text:
I recently read this very nice paper by Venanzio Capretta (Logical Methods in Computer Science, Volume 1, 2005, pages 1-28). To summarize very crudely: if your termination analysis supports lazy computations ("corecursive functions") on possibly infinite data structures ("coinductive data"), then you can implement general recursive functions as certain such computations on certain such data structures. This is important, because the idea works even in a type theory where all functions are required to terminate (and all co-recursive functions are required to be productive; that is, in finite time one must always be able to unfold the infinite data structure the next finite amount).
The remarkable thing Capretta realized is that the only possibly infinite data structure you need is one which we can think of as a list which begins with possibly infinitely many copies of a single symbol. This symbol means "the computation is still running". If there are only finitely many such symbols, that means the computation is finite, and then the list ends in the result of the computation. If there are infinitely many symbols, that means the computation runs forever (without producing a value). For example, let's say we are trying to represent the (terminating) computation of this way. We will have something of the form:
Actually, Capretta will write
This is because the coinductive type for computations that either diverge or converge with a result of type is, with (co-inductive) constructors:
Of course, if your computation is (for example) searching for counter-examples to Fermat's Last Theorem, your computation will look like the following (with an infinite number of s):
This is a rather spartan data structure for computations: all the information about what the computation is doing has been abstracted away, so that we see either only "still thinking" or "done, and here is the answer". Why is this enough for encoding general recursive functions in a terminating type theory? The answer (as I believe I understand it) is that the type is the appropriate constructive analog of the more obvious but constructively inappropriate inductive (as opposed to co-inductive) type where you either have a result of type, or something indicating divergence. This type might be written as a sum-type. It is inappropriate for modeling general computation in a terminating type theory, because with a sum-type, we can always case split on whether some element of type is in or is the entity representing divergence. In a constructive logic such as a terminating type theory, this implies we can decide termination of this element, which is not possible in general. The coinductive type is the perfect standin for, because while we cannot case-split on its values, we can co-recursively analyze them, so if a computation does terminate, we can make use of the result. If it does not, we will co-recursively analyze it forever.
Capretta develops and applies these ideas in a number of interesting ways. But you'll have to read his paper to learn more about that, as this post (delayed as it was by the end of the semester) is getting too long already.


text:
BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic formal right hepatectomy remains a technical challenge. We propose that the procedure can be accomplished efficiently with standard laparoscopic techniques, in ordered sequence, using smaller incisions, and having identical outcomes as the open procedure.
METHOD: We reviewed 25 consecutive video recordings of formal laparoscopic right hepatectomy performed over a 4 month period. Instruments include 3 – 4 trocars, and a wound protector-hand port (Gelport). Bipolar (Ligasure) and monopolar cautery, and ultrasonic shears are the primary energy sources. Instruments consist of atraumatic graspers and fine-tip dissectors. The 30- and 45-degree angled videoscope are used. Hepatic vessels are ligated with grey-load endoscopic staplers and white-load staplers are used for liver parenchyma. The technique is parceled into five sequences: (1) hilar dissection to divide cystic duct/artery, right hepatic artery, right portal vein, (2) release ligamentous attachments laterally and superiorly, (3) divide retro-hepatic veins to IVC, (4) isolate/ligate right hepatic vein, (5) divide liver parenchyma. All staplers and sutures are pre-loaded.
RESULTS: In all cases of formal right hepatectomy, we have consistently adopted this approach and sequence of dissection for efficiency and teaching. Each case requires two surgeons and total operative times range from 120 – 150 mins (average time requirements for the five major sequences are: hilar dissection 20 mins, attachments 10 mins, retrohepatic veins 15 mins, right HV 10 mins, parenchyma 10 mins). Typically, 4 grey-load staplers and 5 white-load staplers are used in a case, depending on the size of the liver. The liver lobe and gallbladder are removed through a 7 cm protected midline incision.
CONCLUSIONS: Efficiency of laparoscopic-assisted formal right hepatectomy with vascular isolation can be enhanced with a consistent approach and sequence. We advocate deconstructing this major operation into smaller parcels for instructional purposes, which also enables the team to prepare and anticipate requirements for each sequence.
Program Number: P429

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


Barney Dreyfuss
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Barney Dreyfuss
Barney dreyfuss.jpg
Barney Dreyfuss at Exposition Park in 1903.
Date of birth: (1865-02-23)February 23, 1865
Place of birth: Freiburg, Baden, German Confederation
Date of death: February 5, 1932(1932-02-05) (aged 66)
Place of death: New York, New York, United States
Career information
College: None
As owner:
Louisville Colonels
Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Stars
Career highlights and awards
Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss (February 23, 1865 – February 5, 1932) was an executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to his death.
He is often credited with the creation of the modern baseball World Series. He also built one of baseball's first modern steel and concrete baseball parks, Forbes Field, in 1909. During his period of ownership, the Pirates won six National League pennants and World Series titles in 1909 and 1925; only the New York Giants won more NL championships (10) during the same period.
Early years[edit]
Dreyfuss was born in Freiburg, Grand Duchy of Baden in 1865. He attended school in Freiburg and later worked in a bank in nearby Karlsruhe. At the age of 16, he emigrated in 1881 to the US to escape conscription into the German Army. At the time, his prospects of being drafted into the military was high, and as a young Jew, his potential for advancement there was low. Dreyfuss's father, Samuel Dreyfuss (_PHONE_), was actually an American citizen since 1861, who had returned to Germany at the outbreak of the Civil War. Samuel Dreyfuss had made a fortune selling spirits to the Native Americans.[citation needed]
Once in America, Barney Dreyfuss lived and worked with the Bernheim family in Paducah, Kentucky. The Bernheims were relatives of his grandfather, Leon Bernheim. In 1888, he moved with the Bernheim family to Louisville, Kentucky. Dreyfuss arrived knowing little English, but he became a quick learner. In just a few years, he rose from being a clerk to an officer of Bernheim Brothers, the creator of I. W. Harper bourbon.
Louisville Colonels[edit]
Dreyfuss enjoyed the game of baseball. He fueled his interest by organizing amateur baseball teams first for the distillery workers, then semi-pro clubs around Louisville. In 1889 the distillery expanded into larger quarters of Louisville. Dreyfuss quickly used the increased profits to buy a piece of the Louisville Colonels of the American Association. The team won the league pennant in 1890 against the Brooklyn Bridegrooms (today's Los Angeles Dodgers). However, the American Association fell apart in 1891. As a result, Dreyfess moved the Colonels into the National League.
One of his best decisions was hiring a local city editor and educated lawyer, Harry Clay Pulliam, to serve as his club secretary; he later appointed Pulliam president. When Dreyfess immigrated to America, it was Pulliam who taught him how to speak English. However Pulliam's greatest contribution to Colonels occurred when he convinced Dreyfuss to sign future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner to the team.
For much of the 1890s, the Colonels were in last place in the National League. In 1899, Dreyfess paid $50,0000 to acquire full ownership of the Colonels. By this time, however, the National League contracted several teams after the 1899 season and Dreyfuss purchased a half-interest in the Pittsburgh Pirates. As part of the deal, he negotiated the transfer of the best Louisville players, namely Wagner, Fred Clarke, Tommy Leach, Deacon Phillippe, and Rube Waddell to Pittsburgh. To pull off this deal, Dreyfuss accepted an option to purchase an interest in the Pirates, then traded the best of the Colonel's players to the Pirates; he then used this leverage to buy out his partners. The Colonels' president, Harry Pulliam, also left for the Pirates with Dreyfuss and became the team's president.
Pittsburgh Pirates[edit]
In Pittsburgh, Honus Wagner soon emerged as the National League's biggest star. The Pirates then won NL pennants in 1901, 1902, and 1903.
World Series[edit]
However a bidding war was taking place between the National League and the upstart American League. Dreyfess was victorious in attempt to keep the new league out of Pittsburgh. However he knew that the bidding war needed to end for the leagues to be properous. In 1903, Dreyfuss brokered the peace treaty that recognized two major leagues. It also instituted a single set of rules, established agreements with the minor leagues, set up cooperative scheduling, and recognized each league's rights to its own players. To cash in on the peace between the leagues, an agreement with terms was created by Dreyfuss and Boston Pilgrims' (today's Boston Red Sox) owner Henry Killilea to create the modern World Series. Although his Pirates would lose to the Boston Pilgrims 5 games to 3, the games proved to be a success. Dreyfuss further cemented his reputation by adding his own share of the gate receipts to the players' winnings.
Forbes Field[edit]
At the end of the 1908 season, Dreyfuss decided it was time that Pittsburgh had a new, larger stadium for its growing fan base and winning team. The team's current field, Exposition Park, was made of wood and so close to the banks of the Allegheny River that the outfield regularly flooded after heavy rains.[1] Meanwhile across the state in Philadelphia, Philadlephia Athletics owners Ben Shibe and Connie Mack had decided to build a steel and concrete venue for their team. Dreyfuss, with no intention of being one-upped, began the construction of Forbes Field.
The new stadium was built in the city's Oakland district and was named after John Forbes, the French and Indian War general who captured Fort Duquesne in 1758 and renamed it Fort Pitt. Dreyfuss purchased seven acres of land near the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, adjacent to Schenley Park, with assistance from his friend, industrialist Andrew Carnegie.[2] The low-priced land was selected so Dreyfuss could spend more on the stadium itself.[2] Dreyfuss signed a contract that he would "make the ballpark... of a design that would harmonize with the other structures in the Schenley Park district."[3] The site was initially labeled "Dreyfuss's Folly" due to its long distance—a 10-minute trolley ride—from downtown Pittsburgh; however, the land around the park developed and criticisms were dropped.[2][4] Official Pirates' records show that Forbes Field cost US$1 million for site acquisition and construction, but some estimates place the cost at twice that amount.[4][5]
The new park opened on June 30, 1909, and Dreyfess personally shook hands with the fans as they entered through the gates. The crowd for the stadium's inaugural game included Pittsburgh Mayor William A. Magee, Harry Pulliam (now the National League President), and Congressman John K. Tener, a former Major League player who was soon to become the Governor of Pennsylvania. While Pirates did lose the their first game at Forbes to the Chicago Cubs, they did go on to win the 1909 World Series later that year, over the Detroit Tigers.
1910 to 1932[edit]
In 1912, Dreyfuss became one of the major stockholders of Welte & Sons Inc. However he was still involved in every decision made involving the Pirates. Under his leadership, the Pirates won two more National League pennants and the 1925 World Series over the Washington Senators. He successfully helped fight off the Federal League in 1914 and 1915, and then helped form the commission that investigated the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. He also worked to abolish the three-man commission that ran the National League in favor of appointing a baseball commissioner, a post to be occupied by Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis. He also worked to outlaw "freak" pitches such as the spitball, and he was a force in ridding the game of gambling.
Pittsburgh Stars[edit]
In 1902, Dreyfuss and Pittsburgh Pirates minority owner William Chase Temple were suspected of being the secret owners to the Pittsburgh Stars, a professional American football team in the first National Football League. Both men denied any connection to the Stars' finances, as well as being the team's true owners. While the team's owner on paper, David Berry, insisted that he was the team's sole owner, it was impossible for him to afford the money to finance the team without the backing of Temple or Dreyfuss. The Stars would go on to win the 1902 NFL championship.[6]
Dreyfuss died on February 5, 1932,[7] at age 66 in New York City


interface, and finally you can configure Visual Studio to notify your generator on certain events (such as when the user saves), so that your generator would be launched automatically.
There are different ways to register your custom run tool (or generator). The most simple ones being to either make your own.reg file or to do it programmatically. In our case, we'd rather do it programmatically, because when we installed the Visual Studio SDK 1.0, it copied all the Visual Studio registries to create an "Experimental Visual Studio Hive", thanks to which you are able to test your new language. What we will do, is a small class which will register our generator in the right registries depending on the context.
In the DslPackage project, you will notice a Generated Code directory. In this directory, you will find text template files (*.tt), and if you expand the node in the Solution Explorer, you will see C# files under them. One of those files is named In this text template, you'll notice registering information, made through attributes. We will copy this principle, and make our own attribute that we are going to add to this text template.
Quick note: you can notice DSL Tools has its own custom run tool, which generates from a Text Template (*.tt) a C# file (*.cs), and this is the exact same behaviour we want to copy: we will generate a text file (*.txt) from our domain specific language file (*.smpl).
Here is part of the code contained in SmplGeneratorRegistrationAttribute:
public class SmplGeneratorRegistrationAttribute : RegistrationAttribute
 private string _packageGuid;
 private string _generatorClsid;
 private string _editorFactoryGuid;
 private Type _generatorType;
 private const string CSharpGeneratorsGuid =
 private const string CSharpProjectGuid =
 public ExampleGeneratorRegistrationAttribute(string packageGuid,
 string generatorClsid,
 string editorFactoryGuid, Type generatorType)
 if (packageGuid == null)
 throw new ArgumentNullException("packageGuid");
 if (generatorClsid == null)
 throw new ArgumentNullException("generatorClsid");
 if (editorFactoryGuid == null)
 throw new ArgumentNullException("editorFactoryGuid");
 if (generatorType == null)
 throw new ArgumentNullException("generatorType");
 _packageGuid = packageGuid;
 _generatorClsid = generatorClsid;
 _generatorType = generatorType;
 _editorFactoryGuid = editorFactoryGuid;
 public override void
 Register(RegistrationAttribute.RegistrationContext context)
 context.Log.Write("Registering Example generator... ");
 // First we are registering our class
 Key key = context.CreateKey(@"CLSID");
 Key subKey = key.CreateSubkey(_generatorClsid);
 subKey.SetValue("ThreadingModel", "Both");
 Path.Combine(Environment.SystemDirectory, "mscoree.dll"));
 subKey.SetValue("Class", _generatorType.FullName);
 subKey.SetValue("Assembly", _generatorType.Assembly.FullName);
 // Then we are registering our custom generator
 key = context.CreateKey(@"Generators\" + CSharpGeneratorsGuid);
 subKey = key.CreateSubkey("SmplGenerator");
 subKey.SetValue(string.Empty, "Example Generator");
 subKey.SetValue("CLSID", _generatorClsid);
 subKey.SetValue("GeneratesDesignTimeSource", 1);
 // register.sl editor notification
 key = context.CreateKey(@"Projects\" +
 CSharpProjectGuid + @"\FileExtensions");
 subKey = key.CreateSubkey(".smpl");
 subKey.SetValue("EditorFactoryNotify", _editorFactoryGuid);
 catch (Exception e)
 context.Log.WriteLine("Failure: " + e);
 public override void Unregister(
 RegistrationAttribute.RegistrationContext context)
 context.Log.Write("Unregistering Example generator... ");
 context.RemoveKey(@"CLSID\" + _generatorClsid);
 context.RemoveKey(@"Generators\" +
 CSharpGeneratorsGuid + @"\SmplGenerator");
 context.RemoveKey(@"Projects\" +
 CSharpProjectGuid + @"\FileExtensions\.smpl");
 catch (Exception e)
 context.Log.WriteLine("Failure: " + e);
Now that our attribute was created, we are going to add it to the file:
[SmplGeneratorRegistrationAttribute(Constants.<#= dslName #>PackageId,
 "{D8760704-A993-40ee-89B9-FB77764D99AF}", "{" +
 Constants.<#= dslName #>EditorFactoryId + "}",
 typeof(<#= this.Dsl.Namespace #>.ExampleGenerator))]
Be very careful not to forget the braces surrounding the GUIDs, or else it won't work. You can also notice that we are using a Constants class. The Constants class is one of the classes automatically generated by the DslTools, thanks to the text template files of the Dsl Tools projects. I also invite you to check the text templating syntax documentation if you want to know more about it.
From now on, our generator will be registered and attached to this file format; however, we still have to set Visual Studio to notify our generator in case of an event that we are interested in. This is done in the editor factory. You will notice a file in the DslPackage project called [NameOfYourProject] For my part, I find the text templating syntax not quite convenient, so instead of editing the text templates, I preferred to use another way. If you look at the [NameOfYourProject]EditorFactory class, you will notice that it is a partial class; so all we have to do is add our own [NameOfYourProject]EditorFactory partial class in which we implement the IVsEditorFactoryNotify interface, so that our generator is notified of a save or some other event you may be interested in. This is also here so that you will set your new language's file custom run tool property to your generator.
private int SafeNotifyItemAdded(uint grfEFN,
 IVsHierarchy pHier, uint itemid, string pszMkDocument)
 object itemObject;
 int hr = pHier.GetProperty(itemid,
 (int)__VSHPROPID.VSHPROPID_ExtObject, out itemObject);
 if (hr < 0)
 return hr;
 ProjectItem item = itemObject as ProjectItem;
 if (item == null)
 return -1;
 // Place here the name of the custom tool you want to run
 item.Properties.Item("CustomTool").Value = "SmplGenerator";
 return 0;
Now that everything is set (registration + event notification), we can add our generator. To do so, we will have to implement the IVsSingleFileGenerator in case of a single file generator like the one generating C# code from text templates. I would also recommend to implement the IVsGeneratorProgress interface too, so that you will be able to throw exceptions which will appear in the Visual Studio Error List window. So this would look like this:
public void Generate(
 string inputFilePath,
 string inputFileContents,
 string defaultNamespace,
 out System.IntPtr outputFileContents,
 out int outputLength,
 IVsGeneratorProgress generateProgress)
 ProjectItem item = SiteServiceProvider.GetService(
 typeof(EnvDTE.ProjectItem)) as ProjectItem;
 outputLength = 0;
 byte[] bytes = null;
 bytes = GenerateCode(inputFilePath,
 inputFileContents, item, out outputLength);
 catch (SmplConverterException cce)
 generateProgress.GeneratorError(false, 0, cce.Message, 0, 0);
 catch (Exception e)
 generateProgress.GeneratorError(false, 0, e.ToString(), 0, 0);
 if (bytes == null)
 outputFileContents = IntPtr.Zero;
 outputLength = 0;
 outputFileContents = Marshal.AllocCoTaskMem(outputLength);
 Marshal.Copy(bytes, 0, outputFileContents, outputLength);
And now everything is set to work. Check the "Using the code" section to know how to test your custom run tool (it is not as straightforward as usual, and is a great productivity loss).
A list of licenses authors might use can be found here
About the Author
Software Developer SoftFluent
France France
Carl Anderson is a.NET consultant at SoftFluent. You can contact him at carl "dot" anderson "at" softfluent "dot" com.
Comments and Discussions
QuestionConverted to (using 2008 wizard and manual editing of csproj files) vs2008 SDK okay but won't run PinmemberMember 883428924-Aug-12 5:02
GeneralGreat article! PinmemberJuergen Baeurle25-Jul-07 23:07
QuestionCan't start preprocessor Pinmemberpetercli13-Mar-07 12:38
AnswerRe: Can't start preprocessor Pinmemberpetercli14-Mar-07 6:29
OK - i fixed my problem by installing c++.
GeneralA great introduction PinmemberDavid Wulff9-Feb-07 9:17
QuestionGenerateCode Detail PinmemberHenrique Carvalho4-Jan-07 6:03
AnswerRe: GenerateCode Detail PinmemberCarl_Anderson4-Jan-07 7:37
GeneralRe: GenerateCode Detail PinmemberHenrique Carvalho4-Jan-07 8:22
GeneralRe: GenerateCode Detail PinmemberCarl_Anderson4-Jan-07 11:51
QuestionNot working PinmemberHugo.Pereira21-Dec-06


text:
An example dataflow for color segmentation and tracking of a moving pendulum is shown. Data sources are colored in violet; transform operators in white; sinks in dark gray. The currently selected node (Hsv Threshold) is colored in black and its configuration parameters are displayed in the properties panel on the right. Overlaid windows and graphs represent Bonsai data visualizers for the output of individual nodes.
Figure 2. Examples of dataflow processing pipelines using Bonsai. (A) Taking grayscale snapshots from a camera whenever a key is pressed. Top: graphical representation of the Bonsai dataflow for camera and keyboard processing. Data sources are colored in violet; transform operators in white; combinators in light blue; sinks in dark gray. Bottom: marble diagram showing an example execution of the dataflow. Colored tokens represent frames arriving from the camera. Black circles represent key press events from the keyboard. Asterisks indicate saving of images to permanent storage. (B) Dynamic modulation of an image processing threshold using the mouse. The x-coordinate of mouse movements is used to directly set the externalized Threshold Value property (orange). The updated threshold value will be used to process any new incoming images. (C) Grouping a set of complex transformations into a single node. In the nested dataflow, the source represents incoming connections to the group and the sink represents the group output.
A common requirement when designing and manipulating dataflows is the ability to visualize the state of the data at different stages of processing. We have therefore included a set of visualizers to assist debugging and inspection of data elements, including images and signal waveforms (Figure 1). These visualizers are automatically associated with the output data type of each node and can be launched at any time in parallel with the execution of the dataflow. Furthermore, it is often desirable to be able to manipulate processing parameters online for calibration purposes. Each node has a set of properties which parameterize the operation of that particular source or combinator (Figure 1). This allows, for example, changing the cutoff frequency of a signal processing filter, or setting the name of the output file in the case of data recording sinks. We have also included the possibility of externalizing node properties into the dataflow (Figure 2B). Externalizing a property means extracting one of the parameters into its own node in the dataflow, making it possible to connect the output of another node to the exposed property. This allows for the dynamic control of node parameters.
Finally, we have built into Bonsai the ability to group nodes hierarchically. In its simplest form, this feature can be used to encapsulate a set of operations into a single node which can be reused elsewhere (Figure 2C). This is similar to defining a function in a programming language and is one of the ways to create new reactive operators in Bonsai. Any named externalized properties placed inside an encapsulated dataflow will also show up as properties of the group node itself. This allows for the parameterization of nested dataflows and increases their reuse possibilities. In addition, encapsulated dataflows are used to specify more complicated, yet powerful, operators such as iteration constructs that allow for the compact description of complex data processing scenarios that can be cumbersome to specify in pure dataflow visual languages (Mosconi and Porta, 2000) (see below).
Bonsai was designed to be a modular framework, which means it is possible to extend its functionality by installing additional packages containing sources and combinators developed for specific purposes. New packages can be written using C# or any of the.NET programming languages. Python scripts [via IronPython (IronPython Community, 2014)] can be embedded in the dataflow as transforms and sinks, allowing for rapid integration of custom code. All functionality included in Bonsai was designed using these modular principles, and we hope to encourage other researchers to contribute their own packages and thereby extend the framework to other application domains. At present, the available packages include computer vision and signal processing modules based on the OpenCV library (Itseez, 2014). Drivers for several cameras and interfaces to other imaging and signal acquisition hardware were integrated as Bonsai sources and sinks, including support for Arduino microcontrollers (Banzi et al., 2014), serial port devices and basic networking using the OSC protocol (Wright et al., 2003). Given the specific applications in the domain of neuroscience, we also integrated a number of neuroscience technology packages. The Ephys package, for example, builds on the Open Ephys initiative for the sharing of electrophysiology acquisition hardware (Voigts et al., 2013) by providing support for the Rhythm open-source USB/FPGA interface (Intan Technologies, US). Therefore, the next generation tools for electrophysiology can already be used inside Bonsai, the acquired physiology data implicitly integrated with other available data streams and thus easily assembled into a powerful and flexible experimental neuroscience platform.
The most common application of Bonsai is the acquisition and processing of simple, independent data streams. However, for many modern experiments, basic acquisition and storage of data is often not sufficient. For example, it can be convenient to only record the data aligned on events of interest, such as the onset of specific stimuli. Furthermore, neuroscience experiments often progress through several stages, especially for behavioral assays, where controlled conditions vary systematically across different sessions or trials. In order to enforce these conditions, experiments need to keep track of which stage is active and use that information to update the state of control variables and sensory processing. These requirements often cannot be described by a simple linear pipeline of data, and require custom code to handle the complicated logic and bookkeeping of experimental states. Below we describe a set of advanced Bonsai operators that can be used to flexibly reconfigure data processing logic to cover a larger number of scenarios. These operators and their applications are all built on the single idea of slicing a data stream into sub-sequences, called windows, which are then processed independently and, potentially, in parallel (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Using slicing and window processing combinators in Bonsai. (A) Creating data windows using element count information. The Count and Skip parameters specify the size of each window and the number of elements to skip before creating a new window, respectively. Top: graphical representation of the Bonsai dataflow used for slicing. Bottom: marble diagram showing the behavior of the operator for different values of the parameters. The boundaries of each window are indicated by the enclosing rectangles. (B) Creating data windows using timing information. Time is split into intervals of equal fixed duration. Each interval defines a window and data elements are assigned to each window based on the interval that is active at the time of their arrival. Top: Bonsai dataflow. Bottom: marble diagram. (C) Creating data windows using an external trigger. The boundaries of the created windows are defined by the timing of events produced by the trigger source. Top: Bonsai dataflow. Bottom: marble diagram. (D) Moving average of a signal source using windows. Sliding windows of the data are created based on element count information. Top: Bonsai dataflow. The dataflow encapsulated in SelectMany specifies the processing done on each window. In this case, the average value of each window sequence is computed. Middle: marble diagram. As soon as each window is completed, its average value is merged into the result sequence. Bottom: example signal trace before and after the filtering. (E) Online splitting of video recordings into different files based on an external trigger. Top: Bonsai dataflow. Notice that the VideoWriter sink is included inside the SelectMany combinator. Bottom: marble diagram. At the start of each window, a new movie file is created. Asterisks indicate the encoding of individual frames in each window to the corresponding file. (F) Implementing state-machines using window operators. Top: state-machine schematic of a task designed to measure response times. In the Ready state, the stimulus is off. When entering the Go state, the stimulus is turned on. At the end of each trial, the system goes back to the initial state. Bottom: graphical representation of the equivalent Bonsai dataflow. The SelectMany combinator is used to specify the behavior and transitions of each state. The Take combinator truncates a sequence to include only a specified number of initial elements. In this case, only the first element is included. The Repeat combinator restarts a sequence when no more elements are produced (see text).
Bonsai provides different combinators that allow the creation of these sub-sequences from any observable data stream, using element count information, timing, or external triggers (Figures 3A–C). The specific set of operations to apply on each window is described by encapsulating a dataflow inside a SelectMany group, as detailed in the signal processing example of Figure 3D. The input source in this group represents each of the window sub-sequences, i.e., it is as if each of the windows is a new data source, containing only the elements that are a part of that window. These elements will be processed as soon as they are available by the encapsulated dataflow. Windows can have overlapping common elements, in which case their processing will happen concurrently. The processing outputs from each window are merged together to produce the final result. In the case of Figure 3D, past and future samples are grouped in windows to compute a running average of the signal through time, necessarily time-shifted by the number of future samples that are considered in the average.
The processing of the elements of each window happens independently, as if there was a new isolated dataflow running for each of the sequences. We can exploit this independence in order to dynamically turn data


text:
Cardiac arrest induced by muscarinic or adenosine receptors agonists is reversed by DPCPX through double mechanism
In the right atrium (RA), adenosine and acetylcholine inhibit the pacemaker function of the sinoatrial node and induce cardiac arrest. Pre-incubation of receptor antagonists is known to inhibit the cardiac arrest induced by these agonists; however, the effect of antagonist administration after established cardiac arrest has not been described. Therefore, we assessed whether specific receptor antagonists could revert cardiac arrest induced by adenosine and muscarinic receptors activation. RA isolated from adults Wistar rats were mounted in an organ bath containing Krebs solution. Cardiac arrest was induced by adenosine or ATP (1 mM), the A1 adenosine receptor agonist CPA (0.1–1 μM), and muscarinic receptor agonists, carbachol (0.3–1 μM) and acetylcholine (1 mM). After establishing the cardiac arrest, the A1 adenosine receptor antagonist DPCPX (0.3–30 μM), the muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine (10 nM to 100 μM) or the phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX (10–300 μM) were incubated in order to check for the return of spontaneous contractions. DPCPX reversed the cardiac arrest induced by adenosine, ATP and CPA. In addition, atropine reversed the cardiac arrest induced by carbachol. Unexpectedly, DPCPX also reversed the cardiac arrest induced by carbachol. Similarly to DPCPX, the phosphodiesterase inhibitor IBMX reversed the cardiac arrest induced by adenosine, CPA and carbachol. The antagonism of adenosine and acetylcholine receptors activation, as well as phosphodiesterase inhibition, are able to revert cardiac arrest. DPCPX restore spontaneous contractions via the selective antagonism of A1 adenosine receptor and through a secondary mechanism likely related to phosphodiesterase inhibition.


text:
Mystery Solved: Why Do NASA Space Shuttles Look So Dirty?
At NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, shuttle Discovery pauses for photos during its move called "rollover" from Orbiter Processing Facility-3 to the nearby Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) on Sept. 9, 2010.
CREDIT: NASA/Ben Cooper [Full Story]
This story was updated on Wednesday, Feb. 23.
They're big and fast and fly in space, but NASA's space shuttles are far from being shiny white spaceships straight off the factory floor. Case in point: Space shuttle Discovery, which wears its age with pride as it nears retirement.
Discovery is NASA's oldest flying space shuttleand the most-flown of the agency's three-orbiter fleet. It is poised to blast off from Florida on Feb. 24 to make one last delivery to the International Space Station before being retired this year along with the rest of NASA's shuttle program.
But after nearly 27 years of spaceflight (Discovery first launched in August 1984), the shuttle shows its age. Its white and black exterior is marred with black streaks, and some SPACE.com readers have wondered why NASA's shuttles - a longtime symbol of American spaceflight – look old and busted.
It turns out, there's a reason.
"She does look worn, and she is," explained Stephanie Stilson, who oversees work on Discovery for each flight. "She's had a very long history."
Discovery and other shuttles earn their weathering mainly from the searing heat of re-entry through Earth's atmosphere, when they are subjected to scorching hot temperatures of up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 degrees Celsius).
This upcoming trip to the space station will be Discovery's 39th spaceflight. It's NASA's 133rd shuttle mission. NASA's first two shuttles, Columbia and Challenger, were older than Discovery, but both were lost in spaceflight tragedies.
Not everything is replaced
While NASA engineers routinely inspect each shuttle for dings and damage after each flight, they only replace equipment that really needs it. That means insulation blankets, tiles and other gear – even if they look dirty or worn – stays on the ship if they can still do their job, Stilson told SPACE.com.
"So if the blankets, the white part that you see, look dirty, they've been to space and back for goodness sake," Stilson said. "So they are dirty, but they're still in good shape and in good condition and we're not going to change anything out unless they need to be."
The heat-resistant carbon composite panels along Discovery's wings and the black ceramic tiles on its underbelly are also subject to age.
Older tiles on Discovery look streaked from the plasma environment of re-entry. They stand out in photos because new tiles still appear a pristine dark black.
"So you can definitely tell that she's worked hard over the years, but that's just the nature of the business and what she's been through," Stilson said of Discovery.
NASA has two final shuttle missions scheduled and is hoping for final funding approval from Congress for one extra flight, before retiring its three orbiters this year. The shuttles (Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavour) are being retired to make way for a new space plan aimed at sending astronauts to asteroid by 2025 and ultimately onto Mars.
Public's up-close look
Discovery's final mission is called STS-133. It will deliver a storage room and the humanoid robot helper Robonaut 2 to the International Space Station during its 11-day spaceflight.
Endeavour is launch on its final flight on April 19, with the potential extra shuttle flight slated for no earlier than June 28.
Stilson said she was impressed that SPACE.com readers commented on Discovery's worn appearance because it is not something that will be overlooked when the shuttle is ultimately displayed in a museum.
"I'm glad they noticed that because when they see Discovery at the display site, they'll see that as well," she said.
NASA ultimate plans to send its space shuttles to museums for exhibit across the country. The final destinations for the entire shuttle fleet have not yet been decided, NASA officials have said.
SPACE.com is providing complete coverage of the last voyage of space shuttle Discovery. You can follow SPACE.com staff writer Denise Chow on Twitter _USER_ as she covers Discovery's final space voyage from Cape Canaveral, Fla.
MORE FROM SPACE.com

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


A unique instrument for the biggest telescope
Fiber-fed spectrographs can now have throughputs equivalent to slit spectrographs. However, the sky subtraction accuracy that can be reached on such instruments has often been pinpointed as one of their major issues, in relation to difficulties in scattered light and flat-field corrections or throughput losses associated with fibers. Using technical time observations with FLAMES-GIRAFFE, two observing techniques, namely dual staring and cross beam switching modes, were tested and the resulting sky subtraction accuracy reached in both cases was quantified. Results indicate that an accuracy of 0.6% on the sky subtraction can be reached, provided that the cross beam switching mode is used. This is very encouraging regarding the detection of very faint sources with future fiber-fed spectrographs such as VLT/MOONS or ELT/MOSAIC.
Click to download the full article in PDF : Sky background subtraction with fiber-fed spectrograph
On-sky tests of cross-beam switching operations with FLAMES/GIRAFFE at the VLT. Left panel: raw frame with individual spectra showed as individual columns and wavelength along the vertical axis; the sky lines can be seen as horizontal bright regions. Right panel: results after direct subtraction of the raw and sky frames after switching to science and sky fibers: no significant residuals can been seen. The bottom-right panel shows the accuracy of the method, which can reach a 0.6% accuracy. Optimized systems with advanced algorithms are expected to reach to ~ 0.1 % accuracy level.
Who are we? Infos on the MOSAIC consortium.
Scientific goals and milestones: why MOSAIC?
How do we get there? All the technology behind MOSAIC.
What performance can we expect from MOSAIC?
How will MOSAIC fit in the instrumental landscape?


text:
What's the Score? (Go Inside the Conductor's Score for Handel's Hallelujah Chorus). By Geoffrey R. Lorenz. Arranged by Kris Kropff. Workbook. Published by Heritage Music Press (LO.30-2321H).
Students in the general music classroom are exposed to many different types and forms of music, both aurally and through the printed page, but seldom do they have the chance to see and work with a score. "What's the Score?" changes all that thanks to its engaging and accessible look into this rich source of music learning. Begin by reproducing and distributing some or all of the 16 pages of the included "Hallelujah Chorus" score. Students then go inside the score by playing games including Seek & Circle, Find & Define and Name That Note. A preparatory worksheet introducing the score is also provided, along with reproducible fact sheets about the orchestra and its instruments, Handel, and his famous oratorio--the perfect complement to a "Messiah" unit. Additional suggestions for using this familiar melody and its score to strengthen rhythm reading and other music fundamentals are also provided.


text:
The murals in the Grant Wood Heritage Area and on the walls of the staircase leading to the Upper Lobby of the original building are without doubt the major artistic feature of the Iowa State University Library. All panels are oil on canvas designed by famed Iowa regionalist artist Grant Wood (_PHONE_) and executed under the federal program providing work for unemployed artists in the 1930s. As newly appointed head of the Public Works of Art Project for Iowa, later named Civil Works Administration, Wood was asked by Iowa State President Raymond M. Hughes to plan murals for the Library. Wood obviously welcomed this opportunity to employ artists, and made his selection from those who had exhibited at the Iowa State Fair.
The murals use as a theme a quotation from Daniel Webster's remarks on "The Agriculture of England" made on January 13, 1840 in the State House in Boston: "When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization." The first half of this quotation appears below the window ledge above the first stairway landing. This quote was a favorite theme for many mural projects of the era because of the emphasis on the nation's agrarian heritage. Thomas Jefferson's vision of a republic of family farms engaged in subsistence agriculture had great appeal to the regionalist artists who idealized the noble farmer and caring wife. Wood's farmscapes of this period depict a'streamlined rural paradise' devoid of sweating hands, market risks, foreclosed mortgages, and the effects of bad weather, crop pests and disease.
Grant Wood, together with Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri and John Steuart Curry of Kansas, formed an important American art movement known as regionalism, which held that painters should paint those things they know best rather than rely on European influences. Born in Cedar Rapids, Wood became successful in painting the fields, activities and people of Iowa, and is perhaps best remembered for his "American Gothic" portrait of the stoic midwestern farmer and daughter.
The steps followed in creating these murals involved: making preliminary sketches, then finished drawings in color; enlarging the drawings on brown wrapping paper; transferring the enlarged designs to the stretched canvas panels by pouncing through perforated outlines made with a spiked wheel; and finally painting the canvases with oils. Francis McCray did the enlargements, and Arnold Pyle did all of the color mixing of the oil paints. The color scheme complements the warm tones of the yellowish Minnesota travertine stone framing the murals. According to Wood, a limited palette was used in painting both sets of murals: yellow ochre, cadmium red, black and white; all other colors were obtained by mixing. Blue was used sparingly, only for some of the prairie flowers, so that it would not 'jump out' of the painting since hues appear more intense when placed close to their complement.
A much-needed cleaning and restoration of the murals was completed by conservator Margaret Randall Ash in September 1974. Funding for the project was provided by the ISU Class of 1959 and a matching grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. Under the University's system for regular preservation maintenance of art works, Ivan Hanthorn, head of the Library's Preservation Department, removed the accumulation of remodeling dust in 1988.
|Printer version|||||Search website:|||||Site map|
|Iowa State University Library
Corner of Osborn Dr. & Morrill Rd.
Ames, Iowa 50011-2140
|Voice: _PHONE_
Fax: _PHONE_


|improve this answer
Here are two examples I think are interesting.
1) A ladder that is leaning against a wall starts slipping down. If the point where the ladder touches the ground (draw your own picture) is moving away from the wall at a constant rate, is the point where the ladder touches the wall falling at a constant rate? People may reasonably think that because the ladder is "rigid" the answer should be yes.
Differentiating $x^2 + y^2 = L$ (where $L$ is the length of the ladder, a constant) shows $dx/dt$ being constant certainly doesn't make $dy/dt$ constant, and in fact since $dy/dt = -x(dx/dt)/\sqrt{L-x^2}$ we see that as $x$ increases (while being less than $L$) and $dx/dt$ is fixed the point where the ladder touches the wall is dropping faster and faster. Some students may even say that from their experience or physical intuition this actually makes sense, which raises the question of whether this is truly a physical phenomenon or a purely mathematical one that has been revealed from calculus.
2) There is a gas is in a chamber with a flexible wall (so the chamber can expand or contract, e.g., a piston is at one end). According to the chemists, if we maintain the gas at a constant temperature while increasing or decreasing the size of the chamber then the pressure $P$ and volume $V$ satisfy the relation $PV$ = constant. (I am thinking of the ideal gas law $PV = nRT$, where $n$ and $T$ don't change.) One aspect of this equation which is obvious is that as the volume goes up/down, the pressure goes down/up. Question: If we decrease the volume at a constant rate, does the pressure increase at a constant rate, and more precisely at the rate which is the reciprocal of the rate at which the volume is going down? I think it's quite natural for people to make a snap judgement that if $dV/dt = -4$ then $dP/dt = 1/4$ because $PV$ is constant, but of course the product rule shows this is wrong, and moreover if $dV/dt$ is constant then $dP/dt$ is definitely not constant.
It's perhaps worth first discussing a situation where such intuition is right, namely where the sum of two variables is fixed, rather than the product. Find your own example where two variables $x$ and $y$ satisfy $x+y$ = constant. Then $dx/dt = -dy/dt$, which makes a lot of sense: the rate at which one goes up is exactly "opposite" to the rate at which the other goes down. But when the product is constant this is completely incorrect.
share|improve this answer
I concur with your first sentence! – Frank Thorne Dec 11 '11 at 14:14
So in fact the ( ideal) ladder hits the ground with infinite velocity! I guess that in the real world the top of the ladder slightly pulls away from the wall. – Aaron Meyerowitz May 22 '13 at 13:45
Here's something you could try, based on a passage from Richard Feynman's "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!":
Assume a constant flow rate, and see whether your students can be guided to a solution. You might try a warm-up problem, where you pour water into a non-cylindrical glass (a martini glass, or something more weirdly shaped) and try to determine how quickly the level rises, as a function of cross-sectional area.
share|improve this answer
I was actually looking at that same quote quite recently, and musing that I actually don't know what makes water running out of a faucet grow narrower. What is the physical principle I should be using to guide the math? – Sridhar Ramesh Dec 10 '11 at 18:31
Think of the flow as measured at a horizontal cross-section as the amount of water that passes through the cross-section per second. If the flow is uniform, this is the same at every cross-section, and in that case the area of water at that cross-section is inversely proportional to the velocity at that cross-section. – Todd Trimble Dec 10 '11 at 19:17
Hm... why is the "flow", in this particular sense, uniform? I mean, surely if I were to keep pumping a load of solid bricks into a pipe at a constant rate, ending in a vertical drop, the bricks, when dropping, would simply fall straight down, not attempting to contract inwards to maintain a uniform "flow" as they accelerate. (I may be completely missing something still) – Sridhar Ramesh Dec 11 '11 at 9:59
Sorry, Sridhar, I didn't mean to be glib. I'm afraid I don't have a really good answer, but I suspect the answer has something to do with the near-incompressibility of water: it maintains a very nearly constant density when in its liquid state. For a stream of bricks falling, bricks that were initially close together begin to separate: the velocity vector field has non-zero divergence. Whereas the velocity vector field of an incompressible fluid in steady flow has zero divergence. See e.g. Feynman Lectures in Physics, vol. II, section 40. But I don't know why water is incompressible! – Todd Trimble Dec 11 '11 at 21:41
And the surface tension of water keeps the cross section (approximately) circular. – Lubin May 22 '13 at 13:24
The following example is contrived, but I created it with the same frustration at the boring and repetitive nature of most related rates problems. Since I found this MO question by doing a google search for a "really interesting related rates problem," I'm recording this here for other instructors looking for juicier problems.
Question: What is the rate of change of the width of a shadow as you walk away from a street lamp considered as a point light source which is higher than your head? You can model yourself as a rectangle is you'd like!
The answer to this question was surprising to me. You can also ask for the rate of change of the trapezoidal shadow's area.
share|improve this answer
I don't know if it's obvious or nobody was motivated to work though the example, but the surprising thing to me is that the width of the shadow doesn't change! – Jim Conant Oct 29 '14 at 11:55
Your Answer


kids encyclopedia robot
Melaleuca pauciflora facts for kids
Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Melaleuca pauciflora
Melaleuca pauciflora.jpg
Melaleuca pauciflora near Ashendon
Scientific classification
Melaleuca leptoclada Benth.
Myrtoleucodendron leptocladum (Benth.) Kuntze
Myrtoleucodendron pauciflorum (Turcz.) Kuntze
Melaleuca pauciflora is a shrub in the myrtle family Myrtaceae, endemic to the south-west of Western Australia. Its decussate leaf arrangement and its small heads of white flowers on the sides of its branches are diagnostic. This is probably the least spectacular of all the melaleucas.
Melaleuca pauciflora is a bushy shrub usually growing to a height of about 3 m (10 ft). Its leaves are in alternate pairs, the pairs at right angles to the ones above and below so that there are four rows of leaves along the stems. The leaves are 3–12 mm (0.1–0.5 in) long and 0.9–2.0 mm (0.04–0.08 in) wide, glabrous and elliptic in shape but tapering towards the end.
The flowers are white, in small heads up to 6 mm (0.2 in) in diameter and contain 2 to 8 flowers. The petals are 1–1.4 mm (0.04–0.06 in) long and fall off as the flowers mature. The stamens are arranged in five bundles around the flower, each bundle with 2 to 7 stamens. Flowers appear in summer and are followed by fruit which are woody capsules 1.5–2 mm (0.06–0.08 in).
Taxonomy and naming
Melaleuca pauciflora was first formally described in 1847 by Nikolai Turczaninow in "Bulletin de la Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou". The specific epithet (pauciflora) is from the Latin words paucus meaning "few" or "little" and flos meaning "flower" or "blossom" referring to the inflorescences which are small and have few flowers.
Distribution and habitat
Melaleuca pauciflora occurs between the Perth area and Albany in the Esperance Plains, Jarrah Forest, Swan Coastal Plain and Warren biogeographic regions. It grows in sand in estuaries, swamps and other winter-wet areas.
kids search engine
Melaleuca pauciflora Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.


text:
What does breathability mean in a mattress?
Does it count to consider the breathability feature in a mattress?
If these are your question, let us first start with what breathability means. It is the feature that determines how well the air is circulated through the fabric. Therefore, if the mattress is breathable, it will remain cool and satisfying even when sleeping for long hours during hot sunny days. In short, breathability directly impacts your experience regarding health, comfort, and performance as a whole.
In addition, it also controls how many years the mattress will be able to serve you by mitigating wear and tear due to moisture and heat. As a result, enhancing the product's durability and reducing the mattresses vulnerability to an environmental factor.
Check Out: Ways You Can Make Your Mattress Last Longer
How Long Does a Mattress Last in generally?
If the breathability property is top-notch, nothing can hold it back to serve you for at least 7-10 years. However, speaking health and hygiene wise one should replace their mattress every 6 to 8 years.
The life of your mattress will also depend on other factors like how much weight it is carrying, how often you nap on it, the type of mattress you have chosen to install, etc.
Factors Influencing Mattress Lifespan
Like we have discussed, numerous factors determine the lifespan of your mattress. However, to follow a general thumb rule, watch out for the following factors:
The material of which the mattress is made has a substantial impact on how long a mattress last. For example, high-density polyfoam material last longer compared to low-density polyfoam.
2. Mattress Type
- How Long Does A Spring Mattress Last?
The average lifespan of the innerspring mattress is 5 to 6 years. As you shop for the particular mattress, you will find most of them contains pocketed coil allowing all the other coil to work independently. However, mattresses containing traditional coil system works together and counteracts each other's motion. Thus, to determine the durability, there are few points to consider:
- Coil gauge: Mattress containing coil gauge of fourteen or higher are firm while those below are soft. You will be tempted to buy the softer ones, but since they are thin, they have less durability.
- Pillow top: Also, look for pillow top features when determining durability. They add softness to the higher coil gauge.
- Mattress topper: If you purchase a quality mattress topper, it reduces the direct compression, increasing the mattress's lifespan.
- How Long Does A Foam Mattress Last?
A foam mattress usually lasts longer than eight years. However, it may vary depending on the foam it is made of:
- Polyurethane: It is the least expensive mattress you will find; however often compromises on durability. So, before buying, check the density it offers. The higher will be the density, the longer it will last.
- Reflex foam: Their durability is generally higher than the standard foam but is careful of their specification and sagging period.
- Convoluted: Convoluted foam is not well in durability. Though they provide the best kind of support, they are generally short-lived.
- How Long Does A Memory Foam Mattress Last?
The durability of memory foam mattresses is considerably high (6-7 years). However, the body weight you intend to apply and the product's density must be in accordance. If thinking of putting heavy pressure, the density should not be less than five lbs/ft3.
- How Long Does A Latex Mattress Last?
When considering a latex mattress, it lasts for 7 to 8 years. However, it will mainly depend on the blend the product has used in its mattress:
- Natural or synthetic: The product is made from two material types natural and synthetic. Generally, natural are more durable and give higher performance than synthetic ones.
- Replaceable layers: The comfortable layer is added to the mattress to install features like heat transfer, motion isolation, and bounciness. However, it slightly impacts the durability of the product by degrading its quality.
- How Long Does A Coir Mattress Last?
You can expect a coir mattress to last up to 3 to 5 years, after which they tend to sag and disorient. The main reason for this is that it is made from 100% natural coconut fibre, which often becomes vulnerable to environmental factors.
- How Long Does A Hybrid Mattress Last?
Since hybrid mattress is the combination of two or more mattresses, you will have to access the following points to access its durability:
- Density: As said earlier, it is a significant factor determining the product's durability, so it should be enough to carry an average person's weight and higher.
- Warranty: Another way to understand the product's durability is by looking at its warranty period. It should not be less than ten years.
3. Sagging Potential
It is general for the mattress to sag up, especially in areas where you place the heaviest part of your body, like hips and shoulders. This further leads to body pain and dis-alignment if the mattress is not replaced.
Check Out: How To Fix A Saggy Mattress?
4. Body Impressions Potential
Body impressions are a common factor influencing mattress durability. Because of this factor, you can see a semi-permanent print of your body on the mattress generally caused by sleeping in one position.
5. Premature softening potential
Every mattress softens after few regular uses. It is not a problem until it is normal softening. However, when it turns excessively soft, it sags up and affects the comfort and pressure-releasing ability of the bed.
6. Mechanical malfunction potential
This issue is mainly seen in smart beds, airbeds and other mattresses. When this factor gets affected, it impacts manual and remote control, air pumps and outlet connectivity.
7. Mattress Care
Like anything, when you take care of the mattress, it is expected to last longer. One way of increasing longevity is flipping the mattress every six months, given it is two-sided.
8. Mattress Warranty
Warranty offered by companies protect your mattress from early deterioration and saves you from incurring heavy maintenance charges. A standard warranty period extends to 10 years but always try to look for more for better durability.
When to replace a mattress?
Few signs that show it is time to replace your beloved mattress are:
- Other's bed whether at a hotel or a friend's home, seem more comfortable to you
- There is a sense of irritability or achiness when sleeping on your mattress
- Your mattress has gone some sagging and indentations
- The mattress has served you longer than 6-8 years
After gaining the above knowledge, it will be easy to determine the best mattress for yourself. Also, it will save you from developing any pain or disease from sleeping on a bad mattress. However, remember to change it after every six years for best performance.


text:
Free LSAT Practice
LSAT Practice Test
LSAT Practice Test Videos
eBook: The Road to 180
Law School Top 100
LSAT Test Proctor
LSAT Logic Games
Apple App Store
Digital LSAT Simulator
Campus Rep Internship
Fee Waiver Scholarship
LSAT Test Dates
LSAT Message Board
June 2011 LSAT
Counselor: Hagerle sincerely apologized to the physician for lying to her. So Hagerle owes me a sincere apology as we...
on November 2, 2015
Can you please explain why E is wrong.
on November 17, 2015
This is a principle question that asks us to identify, from the available answer choices, a principle that would strengthen the conclusion in the stimulus. So let's first be sure that we understand the stimulus correctly.
In the stimulus, the counselor concludes that Hagerle owes him a sincere apology. There are two premises given in support of this conclusion:
Premise: Hagerle sincerely apologized to the physician for lying to her.
Premise: Hagerle told me (the counselor) the same lie.
As you can see, neither of those premises is enough to support the counselor's conclusion that Hagerle owes him a sincere apology, too.
Now let's examine each of the possible answer choices and evaluate whether one of them would, in fact, justify the conclusion.
Answer choice (A) doesn't go far enough. Just because it's "good" to apologize for having done something wrong to a person if one is capable of doing so sincerely does not necessarily mean that Hagerle "owes" the counselor an apology.
Answer choice (B) is also insufficient to justify the conclusion. We do not know that BOTH the counselor and the physician were, in fact, owed an apology.
Answer choice (C), if added to the stimulus, would in fact justify the conclusion of the stimulus. If it is true that someone is owed a sincere apology for having been lied to by a person if someone else (here, the physician) has already received a sincere apology for the same lie from that same person, then the conclusion in the stimulus is justified.
Answer choice (D) can be eliminated because capability alone does not justify the counselor's conclusion that he is also owed an apology. Put differently, if (D) alone were enough, then it wouldn't matter that Hagerle had also made an apology to the physician, right?
Notice how answer choice (E) does not talk about when an apology is OWED, which is what the conclusion in the stimulus is about. Rather, answer choice (E) discusses when a person ought to apologize ("should"). That's not the same thing.
Hope this helps! Please let us know if you have any additional questions.
Posting to the forum is only allowed for members with active accounts.


text:
Click Image to Enlarge
Branson, a relatively new player in laser welding, is coming out with a simultaneous-type welder that's said to be more cost-effective in high-output production.
Leister's mask welding technique adds versatility by permitting complex and variable weld cross-sections.
Laser welding is gaining acceptance as a specialized method for joining plastic parts that are sensitive (e.g., contain circuit boards), involve complex geometries, or have strict cleanliness requirements (medical devices). So far, most of this activity has taken place in Europe. In the U.S. and Canada, plastics processors are more wary of the cost of laser technology. However, advances in laser equipment and plastic materials are now stimulating more interest here, and new applications are due to launch in 2002.
Lasers have long been used to weld metals and have made recent inroads in the cutting and marking of plastics. However, laser joining of plastics has been held back until now by a lack of suitable equipment, restrictions on polymers and colors that can be joined, and limited awareness of the technology's potential.
The striking attribute of laser welding is its ability to create a precise, strong, hermetic (airtight and watertight) weld while minimizing resin degradation, particulate generation, and marring of the part surface around the weld. In recent years, this non-contact technology has appealed to European firms that join precise, high-value parts.
In the U.S., laser welding appears likely to evolve into a joining method for niche applications where it offers cost or performance benefits over proven alternatives like ultrasonic, vibration, and hot-plate welding. Yet its unfamiliarity remains a formidable barrier to broader use.
New laser equipment is reducing those barriers, as was apparent at the K 2001 show last October in Germany. At the show, the European divisions of Bielomatik, Leister Technologies, and Branson Ultrasonics displayed more cost-effective, plastics-specific systems than ever.
Moreover, innovative materials and additives are making it feasible for lasers to weld parts in colors once beyond the technology's reach. Black-to-black and clear-to-clear laser welding are now possible due to new colorant technology. And material suppliers are tweaking existing formulations to improve their transmittance or absorption of laser light.
Laser-transmission welding is feasible when two materials that respond quite differently to laser light are used in joining (see schematic). The method uses near-infrared (NIR) light at wavelengths around 810 to 1064 nm. It passes through one (NIR-transmitting) part and is then absorbed by a second (NIR-absorbing) part while the two parts are clamped together at low pressure. The absorbing material converts NIR to heat and melts at the part interface, while heat is also conducted back into the mating surface of the light-transmitting part to create a welding zone. Joint strength can exceed that of the original materials.
Because of the cost, says Paul Rooney, product manager for laser welding at Branson in Germany, "You need a compelling reason to laser weld." His company recently added laser-welding systems to its stable of ultrasonic, hot-plate, vibration, and spin welders. In Rooney's view, the debris-free nature of laser welding favors its use in niches like FDA-regulated medical parts and automotive and other electronic sensors.
Laser welding also greatly reduces vibration and thermal stress on parts. Less "shake and bake" translates into less degradation of parts or internal components of assemblies than with other joining methods. Frank Buck, president of Bielomatik, says this factor provides an opening for laser welding in vulnerable parts like electronic sensors. Bielomatik is a unit of Bielomatik Leuze GmbH in Neuffen, Germany.
"A broad range of dissimilar materials can be welded with lasers," adds Jerry Zybko, general manager at Leister. He cites the example of bonding NIR-transmitting polycarbonate to 30% glass-filled black PBT. Zybko claims other joining methods cannot bridge differences so broad in terms of polymer structure, softening points, and reinforcement. He adds that laser welding is adept at welding parts with complex (even three-dimensional) contours and reaching areas not accessible using other joining methods.
Maturation of laser technology in fields as far-flung as defense and medicine is helping to expand its role in plastics joining. Diode and Nd:YAG types of lasers have evolved since the mid-1990s in ways highly favorable to plastics welding. The power of these lasers has increased significantly, even as their cost has declined by around 90% in the last five years. Most plastics have been found to be efficient in transmitting laser light in or near the wavelength bands at which diode (810 to 940 nm) and Nd:YAG (1064 nm) lasers typically operate. (CO2 lasers, however, emit wavelengths readily absorbed by plastics, which risks burning.).
Diode and Nd:YAG lasers have also proved to be highly versatile when applied to plastics welding. Diode lasers, for instance, can be configured in arrays to create complex line welds. Further, diode light emitters can be combined into stacks to provide the welding power needed for the specific application.
An example of the newer equipment is Leister's new Novolas product line, which uses high-power diode lasers, with each diode having 25W or more power. Novolas C is a contour or spot welder, which creates a circular spot of laser energy that is shaped and focused by optical devices. The spot is stationary while the part is guided beneath the laser on a programmed, servo-driven X-Y table so that the laser spot travels along the entire weld line. (Although Leister does it this way, it would also be possible to move the laser spot instead of the part.) Novolas C has a maximum welding area of 250 x 250 mm. Contour welding is very flexible in terms of following any weld geometry, but it is relatively slow.
A faster technique is "simultaneous" welding, in which the laser beam is collimated into a line or curve so it can expose an entire joint at once. Neither the beam nor the part moves. Leister's Novolas S models use this approach.
Despite its speed, simultaneous welding is limited in terms of weld geometry. That can be overcome, however, by Leister's new Novolas M (Mask) variant of simultaneous welding. Leister supplies custom film masks made by photolithography. A stationary laser beam heats the part only where it is not covered by the mask. The advantage is that more complex weld geometries, such as a circle or spiral, can be heated in this manner. Also, the mask makes fine, precise weld lines that can be as narrow as 0.1 mm (4 mils), and the width of the weld line does not have to be uniform. The Novolas M system is said to be well suited to micro-joining of medical devices. It comes with automated mask alignment to 2-micron resolution.
Leister's Zybko says initial set-up of simultaneous and mask welding takes longer than for contour welding, but simultaneous welding is said to be more cost-effective in high volumes.
Meanwhile, Bielomatik has adopted an approach called "quasi-simultaneous" welding that uses 70 to 250W, solid-state Nd:YAG lasers. QSLW uses high-speed scanning mirrors to sweep the laser beam over the entire weld line 40 times a second. Bielomatik's system reportedly can create welds as fine as 0.1 mm.
A score of Bielomatik's Laser-Tec QSLW systems have been delivered or ordered in Europe, and 30 other projects are in advanced planning stages worldwide. One current use is the electronic door openers for Mercedes vehicles. Other applications include motor-driven actuators for auto air-intake manifolds and central locking systems, automotive gearboxes, and airbag, oil, and other engine sensors.
Bielomatik recently combined multiple Laser-Tec systems to increase the welding area and maximum part size. A twin-laser version handles weld areas up to 560 x 280 mm, potentially suiting it to vehicle cockpits, pressure vessels, and large integrated sensors.
The most recent entrant in laser welding is Branson, which is evaluating a simultaneous (S) version of its Infrared Assembly Method (IRAM) laser-welding equipment in the U.S. A Contour (C) version will be launched by mid-year. "We offer higher power at lower comparative systems cost," says Branson's Rooney, who explains that IRAM uses banks of diode lasers scalable in 150W increments. Systems are offered in small (150 to 450W), medium (600 to 900W), and large (900 to 1350W) sizes.
Herfurth Laser Technologies of the U.K. has delivered five customized systems to European end-users for welding auto interior trim and bumpers, as well as medical devices. Company director Richard Icke points out that most available systems utilize arrays of low-power diodes, whose light is collected and distributed via fiber optics. In contrast, Herfurth taps high-energy direct diodes that operate at 250 to 1000W each and aim energy directly at the weld area as a 5 x 1 mm spot.
"High-energy diodes make an incredibly strong weld, which allows them to join dissimilar and hard-to-weld materials, examples being PP and glass-reinforced acetal," claims Icke. Herfurth also uses a robot to manipulate the laser beam. Speed of forming a 5-mm-wide weld to join PP parts is 167 mm/sec.
Herfurth says its high


text:
airwalkrr's Out of the Abyss
Fighters are the most common adventuring class in the World of Greyhawk. Fighters can be found anywhere in the Flanaess, from cities, towns, and castles to rural communities, nomad tribes, and bandit hideouts. It is a straightforward profession, and the training of a fighter is well-suited to the task of survival in a dangerous world which is still mostly wilderness.
Champions are the most common types of fighters. Their skill is reliable and effective. They are often found as elite guards, shock troops and knights.
Battle masters are more unusual among fighters, but their training in martial techniques is invaluable to armies, mercenary companies, and bandits. They have a reputation as specialists in their field who augment the abilities of others, often focusing on combat maneuvers that synergize with their allies.
Eldritch knights are a rare sight. Blending arcane magic and fighting is difficult to accomplish effectively and requires a great deal of training and dedication to both magic and martial skill. Elves are the most common to practice the art, as they live long lives which gives them time to hone this craft.


text:
KINGSTON, ON. Queen's University medical researchers today released some key findings from the first study of its kind done in Canada on the impact of colds and flu on school absenteeism, the workplace, and the economy.
The researchers reviewed more than 80 published clinical trials, studies and research projects representing the work of over 300 researchers from more than 100 universities and institutions.
In their report entitled "Why the Common Cold and Flu Matter", the researchers found:
Prevention can play a role in reducing the spread of illnesses. Queen's researchers say that school-aged children and young adults play a significant role in the spread of respiratory illnesses. In the U.S. the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention pegs missed school days as a result of colds at 22 million a year.
Studies by SDI, a research agency that tracks colds and flu in North America, have shown that there is an annual spike in colds and flu within the first two weeks of students' return to school in September, something supported by Queen's researchers who cite a sharp increase in pediatric asthma cases as a result of rhinovirus infection, the primary cause of colds. They point out that young children with respiratory symptoms play a major role in spreading colds to family and friends and, "...school-age children have been shown to introduce rhinovirus infections into their families 3 times more frequently than working adults."
But adults also play a significant role in the spread of infection. Queen's researchers found that the U.S. work force goes to work rather than calling in sick resulting in substantial losses of productivity and increased costs:
It costs employers twice as much in productivity losses for employees who come to work sick than for those who stay home. All of this infection adds up to a significant economic cost as researchers cite direct costs due to lost productivity from colds at $25 billion in the U.S. Taking into consideration both indirect (lost productivity) and direct (doctor visits and medicine) costs, of colds, the figure in the U.S. annually is $40 billion
Researchers conclude that, "Preventative measures that result in even a modest reduction in colds and flu would have a significant impact on reducing costs to the healthcare system and impact on the economy."
The study was conducted by the research arm of the Department of Family Medicine at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. The study was supported by an independent educational grant from Afexa Life Sciences, the maker of COLD-FX(r), a cold and flu treatment.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Skip to main content
Notes and Queries
Nooks and crannies
Semantic enigmas
The body beautiful
Red tape, white lies
Speculative science
This sceptred isle
Root of all evil
Ethical conundrums
This sporting life
Stage and screen
Birds and the bees
How many different countries has Britain been at war with over the years?
 - THE ANSWER is complicated by the fact that many of Britain's former opponents do not coincide with present-day nations. For instance, Britain fought both Boers and Zulus, but does this count as a war with the Republic of South Africa? In many colonies there were wars against insurrectionists (Cyprus, Kenya, etc), but as these countries were not yet independent it may be debatable whether they count. Restricting myself to nations still recognisable today, my list reads as follows: France, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Denmark, Italy, Austria, Bulgaria (?), Russia, Turkey, Persia, Afghanistan, Nepal, China, Japan, Burma, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United States (and North Korea and Iraq, if UN operations count). Any additions?
 Hans Hamersma, Oss, Netherlands (_EMAIL_)
 - SURELY the matter is further complicated by the identity of Britain. Do you only count wars we had as the UK or does conquering Ireland count? What about the various Saxon/Viking/German/Roman skirmishes? What about evidence that Normans and Celts - our ancestors - warred with countries as diverse as Egypt and Morocco?
 Jonathan Chowns, University of Sussex, Brighton (
 - Britain is still at war in Ireland. You may class their roles in Africa etc as skirmishes, or tribal clashes. The point is that Britain pursued a policy of divide and conquer amongst many nations, the effects of which is evident in most trouble spots in the world.
 Andy Connolly, Navan, Ireland
 - One - itself! Other countries have a only a symbolic purpose in the running of wars.
 Tom McMaster, Manchester, UK
 - In my view every single country in the world apart from the following: Burundi,Cape Verde,Dominican Republic,French Southern Territories,Guinea-Bissau Macedonia,Northern Mariana Islands,Sao Tome And Principe,United States Minor Outlying Islands,Western Sahara. This is an indirect answer however, since this does take into account the following: 1) previous sovereignty by third parties of land now sovereign itself. 2)attempted seizures 3)established bases 4)engagements within territories against third parties. 5)wars of independence against third parties backed by the government. 6)dominions, condominiums, colonies, mandates, occupations,invasions,civil wars,conflicts,dependencies,discovery naming and exploration,raids,indirect invasion by association, low intensity war,NATO actions,protectorates, peacekeeping,declarations of war,territories,gunboat diplomacy.Revolutionary support acts, militarily aided humanitarian aid,rescue missions and claims. 7)arguable incidences of informal empire by preference of trade, investment, property and industry backed by military assistance or threat. 8)Major incidents not resulting in war but with diplomatic victory. 9)Territories by association. The reason I have listed all of these is that native populations,lands, third parties, sovereignty or economies have all at one time or another been directly or indirectly affected by these "actions". Perhaps this is not a very good answer but there we are.
 Mike Slammer, Hertfordshire United Kingdom
 - You have to remember Finland. UK declared war on Finland during the Continuation War (1941-44), but they never sent any soldiers to aid the Soviets.
 Janne Oksamaa, Helsinki Finland
 - I dont think Britain has been to war with Portugal either since we have been allies with them since the 1300s or so.
 Josh Sedgwick, Bishop Auckland, Durham
Add your answer
UP © Guardian News and Media Limited 2011


text:
Field name: Your choice (default = "Source")
DC Element: Source
Dublin Core defines this element as "a reference to a resource from which the present resource is derived." For instance, Source could be the book or journal from which a scanned article was taken, or the name of the original collection or repository in which the scanned resource resides.
Examples of field names:
- Original Source
- Image Source
- Journal Citation
Examples of data:
- Museum of History and Industry (Seattle, Wash.)
- Industries and Occupations Collection
- Journal of American Reptiles, v. 53, no. 3 (Mar. 1989)
- Use a consistent style for citations to books or journals (MLA, APA, etc.)
- Use a consistent form for names (same name, same form). See controlled vocabularies.
Recommended controlled vocabulary:
For the names of organizations:
- Library of Congress/National Authority File (LCAF): List maintained by LC and other libraries. This is the largest file of names (over 4 million) and covers names from many different subject areas and disciplines. It is also the authority file used by the UW Libraries Catalog and all UW Libraries digital projects. You can find authorized forms of names in the Library of Congress Authorities by doing a Name Authority Heading search.
- Union List of Artist Names (ULAN): Vocabulary maintained by the Getty Research Institute. The ULAN "contains around 220,000 names and other information about artists. The coverage of the ULAN is from Antiquity to the present, and the scope is global. The scope of the ULAN includes any identified individual or "corporate body" (i.e., a group of people working together) involved in the design or creation of art and architecture."
For citations to books or journals:


How Streamflow is Measured
Science Center Objects
How can one tell how much water is flowing in a river? Can we simply measure how high the water has risen/fallen? The height of the surface of the water is called the stream stage or gage height. However, the USGS has more accurate ways of determining how much water is flowing in a river. Read on to learn more.
 - Water Science School HOME • Surface Water topics •
Introduction to USGS Streamgaging
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) started its first streamgage in 1889 on the Rio Grande River in New Mexico to help determine if there was adequate water for irrigation purposes to encourage new development and western expansion. The USGS operates over 8,200 continuous-record streamgages that provide streamflow information for a wide variety of uses including flood prediction, water management and allocation, engineering design, research, operation of locks and dams, and recreational safety and enjoyment.
How Streamflow is Measured
As you're enjoying yourself sitting on the peaceful bank of a local river, one question you may ask yourself is "How much water is flowing in this river?" You've come to the right place for an answer. The USGS has been measuring streamflow on thousands of rivers and streams for many decades and by reading this set of Web pages you can find out how the whole streamflow-measurement process works.
Streamgaging generally involves 3 steps:
Measuring stream stage
The discharge measurement
Discharge is the volume of water moving down a stream or river per unit of time, commonly expressed in cubic feet per second or gallons per day. In general, river discharge is computed by multiplying the area of water in a channel cross section by the average velocity of the water in that cross section:
discharge = area x velocity
The USGS uses numerous methods and types of equipment to measure velocity and cross-sectional area, including the following current meter and Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler.
Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections
Diagram of Channel Cross Section With Subsections.
The most common method used by the USGS for measuring velocity is with a current meter. However, a variety of advanced equipment can also be used to sense stage and measure streamflow. In the simplest method, a current meter turns with the flow of the river or stream. The current meter is used to measure water velocity at predetermined points (subsections) along a marked line, suspended cableway, or bridge across a river or stream. The depth of the water is also measured at each point. These velocity and depth measurements are used to compute the total volume of water flowing past the line during a specific interval of time. Usually a river or stream will be measured at 25 to 30 regularly spaced locations across the river or stream.
Public domain
Current Meter
One method that has been used for decades by the USGS for measuring discharge is the mechanical current-meter method. In this method, the stream channel cross section is divided into numerous vertical subsections. In each subsection, the area is obtained by measuring the width and depth of the subsection, and the water velocity is determined using a current meter. The discharge in each subsection is computed by multiplying the subsection area by the measured velocity. The total discharge is then computed by summing the discharge of each subsection.
Numerous types of equipment and methods are used by USGS personnel to make current-meter measurements because of the wide range of stream conditions throughout the United States. Subsection width is generally measured using a cable, steel tape, or similar piece of equipment. Subsection depth is measured using a wading rod, if conditions permit, or by suspending a sounding weight from a calibrated cable and reel system off a bridge, cableway, or boat or through a hole drilled in ice.
Image: Price Current Meter
Object ID: USGS-000458
Credit: Justin Bongard, U.S. Geological Survey. Public domain.
The velocity of the streamflow can be measured using a current meter. The most common current meter used by the USGS is the Price AA current meter. The Price AA current meter has a wheel of six metal cups that revolve around a vertical axis. An electronic signal is transmitted by the meter on each revolution allowing the revolutions to be counted and timed. Because the rate at which the cups revolve is directly related to the velocity of the water, the timed revolutions are used to determine the water velocity. The Price AA meter is designed to be attached to a wading rod for measuring in shallow waters or to be mounted just above a weight suspended from a cable and reel system for measuring in fast or deep water. In shallow water, the Pygmy Price current meter can be used. It is a two-fifths scale version of the Price AA meter and is designed to be attached to a wading rod. A third mechanical current meter, also a variation of the Price AA current meter, is used for measuring water velocity beneath ice. Its dimensions allow it to fit easily through a small hole in the ice, and it has a polymer rotor wheel that hinders the adherence of ice and slush.
Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler
Image: Measuring Boise River Streamflow with an ADCP
U.S. Geological Survey hydrologic technicians use an acoustic Doppler current profiler to measure streamflow on the Boise River in Boise's Veterans Memorial Park as part of a study of phosphorus mass balance.
Credit: Tim Merrick, USGS. Public domain
In recent years, advances in technology have allowed the USGS to make discharge measurements by use of an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP). An ADCP uses the principles of the Doppler Effect to measure the velocity of water. The Doppler Effect is the phenomenon we experience when passed by a car or train that is sounding its horn. As the car or train passes, the sound of the horn seems to drop in frequency.
The ADCP uses the Doppler Effect to determine water velocity by sending a sound pulse into the water and measuring the change in frequency of that sound pulse reflected back to the ADCP by sediment or other particulates being transported in the water. The change in frequency, or Doppler Shift, that is measured by the ADCP is translated into water velocity. The sound is transmitted into the water from a transducer to the bottom of the river and receives return signals throughout the entire depth. The ADCP also uses acoustics to measure water depth by measuring the travel time of a pulse of sound to reach the river bottom at back to the ADCP.
To make a discharge measurement, the ADCP is mounted onto a boat or into a small watercraft (diagram above) with its acoustic beams directed into the water from the water surface. The ADCP is then guided across the surface of the river to obtain measurements of velocity and depth across the channel. The river-bottom tracking capability of the ADCP acoustic beams or a Global Positioning System (GPS) is used to track the progress of the ADCP across the channel and provide channel-width measurements. Using the depth and width measurements for calculating the area and the velocity measurements, the discharge is computed by the ADCP using discharge = area x velocity, similar to the conventional current-meter method. Acoustic velocity meters have also been developed for making wading measurements (picture to the left).
The ADCP has proven to be beneficial to streamgaging in several ways. The use of ADCPs has reduced the time it takes to make a discharge measurement. The ADCP allows discharge measurements to be made in some flooding conditions that were not previously possible. Lastly, the ADCP provides a detailed profile of water velocity and direction for the majority of a cross section instead of just at point locations with a mechanical current meter; this improves the discharge measurement accuracy.
The stage-discharge relation
Streamgages continuously measure stage, as stated in the "Measuring Stage"" section. This continuous record of stage is translated to river discharge by applying the stage-discharge relation (also called rating). Stage-discharge relations are developed for streamgages by physically measuring the flow of the river with a mechanical current meter or ADCP at a wide range of stages; for each measurement of discharge there is a corresponding measurement of stage. The USGS makes discharge measurements at most streamgages every 6 to 8 weeks, ensuring that the range of stage and flows at the streamgage are measured regularly. Special effort is made to measure extremely high and low stages and flows because these measurements occur less frequently. The stage-discharge relation depends upon the shape, size, slope, and roughness of the channel at the streamgage and is different for every streamgage.
USGS Stage-Discharge Relation Example
USGS Stage-Discharge Relation Example.
The continuous record of stage is converted to streamflow by applying a mathematical rating curve. A rating curve (fig. 3) is a graphic representation of the relation between stage and streamflow for a given river or stream. USGS computers use these site-specific rating curves to convert the water-level data into information about the flow of the river.
The development of an accurate stage-discharge relation requires numerous discharge measurements at all ranges of stage and streamflow. In addition, these relations must be continually checked against on-going discharge measurements because stream channels are constantly changing. Changes in stream channels are often caused by erosion or deposition of streambed materials, seasonal vegetation growth, debris, or ice. New discharge measurements plotted on an existing stage-discharge relation graph would show this, and the rating could be adjusted to allow the correct discharge to be estimated for the measured stage.
Converting stage information to streamflow information
Most USGS streamgages transmit stage data by satellite to USGS computers where the stage data are used to estimate streamflow using the developed stage-discharge relation (


What is Merchandise Marketing?
Before developing a Merchandise Marketing strategy, it helps to understand the basic definition of the term, why you should care about merchandise, and how it fits into the overall marketing mix.
What is Merchandise Marketing?
Merchandise marketing is the process of creating awareness and customer loyalty using merchandise. By merchandise, we mean any tangible item such as t-shirts, thank-you cards, gift cards, flowers, a new sports car, etc.
Merchandise marketing is similar to email marketing, tradeshow marketing, word-of-mouth marketing, or social media marketing. It's another way to get your name out there in front of prospects and existing customers.
Why should I care?
Merchandise marketing is a proven strategy. For decades companies have purchased custom-printed items and given them away at tradeshows and events. But until now, merchandise marketing was a small component of tradeshow or other forms of marketing. An afterthought, not an entire strategy of its own. Similar to Email marketing 10 years ago, merchandise marketing is a newer, emerging concept.
It's more than getting a box of shirts printed up for your next tradeshow. Merchandise marketing involves an ongoing strategy for creating awareness and customer loyalty using merchandise.
How is Merchandise Marketing different from Promotional Marketing?
Merchandise marketing and promotional marketing are similar. But promotional marketing (free t-shirts, giveaways, contests, etc) is just a subset of merchandise marketing. Merchandise marketing also includes thank-yous, referrals, incentives, and other proven uses of physical merchandise.
How does Merchandise Marketing fit into the overall marketing mix?
Merchandise marketing is just one part of the overall marketing mix. It fits in alongside other popular forms of marketing. It's simply another form of marketing, another tool in the marketer's toolbox.
Merchandise marketing can help support other methods of marketing, such as word-of-mouth and loyalty marketing. And other methods of marketing, such as email and social media marketing, can help support a merchandise marketing strategy.
Other popular forms of marketing include:
 1. FeistyFemale on August 10, 2010 at 5:07 am
 Where's the RSS feed for this blog? Not the email subscription, the other one….
 2. Casey Schorr on August 10, 2010 at 9:12 am
 Were working on redesigning the blogs look feel, the RSS icon is missing. Heres the RSS feed URL:
 3. Email Marketing on August 31, 2010 at 11:51 am
 This post gets me thinking about creative ways to showcase offers and images on my site.
 I think a lot of internet folk forget about how they use to be drawn into stores by window displays.
 Fresh article!
 4. Arianne Fuller on September 13, 2010 at 11:39 am
 For business starters, merchandise marketing is really a helpful strategy to create some buzz and gain some potential customers. It requires a lot of work and additional budget, but it pays off in the end when it's done properly.
 5. Glen Andrade on November 23, 2010 at 9:22 am
 Merchandise marketing is a great tool to help your business get noticed. It is also a great way for your loyal customers to feel proud of wearing or using a brand/service that they strongly believe. It also serves as a way for your customer to form small communities of followers by simply identifying themselves with your label.


text:
The Four Stages of Learning is a theory modeling how we learn a new skill. The stages are:
Usually, students struggle to attain the fourth stage. It's the difference between being able to do something the right way, and having that thing so ingrained that you can't do it wrong. I explain it to my students this way: "Play it until I could come over to your house at two in the morning, wake you up, and you could still play it for me!" The main way to elevate any new technique is through mindful repetition. At first, your child will need to fully focus on the skill, but eventually they should be able to focus on the feeling of playing.
This idea is most useful for small, easily attainable goals. Each goal should be focused on one at a time, and every repetition should be precise! This way, only the right skills get to the fourth level.
- Shannon Jansma, published in the May 2016 issue of the Ann Arbor Suzuki Institute newsletter