of notes, and 87% of sources were of high quality. The lead author, according to Bloomberg UK, stated that only a small percentage of misinformation received a note, while published notes were among the most viral content.
In July 2024, after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) published a report that of the 100 most popular conspiratorial posts on X about the shooting, only five Community Notes were published to counter the false claim. In October 2024, the CCDH reported that 74% of misinformation about the 2024 United States elections failed to receive notes, based on a sample of 283 posts. Where notes were published, they received 13 times less views than the original post, according to the group.
See also
List of Twitter features
Virtual volunteering
Notes
References
2021 software
Twitter
Software features
Crowdsourcing
Volunteering
Misinformation
Disinformation | Community Notes | [
"Technology"
] | 2,836 | [
"Software features"
] |
68,720,300 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psilocybe%20angulospora | Psilocybe angulospora is a species of agaric fungus in the family Hymenogastraceae. The species was described from Taiwan in 2015 and is also present in New Zealand, where it is considered introduced. As a blueing member of the genus Psilocybe it contains the psychoactive compounds psilocin and psilocybin.
The fruitbodies have a small, extremely hygrophanous pale gold conical to bell-shaped cap, often with a prominent pointed central papilla, a slender whitish stipe, and fine narrowly spaced gills.
In Taiwan, the mushrooms grow wild amongst grasses on heavily manured soil and on cow dung. In New Zealand they are most frequently found in the potting mix of nursery plants, in potted plants in garden centres, and outdoors in gardens and council landscaping where those plants have been planted.
Taxonomy and naming
Psilocybe angulospora was described from Taiwan in 2015 by Yen-Wen Wang and Shean-Shong Tzean, after reports of hallucinogenic mushroom poisonings in Taipei sparked a biodiversity survey and scientific investigation. The mushrooms responsible were said to grow on dung in native grasslands in Yangmingshang National Park. Various corprophilous fruitbodies were collected from the area and studied, leading to the discovery of the species in Taiwan, and to official publication.
Etymology
The name or species epithet refers to the slightly angular shape of the spores.
Description
The cap is 10–40 mm in diameter, light brown to medium grey blue, conic to subcampanulate (cone-like to bell-shaped) with an inrolled margin and often an acute central papilla. It is translucent-striate to the margin (fine radial lines are visible around the edge of the cap when moist), extremely hygrophanous, glabrous (smooth or free of ornamentation) and slightly fibrous. The flesh inside is firm and brownish orange to yellowish. The gills are pale, thin and fairly close together, narrowly adnate (the gills meet the stipe by most of their width; they are broadly attached), with one or three short intermediate gills between two intermediate gills, and have a smooth edge. The stipe is 40–70 mm x 1–2 mm, pale greyish white, cylindrical, centered, fibrous, with brownish orange to yellowish flesh. It can be hollow or otherwise stuffed with fibres. The partial veil sometimes leaves a fragile line of raised threadlike tissue around the stipe close to halfway down. This can resemble a faint, thin raised ring, often stained blue.
Microscopic features
Spores measure 7.6–10.2(–11.5) × 5.8–8.1 × 4.7–7.1 μm. They are reddish grey, greyish orange to cinnamon brown in Meltzer's reagent, and appear subrhomboid in face view and ellipsoid to oval in side view. They are smooth with thick walls, and have a large eccentric germ pore which appears central in face view. This species has a very low spore production, often failing to produce a visible spore print. Basidia measure 20.9–27.2(–32.2) ×6.1–10.4 μm, are 4-spored, shaped broadly fusiform (like a spindle, rounded in the middle and tapering to the ends) to broadly clavate (shaped like a club). Pleurocystidia (the cystidia on the gill face) are absent or not well observed. Cheilocystidia (cystidia on the gill edge) measure 16.4–26.3(–29.2) μm long, (1.6–)1.8–3.0(–3.6) μm wide at the apex, (3.6–)4.5–7.1 μm wide at base. They are fusiform (spindle-shaped) to lageniform (having a large base tapering to a narrow neck; flask-shaped), sometimes bifurcate (branching), hyaline (transparent), clustered, and abundant. The hypodermium (the second layer of tissue of the cuticle) is composed of inflated threadlike hyphae, measuring 6.3–17.0 μm. The outer tissue of the stipe consists of short-segmented, inflated, threadlike parallel hyphae with thick walls, measuring 9.3–22.3 μm. Clamp connections are present.
Published description
"Dung-associated, Potentially Hallucinogenic Mushrooms from Taiwan" Yen-Wen Wang and Shean-Shong Tzean, 2015.
Habitat and distribution
Scattered on heavily manured soil in grassland, and directly on cow dung, at Qingtiangang in Yangmingshan National Park in Taiwan.
In potted plants and woodchip landscaping in New Zealand.
Similar species
Psilocybe angulospora can appear similar to Psilocybe hoogshagenii but the two are not closely related. DNA analysis suggests a closer relationship to Psilocybe stuntzii and Psilocybe semilanceata.
In New Zealand, it can be confused with other species of Psilocybe that appear in potted plants.
See also
List of psilocybin mushrooms
Psilocybe tasmaniana
References
External links
Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research Online Fungi Portal New Zealand fungarium records.
Psilocybe angulospora observations on iNaturalist.
Psilocybe angulospora observations on Mushroom Observer.
angulospora
Entheogens
Psychoactive fungi
Psychedelic tryptamine carriers
Fungi described in 2015
Fungi of Asia
Fungi of New Zealand
Fungus species | Psilocybe angulospora | [
"Biology"
] | 1,206 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
68,721,613 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nina%20Buchmann | Nina Buchmann is a German ecologist known for her research on the physiology of plants and the impact of plants on biogeochemical cycling. She is a member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina and an elected fellow of the American Geophysical Union.
Education and career
Buchmann has an undergraduate degree from the University of Bayreuth (1989). In 1993 she finished her Ph.D. there working with with a research project tracking the incorporation of inorganic nitrogen into trees. Following this, she spent three years at the University of Utah working with James Ehleringer. In 1996 she returned to the University of Bayreuth and finished her habilitation working on the exchange of carbon dioxide between soils and the atmosphere. Starting in 1993, she worked at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry until she moved to ETH Zurich in 2003 where she is a full professor.
In 2018, she was elected a fellow of the American Geophysical Union who cited "her pioneering work to understand ecophysiological mechanisms regulating ecosystem carbon dynamics locally, regionally and across diverse ecosystems".
Research
Buchmann's research centers on the role of plants in biogeochemical cycling. Some examples of her research include investigations into the ecophysiology of plants and ecosystems, the flux of carbon and water in terrestrial ecosystems, and biogeochemical processes such as the carbon dynamics of the Amazonian rainforest. Buchmann's early research tracked inorganic nitrogen uptake by trees using stable isotopes, and examined the carbon isotopic signature of C-4 grasses and forests, and soils.
Selected publications
Awards
Founding member of the Junge Akademie (Young Academy of Sciences) (2000–2005)
Member of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina (2007)
Fellow, American Geophysical Union (2018)
References
Fellows of the American Geophysical Union
Members of the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
University of Bayreuth alumni
Academic staff of ETH Zurich
Plant ecologists
Biogeochemists
Women ecologists
1965 births
Living people | Nina Buchmann | [
"Chemistry"
] | 421 | [
"Geochemists",
"Biogeochemistry",
"Biogeochemists"
] |
68,721,853 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weda%20Bay%20Industrial%20Park | The Weda Bay Industrial Park is a nickel mining and industrial park complex in Central Halmahera Regency, North Maluku, Indonesia. The Weda Bay Mine is now among the largest nickel mines in the world.
History
Nickel deposits were discovered in the Weda Bay area in Central Halmahera in 1996, and a joint venture between Canada-based Weda Bay Minerals and Antam (10%) was established in 1997. French mining group Eramet acquired the Canadian stake in 2006, and planned to develop the site, but due to low mineral prices the project was put on hold in 2013. In 2017, China's Tsingshan Group signed an agreement, giving it a 57% stake in Weda Bay Minerals, and giving Tsingshan the responsibility to develop mineral processing while Eramet retained its mining operations. Construction of the industrial park began in April 2018, with mining operations commencing in October 2019 and metallurgical production in April 2020.
As of 2020, four nickel ferroalloy production lines are active in the industrial park, with undergoing development of a cobalt-nickel refining complex. A nickel sulphate plant is also slated for construction in the park.
Workforce
The industrial park employed around 11,000 people as of 2020. In early 2022, the park reported that this figure has increased to 28,000 Indonesian and 1,800 foreign workers.
Mine
The Weda Mine was opened in October 2019 and is now the largest nickel mine in the world, with production from October through December of 2019 of half a million tonnes of nickel ore. It reported sales in 2021 of over 21 Mwt (million wet tonnes) from its mine.
The ore is disseminated nickel as fine-grained manganese-nickel silicates in a laterite soil. The nickel is found as garnierite as is associated with the iron minerals limonite, magnitite and goethite, as well as various clay minerals. The complex formed from the lateritic weathering of ultramafic rocks: serpentinite, dunite, and peridotite.
The mine is a series of open pits, including the sites at Kao Rahai, Sake River, Sake West, Nuspera and Uni Uni.
References
External links
Corporate website
Industrial parks in Indonesia
Nickel mines in Indonesia
North Maluku | Weda Bay Industrial Park | [
"Chemistry"
] | 472 | [
"Metallurgical industry of Indonesia",
"Metallurgical industry by country"
] |
68,723,848 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century%20common%20year | A century common year is a common year in the Gregorian calendar that is divisible by 100 but not by 400. Like all common years, these years do not get an extra day in February, meaning they have 365 days instead of 366. These years are the only common years that are divisible by 4.
In the obsolete Julian Calendar, all years that were divisible by 4 were leap years, meaning no century years could be common years. However, this rule adds too many leap days, resulting in the calendar drifting with respect to the seasons, which is the same thing that would happen if there were no leap years at all. So, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII introduced a slightly modified version of the Julian Calendar, the Gregorian Calendar, where century years would not be leap years if they are not divisible by 400. Therefore, 1700 is the first century year in the Gregorian Calendar being a common year. The years 1800 and 1900 were also century common years, and so will be 2100, 2200, 2300, 2500, 2600, 2700, 2900, and 3000.
The Gregorian Calendar repeats itself every 400 years, so century common years start on a Friday if the remainder obtained when dividing the year by 400 is 100 (dominical letter C), Wednesday if the remainder is 200 (dominical letter E), and Monday if the remainder is 300 (dominical letter G). This means that century leap years always begin on a Saturday (dominical letter BA).
References
External links
An Introduction to Calendars courtesy of the United States Naval Observatory
Frequently Asked Questions about Calendars
History of Gregorian Calendar
Units of time
Calendars
Gregorian calendar | Century common year | [
"Physics",
"Mathematics"
] | 342 | [
"Calendars",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time stubs",
"Units of time",
"Quantity",
"Spacetime",
"Units of measurement"
] |
68,724,006 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone%2013%20Pro | The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max are smartphones developed and marketed by Apple Inc. They were the flagship smartphones in the fifteenth generation of the iPhone, succeeding the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max respectively. The devices were unveiled alongside the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Mini at an Apple Special Event at Apple Park in Cupertino, California on September 14, 2021, and became available ten days later, on September 24. They were discontinued on September 7, 2022, as well as the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 mini, following the announcement of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro.
Major upgrades over its predecessor include improved battery life, improved cameras and computational photography, rack focus for video in a new "Cinematic Mode" at 1080p 30 fps, Apple ProRes video recording, a new A15 Bionic system on a chip, and a variable 10–120 Hz display, marketed as ProMotion.
History
Before announcement
The successor to the iPhone 12 Pro models began in development to make the size of the notch 20% smaller as thanks to the front-firing speaker placed into the upper edge from the True-Depth sensor housing and utilizing the display refresh rate up to 120 Hz for smoother motion found. According to the early released rumors, the color options of the iPhone 13 Pro models were including Sunset Gold (a new Gold color option), Rosé (a rename of Gold), Pearl (rename of the Silver) and Matte Black. However, Apple Inc. announced that no Sunset Gold color option of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max would be unveiled, which Sierra Blue color option of the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max would be instead unveiled on the September Event.
After announcement
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max were officially announced alongside the ninth-generation iPad, 6th generation iPad Mini, Apple Watch Series 7, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 Mini by a virtual press event filmed and recorded at Apple Park in Cupertino, California on September 14, 2021. Pre-orders began on September 17 at 5:00 AM PST. Pricing starts at US$999 for the iPhone 13 Pro and US$1099 for the iPhone 13 Pro Max, the same as their respective previous generations.
On September 7, 2022, Apple removed the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max as well as the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 Mini from their official website following the release of the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
In March 2023, Apple began selling refurbished iPhone 13 Pro models on their official website.
Design
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max's design is mostly unchanged from their respective predecessors. However, the rear camera module now covers a larger area due to the larger lenses. The Face ID and camera module on the front display, or "notch", is now 20% smaller than in previous generations.
The back side of the iPhone 13 Pro is made of a matte glass finish and the front is protected by Gorilla Glass.
The iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max are available in five colors: Silver, Graphite, Gold, Sierra Blue, and Alpine Green. Sierra Blue is a new color replacing Pacific Blue.
On March 8, 2022, at Apple's Special Event "Peek Performance", Apple revealed a new Alpine Green color option, which became available on March 18, 2022.
Specifications
Hardware
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max use an Apple-designed A15 Bionic processor featuring a 16-core neural engine, 6-core CPU (with 2 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores), and 5-core GPU. The A15 Bionic also contains a new image processor.
The iPhone 13 Pro got an Antutu Score, or Antutu Benchmark Score of 846,433, which makes its graphic loading smooth.
More 5G bands are available to support more carriers, especially outside the US.
Display
The iPhone 13 Pro has a 6.06 inch (154 mm) (marketed as ) OLED display with a resolution of 2532 × 1170 pixels (2.9 megapixels) at 460 PPI, while the iPhone 13 Pro Max has a 6.68 inch (170 mm) (marketed as ) OLED display with a resolution of 2778 × 1284 pixels (3.5 megapixels) at 458 PPI. Both models have the Super Retina XDR OLED display with improved typical brightness up to 1,000 nits from 800 nits, and max brightness up to 1,200 nits, and a variable 10–120 Hz ProMotion display, which can also go as low as 10 Hz to preserve battery. The ProMotion name was previously used on the iPad Pro (2nd Generation) and later models.
Batteries
Apple claims up to 1.5 more hours of battery life on the iPhone 13 Pro, and 2.5 more hours on the 13 Pro Max than their respective predecessors. Rated capacities are 11.97 Wh (3,095 mAh) on the 13 Pro an increase from the 10.78 Wh (2,815 mAh) battery found in the iPhone 12 Pro, while the 13 Pro Max is rated at 16.75 Wh (4,352 mAh) another increase from the 14.13 Wh (3,687 mAh) battery found in the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Both models can charge with MagSafe up to 15 W, Qi wireless charging up to 7.5 W, and Lightning up to 20-23 W for the Pro model, 20-27 W for the Pro Max model.
Cameras
The iPhone 13 Pro features four cameras: one front-facing camera for selfie and three rear-facing cameras which includes a telephoto, wide, and ultra-wide camera. The rear-facing cameras all contain larger sensors than the iPhone 12 Pro, allowing for more light-gathering. The wide and ultra-wide also have larger apertures to capture more light and increase low-light performance. The ultra-wide camera also has autofocus for the first time. The 77 mm telephoto has a smaller aperture than the 12 Pro's, but has the advantage of being able to use Night Mode. The larger telephoto also increases the digital zoom capability to 15x.
The cameras use a new computational photography engine, called Smart HDR 4. Smart HDR 4 processes recognized faces in photos separately using local adjustments. Users can also choose from a range of photographic styles during capture, including rich contrast, vibrant, warm, and cool. Apple clarifies this is different than a filter because it works intelligently with the image processing algorithm during capture to apply local adjustments to an image.
The camera app contains a new mode called Cinematic Mode, which allows users to rack focus between subjects and create a shallow depth of field using software algorithms. It is supported on wide, telephoto, and front-facing cameras in 1080p at 30 fps. Apple also added in iOS 15.1 the ability to record in Apple ProRes 4K at 30 fps and 1080p at 60 fps for models with at least 256 GB of storage, however base models with 128 GB of storage will be limited to ProRes recording at 1080p at 30 fps.
The camera features a macro mode that can focus as close as 2 centimeters from a subject. It utilizes the autofocus from the ultra-wide camera and is automatically enabled when close enough to a subject.
Software
iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max originally shipped with iOS 15. They received the iOS 16 update, which was released on September 12, 2022, and iOS 17, which was released on September 18, 2023. The Qi2 wireless charging standard has been added to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max with the update to iOS 17.2. It is also compatible with iOS 18 released in late 2024
Reception
The iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max were praised by reviewers and journalists for its marked improvement in battery life, improved set of cameras, and the addition of ProMotion to the iPhone. The devices have repeatedly been said to have "the best camera in a smartphone."
See also
Comparison of smartphones
History of the iPhone
List of iPhone models
Timeline of iPhone models
References
External links
– official site
Mobile phones introduced in 2021
Products and services discontinued in 2022
Mobile phones with 4K video recording
Mobile phones with multiple rear cameras
Discontinued flagship smartphones | IPhone 13 Pro | [
"Technology"
] | 1,727 | [
"Discontinued flagship smartphones",
"Flagship smartphones"
] |
68,724,702 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis%20Nikole%20Nelson | Alexis Nikole Nelson (born May 26, 1992) is an American forager, cook, and internet personality. She maintains the TikTok account alexisnikole and Instagram page blackforager, where she posts videos of her foraging finds along with cooking techniques and historical information.
In 2022, Nelson won the inaugural James Beard Award for Best Social Media Account.
Early life and education
Alexis Nikole Nelson grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is of Cape Verdean descent through her mother's side. Her mother first showed her how to forage at the age of five by introducing her to onion grass. She attended the New School Montessori and Walnut Hills High School, from which she graduated in 2010. She graduated from the Ohio State University in 2015 with degrees in environmental science and theatre.
Career
Nelson posts videos of her foraging finds on social media accounts. Her videos are informal, playful, and humorous, despite a long experience and encyclopedic knowledge of foraging. She has maintained the Instagram account "blackforager" since 2019, and created the TikTok page "alexisnikole" in 2020. Nelson's posts concern such topics as the indigenous roots of foraging in America, the history of American foraging laws, and sustainable ways for her viewers to include wild plants and mushrooms in their diets, with a focus on vegan recipes. In most of her videos, she documents ingredients that she finds in the wild and then turns them into dishes using her own or adapted recipes.
Her popularity grew in 2021, from under 500,000 TikTok followers early that year to 3.3 million by January 2022. Her efforts were successful enough that she left her office job in September 2021 to focus on her foraging work full-time. National media attention that year included New York Times and Bon Appétit articles, as well as segments on The Kelly Clarkson Show and The Drew Barrymore Show. She was also added to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list that year.
In April 2022, Alexis attended the 2022 TED conference in Vancouver, the first since the COVID-19 pandemic began. At the conference, she gave a TED Talk about her foraging work, and cooked sweet-and-salty seaweed chips using Vancouver-foraged bull kelp. In June 2022, she won the James Beard Award for social media influence. Her accounts at the time had a cumulative 4.8 million followers.
In January 2023 Nelson appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
Nelson is currently working on a cookbook, to be published by Simon & Schuster in 2024.
In 2023, Nelson joined the YouTube channel Crash Course, where she hosted a 15-episode series on botany.
In December, 2023, an episode of Eat This with Yara featuring Nelson titled 'The Awful Truth About ‘No Trespassing’ Signs' won "Outstanding Lifestyle Program" at the 50th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.
Influences
Nelson attributes her interest in foraging to both natural inclination and her family's African and indigenous heritage.
Personal life
Nelson lives in Columbus, Ohio, with a partner and several pets. She practices a vegan diet.
See also
Ethnobotany
Notable Cape Verdean Americans
References
External links
1992 births
Living people
21st-century African-American educators
21st-century African-American women
21st-century American educators
21st-century American women educators
21st-century naturalists
21st-century African-American people
African-American women educators
American naturalists
American TikTokers
Chefs from Ohio
Chefs of vegan cuisine
Educators from Cincinnati
American environmental scientists
Mass media people from Cincinnati
Mass media people from Columbus, Ohio
Ohio State University alumni
American social media influencers
Walnut Hills High School alumni | Alexis Nikole Nelson | [
"Environmental_science"
] | 749 | [
"American environmental scientists",
"Environmental scientists"
] |
68,726,215 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/THC%20morpholinylbutyrate | THC morpholinylbutyrate (SP-111, Δ9-THC-O-[4-(morpholin-4-yl)butyrate]) is a synthetic derivative of tetrahydrocannabinol, developed in the 1970s. It is a prodrug which is converted into THC inside the body, and was one of the first derivatives of THC that is able to form water-soluble salts, giving it a significant advantage over THC for some applications. However, it is less potent than THC and the metabolic conversion to THC is relatively slow and variable, giving it unpredictable pharmacokinetics which has limited its research applications.
See also
THC-O-acetate
THC-O-phosphate
THC hemisuccinate
THC-VHS
Nabitan
O-1057
References
Benzochromenes
Cannabinoids
Prodrugs
4-Morpholinyl compounds | THC morpholinylbutyrate | [
"Chemistry"
] | 199 | [
"Chemicals in medicine",
"Prodrugs"
] |
68,726,463 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laysan%20fan%20palm | The Laysan fan palm is an extinct species of palm, not formally described, but most likely in the genus Pritchardia. Once endemic to the island of Laysan, it had become extinct by 1896.
History
The palm was first mentioned in 1828 by early visitors to Laysan island. Karl Izembek, surgeon of the Russian ship Moller, was the first to write of the species. In 1859, there was an account of only five mature individuals remaining.
By the time the German zoologist, Hugo Schauinsland, visited in 1896, all the palms had been killed. He blamed human activity, citing evidence of palm wood in charcoal. He noticed many remaining stumps, alluding to a population of several hundred decades before. Evidence of the palms was last observed in 1914 as "decaying remains".
Description
The palms were known to be up to tall. Schauinsland noticed stumps with a diameter up to 50 cm. He was told that the palms had huge fan-shaped leaves, long inflorescences, and long fruit racemes, leading to him identify it as a Pritchardia. The species was once widespread on the island. Dense forests were hypothesized to exist, based on historic palynology.
Few photos of the palms are known to exist, and they are not of sufficient quality to allow identification. No physical collections are known to exist. Based on the photographic evidence, it has been suggested that the species was identical to Pritchardia remota (Nihoa fan palm). Another theory is that the Laysan fan palm was a separate species. That was supported by New Zealand botanist, George Campbell Munro, who studied both the Laysan fan palm and the Nihoa fan palm, and claimed they were distinct. Pritchardia species are known to be highly localized, which also supports the theory that the Laysan fan palm was a separate species.
References
Pritchardia
Extinct flora of Hawaii
Undescribed plant species | Laysan fan palm | [
"Biology"
] | 414 | [
"Undescribed plant species",
"Plants"
] |
68,726,609 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eilenberg%E2%80%93Niven%20theorem | The Eilenberg–Niven theorem is a theorem that generalizes the fundamental theorem of algebra to quaternionic polynomials, that is, polynomials with quaternion coefficients and variables. It is due to Samuel Eilenberg and Ivan M. Niven.
Statement
Let
where x, a0, a1, ... , an are non-zero quaternions and φ(x) is a finite sum of monomials similar to the first term but with degree less than n. Then P(x) = 0 has at least one solution.
Generalizations
If permitting multiple monomials with the highest degree, then the theorem does not hold, and P(x) = x + ixi + 1 = 0 is a counterexample with no solutions.
Eilenberg–Niven theorem can also be generalized to octonions: all octonionic polynomials with a unique monomial of higher degree have at least one solution, independent of the order of the parenthesis (the octonions are a non-associative algebra). Different from quaternions, however, the monic and non-monic octonionic polynomials do not have always the same set of zeros.
References
Theorems about polynomials | Eilenberg–Niven theorem | [
"Mathematics"
] | 258 | [
"Theorems in algebra",
"Algebra stubs",
"Algebra",
"Theorems about polynomials"
] |
68,726,674 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HD%20166006 | HD 166006, also known as HR 6778, is a solitary orange-hued star located in the southern constellation Telescopium. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.07, making it barely visible to the naked eye. Based on Gaia DR2 parallax measurements, the object is located 582 light years away. It is currently approaching the Solar System with a somewhat constrained heliocentric radial velocity of .
HD 166006 has a stellar classification of K1 III CN2, which indicates that it is an evolved red giant with a strong overabundance of cyano radicals in its spectrum, making it a CN star. At the estimated distance of HD 166006, the star has an angular diameter of . This yields a radius of . It has 1.24 times the mass of the Sun and radiates 165 times the luminosity of the Sun from its enlarged photosphere at an effective temperature of 4,529 K. The star is slightly metal deficient ([Fe/H] = −0.07) and spins a little too slowly to be accurately measured.HD 166006 has an optical 11th magnitude companion located 1.8" away along a position angle of 271° as of 2015.
References
Telescopium
166006
089096
6778
K-type giants
Double stars
CD-47 12098 | HD 166006 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 287 | [
"Telescopium",
"Constellations"
] |
68,726,926 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenonectriella%20nephromatis | Xenonectriella nephromatis is a species of lichenicolous fungus in the family Nectriaceae. Found in Alaska, it was described as a species new to science in 2020 by Sergio Pérez-Ortega. The type specimen was discovered in the Hoonah–Angoon Census Area in Glacier Bay National Park, where it was growing on a Nephroma lichen. The specific epithet alludes to this host lichen.
The fungus has perithecioid ascocarps, meaning that they are spherical or flask-shaped with a central pore (ostiole) through which spores are discharged. These dark red ascocarps, which are immersed in the thallus of the host lichen, are up to 0.6 mm in diameter. The asci are eight-spored and measure 120–130 by 8–12 μm. Ascospores are more or less broadly ellipsoid, with some variation in shape, and measure 12–16 by 5–8 μm.
References
Nectriaceae
Fungi described in 2020
Fungi of the United States
Lichenicolous fungi
Fungi without expected TNC conservation status
Fungus species | Xenonectriella nephromatis | [
"Biology"
] | 244 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
68,727,204 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%20in%20Niger | Time in Niger is given by a single time zone, officially denoted as West Africa Time (WAT; UTC+01:00). Niger adopted WAT on 1 January 1912, and has never observed daylight saving time.
IANA time zone database
In the IANA time zone database, Niger is given one zone in the file zone.tab – Africa/Niamey. "NE" refers to the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Data for Niger directly from zone.tab of the IANA time zone database; columns marked with * are the columns from zone.tab itself:
See also
List of time zones by country
List of UTC time offsets
References
External links
Current time in Niger at Time.is
Time in Niger at TimeAndDate.com
Time by country
Time in Africa
Geography of Niger | Time in Niger | [
"Physics"
] | 168 | [
"Spacetime",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time by country"
] |
68,727,206 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%20in%20Gabon | Time in Gabon is given by a single time zone, officially denoted as West Africa Time (WAT; UTC+01:00). Gabon adopted WAT on 1 January 1912, and has never observed daylight saving time.
IANA time zone database
In the IANA time zone database, Gabon is given one zone in the file zone.tab – Africa/Libreville. "GA" refers to the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Data for Gabon directly from zone.tab of the IANA time zone database; columns marked with * are the columns from zone.tab itself:
See also
List of time zones by country
List of UTC time offsets
References
External links
Current time in Gabon at Time.is
Time in Gabon at TimeAndDate.com
Time by country
Geography of Gabon
Time in Africa | Time in Gabon | [
"Physics"
] | 167 | [
"Spacetime",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time by country"
] |
68,727,208 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%20in%20Benin | Time in Benin is given by a single time zone, officially denoted as West Africa Time (WAT; UTC+01:00). Benin adopted WAT on 1 January 1912 as French Dahomey, and has never observed daylight saving time.
IANA time zone database
In the IANA time zone database, Benin is given one zone in the file zone.tab – Africa/Porto-Novo. "BJ" refers to the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Data for Benin directly from zone.tab of the IANA time zone database; columns marked with * are the columns from zone.tab itself:
See also
List of time zones by country
List of UTC time offsets
References
External links
Current time in Benin at Time.is
Time in Benin at TimeAndDate.com
Geography of Benin
Time by country
Time in Africa | Time in Benin | [
"Physics"
] | 174 | [
"Spacetime",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time by country"
] |
68,727,268 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%20in%20Cameroon | Time in Cameroon is given by a single time zone, officially denoted as West Africa Time (WAT; UTC+01:00). Cameroon adopted WAT on 1 January 1912 as Cameroun, and has never observed daylight saving time.
IANA time zone database
In the IANA time zone database, Cameroon is given one zone in the file zone.tab – Africa/Douala. "CM" refers to the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Data for Cameroon directly from zone.tab of the IANA time zone database; columns marked with * are the columns from zone.tab itself:
See also
List of time zones by country
List of UTC time offsets
References
External links
Current time in Cameroon at Time.is
Time in Cameroon at TimeAndDate.com
Time by country
Geography of Cameroon
Time in Africa | Time in Cameroon | [
"Physics"
] | 172 | [
"Spacetime",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time by country"
] |
68,729,934 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corticifraga%20nephromatis | Corticifraga nephromatis is a species of lichenicolous fungus in the family Gomphillaceae. Found in Alaska, it was described as a new species by Sergio Pérez-Ortega. The type was found in the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area in the east arm of Glacier Bay, where it was growing on the thallus of the foliose lichen Nephroma bellum. The specific epithet refers to the host lichen.
The fungus can be distinguished from similar species by its ascospores: they lack septa and have an ellipsoid shape with teardrop-shaped or acute ends. Corticifraga nephromatis is one of four species of Corticifraga known to occur in Alaska.
References
Gomphillaceae
Fungi described in 2020
Lichenicolous fungi
Fungus species | Corticifraga nephromatis | [
"Biology"
] | 179 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
68,730,378 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conformal%20prediction | Conformal prediction (CP) is a machine learning framework for uncertainty quantification that produces statistically valid prediction regions (prediction intervals) for any underlying point predictor (whether statistical, machine, or deep learning) only assuming exchangeability of the data. CP works by computing nonconformity scores on previously labeled data, and using these to create prediction sets on a new (unlabeled) test data point. A transductive version of CP was first proposed in 1998 by Gammerman, Vovk, and Vapnik, and since, several variants of conformal prediction have been developed with different computational complexities, formal guarantees, and practical applications.
Conformal prediction requires a user-specified significance level for which the algorithm should produce its predictions. This significance level restricts the frequency of errors that the algorithm is allowed to make. For example, a significance level of 0.1 means that the algorithm can make at most 10% erroneous predictions. To meet this requirement, the output is a set prediction, instead of a point prediction produced by standard supervised machine learning models. For classification tasks, this means that predictions are not a single class, for example 'cat', but instead a set like {'cat', 'dog'}. Depending on how good the underlying model is (how well it can discern between cats, dogs and other animals) and the specified significance level, these sets can be smaller or larger. For regression tasks, the output is prediction intervals, where a smaller significance level (fewer allowed errors) produces wider intervals which are less specific, and vice versa – more allowed errors produce tighter prediction intervals.
History
The conformal prediction first arose in a collaboration between Gammerman, Vovk, and Vapnik in 1998; this initial version of conformal prediction used what are now called E-values though the version of conformal prediction best known today uses p-values and was proposed a year later by Saunders et al. Vovk, Gammerman, and their students and collaborators, particularly Craig Saunders, Harris Papadopoulos, and Kostas Proedrou, continued to develop the ideas of conformal prediction; major developments include the proposal of inductive conformal prediction (a.k.a. split conformal prediction), in 2002.
A book on the topic was written by Vovk and Shafer in 2005, and a tutorial was published in 2008.
Theory
The data has to conform to some standards, such as data being exchangeable (a slightly weaker assumption than the standard IID imposed in standard machine learning). For conformal prediction, a n% prediction region is said to be valid if the truth is in the output n% of the time. The efficiency is the size of the output. For classification, this size is the number of classes; for regression, it is interval width.
In the purest form, conformal prediction is made for an online (transductive) section. That is, after a label is predicted, its true label is known before the next prediction. Thus, the underlying model can be re-trained using this new data point and the next prediction will be made on a calibration set containing n + 1 data points, where the previous model had n data points.
Classification algorithms
The goal of standard classification algorithms is to classify a test object into one of several discrete classes. Conformal classifiers instead compute and output the p-value for each available class by performing a ranking of the nonconformity measure (α-value) of the test object against examples from the training data set. Similar to standard hypothesis testing, the p-value together with a threshold (referred to as significance level in the CP field) is used to determine whether the label should be in the prediction set. For example, for a significance level of 0.1, all classes with a p-value of 0.1 or greater are added to the prediction set. Transductive algorithms compute the nonconformity score using all available training data, while inductive algorithms compute it on a subset of the training set.
Inductive conformal prediction (ICP)
Inductive Conformal Prediction was first known as inductive confidence machines, but was later re-introduced as ICP. It has gained popularity in practical settings because the underlying model does not need to be retrained for every new test example. This makes it interesting for any model that is heavy to train, such as neural networks.
Mondrian inductive conformal prediction (MICP)
In MICP, the alpha values are class-dependent (Mondrian) and the underlying model does not follow the original online setting introduced in 2005.
Training algorithm:
Train a machine learning model (MLM)
Run a calibration set through the MLM, save output from the chosen stage
In deep learning, the softmax values are often used
Use a non-conformity function to compute α-values
A data point in the calibration set will result in an α-value for its true class
Prediction algorithm:
For a test data point, generate a new α-value
Find a p-value for each class of the data point
If the p-value is greater than the significance level, include the class in the output
Regression algorithms
Conformal prediction was initially formulated for the task of classification, but was later modified for regression. Unlike classification, which outputs p-values without a given significance level, regression requires a fixed significance level at prediction time in order to produce prediction intervals for a new test object. For classic conformal regression, there is no transductive algorithm. This is because it is impossible to postulate all possible labels for a new test object, because the label space is continuous. The available algorithms are all formulated in the inductive setting, which computes a prediction rule once and applies it to all future predictions.
Inductive conformal prediction (ICP)
All inductive algorithms require splitting the available training examples into two disjoint sets: one set used for training the underlying model (the proper training set) and one set for calibrating the prediction (the calibration set). In ICP, this split is done once, thus training a single ML model. If the split is performed randomly and that data is exchangeable, the ICP model is proven to be automatically valid (i.e. the error rate corresponds to the required significance level).
Training algorithm:
Split the training data into proper training set and calibration set
Train the underlying ML model using the proper training set
Predict the examples from the calibration set using the derived ML model → ŷ-values
Optional: if using a normalized nonconformity function
Train the normalization ML model
Predict normalization scores → 𝜺 -values
Compute the nonconformity measures (α-values) for all calibration examples, using ŷ- and 𝜺-values
Sort the nonconformity measure and generate nonconformity scores
Save underlying ML model, normalization ML model (if any) and nonconformity scores
Prediction algorithm:
Required input: significance level (s)
Predict the test object using the ML model → ŷt
Optional: if using a normalized nonconformity function
Predict the test object using normalization model → 𝜺t
Pick the nonconformity score from the list of scores produced by the calibration set in training, corresponding to the significance level s → αs
Compute the prediction interval half width (d) from rearranging the nonconformity function and input αs (and optionally 𝜺) → d
Output prediction interval (ŷ − d, ŷ + d) for the given significance level s
Split conformal prediction (SCP)
The SCP, often called aggregated conformal predictor (ACP), can be considered an ensemble of ICPs. SCP usually improves the efficiency of predictions (that is, it creates smaller prediction intervals) compared to a single ICP, but loses the automatic validity in the generated predictions.
A common type of SCPs is the cross-conformal predictor (CCP), which splits the training data into proper training and calibration sets multiple times in a strategy similar to k-fold cross-validation. Regardless of the splitting technique, the algorithm performs n splits and trains an ICP for each split. When predicting a new test object, it uses the median ŷ and d from the n ICPs to create the final prediction interval as
Applications
Types of learning models
Several machine learning models can be used in conjunction with conformal prediction. Studies have shown that it can be applied to for example convolutional neural networks, support-vector machines and others.
Use case
Conformal prediction is used in a variety of fields and is an active area of research. For example, in biotechnology it has been used to predict uncertainties in breast cancer, stroke risks, data storage, and disk drive scrubbing. In the domain of hardware security it has been used to detect the evolving hardware trojans. Within language technology, conformal prediction papers are routinely presented at the Symposium on Conformal and Probabilistic Prediction with Applications (COPA).
Conferences
Conformal prediction is one of the main subjects discussed during the COPA conference each year. Both theory and applications of conformal predictions are presented by leaders of the field. The conference has been held since 2012. It has been hosted in several different European countries including Greece, Great Britain, Italy and Sweden.
Books
Published books on Conformal Prediction includes Algorithmic Learning in a Random World, Conformal Prediction for Reliable Machine Learning: Theory, Adaptations and Applications, Practical Guide to Applied Conformal Prediction in Python: Learn and Apply the Best Uncertainty Frameworks to Your Industry Applications, Conformal Prediction: A Gentle Introduction (Foundations and Trends in Machine Learning), and Conformal Prediction for Inventors.
See also
Calibration (statistics)
Bootstrap method
Quantile regression
References
External links
Video Lecture on YouTube
Computational statistics | Conformal prediction | [
"Mathematics"
] | 2,030 | [
"Computational statistics",
"Computational mathematics"
] |
68,730,641 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%20in%20the%20Gambia | Time in the Gambia is given by a single time zone, denoted as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT; UTC+00:00). Adopted in 1918, the Gambia has never observed daylight saving time (DST).
IANA time zone database
In the IANA time zone database, the Gambia is given one zone in the file zone.tab – Africa/Banjul. "GM" refers to the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Data for the Gambia directly from zone.tab of the IANA time zone database; columns marked with * are the columns from zone.tab itself:
See also
List of time zones by country
List of UTC time offsets
References
External links
Current time in the Gambia at Time.is
Time in the Gambia at TimeAndDate.com
Time by country
Geography of the Gambia
Time in Africa | Time in the Gambia | [
"Physics"
] | 175 | [
"Spacetime",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time by country"
] |
68,730,731 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time%20in%20Ivory%20Coast | Time in Ivory Coast is given by a single time zone, denoted as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT; UTC+00:00). Adopted on 1 January 1911, the Ivory Coast has never observed daylight saving time (DST).
IANA time zone database
In the IANA time zone database, the Ivory Coast is given one zone in the file zone.tab – Africa/Abidjan. "CI" refers to the country's ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code. Data for Ivory Coast directly from zone.tab of the IANA time zone database; columns marked with * are the columns from zone.tab itself:
See also
List of time zones by country
List of UTC time offsets
References
External links
Current time in Ivory Coast at Time.is
Time in Ivory Coast at TimeAndDate.com
Time by country
Geography of Ivory Coast
Time in Africa | Time in Ivory Coast | [
"Physics"
] | 179 | [
"Spacetime",
"Physical quantities",
"Time",
"Time by country"
] |
68,731,789 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects%20of%20early-life%20exposures%20to%20anesthesia%20on%20the%20brain | The effects of early-life exposures to anesthesia on the brain in humans are controversial. Evidence from nonhuman primate research suggests significant developmental neurotoxicity and long-term social impairment, with a dose–response relationship where repeated exposures cause a more severe impact than single ones. Research in humans has not found conclusive clinical evidence of cognitive impairment; however, systematic reviews imply the possibility of greater behavioural impairments in children exposed to anesthesia before the age of three than control subjects.
Debate exists over the real-world consequences of these impacts. The effect size of early-life anesthesia exposure appears small, and may or may not be practically relevant. In 2016, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued a communication cautioning about "repeated or lengthy" exposure to general anesthetic prior to age three and suggested clinicians and caregivers weigh the risks and benefits of surgical procedures longer than three hours in this population.
Preclinical evidence
Studies in preclinical models have demonstrated that rodents and nonhuman primates that were exposed to general anesthesia in infancy developed neurodevelopmental problems later in life. Particularly in nonhuman primates, studies of exposures to anesthesia in infancy indicate that early-life anesthesia is associated with long-term changes in social behaviors, elevated anxiety and/or inhibition. At the cellular level, the exposure of rodents and nonhuman primates to anesthesia during infancy causes developmental neurotoxicity, including widespread neuronal and glial apoptosis, and deficits in synapse and mitochondria structures and functions. Exposures to anesthetics in early life can also cause genomic and epigenomic changes, including reduced levels of proteins that regulate the development and function of neurons, such as BDNF and immediate early genes. Multiple exposures to anesthesia have been found to confer greater deficits in neurotoxicity, cognition and social behavior than single exposures.
Nearly all anesthetics that are antagonists of NMDA receptors and/or agonists of GABAA receptors have been shown to cause developmental neurotoxicity and alter cognition and/or behavior. Neurotoxicity in rodents has been shown for inhalant anesthetics—such as sevoflurane, isoflurane, and desflurane—as well as intravenous anesthetics like ketamine and propofol. Studies in nonhuman primates have shown that neurotoxic and cognitive or behavioral effects caused by general anesthetics may be reduced by co-administration of agents such as dexmedetomidine, lithium, and pramiprexole.
Limitations of preclinical studies
Many preclinical neurological findings are limited in their translatability to humans due to differences in brain complexity and development between humans and rodents, as well as the difficulty in controlling and monitoring rodent physiology for safety during exposures.
Clinical evidence
Studies on the effects of anesthesia exposures in early life on the mental and physical health of children have used both retrospective cohort study and prospective cohort study designs.
The tools used to track changes in neurodevelopment vary among studies. Some query overall neurodevelopment, others focus on academic performance, and yet others focus on behavioral impairments such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or autism. Common tools used to track neurodevelopment changes have included the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Full Scale Intelligence Quotient, standardized test scores, and Preschool Language Scale, as well as behavioral observations by parents and teachers.
There is not conclusive clinical evidence that a single, brief anesthetic exposure in children under the age of three is associated with a significant risk for neurodevelopment issues such as development of a learning disability, or deficits in academic performance or intelligence quotient. However, a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective clinical studies found that while Full Scale Intelligence Quotient was not affected by a single anesthetic exposure, a single exposure to anesthesia before age three was associated with significant increases in parental reports of behavioral problems.
Several retrospective studies have found that multiple exposures to anesthesia before the age of three are associated with an increased risk for worse academic achievement or behavioral disability in children who have undergone multiple exposures to anesthesia. Retrospective studies of early-life exposures to anesthesia have also reported an increased risk for behavioral problems or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder after multiple exposures to anesthesia before age three.
Limitations of clinical studies
Due to the opportunistic nature of research in humans, it is not possible to separate out the influence of pre-existing health conditions necessitating surgery and the impacts of surgery from the effects of anesthesia alone on neurodevelopmental outcomes in clinical studies.
The diversity of neurodevelopment and behavior assessment tools used across studies can complicate direct comparisons between studies. Likewise, clinical diagnostic tools used may not be sensitive enough or capture the affected aspects of behavior, as in the cases reporting "non-attainment of score", which may include children who are unable to sit for a test due to behavioral or neurodevelopmental problems. Clinical studies using parental reports of behavior as an outcome measure may also be subject to bias from parental attitudes related to the safety of anesthesia; some prospective studies on general versus regional anesthesia have dealt with this source of bias through blinding parents to which treatment their child received.
Controversy
There is an ongoing debate about the relevance of the small effect sizes found in the clinical literature of early-life anesthesia exposures. One perspective is that although children exposed to anesthesia before age three may show deficits in neurodevelopmental outcomes, these deficits often fall within the normal range of outcomes and thus may not indicate a significant risk for single anesthetic exposures in early life. Another perspective is that although effects of single exposures on individuals may be small, a small increase in adverse outcomes for the 500,000 to 1 million children exposed to anesthesia in early childhood in the U.S. each year could still represent a significant shift at a population level.
There is also debate regarding the relative risk of anesthesia by the age of exposure across the first few years of life. The few studies that have directly explored the relevance of the age of anesthesia exposure on neurodevelopment and behavioral outcomes do not indicate a worse effect of exposures from ages 0-2 compared to 2-4 years of age, and in some cases indicate the opposite effect.
US-FDA policy recommendations
In light of the preclinical and clinical literature, in 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a communication containing a warning that "repeated or lengthy use of general anesthetic and sedation drugs during surgeries or procedures in children younger than three years or in pregnant women during their third trimester may affect the development of children’s brains." The FDA continued on in the communication to state that it was unlikely for a single, brief exposure to anesthesia to have negative learning or behavior effects, and recommended that health care professionals, patients, and caregivers weigh the benefits and risks of procedures requiring anesthetic exposures greater than three hours before proceeding. In response to this communication by the FDA, controversy has arisen among the pediatric anesthesiology community regarding whether this warning could put patient health at risk by influencing the delay of necessary procedures. Others have pointed out that because the available literature in 2016 was skewed toward preclinical data and ambiguous findings in retrospective clinical studies, the FDA recommendation may have been prematurely conclusive.
References
Anesthesia
Brain disorders
Toxicology | Effects of early-life exposures to anesthesia on the brain | [
"Environmental_science"
] | 1,606 | [
"Toxicology"
] |
68,732,225 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HyCOM | The Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HyCOM) is an open-source ocean general circulation modeling system. HyCOM is a primitive equation type of ocean general circulation model. The vertical levels of this modeling system are slightly different than other models, because the vertical coordinates remain isopycnic in the open stratified ocean, smoothly transitioning to z-level coordinates in the weakly stratified upper-ocean mixed layer, to terrain-following sigma coordinates in shallow water regions, and back to z-level coordinates in very shallow water. Therefore, the setup is a “hybrid” between z-level and terrain-following vertical levels. HyCOM outputs are provided online for the global ocean at a spatial resolution of 0.08 degrees (approximately 9 km) from 2003 to present. HyCOM uses netCDF data format for model outputs.
Applications
HyCOM model experiments are used to study the interactions between the ocean and atmosphere, including short-term and long-term processes. This modeling system has also been used to create forecasting tools. For example, HyCOM has been used to:
Assimilate data and provide operational oceanographic forecasting for the United States Navy
Determine the ideal way to parametrize how the sun heats the upper ocean (solar radiation and heat flux) in darker waters like the Black Sea
Study mesoscale variability in sea surface height and temperature in the Gulf of Mexico
Simulate drifting patterns of loggerhead sea turtles of the North American east coast
Predict the extent of Arctic sea ice for naval operations
See also
Climate model
Computational geophysics
General circulation model (GCM)
Ocean general circulation model (OGCM)
Oceanography
List of ocean circulation models
Physical oceanography
ROMS
Sigma coordinate system
References
External links
https://www.hycom.org/
Physical oceanography
Oceanography
Earth system sciences
Computational science
Geophysics
Numerical climate and weather models | HyCOM | [
"Physics",
"Mathematics",
"Environmental_science"
] | 382 | [
"Hydrology",
"Applied and interdisciplinary physics",
"Oceanography",
"Applied mathematics",
"Computational science",
"Physical oceanography",
"Geophysics"
] |
68,732,387 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolyn%20Yackel | Carolyn Yackel is an American mathematician who has been Professor of Mathematics at Mercer University in Macon, Georgia since 2001. From 1998 to 2001 she was Max Zorn Visiting Assistant Professor of Mathematics at Indiana University.
Yackel's mother, Erna Beth Yackel, was a mathematics educator on the faculty at Purdue University Northwest. Originally trained as a commutative algebraist, her current interests center on mathematics education and mathematics in art, particularly as applied to fiber art. She specializes in the realization of geometric and topological structures through quilting, cross-stitching, crocheting, knitting, and embroidery.
She is on the Board of the Gathering 4 Gardner and also has a long association with The Bridges Conference.
Early life and career
Yackel was born in West Lafayette, Indiana.
She received her S.B. in mathematics from the University of Chicago (1992) and her M.S. in mathematics from the University of Michigan (1994). She completed her PhD with the dissertation “Asymptotic Behavior of Annihilator Lengths in Certain Quotient Rings” under Melvin Hochster at the University of Michigan (1998).
Combining her interests in mathematics, quilting and knitting she is one of 24 mathematicians and artists who make up the Mathemalchemy Team.
Books
Proceedings of Bridges 2020: Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture, edited by Carolyn Yackel, Robert Bosch, Eve Torrence, and Kristof Fenyvesi, Tessellations Publishing, Phoenix, AZ 2020.
Figuring Fibers, edited by belcastro, s-m and Yackel, C. A.. Providence, RI: American Mathematics Society, 2018.
Crafting by Concepts: fiber arts and mathematics, edited by belcastro, s-m and Yackel, C. A., Natick, MA: AK Peters, 2011.
Making Mathematics with Needlework: Ten Papers and Ten Projects, edited by belcastro, s. m. and Yackel, C. A.. Wellesley, MA: AK Peters, 2007.
Selected papers
Taalman, L. and Yackel, C. A. “Wallpaper Patterns for Lattice Designs” In Proceedings of Bridges 2020: Mathematics, Art, Music, Architecture, Education, Culture, 223–230, Tessellations Publishing, Phoenix, AZ 2020.
Yackel, C. A. “Rhombic Triacontahedron” In Illustrating Mathematics, 26–27. American Mathematics Society, 2020.
Yackel, C. A. “Treating Templeton Squares Like Truchet Tiles” In Figuring Fibers, Providence, RI: AMS, 2018.
Yackel, C. “Report: The 2015 Joint Mathematics Meetings exhibition of mathematical art” Journal of Mathematics and the Arts. 10(1–4) (2016) 9–13.
Yackel, C. “Teaching Temari: Geometrically Embroidered Spheres in the Classroom” In Proceedings of the 2012 Bridges Towson Conference, 563–566. Tessellations Publishing, Phoenix, AZ, USA. 2012.
Yackel, C. A. “In Pursuit of Dancing Squares” Math Horizons September 2011, 19.
Yackel, C. A. with belcastro, s-m. “Spherical Symmetries of Temari” In Crafting by Concepts, 151–185. AK Peters, 2011.
Shepherd, M. with belcastro, s-m and Yackel, C. A. “Group Actions in Cross-stitch” In Crafting by Concepts, 151–185. AK Peters, 2011.
References
External links
Carolyn Yackel's Home page
Algebraists
Mercer University faculty
University of Chicago alumni
University of Michigan alumni
Living people
Textile artists from Indiana
Year of birth missing (living people)
20th-century American mathematicians
20th-century American women mathematicians
21st-century American mathematicians
21st-century American women mathematicians
People from West Lafayette, Indiana
Mathematicians from Indiana
20th-century American textile artists
20th-century American women textile artists
21st-century American textile artists
21st-century American women textile artists | Carolyn Yackel | [
"Mathematics"
] | 839 | [
"Algebra",
"Algebraists"
] |
59,449,733 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mipafox | Mipafox is a highly toxic organophosphate insecticide that is an irreversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and is resistant to cholinesterase reactivators. It was developed in the 1950s and is now believed to be no longer in use.
Toxicity
There are case reports of delayed neurotoxicity and paralysis due to acute exposure to mipafox.
Synthesis
Phosphoryl chloride is first reacted with isopropylamine. The resulting product is then reacted with potassium fluoride or ammonium fluoride to produce mipafox.
See also
Dimefox
Schradan
References
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
Organophosphate insecticides
Fluorine compounds
Isopropylamino compounds | Mipafox | [
"Chemistry"
] | 156 | [
"Organic compounds",
"Organic compound stubs",
"Organic chemistry stubs"
] |
59,449,751 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abell%20S1063 | Abell S1063 is a cluster of galaxies located in the constellation Grus.
References
Galaxy clusters
Grus (constellation) | Abell S1063 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 28 | [
"Galaxy clusters",
"Grus (constellation)",
"James Webb Space Telescope",
"Constellations",
"Space telescopes",
"Astronomical objects"
] |
59,451,948 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David%20Thornalley | David John Robert Thornalley is a British paleoceanographer known for his work on North Atlantic circulation change during the Quaternary period. Thornalley holds masters and doctoral degrees from Churchill College, Cambridge. He is currently an associate professor in the department of Geography at University College London (UCL). Before working at UCL, he was a postdoctoral research scholar at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and a postdoctoral research associate at Cardiff University. Thornalley also holds a Professional Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher and Professional Education.
Awards
In 2015 Thornalley was awarded the UCL Student Choice Outstanding Teacher award.
In 2016 Thornalley was awarded a £100,000 Philip Leverhulme Prize for early-career researchers with internationally impactful research.
References
External links
Atlantic Ocean circulation at weakest point in more than 1,500 years
1982 births
Living people
Alumni of Churchill College, Cambridge
British oceanographers
British climatologists
British geochemists
Academics of University College London | David Thornalley | [
"Chemistry"
] | 199 | [
"Geochemists",
"British geochemists"
] |
59,453,945 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurometric%20function | In neuroscience, a neurometric function is a mathematical formula relating the activity of brain cells to aspects of an animal's sensory experience or motor behavior. Neurometric functions provide a quantitative summary of the neural code of a particular brain region.
In sensory neuroscience, neurometric functions measure the probability with which a sensory stimulus would be perceived based on decoding the activity of a given neuron or collection of neurons.
The concept was introduced to investigate the visibility of visual stimuli, by applying Detection theory to the output of single neurons of visual cortex.
Comparing neurometric functions to psychometric functions (by recording from neurons in the brain of the observer) can reveal whether the neural representation in the recorded region constrains perceptual accuracy.
In motor neuroscience, neurometric functions are used to predict body movements from the activity of neuronal populations in regions such as motor cortex. Such neurometric functions are used in the design of brain–computer interfaces.
See also
Psychometric function
Psychometrics
References
Neuroscience | Neurometric function | [
"Biology"
] | 207 | [
"Neuroscience"
] |
59,456,532 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%26D%20Beyond | D&D Beyond (DDB) is the official digital toolset and game companion for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition. DDB hosts online versions of the official Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition books, including rulebooks, adventures, and other supplements; it also provides digital tools like a character builder and digital character sheet, monster and spell listings that can be sorted and filtered, an encounter builder, and an interactive overlay Twitch Extension. In addition to the official D&D content available to purchase, it also provides the ability to create and add custom homebrew content.
D&D Beyond also publishes regular original video, stream, and article content, including interviews with Dungeons & Dragons staff, content previews and tie-ins, and weekly development updates.
D&D Beyond was formerly operated by Curse LLC, a subsidiary of Twitch. However, on December 12, 2018, Fandom, Inc. announced that it had acquired all of Curse's media assets, including D&D Beyond. On April 13, 2022, Hasbro announced that it would be acquiring D&D Beyond. The official transfer to Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro, occurred on May 18, 2022.
History
D&D Beyond was launched on August 15, 2017, after an initial beta test that started on March 21, 2017. Adam Bradford was the project lead for D&D Beyond. D&D Beyond was developed for the 5th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons through a partnership between Curse and Wizards of the Coast. A similar online toolset, D&D Insider, had been developed for the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons by Wizards of the Coast; however, it was not updated to support the new edition.
Acquisition by Fandom
On December 12, 2018, Fandom, Inc. announced that it had acquired all of Curse LLC's media assets, including D&D Beyond, for an undisclosed amount.
In June 2019, D&D Beyond added an Encounter Builder tool set which was open to subscribers for alpha testing. Encounter Builder entered public beta testing in October 2019.
In February 2020, D&D Beyond added a Combat Tracker which was open to subscribers for alpha testing.
On March 25, 2020, Bradford, now Vice President of Tabletop Gaming at Fandom, told Syfy Wire that D&D Beyond's normal number of new users had doubled in the past two weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic and that there was also a "similar increase in the number of active users". In April 2020, The Wall Street Journal reported that "Bradford said the number of registered users has tripled in the past month, and the number of online players at any one time has doubled on average. The uptake has forced the company to accelerate the expansion of its infrastructure, which otherwise would have taken place months from now".
In January 2021, James Haeck, lead writer for D&D Beyond, announced his departure from the company. In February 2021, Bradford, Todd Kenreck (creative manager at D&D Beyond & Fandom), and Lauren Urban (community manager for D&D Beyond) all announced their departure from Fandom for other projects.
Acquisition by Hasbro
On April 13, 2022, Hasbro announced its acquisition of D&D Beyond for $146.3 million, with plans to officially support previous purchases made on the service and have it be absorbed into Hasbro's Wizards of the Coast. The sale is subject to closing conditions and certain regulatory approvals, and is set to be completed in either Q2 or Q3 of 2022. Polygon highlighted that Wizards of the Coast is a large portion of "Hasbro's overall earnings since the launch of 5th edition D&D in 2014. With an operating profit of $547 million in 2021, Wizards' business unit accounted for 72% of Hasbro's operating profit for the year. Taking that into perspective, the purchase of D&D Beyond from Fandom for $146.3 million in cash seems like a small price to pay in order to lock down a platform with reportedly close to 10 million users". Gizmodo commented that once D&D Beyond is an official part of Wizards of the Coast, "they might offer some kind of cross capability with digital products across multiple sites, toolkits, and VTTs, making the capital barriers to gameplay less excruciating. [...] But also the uniform consolidation of digital tools under a single company's banner is not good for competition and therefore, causes the player to have fewer options for gameplay. [...] If fans still have to pay two or three times for a module, class, or item description across both WotC products and DnDBeyond, it's unlikely to create a sustainable market".
D&D Beyond accounts transferred to Wizards of the Coast on May 18, 2022. At that time, Wizards of the Coast's updated terms of service and privacy policy went into effect. To mark the acquisition, Wizards of the Coast gave registered D&D Beyond users the Acquisitions Incorporated (2019) supplement between May 16 and May 26, 2022. Additionally, they made a starter adventure module, Lost Mine of Phandelver (2014), available to all registered users moving forward. Then in April and June, Wizards of the Coast released two new D&D Beyond exclusive supplements – the Monstrous Compendium Vol 1: Spelljammer Creatures (2022) and the Vecna Dossier (2022) respectively.
Linda Codega, for Io9 on January 5, 2023, reported on the details from a leaked full copy of the Open Game License (OGL) 1.1 including updated terms such as no longer authorizing use of the OGL1.0. Following this leak, numerous news outlets reported on negative reactions from both fans and professional content creators. One response from the community was an online movement to cancel subscriptions to D&D Beyond with the Financial Times highlighting that it was the "go-to way of showing discontent". TheStreet commented that Wizards united its "entire player base" behind the movement to retain the original OGL with players responding "with their wallets" and that there were "allegedly" enough D&D Beyond cancellations to "cause the website to crash". Io9 reported that the impact of this boycott was "not negligible" and led to scrambling by upper management "to adjust their messaging around the situation"; per sources, there were "'five digits' worth of complaining tickets in the system" for customer service to handle account deletion requests. Within weeks, Wizards walked back changes to the OGL. The Motley Fool opined that Hasbro used D&D Beyond to "publish a mea culpa". Io9 also highlighted that the movement to boycott D&D Beyond was an effective message sent "to WotC and Hasbro higher-ups. According to multiple sources, these immediate financial consequences were the main thing that forced them to respond". Following the OGL retraction by Wizards, there was reported speculation on a major overhaul to D&D Beyond. In response, D&D Beyond stated this was "misinformation" – they refuted rumors of a price increase and that an artificial intelligence Dungeon Master would be introduced to the platform.
In an interview with The Verge in March 2023, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks highlighted that digital tools such as D&D Beyond and Roll20 help enhance visuals during play without being as expensive as physical terrain and miniatures from high-end creators such as Dwarven Forge. Per Cocks, the pandemic accelerated the trend of digital play for Dungeons & Dragons. Cocks stated:Today, probably about close to 50 percent of D&D games are played using some kind of digital tabletop, most frequently it's D&D Beyond, as an intermediary for play. We see that trend only continuing so that the vast, vast majority of play is going to involve a screen of some form, either to manage your character or to manage the visuals associated with the game. [...] [D&D Beyond] has deep integration with the content, and there are a lot of fantastic opportunities for adding visuals to it. We've had a friends-and-family playtest of an Unreal-based digital tabletop that's kind of a compendium to D&D Beyond. It adds an isometric, high-end 3D tabletop RPG experience to it that we think could be really cool, and it's something that we think people would enjoy playing. The March 2023 D&D Direct presentation showed that the upcoming D&D Virtual Tabletop will be integrated with D&D Beyond, such as importing character sheets created on D&D Beyond. Wizards of the Coast highlighted that "a D&D Beyond playtest for the D&D Virtual Tabletop is planned for late 2023". At the July 2024 Hasbro investor meeting, Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks stated "that digital revenue on D&D Beyond 'accounts for over half' of" Dungeons & Dragons profits. Chase Carter of Rascal, commented that "we know physical books sell poorly, and even if pre-orders for the 2024 core books are, uh, 'solid', according to the CEO, it's evident that Hasbro holds little faith in analog games clotting the money bleed elsewhere in the company's structure".
In July 2024, Faith Elisabeth Lilley, a former senior producer for Wizards of the Coast, raised concerns that contributor credits for the digital team have been removed from the D&D Beyond editions of various sourcebooks and "shared screenshots" of the previous version of the credits which list include this team. TheGamer reported Lilley explained that the digital team worked with "the creators of several D&D books, and were assured that they would be credited for this work", however, no explanation on the removal has been given.
In August 2024, D&D Beyond announced that with the release of revised 5th Edition (2024) that toolsets will automatically be updated to the new ruleset; some backwards compatible aspects of 2014 5E will be marked as "legacy" content that can be used with the character sheets while other aspects will be removed entirely and will be only accessible by going into the compendium. J.R. Zambrano of Bell of Lost Souls highlighted that Wizards of the Coast stated the legacy tag "indicates material that does not follow the current rules of the game" and "that 'the current rules of the game' line reflects the 'living edition' or 'One D&D' language that was bandied about before someone at WotC decided they wanted to hang on to the '5E' branding". Christian Hoffer, for ComicBook.com, highlighted that the mechanical gameplay changes to spells are considered "upgrades to the existing rules" with "over 100 spells in the 2024 Player's Handbook have been either reworded or mechanically changed". Following public feedback, D&D Beyond announced that users will be able to "maintain their character options, spells, and magical items in their character sheets" using the 2014 ruleset and that the changes to character sheets will be limited to "relabeling and renaming" some aspects.
Content
Books on D&D Beyond consist of the compendium content and access to that content's options in the rest of the toolset. The compendium content is a digital version of the book (as HTML, not a PDF), with all art and maps from the book as well; it includes cross-links and tooltips for monsters, mundane or magical items, spells, and relevant rules mentioned in the text. Access to the book's options in the rest of DDB's toolset allows those purchased subclasses, spells, magic items, monsters, and the like to be used with the character builder and other tools, and allows the user to see the full descriptions of purchased content in those listings (i.e., outside the compendium).
Official Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition sourcebooks released by Wizards of the Coast are available for purchase on D&D Beyond. Official content that is released for free by Wizards of the Coast is also accessible for free on D&D Beyond. This includes content from the basic rules and the System Reference Document (the "basic rules" on D&D Beyond are an inclusive combination of the two), and the races and spells from the Elemental Evil Player's Companion. From January 2018 to August 2021, active playtest content presented in the 5E Unearthed Arcana series on the official Dungeons & Dragons website was also available. Once the playtest period was concluded for Unearthed Arcana content (whether it is published in a book or retired, as determined by Wizards of the Coast), it was archived on D&D Beyond; existing characters already using the content are able to continue doing so, but the archived playtest content can not be newly added to a character. All remaining Unearthed Arcana content was archived on August 12, 2021.
On May 10, 2022, it was announced that the digital release of Mordenkainen Presents: Monsters of the Multiverse (2022) will correspond with the delisting of Volo's Guide to Monsters (2016) and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes (2018) on D&D Beyond as Monsters of the Multiverse revises the player races and monsters previously published in those sourcebooks. D&D Beyond then confirmed that users will retain access to previously purchased copies of Volo's Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. D&D Beyond also stated that they "may update naming conventions of content to easily differentiate our listings" for users who have purchased access to both old and new content.
Starting in December 2022 with Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon, Wizards of the Coast began to offer physical/digital bundles where sourcebooks purchased directly from Wizards would also include the digital D&D Beyond edition. Christian Hoffer of ComicBook.com highlighted that this type of bundle had been requested by players "for years" and these bundles only became available after Wizards purchased D&D Beyond – "meaning that it would receive all the financial benefits from such a bundle". Hoffer commented that there were concerns on if these bundles "will hurt small game stores and local businesses," however, Wizards stated it "will continue to make alternate covers available exclusively to game stores to help incentivize players to support their local game store".
Toolsets
Unlocked compendium content can be accessed in various toolsets such as interactive character sheets and catalogs of spells, monsters and items. Additionally, D&D Beyond includes a homebrew creation tool which allows users to create and share homebrew versions of "spells, magical items, monsters, backgrounds, feats, races or subclasses".
In 2020, D&D Beyond added a digital dice roller to character sheets with both free and premium digital dice. Dungeon Masters can create campaigns on D&D Beyond where players can add their character sheets. In 2020, D&D Beyond launched the "Encounter Builder" tool for Dungeon Masters to design and run combat encounters for their players.
In September 2023, D&D Beyond launched an alpha test of their 2D virtual tabletop called Maps. Access is limited to subscribers at the Master tier, however, these users can invite any D&D Beyond user to their Maps hosted campaigns. The alpha iteration of Maps includes generic maps, maps from sourcebooks purchased by the user and maps uploaded by the user along with tokens and an optional "fog of war" effect. The game log for Maps also tracks rolls made on character sheets, with the encounter tool and with the Discord Avrae bot when they are linked to the campaign.
Following the release of the updated Player's Handbook (2024) in September 2024, D&D Beyond will replace the following aspects of the 2014 5E ruleset with the 2024 revised 5E ruleset within the various toolsets: core gameplay definitions, armor class, saving throws, skills/abilities, alignment, senses (Blindsight, Darkvision, Tremorsense, Truesight), and area of effect definitions. Other aspects of the 2014 5E ruleset will be marked as legacy content and will be still usable within toolsets such as the character sheet and encounter builder. In character sheets, users will be able to maintain all "character options, spells, and magical items" from the 2014 ruleset; additionally, users "with access to the 2024 and 2014 digital Player's Handbooks can select from both sources when creating new characters". The 2014 5E ruleset will continue to be accessible within the compendium.
Digital releases
Wizards of the Coast has also released some fifth edition content exclusively on D&D Beyond. Additionally, Wizards of the Coast began releasing the Unearthed Arcana playtest material for One D&D exclusively on D&D Beyond in August 2022; these releases are formatted as a PDF unlike other content on D&D Beyond and are not displayed in the normal compendium or toolsets.
Third-party releases
In August 2023, D&D Beyond released the Tal'Dorei Campaign Setting Reborn sourcebook by publisher Darrington Press; this was the first third-party product released for sale on the platform. Linda Codega of Gizmodo commented that "it'd make sense that if Beyond is being opened up in a limited capacity, someone as massively intrinsically successful to D&D as a brand like Critical Role comes first. Although there has been no information given about this release, the license used, or how the money will be distributed, it's hard to exactly say whether or not Wizards of the Coast receives a good chunk of change out of its arrival on Beyond". In November 2023, Grim Hollow: Lairs of Etharis by Australian publisher Ghostfire Gaming was released on D&D Beyond. A second sourcebook, the adventure module Dungeons of Drakkenheim, by Ghostfire Gaming was released in December 2023; this module was designed by Monty Martin and Kelly McLaughlin of the Dungeon Dudes channel and features the world of their actual play campaign. Wizards has since announced additional partnerships for their D&D Beyond marketplace with third-party publishers such as Free League Publishing, Kobold Press, Hit Point Press, MCDM and The Griffon's Saddlebags.
Platforms
D&D Beyond content and character management system is primarily browser-based, and is fully functional on both mobile and desktop browsers. DDB's website is continually updated, based largely on input from users throughout the community.
On March 4, 2018, D&D Beyond's mobile app was first released into beta testing, focused on providing an e-reader for official Dungeons & Dragons content. The app allows compendium content for Dungeons & Dragons to be downloaded for offline use. Some users had criticized the app's lack of a character sheet or builder, which was one of the main offerings of D&D Beyond; however, DDB disclosed that character management functionality was planned.
In a D&D Beyond development update stream on October 31, 2019, Adam Bradford discussed DDB's plans to develop two additional mobile apps focused on the player experience and the Dungeon Master experience respectively; he explained that character management functionality would be included in this new player app, leaving the existing mobile app as a reader for compendium content. In March 2020, D&D Beyond opened up limited alpha testing for this player app to those current subscribers who signed up, and the alpha test began the following month.
Project Sigil
Wizards of the Coast's upcoming standalone virtual tabletop (VTT), code name Project Sigil, will have D&D Beyond integration where users can use their D&D Beyond characters within the VTT. The VTT will launch as a free-to-play PC application that does not require a D&D Beyond account, however, "D&D Beyond subscribers have more access" within the VTT application. A closed beta for D&D Beyond users is scheduled to launch in 2024.
Pricing
D&D Beyond derives its income from digital content purchases, subscriptions, and advertising. Its tools are generally free to use, though some require an account (which can be made for free); however, viewing the full details of content from the official Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition books requires owning that content on D&D Beyond or having it shared with you. This content can be bought as a one-time purchase; buying a subscription does not grant access to any content. The Verge highlighted that the acquisition by Hasbro "shifts D&D Beyond from a royalty-based revenue source for Wizards of the Coast to in-house development".
Content purchases
At launch, the price of source books was $29.99 and the price of adventure modules was $24.99. Initially in D&D Beyond's Marketplace, customers could either purchase a book as a whole – including both compendium content and access to that content in the rest of the toolset – or purchase individual portions of that book separately (getting just the compendium content, or just the individual spells or subclasses that they want to use in the character builder, for instance). If portions of a book were purchased à la carte, then if the customer decided to purchase the full book later, the price of that book was discounted by the cost they have already paid for content from the book. In April 2024, the à la carte option was removed from the marketplace.
D&D Beyond also offered 3 bundles of books: the Sourcebook Bundle, the Adventure Bundle, and the Legendary Bundle. The Sourcebook Bundle included all released official source books for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition, and granted a permanent 10% discount on all future sourcebook purchases on DDB; the Adventure Bundle did the same for official adventure books. The Legendary Bundle included all released official Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition books of both kinds, and granted a 15% discount on all future source book and adventure purchases. At launch, the Legendary Bundle (which included five source books and eight adventure modules) was $279.99. By March 2020, the Legendary Bundle cost had increased to $637.19 and included access to "more than 30 titles in all". This was later changed to US$955.86 and included 44 books in January 2023. The price of each bundle is determined by simply adding the current price of all books in the bundle, then subtracting the cost the customer has previously paid for books in that bundle that they already own. These bundles are updated with each new official release.
Subscriptions
Most of D&D Beyond's functionality is free to use, other than the content purchases needed to view non-free content from the official Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition books. However, D&D Beyond offers two subscription levels, Hero Tier and Master Tier, that expand the site's functionality.
The Hero Tier subscription grants a number of benefits. The site normally features ads, and the character builder limits free users to 6 active characters at any given time. However, the Hero Tier subscription removes ads, and allows users to create an unlimited number of characters. In addition, while homebrew content that users choose to publish on the site is free to view for anyone (even without an account), the Hero Tier subscription allows users to add published homebrew content to their collection; this content can then be used in the rest of the toolset, including the character builder. Finally, this tier grants early access to some new tools as they are developed. For instance, before it was made available to everyone, the encounter builder went through an alpha testing phase, during which Hero and Master Tier subscribers could make use of it and provide feedback to help identify bugs and guide future development.
The Master Tier subscription primarily allows the user to share their purchased content with others in a campaign group with them on D&D Beyond, in addition to all the benefits of the Hero Tier subscription. Though private homebrew content is automatically shared without a subscription, published homebrew content and official content requires a Master Tier subscription to be shared. With a Master Tier subscription, the user can enable content sharing for up to 3 campaigns they are in of up to 12 players each (as well as the Dungeon Master of each campaign). If content sharing is enabled, any official content owned by any of the players or the Dungeon Master (DM), as well as any published homebrew content in any of their collections, is shared with the other members of the group. , the DM of a campaign group can enable or disable the sharing of compendium content from each specific book with players that do not own that content; more specific shared content management options are planned for the future.
Reception
Cecilia D'Anastasio, for Kotaku in 2017, wrote "when viewed as a toolset and not a replacement for D&D's traditions, D&D Beyond is exactly the sort of digital facelift the game needs to stay accessible, streamlined and relevant". D'Anastasio highlighted one downside, which was that content from the DMs Guild is not automatically integrated with D&D Beyond. Gavin Sheehan, for Bleeding Cool in 2017, commented that he "loved D&D Beyond" and that "It was interesting to scan through these digital versions and compare them to the physical ones as I thumbed through the pages. There's nothing missing here, and if anything, the people behind the program went to great lengths to make sure this was easy to read and apply to the physical world". He also praised the ability to make homebrew content in D&D Beyond.
Alex Walker, for Kotaku Australia in 2019, reported that two years after launch the D&D Beyond mobile app would be updated to include the ability to load character sheets. Walker highlighted that this was a highly requested feature from the launch of D&D Beyond; Walker criticized the delay in adding the feature especially as other versions of mobile character sheets had been done before effectively. Adam Benjamin, for CNET in February 2023, stated that "of the tools we tested, D&D Beyond was far and away the simplest to get started with". He commented that "the primary drawback of D&D Beyond is that it focuses on character sheets, not other elements of a D&D table" – for groups dependent on maps to "visualize combat and exploration", they'll need to use a virtual tabletop (such as Roll20 or Fantasy Grounds) or other map tools in addition to D&D Beyond. In a 2024 review update, Benjamin highlighted that the in-development map tool "addresses a major gap in D&D Beyond's service" but other VTTs still "offer more robust map features".
Gus Wezerek, for FiveThirtyEight, reported that of the 5th edition class and race combinations per 100,000 characters that players created on D&D Beyond from August 15 to September 15, 2017, fighters were the most popular with 13,906 characters created, followed by rogues (11,307) and wizards (9,855). Druids were the least popular, with 6,328 characters created. Wezerek wrote: "when I started playing 'Dungeons & Dragons' five years ago, I never would have chosen the game's most popular match: the human fighter. There are already enough human fighters in movies, TV and books — my first character was an albino dragonborn sorcerer. But these days I can get behind the combo's simplicity".
On the May 2022 announcement of sourcebook delisting, Christian Hoffer, for ComicBook.com, commented that "one major concern about the delisting is access to the chapters of lores contained in Volo's Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes. Both books contained dozens of pages of lore about the D&D multiverse that don't appear in Monsters of the Multiverse. [...] D&D Beyond has not said whether the various expanded lore chapters will be available to D&D Beyond players moving forward, or if they'll be delisted and essentially removed from access by new players moving forward. Of course, D&D players can still read the lore in Volo's Guide to Monsters and Mordenkainen's Tome of Foes by purchasing physical copies of the books, which will still be available even after Monsters of the Multiverse is released next week".
Pricing
While Gavin Sheehan of Bleeding Cool believed the digital resources were worth the cost in 2017, he wrote that "the pricing will be the real dividing point for some people. [...] I can see people screaming that they don't get to own the material like you would a book". Charlie Hall, for Polygon, reported that in March 2020 the cost of D&D Beyond's Legendary Bundle was $637.19. He highlighted that the cost of the digital Dungeons & Dragons source books and adventure modules are about the same as the physical books, and that "many players are still defaulting to physical books". Hall viewed D&D Beyond as a luxury app and that he is "not eager to effectively buy the same content twice".
Adam Benjamin, for CNET in February 2023, opined that "a Hero tier subscription isn't great value unless you play in a lot of D&D groups (more than six). The real value of a subscription is sharing content with the Master Tier. [...] A DM with a Master-tier subscription can spend $6 per month and share purchased content with the rest of the group even if they have free accounts".
Lee D'Amato of Screen Rant and Christian Hoffer of ComicBook.com both criticized the decision to remove à la carte pricing from D&D Beyond in 2024. Hoffer called removing the ability to purchase character options individually an "awful move" as many sourcebooks are geared towards dungeon masters with only a "handful of items for players". D'Amato opined that it was "incredibly unfair to players" as "players now have to choose between limiting their options and spending tons of money" instead of "inexpensively" creating characters "a few dollars a pop". D'Amato also viewed the change as a potential barrier to entry for new players as "prospective players who aren't even sure if they like DnD yet will be even more reluctant to explore the wide variety of character options available if they need to spend so much money to see them".
Revised 5E (2024) implementation
Matt Bassil, for Wargamer, highlighted the "fairly mixed reception" to the August 2024 update announcement on social media. Christian Hoffer, for ComicBook.com, commented that "many D&D Beyond users are expressing their displeasure about having a portion of the 2024 rules 'forced' on them with no way to opt out" with "long threads complaining about the changes" and that the proposed homebrew solution with manual input has "generally not been received well by players". Charlie Hall of Polygon criticized the "borderline Byzantine set of steps required to keep characters based on the 10-year-old version of the game rules running perfectly inside the modern, web-based app". Hall viewed the need for the user "to re-build some 2014-era spells and magic items" to work within the updated character sheet as the "most egregious" aspect of the change. He foresaw "the biggest problem" being that "there will suddenly be the assumption that players who cut their teeth on the 2014 rules will need to understand the 2024 rules revision in order to get the most use out of the D&D Beyond platform at the table". Bassil thought it was "a bummer for anyone currently playing a 5e DnD campaign through Beyond that didn't intend to switch". He commented that users will still be able to access their copies of older sourcebooks "so it's not that this content will be completely inaccessible through the platform – it'll just be harder to use". J.R. Zambrano of Bell of Lost Souls also highlighted that "the old rules will still be there" in the compendium. Zambrano explained that a significant part of the "rules references will reflect the new stuff" and when "clicking on a condition", "the 2024 version of the condition" will appear instead of the 2014 version. He commented that while much of it is "minor changes", these are still changes "to the functional part of the website that you'll use when playing".
Ash Parrish of The Verge commented that the original announced changes to functionality meant some D&D Beyond users "spent the last 72 hours in a state of panic" but a "weekend of backlash on social media" led Wizards of the Coast to adjust their rollout by "simply adding the new content and giving players the choice to opt in". James Whitbrook of Gizmodo opined "it's good that Wizards learned the lesson relatively quickly this time" following fan pushback as opposed to how "it initially handled the backlash against its planned changes to the Open Game License last year". Whitbrook thought it was "kind of wild" that they didn't foresee any issues with shifting the "onus" onto players "to make the intended compatibility smooth" especially as the updated edition of Dungeons & Dragons "wants to treat itself more like a living game than ever before–where its ruleset can be regularly tweaked and updated as necessary–while also maintaining a level of continuity with players still using the Fifth Edition rules they've had over the course of D&D's massive popularity boom in the last 10 years". Lin Codega, now for Rascal, explained that the backlash was an indication of an edition war that "Wizards of the Coast has been trying to avoid at all costs" – in an attempt maintain the game as 5th Edition, Wizards has been advertising how the changes will be a backwards compatible update and not a new edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Codega opined that this "game design ethos" led D&D Beyond to ask "users to re-engineer backwards compatible game functionality" when the "transition should have been seamless for the user" and by fumbling this, Wizards has engendered "the edition wars discourse they so desperately wanted to avoid". They commented that updates either "functionally matter (which would support the production and need for a new edition) or they functionally don't (which means that there is no need for them to change at all)" and there's a question on if "this is a new edition or it is errata. The books say it's the former; the digital tools say the latter". Codega highlighted that the "backlash to D&D Beyond's update" is a potential indication that the marketing strategy to maintain 5th Edition in such a way "to entice both old and new players" might not be working.
Notes
References
External links
2017 establishments in California
2022 mergers and acquisitions
Dungeons & Dragons
Free-content websites
Internet properties established in 2017
Mobile content
Role-playing game software
Role-playing game websites
Wizards of the Coast | D&D Beyond | [
"Technology"
] | 7,315 | [
"Mobile content"
] |
59,457,477 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina%20Agapakis | Christina Maria Agapakis is a synthetic biologist, science writer. She is the former Creative Director of the biotechnology company Ginkgo Bioworks.
Education and early life
Agapakis received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2006 from Yale University in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. She then attended Harvard University, where she received her PhD in biological and biomedical sciences under the mentorship of Pamela Silver. Her thesis, on Biological Design Principles for Synthetic Biology, centered on identifying and utilizing design principles for bioengineering, keeping in mind the evolutionary and ecological contexts under which genes and genetic pathways were being modified or newly synthesized.
Career and research
Agapakis worked to engineer photosynthetic bacteria to invade animal cells, essentially giving animals cells chloroplasts, and also engineered bacteria to produce hydrogen fuel. Her thesis covers a range of work she pursued during her doctoral career, including mentoring a Harvard IGEM competition team in 2010, which developed an open source toolkit for plant engineering known as the Harvard . She also discussed a project called "Selfmade" at the intersection of science and art, which focused on the microbial ecology of cheese and the human body. She worked with artist and odor expert Sissel Tolaas during her Synthetic Aesthetics residency, collecting bacteria samples from the belly buttons, feet, mouths, and tears of creatives to engineer 11 "human cheeses." The project was exhibited at the "Grow Your Own" exhibition at the Dublin Science Gallery and was meant more as a thought experiment than a culinary one.
Following her PhD, Agapakis began a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles in the laboratory of Ann Hirsch between 2012 and 2014. While at UCLA, she was also a fellow in the Department of Design and Media Arts at the Art|Sci Center.
Bioengineering and bioart
Agapakis is now the Creative Director of the Boston-based biotechnology company Ginkgo Bioworks, known as "The Organism Company," which specializes in genetically engineering organisms like yeast and bacteria for a number of applications—from engineering perfumes and food to engineering solutions for more sustainable agriculture. One project, for example, focuses on engineering yeast to produce a rose-like scent by modifying their genes to produce the molecules a rose makes to generate that scent. The rose oil fragrance was licensed to the fragrance maker Robertet. Agapakis has also been leading the company's 100 Vial Project, which is engineering a library of bio-based scents. One of these scents is an effort to resurrect the smell of a long-extinct flower by analyzing preserved botanical samples to identify the DNA encoding smell-producing enzymes. They can then engineer yeast to produce those same enzymes and produce the molecules that create the extinct flower's scent. The project is in collaboration with Agapakis's long-time collaborator Sissel Tolaas and Daisy Ginsberg.
In her role as Creative Director, Agapakis focuses on creating experiences and communicating stories about the bioengineering work the company undertakes with the ultimate goal of making biotechnology more approachable. For instance, Ginkgo hosted designer Natsai Audrey Chieza as artist in residence to experiment with dying textiles with bacteria as an environmentally sound and resource-conservative approach alternative to commercial dyes.
Science writing
Agapakis is also a science writer. She began blogging in graduate school and in 2011 started a column for Scientific American called the "Oscillator," sharing her thoughts on the latest developments in the field of synthetic biology for a popular audience. Her posts covered a number of topics from sustainability to the intersection between art and science to the microbiology of body fluids. She has also written for a variety of outlets, including highlighting the women who made microbiology possible for Popular Science and reviewing Sophia Roosth's book Synthetic: How life got made for New Scientist. She also co-founded a four-edition print science magazine called Method Quarterly about how science works in practice with science writers Azeen Ghorayshi and Rose Eveleth.
Awards and honors
Forbes 30 Under 30, 2012
L'Oreal USA Fellowship for Women in Science, 2012
UdK Award for Interdisciplinary Art and Science, 2012
100 Most Creative People in Business, Fast Company, 2016
Next List 2017: 20 People Who Are Creating the Future, Wired, 2017
Excellence in Public Engagement Award, SynBioBeta, 2018
References
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
21st-century American women engineers
21st-century American engineers
Synthetic biologists
Creative directors
Harvard University alumni
American women artists
Yale College alumni
American bioengineers
21st-century American women writers | Christina Agapakis | [
"Biology"
] | 936 | [
"Synthetic biology",
"Synthetic biologists"
] |
59,457,604 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartmut%20B%C3%A4rnighausen | Hartmut Bärnighausen (born 16 February 1933 in Chemnitz) is a German chemist and crystallographer. He is known for establishing the Bärnighausen trees which describe group-subgroup relationships of crystal structures.
Life
Bärnighausen studied Chemistry at Leipzig University and received his diploma after a diploma thesis with Leopold Wolf in 1955. In May 1958, he flew from East Germany to University of Freiburg, where he worked with Georg Brauer. He finished his doctorate in the group of Georg Brauer in 1959. In 1967, he received his habilitation. From 1967 to 1998, he was a professor for inorganic chemistry at the University of Karlsruhe.
Research
His research focused on the following topics:
crystallographic group theory in crystal chemistry (Bärnighausen trees)
synthesis and characterization of new compounds in including rare earth metals
structure refinements of twinned crystals
Awards
He was awarded the Carl Hermann Medal of the German Crystallographic Society in 1997.
References
Living people
20th-century German chemists
Crystallographers
1933 births
People from Chemnitz
Academic staff of the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology
Leipzig University alumni
University of Freiburg alumni
Inorganic chemists | Hartmut Bärnighausen | [
"Chemistry"
] | 231 | [
"Inorganic chemists"
] |
59,457,760 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/14%20Ceti | 14 Ceti is a single star in the equatorial constellation of Cetus. It is faintly visible to the naked eye under good viewing conditions, having an apparent visual magnitude of 5.84. The distance to 14 Ceti can be estimated from its annual parallax shift of , which puts it 187 light years away. It is moving further from the Earth with a heliocentric radial velocity of +11 km/s, having recently come no closer than .
Gray (1989) as well as Houk and Swift (1999) have this star classified as an F-type main-sequence star with a stellar classification of F5 V. However, in the 5th revised edition of the Bright Star Catalogue it was classed by Hoffleit and Warren (1991) as a more evolved subgiant star with a class of F5 IV. The absolute magnitude and effective temperature for this star shows that it is entering the Hertzsprung gap, which is occupied by a class of stars that have consumed the hydrogen at their core but have not yet begun hydrogen fusion along a shell surrounding the center.
Evolutionary models for this star give an estimated age of around 2.1 billion years with 1.6 times the mass of the Sun. It has 2.6 times the Sun's radius and is radiating 10.7 times the Sun's luminosity from its photosphere at an effective temperature of about 6,583 K. There is a thin convective envelope near its surface. The star has a lower abundance of elements more massive than helium – what astronomers' term the metallicity – compared to the Sun. The projected rotational velocity is a relatively low 5 km/s, but the rotation rate is unknown since the axial tilt hasn't been determined.
14 Ceti shows an X-ray emission of , which is on the high side for an F5 star. Both the corona and chromosphere of this star show indications of a magnetic field, and a surface field was detected in 2009 with a strength of . This made it the only known star between classes F0 and F7 to have a Zeeman effect detected. Two possible explanations for this field are that it is a fast rotator with a dynamo-driven field, or that it is a former Ap star. The activity properties of this star make it more likely to be the latter.
References
F-type main-sequence stars
F-type subgiants
Hertzsprung gap
Cetus
0143
Durchmusterung objects
003229
002787 | 14 Ceti | [
"Astronomy"
] | 515 | [
"Cetus",
"Constellations"
] |
59,457,867 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abeng | An Abeng is an animal horn or musical instrument in the language of the Akan people. The word abeng is from the Twi language in modern-day Ghana, it is a commonly used word in the Caribbean, especially Jamaica, and the instrument is associated with the Maroon people.
The Maroons of Jamaica used the horn to communicate over great distances in ways that couldn't be understood by people outside the community.
Today the abeng is made from cattle horn and is still used in Maroon communities on ceremonial occasions or to announce important news.
See also
Sneng a similar side-blown horn in Cambodia
References
External links
Article with details on Abeng
Animal products
Natural horns and trumpets | Abeng | [
"Chemistry"
] | 140 | [
"Animal products",
"Natural products"
] |
59,457,974 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arndt%20Simon | Arndt Simon (born 14 January 1940) is a German inorganic chemist. He was a director at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart.
Life
Simon studied Chemistry at the University of Münster from 1960-1964. He worked on his doctoral thesis in the group of Harald Schäfer from 1964-1966 and finished his habilitation in 1971. In 1972, he was appointed as an associate professor at the University of Münster. Starting in 1974, he was a member of the Max-Planck Society and one of the directors at the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research in Stuttgart. Since 1975, he was a honorary professor at the University of Stuttgart. Since 2010, he has been an emeritus.
Research
Simon worked on a wide range of topics in inorganic chemistry:
Alkali Metal Suboxides
Subnitrides of Alkaline Earth Metals
Metal-rich Halides and Oxides of Heavy d-Metals
Condensed Clusters
Interstitial Atoms in Metal Clusters
Metalrich Binary and Ternary Halides of Lanthanides
Thorium Cluster Compounds
Intermetallic Compounds (Pauling-Simon Rule)
Structures and Phase Transitions in Molecular Crystals
Structure Property Relations (Photo Cathodes, Amorphous Metals, Magnetic Order and Frustration, Spin Crossover, Spin Glasses)
Superconductivity
Apparatus Development (Guinier-Simon Camera, Area Detector Diffractometer)
Awards
Simon was awarded a number of awards and honorary doctorates:
1972 Chemistry Award of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities
1985 Wilhelm Klemm Award of the Society of German Chemists
1987 Otto Bayer Award
1990 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize
1998 Dr. rer.nat. h.c. of Technical University Dresden
1998 Dr. rer.nat. h.c. of University (TH) Karlsruhe
1998 Centenary Prize, Royal Society of Chemistry
2001 Dr. phil. h.c. of Stockholm University
2002 Dr. h.c. of Université de Rennes I
2004 Sir Nevill Mott Lecture, University of Loughborough
2004 Liebig-Denkmünze of the Society of German Chemists
2011 Terrae Rarae Award
He is also a member of several academies of sciences:
1989 Member of the Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz (Corresponding Member since 1994)
1990 Member of the Heidelberg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
1990 Member of the Academia Europaea
1992 Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences
1998 Member of the Academy of Sciences Leopoldina
1998 Foreign Member of the French Academy of Sciences
2003 Honorary Fellow of the Chemical Research Society of India
References
1940 births
Living people
21st-century German chemists
20th-century German chemists
Solid state chemists
University of Münster alumni
Max Planck Institutes researchers
Max Planck Institute directors | Arndt Simon | [
"Chemistry"
] | 539 | [
"Solid state chemists"
] |
59,458,756 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrakis%28dimethylamino%29ethylene | Tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene (TDAE) is an organic compound with the formula , It is a colorless liquid. It is classified as an enamine. Primary and secondary enamines tend to isomerize, but tertiary enamines are kinetically stable. One unusual feature of TDAE is that it is a tetra-enamine. The pi-donating tendency of the amine groups strongly enhances the basicity of the molecule, which does exhibit properties of a typical alkene.
Reactions
TDAE reacts with oxygen in a chemiluminescent reaction to give tetramethylurea. The initial intermediate is (2+2) adduct, a 1,2-dioxetane. This species decomposes to electronically excited tetramethylurea. This returns to the ground state is accompanied by emission of green light with a maximum at 515 nm.
TDAE is an electron donor with E = 1.06 V vs Fc+/0.
TDAE has been examined as a reductant in coupling reactions.
As one of many of examples of its redox behavior forms a charge-transfer salt with buckminsterfullerene:
C2(N(CH3)2)4 + C60 → [C2(N(CH3)2)4+][C60−] Oxidation affords a dication.
Structure
Crystallographic analysis show that TDAE is a highly distorted alkene, the dihedral angle for the two N2C termini is 28°. The C=C distance is alkene-like, 135 pm. The nearly isostructural tetraisopropylethylene also has a C=C distance of 135 pm, but its C6 core is planar. In contrast, [TDAE]2+ is an alkane with multi-C-N bonds.
Synthesis
It is available by pyrolysis of tris(dimethylamino)methane by pyrolysis or from chlorotrifluoroethene and dimethylamine.
References
Dimethylamino compounds
Enamines
Chemiluminescence | Tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene | [
"Chemistry"
] | 451 | [
"Luminescence",
"Chemiluminescence"
] |
59,459,308 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amitsur%20complex | In algebra, the Amitsur complex is a natural complex associated to a ring homomorphism. It was introduced by . When the homomorphism is faithfully flat, the Amitsur complex is exact (thus determining a resolution), which is the basis of the theory of faithfully flat descent.
The notion should be thought of as a mechanism to go beyond the conventional localization of rings and modules.
Definition
Let be a homomorphism of (not-necessary-commutative) rings. First define the cosimplicial set (where refers to , not ) as follows. Define the face maps by inserting at the th spot:
Define the degeneracies by multiplying out the th and th spots:
They satisfy the "obvious" cosimplicial identities and thus is a cosimplicial set. It then determines the complex with the augumentation , the Amitsur complex:
where
Exactness of the Amitsur complex
Faithfully flat case
In the above notations, if is right faithfully flat, then a theorem of Alexander Grothendieck states that the (augmented) complex is exact and thus is a resolution. More generally, if is right faithfully flat, then, for each left -module ,
is exact.
Proof:
Step 1: The statement is true if splits as a ring homomorphism.
That " splits" is to say for some homomorphism ( is a retraction and a section). Given such a , define
by
An easy computation shows the following identity: with ,
.
This is to say that is a homotopy operator and so determines the zero map on cohomology: i.e., the complex is exact.
Step 2: The statement is true in general.
We remark that is a section of . Thus, Step 1 applied to the split ring homomorphism implies:
where , is exact. Since , etc., by "faithfully flat", the original sequence is exact.
Arc topology case
show that the Amitsur complex is exact if and are (commutative) perfect rings, and the map is required to be a covering in the arc topology (which is a weaker condition than being a cover in the flat topology).
Notes
Citations
References
Homological algebra
Ring theory | Amitsur complex | [
"Mathematics"
] | 463 | [
"Mathematical structures",
"Ring theory",
"Fields of abstract algebra",
"Category theory",
"Homological algebra"
] |
59,461,822 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ateneo%20bullying%20incident | The Ateneo bullying incident occurred on December 19, 2018, when a student, Joaquin Montes, physically bullied a schoolmate inside the bathroom of the Junior High School campus in the Ateneo de Manila University. The incident was captured on video and was met with widespread shock and outrage on social media, with local celebrities, politicians, and netizens denouncing the incident. On December 23, the Ateneo management announced that the bully had been dismissed from the school.
Incident
The video of the bullying incident, captured on camera, took place inside the bathroom of the Ateneo de Manila University, where the bully challenging a victim giving him a choice of "Bugbog o mawalan ng dignidad?" (lit. "beatdown or lose your dignity?"). The bully then looked into the camera, explaining that if the student were to choose dignity, he would have to kneel and sniff the bully's shoes and "sensitive area". When the taller student failed to reply, the smaller student proceeded to attack the former using a style of taekwondo. The taller student never fought back, and his nose was later seen bleeding after the bully's attack ceased. It was at this point that the video ended.
Two other videos featuring the bully have also circulated on social media. In the second video featuring the same bully, a peer who was on his knees was being forced to say, "I'm dumb", while the third video showed the bully engaging in a fist-fight with another teenager. The former only stopped when the latter knelt.
The video made rounds on various social media platforms, prompting netizens to issue threats of violence against the bully whose identity was censored by mainstream news outlets.
Aftermath
On December 21, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued a reminder that addresses "to both public and private Kindergarten, elementary, and secondary schools, it highlighted laws and regulations that schools must comply with to ensure robust anti-bullying policies." The Ateneo, as well as the Philippine Taekwondo Association, launched their own investigation. A children's rights organization, Save the Children Philippines, had urged the public not to share the video of the incident, as their privacy would be compromised. Ateneo de Manila University president Fr. Jose Ramon "Jett" Villarin said in the official statement that they already met both parties involved in the incident.
On December 22, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) had reminded the public to protect the privacy of their children amid the video of the incident. An angry father who identified himself as Joseph Perez Otazu, a Fil-Canadian, posted a video on Facebook, angry at the incident, and challenged the father of the bully to fight him; Otazu will give P100,000 should he lose.
On December 23, Villarin announced that the bully has been dismissed, stating "he is no longer allowed to come back to the Ateneo". Several senators, including Richard Gordon and JV Ejercito, supported the decision of dismissing the student. After the incident video surfaced, several netizens speculated that the bully's father was a "high-ranking and influential official of the Philippine National Police", however, the police denied the rumors.
On December 24, the Philippine Taekwondo Association issued a statement via Facebook, recommending "an indefinite ban of the student involved from all sanctioned events not limited to Taekwondo-related events..."
On December 31, human rights lawyer and advocate Rene Saguisag, through the opinion column published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer, said that Ateneo should have waited for the holidays to be over before dismissing the student, also criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte for his silence on the issue.
On January 8, 2019, a witness of the incident claimed that the bully was "provoked" by other students. A witness also added that "he had his run-ins with the victim back in seventh grade".
On January 10, the mother of the bully spoke about the incident, claiming that "he acted in self-defense". However, local celebrities have expressed their disappointment, over the "lack of sincerity in the mother and son's apology".
Reactions
After the incident, Ateneo Junior High School issued a statement, "On December 19, 2018, video that appears to feature Ateneo de Manila Junior High School students in a fight in the campus, has been making the rounds of social media." On December 21, several Senators urged netizens to stop attacking the teen who was in the video, and decried the incident. On December 20, the Presidential Spokesperson, Salvador Panelo, was "bothered" by the incident after he watched the video of the bully "using martial arts to hurt others". The PTA issued a statement, condemning "any form of misbehavior which includes harassment, bullying, and acts of violence".
Local celebrities also expressed their opinions about the incident, including Lea Salonga, Xian Lim, Robi Domingo, Kyla, and Tippy Dos Santos. Makati Representative and taekwondo champion Monsour del Rosario posted a statement on Facebook, denouncing the bully's behavior and lack of discipline, stating that the perpetrator was a "failed representation" of the sport. Local netizens similarly condemned the incident, expressing outrage at Ateneo apparently tolerating the bully and demanded immediate action, making the #NeverTolerateBullying hashtag a trending topic on Twitter.
On December 22, Senator Leila de Lima expressed her concern over the student in the bullying incident, saying that such forms of child abuse should be investigated. Boying Pimentel published his opinion on Philippine Daily Inquirer, supporting the bullied boy.
In the wake of the incident, songs about bullying have experienced a resurgence in popularity on social media, including "Katulad Ng Iba", performed by Gloc-9 and Zia Quizon, and "Anting-Anting" by Gloc-9, featuring Sponge Cola.
Hoaxes regarding the incident
A home address claiming to be where the bully lives were fraudulently posted on social media. The purported address later turned out to be the Peacemakers Christian Family Church, owned by Pastor Rully Taculod and his wife. Taculod and his family and congregation then became the subject of prank deliveries from fast food chains and online stores as well as death threats from irate netizens who fell for the hoax. This led to the church putting up posters condemning the incidents and advising people that they are in no way associated with the bully and the address in the report is incorrect.
Other hoaxes such as Senator Risa Hontiveros purporting to have said that the bully was just "practicing taekwondo", and "Igalang naman po natin ang mga Atenista. Naglalaro lang naman ng sparring ang mga bata! Wala pong pang bu-bully nagaganap sa Ateneo" ("Let us respect the Atenista. The children were only play sparring! Bullying does not take place in Ateneo.") have been debunked by both Rappler and Hontiveros herself as fake news.
References
Ateneo de Manila University
2018 in Internet culture
2018 controversies
2018 in the Philippines
December 2018 events in the Philippines
Viral videos
Harassment and bullying
School bullying
School violence | Ateneo bullying incident | [
"Biology"
] | 1,515 | [
"Harassment and bullying",
"Behavior",
"Aggression"
] |
59,465,550 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harald%20Sch%C3%A4fer | Harald Schäfer (10 February 1913, Jena – 21 December 1992, Münster) was a professor of inorganic chemistry at the University of Münster in Germany. He is recognized for popularizing the use of chemical vapor transport and the discovery of many new inorganic compounds.
Schäfer began his studies in 1937 and was awarded a doctorate in 1940. His dissertation was on analytical chemistry of boron. He conducted his habilitation at the Technical University of Stuttgart on iron oxychlorides, during which he discovered the phenomenon of chemical vapor transport (migration in the solid state via the gas phase).
In recognition of his research achievements, he was awarded the Alfred Stock Memorial Prize in 1967. He was also elected to the Leopoldina Academy.
References
1913 births
1992 deaths
20th-century German chemists
Solid state chemists | Harald Schäfer | [
"Chemistry"
] | 164 | [
"Solid state chemists"
] |
51,611,244 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madurella%20mycetomatis | Madurella mycetomatis is a fungus primarily reported in Central Africa as a cause of mycetoma in humans. It has been misclassified for many years, but with improvement of molecular techniques, its phylogenetic classification has been established. Many methods exist to identify M. mycetomatis, both in lesions and in culture. Histological examination is especially useful, as it has many unique morphological features. Strain-level differences in response to antifungal agents is informative for treatment and laboratory isolation of cultures.
History
Madurella mycetomatis underwent many name changes. In 1901, Brumpt described the first recorded case of mycosis caused by M. mycetomatis, identifying black granules in association with mycetoma. In 1902, Laveran named the fungus Strepthothrix mycetomi, which he had identified from a mycetoma grain. In 1905, Brumpt corrected its genus to Madurella, in turn changing its name to Madurella mycetomi. The fungus was grown in-vitro by Brault in 1912, so it could be studied in culture. In 1977, the British Medical Research Council changed the name to the currently accepted name, Madurella mycetomatis. With the binomial name determined, M. mycetomatis still remained incorrectly classified in the Pleosporales. This error was corrected in 2015 when M. mycetomatis was placed in the order Sordariales. Maduramycosis or Madura foot, was first described from Madurai, South India, in 1842 by John Gill.
Phylogeny
The genus Madurella contains only two well defined species: M. mycetomatis and M. grisea. Roughly a dozen other species of uncertain validity have been described as genus Madurella based on in vivo similarities and cultural sterility. Although similar, there were important physiological and morphological differences between the two well defined species, leading scientists to doubt their phylogeny. The development of ribosomal sequencing and other molecular techniques, led to the discovery that M. mycetomatis did not share a common ancestor with M. grisea and that M. mycetomatis belonged in the order Sordariales, further confirmed by genomic comparison against Chaetomium thermophilum, another member of the Sordariales.
Genotypic variation can help explain geographical distribution of fungi and differences in host symptoms. Restriction endonuclease assay (REA) and random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) helped characterize the different genotypes of M. mycetomatis, namely 2 genotypic clusters in Africa, and 7 different genotypes from other continents. Further testing with amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) found 3 clusters in Sudan, in contrast to the 2 clusters identified by RAPD, proving AFLP to be a more sensitive method. This showed that M. mycetomatis is not genetically homogenous, and explained the variability in host symptoms affected by the same etiological agent.
Physiology and ecology
Madurella mycetomatis has been identified in both soil and anthill samples, growing optimally at 37 ˚C, however can viably grow at up to 40 ˚C. This ability to grow at high temperatures is a feature that can be useful in identifying the fungus in culture. The fungus's ability, an inability, to break down various molecules can also be used to confirm its identity. Madurella mycetomatis is amylolytic yet is only weakly proteolytic, and has the ability to assimilate glucose, galactose, lactose and maltose, while unable to assimilate sucrose. Potassium nitrate, ammonium sulfate, asparagine and urea can also be used by the fungus. Madurella mycetomatis produces 1,8-dihydroxynapthalene a precursor to melanin – a protein extracellularly attached to proteins. Both molecules are responsible for the characteristic dark grain color. The melanin produced by the fungus has also been identified as a defense mechanism against processes such as hydrolytic enzymes, free radicals, redox buffering, antibodies and complement. The fungus also produces pyomelanin, a brown diffusible pigment.
Growth and morphology
The growth of M. mycetomatis is very slow and can be broken down into three stages. Initially the colony is dome shaped white-yellow or olivaceous brown in color. The mycelium is covered in grey down, giving it a woolly texture. Following the initial stage, brownish aerial mycelia (1 to 5 μm) form and the colony starts producing a diffusible pigment called pyomelanin, and becomes smooth in texture. Older colonies form masses of hyphae called sclerotia or grains. In nutritionally deficient or potato-carrot media, black grains (0.75 to 1 mm in diameter) with undifferentiated polygonal cells can be observed.
Grains of M. mycetomatis are hard and brittle, ranging between 0.5 and 1 mm (maximum being 2 mm), with masses from 2 to 4 mm. The grains are oval and often multi-lobed. They are reddish brown to black in color and texturally smooth or ridged. The grains are made up of an internal mass of hyphae, 2 to 5 μm in diameter, with terminal cells swelling from 12 – 15 μm (maximum being 30 μm) in diameter. Overall two main types of grains are observed. The most common type is compact or filamentous, where a dark brown cement like amorphous, electron rich substance fills the voids surrounding the hyphal network. The hyphal network differs in growth between the cortical and medullar region, with radial versus multidirectional growth respectively. When stained with hematoxylin and eosin it appears rust-brown in color. In contrast, the second type, vesicular, has a light colored medulla and a brown cortical region filled with hyphae and vesicles 6 to 14 μm in diameter. Often it is difficult to determine the transition point from cortex to medulla. Lesions can have both the filamentous and vesicular type grains at the same time.
Although conidiation (conidium), a form of asexual reproduction, in M. mycetomatis is rare, two main types can be described in-vitro. In the first type oval to pyriform conidia, 3 to 5 μm can be observed. The conidia have truncated bases and are on the tips of simple or branched conidiophores. In-vitro, this type of conidiation can be observed in 50% of cultures on soil extract, hay infusion or water agar. When grown on potato carrot agar or cornmeal agar the second type of conidiation is observed. This type is characterized by small spherical conidia (3 μm in diameter) on tapered tips of flask shaped phialides and collarettes. On SDA media M. mycetomatis is sterile. No sexual stage has been identified for M. mycetomatis.
Mycosis
Madurella mycetomatis is the most common fungus with respect to causing mycetoma in humans, a chronic localized inflammatory disease. Madurella mycetomatis accounts for 70% of mycetoma cases in central Africa, especially common in Sudan. Cases of mycetoma caused by this fungus have also been reported in West Africa, India, Venezuela, Curaçao, Brazil, Peru and Argentina. The mode of entry for etiological agents of mycetoma, such as M. mycetomatis, is trauma, such as; snake bites, knives, splinters, thorns and insect bites. Thus having identified M. mycetomatis in soil and anthill samples substantiates its involvement in mycetoma. Infected hosts from samples in Sudan show variability in clinical symptoms, this corroborates the heterogeneity of M. mycetomatis genotypes.
Detection
There are various methods available for the purpose of differentiating fungal species. Histological examination allows for the exploitation of unique morphological features of M. mycetomatis, including but not limited to the unique cement like substance and multi-lobed morphology of the grains. Molecular analysis allows for a more sensitive technique to discriminate between morphologically similar species. An internal transcribed spacer (ITS) is amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) digestion or gene sequencing to obtain the results. The highly variable nature of the ITS sequence between species not only allows for diagnosis, but also the identification of M. mycetomatis in soil samples. ITS has also been cited as the recommended method for isolation of M. mycetomatis. Additionally, molecular analysis lead to the determination that M. mycetomatis did not share a common ancestor with M. grisea, and belonged in the Sordariales class.
Anti-fungal susceptibility
Understanding how a fungus might react to various anti-fungal agents in-vitro can be beneficial when wanting to study or isolate particular organisms in culture. The Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) M38A methods indicate that conidial suspensions are to be used when testing anti-fungal susceptibility of filamentous fungi. When following these methods for M. mycetomatis, alternative suspensions of hyphal fragments are required, as conidial forms are exceedingly rare. Table 1 summarizes the minimal inhibitory concentrations at 90% (MIC90) for various anti-fungal agents, with specific relation to M. mycetomatis.
See also
Eumycetoma
References
Sordariales
Fungus species | Madurella mycetomatis | [
"Biology"
] | 2,112 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
51,611,651 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cunninghamella%20echinulata | Cunninghamella echinulata is a fungal species in the genus Cunninghamella. It is an asexually reproducing fungus and a mesophile, preferring intermediate temperature ranges. C. echinulata is a common air contaminant, and is currently of interest to the biotechnology industry due to its ability to synthesize γ-linolenic acid as well as its capacity to bioconcentrate metals. This species is a soil saprotroph that forms rhizoids, preferring soils enriched in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. It has been reported occasionally an agent of mucormycosis following the inhalation of fungal spores. Czapek's agar is a suitable growth medium for the propagation of C. echinulata.
Taxonomy, growth and morphology
Cunninghamella echinulata is a member of the family, Cunninghamellaceae (phylum Mucoromycota). This species is closely related to C. elegans, and both species share highly similar characteristics of growth and morphology. Colonies tend to be rapidly growing on most growth media producing a dense, white or greyish aerial mycelium. Cunninghamella echinulata reproduces asexually and solely via yellow-brown, spiny, single-spored sporangioles that, due to the nature of the sporangiospore being retained within the sporangium, appear to have a two-layered outer wall. This fungus grows by means of filaments that lack septa. This is a common feature of members if the Mucoromycota where the hyphal compartments are either fully divided by septa or are completely continuous (coenocytic) and multinucleate. Zygospores of this fungus are only produced following the fusion of gametangia of compatible mating strains, exemplifying a heterothallic mating system. Sporangiophores of this species are irregularly branched and do not resemble the sporangiospores typical of most other members of the Mucoromycota encountered in similar habitats. The sporangioles produced by this fungus are larger in size (10–20 μm) than those of the closely related species, C. elegans.
Physiology
Cunninghamella echinulata and other species of Cunninghamellaceae can be selectively grown on Czapek's solution agar, a property unique to this family of the Mucorales. However, depending on the nutrients the agar is supplemented with, different media can alter the oxidative metabolism profile of this fungus. This species grows better on acetate than d-glucose. Additionally, if grown in liquid, cultures of this fungus can be externally stimulated to increase oxygen consumption by adding 2% montmorillonite or kaolinite.
While this fungus is a mesophilic (preferring intermediate growth temperatures), it is able to grow between and although the rate of growth near the extremes of temperature tolerance is minimal. The optimal temperature for the development of zygospores is between and . This species exhibits different growth characteristic depending on environmental influences. At a pH of 5.5, the fungus grows in small dense pellets; but a more typical, radiating growth pattern is achieved at a pH of 8.0, The presence of indole-3-acetic acid in the growth medium stimulates linear growth.
When grown on medium containing hydrolysed tomato residue, this fungus utilizes glucose to synthesize triacylglycerols (TAG) rich in GLA. This fungus has been investigated for use in the production of single cell oils (SCO) and storage lipids (like GLA). C. echinulata is also able to selectively take up and sequester metal contaminants from polluted waters, suggesting a potential use in bioremediation of polluted water. However, its role as an agent of opportunistic disease may limit its use in environmental remediation. Cunninghamella echinulata is able to grow on orange rind and assimilate carbohydrates into necessary biomolecules, where the fermented peel does not exhibit appreciable discolouration or odour. Growth of this fungus on organic nitrogen leads yields lipids rich in γ-linolenic acid (GLA). The presence of an active monooxygenase system allows this species to perform oxidative demethylation and hydroxylation. The fungus possesses a p450 cytochrome system similar to that in humans, making it a potentially useful model for the study liver-mediated drug metabolism.
This species is also able to stereoselectively biotransform rac-mexiletine into hydroxymethyl mexiletine (HMM) and p-hydroxymexiletine (PHM), two metabolites also produced in humans. Cunninghamella echinulata grown in yeast extract broth, trypticase soy medium or peptone broth at a pH of 8 yielded 0 μg/ml of breakdown products from the metabolism of rac-mexiletine. The production of maximal HMM is achieved in yeast extract broth at a pH of 7.0. Metabolic activity diminishes with increasing pH up to a maximum pH of 8.0. At increased pH, C. echinulata shows preferential production of S-HMM over R-HMM, the two stereoisomers, specifically enantiomers, of HMM. In order to achieve the highest quantity of GLA, Cunninghamella echinulata grows preferentially on nitrogen-depleted media with a C/N (carbon:nitrogen) molar ratio of 169.
The species has been reported to exhibit antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhus, common agents of skin infections and food poisoning respectively. It is also known to inhibit root growth in various grass species in vitro. The fungus is not known to produce mycotoxins.
Habitat and ecology
Cunninghamella echinulata is a saprotrophic resident of the soils in warmer regions of the world, particularly those enriched with NPK fertilizers (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium). It has been reported from both cultivated and uncultivated soils, including soils from greenhouses and forests in the mediterranean and subtropical zones but is thought to be comparatively rare in temperate zones. Soil depth and pH are not considered to be strongly influential on the growth properties of this fungus in vivo. This species is able to cause rot in foods such as Kola nuts and is a common air contaminant. It can be parasitized by other fungi including species of Piptocephalis, and Trichoderma viride. Additionally, its growth is inhibited in vitro by the fungus, Memnoniella echinata.
Human disease
Disease caused by this fungus and other species of Mucorales is referred to as mucormycosis characterized by a rapidly progressive and destructively invasive disease with relatively low survival. Literature reporting this agent in healthy people is lacking. As a consequence, this species is thought to be exclusively an opportunistic pathogen, affecting individuals with pre-existing health conditions. People with underlying health conditions such as HIV infection and diabetes are at heightened risk for mucormycosis. Infections by C. echinulata are thought to arise from inhalation of fungal spores and are not communicable. Relatively few case reports implicating C. echinulata are available. Of those that are, one prototypical case from 2005 reported a fatal rhinocerebral infection in a 15-year-old boy suffering from acute leukaemia. Biopsy of the infected nasal tissue showed signs of necrosis and vascular invasion.
Cunninghamella echinulata, like other members of the genus, exhibit strong resistance to the antifungal polyene, amphotericin B with a MIC (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration) ranging from 4-16μg/mL that varies according to strain. Strains of C. echinulata also display greater tolerance to itraconazole and posaconazole than other members of the Mucorales. The antifungal agent terbinafine, typically restricted to the treatment of nail and skin infections, shows a relatively low MIC ranging from 0.06 to 0.125 μg/mL.
Biotechnology
It is commonly cultivated for its ability to produce GLA, preferentially synthesizing R-PHM and S-HMM. The fungus is able to synthesize γ-linolenic acid. It also possesses the ability to bioabsorb metals, with the highest levels of bioabsorption reported 5 to 15 minutes after contact with the metals. Adding NaOH to this fungus before it absorbs metals enhances the uptake of Pb, Cu and Zn. These uptake rates also seem to be influenced by pH where at a pH of 7.1, Zn was the most highly absorbed metal, at a pH of 4, Pb was the most highly absorbed metal and at a pH of 5, Cu was the most highly absorbed metal. Cunninghamella echinulata has been used to transform cortexolone to hydrocortisone. Hydroxylation of biphenyl oxide has been studied in C. echinulata.
References
Cunninghamellaceae
Fungi described in 1905
Fungus species | Cunninghamella echinulata | [
"Biology"
] | 1,931 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
51,613,022 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seesaw%20theorem | In algebraic geometry, the seesaw theorem, or seesaw principle, says roughly that a limit of trivial line bundles over complete varieties is a trivial line bundle. It was introduced by André Weil in a course at the University of Chicago in 1954–1955, and is related to Severi's theory of correspondences.
The seesaw theorem is proved using proper base change. It can be used to prove the theorem of the cube.
Statement
originally stated the seesaw principle in terms of divisors. It is now more common to state it in terms of line bundles as follows .
Suppose L is a line bundle over X×T, where X is a complete variety and T is an algebraic set. Then the set of points t of T such that L is trivial on X×t is closed. Moreover if this set is the whole of T then L is the pullback of a line bundle on T. also gave a more precise version, showing that there is a largest closed subscheme of T such that L is the pullback of a line bundle on the subscheme.
References
Abelian varieties | Seesaw theorem | [
"Mathematics"
] | 227 | [
"Theorems in algebraic geometry",
"Theorems in geometry"
] |
51,613,056 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoscytalidium%20dimidiatum | Neoscytalidium dimidiatum was first described in 1933 as Hendersonula toruloidea from diseased orchard trees in Egypt. Decades later, it was determined to be a causative agent of human dermatomycosis-like infections and foot infections predominantly in tropical areas; however the fungus is considered to be widespread. A newer name, Scytalidium dimidiatum, was applied to a synanamorph of Nattrassia mangiferae, otherwise known as Neofusicoccum mangiferae. Substantial confusion has arisen in the literature on this fungus resulting from the use of multiple different names including Torula dimidiata, Fusicoccum dimidiatum, Scytalidium dimidiatum, and Hendersonula toruloidea. Additionally, Scytalidium lignicola and Scytalidium lignicolum are often considered earlier names of N. dimidiatum.
History and taxonomy
In 1933, British mycologist Dr. Rolland Marshall Nattrass described an arthroconidial asexual fungus that he named H. toruloidea that was responsible for causing die-back disease of plum, apricot and apple trees in Egypt. At the time, he recognized that single spore cultures of the fungus yielded two "forms" in culture – a mycelial form resembling members of the genus Torula that produced fragmenting chains of arthroconidia, and a pycnidial form characterized by the production of greenish, ellipsoidal spores that oozed from tiny sacs. The name H. toruloidea applied to the latter pycnidial form. Others likened the Torula form to Torula dimidiata described by Otto Penzig in 1882. Despite that the fungus was known by this name for over 50 years by one or the other of these names, increased scrutiny of the species and its close relatives using molecular genetic methods spawned significant controversy in its taxonomy and naming.
In 1989 Sutton and Dyko created the genus Nattrassia to accommodate H. toruloidea and applied the name Scytalidium dimidiatum to the mycelial synanamorph. They also included in the new genus Nattrassia a fungus described by father-son mycologists Paul and Hans Sydow as Dothiorella mangiferae, which became Nattrassia mangiferae, thought to be very closely related to and perhaps indistinguishable from Nattrass's original pycnidial form. Farr and coworkers recognized that both states were asexual forms affiliated with the genus Fusicoccum, an anamorph of the plant pathogenic ascomycete genus, Botryosphaeria. They proposed the transfer of Scytalidium dimidiatum to the genus Fusicoccum as F. dimidiatum. A reappraisal of the family Botryosphaeriaceae by Crous and coworkers in 2006 concluded that the genus Fusicoccum was polyphyletic, and they created a new genus, Neoscytalidium to accommodate Nattrass's fungus. Separately they erected the genus Neofusicoccum to accommodate Nattrassia mangiferae. Crous and colleagues concluded it inappropriate to collapse the entirety of Scytalidium with Fusicoccum because they demonstrated N. dimidiatum to be phylogenetically distinct from Neofusicoccum mangiferae; thus, they interpreted N. dimidiatum to be the correct name for Nattrass's fungus.
Growth and morphology
This filamentous fungus produces sinuous and irregular hyphae and is characterized by rapidly growing colonies that are deeply tufted with dense, darkly coloured, ropy aerial mycelium. Cultures are rapidly growing, initially light in colour and becoming dark brown and then black with age. Both arthroconidia and pycnidia may be produced in the same culture. Cultures of the fungus derived from human skin tend to be black in colouration.
Habitat and ecology
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum is mainly found in tropical to subtropical environments, such as in South America, Southeast Asia, India and Africa. In addition to these regions, this fungus is endemic to parts of west and central Africa, the Caribbean and Asian, but more cases are being seen in temperate countries, possibly as a consequence of immigration from tropical regions. The fungus occurs in nature in soil and on decaying wood.
Human infection
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum has been described as an agent to cause infections referred to as dermatomycosis, onychomycosis, ringworm or tinea, affecting human nails, toe webs and feet, and skin, forming hyphomycete, and also sometimes infecting the palms of hands but this is a rare occurrence. To cause these infections in humans, infections occurs through contact with contaminated soil or plant materials, or nail or skin tissue from an infected person, causing superficial skin infections similar to dermatophytosis called Scytalidiosis. Although established to cause dermatomycosis and onychomycosis, invasive infection by N. dimidiatum is rare, resulting in limited case reports and limited information available for clinical progression and treatment. as well as there is no currently know oral or topical treatment for infection with this fungus. These result in the invasion of tissue and organs causing systemic diseases. Infection can occur in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed patients, but deep infections occur mainly in immunosuppressed/ immunocompromised individuals with a 50% case mortality. Melanin is characteristically produced by the fungus in vivo in diseased human tissue where its presence has been interpreted as an important pathogenic factor.
Although limited in case reports, there have been some reported cases of N. dimidiatum causing dermatomycosis or onychomycosis in places such as Jamaica, Brazil, Algeria, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. In addition, there have been some papers reporting infections besides dermatomycosis and onychomycosis, such as discovery of this fungus confirmed by DNA analysis to cause a fatal case of lung disease. Similarly, a case of lung infection has been reported in a dolphin. A case of rhinosinusitis, a disease where it is believed that fungi play a role in the disease process, was reported to have been caused by N. dimidiatum.
Plant disease
Neoscytalidium dimidiatum has been mainly described as an opportunistic plant pathogen, causing pit canker and spot on the stem of plants or fruits, as well as internal black rot of fruits, but a case of internal brown rot of pitahaya was reported from China. Similarly in Malaysia was a report of the fungus causing stem canker of red-fleshed dragon fruit, and a similar report of stem canker on grapevine in California.
References
Botryosphaeriaceae
Fungi described in 1882
Fungus species | Neoscytalidium dimidiatum | [
"Biology"
] | 1,462 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
51,614,332 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ProBiS | ProBiS is a computer software which allows prediction of binding sites and their corresponding ligands for a given protein structure. Initially ProBiS was developed as a ProBiS algorithm by Janez Konc and Dušanka Janežič in 2010 and is now available as ProBiS server, ProBiS CHARMMing server, ProBiS algorithm and ProBiS plugin. The name ProBiS originates from the purpose of the software itself, that is to predict for a given Protein structure Binding Sites and their corresponding ligands.
Description
ProBiS software started as ProBiS algorithm that detects structurally similar sites on protein surfaces by local surface structure alignment using a fast maximum clique algorithm. The ProBiS algorithm was followed by ProBiS server which provides access to the program ProBiS that detects protein binding sites based on local structural alignments. There are two ProBiS servers available, ProBiS server and ProBiS CHARMMing server. The latter connects ProBiS and CHARMMing servers into one functional unit that enables prediction of protein−ligand complexes and allows for their geometry optimization and interaction energy calculation. The ProBiS CHARMMing server with these additional functions can only be used at National Institutes of Health, USA. Otherwise it acts as a regular ProBiS server. Additionally a ProBiS PyMOL plugin and ProBiS UCSF Chimera plugin have been made. Both plugins are connected via the internet to a newly prepared database of pre-calculated binding site comparisons to allow fast prediction of binding sites in existing proteins from the Protein Data Bank. They enable viewing of predicted binding sites and ligands poses in three-dimensional graphics.
Protein building sites tools
Detect structurally similar binding sitesThis tool takes as an input a query protein or a binding site. The ProBiS algorithm structurally compares the query independently of sequence or fold with a database of non-redundant protein structures. The output of this tool are a 3D query protein colored by degrees of structural conservation from blue (unconserved) to red (structurally conserved) in Jmol viewer and a table of similar proteins.
Pairwise local structural alignmentThis tool takes as an input two proteins or binding sites. The ProBiS algorithm compares structures based on geometry as well as physicochemical properties and returns their local structural alignment.
ProBiS web server RESTful Web ServicesThe ProBiS web server features RESTful (Representational State Transfer) web services to make the binding site similarities and local pairwise alignments for any PDB protein structure easily accessible from any script.
ProBiS-Database accessProBiS-Database can be accessed directly from ProBiS (CHARMMing) server, ProBiS-Database widget, which can be included in any web page to provide access to the ProBiS-Database, or RESTful Web Services, which make ProBiS-Database easily accessible from any script.
History
ProBiS algorithm for detection of structurally similar protein binding sites by local structural alignment (March 2010)
ProBiS: A web server for detection of structurally similar protein binding sites (February 2010)
ProBiS-Database: Precalculated Binding Site Similarities and Local Pairwise Alignments of Pdb Structures (December 2011)
ProBiS - 2012: Web server and web services for detection of structurally similar binding sites in proteins (February 2012)
Parallel-ProBiS: Fast Parallel Algorithm for Local Structural Comparison of Protein Structures and Binding Sites (March 2012)
ProBiS-ligands: a web server for prediction of ligands by examination of protein binding sites (February 2014)
ProBiS-Charmming: Web Interface for Prediction and Optimization of Ligands in Protein Binding Sites (August 2015)
References
External links
ProBiS server
Chemistry software
Online databases
Proteomics organizations
Web server software | ProBiS | [
"Chemistry"
] | 740 | [
"nan",
"Chemistry software"
] |
51,614,357 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarangire%20Ecosystem | The Tarangire Ecosystem () is a geographical region in northern Tanzania, Africa. It extends between 2.5 and 5.5 degrees south latitudes and between 35.5 and 37 degrees east longitudes.
The Tarangire Ecosystem hosts the second-largest population of migratory ungulates in East Africa and the largest population of elephants in northern Tanzania.
The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by watershed boundaries of the Lake Manyara Basin and the Engaruka Basin, and the long distance migratory movements of eastern white-bearded wildebeest and plains zebra. It includes the dry season wildlife concentration area near the Tarangire River in Tarangire National Park, and the wet-season dispersal and calving grounds to the north in the Northern Plains and to the east in Simanjiro Plains, spanning in total approximately 20,500 km2 (7,900 sq mi). Migratory animals must have access to both the dry-season water source in the park, and the nutrient-rich forage available only on the calving grounds outside the park to successfully raise their calves and maintain their high abundance.
The Tarangire Ecosystem is also known as the Masai Steppe, or the Tarangire-Manyara Ecosystem.
Tarangire has approximately 500 species of birds, and more than 60 species of larger mammal.
Geography and climate
The area falls within the eastern branch of the East African Rift Valley which has widened and the valley floor fallen over the past few million years. About 250,000 years ago Lake Manyara and Lake Burunge were part of a larger lake called Proto-Manyara, a basin of internal drainage that lost water through evaporation and deep percolation. Subsequent rises in the Rift Valley floor changed drainage patterns and the lake was reduced in size and divided into the two shallow, alkali lakes currently seen. Topography is now mainly low ridges of gneiss and pre-Cambrian rocks covered with well-drained, medium textured, stony soils. Large areas of valley bottoms are montmorillonite black cotton soils. Ancient lake sediments produced clay soils in the Proto-Manyara area. Minjingu Hill and Vilima Vitatu were islands in Proto-Manyara Lake and their phosphate deposits there are derived from accumulated waterbird feces. Volcanic ash deposits produce rich soils on the Northern Plains and Simanjiro Plains where migratory wildebeest and zebra find forage with the nutrients necessary for lactation and healthy calf growth.
The current western boundary is the rift valley escarpment, the northern boundary is the Kenyan border near Lake Natron, the southern and eastern boundaries are not defined by any strict geographic features. Elevation ranges from about 1000 m in the southwest to 2660 m in the northeast.
Tarangire has a bimodal rainfall averaging 650 mm per annum, with short rains from November to February, long rains from March to May, and dry season from June to October. The rains, particularly the short rains, are very unreliable and often fail. Rainfall varies inter-annually, the standard deviation of the annual rainfall is equal to 37% of the mean annual rainfall. The inter-annual variation of monthly rainfall varies even more markedly, the standard deviation of monthly rainfall is 72% of the mean. This high variability in rainfall is also reflected in a high inter-annual variation of the length of the wet season. For example, the wet season lasted 38 days in 1983/1984 and 200 days in 1987/1988.
The oldest known elephant to give birth to twins is found in Tarangire. A recent birth of elephant twins in the Tarangire National Park of Tanzania is a great example of how the birth of these two healthy and thriving twins can beat the odds.
History
Between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, the Maa-speaking pastoral people expanded into the area, replacing other pastoral groups like Nilotes and farming Bantu groups. By 1880 the Maasai reached their greatest extent. Around 1900 they suffered pleuro-pneumonia and smallpox diseases that killed many. At the same time the outbreak of the rinderpest decimated Maasai livestock and wildlife.
The colonial period of 1880s to 1950s saw the displacement of Maasai from lands with high potential for agricultural development by the European farmers/settlers. Many game parks were created at the same time, often evicting pastoralists from key dry season grazing areas and watering points. Because of the abundant water and pasture in the Tarangire ecosystem, it had a reputation as one of the best pastoral areas in Tanzania. Many herders who were evicted from the Serengeti National Park in the 1950s relocated to this area.
Tanzania became independent in 1961 and most of the British colonial administration/legislation was adopted by the new government. In the 1960s and 1970s the rinderpest that had previously killed many wildlife and livestock species was controlled. The control of rinderpest resulted in the increased numbers of wildebeest in the Serengeti ecosystem. This pushed Maasai into Tarangire area to avoid contact with wildebeest calving areas in the short grass-plains. Such areas are associated with the spread of Malignant Catarrhal Fever that affects cattle. Between 1962 and 1963 the worst drought in 50 years hit most parts of the country including Tarangire area and killed many wildlife and livestock.
In 1967 agriculture was promoted as the backbone of the national economy. Large-scale farms like the Lolkisale bean farms were established in Tarangire to produce crops for export as well as for national reserves during droughts and food shortage. Human population increased in Tarangire area due both to natural increase and immigration of agriculturists from nearby regions of Kilimanjaro and Arusha. This displaced Maasai pastoralists and wildlife from the best rangelands into more marginal areas.
In 1970, the Tarangire Game Reserve was upgraded to become Tarangire National Park. By the mid-1980s the movement of commercial interests and farmers into the area had expanded, blocking many traditional migratory routes for wildlife.
In 2001, the Tanzanian government turned over the National Ranching Company land at Manyrara Ranch to the Tanzania Land Conservation Trust to help conserve the wildlife migration corridor between Tarangire National Park and the calving grounds to the north on the Gelai Plains. Conservation easements are being used as conservation tools on the calving grounds east of Tarangire National Park on the Simanjiro Plains. Land-use planning informed by wildlife survey data is being tried to help conserve pastoral rangelands, wildlife migration routes, and calving grounds in the Northern Plains.
References
External links
Wild Nature Institute
Wildlife Conservation Society
Tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands
Tarangire River
Natural history of Tanzania
Geography of Arusha Region
Geography of Dodoma Region
Geography of Manyara Region
Geography of Rift Valley Province
Great Rift Valley
Southern Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets
Ecosystems by region | Tarangire Ecosystem | [
"Biology"
] | 1,408 | [
"Ecosystems by region",
"Ecosystems"
] |
51,614,395 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20214 | NGC 214 is a spiral galaxy in the northern constellation of Andromeda, located at a distance of from the Milky Way. It was discovered on September 10, 1784 by William Herschel. The shape of this galaxy is given by its morphological classification of SABbc, which indicates a weak bar-like structure (SAB) at the core and moderate to loosely-wound spiral arms (bc).
On July 19, 2005, a magnitude 17.4 supernova was detected at a position west and north of the galactic nucleus. The object was not visible on plates taken July 2, so it likely erupted after that date. Designated SN 2005db, it was determined to be a type IIn supernova based on the spectrum. A second supernova event was spotted from an image taken August 30, 2006, at west and south of the nucleus. It reached magnitude 17.8 and was designated SN 2006ep. This was determined to be a type-Ib/c supernova.
References
External links
Intermediate spiral galaxies
0214
Andromeda (constellation)
Astronomical objects discovered in 1784
002479 | NGC 214 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 225 | [
"Andromeda (constellation)",
"Constellations"
] |
51,614,413 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-Hermitian%20quantum%20mechanics | In physics, non-Hermitian quantum mechanics describes quantum mechanical systems where Hamiltonians are not Hermitian.
History
The first paper that has "non-Hermitian quantum mechanics" in the title was published in 1996 by Naomichi Hatano and David R. Nelson. The authors mapped a classical statistical model of flux-line pinning by columnar defects in high-Tc superconductors to a quantum model by means of an inverse path-integral mapping and ended up with a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian with an imaginary vector potential in a random scalar potential. They further mapped this into a lattice model and came up with a tight-binding model with asymmetric hopping, which is now widely called the Hatano-Nelson model. The authors showed that there is a region where all eigenvalues are real despite the non-Hermiticity.
Parity–time (PT) symmetry was initially studied as a specific system in non-Hermitian quantum mechanics. In 1998, physicist Carl Bender and former graduate student Stefan Boettcher published a paper where they found non-Hermitian Hamiltonians endowed with an unbroken PT symmetry (invariance with respect to the simultaneous action of the parity-inversion and time reversal symmetry operators) also may possess a real spectrum. Under a correctly-defined inner product, a PT-symmetric Hamiltonian's eigenfunctions have positive norms and exhibit unitary time evolution, requirements for quantum theories. Bender won the 2017 Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics for his work.
A closely related concept is that of pseudo-Hermitian operators, which were considered by physicists Paul Dirac, Wolfgang Pauli, and Tsung-Dao Lee and Gian Carlo Wick. Pseudo-Hermitian operators were discovered (or rediscovered) almost simultaneously by mathematicians Mark Krein and collaborators as G-Hamiltonian in the study of linear dynamical systems. The equivalence between pseudo-Hermiticity and G-Hamiltonian is easy to establish.
In the early 1960s, Olga Taussky, Michael Drazin, and Emilie Haynsworth demonstrated that the necessary and sufficient criteria for a finite-dimensional matrix to have real eigenvalues is that said matrix is pseudo-Hermitian with a positive-definite metric.
In 2002, Ali Mostafazadeh showed that diagonalizable PT-symmetric Hamiltonians belong to the class of pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians. In 2003, it was proven that in finite dimensions, PT-symmetry is equivalent to pseudo-Hermiticity regardless of diagonalizability,
thereby applying to the physically interesting case of non-diagonalizable Hamiltonians at exceptional points. This indicates that the mechanism of PT-symmetry breaking at exception points, where the Hamiltionian is usually not diagonalizable, is the Krein collision between two eigenmodes with opposite signs of actions.
In 2005, PT symmetry was introduced to the field of optics by the research group of Gonzalo Muga by noting that PT symmetry corresponds to the presence of balanced gain and loss. In 2007, the physicist Demetrios Christodoulides and his collaborators further studied the implications of PT symmetry in optics. The coming years saw the first experimental demonstrations of PT symmetry in passive and active systems. PT symmetry has also been applied to classical mechanics, metamaterials, electric circuits, and nuclear magnetic resonance.
In 2017, a non-Hermitian PT-symmetric Hamiltonian was proposed by Dorje Brody and Markus Müller that "formally satisfies the conditions of the Hilbert–Pólya conjecture."
References
Quantum optics | Non-Hermitian quantum mechanics | [
"Physics"
] | 731 | [
"Quantum optics",
"Quantum mechanics"
] |
51,614,749 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish%20Astronomical%20Society | The Swedish Astronomical Society (Svenska astronomiska sällskapet) a national organization in Sweden aimed at people who want to follow the achievements of astronomical research,. Founded in 1919 on the initiative of astronomer Nils Nordenmark, the society has from the outset aimed to be "an intimate connection between scientists, amateur astronomers and others interested in astronomy" The society runs a program of lectures and other outreach activities, including since 2012 Sweden's annual Day and Night of Astronomy. Since 1920 society has published a quarterly Swedish-language magazine, initially Populär Astronomisk Tidskrift, since 2001 published as Populär Astronomi. The current of the society is astronomer and writer Peter Linde.
See also
List of astronomical societies
References
External links
Astronomy organizations
Astronomy in Sweden
Organizations established in 1919
1919 establishments in Sweden | Swedish Astronomical Society | [
"Astronomy"
] | 167 | [
"Astronomy stubs",
"Astronomy organizations"
] |
51,614,988 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20215 | NGC 215 is a lenticular galaxy located in the constellation Phoenix. It was discovered on October 28, 1834 by John Herschel.
References
0215
Phoenix
Lenticular galaxies
Astronomical objects discovered in 1834
002451
Discoveries by John Herschel
ESO objects | NGC 215 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 51 | [
"Phoenix (constellation)",
"Constellations"
] |
51,615,036 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20216 | NGC 216 is a lenticular galaxy located approximately 68.8 million light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered on December 9, 1784, by William Herschel.
See also
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
References
External links
SEDS
0216
Lenticular galaxies
Cetus
2478
17840915
Discoveries by William Herschel | NGC 216 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 75 | [
"Cetus",
"Constellations"
] |
51,615,398 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20217 | NGC 217 is a spiral or lenticular galaxy located approximately 178 light-years from the Solar System in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered on November 28, 1785 by William Herschel.
See also
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
References
External links
SEDS
0217
Cetus
2482
Astronomical objects discovered in 1785
Discoveries by William Herschel
Spiral galaxies | NGC 217 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 74 | [
"Cetus",
"Constellations"
] |
51,615,424 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20218 | NGC 218, also known as UGC 480, is a spiral galaxy located approximately 500 million light-years from the Sun in the constellation Andromeda. It was discovered on October 17, 1876 by Édouard Stephan, and is interacting with the galaxy PGC 2726.
See also
Spiral galaxy
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
Andromeda (constellation)
References
External links
SEDS
0218
Spiral galaxies
Interacting galaxies
00480
002720
Astronomical objects discovered in 1876
Andromeda (constellation)
Discoveries by Édouard Stephan | NGC 218 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 107 | [
"Andromeda (constellation)",
"Constellations"
] |
51,615,447 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20219 | NGC 219 is a compact elliptical galaxy located approximately 245 million light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered on September 16, 1863 by George Bond.
See also
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
References
External links
SEDS
0219
2522
Elliptical galaxies
Cetus
Astronomical objects discovered in 1863
Discoveries by George Phillips Bond | NGC 219 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 71 | [
"Cetus",
"Constellations"
] |
51,615,470 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20220 | NGC 220 is an open cluster located approximately 210,000 light-years from the Sun in the Small Magellanic Cloud. It is located in the constellation Tucana. It was discovered on August 12, 1834 by John Herschel.
See also
open cluster
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
Small Magellanic Cloud
References
External links
SEDS
0220
Open clusters
Tucana
Small Magellanic Cloud
Astronomical objects discovered in 1834 | NGC 220 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 88 | [
"Tucana",
"Constellations"
] |
51,615,982 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20222 | NGC 222 is an open cluster located approximately 210,000 light-years from the Sun in the Small Magellanic Cloud. It is located in the constellation Tucana. It was discovered on August 1, 1826 by James Dunlop.
See also
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
References
External links
SEDS
0222
Open clusters
Tucana
Small Magellanic Cloud
Astronomical objects discovered in 1826 | NGC 222 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 80 | [
"Tucana",
"Constellations"
] |
51,616,026 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20223 | NGC 223 is a spiral galaxy located approximately 238 million light-years from Earth. It is located in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered on January 5, 1853, by George Bond.
See also
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
References
External links
SEDS
0223
0450
+00-02-129
2527
Spiral galaxies
Cetus
Astronomical objects discovered in 1853 | NGC 223 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 77 | [
"Cetus",
"Constellations"
] |
51,616,081 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20226 | NGC 226 is a spiral galaxy located approximately 216 million light-years from the Sun in the constellation Andromeda. It was discovered on December 21, 1786, by William Herschel.
According to A.M. Garcia, NGC 226 is a member of the NGC 315 Group (also known as LGG 14). This group contains 42 galaxies, including NGC 243, NGC 262, NGC 266, NGC 311, NGC 315, NGC 338, IC 43, IC 66, AND IC 69, among others.
See also
Spiral galaxy
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
Andromeda (constellation)
References
External links
SEDS
0226
2572
Spiral galaxies
Andromeda (constellation)
Astronomical objects discovered in 1786
Discoveries by William Herschel | NGC 226 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 150 | [
"Andromeda (constellation)",
"Constellations"
] |
51,616,145 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%20227 | NGC 227 is a lenticular galaxy located approximately 237 million light-years from the Sun in the constellation Cetus. It was discovered on October 1, 1785 by William Herschel.
See also
List of NGC objects (1–1000)
References
External links
SEDS
0227
0456
+00-02-135
2547
Lenticular galaxies
Cetus
Astronomical objects discovered in 1785
Discoveries by William Herschel | NGC 227 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 81 | [
"Cetus",
"Constellations"
] |
51,616,270 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESP%20Easy | ESP Easy is a free and open source MCU firmware for the Internet of things (IoT). and originally developed by the LetsControlIt.com community (formerly known as ESP8266.nu community). It runs on ESP8266 Wi-Fi based MCU (microcontroller unit) platforms for IoT from Espressif Systems. The name "ESP Easy," by default, refers to the firmware rather than the hardware on which it runs. At a low level, the ESP Easy firmware works the same as the NodeMCU firmware and also provides a very simple operating system on the ESP8266. The main difference between ESP Easy firmware and NodeMCU firmware is that the former is designed as a high-level toolbox that just works out-of-the-box for a pre-defined set of sensors and actuators. Users simply hook up and read/control over simple web requests without having to write any code at all themselves, including firmware upgrades using OTA (Over The Air) updates.
The ESP Easy firmware can be used to turn modules using one of the many processors made by Espressif into simple multifunction sensor and actuator devices for home automation platforms. Once the firmware is loaded on the hardware, configuration of ESP Easy is entirely web interface based. ESP Easy firmware is primarily used on modules/hardware using one of the many Espressif manufactured processor as a wireless Wi-Fi sensor device with added sensors for temperature, humidity, barometric pressure, light intensity, etc. The ESP Easy firmware also offers some low-level actuator functions to control relays.
The firmware is built on the ESP8266 and ESP32 cores for Arduino which in turn uses many open source projects. Getting started with ESP Easy takes a few basic steps. In most cases, ESP8266 modules come with AT or NodeMCU LUA firmware, and you need to replace the existing firmware with the ESP Easy firmware by flashing the hardware with a (available on Windows, macOS and Linux platforms) flash tool to use it.
Supported MCUs
ESPEasy can be used on a number of microprocessors made by Espressif:
ESP8266
ESP32 / ESP32-solo1
ESP32-C2
ESP32-C3
ESP32-C6
ESP32-S2
ESP32-S3
Related projects
RPi-Easy Easy MultiSensor device running on Raspberry PI
ESP8266 Arduino Core
As Arduino.cc began developing new MCU boards based on non-AVR processors like the ARM/SAM MCU used in the Arduino Due, they needed to modify the Arduino IDE so that it would be relatively easy to support alternate toolchains to allow Arduino C/C++ to be compiled down to these new processors. They did this with the introduction of Boards Manager and the Arduino SAM Boards Core. A "core" is the collection of software components required by Boards Manager and the Arduino IDE to compile an Arduino C/C++ source file down to the target MCU's machine language.
See also
Home automation
Web of Things
Connected Device
Smart device
References
External links
Documentation
Forum
GitHub ESPEasy
Open hardware electronic devices
Microcontrollers
Home automation | ESP Easy | [
"Technology"
] | 731 | [
"Home automation"
] |
51,616,822 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SynbiCITE | SynbiCITE is the UK's national Innovation and Knowledge Centre (IKC) for the adoption and use of synthetic biology by industry. It also helps to incubate new businesses by providing them with space and accelerator programs, including funding, training and mentoring.
History
SynbiCITE was created in 2013 after a UK-wide competition to find the most suitable host university with the best strategic plan. Initially funded by the government and other partners for five years, the organization was intended to become self-sustaining by 2018. In April 2016, SynbiCITE opened the Synthetic Biology Foundry, a Research Councils UK-funded facility providing remote gene design, construction, and validation services using laboratory robotics. Based on a similar facility at MIT, it is the first commercial facility in the United Kingdom using laboratory automation to provide on-demand services specifically for synthetic biology.
In 2019, the DNA Foundry opened at Imperial College London's White City Campus. Its goal is to enable businesses to outsource DNA manufacture, design, and testing and accelerate the development of DNA-based technologies in the UK. SynbiCITE also supported the development of OpenCell, which provides affordable biotechnology labs using shipping containers in White City.
Organisation
SynbiCITE is headquartered at Imperial College London. It is funded by a public-private partnership between the EPSRC, BBSRC, and Innovate UK, as well as several industrial and private investors. It is run and managed by a board consisting of two co-directors (Professor Richard Kitney and Professor Paul Freemont).
References
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Genetic engineering in the United Kingdom
Organisations associated with Imperial College London
Laboratories in the United Kingdom
Synthetic biology | SynbiCITE | [
"Engineering",
"Biology"
] | 339 | [
"Synthetic biology",
"Molecular genetics",
"Biological engineering",
"Bioinformatics"
] |
51,618,714 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penicillium%20verrucosum | Penicillium verrucosum is a psychrophilic fungus which was discovered in Belgium and introduced by Dierckx in 1901. Six varieties of this species have been recognized based primarily on differences in colony colour: P. verrucosum var. album, P. verrucosum var. corymbiferum, P. verrucosum var. cyclopium, P. verrucosum var. ochraceum, P. verrucosum var. melanochlorum and P. verrucosum var. verrucosum. This fungus has important implications in food, specifically for grains and other cereal crops on which it grows. Its growth is carefully regulated in order to reduce food spoilage by this fungi and its toxic products. The genome of P. verrucosum has been sequenced and the gene clusters for the biosyntheses of its mycotoxins have been identified.
Taxonomy
Penicillium verrucosum was initially incorrectly placed in synonymy with the species Penicillium viridicatum by Raper and Thom. Later, after disagreements arose upon the identification and naming of these fungi, their growth rates, mycotoxin productions and sources were observed. Careful observation concluded that P. verrucosum and P. viridicatum were indeed separate species. Experimental results showed that the mycotoxins ochratoxin A and citrinin are produced by P. verrucosum but not by P. viridicatum.
Habitat and ecology
Penicillium verrucosum is found in temperate and cooler climates. It is found predominantly in northern Europe, including countries such as Scandinavia, Ukraine, Denmark, Sweden, United Kingdom, Yugoslavia, Italy, and Turkey, certain parts of North America, such as Canada, and parts of South America. P. verrucosum grows on grains, seeds and decaying vegetation. It is widely distributed in food (such as cereal) and animal feed where grains (usually barley, wheat and rye) are a key ingredient.
Growth and morphology
Penicillium verrucosum is found to be slow-growing: it achieves between 15 mm and 25 mm of growth in diameter on both Czapek Yeast Agar (CYA) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA) after seven days. P. verrucosum has a white mycelium and greyish-green to dull green conidia on the aforementioned media. The reverse is coloured yellow brown to deep brown on CYA and dull brown to olive on MEA. Other varieties of P. verrucosum can have differently coloured conidia, including the colours dark green and blue-green. This fungus has a greater number of conidia growth on CYA than MEA. The conidia are smooth-walled and approximately 2.5 μm to 3.0 μm in diameter. These conidia begin in an ellipsoidal shape when young, and later change to a globose or subglobose shape. P. verrucosum possesses conidiophores which are usually two-stage branched (sometimes three-stage branched), giving it a brush-like appearance. The conidiophores of P. verrucosum are rough-walled with branches and metulae that are pressed closely together. The phialides of the conidiophore are short and flask-shaped with distinct necks.
Penicillium verrucosum has a distinctive odour which is described as earthy and pungent.
Physiology
Of the genus Penicillium, only about half of the identified species are able to grow at the body temperature of mammals. P. verrucosum is not one of these species as there is usually no growth of this fungus at 37 °C. The conidia of P. verrucosum have the ability to germinate at temperatures between 0 °C and 31 °C, but optimal temperatures for germination are between 21 °C and 23 °C. Metabolic products of this fungi include 2-octen-1-ol and 1-octanol and ochratoxin A, brevianamide A, citrinin, penicillic acid, ergosterol, ergosteryl palmitate, meso-erythritol, mannitol, viridicatic acid, viridicatol, viridicatin, xanthomegnin, viomellein, rubrosulphin, viopurpurin, 3-O-methylviridicatin, cyclopenin, cyclopenol.
Ochratoxin A
Penicillium verrucosum produces a very potent mycotoxin called ochratoxin A (OTA). This mycotoxin is immunosuppressive and teratogenic. It has also been classified as genotoxic and a possible human carcinogen. Pigs raised in northern and central Europe develop nephritis after consumption of contaminated feed. The consumption of contaminated barley has been found to be toxic to rats and of contaminated rice has proven to be toxic to mice.
Storage conditions
Penicillium verrucosum is a contaminant of cereal crops (such as barley, maize, oats and wheat) which are used in animal feed. These grains become contaminated with this mycotoxin when they are not carefully prepared after harvest and when storage conditions are unsuitable. When grains are properly stored, OTA levels tend to average around 1 μg/kg in temperate areas.
Spoilage of the grain by OTA occurs as a cause of inappropriate storage temperatures and moisture content. OTA synthesis occurs at moisture content levels between 18% and 22%, and OTA production increases when temperatures are between 10 °C and 21 °C. OTA formation does not occur at moisture content levels below 18% and at temperatures above 28 °C.
Prevention and reduction of contamination
To prevent OTA formation, grains must be dried to moisture levels lower than the 18% limit shortly after harvest. Any spoiled commodities should be kept apart from the uncontaminated harvest, and should not be used in food or feed production. Many countries have regulations regarding recommended and permitted levels of OTA in grains which should be followed.
Complete prevention of OTA contamination is ideal, but many methods exist to reduce existing OTA levels, usually classified into physical, chemical and biological procedures. Physical methods are used remove the contaminated grains through sorting and separation. Chemical procedures aim to eliminate this mycotoxin through processes such as ammoniation, ozonation and nixtamalization. Biological processes use microorganisms to decompose or adsorb OTA in contaminated commodities. Protozoa, bacteria, yeast, filamentous fungi and plant cell cultures are all used in these biological procedures. Microorganisms are beneficial for this purpose as they are environmentally-friendly and do not affect the grain quality.
Disease in humans
During the 1950s, reports of kidney disease with high rates of mortality were occurring in geographically close areas, such as Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Romania. This occurrence was called the Balkan Endemic Nephropathy that was being caused by the consumption of contaminated pig meat in those areas. When pigs consumed feed contaminated by OTA, it collected in their fatty tissue rather than being excreted due to its solubility in fat. Humans then consumed contaminated pig meat, allowing this mycotoxin to enter the human system.
OTA is mainly found in blood samples in Europe, but its presence in healthy human blood shows that there is still worldwide exposure. An effort has been made in Europe to monitor the OTA levels in foods by creating regulations regarding maximum acceptable levels. Creating guidelines allows for special attention to be paid to local specialties, such as blood puddings and sausages, which are made using pig blood.
References
verrucosum
Fungi described in 1901
Fungus species | Penicillium verrucosum | [
"Biology"
] | 1,654 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
51,619,284 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HR%206594 | HR 6594 is the Bright Star Catalogue designation for a binary star system in the northern constellation of Hercules. It is faintly visible to the naked eye with an apparent visual magnitude of 5.54; according to the Bortle scale, it is sufficiently bright to be visible from dark suburban skies. The distance to this system, as determined using parallax measurements, is about 114 light years. It is drifting closer with a heliocentric radial velocity of −43.7 km/s, and is predicted to come as near as in 686,000 years. On the celestial sphere it is located near the star Alpha Ophiuchi; their projected separation is just 3 light years, although their actual separation is much greater.
The primary is an F-type main sequence star with a stellar classification of F4 Vw, where the w indicates relatively weak metallic features in the ultraviolet spectrum. This star has 134% of the Sun's mass, but only 97% of the solar radius. It is spinning with a projected rotational velocity of 31.7 km/s, and is around 1.2 billion years old. The effective temperature of the outer atmosphere is 6,615 K, giving it the yellow-white hue of an F-type star. The abundance of elements other than hydrogen or helium, what astronomers term the metallicity, is similar to that in the Sun.
It has a magnitude 9.38 companion star orbiting with a 144-year period, a semimajor axis spanning 1.04 arcseconds, and an eccentricity of 0.42. There is a third, visual companion of magnitude 14.46 at an angular separation of 154.70 arcseconds along a position angle of 271°, as of 2001.
References
F-type main-sequence stars
Binary stars
Hercules (constellation)
6594
BD-16 3256
160910
86623 | HR 6594 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 387 | [
"Hercules (constellation)",
"Constellations"
] |
51,619,662 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Directed%20information | Directed information is an information theory measure that quantifies the information flow from the random string to the random string . The term directed information was coined by James Massey and is defined as
where is the conditional mutual information .
Directed information has applications to problems where causality plays an important role such as the capacity of channels with feedback, capacity of discrete memoryless networks, capacity of networks with in-block memory, gambling with causal side information, compression with causal side information, real-time control communication settings, and statistical physics.
Causal conditioning
The essence of directed information is causal conditioning. The probability of causally conditioned on is defined as
.
This is similar to the chain rule for conventional conditioning except one conditions on "past" and "present" symbols rather than all symbols . To include "past" symbols only, one can introduce a delay by prepending a constant symbol:
.
It is common to abuse notation by writing for this expression, although formally all strings should have the same number of symbols.
One may also condition on multiple strings: .
Causally conditioned entropy
The causally conditioned entropy is defined as:
Similarly, one may causally condition on multiple strings and write
.
Properties
A decomposition rule for causal conditioning is
.
This rule shows that any product of gives a joint distribution .
The causal conditioning probability is a probability vector, i.e.,
.
Directed Information can be written in terms of causal conditioning:
.
The relation generalizes to three strings: the directed information flowing from to causally conditioned on is
.
Conservation law of information
This law, established by James Massey and his son Peter Massey, gives intuition by relating directed information and mutual information. The law states that for any , the following equality holds:
Two alternative forms of this law are
where .
Estimation and optimization
Estimating and optimizing the directed information is challenging because it has terms where may be large. In many cases, one is interested in optimizing the limiting average, that is, when grows to infinity termed as a multi-letter expression.
Estimation
Estimating directed information from samples is a hard problem since the directed information expression does not depend on samples but on the joint distribution which may be unknown. There are several algorithms based on context tree weighting and empirical parametric distributions and using long short-term memory.
Optimization
Maximizing directed information is a fundamental problem in information theory. For example, given the channel distributions , the objective might be to optimize over the channel input distributions .
There are algorithms to optimize the directed information based on the Blahut-Arimoto, Markov decision process, Recurrent neural network, Reinforcement learning. and Graphical methods (the Q-graphs).
For the Blahut-Arimoto algorithm, the main idea is to start with the last mutual information of the directed information expression and go backward. For the Markov decision process, the main ideas is to transform the optimization into an infinite horizon average reward Markov decision process. For a Recurrent neural network, the main idea is to model the input distribution using a Recurrent neural network and optimize the parameters using Gradient descent. For Reinforcement learning, the main idea is to solve the Markov decision process formulation of the capacity using Reinforcement learning tools, which lets one deal with large or even continuous alphabets.
Marko's theory of bidirectional communication
Massey's directed information was motivated by Marko's early work (1966) on developing a theory of bidirectional communication. Marko's definition of directed transinformation differs slightly from Massey's in that, at time , one conditions on past symbols only and one takes limits:
Marko defined several other quantities, including:
Total information: and
Free information: and
Coincidence:
The total information is usually called an entropy rate. Marko showed the following relations for the problems he was interested in:
and
He also defined quantities he called residual entropies:
and developed the conservation law and several bounds.
Relation to transfer entropy
Directed information is related to transfer entropy, which is a truncated version of Marko's directed transinformation .
The transfer entropy at time and with memory is
where one does not include the present symbol or the past symbols before time .
Transfer entropy usually assumes stationarity, i.e., does not depend on the time .
References
Information theory | Directed information | [
"Mathematics",
"Technology",
"Engineering"
] | 864 | [
"Telecommunications engineering",
"Applied mathematics",
"Computer science",
"Information theory"
] |
51,619,874 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tastemade | Tastemade, Inc. is a media company that offers food, travel, and home & design-related programming for online and streaming audiences. Elvina Payne was announced as CFO in June 2024.
History
Founded in 2012 by Larry Fitzgibbon, Steven Kydd and Joe Perez in Santa Monica, California, Tastemade is a media company that creates content in the categories of Food, Travel, and Home & Design. Tastemade's content is available on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Pinterest, Twitch, and YouTube, as well as streaming platforms like Freevee, Hulu, Apple TV Channels, Roku, YouTube TV, TiVo+, DirecTV, Sling TV and Tastemade's website, the service's app, and Tastemade+, a subscription service offering for Tastemade content. More than half of Tastemade's views happen on mobile devices and connected TVs.
In 2016, Tastemade launched Tastemade Japan, a subsidiary that leverages Tastemade’s popularity in the region. In 2020, Tastemade partnered with Mitsui, making Tastemade Japan a joint venture between the two companies.
In 2017, Tastemade opened four new production facilities on three continents including studios in Sao Paulo, Brazil; London, England; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Tokyo, Japan.
Amazon MGM Studios and Tastemade signed a multi-year contract in January 2024 to produce unscripted lifestyle content. Over the next few years, Tastemade will deliver new shows and content to Prime Video and Amazon Freevee. In February of that year, Pinterest and Tastemade partnered up as Pinterest’s first Live Streaming show.
In May 2024, Tastemade launched a new shoppable home improvement series, Kitchen Glow Up, using Shopsense.”
In November 2024, Tastemade launched a recipe app, Tastemade Cooking, to deepen engagement among Tastemade+ subscribers. The app offers subscribers a library of more than 12,000 Tastemade recipes with accompanying videos.
Awards
In 2014, Tastemade's original program Thirsty For... won a James Beard Award in the New Media category for Video Webcast, Fixed Location and/or Instructional. That same year, The Perennial Plate, a documentary series about sustainable food practices on the Tastemade network, also won a James Beard Award in the New Media category for Video Webcast, on Location. The Grill Iron, a Tastemade travel show about college football tailgating, generated over 5 million total views and was nominated for a James Beard Award in 2015. Later, The Grill Iron became Tastemade's first show to migrate from digital to broadcast television in September 2015. In 2016, Tastemade won a Webby Award in the Online Film & Video category for Documentary Series for its show, Heritage.
In early 2015, Apple added the Tastemade channel to its Apple TV device. That same year, Tastemade was named one of the World's Top 10 Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company.
In July 2015, Facebook began testing a revenue sharing program with its video partners, Tastemade being among them. Tastemade is also part of Facebook's Anthology program, which creates video ads by teaming up advertisers and publishers. In April 2016, Tastemade announced an agreement with Facebook to produce and air 100 Facebook Live shows monthly.
Tastemade debuted as one of Snapchat's new publishers on its Discover platform in August 2015, producing original food and travel content for the app on a daily basis. The following month, Tastemade's Snapchat Discover channel launched in the United Kingdom and France. Tastemade's Snapchat channel was also nominated for a Webby Award in 2016.
In 2016, Tastemade received a James Beard Award for their series, Uncharted.
Tastemade won an additional James Beard Award in 2020 for their series Broken Bread with Roy Choi.
In March 2021, Tastemade was named one of Fast Company's “Most Innovative Companies” in the category of “Media.”
In 2022, Tastemade won the Digiday TV & Video Award for “Best FAST Channel.” Later that year, Frankie Celenza, the host of the Tastemade original series, Struggle Meals, won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Culinary Host.
In 2023, Tastemade's series "Broken Bread" won three LA Area Emmy Awards.
In 2024 Tastemade programming was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards, one for "Street Somm" and one for Sophia Roe as Best Culinary Host on "Counter Space." Also that year, "Street Somm" received a James Beard Media Award nomination. Tastemade also won a 2024 Digiday Media Award for Best of Livestreaming on Amazon Live.
Funding
In 2012, Tastemade raised $5.3 million in series A funding from Redpoint Ventures.
In 2013, the company announced $10 million in series B funding from Raine Ventures and Redpoint Ventures.
In 2014, Tastemade announced $25 million in series C funding, led by Scripps Networks Interactive with participation by Liberty Media Corporation, bringing the startup's total funding to $40 million. In December 2015, Tastemade secured a $40 million Series D funding round led by Goldman Sachs, with participation from existing investors Redpoint Ventures, Raine Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Liberty Media, Scripps Networks Interactive, and Tohokushinsha Film Corporation, bringing the total funding to $80 million. In October 2018, Tastemade closed a $35M Series E funding round led by Goldman Sachs Growth Equity along with new investors Amazon and Cool Japan Fund, with participation from existing investors including Redpoint Ventures, Raine Ventures, Comcast Ventures, and Liberty Media, bringing total funding to $115 million.
Network sponsors
Tastemade's original programming has attracted sponsors including Constellation Brands, Disney+, Kellogg’s, Hellmann’s, Heineken, Scotch Brand, Mars, Grey Goose, Stella Artois, Chase, Kraft Foods, General Mills, Hyundai, American Express, Visa, San Pellegrino, Starbucks, Unilever, Realtor.com, and others. Tastemade released the findings of a study commissioned from Nielsen which showed that integrating brands into the content resonated better with viewers. Specifically, the study found that brand integration resulted in much higher brand affinity, perception and recall, and increased purchase intent by 30 percent.
Streaming
In 2014, Tastemade signed a development deal with Ryan Seacrest to create food and lifestyle programming. In 2015, Tastemade hired Julie Nolke to create videos and develop show ideas.
In 2018, Tastemade launched its 24-hour linear streaming channel featuring several hundred hours of original programming. The channel was made available on platforms such as YouTube TV and Philo.
In June 2020, Tastemade and Hyundai partnered on a four-part series on Tastemade’s streaming channel called “The Un-Adventurers,” which tells the story of a real person who leaves their home state for the first time to embark on a fantasy road trip.
In September 2020, Tastemade launched its second streaming channel, Tastemade en Español, a Spanish-language streaming channel with hundreds of hours of lifestyle programming.
Later that year, Walmart and Tastemade rolled out shoppable streaming content with special episodes of Tastemade’s series “Struggle Meals” which let audiences text an on-screen number to add suggested ingredients to a virtual Walmart shopping cart and place an order for pickup or delivery.
In 2021, Tastemade partnered with Disney to Produce Disney's Magic Bake-Off series on Disney Channel. The 13-episode series was hosted by Disney Channel stars Dara Reneé (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) and Issac Ryan Brown (Raven’s Home).
Later that year, Tastemade launched Tastemade Travel, a streaming channel to showcase the company’s travel series. The channel was first available on Samsung TV Plus, Redbox, VIZIO WatchFree+, and IMDb TV and featured shows like “Luke Nguyen’s Street Food Asia” and “Curtis Stone’s Field Trip.”
In 2022, Tastemade’s series, “A New Green Book” was announced as a part of YouTube Originals’ global slate of Black Voices Fund programming.
Later that year, Tastemade launched Tastemade Home, a new streaming channel with content geared toward homeowners and renters including four new original series, along with “Weekend Refresh,” hosted by actress Tia Mowry and inspired by Tastemade’s social series.
In 2023, Tastemade and Constellation Brands announced a partnership to create a content studio and produce shows that revolve around Constellation’s brands. It built on a partnership formed between Tastemade and Constellation in recent years when the two collaborated on videos for social media to attract Generation Z and millennial consumers of drinking age.
Later that year, Amazon Live launched exclusive shoppable content from Tastemade, including episodes of “Struggle Meals.”
In 2024, Tastemade and Amazon MGM Studios signed a multi-year first look deal to produce unscripted lifestyle content. Their first venture together as part of the deal will deliver 15 new shows to Prime Video and Amazon Freevee audiences over the next few years. “Dish it Out” will be the first unscripted series to come from the partnership. Hosted by Gordon Ramsay’s daughter, Matilda “Tilly” Ramsay, the series will follow the young Ramsay as she receives a mystery box of goods from various chefs and home cooks around the world in each episode, piecing together the items in each box to create a globally inspired dish.
Later that year, Tastemade partnered with Pinterest to launch their first streaming show, “Deliciously Entertaining” — aimed at whetting the appetite of users to engage with the image-sharing social platform.
Also in 2024, Tastemade partnered with Shopsense AI to enable US viewers to shop items of select Tastemade lifestyle streaming content, starting with the series Kitchen Glow Up. Later that year,Tastemade acquired six lifestyle series starring celebrity chef Jamie Oliver for the U.S. through a partnership with Fremantle. The company also acquired the streaming rights to Alison Roman's "Home Movies" digital series.
Tastemade's other original programming includes the shows Thirsty For..., Alice in Paris, 8-Bit Cooking School, All the Pizza, One for the Road, Food Court, and Grand Opening—Bondi Harvest.
Selected list of programs
Alice in Paris
All Nighter
All the Pizza
All Up In My Grill
Baking it Easy
Broken Bread
Curtis Stone’s Field Trip
Day of Gluttony
Frankie's World
Frankie vs. The Internet
Grill Iron
Kitchen Glow Up
Local Flight
Luke Nguyen’s Street Food Asia
Mad Good Food
Make This Tonight
Mary's Kitchen Crush
Off Menu
One for the Road
Raw. Vegan. Not Gross
Street Somm
Struggle Meals
The Curious Chef
The Un-Adventurers
Thirsty For...
Tiny Kitchen
Uncharted
Weekend Refresh
Worth the Hype
Social
Its show, Tiny Kitchen, which focuses on dishes being made in a miniature kitchen, has been featured on ABC News.
In August 2017, Tastemade launched Struggle Meals starring Chef Frankie Celenza on Facebook Watch. In 2018, the series launched on Snapchat Discover.
In 2022, Tastmade and Pinterest announced a global partnership. The partnership includes new shows on Pinterest, hundreds of hours of live programming for Pinterest TV, video content across core and emerging verticals, and in-person creator events at Tastemade studios globally.
References
External links
Digital media
Internet properties established in 2012
Internet television channels
Streaming television in the United States
New media
YouTube channels | Tastemade | [
"Technology"
] | 2,395 | [
"Multimedia",
"New media",
"Digital media"
] |
51,621,291 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fonsecaea%20compacta | Fonsecaea compacta is a saprophytic fungal species found in the family Herpotrichiellaceae. It is a rare etiological agent of chromoblastomycosis, with low rates of correspondence observed from reports. The main active components of F. compacta are glycolipids, yet very little is known about its composition. F. compacta is widely regarded as a dysplastic variety of Fonsecaea pedrosoi, its morphological precursor. The genus Fonsecaea presently contains two species, F. pedrosoi and F. compacta. Over 100 strains of F. pedrosoi have been isolated but only two of F. compacta.
History
Fonsecaea compacta was first proposed by Carrion in 1935. This proposal was considered invalid because a Latin diagnosis was not provided at the time. The name F. compacta was later validated in 1940 when Carrion provided the required Latin diagnosis. Carrion & Emmons reported the presence of phialides in F. compacta, which were described as being typical of those formed by Phialophora verrucosa. Owing to this observation, Redaelli & Ciferri transferred F. compacta to the genus Phialophora in 1942. Given that the generic name Fonsecaea is feminine, the species epithet "compacta" rather than "compactum" is used for gender agreement.
Classification
There is some disagreement concerning the nomenclature, such as whether the genus Fonsecaea is suitable. This is largely due to discrepancy among medical mycologists as to which characteristics should be used to identify them. At one time or another, F. compacta had been placed in other genera, including, Phialophora, Hormodendrum, Acrotheca, Phialoconidiophora, Rhinocladiella or Trichosporium. The two more common ones are Rhinocladiella and Phialophora. Confusion surrounding F. pedrosoi and F. compacta has resulted from their polymorphic nature, in that they may form more than one type of conidia arrangement within a single culture. Evaluation of different isolates confirms the genus Fonsecaea is most logical, as characterized by their complex heads of conidia. In 2004, it was reported that based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, 39 strains of Fonsecaea spp. and related species could be classified into three groups: Group A, including F. pedrosoi and F. compacta; Group B, including F. monophora and Group C, a heterogeneous collection containing Fonsecaea sp. and Cladophialophora spp.
Taxonomic debate
The taxonomic status of F. compacta is uncertain. The debate whether or not F. compacta is a distinct species of Fonsecaea has persisted for years, essentially since it was discovered. Some authors maintain that F. compacta and F. pedrosoi are separate species given small differences in morphology of conidiophores and conidia. F. compacta and F. pedrosoi are readily distinguishable from each other. F. compacta is characterized by its compact conidial heads, blunt scars and subglobose to ovoid conidia, while F. pedrosoi has loose conidial heads, prominent scars, and elongated conidia. It was once thought that the two can not be combined into a single species considering there are base substitutions in 48 positions. The two were also found to have identical D1/D2 sequences, a 600 nucleotide domain in a subunit of rDNA. RAPD and RFLP methods were used to investigate genetic variations between these species, however no variations were found. In 2004, scientists from the University of Chiba in Japan found that there is no difference in subunit ribosomal DNA D1/D2 domain sequence between F. pedrosoi and F. compacta, which may indicate that the latter is merely a morphological variation of the first. More recently, several molecular investigations such as restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of mitochondrial DNA, ribosomal RNA (rRNA), ITS sequence, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), large subunit (LSU) rRNA D1/D2 domain sequence, and RFLP of small subunit (SSU) rRNA and ITS regions have revealed that F. pedrosoi and F. compacta have few distinctions at the molecular level. and accordingly F. compacta has been considered a morphological variant of F. pedrosoi.
Growth and morphology
The morphological forms of F. compacta are referred to as RhinocIadiella-like, Cladosporium-Iike, and Phialophora-like. The Rhinocladiella-like and Phialophora-like types of development are best referred to as additional anamorphs of Fonsecaea. Some isolates of Fonsecaea may form phialides with collarettes that are typical of the genus Phialophora. When fungi produce more than one morphologic form in culture, such as the case with F. compacta and F. pedrosoi, the most stable, distinct, and unique form that is produced under standard conditions are used for identifying the fungus. Colonies on potato dextrose agar are slow growing, velvety to woolly, and olive to olivaceous black in color. Isolates of F. compacta may produce up to four different types of conidiophores. The diagnostic form consists of densely clustered, one-celled, pale brown, primary conidia, up to 4 × 8 μm that develop irregularly upon pegs at the terminus of erect, dark, irregularly swollen, club shaped, conidiophores. The primary conidia give rise to one-celled, 3 × 3.5 μm, secondary conidia in a like manner. The secondary conidia may in turn give rise to tertiary conidia. The conidia are rounded and form compact heads. Conidiophores bearing one-celled conidia like those produced by Rhinocladiella, branched chains of one-celled conidia arising from erect conidiophores like those produced by Cladosporium, and flask-shaped phialides having flared collarettes and balls of one-celled conidia like those produced by Phialophora may also be present. On average, sizes range from 5 to 20 μm in diameter.
Habitat and ecology
F. compacta is predominantly found in humid conditions such as Latin America and Asia, although it has also been seen in Europe. A large number of cases have been reported from Madagascar in Africa, Brazil and Japan. Its natural habitat consists of soil and woody plant material. It is a saprotroph, commonly associated with forest litter decomposition.
Disease in humans
Fonsecaea compacta has the ability to cause a disease called Chromoblastomycosis. The five main causal fungi of chromoblastomycosis are F. compacta, F. pedrosoi, Phialophora verrucosa, Exophiala dermatitidis and Cladophialophora carrionii. F. compacta is a rare etiological agent of chromoblastomycosis in humans, as it has only been reported in a few instances. A Puerto Rican case in which the disease was confined to an upper limb and the lesions consisted of extensive, diffuse, even areas of infiltration with some papillomata on the hand and without tumors or nodules was confirmed to be caused by F. compacta.
Epidemiology
Chromoblastomycosis is distributed worldwide, although it is more common in tropical and subtropical countries. Large numbers of cases have been reported from Madagascar in Africa, Brazil and Japan. Several studies have shown that it is prevalent in several other countries as well like Thailand, Korea, Pakistan. The five types of lesions described by Carrion in chromoblastomycosis are nodules, tumors, plaques, warty lesions. F. compacta is a very rare species, known only from a few clinical collections. A few of these instances include five cases in India from which F. compacta was isolated. One study of F. compacta in India produced an isolation rate of 15%. Another study from Sri Lanka reported isolation of 2 cases of F. compacta. Infection occurs more commonly in males than females, and typically between the ages of 30-50. It is less commonly seen in adolescence, with onset occurring before the age of 20 in 24% of cases.
Transmission
Infection caused by F. compacta is thought to be acquired through the same mechanisms as other more common agents of chromoblastomycosis, such as through puncture wounds caused by wooden splinters or thorny plants which allow the fungus to gain entry. Increased cases are seen in agricultural workers such as adult male farmers and laborers, whose occupation brings them into close contact with soil, are mainly affected. Poverty and malnutrition in Indian children may be responsible for the early development of clinical infection. The Fonsecaea species have been reported to be recoverable from environmental sources and therefore the disease is considered to be of traumatic origin. Nevertheless, the precise natural niche of both F. compacta has remained uncertain and hence it is unclear where and how symptomatic patients have acquired their infection.
Treatment
Good hygiene and adequate nutrition may help the individual abort a potential infection. Early stages of treatment for minor chromoblastomycosis cases involve surgical excision, electrodesiccation. cryosurgery, physical therapy, using liquid nitrogen for localized lesions is very effective and can be applied in combination with antifungal therapies. More advanced cases require systemic antifungals treatment for extended periods of time. Severe lesions tend to respond slowly or even become non-responding to antifungal drugs. Presently, the most useful antifungals against chromoblastomycosis include itraconazole and terbinafine, which are highly expensive and often used in combination. Cure rates observed with antifungal drugs vary from 15 to 80%. In severe forms cure rates are particularly low and relapse rates are high. F. compacta and F. pedrosoi are less susceptible to antifungal treatments so cure rates are lower compared to other agents of the disease.
References
Eurotiomycetes
Fungus species | Fonsecaea compacta | [
"Biology"
] | 2,181 | [
"Fungi",
"Fungus species"
] |
51,622,444 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shadow%20stack | In computer security, a shadow stack is a mechanism for protecting a procedure's stored return address, such as from a stack buffer overflow. The shadow stack itself is a second, separate stack that "shadows" the program call stack. In the function prologue, a function stores its return address to both the call stack and the shadow stack. In the function epilogue, a function loads the return address from both the call stack and the shadow stack, and then compares them. If the two records of the return address differ, then an attack is detected; the typical course of action is simply to terminate the program or alert system administrators about a possible intrusion attempt. A shadow stack is similar to stack canaries in that both mechanisms aim to maintain the control-flow integrity of the protected program by detecting attacks that tamper the stored return address by an attacker during an exploitation attempt.
Shadow stacks can be implemented by recompiling programs with modified prologues and epilogues, by dynamic binary rewriting techniques to achieve the same effect, or with hardware support. Unlike the call stack, which also stores local program variables, passed arguments, spilled registers and other data, the shadow stack typically just stores a second copy of a function's return address.
Shadow stacks provide more protection for return addresses than stack canaries, which rely on the secrecy of the canary value and are vulnerable to non-contiguous write attacks. Shadow stacks themselves can be protected with guard pages or with information hiding, such that an attacker would also need to locate the shadow stack to overwrite a return address stored there.
Like stack canaries, shadow stacks do not protect stack data other than return addresses, and so offer incomplete protection against security vulnerabilities that result from memory safety errors.
In 2016, Intel announced upcoming hardware support for shadow stacks with their Control-flow Enforcement Technology.
Shadow stacks face some compatibility problems. After a program throws an exception or a longjmp occurs, the return address at the top of the shadow stack will not match return address popped from the call stack. The typical solution for this problem is to pop entries from the shadow stack until a matching return address is found, and to only terminate the program when no match is found in the shadow stack.
A multithreaded program, which would have a call stack for each executing thread, would then also have a shadow stack shadowing each of the call stacks.
See also
Call stack
Return address
Buffer overflow
References
Control flow integrity
Cybersecurity engineering | Shadow stack | [
"Technology",
"Engineering"
] | 501 | [
"Cybersecurity engineering",
"Control flow integrity",
"Computer networks engineering",
"Computer engineering"
] |
51,623,139 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinatec | Clinatec is a biomedical research center based at the Polygone Scientifique in Grenoble. Doctors, biologists and micro- and nanotechnology experts work side by side at the 6,000 m2 facility. Around a hundred researchers and employees work at the center. When it opened at the end of 2011, it was hailed as the first center of its kind in the world. With six hospital rooms, cutting-edge medical imaging equipment and an operating suite, Clinatec was developed by the Research Division of the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital (CHU), Inserm and the Université Grenoble Alpes. The primary focus is on cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and disability.
Background
Professor Alim Louis Benabid and Jean Therme first met back in 2006.
Alim Louis Benabid is a neurosurgeon. Together with Professor Pierre Pollak, he developed a new treatment for Parkinson's disease, deep brain stimulation. His work received recognition in 2014 with the Lasker Award and in 2016 with the European Inventor Award.
Jean Therme is Director of Technological Research at CEA Grenoble. He has worked tirelessly to make Grenoble a key center of expertise in electronics and micro- and nanotechnology, and to encourage close collaboration between the worlds of research and industry.
Both men were convinced that millions of lives could be transformed by merging medical research and technology R&D. They agreed that the way to achieve this would be to bring together doctors, researchers, biologists, engineers, robotics engineers, mathematicians and knowledge engineers to work at a single site.
In 2010–11, the 6,000 m2 building was built and equipped.
In 2013, the first patient was admitted to the center, in relation to the "Protool" clinical trial coordinated by Professor Berger. For the first time, it was possible to use non-invasive procedures to explore regions of the brain that had hitherto been inaccessible. The exciting prospects opened up by this technology, the result of the coupling of technology developed at CEA-Leti with the clinical approach taken by researchers at Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital (CHU), Inserm and the Université Grenoble Alpes, led to setting up the MedPrint start-up, which won an I-lab award in 2015.
In 2014, Clinatec launched a campaign to raise 30 million euros in order to develop a number of projects, including:
the Brain Computer Interface (BCI) project aiming to prove that a quadriplegic patient can drive neuroprosthetic effectors with multiple degrees of freedom, such as an exoskeleton, based on decoding cortical signals (ElectroCorticoGrams) measured by a Wimagine implant, and can do this through training to make the most of their cerebral plasticity,
and the Near InfraRed (NIR) project aiming to demonstrate that near-infrared light can have neuro-protective effects in treating Parkinson's disease.
Founding Members
Clinatec is the outcome of a solid partnership between the CEA (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission), Grenoble-Alpes University Hospital (CHU), Inserm and the Université Grenoble Alpes.
The clinatec endowment fund
The Clinatec endowment fund was set up in 2014. A sponsorship campaign has been launched, aiming to raise 30 million euros by 2018.
Awards
Lasker Award
Professor Alim Louis Benabid, Clinatec's founder and chairman of the board, member of the French Academy of Sciences, is one of the joint winners of the prestigious Albert-Lasker Award for clinical research awarded by the Albert and Mary Lasker Foundation in New York. Professors Alim-Louis Benabid and Mahlon R. Delong of Emory University received awards for their contributions to the development of deep brain stimulation. The technique consists in stimulating the subthalamic nucleus to inhibit tremors and restore motor function in patients with Parkinson's disease and from complications caused by Levodopa, a drug widely used in treating the disease.
Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences
Set up in 2013 by Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan of Facebook, Sergey Brin, founder of Google, and Yuri Milner and Anne Wojcicki, the founders of 23andMe, the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences is awarded to researchers whose work extends human life expectancy.
Professor Alim Louis Benabid was awarded the prize in 2015 for the development of deep brain stimulation, a technique which has revolutionized the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
European Inventor Award 2016
On June 9, 2016, Professor Alim Louis Benabid received the European Inventor Award 2016 for his work on deep brain stimulation. The technique, now used all over the world, has radically transformed the lives of more than 150,000 people with Parkinson's disease, and significantly improved their quality of life.
Media interest
In July 2012, Philippe Pozzo di Borgo, rendered quadriplegic following an accident and the man whose story was the inspiration for the French film Intouchables, visited Clinatec with a group of local journalists. He expressed his confidence in and admiration for this research program in a report aired on regional news channel, France 3 Alpes
See also
Brain computer interface
Minatec
References
External links
Clinatec official website (English)
Clinatec official website (French)
Neuroscience research centers in France
Nanotechnology
Grenoble Alpes University
Science and technology in Grenoble
Research and development | Clinatec | [
"Materials_science",
"Engineering"
] | 1,146 | [
"Nanotechnology",
"Materials science"
] |
51,623,147 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scriptaid | Scriptaid is a drug which acts as a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and was one of the first compounds discovered via high-throughput screening that acts at this target. Scriptaid itself was never developed for medical applications, but led to the development of structurally related drugs such as vorinostat, which have been accepted into clinical use. Most early research using these compounds focused on their anti-cancer activity, but more recent research has found scriptaid to be useful in other applications such as cloning and research into regulation of metabolism.
References
Histone deacetylase inhibitors
Hydroxamic acids | Scriptaid | [
"Chemistry"
] | 124 | [
"Pharmacology",
"Functional groups",
"Medicinal chemistry stubs",
"Organic compounds",
"Pharmacology stubs",
"Hydroxamic acids"
] |
70,205,403 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VINE-seq | VINE-seq (Vessel Isolation and Nuclei Extraction for Sequencing) is a method to isolate and molecularly characterize the vascular and perivascular cells of the human brain microvessels at single-nuclei resolution. This technique is achieved by combining various known laboratory-based strategies involving the mechanical dissociation of brain tissue samples into single cells, density gradient centrifugation and filtration to isolate nuclei of microvessels, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACs) of cellular populations and droplet-based single-nuclei RNA sequencing (drop-snRNA-seq). Altogether, this generates a single-nuclei transcriptomic profile of the various cell types present in the vasculature of the brain. Through processing and analyzing the single-nuclei transcriptomic data, the heterogeneity within and between cell types can be distinguished to construct the molecular landscape of the human brain vasculature that was not previously done before.
Background
A central feature of brain health is the maintenance of the complex vasculature that functions to transport essential metabolites, oxygen, nutrients and wastes to and from the human brain. Disruption of the vasculature can lead to neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and stroke. The vasculature is home to a heterogeneous group of cell types including but not limited to the endothelial cells, pericytes, astrocytes, and leukocytes. Although there have been many attempts to understand the cellular diversity in the vasculature over the years, methodological and technological limitations have hindered our ability to decode the complex entity of the brain. Therefore, our treatment options for neurological disorders have been inadequate due to our incomplete characterization of the vascular and perivascular cells in this complex environment. Through recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), the molecular atlas of the brain vasculature in mice has been decoded and the heterogeneous nature within the cell types found in the human brain have been slowly uncovered. Despite these achievements, murine brain vasculature may not fully recapitulate the human brain vasculature leading to concerns of translational potential. Additionally, many previous studies focusing on scRNA-seq of the human brain did not characterize the cellular heterogeneity in the vasculature. By introducing a novel method called VINE-seq, a research group derived a method to isolate intact nuclei from the microvessels of the brain. To accomplish this, they had to overcome the challenge of removing the extracellular matrix (ECM) that surrounds the microvessels without damaging the nuclei. By using VINE-seq on frozen brain tissues from the hippocampus and cortex, they provided the first characterization of the various cell types in the human brain vasculature at single-nuclei resolution.
Methodology
VINE-Seq is a novel method to detail the vasculature of the human brain. It uses a combination of laboratory methods with single-nucleotide transcriptomics in order to compose an atlas of the vascular and perivascular cell types within the brain. The following steps detail the basis of the VINE-Seq protocol:
The initial portion of the protocol consists of methodology adapted from splenocyte isolation and sample clean-up. For VINE-Seq, human brain tissue is initially extracted post-mortem. The researchers extracted brain tissue from the hippocampus and the superior frontal cortex.
Tissue samples are homogenized until completely blended and no visible tissue remains. Samples are mixed with 32% Dextran solution in HBSS. Centrifugation is performed at 4,400g for 20 minutes in order to separate cellular layers with a pellet containing the condensed vasculature. The remaining layers of myelin and parenchymal cells are aspirated without disturbing the pellet.
Pellets are resuspended in a Dextran solution. A series of washes with PBS is performed to further decontaminate the pellet from cellular debris. The microvessels are exposed and the remaining cellular debris is removed.
A method designed to extract mouse splenocytes was adapted and performed to help isolate the nuclei from the remaining vascular cells. Centrifugation at 500g for 10 minutes is performed to separate vascular cells from nuclei and are resuspended in a solution of lysis buffer, RNase inhibitor, and EDTA-free protease inhibitor. The nuclei are then homogenized using glass douncers. The samples are pelleted once more via centrifugation.
The remaining cellular debris and byproducts are depleted using a sucrose gradient wash and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The pellets are purified to help yield high-quality data.
Flow cytometry is used for the remaining nuclei. This technique is used to determine the physical and chemical properties of the vascular nuclei.
Laboratory runs of flow cytometry overestimated from expected values by 3.4 times. In response, the researchers isolated and sorted more nuclei to obtain around 10,000 nuclei per sample. After flow sorting, 10,000 nuclei per sample are required to perform droplet-based snRNA-seq libraries.
Droplet-based snRNA-seq libraries are prepared for sequencing. Adequate cDNA is obtained after 15 cycles of PCR. The researchers successfully sequenced vascular nuclei on S4 lanes on a NovaSeq 6000.
Applications
Brain mapping
Through their experimentation and transcriptomic analysis, the authors and creators of VINE-Seq discovered that the series of methods were able to elucidate the transcriptomic expression of the vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells present in the arteriovenous organization in healthy human brain tissue. Additionally, VINE-seq was able to capture two novel subpopulations of pericytes called matrix pericytes and transport pericytes that may be involved in ECM modulation and transmembrane transportation, respectively.
Alzheimer's disease
Using VINE-seq, these researchers were able to help uncover the molecular basis of the human brain vasculature in Alzheimer's disease (AD). They showed that AD-associated genes were highly expressed in the vascular cell types and that there are gene expression alterations or loss of abundance of endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and perivascular fibroblasts cells in AD brain samples compared to normal brain samples.
Further applications
VINE-Seq was originally designed to map out the vasculature of the human brain, as no molecular map currently exists. Ever since the pre-print of the paper introducing VINE-seq was available in 2021, the molecular map has been recognized for its contribution in expanding our knowledge of the brain vasculature which will allow for more in-depth studies of brain diseases and potentially overcoming the challenge of drug delivery to the brain. Some applications of the data generated by VINE-seq have contributed to furthering our knowledge in the pathogenesis of AD, dementia, ischemic stroke, and the effects of severe COVID-19 on the brain.
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
Isolates more cerebrovascular nuclei than previous single-nuclei isolation techniques
Captures rarer cells in the vasculature due to better isolation of nuclei
Minimizes the effect of altering gene expression by avoiding enzymatic dissociation
Applicable to frozen archived brain tissue
Disadvantages
Characterization of cell types is limited to known nuclear markers
Loss of cytoplasmic transcriptomic information through isolation of the nuclei
Potential leak from nuclear pores of RNA, thus losing some crucial RNA transcripts
References
DNA sequencing methods | VINE-seq | [
"Biology"
] | 1,586 | [
"Genetics techniques",
"DNA sequencing methods",
"DNA sequencing"
] |
70,206,694 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource%20defense%20polygyny | In animal behavior, resource defense polygyny is a mating strategy where a male is able to support multiple female mates by competing with other males for access to a resource. In such a system, males are territorial. Because male movement is restricted, female-female competition for a male also results. Males capable of maintaining a larger territory are said to have greater resource holding power. It is one of the three major types of polygyny, the other two being female defense polygyny and leks.
Examples
Resource defense polygyny is a common strategy in insects. For examples, damselflies in the family Calopterygidae typically display resource defense polygyny, in which territorial males guard riverine habitat that is sought after by females for egg deposition. Within a species there may be a territorial and nonterritorial morph.
Many bird species also display resource defense polygyny. The yellow headed blackbird is an example, where a male may have multiple females nesting in his territory.
See also
Polygyny threshold model
References
Ethology
Mating systems
Polygyny | Resource defense polygyny | [
"Biology"
] | 220 | [
"Behavior",
"Behavioural sciences",
"Ethology",
"Mating systems",
"Mating"
] |
70,207,317 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow%20DoS%20attack | The term slow DoS attack (SDA) was introduced in 2013, to clearly define a specific category of denial-of-service attacks which make use of low-bandwidth rate to accomplish their purpose. Similar terms can be found in literature, such as:
application layer DoS, focusing on attacks targeting the application layer only, while a slow DoS attack may exploit lower-layers of the ISO/OSI stack
low-rate DoS, focusing on the characteristics of using a limited amount of attack bandwidth, hence, for instance, including also exploit-based threats
Particularly, in order to reduce bandwidth, a slow DoS attack often acts at the application layer of the ISO/OSI stack (e.g. in case of timeout exploiting threats), although this is not a requirement. Such layer is however easier to exploit in order to successfully attack a victim even by sending it a few bytes of malicious requests.
The purpose of a slow DoS attack is (often, but not always) to cause unavailability of a network service, by seizing all the connections the daemon is able to concurrently manage, at the application layer. Under such conditions, any new incoming connection, even from potentially legitimate clients, will not be accepted by the daemon, hence leading to a denial of service. In addition, once a connection is established/sized by the attacker, the adversary would keep it alive as long as possible (hence, avoiding connection closures, which could potentially free-up resources for legitimate clients). In order to keep connections alive, reducing at the same time the attack bandwidth, considering a single connection, data are sent to the target service only at specific times, by exploiting the so-called Wait Timeout parameter, scheduling a periodic data sending activity (at the application layer): once the timeout expires, a specific payload (depending on the attack type and the approach used by the malicious user) is sent to the targeted daemon. While at lower layers of the ISO/OSI stack, timeouts may be relatively short, in this case, it may assume particularly long values, in the order of minutes.
Exploited parameters
According to Cambiaso et al, slow DoS attacks exploit one or more parameters characteristics of TCP-based connections. Such parameters are exploited to keep connections alive longer than expected by preserving the attack bandwidth, hence seizing the server resources for long times, by at the same time reducing attack resources.
See also
Slowloris (computer security)
SlowDroid
Trinoo
Stacheldraht
Denial of service
LAND
Low Orbit Ion Cannon
High Orbit Ion Cannon
References
Denial-of-service attacks | Slow DoS attack | [
"Technology"
] | 530 | [
"Denial-of-service attacks",
"Computer security exploits"
] |
70,207,477 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert%20A.%20Bosch | Robert A. (Bob) Bosch (born August 13, 1963, in Buffalo NY) is an author, recreational mathematician and the James F. Clark Professor of Mathematics at Oberlin College. He is known for domino art and for combining graph theory and mathematical optimization to design connect-the-dots eye candy: labyrinths, knight's tours, string art and TSP Art.
He is the author of Opt Art: From Mathematical Optimization to Visual Design.
Education and career
Bosch received a BA in mathematics at Oberlin College in 1985, an MS in operations research and statistics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1987 and a PhD in operations research with the thesis Partial Updating in Interior-Point Methods for Linear Programming under Kurt Martin Anstreicher at Yale University in 1991.
He has been at Oberlin College since 1991 where he teaches mathematics, statistics and computer science.
Combining art and mathematics
Bosch is passionate about using computers and mathematical optimization techniques to design visual art. He refers to this work as "Opt Art." He has written dozens of papers on this topic, many of them with Oberlin College student collaborators. Over the years Bosch has created numerous portraits drawn with a single continuous line. Some of these drawings are solutions of the
Traveling salesman problem (or solutions to related problems). Examples include the "figurative tours" he created with computer scientist Tom Wexler and renditions of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, a Van Gogh self portrait, and Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring.
Domino portraits such as his renderings of Martin Luther King and Barack Obama are an expansion of the mathematical genre of opt art in another direction.
Awards
2007 Trevor Evans Award from the Mathematical Association of America (MAA), for the Math Horizons article "Opt Art".
2012 Inaugural Outstanding Paper Award from the Journal of Mathematics and the Arts, for the article "Simple-Close-Curve Sculptures of Knots and Links".
2010 First Prize in the Mathematical Art Exhibition of The American Mathematical Society (AMS), for the sculpture Embrace.
References
External links
Opt Art: From Mathematical Optimization to Visual Design [video]
Domino Artwork: The Mathematical Artwork of Robert Bosch
Robert Bosch Mathematical Art Galleries
Living people
1963 births
20th-century American mathematicians
21st-century American mathematicians
Recreational mathematicians
Mathematics popularizers
Oberlin College alumni
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni
Yale School of Management alumni
Oberlin College faculty
Mathematicians from New York (state) | Robert A. Bosch | [
"Mathematics"
] | 491 | [
"Recreational mathematics",
"Recreational mathematicians"
] |
70,209,116 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4-Ethylphenyl%20sulfate | 4-Ethylphenyl sulfate (4EPS) is a metabolite produced by gut bacteria, which can be toxic when present in large amounts. Elevated levels of this metabolite have been associated with some medical conditions including chronic kidney disease and autism.
See also
Indoxyl sulfate
References
Sulfate esters
Toxins | 4-Ethylphenyl sulfate | [
"Chemistry",
"Environmental_science"
] | 68 | [
"Pharmacology",
"Toxicology",
"Medicinal chemistry stubs",
"Toxins",
"Pharmacology stubs"
] |
70,209,320 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldwyn%20Torto | Baldwyn Torto is a Ghanaian scientist. He is a chemical ecologist, and a principal scientist at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE). He also doubles as an extraordinary professor and the head of Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Unit, Department of Zoology and Entomology at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. He is a fellow of the Entomological Society of America, a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, and a member of the American Chemical Society.
Early life and education
Torto was born in Accra in 1955. He obtained his bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Ghana in 1979. He was awarded his master's degree in 1982, and his doctorate degree in Organic Chemistry all from the University of Ghana. His research work was in insect chemical ecology and conducted at ICIPE from 1985 to 1988. He had his Postdoctoral research at the University of Maine, Orono, USA from 1989 to 1991.
Career
Following his postdoctoral research at the University of Maine, Torto joined ICIPE as a Scientist in 1991. In 2000, he became a senior scientist, and a Rothamsted International Fellow at the Rothamsted Research in the United Kingdom. A year later, he was made a visiting scientist at the USDA/ARS-Centre for Medical, Agriculture and Veterinary Entomology in Gainesville, Florida. He worked in this capacity until 2006. A year later, returned to ICIPE as a research leader and principal scientist. He was responsible for the Behavioural and Chemical Ecology Unit (BCEU). Torto works with the University of Pretoria as an extraordinary Professor. He serves on the board of trustees of the JRS Biodiversity Foundation as its president.
He became a fellow of the African Academy of Sciences in 2013, and a fellow of the Entomological Society of America in 2016.
Torto has delivered many plenary and keynote presentations at various conferences, some of these conferences include; International Society of Chemical Ecology, the XXV 2016 International Congress of Entomology, Orlando, Florida, 13th Arbovirus and Mosquito Workshop and NE1443 Regional Project Workshop, USA, and the General assembly of the African Academy of Sciences. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, and was once the Councillor for the International Society of Chemical Ecology.
He is reviewer for research grants for many organisations across the globe.
Research interest
Torto's research interests are in the field of chemical ecology application to sustainable agriculture, veterinary, public health and the environment.
He is credited for 240 publications, and his works have been cited over 4,000 times.
He is an editorial board member of the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, Pest Management Science, Current Opinion in Insect Science, International Journal of Tropical Insect Science, Journal of Chemical Ecology, a specialty editor of the Frontiers in Tropical Diseases, and Vector Biology, and an advisory board member of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Honours
Torto was the recipient of the 2020 icipe@50 Achievement Award, the Nan-Yao Su Award for Innovation and Creativity in Entomology of the Entomological Society of America in 2019. In 2018, he was awarded Louis Malassis International Prize for Food and Agriculture for Outstanding Career in Agricultural Development by the Agropolis Foundation in France, and 2017, he was honoured by the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry (AGRO-division, American Chemical Society) with the Journal Article of the Year prize. That same year, he was named by the South African Department of Science and Technology as one of the top 50 scientists in Africa.
Personal life
Torto is married to Rita, a neurophysiologist. Together, they have three children. His hobbies include cooking, gardening and playing the guitar.
References
Chemical ecologists
Living people
1955 births
University of Ghana alumni
University of Maine School of Law alumni
Academic staff of the University of Pretoria
Fellows of the African Academy of Sciences | Baldwyn Torto | [
"Chemistry"
] | 794 | [
"Chemical ecologists",
"Chemical ecology"
] |
70,210,267 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arithmetic%20progression%20topologies | In general topology and number theory, branches of mathematics, one can define various topologies on the set of integers or the set of positive integers by taking as a base a suitable collection of arithmetic progressions, sequences of the form or The open sets will then be unions of arithmetic progressions in the collection. Three examples are the Furstenberg topology on , and the Golomb topology and the Kirch topology on . Precise definitions are given below.
Hillel Furstenberg introduced the first topology in order to provide a "topological" proof of the infinitude of the set of primes. The second topology was studied by Solomon Golomb and provides an example of a countably infinite Hausdorff space that is connected. The third topology, introduced by A.M. Kirch, is an example of a countably infinite Hausdorff space that is both connected and locally connected. These topologies also have interesting separation and homogeneity properties.
The notion of an arithmetic progression topology can be generalized to arbitrary Dedekind domains.
Construction
Two-sided arithmetic progressions in are subsets of the form
where and The intersection of two such arithmetic progressions is either empty, or is another arithmetic progression of the same form:
where is the least common multiple of and
Similarly, one-sided arithmetic progressions in are subsets of the form
with and . The intersection of two such arithmetic progressions is either empty, or is another arithmetic progression of the same form:
with equal to the smallest element in the intersection.
This shows that every nonempty intersection of a finite number of arithmetic progressions is again an arithmetic progression. One can then define a topology on or by choosing a collection of arithmetic progressions, declaring all elements of to be open sets, and taking the topology generated by those. If any nonempty intersection of two elements of is again an element of , the collection will be a base for the topology. In general, it will be a subbase for the topology, and the set of all arithmetic progressions that are nonempty finite intersections of elements of will be a base for the topology. Three special cases follow.
The Furstenberg topology, or evenly spaced integer topology, on the set of integers is obtained by taking as a base the collection of all with and
The Golomb topology, or relatively prime integer topology, on the set of positive integers is obtained by taking as a base the collection of all with and and relatively prime. Equivalently, the subcollection of such sets with the extra condition also forms a base for the topology. The corresponding topological space is called the Golomb space.
The Kirch topology, or prime integer topology, on the set of positive integers is obtained by taking as a subbase the collection of all with and prime not dividing
Equivalently, one can take as a subbase the collection of all with prime and . A base for the topology consists of all with relatively prime and squarefree (or the same with the additional condition ). The corresponding topological space is called the Kirch space.
The three topologies are related in the sense that every open set in the Kirch topology is open in the Golomb topology, and every open set in the Golomb topology is open in the Furstenberg topology (restricted to the subspace ). On the set , the Kirch topology is coarser than the Golomb topology, which is itself coarser that the Furstenberg topology.
Properties
The Golomb topology and the Kirch topology are Hausdorff, but not regular.
The Furstenberg topology is Hausdorff and regular. It is metrizable, but not completely metrizable. Indeed, it is homeomorphic to the rational numbers with the subspace topology inherited from the real line. Broughan has shown that the Furstenberg topology is closely related to the -adic completion of the rational numbers.
Regarding connectedness properties, the Furstenberg topology is totally disconnected. The Golomb topology is connected, but not locally connected. The Kirch topology is both connected and locally connected.
The integers with the Furstenberg topology form a homogeneous space, because it is a topological ring — in some sense, the only topology on for which it is a ring. By contrast, the Golomb space and the Kirch space are topologically rigid — the only self-homeomorphism is the trivial one.
Relation to the infinitude of primes
Both the Furstenberg and Golomb topologies furnish a proof that there are infinitely many prime numbers. A sketch of the proof runs as follows:
Fix a prime and note that the (positive, in the Golomb space case) integers are a union of finitely many residue classes modulo . Each residue class is an arithmetic progression, and thus clopen.
Consider the multiples of each prime. These multiples are a residue class (so closed), and the union of these sets is all (Golomb: positive) integers except the units .
If there are finitely many primes, that union is a closed set, and so its complement (}) is open.
But every nonempty open set is infinite, so } is not open.
Generalizations
The Furstenberg topology is a special case of the profinite topology on a group. In detail, it is the topology induced by the inclusion , where is the profinite integer ring with its profinite topology.
The notion of an arithmetic progression makes sense in arbitrary -modules, but the construction of a topology on them relies on closure under intersection. Instead, the correct generalization builds a topology out of ideals of a Dedekind domain. This procedure produces a large number of countably infinite, Hausdorff, connected sets, but whether different Dedekind domains can produce homeomorphic topological spaces is a topic of current research.
Notes
References
.
Topological spaces
Arithmetic series | Arithmetic progression topologies | [
"Mathematics"
] | 1,204 | [
"Topological spaces",
"Mathematical structures",
"Topology",
"Space (mathematics)"
] |
70,211,075 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncology%20information%20system | Oncology Information System (OIS) is a software solution that manages departmental, administrative and clinical activities in cancer care. It aggregates information into a complete oncology-specific electronic health record to support medical information management. The OIS allows the capture of patient history information, the documentation of the treatment response, medical prescription of the treatment, the storage of patient documentation and the capture of activities for billing purposes.
Unlike a hospital information system (HIS), which is intended to manage patient records more generally, or radiological information system (RIS), intended to track and manage radiology requests and workflow, the OIS supports the delivery of integrated care and long-term treatment for cancer patients by collecting data during various phases of treatment, maintaining a history of treatment fractions, screening, prevention, diagnosis, image reviews, palliative care and end-of-life care. An OIS will be designed around the specific requirements of chemotherapy, radiotherapy and other supportive activities.
Basic features of an OIS
OIS generally support the following features:
Treatment workflow
Doctor's prescription
Patient register
Management of the treatment schedule
Management of patient documents
Financial control
Health Level 7(HL7) and DICOM RT interoperability
References
Radiation therapy
Medical physics
Electronic health records | Oncology information system | [
"Physics",
"Technology"
] | 257 | [
"Electronic health records",
"Information technology",
"Applied and interdisciplinary physics",
"Medical physics"
] |
70,212,637 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovative%20Clean%20Transit%20rule | The Innovative Clean Transit Rule (ICT) is a regulation promulgated by the California Air Resources Board which requires public transit agencies in the state of California to shift their bus fleets to zero emissions buses (ZEB), either electric buses or fuel cell buses. By 2029, only ZEBs will be allowed for new bus purchases, and the entire fleet must use ZEBs by 2040.
History
CARB's first regulation to control transit fleet emissions was the Fleet Rule for Transit Agencies, Section 2023 under Title 13 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR); 13 CCR §2023 was adopted in February 2000 after diesel particulate matter was identified as a toxic air contaminant. The Fleet Rule effectively shifted most agencies off diesel fuel. A similar regulation (13 CCR §2022) was issued in 2005 to cover trucks owned by public agencies and utilities, and expanded via 13 CCR 2025/2027 as the 2008 California Statewide Truck and Bus Rule to all diesel-fueled trucks and buses in California.
The ICT rule was adopted in December 2018. ICT amends the existing Fleet Rule. It is the first such ZEB mandate in the United States, and was supported unanimously by CARB's sixteen-member board, led by then-chair Mary D. Nichols.
Fleet Rule
Under the previous Fleet Rule, transit agencies were required to meet emissions requirements for urban buses under a "diesel path" or "alternative fuel path", with the exception of agencies in the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which were required to follow the "alternative fuel path". SCAQMD separately mandated that diesel-fueled buses would no longer be purchased (Rule 1192, adopted June 2000), and later amendments to the Fleet Rule required transit agencies in the SCAQMD to choose the "alternative fuel path" by October 7, 2006. Urban buses were defined as vehicles that have a capacity of at least 15 passengers and were intended for intra-city operation. The regulations were extended in 2005 to apply to smaller vehicles operated by transit agencies, including the maintenance fleet.
The Fleet Rule required that transit agencies choose their path by January 31, 2001. Under the "alternative fuel path", at least 85% of urban buses purchased were required to use alternative fuels or with engines that met the emissions requirements of 13 CCR 1956.1. Under the "diesel path", average fleet emissions for and diesel particulate matter (PM) were gradually tightened. For both paths, diesel PM emissions were calculated as a fleet total and compared to the fleet diesel PM emissions in 2002; starting in 2004, diesel PM were required to be 60% or less (diesel path) or 80% or less (alternative fuel path) of the 2002 values, followed by ≤40% (diesel) or ≤60% (alternative) by 2005, and continuing to decrease in future years.
In addition, under the Fleet Rule, agencies with large fleets (more than 200 buses) were required to participate in the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) demonstration program. ZEBs were defined as buses with electric motor drivetrains that drew from traction batteries, hydrogen fuel cell, or overhead wire via trolley poles. The Initial Demonstration Project was required to have at least three ZEBs in revenue service for one calendar year, to start no later than February 28, 2006. In addition, large transit agencies on the "diesel path" were required to implement an Advanced ZEB Demonstration Project, using a minimum of six ZEBs in revenue service for one calendar year, to start no later than January 1, 2009. Starting in 2011 (diesel path) or 2012 (alternative fuel path), transit agencies were required to make ZEBs a minimum of 15% of their new purchases/leases through 2026, with additional credits earned for early implementation.
Pilot ZEB programs
CARB funded a pilot program for the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District to help transit agencies including Visalia Transit, FCRTA (Fresno County), San Joaquin RTD, and MAX (Modesto) purchase battery-electric buses from Proterra starting in 2016. However, the ICT rule was much broader than the individual regional programs, eliminating all transit vehicle emissions and applying to all transit agencies state-wide.
Requirements
Under ICT all public transit agencies in the state will gradually transition their fleets to zero emissions buses, with the goal of having all operating buses on the road by zero-emissions by 2040. ICT applies to all agencies in the state that own, operate, or lease buses with a Gross Vehicle Weight greater than . Individual transit agencies have varying requirements under the rule, depending on their size, but by the year 2029, all new transit bus purchases must by zero-emissions buses.
CARB estimated the rule would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 19 million metric tons, the equivalent of taking four million cars off the road.
Transition schedules and plans
Large transit agencies are required to have 25% of new bus purchases as zero-emission buses (ZEBs) starting in 2023, 50% of new purchases as ZEBs starting in 2026, and 100% of new purchases as ZEBs starting in 2029. Small transit agencies are required to make 25% of new purchases as ZEBs in 2026 and 100% of new purchases as ZEBs in 2029 and all years thereafter. An agency is considered large if it operates at least 100 buses, or if it operates at least 65 buses in the San Joaquin Valley or the SCAQMD.
Under ICT, agencies are required to develop and submit rollout plans for their operations to transition to zero-emissions. Large agencies must complete their plans by July 1, 2020, and small agencies must complete their plans by July 1, 2023.
Scope
Per the regulation, ZEBs are defined to include battery electric buses and fuel cell buses, but do not include electric trolleybuses which draw power from overhead lines. Those are exempt from the regulation as they are already electric. The rule does not apply to any vehicle operated by Caltrans, Caltrain, Amtrak, or any local school district. It also does not apply to trolleybuses or any vehicle that operates on rails or a fixed guideway.
Implementation
The Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) has set a goal to be the first all-electric fleet by the end of 2018, ahead of the tightened regulations. The Los Angeles Department of Transportation also plans to complete its transition well in advance of the state mandate, by 2026. The San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency plan to purchase only electric buses starting 2025, to complete the transition by 2035.
In April 2020, AVTA decommissioned its last diesel transit bus; in September 2020, AVTA began replacing its microtransit (demand-responsive) fleet with battery-electric vans, and in August 2021, AVTA began replacing its commuter/highway coach fleet with battery-electric buses, completing their transition to an all-electric fleet in March 2022. This made AVTA the first all-electric transit agency in North America.
References
External links
Electric buses
Sustainable transport
Environment of California
California Environmental Protection Agency
Air pollution in California
Public transportation in California | Innovative Clean Transit rule | [
"Physics"
] | 1,449 | [
"Physical systems",
"Transport",
"Sustainable transport"
] |
70,214,824 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentin%20Shashin | Valentin Shashin (; 1916–1977) was a Soviet engineer who served as the minister of oil industry for more than a decade, 1965–1977.
Biography
Shashin was born in Baku in 1916. He was first educated at the Oil and Gas Training College. He graduated from Moscow Oil Institute in 1943 obtaining a degree in oil and gas engineering. While attending the Institute Shashin participated in the defense of Moscow against Nazi Germany. From 1947 to 1953 he worked as a chief engineer in various gas fields in Bashkiria. Next he headed a state-run oil company, Tatneft, between 1960 and 1965. Shashin was appointed minister of oil producing industry in 1965 when the ministry was established. In the 1970s the ministry was renamed as ministry of oil industry.
Shashin died in March 1977 while serving as the minister of oil industry. He was succeeded by Nikolai A. Maltsev who was appointed to the post in April 1977.
References
20th-century Russian engineers
1916 births
1977 deaths
Candidates of the Central Committee of the 24th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Members of the Central Auditing Commission of the 23rd Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
Members of the Central Committee of the 25th Congress of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union
People's commissars and ministers of the Soviet Union
Soviet engineers
Politicians from Baku
Petroleum engineers
Soviet military personnel of World War II from Azerbaijan | Valentin Shashin | [
"Engineering"
] | 284 | [
"Petroleum engineers",
"Petroleum engineering"
] |
70,214,832 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redmi%2010 | The Redmi 10 is an Android-based smartphone as part of the Redmi series, a sub-brand of Xiaomi Inc. This device was announced on August 18, 2021.
Redmi 10 also has some variants:
Redmi 10 Prime which is an Indian variant of Redmi 10 with a bigger battery.
Redmi Note 11 4G which is a Chinese variant of Redmi 10 without a depth camera.
Redmi 10 2022 which has a hybrid Dual SIM tray instead of a full-fledged SIM tray which is in Redmi 10.
Redmi 10 Prime 2022 which is the Indian variant of Redmi 10 2022 with a bigger battery.
Design
Front made of Gorilla Glass 3. The back and frame are made of plastic.
The design is similar to the Chinese Redmi Note 11 series.
On the bottom of smartphones, there is a USB-C port, speaker, and microphone. On the top, there is 3.5mm audio jack, an additional microphone, IR blaster, and a second speaker. On the left, there is a dual SIM tray (SIM1 + SIM 2 or SIM1 + microSD) in 10 2022 or dual SIM tray with microSD(Up to 512GB) slot in other models. On the right, there is the volume rocker and the power button with a mounted fingerprint scanner.
The phones were sold in the next colors:
Specifications
Hardware
Chipset
The smartphone uses the octa-core MediaTek Helio G88 containing 2.2 GHz Cortex-A75 core, 6 1.8 GHz Cortex-A55 core, and a 1 GHz Mali-G52 MC2 GPU, which is a small revision of the MediaTek Helio G85 with 90 Hz @ 1080p+ refresh rate and up to 64 MP camera resolution support.
Display
The smartphones have a 6.5 in (165,1 mm) IPS LCD display with FHD+ (2400x1080) resolution (395 ppi with 20:9 aspect ratio), 16M colors, 90 Hz refresh rate and punch hole in upper center.
Battery
The Redmi 10, 10 2022 and Note 11 4G have non-removable 5000 mAh Li-Po battery when the Redmi 10 Prime and 10 Prime 2022 have 6000 mAh. All models support 18W fast charging and 9W reverse charging. The in-box charger has 22.5W power.
Software
The smartphones were released with MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 and were updated to MIUI 14 based on Android 13. The Redmi 10 is the first Xiaomi smartphone with the built-in memory extension feature which extends 1GB to RAM with 64GB and 2GB with 128GB storage.
References
External links
Android (operating system) devices
10
Mobile phones with multiple rear cameras
Mobile phones with infrared transmitter
Mobile phones introduced in 2021
Phablets
Discontinued smartphones | Redmi 10 | [
"Technology"
] | 594 | [
"Crossover devices",
"Phablets"
] |
70,215,299 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minoru%20Ozima | Minoru Ozima (born November 24, 1930, Yamagata City, Japan) is a geochemist and Professor Emeritus of the Department of Earth and Planetary Science, Graduate School of Science, at the University of Tokyo.
He was named one of the top 100 Asian scientists for the year 2021 by Asian Scientist magazine.
Ozima was one of the first geochemists to recognize that the isotope geochemistry of the noble gases could provide key information about the formation and evolution of planets. A leader in this field, his work on the geochemistry and cosmochemistry of the noble gases has enabled researchers to understand processes of planetary and atmospheric formation of the early Solar System.
Education
Ozima graduated from the Geophysical Institute of the University of Tokyo in 1950. He entered graduate school at the University of Toronto in Canada, where he worked with John Tuzo Wilson and Don Russell. His Ph.D. work involved technical aspects of K-Ar dating. He later returned to the University of Tokyo.
Research
Noble gases are not rare elements in the Sun or the Solar System generally but are extremely depleted on the planet Earth, with lighter elements being the most depleted. In the 1960s, it was generally assumed that the noble gases were unimportant in the formation and evolution of the Earth. In the 1970s, Ozima presented a novel theory, based on measurements of isotopes, that explained the formation of the Earth's atmosphere as the result of a catastrophic degassing event on the Earth within ~100 million years of the Earth’s formation. Through this and subsequent work, Ozima has developed the only model of planetary formation to explain the fractionation patterns of the noble gases. His work in noble gas geochemistry has enabled researchers to understand processes of planetary formation of the early Solar System.
Awards
Minoru Ozima became a Fellow of the Geochemical Society in 2000. He received the V. M. Goldschmidt Award, the highest honor given by the Geochemical Society, in 2010. He is the second Japanese scientist to receive the award, following Ikuo Kushiro in 2001.
In 2020, Ozima received the Japan Academy Prize for his research on noble gas geochemistry and planetary evolution.
He was named one of the top 100 Asian scientists for the year 2021 by Asian Scientist magazine.
The minor planet or asteroid 473503 Minoruozima was discovered in 2011 by the Catalina Sky Survey at Mount Lemmon Observatory and named in his honor.
Bibliography
Papers
Among his many publications, a number of papers have been noted as particularly important:
Books
References
1930 births
Living people
Japanese scientists
University of Tokyo alumni
Academic staff of the University of Tokyo
Japanese geochemists
Recipients of the V. M. Goldschmidt Award | Minoru Ozima | [
"Chemistry"
] | 555 | [
"Geochemists",
"Recipients of the V. M. Goldschmidt Award",
"Japanese geochemists"
] |
70,215,429 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexei%20Vasilievich%20Shubnikov | Alexei Vasilievich Shubnikov (; 29March 1887 – 27April 1970) was a Soviet crystallographer and mathematician. Shubnikov was the founding director of the Institute of Crystallography (named after him following his death) of the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union in Moscow. Shubnikov pioneered Russian crystallography and its application.
Life
Career
In 1912 Shubnikov graduated from the Department of Natural Sciences of the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics of Moscow University. From 1920 to 1925 he was a professor at the Ural Mining Institute, Yekaterinburg. In 1925, at the invitation of the well-known mineralogist and geologist Alexander Fersman, he went to Leningrad, where he founded a laboratory of crystallography and laid the foundations of the Soviet school of theoretical and applied crystallography and related fields. From 1927 to 1929 he visited research institutions in Norway and Germany and worked temporarily with Friedrich Rinne. In 1934 he received a doctorate in the field of geological sciences. As part of a restructuring in the Academy of Sciences, he moved to Moscow with his laboratory in 1934. With the beginning of the German-Soviet war in 1941 it was transferred to the Sverdlovsk region, where research work on piezoelectricity continued. In 1943 he returned to Moscow with his laboratory, and in 1944 it was transformed into the Institute of Crystallography by a decision of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences. In 1953 he founded the Department of Crystal Physics at the Physics Faculty of Lomonosov University and was a professor there until 1968. He served as director of the academy's Institute for Crystallography until 1962.
Shubnikov was a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR from 1933, and a full member and academician from 1953. Shubnikov was a co-founder of the International Union of Crystallography. Shubnikov was a foreign member of the mineralogical societies of Great Britain and of France.
He is known for his research in the 1950s on the Shubnikov groups named after him, with many applications in crystallography and solid-state physics, especially in the fields of magnetism and ferroelectricity. These groups were introduced by Heinrich Heesch in 1929 and are therefore also called Heesch-Shubnikov groups today.
Works
Shubnikov was the author of more than 250 scientific publications. His main works are devoted to the theory of symmetry, the theory of crystal growth, and the physical properties of crystals. He was the first to draw attention to piezoelectric textures, which predicted the possibility of visual observation of atoms and molecules when monochromatic rays pass through two superimposed crystal rasters, which has found application in the technique of modern electron microscopy. Having developed the doctrine of antisymmetry, he deduced the 58 crystallographic point groups of antisymmetry (Shubnikov groups). Selected works available in English:
On the works of Pierre Curie on Symmetry. In: Usp. fiz. Nauk. Vol. 59, 1956, pp. 591–602. (Original Russian, English version 1988)
Antisymmetry of textures. In: Soviet Physics Crystall. Vol. 3, No. 3, 1958, pp. 269–273. (Original Russian, English version 1988)
Symmetry of similarity. In: Soviet Physics Crystall. Vol. 5, No. 4, 1961, pp. 469–476. (Original Russian, English version 1988)
Autobiographical Data and Personal Reminiscences, In: P.P. Ewald (Ed.): Fifty Years of X-Ray Diffraction, Conference Proc., 25–31 July 1962, Munich, Germany
Colored Symmetry (1964) with N.V. Belov. This book contains the first translation into English of Shubnikov's 1951 work Symmetry and antisymmetry of finite figures which opened up the field of antisymmetry in magnetic structures.
Symmetry in Science and Art (1974) with V.A. Koptsik with extensive coverage of polychromatic symmetry (Original in Russian published by Nauka, Moscow 1972.)
Honours and awards
Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1945, 1962)
Stalin Prize for his monograph on piezoelectric textures (1947), and for the creation of equipment and technology for the production of rubies (1950)
Order of Lenin (1953, 1967)
Hero of Socialist Labour (1967)
References
Further reading
Smolensky, G.A., Zhdanov, G.S. and Shuvalov, L.A.: "In memory of academician A.V. Shubnikov". In: Ferroelectrics. Volume 1, No. 1, 1970, pp. 191–193, . (Obituary, with photograph)
Belov, N.V. and Vainshtein, B.K.: "Obituary. Alexey Vasilyevich Shubnikov 1887–1970", Journal of Applied Crystallography 3, December 1970, pp. 551–552, (Obituary, with photograph)
Vainstein, B.K.: A.V. "Shubnikov and his ideas in modern Crystallography". In: Computer. Math. Applic. Vol. 16, No. 5-8, 1988, pp. 351–356, .
Hargittai, I. and Vainshtein, B.K. (eds.): Crystal symmetries: Shubnikov Centennial papers (1988)
Shchagina, N.M.: "Aleksei Vasilievich Shubnikov: Memories of the Man and his Scientific Achievements on the 125th Anniversary of his Birth (2012)". In: Ferroelectrics. Volume 437, No. 1, pp. 1–7
1887 births
1970 deaths
Crystallographers
Moscow State University alumni
Members of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour
Recipients of the Stalin Prize
Recipients of the Order of Lenin
Heroes of Socialist Labour
Soviet mathematicians | Alexei Vasilievich Shubnikov | [
"Chemistry",
"Materials_science"
] | 1,270 | [
"Crystallographers",
"Crystallography"
] |
70,215,499 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron%20bifurcation | In biochemistry, electron bifurcation (EB) refers to a system that enables an unfavorable (endergonic) transformation by coupling to a favorable (exergonic) transformation. Two electrons are involved: one flows to an acceptor with a "higher reduction potential and the other with a lower reduction potential" than the donor. The process is suspected of being common in bioenergetics.
Two versions of EB are recognized. One involves redox of quinones and the other involves flavins. Quinones and flavins are cofactors that are capable of undergoing 2 – 2 proton redox.
A pervasive example of electron bifurcation is the Q cycle, which is part of the machinery that results in oxidative phosphorylation. In that case one electron from ubiquinol is directed to a Rieske cluster and the other electron is directed to a cytochrome b.
References
Thermodynamic processes
Chemical thermodynamics
Iron–sulfur proteins | Electron bifurcation | [
"Physics",
"Chemistry"
] | 215 | [
"Chemical thermodynamics",
"Thermodynamic processes",
"Thermodynamics"
] |
70,216,420 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC%204333 | NGC 4333 is a barred spiral galaxy with a ring structure located about 330 million light-years away in the constellation Virgo. It was discovered by astronomer William Herschel on April 13, 1784, who described it as "F, pS, R, bM, 2nd of 3". NGC 4333 is also classified as a LINER galaxy. Despite being listed in the Virgo Cluster catalog as VCC 637, it is not a member of the Virgo Cluster but instead a background galaxy.
Nearby galaxies
NGC 4333 forms a pair with the galaxy NGC 4326, known as [T2015] nest 102514, in which NGC 4326 is the birghtest member of the pair. Both galaxies are part of the CfA2 Great Wall.
See also
List of NGC objects (4001–5000)
External links
References
4333
040217
Virgo (constellation)
Astronomical objects discovered in 1784
Barred spiral galaxies
LINER galaxies
Ring galaxies
Great Wall filament | NGC 4333 | [
"Astronomy"
] | 199 | [
"Virgo (constellation)",
"Constellations"
] |
70,216,479 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UX%20Ursae%20Majoris | UX Ursae Majoris is an Algol type binary star system in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Major. It is classified as a nova-like variable star similar to DQ Herculis, although no eruptions have been reported. Since its discovery in 1933, this system has been the subject of numerous studies attempting to determine its properties. The combined apparent visual magnitude of UX UMa ranges from 12.57 down to 14.15. The system is located at a distance of approximately 952 light years from the Sun based on parallax, and is drifting further away with a radial velocity of 112 km/s.
This system was found to be an eclipsing binary by the Soviet astronomer S. Belyavsky in 1933. At the time, the period of 4.73 hours was the shortest known for a binary star system. M. Zverev and B. Kukarkin published elements from a light curve made from visual observations in 1937, while in 1939 V. A. Krat at Pulkovo Observatory produced a solution based on his photographic observations. G. P. Kuiper in 1941 classified the star as a B3 subdwarf. O. Struve in 1948 noted that the system underwent significant variations in its spectrum. A. P. Linnell produced the first photoelectric light curve of the system in 1950, finding that the brightness underwent an increase just prior to the primary eclipse. He also noted that the system underwent rapid light variation.
Observations of this system up to 1962 showed the period was changing: it increased up until 1953 then began decreasing. The depth of the eclipse was found to vary with wavelength, decreasing in depth with increasing wavelength possibly due to contributions by a cooler stellar component or surrounding material. M. F. Walker and G. H. Herbig in 1954 suggested that the hump in the light curve is due to a hot spot. In 1974, R. E. Nather and E. L. Robinson proposed that the hot component is a white dwarf surrounded by a optically thick, orbiting disk of gas. The hot spot on the disk is formed by a stream of gas from the donor secondary star, and is the main source of the rapid flickering from the system. The observed light curve can be reproduced by an orbital inclination of ~75° to the line of sight to the earth, with the white dwarf being almost completely obscured by its accretion disk.
UX UMa is considered an archetypal example of nova-like variables that are always in a high accretion state, showing bright steady disks. A photometric study of the system during 2015 found a cyclical signal with a mean period of 3.680 days and an amplitude of 0.44 in magnitude. This is interpreted as retrograde nodal precession of the accretion disk. The infalling matter is creating a compact clump in the accretion disk. This is shielding illumination from the hot inner disk, forming a dark spot. Doppler tomography of the disk shows a spiral structure. Observations during 1999 showed spectral features characteristic of an SW Sextantis variable, but at other times these features disappeared.
References
Further reading
Nova-like variables
White dwarfs
Algol variables
Binary stars
Ursa Major
Ursae Majoris, UX | UX Ursae Majoris | [
"Astronomy"
] | 675 | [
"Ursa Major",
"Constellations"
] |
70,217,936 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy%20de%20T%C3%A9ramond%20Peralta | Guy de Téramond Peralta is a Costa Rican-French theoretical physicist. His research has been focused on nuclear and high energy physics. Following the quest for a wave equation similar to the Schrödinger equation in atomic physics, he introduced with Stanley Brodsky a nonperturbative first approximation to quantum chromodynamics to describe hadronic structure, known as light front holography. This analytic approach to the strong interactions is based on light front quantization and the AdS/CFT correspondence. He is also known for his role in the pioneering interconnections in Costa Rica and the Central American region to the Internet. In 2023, de Téramond was inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame by the Internet Society.
Education and scientific career
De Téramond obtained his Doctorat de Troisième Cycle from the Pierre et Marie Curie University in 1973 and completed his Doctorat d'État in Theoretical Physics in 1977 from the University of Paris at Orsay, under the supervision of Mary K. Gaillard and Jean Trân Thanh Vân. He became Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Costa Rica in 1977 and Full Professor in 1982. He was a visiting scientist at the Lyman Laboratory of Physics at Harvard University (1983-1984), SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory at Stanford University (1986-1988) and at the École Polytechnique in 2007.
Research
De Téramond's thesis led, in a joint experiment of the Universities of Lausanne, Munich and Zurich in 1979, to the confirmation of the charge symmetry breaking of the nuclear forces. In collaboration with Stanley Brodsky and Ivan Schmidt he studied in 1990 the properties of a possible form of nuclear matter catalyzed by heavy quarks, known as hadro-charmonium.
His research in collaboration with Brodsky and Hans Günter Dosch is centered on the extension and applications of holographic light front QCD (HLFQCD) to hadron structure and dynamics, based on the holographic embedding of light-front physics in a higher dimensional gravity theory (gauge/gravity duality). Using the new holographic approach he also explored with Brodsky and Alexandre Deur the strength of the strong force at large distances where QCD iteration methods fail.
More recently, also in collaboration with Brodsky and Dosch, it was found that color symmetry and confinement are manifest as an underlying superconformal algebraic structure in holographic QCD, which also leads to specific connections between mesons and baryons.
De Téramond is an active member of the HLFHS Collaboration for the applications of the new holographic theories to strong interactions; in particular, to the study of the quark and gluon distribution functions in hadrons, including the strange and charm quark sea distribution in the proton, which are evolved to higher scales for meaningful comparisons with existing or upcoming experimental results.
Networking projects
In January 1990, de Téramond was commissioned by the Vice-President for Research of the University of Costa Rica (UCR) to lead the project for the connection of the University to BITNET, the academic computer network at the City University of New York and Yale University.
The first BITNET connection was achieved in November 1990 with Florida Atlantic University using a digital satellite link from PanAmSat, followed by the connection of Panama in 1992 to the UCR node. Concurrently, de Téramond led the project which culminated with the interconnection of the University of Costa Rica to the Internet in January 1993 using a point of presence (POP) established by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Homestead, Florida. He coordinated the initiative for the implementation of the National Research Network (CRNet) based on the TCP/IP protocols. The project (1993-2000) was driven by the University of Costa Rica and the Ministry of Science and Technology and became operational in April 1993.
Under Saul Hahn's Hemisphere Wide Inter-University Scientific and Technological Information Network project (RedHUCyT) of the Organization of American States, de Téramond and his team of engineers from the University of Costa Rica participated in the pioneering connections of the Central American and Caribbean region to the Internet: Nicaragua (1994), Panama (1994), Honduras (1995), Jamaica (1995), Guatemala (1995), El Salvador (1996) and Belize (1997). With the support of the Costa Rican government, RedHUCyT provided a satellite ground station for the academic network. The antenna was inaugurated at the UCR campus on Abril 1997, thus ending a long controversy with the telecommunication's monopoly.
De Téramond was the Director of the Computer Center at the University of Costa Rica (1997–2000) and Minister of Science and Technology of Costa Rica (2000-2002), where he led, jointly with the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE), the implementation of the Advanced Internet Network to bring broadband connectivity across the country. The project network architecture was based on IP over ICE's optical fiber and the MPLS routing protocol. The first phase of this project was successfully implemented in April 2001.
He is a member of the board of directors of the Network Information Center (NIC CR) since its creation in the early 90's. More recently, he participated in the establishment of the Internet Exchange Point (CRIX) to allow the direct data exchange among all the participant autonomous systems, lowering the network delay and the costs of the international links. CRIX was inaugurated in 2014. He also contributed setting-up the Internet Consulting Council in Costa Rica (CCI) which has become a reference point for Internet Governance.
Awards
Fulbright Research Award (1983)
Guggenheim Fellow (1986)
Leonov Medallion (1997)
Wolfram Innovator Award (2020)
Internet Hall of Fame (2023)
References
External links
Guy de Téramond Scientific publications on INSPIRE-HEP
ORCID digital identifier
Holographic light front QCD on nLab
Living people
People from Biarritz
Costa Rican scientists
French physicists
Costa Rican people of French descent
Theoretical physicists
Paris-Sorbonne University alumni
Paris-Saclay University alumni
Academic staff of the University of Costa Rica
Particle physicists
Year of birth missing (living people) | Guy de Téramond Peralta | [
"Physics"
] | 1,276 | [
"Theoretical physics",
"Particle physicists",
"Particle physics",
"Theoretical physicists"
] |
70,219,542 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgelord | An edgelord is someone, typically on the Internet, who tries to impress or shock by posting exaggerated opinions such as nihilism or extremist views.
According to the Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, the first known usage with this meaning was in 2015. It was added to Webster's in September 2023. Webster gave the following example:
Edgelords were characterised by author and journalist Rachel Monroe in her account of criminal behaviour, Savage Appetites:
It is frequently associated with the forum site 4chan. The renegade rhetoric of the edgelord is often intentionally employed by the far-right to troll leftist targets.
See also
Épater la bourgeoisie
Schadenfreude
Sealioning
Shock jock
Shock site
References
Internet terminology
Internet trolling
Pejorative terms for people | Edgelord | [
"Technology"
] | 160 | [
"Computing terminology",
"Internet terminology"
] |
60,870,627 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm%20Beach%20Tan | Palm Beach Tan is a chain of indoor tanning facilities based in Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1990, it is the largest indoor tanning chain in the United States, with over 460 locations under the Palm Beach Tan, Palm Beach Tan Sunless, and Planet Tan brands. Sunbed tanning lotions and spray tanning lotions are the two products offered by them.
References
External links
Tanning (beauty treatment)
Companies based in Dallas
Retail companies established in 1990
1990 establishments in Texas | Palm Beach Tan | [
"Chemistry"
] | 99 | [
"Tanning (beauty treatment)",
"Ultraviolet radiation"
] |
60,871,168 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body%20%28biology%29 | A body () is the physical material of an organism. It is only used for organisms which are in one part or whole. There are organisms which change from single cells to whole organisms: for example, slime molds. For them the term 'body' would mean the multicellular stage. Other uses:
Plant body: plants are modular, with modules being created by meristems and the body generally consisting of both the shoot system and the root system, with the body's development being influenced by its environment.
Cell body: here it may be used for cells like neurons which have long axons (nerve fibres). The cell body is the part with the nucleus in it.
The body of a dead person is also called a corpse or cadaver. The dead bodies of vertebrate animals and insects are sometimes called carcasses.
The human body has a head, neck, torso, two arms, two legs and the genitals of the groin, which differ between males and females.
The branch of biology dealing with the study of the bodies and their specific structural features is called morphology. Anatomy is a branch of morphology that deals with the structure of the body at a level higher than tissue. Anatomy is closely related to histology, which studies the structure of tissues, as well as cytology, which studies the structure and function of the individual cells, from which the tissues and organs of the studied macroorganism are built. Taken together, anatomy, histology, cytology and embryology represent a morphology
The study of functions and mechanisms in a body is physiology.
Human body
Here are the names of the body parts of a woman and a man.
References
Morphology (biology) | Body (biology) | [
"Biology"
] | 345 | [
"Morphology (biology)"
] |
60,874,834 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emily%20Klein | Emily M. Klein is a professor of geology and geochemistry at Duke University. She studies volcanic eruptions and the process of oceanic crust creation. She has spent over thirty years investigating the geology of mid-ocean ridges and identified the importance of the physical conditions of mantle melting on the chemical composition of basalt.
Early life and education
Emily Klein was born in Los Angeles, California. Growing up, Klein was very interested in the field of medicine as she was always around her father who was a doctor. She worked at the office on Saturdays which led her to volunteer at the local hospital and the women's clinic. She would also always take science courses in school and be involved in science projects, and summer science programs. She got so interested and involved in medical science that she thought she would become a medical doctor herself. When she moved to New York City to attend Barnard College, she however became more interested in English and writing. While she still enjoyed science and continued to take science courses, she now pursued her greater passion for writing, be that journalism, creative writing, amongst other things. She went on to become a feature editor for the newspaper, and finally got her major in English.
After graduating from Barnard College in 1979, she became a science writer for a while, but soon went on to take a job at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, as a physiology laboratory technician. Here she took part in multiple field research projects, where she did a bit of everything, from writing proposals, to doing laboratory work and experiments, to writing up and presenting research results. One of these studies entailed studying a monkey colony in Puerto Rico. She became interested in geology, and earned tuition credits to study courses at Columbia University. It was during this time as a researcher that she happened to stumble across a group of geologists, and consequently became really interested in the field. Although she had never taken any geology courses in her undergrad, her strong background in other sciences allowed her to easily transition into the field of geology. She started to take some geology courses at Columbia University where she worked at the time, and soon got accepted into the graduate program where she pursued a master's degree in geology. She went on to receive her doctorate degree here later. Her academic background and experience as a laboratory technician led her to become a geochemist.
During her time at graduate school, while studying geochemistry she went on sea expeditions to study the oceanic crust and the new idea of plate tectonics. Since the idea of plate tectonics was so new to the field, she decided to pursue that as her main field of research.
She also investigated the chemical composition of the volcanic rocks collected from mid-ocean ridges around the world. She was awarded the Bruce C. Heezen Memorial Prize for her doctoral thesis in 1987. During her time at Columbia University she worked with Charles Langmuir on the study of mid-ocean ridge basalts, and together they produced many papers which gave her name increasing recognition within the field of geology. Langmuir and Klein demonstrated that the chemical composition of basalt correlates with the physical environment the basalt is recovered from; including the depth and thickness of the oceanic crust. This work marked a paradigm shift in the understanding of petrogenesis.
Research and career
Klein has been involved in geology and geochemistry for over 40 years. Her research has been focused on oceanic crust, specifically completing deep sea research to track tectonic plate movement. She also found a fascination in analyzing volcanic activity and has researched the chemical processes of underwater volcanic activity. She is still active in her career today continuing to travel and complete sea excursions to gather research and data. Her most recent cruise included gathering data using “echo sounder” mapping technology. This technology uses sound beams to measure topographical structures on the ocean floor. Klein continues her research even when she is not on sea expeditions. A large portion of her discoveries occur in a chemistry lab. Most recently, she has been working on melting basalt rock (volcanic rock) as a way to theorize how ocean ridges change and evolve. This melting of basalt rock is an extensive process that requires chipping the rock into small pieces, then grinding it to a powder form, and finally heating it to 1200 degrees in order to find a melting point.
After graduating, she received a lot of offers and opportunities, but she decided to teach undergrad at Duke University instead with the hope of inspiring students to study earth sciences.
Klein joined Duke University as an Assistant Professor in 1989. She was made Professor in 2005. Part of the reason for this decision was because she had gotten married and wanted to start a family. Now she really enjoys teaching undergrad, and particularly enjoys opening young student’s minds to new ideas and introducing them to the vast field of scientific exploration and research.This semester (2021) she is co-teaching (with a faculty colleague in engineering) a project course called: Energy and Environment: Design and Innovation. She is also extremely passionate about supporting women and underrepresented minorities in science. She has observed that many women drop out of sciences quite early on, so she tries to inspire them to stay and pursue a career in the field.
From 2004 to 2012, Klein served as Director of the Baldwin Scholars' Program at Duke University, which provides leadership opportunities for women students. Klein was appointed Chair of Earth & Ocean Sciences at the Nicholas School in 2017.
Klein studies the movement of magma in the oceanic crust. She is interested in mid-ocean ridge, a globe encircling belt of volcanoes including the mid-Atlantic ridge. Klein has been on over eleven oceanographic cruises, investigating Incipient Ridge, Hess Deep and Pito Deep Rift. She uses remotely operated underwater vehicles to map the deep ocean, and directs submersible vessels to collect rock samples. She puts these rocks in a furnace, then analyses the chemical composition of the rocks using spectrometers. She is mainly interested in silica, iron, magnesium and aluminium, but also analyses trace elements such as copper, vanadium and uranium. On a cruise of the RV Atlantis, Klein discovered new deep sea hydrothermal vents in the Pacific Ocean. The vents, which Klein named the medusa hydrothermal vents, emit hot springs of iron-darkened water. In 2018 Klein took part in the RV Sally Ride (AGOR-28) investigation of the Cocos-Nazca spreading system.
Hess Deep
Klein researched volcanic eruptions and how it led to the development of crust on the ocean floor. To research this she focused on the processes that occurred under the ocean floor, where she studied the movement of magma underneath the crust. She studied the chemical composition of lava and collected samples from ocean floors to see differences in lava.
In 1999, Klein went on a voyage to research the Hess Deep Rift. During this voyage she found evidence that opposed the idea that mid-ocean ridges had magma that always rose up from the magma chamber to the surface. By studying the composition of lava she was able to retrieve key information about the temperature and pressures of magma below the crust, as well as determining its origin.
Klein researched samples of dikes beside rift walls, and assumed that they formed from the same part of the magma chamber, thus making their chemical composition relatively the same. Through further research, however, Klein discovered that the chemical structures of the dikes were clearly distinct from one another. Leading to the conclusion that the dikes must have originated from separate magma chambers.
Through her research findings, she concluded that dikes in Hess Deep had magma that didn’t reach the surface and contained crystals and other minerals which made the magma light enough to reach the surface of the sea.
Ultimately, Klein found that magma does not rise straight up to the surface of the ocean floor, and that dikes cannot be chemically identified by only the composition of lava on the seafloor. Researchers must take into account that magma can travel sideways and rise in other parts of the magma chamber.
Incipient Rift
In 2002 Klein sailed to the East Pacific Rise to further research a tectonic plate named the Galapagos Microplate. She wanted to carry out her endeavour to find lava samples of the incipient rift. They found volcanic activity along the entire rift, discovering that it was a plate boundary and what could be a newly forming microplate. This finding essentially caused scientists to rethink research on the evolution of the Galapagos microplate area.
Pito Deep
Klein has done extensive research regarding Pito Deep, an underwater abyss, in order to gain a greater understanding of the geology under the oceanic floor. Klein and other scientists sent a robot (Jason II) underwater to take pictures and obtain samples of lava and rocks for further testing.
The main purpose of researching Pito Deep was to gain information about the ocean's crust. This is difficult to do since there are particular places in the ocean where tectonic forces prevent gaining access to the crust for the purpose of study. In the Pito Deep abyss, tectonic forces cause a large fault and rift, enabling geologists like Klein to look into the deeper layers of the ocean’s crust.
Awards and honors
1987 Bruce C. Heezen Memorial Prize
1992 Geochemical Society F.W. Clarke Medal
1992 National Science Foundation Young Investigator Award
2003 Geological Society of America Ingerson Lecture
2006 Duke University Bass Fellow
2018 Duke University Distinguished Service Professor
2022 Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
The parents of one of Klein's undergraduate students donated $100,000 to create an Emily M. Klein endowment fund.
Select Academic Works
References
Women geochemists
Duke University faculty
Columbia University alumni
Barnard College alumni
Women oceanographers
American women geologists
American geologists
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American women academics
21st-century American women
Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science | Emily Klein | [
"Chemistry"
] | 1,992 | [
"Geochemists",
"Women geochemists"
] |
60,876,593 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nilsson%20model | The Nilsson model is a nuclear shell model treating the atomic nucleus as a deformed sphere. In 1953, the first experimental examples were found of rotational bands in nuclei, with their energy levels following the same J(J+1) pattern of energies as in rotating molecules. Quantum mechanically, it is impossible to have a collective rotation of a sphere, so this implied that the shape of these nuclei was nonspherical. In principle, these rotational states could have been described as coherent superpositions of particle-hole excitations in the basis consisting of single-particle states of the spherical potential. But in reality, the description of these states in this manner is intractable, due to the large number of valence particles—and this intractability was even greater in the 1950s, when computing power was extremely rudimentary. For these reasons, Aage Bohr, Ben Mottelson, and Sven Gösta Nilsson constructed models in which the potential was deformed into an ellipsoidal shape. The first successful model of this type is the one now known as the Nilsson model. It is essentially a nuclear shell model using a harmonic oscillator potential, but with anisotropy added, so that the oscillator frequencies along the three Cartesian axes are not all the same. Typically the shape is a prolate ellipsoid, with the axis of symmetry taken to be z.
Hamiltonian
For an axially symmetric shape with the axis of symmetry being the z axis, the Hamiltonian is
Here m is the mass of the nucleon, N is the total number of harmonic oscillator quanta in the spherical basis, is the orbital angular momentum operator, is its square (with eigenvalues ), is the average value of over the N shell, and s is the intrinsic spin.
The anisotropy of the potential is such that the length of an equipotential along the z is greater than the length on the transverse axes in the ratio . This is conventionally expressed in terms of a deformation parameter δ so that the harmonic oscillator part of the potential can be written as the sum of a spherically symmetric harmonic oscillator and a term proportional to δ. Positive values of δ indicate prolate deformations, like an American football. Most nuclei in their ground states have equilibrium shapes such that δ ranges from 0 to 0.2, while superdeformed states have (a 2-to-1 axis ratio).
The mathematical details of the deformation parameters are as follows. Considering the success of the nuclear liquid drop model, in which the nucleus is taken to be an incompressible fluid, the harmonic oscillator frequencies are constrained so that remains constant with deformation, preserving the volume of equipotential surfaces. Reproducing the observed density of nuclear matter requires , where A is the mass number. The relation between δ and the anisotropy is , while the relation between δ and the axis ratio is .
The remaining two terms in the Hamiltonian do not relate to deformation and are present in the spherical shell model as well. The spin-orbit term represents the spin-orbit dependence of the strong nuclear force; it is much larger than, and has the opposite sign compared to, the special-relativistic spin-orbit splitting. The purpose of the term is to mock up the flat profile of the nuclear potential as a function of radius. For nuclear wavefunctions (unlike atomic wavefunctions) states with high angular momentum have their probability density concentrated at greater radii. The term prevents this from shifting a major shell up or down as a whole. The two adjustable constants are conventionally parametrized as and . Typical values of κ and μ for heavy nuclei are 0.06 and 0.5. With this parametrization, occurs as a simple scaling factor throughout all the calculations.
Choice of basis and quantum numbers
For ease of computation using the computational resources of the 1950s, Nilsson used a basis consisting of eigenstates of the spherical hamiltonian. The Nilsson quantum numbers are . The difference between the spherical and deformed Hamiltonian is proportional to , and this has matrix elements that are easy to calculate in this basis. They couple the different N shells. Eigenstates of the deformed Hamiltonian have good parity (corresponding to even or odd N) and Ω, the projection of the total angular momentum along the symmetry axis. In the absence of a cranking term (see below), time-reversal symmetry causes states with opposite signs of Ω to be degenerate, so that in the calculations only positive values of Ω need to be considered.
Interpretation
In an odd, well-deformed nucleus, the single-particle levels are filled up to the Fermi level, and the odd particle's Ω and parity give the spin and parity of the ground state.
Cranking
Because the potential is not spherically symmetric, the single-particle states are not states of good angular momentum J. However, a Lagrange multiplier , known as a "cranking" term, can be added to the Hamiltonian. Usually the angular frequency vector ω is taken to be perpendicular to the symmetry axis, although tilted-axis cranking can also be considered. Filling the single-particle states up to the Fermi level then produces states whose expected angular momentum along the cranking axis has the desired value set by the Lagrange multiplier.
Total energy
Often one wants to calculate a total energy as a function of deformation. Minima of this function are predicted equilibrium shapes. Adding the single-particle energies does not work for this purpose, partly because kinetic and potential terms are out of proportion by a factor of two, and partly because small errors in the energies accumulate in the sum. For this reason, such sums are usually renormalized using a procedure introduced by Strutinsky.
Plots of energy levels
Single-particle levels can be shown in a "spaghetti plot," as functions of the deformation. A large gap between energy levels at zero deformation indicates a particle number at which there is a shell closure: the traditional "magic numbers." Any such gap, at a zero or nonzero deformation, indicates that when the Fermi level is at that height, the nucleus will be stable relative to the liquid drop model.
External links
An open-source software implementation
References
Nilsson, S.G. "Binding states of individual nucleons in strongly deformed nuclei," doctoral thesis, 1955
Olivius, P., "Extending the nuclear cranking model to tilted axis rotation and alternative mean field potentials," doctoral thesis, Lund University, 2004, http://www.matfys.lth.se/staff/Peter.Olivius/thesis.pdf — describes a modern implementation of the model
Strutinsky, Nucl. Phys. A122 (1968) 1 -- original paper on the Strutinsky method
Salamon and Kruppa, "Curvature Correction in the Strutinsky's Method," http://arxiv.org/abs/1004.0079 — an open-access description of the Strutinsky method
Unknown author, "Appendix Nuclear Structure", with a full array of Nilsson charts for both proton and neutron shells, as well as an equivalent diagram for simple harmonic oscillator nuclei at different deformations: https://application.wiley-vch.de/books/info/0-471-35633-6/toi99/www/struct/struct.pdf ***
Nuclear physics | Nilsson model | [
"Physics"
] | 1,568 | [
"Nuclear physics"
] |
60,877,513 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomical%20Data%20Query%20Language | Astronomical Data Query Language (ADQL) is a language for astronomical data query based on SQL 92.
Overview
ADQL is a specialized variant of the SQL query language adapted for accessing the astronomical datasets of the virtual observatory, via the Table access protocol (TAP). ADQL is designed to handle large datasets distributed over several locations, while not retrieving data that is not needed.
Language
ADQL is a query language that allows data to be retrieved via a single command, the select statement, which is designed to perform as the select statement in the SQL language. ADQL has extensions designed to improve handling of astronomical data such as spherical co-ordinates that are not handled by standard SQL.
Implementations
ADQL is implemented in packages such as TOPCAT.
Example
SELECT source_id, ra, dec
FROM gaiadr1.tgas_source
WHERE phot_g_mean_flux > 13
References
Footnotes
Sources
Query languages | Astronomical Data Query Language | [
"Astronomy"
] | 200 | [
"Astronomy stubs"
] |
60,878,361 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerrie%20Wilson | Kerrie Ann Wilson is an Australian environmental scientist who is the Queensland Chief Scientist and a Professor in the Faculty of Science at Queensland University of Technology (QUT). She was formerly the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Sustainability and Research Integrity) at QUT. Wilson is also an affiliated professor in conservation science at the University of Copenhagen, honorary professor at The University of Queensland, a member of the Australian Heritage Council and the Australian Natural Sciences Commissioner for UNESCO.
Education
Wilson holds a bachelor's degree in environmental science (1999) from The University of Queensland and a PhD from The University of Melbourne (2004). Her PhD was undertaken in collaboration with the UN Environment Programme’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre, based in Cambridge.
Career
From 2005 to 2007, Wilson held a postdoctoral research fellowship at The University of Queensland. In 2007, she left academia to become director of conservation with The Nature Conservancy Australia. She returned to The University of Queensland in 2008 after being awarded an Australian Research Council (ARC) Postdoctoral Fellowship. In 2010, Wilson was awarded an ARC Future Fellowship, which she commenced after returning from maternity leave in 2013.
In 2016, Wilson was appointed the director of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions and professor of biological sciences at The University of Queensland. In 2019, Wilson became the executive director of the Institute for Future Environments at the Queensland University of Technology.
On 4 August 2023, Wilson was appointed the Queensland Chief Scientist succeeding Queensland’s Interim Chief Scientist, Professor Bronwyn Harch.
Research
Wilson's research bridges the science, policy and practice of conservation, with the aim of finding the most effective ways to protect and restore different kinds of landscapes and ecosystems. Her research focuses on applied conservation resource allocation problems, such as where to invest limited resources to protect or restore biodiversity and the role of ecosystem services in achieving conservation goals. She is a proponent of the theory that conservation investments should be influenced equally by biodiversity values, ecological dynamics and the socio-economic context.
Wilson has developed analytical approaches to capture the social context in environmental decision making and demonstrated how to integrate social, economic and ecological analyses to improve evaluation and prediction of the outcomes of environmental policies and programs. She has also made contributions to the field of ecosystem services through the integration of decision science with ecosystem service assessments to investigate how management can enhance human well-being while improving protection of the natural environment. Her research has provided foundation for identifying conservation strategies in production landscapes, that involve many alternative land management options, including on the island of Borneo.
Wilson has published over 170 peer-reviewed publications, including several in Nature and Science.
Awards and honours
2017 Australian Academy of Science Nancy Millis Medal for Women in Science
2017 Academy of Sciences Malaysia Mahathir Science Award
2016 Prime Minister's Frank Fenner Prize for Life Scientist of the Year
2015 Women in Technology Life Sciences Research Award
2014 Scopus Young Researcher Award in the Life and Biological Sciences
2014 Royal Society of South Australia HG Andrewartha Medal
2013 Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Young Researcher
2013 University of Queensland Foundation Research Excellence Award
Selected publications
Wilson, K. A., Auerbach, N. A., Sam, K., Magini, A. G., Moss, A., Langhans, S. D., Budiharta, S., Terzano, D. and E. Meijaard. 2016. Conservation research is not happening where it is most needed. PLOS Biology. 14(3), e1002413. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1002413
Wilson, K. A., Lulow, M., Burger, J., Fang, Y. C., Andersen, C., Olson, D., O’Connell, M., and M. F. McBride 2011. Optimal restoration: accounting for space, time, and uncertainty. Journal of Applied Ecology. 48(3), 715-725. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.01975.x
Wilson, K. A., Meijaard, E., Drummond, S., Grantham, H. S., Boitani, L., Catullo, G., Christie, L., Dennis, R., Dutton, I., Falcucci, A., Maiorano, L., Possingham, H. P., Rondinini, C., Turner, W., Venter, O. and M. Watts. 2010. Conserving Biodiversity in Production Landscapes. Ecological Applications. 20(6), 1721-1732. doi: 10.1890/09-1051.1
Wilson, K. A., Carwardine, J. and H. P. Possingham. 2009. Setting Conservation Priorities. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. The Year in Ecology and Conservation Biology 2009. 1162(1), 237–264. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04149.x
Wilson, K. A., Underwood, E. C., Morrison, S. A., Klausmeyer, K. R., Murdoch, W. W., Reyers, B., Wardell-Johnson, G., Marquet, P. A., Rundel, P. W., McBride, M. F., Pressey, R. L., Bode, M., Hoekstra, J. M., Andelman, S., Looker, M., Rondinini, C., Kareiva, P., Shaw, R. M. and H. P. Possingham. 2007. Conserving Biodiversity Efficiently: What to do, Where and When. PLOS Biology. 5(9), 1850-1861. ARTN e233. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050223
Wilson, K. A., McBride, M., Bode, M. and H. P. Possingham. 2006. Prioritising global conservation efforts. Nature. 440(7082), 337-340. doi:10.1038/nature04366
Wilson, K. A., Westphal, M. I., Possingham, H. P. and J. Elith. 2005. Sensitivity of conservation planning to different approaches to using predicted species distribution data. Biological Conservation. 122(1), 99-112. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2004.07.004
References
External links
Institute for Future Environments
Queensland University of Technology
Wilson Environmental Decisions Lab
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
University of Melbourne alumni
Academic staff of Queensland University of Technology
Academic staff of the University of Copenhagen
University of Queensland alumni
Australian women scientists
Australian expatriates in Denmark
Environmental scientists | Kerrie Wilson | [
"Environmental_science"
] | 1,412 | [
"Environmental scientists",
"Australian environmental scientists"
] |
60,880,417 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C25H28N2O2 | {{DISPLAYTITLE:C25H28N2O2}}
The molecular formula C25H28N2O2 may refer to:
Diphenpipenol
JNJ-20788560 | C25H28N2O2 | [
"Chemistry"
] | 46 | [
"Isomerism",
"Set index articles on molecular formulas"
] |
60,880,859 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddington%20experiment | The Eddington experiment was an observational test of general relativity, organised by the British astronomers Frank Watson Dyson and Arthur Stanley Eddington in 1919. The observations were of the total solar eclipse of 29 May 1919 and were carried out by two expeditions, one to the West African island of Príncipe, and the other to the Brazilian town of Sobral. The aim of the expeditions was to measure the gravitational deflection of starlight passing near the Sun. The value of this deflection had been predicted by Albert Einstein in a 1911 paper; however, this initial prediction turned out not to be correct because it was based on an incomplete theory of general relativity. Einstein later improved his prediction after finalizing his theory in 1915 and obtaining the solution to his equations by Karl Schwarzschild. Following the return of the expeditions, the results were presented by Eddington to the Royal Society of London and, after some deliberation, were accepted. Widespread newspaper coverage of the results led to worldwide fame for Einstein and his theories.
Background
One of the first considerations of gravitational deflection of light was published in 1801, when Johann Georg von Soldner pointed out that Newtonian gravity predicts that starlight will be deflected when it passes near a massive object. Initially, in a paper published in 1911, Einstein had incorrectly calculated that the amount of light deflection was the same as the Newtonian value, that is 0.83 seconds of arc for a star that would be just on the limb of the Sun in the absence of gravity.
In October 1911, responding to Einstein's encouragement, German astronomer Erwin Freundlich contacted solar eclipse expert Charles D. Perrine in Berlin to inquire as to the suitability of existing solar eclipse photographs to prove Einstein's prediction of light deflection. Perrine, the director of the Argentine National Observatory at Cordoba, had participated in four solar eclipse expeditions while at the Lick Observatory in 1900, 1901, 1905, and 1908. He did not believe existing eclipse photos would be useful. In 1912 Freundlich asked if Perrine would include observation of light deflection as part of the Argentine Observatory's program for the solar eclipse of 10 October 1912 in Brazil. W. W. Campbell, director of the Lick Observatory, loaned Perrine its intramercurial camera lenses. Perrine and the Cordoba team were the only eclipse expedition to construct specialized equipment dedicated to observe light deflection. Unfortunately all the expeditions suffered from torrential rains which prevented any observations. Nevertheless, Perrine was the first astronomer to make a dedicated attempt to observe light deflection to test Einstein's prediction. Eddington had taken part in a British expedition to Brazil to observe the 1912 eclipse but was interested in different measurements. Eddington and Perrine spent several days together in Brazil and may have discussed their observation programs including Einstein's prediction of light deflection.
In 1914 three eclipse expeditions, from Argentina, Germany, and the US, were committed to testing Einstein's theory by observing for light deflection. The three directors were Erwin Finlay-Freundlich, from the Berlin Observatory, the US astronomer William Wallace Campbell, director of the Lick Observatory, and Charles D. Perrine, director of the Argentine National Observatory at Cordoba. The three expeditions travelled to the Crimea in the Russian Empire to observe the eclipse of 21 August. However, the First World War started in July of that year, and Germany declared war on Russia on 1 August. The German astronomers were either forced to return home or were taken prisoner by the Russians. Although the US and Argentine astronomers were not detained, clouds prevented clear observations being made during the eclipse. Perrine's photographs, although not clear enough to prove Einstein's prediction, were the first obtained in an attempt to test Einstein's prediction of light deflection.
A second attempt by American astronomers to measure the effect during the 1918 eclipse was foiled by clouds in one location and by ambiguous results due to the lack of the correct equipment in another.
Einstein's 1911 paper predicted deflection of star light on the limb of the Sun to be 0.83 seconds of arc and encouraged astronomers to test this prediction by observing stars near the Sun during a solar eclipse. It is fortunate for Einstein that the weather precluded results by Perrine in 1912 and Perrine, Freundlich, and Campbell in 1914. If results had been obtained they may have disproved the 1911 prediction setting back Einstein's reputation. In any case, Einstein corrected his prediction in his 1915 paper on General Relativity to 1.75 seconds of arc for a star on the limb. Einstein and subsequent astronomers both benefitted from this correction.
Eddington's interest in general relativity began in 1916, during World War I, when he read papers by Einstein (presented in Berlin, Germany, in 1915), which had been sent by the neutral Dutch physicist Willem de Sitter to the Royal Astronomical Society in Britain. Eddington, later said to be one of the few people at the time to understand the theory, realised its significance and lectured on relativity at a meeting at the British Association in 1916. He emphasised the importance of testing the theory by methods such as eclipse observations of light deflection, and the Astronomer Royal, Frank Watson Dyson began to make plans for the eclipse of May 1919, which would be particularly suitable for such a test. Eddington also produced a major report on general relativity for the Physical Society, published as Report on the Relativity Theory of Gravitation (1918). Eddington also lectured on relativity at Cambridge University, where he had been professor of astronomy since 1913.
Wartime conscription in Britain was introduced in 1917. At the age of 34, Eddington was eligible to be drafted into the military, but his exemption from this was obtained by his university on the grounds of national interest. This exemption was later appealed by the War Ministry, and at a series of hearings in June and July 1918, Eddington, who was a Quaker, stated that he was a conscientious objector, based on religious grounds. At the final hearing, the Astronomer Royal, Frank Watson Dyson, supported the exemption by proposing that Eddington undertake an expedition to observe the total eclipse in May the following year to test Einstein's General Theory of Relativity. The appeal board granted a twelve-month extension for Eddington to do so. Although this extension was rendered moot by the signing of the Armistice in November, ending the war, the expedition went ahead as planned.
Theory
The theory behind the experiment concerns the predicted deflection of light by the Sun. The first observation of light deflection was performed by noting the change in position of stars as they passed near the Sun on the celestial sphere. The approximate angular deflection δφ for a massless particle coming in from infinity and going back out to infinity is given by the following formula:
Here, b can be interpreted as the distance of closest approach. Although this formula is approximate, it is accurate for most measurements of gravitational lensing, due to the smallness of the ratio rs/b. For light grazing the surface of the Sun, the approximate angular deflection is roughly 1.75 arcseconds. This is twice the value predicted by calculations using the Newtonian theory of gravity. It was this difference in the deflection between the two theories that Eddington's expedition and other later eclipse observers would attempt to observe.
Expeditions and observations
The aim of the expeditions was to take advantage of the shielding effect of the Moon during a total solar eclipse, and to use astrometry to measure the positions of the stars in the sky around the Sun during the eclipse. These stars, not normally visible in the daytime due to the brightness of the Sun, would become visible during the moment of totality when the Moon covered the solar disc. A difference in the observed position of the stars during the eclipse, compared to their normal position (measured some months earlier at night, when the Sun is not in the field of view), would indicate that the light from these stars had bent as it passed close to the Sun. Dyson, when planning the expedition in 1916, had chosen the 1919 eclipse because it would take place with the Sun in front of a bright group of stars called the Hyades. The brightness of these stars would make it easier to measure any changes in position.
Two teams of two people were to be sent to make observations of the eclipse at two locations: the West African island of Príncipe and the Brazilian town of Sobral.
The Príncipe expedition members were Eddington and Edwin Turner Cottingham, from the Cambridge Observatory, while the Sobral expedition members were Andrew Crommelin and Charles Rundle Davidson, from the Greenwich Observatory in London. Eddington was Director of the Cambridge Observatory, and Cottingham was a clockmaker who worked on the observatory's instruments. Similarly, Crommelin was an assistant at the Greenwich Observatory, while Davidson was one of the observatory's computers.
The expeditions were organised by the Joint Permanent Eclipse Committee, a joint committee between the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society, chaired by Dyson, the Astronomer Royal. The funding application for the expedition was made to the Government Grant Committee, asking for £100 for instruments and £1000 for travel and other costs.
Sobral
In mid-1918, researchers from the Brazilian National Observatory, determined that the city of Sobral, Ceará, was the best geographical position to observe the Solar Eclipse. Its director, , sent a report to worldwide scientific institutions on the subject, including the Royal Astronomical Society, London.
The Greenwich Observatory team sent to Brazil consisted of Charles Davidson and Andrew Crommelin, with Frank Dyson coordinating everything from Europe and, later, being responsible for analyzing the team's data. The team arrived in Brazil on March 23, 1919, and its gear was waived without inspection as a courtesy from the Brazilian government. While Eddington took part in the Príncipe expedition, it is unknown why Dyson did not travel to Brazil.
The gear was made by two astrographic telescopes coupled to mirror systems known as coelostats; a main telescope from the Royal Greenwich Observatory with a 13-inch aperture and mounted to a 16-inch coelostat and a small backup telescope with a 4-inch aperture borrowed from Aloysius Cortie.
On April 30 the team arrived at Sobral. The eclipse day started cloudy, but the sky cleared and the Moon's disk began to obscure the Sun shortly before 8:56 am; the eclipse lasted 5 minutes 13 seconds. The team remained at Sobral until July to photograph the same star field at night.
The main telescope recorded twelve stars, while the backup one recorded seven. The main telescope had blurred images, which were discarded from the final conclusion, while the smaller one had the clearest images and was the most trustworthy. Daniel Kennefick defends that without the Sobral photographs, the results of the 1919 eclipse would have been inconclusive and that the expeditions during future eclipses failed to improve the data.
The British team was joined by the Brazilian team led by Henrique Charles Morize and the astronomers , Domingos Fernandes da Costa, Allyrio Hugueney de Mattos and Teófilo Lee with the objective of producing spectroscopic observations of the Sun's corona.
The team set its gear at a plaza in front of the church of Patrocínio, where the Eclipse Museum is today. The team took several 24-by-18 and 9-by-12 cm plates capturing the Sun and the stars' positions near its edge, but unfortunately, no meaningful conclusions were drawn from the data produced by the Brazilian team, and its contribution was defined as just logistical support for the British team and climate observations. Its plates were restored by the National Observatory in 2015, while the British team plates were lost after 1979.
The third expedition from that day was formed by Daniel Maynard Wise and Andrew Thomson, from the Carnegie Institution. Their goal was to study the eclipse effects on the magnetic field and atmospheric electricity.
In 1925, Einstein stated to the Brazilian press about the results, "The problem conceived by my brain was solved by the bright Brazilian sky".
Príncipe
The equipment used for the expedition to Príncipe, an island in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of West Africa, was an astrographic lens borrowed from the Radcliffe Observatory in Oxford. Eddington sailed from England in March 1919. By mid-May he had his equipment set up on Príncipe near what was then Spanish Guinea. The eclipse was due to take place in the early afternoon of 29 May, at 2 pm, but that morning there was a storm with heavy rain. Eddington wrote: Eddington developed the photographs on Príncipe, and attempted to measure the change in the stellar positions during the eclipse. On 3 June, despite the clouds that had reduced the quality of the plates, Eddington recorded in his notebook: "... one plate I measured gave a result agreeing with Einstein."
British future astronomer and astrophysicist Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin attended Eddington's lectures at Cambridge (including one where Eddington discussed the results of the eclipse expeditions) and later related how strongly these lectures had affected her.
Results and publication
The results were announced at a meeting of the Royal Society in November 1919, and published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society in 1920. Following the return of the expedition, Eddington was addressing a dinner held by the Royal Astronomical Society, and, showing his more light-hearted side, recited the following verse that he had composed in a style parodying the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam:
Later replications
The light deflection measurements were repeated by expeditions that observed the total solar eclipse of 21 September 1922 in Australia. An important role in this was played by the Lick Observatory and the Mount Wilson Observatory, both in California, US. On 12 April 1923, William Wallace Campbell announced that the preliminary new results confirmed Einstein's theory of relativity and prediction of the amount of light deflection with measurements from over 200 stars. Final results published in 1928 used measurements of over 3,000 star images.
Reception
The presentation of the results at the joint 6 November 1919 session of Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society led to intensive press coverage first in Great Britain and a few days later in the US press, notably in The New York Times, and some days later still in the German press. While Einstein had been a moderately famous public figure in Germany for a few years by that time, the articles in question marked the beginning of his international celebrity status. A notable exception was Belgium, where the Eddington results were given the cold shoulder – partly because Einstein was seen as representing Germany, with the suffering of Belgium in World War I still very present in the country. The sudden popularity of Einstein's theories led to an "Einstein boom" of popular science books.
While there is a later anecdote describing Einstein as unimpressed about the experimental results, and sure of his theory even in the absence of evidence (stating, when asked what he would have said if the results had been otherwise, "Then I would feel sorry for the dear Lord. The theory is correct anyway.") the evidence of Einstein's letters to other scientists indicates, on the contrary, that he was both impressed and moved by the new results, and regarded them as an important success.
The 1919 results were also used as part of the systematic efforts by the Nobel laureate Philipp Lenard to discredit Einstein, whom Lenard, himself an avid national socialist and exponent of what he saw as "German physics", saw as a dangerous exponent of unnatural "Jewish physics". Lenard pointed to the 1801 prediction that Johann Georg von Soldner had derived from Newtonian gravity for starlight bending around a massive object, which corresponds to half the general-relativistic prediction derived by Einstein in 1915, and thus to Einstein's own earlier derivation of 1911, and claimed that it proved Einstein to be a plagiarist, and that von Soldner deserved to be given credit for the 1919 result.
Both the 1919 results themselves and Eddington's textbook on general relativity, whose second edition including the results saw numerous translations as interest in Einstein's theory grew, played important roles in the reception of Einstein's theory in the scientific community. It is notable that while the Eddington results were seen as a confirmation of Einstein's prediction, and in that capacity soon found their way into general relativity text books, among other astronomers there followed a decade-long discussion of the quantitative values of light deflection, with the precise results in contention even after several expeditions had repeated Eddington's observations on the occasion of subsequent eclipses. The discussion concerned both the data analysis – such as the different weight assigned to different stars in the 1922 and 1929 eclipse expeditions – and the question of specific systematic effects that could skew the results.
All in all, eclipse measurements of this kind, using visible light, retained considerable uncertainty, and it was only radio-astronomical measurements in the late 1960s that definitively showed that the amount of deflection was the full value predicted by general relativity, and not half that number as predicted by a "Newtonian" calculation. Those measurements and their successors are nowadays an important part of the so-called post-Newtonian tests of gravity, the systematic way of parametrizing the predictions of general relativity and other theories in terms of ten adjustable parameters in the context of the parameterized post-Newtonian formalism, where each parameter represents a possible departure from Newton's law of universal gravitation. The earliest parameterizations of the post-Newtonian approximation were performed by Eddington (1922). The parameter concerned with the amount of deflection of light by a gravitational source is the so-called Eddington parameter (γ), and it is currently the best-constrained of the ten post-Newtonian parameters.
At about the time of the last serious photo-plate eclipse measurements, by a University of Texas expedition observing in Mauritania in 1973, doubts began to surface about whether or not the original Eddington measurements were sufficient to vindicate Einstein's prediction, or whether biased analysis by Eddington and his colleagues had skewed the results. Similar concerns about systematic errors and possibly confirmation bias were raised in the science history community and gained more prominence as part of the popular book The Golem by Trevor Pinch and Harry Collins. A modern reanalysis of the dataset, though, suggests that Eddington's analysis was accurate, and in fact less afflicted by bias than some of the analyses of solar eclipse data that followed. Part of the vindication comes from a 1979 reanalysis of the plates from the two Sobral instruments, using a much more modern plate-measuring machine than was available in 1919, which supports Eddington's results.
In popular culture
The experiment was central to the plot of the 2008 BBC television film Einstein and Eddington, with David Tennant in the role of Eddington.
See also
Tests of general relativity
Einstein and Eddington
Notes
References
Sources and further reading
External links
Eclipse 1919, website about the eclipse, the expeditions and centenary events
"Eddington's Eclipse and Einstein's Celebrity" Discovery (audio) episode (from BBC World Service)
"The man who made Einstein world-famous" (BBC News, 24 May 2019)
"Matthew Stanley and Einstein's War". (Clarke Center for Human Imagination, UCSD podcast)
"100 years on: the pictures that changed our view of the universe" (The Observer, 12 May 2019)
"How the 1919 Solar Eclipse Made Einstein the World's Most Famous Scientist" (Discover magazine, May 2019)
"A Total Solar Eclipse 100 Years Ago Proved Einstein's General Relativity" (Smithsonian Magazine, 24 May 2019)
"Einstein, Eddington and the 1919 eclipse" (Nature, April 2019)
"Arthur S. Eddington: From Physics to Philosophy and Back Again" (Eddington Conference, 27–29 May 2019, Paris)
Science experiments
Scientific expeditions
General relativity
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