text:
Kore.ai's Universal Bots facilitate a scalable, modular approach to bot building by linking several standard individual bots into one.
- Modularity: Build separate bots that address domain-specific issues and then integrate them to optimally interoperate.
- Scalability: Start building bots that address key use cases and keep adding additional bots to address more use cases.
Use Case 1: Banking Bot
Banks offering various products and services to their customers may independently develop product-specific bots and incrementally launch them adding them to a common Universal Bot.
- End users would only have to converse with the Universal Bot which would identify the right bot to fulfill user's request.
- Engineering teams can build product specific bots without impacting bots of other products.
- Release cycles of individual bots can be maintained independently so that a specific group can upgrade their bot without waiting for other groups.
Use Case 2: HR Bot
HR bots can be built incrementally by integrating various departmental bots as and when they are ready. Universal Bot could be launched with a single standard bot to answer FAQs on HR policies and can be gradually scaled up to integrate with other bots like leave management, performance reviews, benefits management etc. End users can start consuming new bot skills without the need to switch between various bots.
How it works:
- Universal bot acts as a single interface for the Bot users of an enterprise, across business lines or products or services.
- Standard bots that aim to meet a specific purpose can be built independently and then be associated with a Universal bot by linking them to the Universal Bot.
- When end users interact with Universal bot, it will perform intent recognition across all linked bots to understand user's intent and engage appropriate bot to perform the task.
- In the case of ambiguity in identifying appropriate bot or task, a sub-dialog is initiated to obtain confirmation from the user.
- Universal bots also provide a 'Default Dialog' / 'Fallback Dialog' for gracefully handling any untrained/un-recognized requests.
- The developer can view and analyze all user interactions from within Universal bot and also train the respective bots with additional training data.


Monday Apr 02, 2012
Introduction to ORE Embedded R Script Execution
This Oracle R Enterprise (ORE) tutorial, on embedded R execution, is the third in a series to help users get started using ORE. See these links for the first tutorial on the transparency layer and second tutorial on the statistics engine. Oracle R Enterprise is a component in the Oracle Advanced Analytics Option of Oracle Database Enterprise Edition.
Embedded R Execution refers to the ability to execute an R script at the database server, which provides several benefits: spawning multiple R engines in parallel for data-parallel operations, more efficient data transfer between Oracle Database and the R engine, leverage a likely more powerful server with more CPUs and greater RAM, schedule automated jobs, and take advantage of open source R packages at the database server. Data aggregates are computed in parallel, significantly reducing computation time, without requiring sophisticated configuration steps.
ORE provides two interfaces for embedded R execution: one for R and one for SQL. The R interface enables interactive execution at the database server from the client R engine, e.g., your laptop. It also has transparency aspects for passing R objects and returning R objects. In the R interface, the ore.doEval schedules execution of the R code with the database-embedded R engine and returns the results back to the desktop for continued analysis. User-defined R functions can run in parallel, either on each row, sets of rows, or on each group of rows given a grouping column. The first two cases are covered by ore.rowApply, the second by the ore.groupApply function. ore.indexApply provides parallel simulations capability by invoking the script the number of times specified by the user. The R interface returns results to the client as R objects that can be passed as arguments to R functions.
The SQL interface enables interactive execution from any SQL interface, like SQL*Plus or SQL Developer, but it also enables R scripts to be included in production database-based systems. To enable execution of an R script in the SQL interface, ORE provides variants of ore.doEval, ore.groupApply and ore.indexApply in SQL. These functions are rqEval, rqTableEval, rqRowEval and rqGroupEval. The SQL interface allows for storing results directly in the database.
 R Interface Function (ore.*)
 SQL Interface Function (rq*)
 ore.doEval rqEval Invoke stand-alone R script
 ore.tableApply rqTableEval Invoke R script with full table input
 ore.rowApply rqRowEval Invoke R script one row at a time, or multiple rows in "chunks"
 ore.groupApply rqGroupEval Invoke R script on data indexed by grouping column
 Invoke R script N times
In addition, the SQL interface enables R results to be stored in a database table for subsequent use in another invocation (think data mining model building and scoring). It enables returning structured R results in a table. Results can also be returned as XML. The XML interface enables both structured data, such as data frames, R objects, and graphs to be returned. The XML capability allows R graphs and structured results to be displayed in Oracle BI Publisher documents and OBIEE dashboards.
Embedded R Execution: R Interface
The following example uses the function ore.groupApply, one of several embedded R execution functions, to illustrate how R users can achieve data parallelism through the database. This example also illustrates that embedded R execution enables the use of open source packages. Here we see the use of the R package biglm.
We specify a column on which to partition the data. Each partition of the data is provided to the function through the first argument, in this case the function variable dat. There is no need to send data from the database to R - the R function is sent to the database, which processes them in parallel. Output results may be stored directly in the database, or may be downloaded to R. Only when we want to see the results of these models do we need to retrieve them into R memory and perform, for example, the summary function.
modList <- ore.groupApply(
 function(dat) {
modList_local <- ore.pull(modList)
> summary(modList_local$BOS)
Large data regression model: biglm(ARRDELAY ~ DISTANCE + DEPDELAY, dat)
Sample size = 3928
 Coef (95% CI) SE p
(Intercept) 0.0638 -0.7418 0.8693 0.4028 0.8742
DISTANCE -0.0014 -0.0021 -0.0006 0.0004 0.0002
DEPDELAY 1.0552 1.0373 1.0731 0.0090 0.0000
Embedded R Execution: SQL Interface
Whereas the previous example showed how to use embedded R execution from the R environment, we can also invoke R scripts from SQL. This next example illustrates returning a data frame from results computed in Oracle Database. We first create an R script in the database R script repository. The script is defined as a function that creates a vector of 10 elements, and returns a data frame with those elements in one column and those elements divided by 100 in a second column.
Once the script is created, we can invoke it through SQL. One of the SQL embedded R executions table functions available is rqEval. The first argument is NULL since we have no parameters to pass to the function. The second argument describes the structure of the result. Any valid SQL query that captures the name and type of resulting columns will suffice. The third argument is the name of the script to execute.
'function() {
 ID <- 1:10
 res <- data.frame(ID = ID, RES = ID / 100)
select *
 from table(rqEval(NULL,
 'select 1 id, 1 res from dual',
The result is a data frame:
Embedded R scripts may generate any valid R object, including graphs. In addition, embedded R execution enables returning results from an R script as an XML
string. Consider the following example that creates a vector from the integers 1 to 10, plots 100 random normal points in a graph, and then returns the vector. After creating the script in the database R script repository, we invoke the script using rqEval, but instead of specifying the form of the result in a SQL query, we specify XML.
 res <- 1:10
 plot( 1:100, rnorm(100), pch = 21,
 bg = "red", cex = 2 )
select value
from table(rqEval( NULL,'XML','Example6'));
While the actual graph looks like the following, the output from this query will be an XML string.
In the execution results shown below, the VALUE column returned is a string that contains first the structured data in XML format. Notice the numbers 1 through
10 set off by the tags. This is followed by the image in PNG base 64 representation. This type of output can be consumed by Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher (BIP) to produce documents with R-generated graphs and structured content. Oracle BIP templates can also be used to expose R-generated content in Oracle Business Intelligence Enterprise Edition (OBIEE) web browser-based dashboards.
You can see additional examples using embedded R execution in action in the Oracle Enterprise Training, session 4, Embedded R Script Execution. These example will run as written in R 2.13.2 after installing Oracle R Enterprise. We'll be posting more examples using embedded R script execution in the coming months. In the meantime, questions are always welcome on the Oracle R Forum.
« March 2014


text:
Diesel Engine Fire Pump Room Cooling and Ventilation - ZJBetter
Safety facilities Fire damper and fire detectors and other equipment
According to the degree of fire hazard of the diesel fire pump room, it is possible to determine the corresponding fire integrity level of the pumping station and the adjacent separation zone. When the ventilation duct passes through the bulkhead or deck, the duct shall meet the requirements of the safety rules for the integrity of the ducts through the ducts, and install the certified fire damper at the necessary location. Pump room daily ventilation system, in the mechanical air inlet and natural exhaust should be set fire damper, in the natural exhaust to install a gravity dam. Diesel fire pump working ventilation system inlet and outlet are set double pneumatic blinds, the inner layer is normally open fire shutters, after receiving the fire signal closed. The outer part is a normally closed pneumatic damper, which is opened when the pump start signal is received. In the double-sided pneumatic shutters on the outside need to set a fixed rain shutters, with anti-bird network. At the same time, combustible gas detectors should be installed in accordance vsnth the requirements of the ventilation and combustion air at the entrance to ensure that can detect combustible gases and steam, and to ensure that its work from the environment.
In order to ensure that the ventilation system of the pump house can run well, it is necessary to pay attention to the following when designing or installing: When arranging the intake and exhaust shutters, it is necessary to meet the main wind direction of the platform, which will help the air flow smoothly to ensure good ventilation. At the same time, should also pay attention to the end of the exhaust pipe diesel engine to stay away from the pump inlet and outlet, to avoid the smoke and air mixed. As the air volume, low wind speed, blinds generally larger size, should be considered effective in the installation support. If the double louvers are installed indoors, ensure that there is sufficient access to the surroundings of the unit to avoid obstruction of the blinds or to extend the passageway as the louvers extend into the room. Such as installed in the outdoors, should also consider the escape channel not to be blocked by the blinds. Blinds around the pneumatic actuator should be left enough maintenance space, while avoiding the wall insulation structure covered. This should be taken into account when designing or installing.

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
Who are eligible for support from the State in paying health insurance contribution? Is there different between allowances for groups? How do students pay health insurance contribution and receive support from the State?
Article 4 of the Government's Decree No.146/2018/ND-CP dated October 17, 2018 stipulating and guiding the implementation of measures to enforce some articles of the Law on Health Insurance gives specific guidance for groups of people who are supported by the state budget to pay health insurance contribution, including:
1. People belonging to near-poor family based in the near-poor criteria as regulated by the Government and the Prime Minister.
2. Members of multi-dimensional poor family based who are not listed in cases prescribed at Point a, Clause 9, Article 3 of this Decree.
4. Members of agricultural, forestry, fishery, and salt-making family based who have an average living standard according to the regulations of the Government and the Prime Minister.
* Article 8 of the Decree stipulates:
1. Since this Decree became effective (December 1, 2018), the state budget supports certain groups of people in health insurance payments as follows:
b) Supporting at least 70 percent of contribution for those specified in Clauses 1 and 2, Article 4 of this Decree;
c) Supporting at least 30 percent of contribution for those specified in Clauses 3 and 4, Article 4 of this Decree. 2. In cases where a person belongs to many groups receiving support as stipulated in Clause 1 of this Article, he/she shall enjoy the highest support level.
3. The People's Committees of centrally-run cities and provinces shall rely on the capability of local budgets and other legal sources, including 20 percent of the funding specified at Point a, Clause 3, Article 35 of the Health Insurance Law (where possible) to build and submit to the provincial People's Council to decide the level of support for health insurance contribution higher than the contribution support level specified in Clause 1 of this Article.
* With regard to contributions of pupils and students to health insurance, the Decree's Clause 5 of Article 9 stipulates:
a) On a periodic basis, every 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, pupils and students, or parents or guardians thereof, shall be responsible for paying health insurance contributions on their part as prescribed in Clause 2 of Article 10 hereof to social insurance agencies;
b) The state budget shall give support as follows:
- Health insurance contributions of pupils and students studying at educational institutions or vocational training establishments affiliated to ministries and central bodies shall be supported by the central budget. On a periodic basis, every 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, provincial-level Social Insurance agencies shall make general reports on the number of health insurance cards which have already been issued, contribution amounts collected from pupils and students and contribution amounts supported by the state budget by using the Form No.1 of the Appendix to the Decree and send them to the Vietnam Social Security (VSS). The VSS then prepares a consolidated report for submission to the Ministry of Finance in order to transfer the state budget's support amounts to the health insurance package in line with Clause 9 of this Article.
- Health insurance contributions of pupils and students studying at educational institutions or other vocational training establishments shall be supported by the budget of the local jurisdictions where these educational entities are located, irrespective of registered permanent residences of pupils and students, including the central budget allocations (if any). On a periodic basis, every 3 months, 6 months, or 12 months, social insurance agencies shall make general reports on the number of health insurance cards which have already been issued, contribution amounts collected from pupils and students and contribution amounts supported by the state budget by using the Form No.1 of the Appendix to the Decree, and send them to the financial authority in order to transfer state budget expenditures used for supporting health insurance contributions to the health insurance package in accordance with Clause 9 of this Article.
Work Injury and Occupational Disease
Medical (Health Insurance)
Certificate of coverage
Talkshow "Viet Nam and the world" - ASSA 35 Viet Nam


text:
1) flock() is not safe if multiple php sessions are simultaneously locking.
2) fopen(, 'a') is not safe if multiple php sessions are simultaneously appending.
3) usleep and sleep are known for having problems.
I wrote the Weblog function, it's purpose is to append a line to logging. This function handles the concurrency as follows:
- Try to create a lockfile named: $directory. date('Ymd'). $logfile. 1. lock
- If this fails, try to create lockfile named: $directory. date('Ymd'). $logfile. 2. lock
- etc. After 100 tries return false.
- When the lockfile is acquired the file named: $directory.date('Ymd').$logfile.1 (or.2 or.3 or.25) is opened or created.
- If created the a "extended log file" header is written.
- Write out the line.
- Close the flie and if created set the correct access rights. (I had some problems creating files on a webserver, I did not see them when I opened a FTP session to the webdirectory. The chmod did the trick for me).
- Remove the lockfile.
There is only one drawback, multiple logfiles are created.
e.g. (executed on 15 september 2010)
Weblog('./', 'visit', 'Somebody requested the index page');
Could lead to 100 files, depending how many concurrent php sessions are simultaneously trying to append a logline:
This function is donated to the public domain. Maybe you can give me some credit by leaving in the author comment, but it is not required. You may modify this as you wish.
(This function was inspired by the function m_lock_file presented by Kuzma dot Deretuke at gmail dot com)
function Weblog($directory, $logfile, $message)
$curtime = time();
$logfile = date('Ymd',$curtime). $logfile;
if (!isset($directory) || $directory === false)
$directory = './';
if (substr($directory,-1)!== '/')
$directory = $directory. '/';
$count = 1;
$logfilename = $directory. $logfile. '.'. $count;
$lockfile = $logfilename. '.lock';
$lockhandle = false;
if (!file_exists($lockfile) || _USER_($lockfile))
$lockhandle = _USER_($lockfile, 'xb');
if ($lockhandle!== false) break;
if ($count > 100) return false;
$created = false;
$loghandle = _USER_($logfilename, 'ab');
$loghandle = _USER_($logfilename, 'xb');
if ($loghandle!== false)
$created = true;
$str = '_TAG_: 1.0'. "\r\n".
'_TAG_: date time c-ip x-msg'. "\r\n";
if ($loghandle!== false)
$str = date('Y-m-d',$curtime). "\t".
date('H:i:s', $curtime). "\t".
(isset($_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'])? $_SERVER['REMOTE_ADDR'] : '-'). "\t".
'"'. str_replace('"', '""', $message). '"'. "\r\n";
if ($created) chmod($logfilename,0644); $result = true;
$result = false;


text: We investigate hydrogen isotope and nuclear quantum effects on geometries and binding energies of small protonated rare gas clusters (Rg X, Rg = He,Ne,Ar, X = H,D,T, and = 1–3) with the any particle molecular orbital (APMO) MP2 level of theory (APMO/MP2). To gain insight on the impact of nuclear quantum effects on the different interactions present in the Rg X systems, we propose an APMO/MP2 energy decomposition analysis scheme. For RgH ions, isotopic substitution leads to an increase in the stability of the complex, because polarization and charge transfer contributions increase with the mass of the hydrogen. In the case of Rg H complexes, isotopic substitution results in a shortening and weakening of the rare gas-hydrogen ion bond. For Rg X complexes, the isotope effects on the rare gas binding energy are almost negligible. Nevertheless, our results reveal that subtle changes in the charge distribution of the Rg X core induced by an isotopic substitution have an impact on the geometry of the Rg X complex. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


text:
The United States Congress designated the Black Elk Wilderness (map
) in 1980 and it now has a total of 13,426 acres
All of this wilderness is located in South Dakota
and is managed by the Forest Service.
The Black Elk Wilderness lies in the center of the Black Hills National Forest in western South Dakota. The wilderness encompasses the Harney Range, an area long held sacred by American Indians. The wilderness is named after Black Elk, a Oglala Lakota holy man. It is the only wilderness in the Black Hills. Deer, elk, turkey, mountain lions and a number of bird species make their home among the rugged granite spires. The wilderness is surrounded by the 35,000 acre Norbeck Wildlife Preserve, managed for the benefit of wildlife and breeding birds. Trails weave through the wilderness for primitive, non-motorized recreation experience. Harney Peak Trail #9 is a concentrated use area, if you are seeking solitude use an alternative trail such as Lost Cabin #2 (National Recreation Trail) or Grizzly Bear Creek #7 to reach Harney Peak. These routes are longer but provide a greater solitude experience.

source: HuggingFaceFW/fineweb-edu


TY - JOUR AU - Zayas, Vivian AU - Pandey, Gayathri AU - Tabak, Joshua PY - 2017 M3 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00355 SP - 355 TI - Red Roses and Gift Chocolates Are Judged More Positively in the U.S. Near Valentine's Day: Evidence of Naturally Occurring Cultural Priming JO - Frontiers in Psychology UR - _URL_ VL - 8 SN - _PHONE_ N2 - Attitudes are not static, but constructed at the moment of the evaluation, incorporating temporary contextual influences. How do meaningful events that naturally occur within a culture, such as a national holiday, shape evaluative judgments of objects related to the holiday? We focused on evaluations of red roses and gift chocolates, which are everyday objects, but also iconic of Valentine's Day in the U.S. We reasoned that if cultural events shape evaluations, then roses and chocolates would be evaluated differently near Valentine's Day. Using a large and diverse U.S. sample, we found that as Valentine's Day neared, evaluations of roses and chocolates (but not a comparison object) were evaluated more positively. Increases in positivity of roses and chocolates covaried with their increased cultural relevance, as quantified by the volume of web search queries involving these terms. These findings provide a demonstration of naturally occurring cultural priming by which the salience of cultural events shape evaluations. ER -


Between the Salmon River Mountains, Lake Pend Oreille, and Snake River, Idaho has a lot of different landmarks! On this worksheet, kids get practice reading maps as they label the cities and landforms unique to the state of Idaho. This worksheet boosts social studies learning, and it's lots of fun, too.


Table Of Contents
Deploying System States to Clients
Last Modified: April 1, 2021
Create a state to deploy the same system image and set of packages to multiple systems.
A state is any set of packages installed on a system. After you define a state, you can apply it to other systems to more quickly deploy packages to multiple systems.
 1. In SystemLink Web Application, in Systems Management, click Systems.
 2. Double-click the system from which you want to create a state.
 You can also manually define a state under Systems Management»States»»Create.
 3. Click More »Create State.
 4. Specify the workspace the state belongs to. Only users in the workspace you specify can use the state. You can reassign the state to another workspace at any time.
 5. Review feeds, packages, and the image for your system to ensure you want to include them in the state.
 If you include a system image in the state, you can only apply it to NI Linux RT targets. Applying the state erases all currently installed software or data from the primary hard drive of the target.
 6. Optional: Customize the state to include additional packages in your state that are not currently installed on the system. Specify the feeds you need to access the additional packages you want to include.
 1. Under Feeds, click Add.
 2. Specify a feed from a package repository, a URL, or the Downloads page.
 3. Check the box for each package you want to include in your state.
 7. Click Create to finalize the state.
 8. In Systems, select the systems you want to apply the state to.
 9. Click Software.
 10. In the States tab, click Install next to the state(s) you want to apply. The States tab appears only if the feeds and packages in the state are compatible with the systems you select.
 11. Click Next and review the packages and feeds the state contains.
 12. Click Apply.
You can see the software installed on your system in the Available tab.
Recently Viewed Topics


Bokliste, Bøker kjøpt
Wilfrid Hodges – Logic
Logic Bokomslag Logic
Wilfrid Hodges
Viking Press
Logic is primarily about consistency - but not all types of consistency. For example if a man supports Arsenal one day and supports Spurs the next then he is fickle, but not necessarily illogical. The type of consistency which concerns logicians is not loyalty or justice or sincerity but compatibility of beliefs. Logic, therefore, involves studying the situations in which a sentence is true or valid and subsequently the rules which determine the validity or otherwise of a given argument.
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text: International efforts to dramatically improve helicopter safety face a fundamental challenge: no one can state definitively the safety level of operations today. The benchmark of aviation safety discussions is the safety rate, i.e. accidents (or incidents) per some standard measure—usually 100,000 flight hours. But no valid tally of industry flight hours exists today; without that base, it's impossible to determine the rate. The closest is the U.S. FAA's count, but that is based on a survey of operators that is considered unreliable. The International Helicopter Safety Team, led by the Helicopter Assn. International, American Helicopter Society International, and the FAA, aims to improve the helicopter accident rate 80 percent by 2016. That work obviously is predicated on determining the level of flight operations. So a working group of that team, led by Bell flight safety chief Roy Fox, is doing that by compiling aircraft utilization data (considered a highly reliable source) from helicopter makers. Fox expect that database to be completed this year.


text:
This printer is aimed at small chocolate business. It is priced at £2888.00 (exl. VAT).
From the product page:
Choc Creator is a simple, versatile precision desktop 3D Chocolate Printer, developed as a cost-effective solution for individuals, chocolatiers, entrepreneurs and small businesses to make innovative chocolate products; the possibilities are endless!
- Compact three dimensional motion platform allows for convenient desktop use anywhere.
- Easy-to-use printing head and quick-install syringe mean that the printer can be refilled within a matter of minutes.
- Simple USB connection means that designs can be rapidly sent to the printer for creation.
- Designed to print accurate chocolate line tracks from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm - much finer and more precise than any current manual piping technique.
- Every step is computerized to offer repeatability without errors, and at the same time flexibility to manipulate printing parameters for meeting different speed and accuracy requirements.
- Print onto various substrates such as on other chocolates, cakes, biscuits, dishes, paper for chocolate decoration as well as complete products.
- Commonly used chocolates can be used and various chocolates (brown, dark, white, red, blue, etc.) can be conveniently filled into the printing head to print fantastic and artistic colourful chocolate decorations and products.
- Print chocolate into 2D cross-section patterns like an ink printer or, due to the Choc Creators unparalleled level of precision, sequentially deposit chocolate onto consolidated patterns layer-by-layer to form 3D objects.
In the Box:
- 1 Choc Creator V1 3D Printer
- 2 Syringes
- 6 Printing Tips
- Build Envelope: 175(X)mm x 175(Y)mm x 70(Z)mm
- Maximum Linear Speed: 2000mm/min
- Printing Head: The deposition process is precisely controlled using a stepper motor to extrude chocolate out of a 10ml syringe. High Precision printing nozzle is used for fine printing (approx. 0.5mm to 1.5mm track depending on print setting). Two sets of printing head consumables (2 syringes and 2 nozzles) will be supplied.
- File Format: Accepts STL files (standard 3d printing file) and G-code (standard SNC machining language). File is uploaded to the printer via a standard USB connection.
- This hobby printer is controlled using simple open source software. User has full access to the print settting parameters and instructions are provided.
- Quality, Service And Warranty: Choc Printer comes with CE marking to assure the quality, safety and acceptability for chocolate processing. Choc Edge team is dedicated to provide cutting edge chocolate printing solutions and essential technical supports for users. One-year product warranty is provided to replace non-working components.
- Product Delivery And Assembling: Choc creator printer can be delivered worldwide and delivery typically takes 1-2 weeks for UK, 3-4 weeks for EU and 4-5 weeks for international buyers. The printer is fully assembled and tested before the delivery.
Choc Creator v1 PDF brochure:
here is a method you can print chocolate shapes on your home DIY 3d printer:


text:
Master of Education (M.Ed.) – Teaching and Learning Early Childhood Education
Liberty University's Master of Education in Teaching and Learning with a specialization in Early Childhood Education is designed to train individuals in planning and implementing appropriate curriculum for younger children.
- $540 per credit hour (based on full-time enrollment)
Program Delivery Format
- 36 total credit hours
- Up to 6 credit hours can be transferred in from an accredited and unconferred degree
- The Education Department will verify that students have completed one of Liberty's Virginia state-approved licensure programs.
- Students should verify any additional licensure requirements with their home state.
- Students pursuing this concentration for licensure must already hold an initial teaching license in elementary education.
Potential Career Fields
- Preschool Teacher
- Day Care Operator
Want to learn more?


Multiple vulnerabilities in Ezylog photovoltaic management server
Multiple vulnerabilities in Ezylog photovoltaic management server
Title: Multiple vulnerabilities in Ezylog photovoltaic management server
Discovery date: 27/08/2012
Release date: 11/09/2012
Credits: Roberto Paleari (roberto@xxxxxxxxxxx, _USER_)
Ivan Speziale (ivan.speziale@xxxxxxxx)
The vulnerabilities discussed in this advisory affect the Schneider Electric
Ezylog photovoltaic SCADA management server. However, the same management
server is shared among different photovoltaic SCADA products from several
manufacturers, with few customization. Thus, the same vulnerabilities should
also apply to other products as well. All the firmware versions we analyzed
have been found to be affected by these issues.
The software running on the affected devices is vulnerable to multiple security
issues, that allow unauthenticated remote attackers to gain administrative
access and execute arbitrary commands. The details of the vulnerabilities we
found are discussed next.
a) SQL injection vulnerabilities
Many of the web pages included inside the device firmware are vulnerable to SQL
injection (SQLI) issues, and allow attackers to interact with the underlying
MySQL database. In the following we provide just few examples for this
vulnerability class, but the same kind of defect also affects several different
web pages.
Page "dettagliinverter.php" can be accessed with no authentication, with two
GET parameters:
The "inverterselect" argument is subject to a very straightforward SQLI issue,
exploitable both manually or with publicly-available tools. Thus, attackers can
easily leverage this issue to access the content of the SQL table that contains
all valid username/password combinations (passwords are in plain text).
Similarly, page "changelanguagesession.php" is affected by a similar issue,
concerning the POST parameter "lingua".
b) Hard-coded accounts
The web page "login.php" checks user-supplied credentials against the
username/password combinations stored inside the MySQL database. However, the
device also authorizes 2 (or 3, in some setups) hard-coded accounts, when the
user provides a specific password, regardless of the supplied username. These
predefined passwords are hard-coded inside the PHP file, thus they cannot be
changed (or removed) by the user.
The relevant code fragments from "login.php" are reported below:
$password = mysql_escape_string($_POST['password']);
if (crypt($password,salt)=='satIZufhIrUfk'){
$sql_pthr_ = "SELECT user,password FROM account WHERE livello = 0";
if ($password=='astridservice' and $stilecustumization=='astrid'){
if (crypt($password,salt)=='saF8bay.tvfOk'){
$sql_insert="INSERT INTO account(user,password,livello,nome) VALUES ('sinapsi','sinapsi','0','Amministratore Sinapsi')";
We already decoded the encrypted password "satIZufhIrUfk", which corresponds to
the string "36e44c9b64".
c) Command-injection
Attackers can exploit the "ping.php" page to execute arbitrary commands on the
device, with administrative privileges. More precisely, the "ip_dominio" POST
parameter is not sanitize properly, thus it is possible to leverage traditional
command-injection techniques to inject arbitrary commands.
curl "http:///ping.php?ping=ok" -d "ip_dominio= -n 1 %26 dir"
Such an HTTP request forces the device to execute the following command:
ping -n 1 & dir
As the POST parameter is used to build a command-line argument without being
sanitized before, attackers can leverage termination characters (e.g., '&') to
execute arbitrary commands (e.g., "dir").
d) Broken session enforcement
The device software does not verify whether an user who accesses most of the
management web pages (e.g., "ping.php") is associated with a properly
authenticated session. In other terms, the command-execution and SQLI
vulnerabilities discussed in the previous sections can be exploited by
unauthenticated attackers.
We are not aware of an updated firmware that corrects the issues described in
this advisory. Users should avoid exposing the management interface of the
device on the Internet.
* 29/08/2012 - Initial vendor contact.
* 05/09/2012 - No reply from vendor, re-contacting via e-mail.
* 11/09/2012 - Still no reply from vendor. Disclosure.
The authors are not responsible for the misuse of the information provided in
this security advisory. The advisory is a service to the professional security
application or distribution of this information constitutes acceptance AS IS,
Relevant Pages


Why do birds moult?
Just like our hair and skin constantly replace itself, birds grow new feathers – and the old has to make room for the new. How often and how fast feathers are replaced differs from species to species.
Moulting after breeding
Most domestic birds moult very quickly after breeding. They lose so many feathers at once that some of them are unable to fly for quite some time. Birds without a set breeding season such as parrots moult all year round. They replace their feathers one by one so that they are still able to fly (and breed) at any time.
Under pressure!
A "stress moult" is when a lot of feathers are lost at once and is triggered by a large shock. Stress causes a bird to suddenly lose its feathers, which has the potential to save its life – If a natural enemy seizes a bird and it starts to stress moult, the attacker is left with only feathers in its mouth while the bird is able to escape "by the skin of its neck".
Stuck in the moult
Being "stuck in the moult", on the other hand, is an illness where feathers look blunt and dull. Feathers do not grow back on the throat and neck, leaving bald patches. "French moult" this is another disease where birds do not moult and no new feathers grow. French moult can be acute or chronic and is caused by a virus, which means that there is a risk of infection for other birds. Visit your vet if your bird shows signs of either of these illnesses.
Budgerigars, the most popular pet bird, do not moult at any particular time of the year. They replace their feathers at different times and at varying speeds. During a normal moult, budgerigars never lose all of their wing feathers at once. In the wild, budgies always have to be able to fly.
Moulting is not an illness and birds do not have to be treated or cared for in a particular way during this time. You can't really do anything to help – other than providing extra minerals. Moulting is quite a physically demanding time, as a bird's body has to produce new feathers, and nutrient-rich feed can help make the process easier.
Call into your local store today to discuss your bird's personal needs with our Maxi Zoo Pet Experts.


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Mid Term Review
On-chip generation and characterization of entangled photons
Integrated quantum photonic circuits provide a potential platform for scalable quantum technologies with important applications to quantum information processing, communication and imaging. We develop novel integrated photonic structures for the generation entangled photons and the characterization of their quantum state. We present a method for the generation of entangled photon-pairs with all-optical reconfigurability of pair's wavefunction. This is based on spontaneous parametric down-conversion in coupled waveguide arrays with special domain poling patterns in each waveguide. We also show how this system can allow the production of highly entangled cluster states for measurement based quantum computation. Finally we present a simple 'one-shot' method for characterising the density matrix of a quantum state. Typically quantum state tomography requires a large number of different transformations to be applied to a state, and statistics are accumulated after every unitary. Our method requires just a single static unitary transformation followed by correlation measurements.


Case Studies
BUOYANCY: Composite syntactic foam mid-water arch (MWA)
Project location
Ichthys Gas Field, West Australia
Composite syntactic mid-water arch
Time period
Key achievement
 - World's largest syntactic foam mid-water arch
 - 170 msw depth
 - 40 year design life
 - Modular design
Mid-Water Arches (MWA) are large subsea structures suspended between the seabed and the surface to support and provide catenary shape to flexible pipelines or cables as they transition from the sea floor to the surface. Typical MWAs are constructed from steel with steel pressure vessels providing the necessary buoyancy to suspend the structure in the water column. They operate in relatively shallow water (50 to 100 m) and have a design life of up to 20 years.
The Ichthys field required MWAs to be situated in 170 msw of seawater for a design life of 40 years. The deeper the water, the greater the wall thickness needed for conventional steel pressure buoyancy tanks. Coupled with a large corrosion allowance for a 40 year design life, the cost and lead time of a conventional steel buoyancy tank would have made the MWA project technically and economically unviable.
Matrix Composites and Engineering, experts in providing composite solutions in harsh marine environments, were approached by McDermott's to determine if composite syntactic foam material would provide the required buoyancy for the structure for 40 years.
Composite syntactic foam is used extensively in deep water drilling applications to provide buoyancy to drilling risers that stretch from the surface to seabed, distances that can often exceed 3 km. They are also used in long term immersion applications for discrete buoyancy modules located directly on flexibles.
Composite syntactic material does not corrode, is extremely lightweight and has miniscule loss of buoyancy even after 40 years continual submergence at deep ocean depths.
Unlike conventional steel buoyancy tanks, there is also no catastrophic failure mode of the structure due to the loss of integrity of a pressure containment wall, such as those occurring from an impact.
Composite syntactic foam is made from macroscopic and microscopic, pressure rated, hollow spheres encased in a binder. Should one sphere fail, the potential volume loss is virtually negligible in relation to the overall volume of the surrounding structure.
Steel tanks are baffled but each baffled section is still a large percentage of the total volume. A large amount of volume for buoyancy redundancy is required to compensate for any flooding of a compartment.
Each arch contained 40 large blocks made up of six smaller blocks, all containing syntactic composite foam.
A total of approximately 490 mT of buoyancy per arch was supplied. The use of smaller sub blocks enabled hydrostatic testing of the buoyancy to confirm that the correct amount of buoyancy was supplied and that the correct amount was still going to be maintained after 40 years field life.
Matrix constructed the syntactic foam blocks for the project on time and on budget, and met or exceeded the clients demanding quality and technical requirements.
Case Study: Composite syntactic foam mid-water arch (MWA)


text: We demonstrate and validate that concurrent and parallel transmissions are feasible for low data-rate impulse-radio ultrawide band (IR-UWB) physical layers. The optimal organization for a low data-rate IR-UWB network is to allow for concurrent transmissions at the link layer, and to use interference mitigation techniques at the physical layer. Indeed, low data-rate IRUWB physical layers can suffer from multi-user interference (MUI), especially in near-far scenarios. Therefore, we perform an experimental validation with a packet-based, low data-rate IR-UWB physical layer testbed. Our results clearly demonstrate that concurrent IR-UWB transmissions are possible. This shows that completely uncoordinated low data-rate IR-UWB networks are feasible. We also demonstrate that, in the presence of MUI, an interference mitigation scheme at the physical layer is indeed necessary. In particular, because it is the first component for the proper reception of a packet, we focus on packet detection and timing acquisition. We show that a traditional scheme is not robust against multi-user interference and prevents concurrent transmissions. On the contrary, a scheme designed to take MUI into account, even with a very simple interference mitigation scheme, allows for concurrent transmissions, even in strong nearfar scenarios. © 2009 IEEE.


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Reader's Theater Play: Talk Like a Pilgrim
Learn how pilgrim children talked in this Scholastic News play.
- Grades: 1–2
How did Pilgrims greet one another? What were poppets? What chores were Pilgrim children responsible for? In this Reader's theater play, your students will hear how Pilgrim boys and girls talked. They'll also learn interesting facts about the daily life of children in colonial America. The Reader's theater activity also features a glossary of Pilgrim vocabulary, a map showing the layout of a typical Pilgrim village, and bright color photographs of Pilgrim life.


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Xiaogang (Marshall) Ma
Role in MILES:
Xiaogang (Marshall) Ma supports data interoperability and research reproducibility.
Xiaogang (Marshall) Ma is an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Idaho. He received his Ph.D. degree of Earth Systems Science and GIScience from University of Twente, Netherlands in 2011. Before joining UIdaho he was an associate research scientist of Data Science and Semantic eScience at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His research focuses on deploying data science in the Semantic Web to support cross-disciplinary collaboration and scientific discovery, with broad interests in participatory knowledge engineering, data interoperability and provenance, and visualized exploratory analysis of Big and Small Data.


The Cursing Seal of Winter
"La vengeance est un met que l'on doit manger froid –
Revenge is a dish that must be eaten cold"
This black magical seal is inspired by the "Rauhnächte" and baneful winter harvest. The basic shape follows the symmetrical growth pattern of a snowflake. It has been constructed according to the rules of Euclidean geometry, using a ruler and compass. It is then burnt on black alder wood, since black alder is associated with baneful magic and the dark dead, which it governs.
The idea behind the seal is to combine a number of thorns from the blackthorn tree (Prunus spinosa) in curse work and to bundle and multiply baneful currents in ritual. Six or seven thorns or any number of your choice are charged ritually and then used to attack the target. The sigil disc serves as a central focus point or accessory in such baneful ritual work. To charge the thorns, place them on the disc. Around it light three black candles (in candle holders). Feed the thorns with libation. Then pass the thorns on the disc through the smoke of the accompanying incense and feel how they become imbued with the essence of the herbs. Then place the disc with the thorns back and let the candles burn down. When done, your "pins of slumber" are charged. Keep them safe in a black cloth bag or simple black box, which is laid out with silver foil.
Next, light again three black candles and burn more of the incense. Then take your effigy or the object you decide to use as a substitute for the target. This can be a doll with physical links, a photo, an animal's heart or simply a paper with the name… Focus your mind on the target and one by one pierce its effigy with the thorns. Envision how the target is being afflicted with pain and suffering from each stab. If you are returning a curse to its sender, envision how the power of the curse is averted from yourself and multiplied with each blow against the enemy. When done, place the effigy on the sigil disc, burn more of the incense and then close the work, thanking both your dark tutelary and protecting spirits. Turn away, let the candles burn down and don't look at the effigy anymore. The next day, bring the ritual remnants to a cemetery or forest and dispose them. It is recommended to dispose also the effigy. You can leave the thorns in it or remove and keep them and just leave the effigy exposed to the elements, e.g. by hanging it on a tree or burying it. The disc and candle holders can be saved for future baneful work.
A more simple ritual set-up would be to place a single black candle in a candle holder on the activated sigil disc (activate with incense and libation). Engrave the name of the target on the candle with one single charged blackthorn pin and so that in the end the name is crossed out three times. Oil the candle (if you own a special cursing oil), light it and let it burn down. Dispose ashes and wax remnants according to tradition.
Besides, the sigil disc can also be used for protection (white candle) and self-empowerment (red candle).
Warning: Place candles in candle holders and on a fire proof surface (best is stone – glass can break and metals like iron can heat up and burn the ground beneath). Do not inhale baneful incense. If used indoors, make sure the room is well ventilated.
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The authors have been studying the strain sensitive materials which are based on conductivity change resulting from structural change in percolation system. In this study, we have developed a maximum strain memory sensor, which enables to detect damage to structures easily even after a large earthquake. To confirm the performance as the sensor, tensile tests embedded into concrete specimen have been conducted. As a result, it is discovered that this sensor is sufficiently effective to diagnose cracks in the concrete structure.
In recent years, the importance of Structural Health Monitoring has been recognized but an SHM system still confronts serious problems related to complexity and cost in practical use. To solve these problems, the authors have developed the simple and smart SHM system by integrating self-diagnosis material and a wireless data measurement device. By installing this SHM system, it is possible to detect damage to structures easily even after a large earthquake or other disaster and also to inspect possible deterioration of a structure in a short time. As a practical matter this SHM system is expected to be very reliable, and when it is mass-produced it should have a low cost. To confirm the utility of the damage detection of a building after a large earthquake, the pre-production system was installed in a specimen simulating the beam-to-column connection part in a mid-size conventional reinforced concrete building, and a loading test was performed on the specimen. The effectiveness of the proposed system is demonstrated by the test results.
The authors have been continuously conducting a series of research works on the development of the fiber reinforced composites as self-diagnosis materials. The function to detect damage is based on the property of carbon materials as a conductor of electricity. The conductive fiber reinforced composite, which is the glass fiber reinforced plastics added carbon particles for electrical conductivity, has been confirmed to possess excellent sensitivity as a self-diagnosis materials. In this study, a self-diagnosis material with the ability to memorize damage history has been applied. Irreversible resistance changes dependent on the strain histories of the composites were utilized to achieve this ability. The authors have also developed an electrically conductive film sensor bonded on the concrete surface to detect cracks and measure crack width. The specimens of the reinforced concrete bridge pier columns were tested under quasi-static cyclic lateral loading. The performance of the proposed self-diagnosis materials to detect damage to concrete structures is evaluated through confirmation of the relationship between the extent of damage and the variation of electrical conductivity of self-diagnosis materials. On the basis of the obtained experimental results, the applicability of self-diagnosis materials to structural health monitoring for concrete structures are discussed in detail, and the practical monitoring techniques for structures are proposed.
The authors have developed an electrically conductive fiber reinforced composite that its electrical resistance changes almost in proportion to strain. This material was tested for its tensile and bond behaviors. As a result, it was discovered that this material applied for the strengthening of concrete structures is highly effective to diagnose cracks in the concrete.


Animations and MVVM
This week I was asked from a colleague of mine, 'How do I fire a command once a storyboard has completed?'. Do we have to break the MVVM here and write code behind. The answer is simple, HELL NO….
Attached Behavior to the rescue. Basically we can do this task by using an attached property, that will hook up to the Completed event of the storyboard and fire the command for us on the ViewModel. Here's how to do this
 1: var timeline = d as Timeline;
 2: if (timeline!= null &&!timeline.IsFrozen)
 3: {
 4: timeline.Completed += delegate
 5: {
 6: ICommand command = GetCommand(d);
 7: object param = GetCommandParameter(d);
 9: if(command!= null && command.CanExecute( param ))
 10: GetCommand(d).Execute(GetCommandParameter(d));
 11: };
 12: }
and here is how to use this in XAML
 1:
 2:
 3:
 4:
 6:
 7:
 8:
In the sample application (that is provided below with this article) shows how to animate some item in an items control and when the animation is completed the Storyboard executes a command that actually removes the item from the binding list.
I also created another simple class so that you can execute a Command from an EventTrigger. This is very handy since sometimes we want to execute a Command on a VM when some arbitrary RoutedEvent is raised. Here is the code for that
 1: public class CommandTimeline : Storyboard
 2: {
 3: protected override Duration GetNaturalDurationCore(Clock clock)
 4: {
 5: return new Duration(TimeSpan.FromTicks(1));
 6: }
 8: protected override Freezable CreateInstanceCore()
 9: {
 10: return new CommandTimeline();
 11: }
 12: }
and here is how to consume it
 1:
 2:
 3:
 4:
 5:
As you can see this reuses the attached behavior that is used on normal storyboards. The only difference between a Storyboard and a CommandTimeline is that a CommandTimeline returns a Duration of 0 so the Completed event gets raised immediately.
PLEASE NOTE: This can be only used in an event trigger. When this is used with DataTriggers etc you will get an exception saying that the Trigger cannot be sealed. This happens because you cannot hook up to the Completed event of a storyboard in a DataTrigger/Trigger. In order to workaround this I use AttacedRoutedEvents so that I can have EventTriggers executing my commands.
Download the sample app + source code
Sync Multi Select Listbox with ViewModel
Today one of my colleagues at Infusion asked me how he could sync up the selection of a ListBox with his ViewModel. WPF supports already single mode selection via the ICollectionView yet when it comes to MultiSelect there is no out of the box support in WPF.
Attached Properties to the rescue ….. 🙂
I quickly when in my VS and wrote up a simple Attached property that hooks to the SelectionChanged event of the ListBox and populates a list of selected items to the ViewModel.
This is how the attached property looks like
 1: _TAG_ SelectedItems
 3: ///
 4: /// SelectedItems Attached Dependency Property
 5: ///
 6: public static readonly DependencyProperty SelectedItemsProperty =
 7: DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached("SelectedItems", typeof(IList), typeof(ListBoxHelper),
 8: new FrameworkPropertyMetadata((IList)null,
 9: new PropertyChangedCallback(OnSelectedItemsChanged)));
 11: ///
 12: /// Gets the SelectedItems property. This dependency property
 13: /// indicates....
 14: ///
 15: public static IList GetSelectedItems(DependencyObject d)
 16: {
 17: return (IList)d.GetValue(SelectedItemsProperty);
 18: }
 20: ///
 21: /// Sets the SelectedItems property. This dependency property
 22: /// indicates....
 23: ///
 24: public static void SetSelectedItems(DependencyObject d, IList value)
 25: {
 26: d.SetValue(SelectedItemsProperty, value);
 27: }
 29: ///
 30: /// Handles changes to the SelectedItems property.
 31: ///
 32: private static void OnSelectedItemsChanged(DependencyObject d, DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
 33: {
 34: var listBox = (ListBox)d;
 35: ReSetSelectedItems(listBox);
 36: listBox.SelectionChanged += delegate
 37: {
 38: ReSetSelectedItems(listBox);
 39: };
 40: }
 42: _TAG_
 44: private static void ReSetSelectedItems(ListBox listBox)
 45: {
 46: IList selectedItems = GetSelectedItems(listBox);
 47: selectedItems.Clear();
 48: if (listBox.SelectedItems!= null)
 49: {
 50: foreach (var item in listBox.SelectedItems)
 51: selectedItems.Add(item);
 52: }
 53: }
and here is how you would use it in the XAML
 1:
As you can see all you have to set is the List you want to populate in the ViewModel and the rest is taken care of by the Attached Property.
Please Note: This code was implemented quickly without any testing to prove an implementation idea, so please do review it before putting it in production 🙂
Download the source code


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The Steiner Problem in Phylogeny
One subject in the field of phylogenetics is finding the most probable evolutionary tree to a given set of DNA-sequences. If one assumes that mutations can only occur by alteration of single nucleotides, and each of these alternations occures with the same probability, then the "most probably" evolutionary tree is the one with the fewest alternations. This tree is also called the "most parsimony" tree. Thus finding the SMT over the given DNA-Sequences with Hamming metric gives us the most probable evolutionary tree, which gives information about the relatedness of species.


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Group merging is the process of taking one or more categories and giving them the same name for the purposes of results analysis. This process is sometimes called 'category standardization'.
Group merging is done through the Groups table and is only available for Open or Hybrid card sorts. All results tables have a toggle to turn on and off the use of the merge in the results that they display.
How To Merge Groups
- In the Groups Table Select 2 or more of the check boxes in the first column of the groups to merge.
- Click the 'Merge Selected' button above the table.
- Provide a name for those groups to be assigned. Click Merge.
- Those groups are now merged. Use the Merge Group toggle at the top to view the consolidated results. Merged group names will be displayed with an underline
How To Un-Merge Groups
- In the Groups Table turn on the group merge toggle. This is optional, but makes it much easier to ungroup an entire group contents. If you wish to remove only some groups from a merge groups, use the group table with the toggle off
- Select the check boxes in the first column of the groups to un-merge.
- Click the 'Un-Merge Selected' button above the table.
Tips for Finding Similar Groups
- Scan the list of group names to find common names with small differences in their wording.
- Enter a part of a word in the search input to filter the table
- After completing a number of merges, try using the'merged' view of the groups table to find remaining outliers - as it reduces the number of groups to view.
- Remember that groups are case-sensitive, so 'Science Fiction' will be listed separate from'science fiction'. We do this to maintain specific Casing that may be important to the user such as acronyms.


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water testing and maintenance can help prevent this condition.
These are just a few examples of diseases and health issues that Koi Carp can encounter. Regularly monitoring the health of your Koi, maintaining optimal water conditions, and seeking veterinary advice when needed will help ensure the longevity and well-being of your prized fish.
How long do koi carp usually live?
Koi carp usually live for an average of 20-30 years.
Is it possible for koi carp to live longer than 30 years?
Yes, it is possible for koi carp to live longer than 30 years. Some koi carp have been known to live up to 50-70 years with proper care.
What factors can affect the lifespan of koi carp?
Several factors can affect the lifespan of koi carp. These include genetics, water quality, nutrition, and the overall care they receive.
How can I ensure a longer lifespan for my koi carp?
To ensure a longer lifespan for your koi carp, you should provide them with a clean and well-maintained pond, proper nutrition, regular water testing and maintenance, and a stress-free environment. It is also important to avoid overstocking the pond and to provide appropriate filtration and aeration.
What are some signs of a healthy koi carp?
Some signs of a healthy koi carp include vibrant colors, active swimming behavior, clear eyes, smooth skin, and a good appetite. It is also important to monitor their growth rate and look for any signs of illness or abnormalities.
The World's Oldest Koi – Hanako (226 Years Old)
Man Makes 100k/Month passively, leveraging KOI FISH business | While Working a 9 to 5
From Birth to Jumbo Koi **The life cycle of a Fish**
I recently came across this fascinating article about the lifespan of koi carp, and I must say, I was quite intrigued. As a fish enthusiast myself, I have always been curious about the longevity of these beautiful creatures. The article provided a detailed insight into the factors that affect a koi carp's lifespan, such as genetics, water quality, and diet. I was astonished to learn that with proper care, some koi carps can live up to 40-60 years! This really emphasizes the importance of creating the perfect environment for them. Maintaining a clean and well-filtered pond, as well as feeding them a balanced diet, seems to significantly enhance their lifespan. What also caught my attention was the mention of how genetics can play a role in a koi carp's lifespan. Selective breeding can produce koi carps with specific traits, including longevity. This is something I would definitely consider when looking to add more koi carps to my pond. Overall, this article has not only expanded my knowledge about koi carps but has also motivated me to take better care of my own fish. I now understand the significance of providing them with a suitable habitat and paying attention to their genetic background. This newfound information will undoubtedly improve the quality of life for my koi carps, and I am grateful to have come across such an informative article.
I've always been fascinated by koi carp and their vibrant colors. I recently got into koi keeping and wanted to learn more about their lifespan. After reading this article, I now have a clear understanding of how long these beautiful fish can live. It's surprising to know that with proper care and a healthy environment, koi carp can live up to 30 years or even more! This is really impressive, considering the average lifespan of most fish is much shorter. I can't wait to see my koi carp grow and thrive in their new home. This article has definitely given me a better appreciation for these amazing creatures and has motivated me to provide the best care for my koi.
As a female reader who has always been fascinated by koi carp, I found this article on the lifespan of koi to be incredibly informative. It answered all of my burning questions about how long these beautiful fish can live. The article explained that, on average, koi can live for about 25-35 years, but with proper care, they can even reach 50-70 years! I was amazed to learn that some koi have even been known to live for over 100 years. The article also mentioned that the lifespan of koi can vary depending on factors such as genetics, water quality, and diet. This made me realize that taking good care of my koi is essential if I want them to live a long and healthy life. Overall, this article has given me a new appreciation for koi carp and has motivated me to provide the best care possible for my own fish.
As a male reader, I've always been fascinated by koi carp and their graceful beauty. When it comes to their lifespan, it's incredible to think that these remarkable creatures can live for so long. On average, koi can live for 20 to 30 years, but they have been known to live for over 50 years in certain conditions. It's amazing to think that a koi fish could potentially be a lifelong companion. To ensure their longevity, providing them with a healthy diet, clean water, and a suitable environment is crucial. With proper care and attention, these majestic fish can bring joy and tranquility to a pond for many years. It's truly remarkable to witness the beauty and longevity of these magnificent creatures.
As a male fish enthusiast, I find the article "How Long Do Koi Carp Live? (The Lifespan of Koi)" quite informative. Koi carp are fascinating creatures known for their vibrant colors and graceful movements. The article explains that the lifespan of Koi can vary depending on various factors, including genetics, water quality, and diet. It highlights that with proper care and a suitable environment, Koi can live for more than 20 years, while some have been known to live for over 40 years. I personally find it fascinating how Koi can live for such a long time, almost like companions for a significant part of one's life. The article emphasizes the importance of providing a spacious pond and ensuring adequate filtration for the fish's wellbeing. I appreciate how the article educates readers on the specific care requirements and potential challenges that come with keeping Koi as pets. Overall, the article effectively delivers the information I was seeking regarding the lifespan of Koi carp. It has enhanced my understanding of these beautiful fish and has given me valuable insights into how to provide the best care for them. I look forward to implementing the tips and recommendations provided in the article to ensure the longevity and well-being of my future Koi companions.


» » Robo-Real: Board Game to PC Game
Robo-Real: Board Game to PC Game
posted in: Studio 0
Download Game: _URL_
In the beginning there was a plan: to develop one of "GAMES magazine's Top 100 board games for 1995" 8, Robo Rally, into a computer game. With this goal, several problems were revealed. Not only was there a need to justify programming an analog game into a digital format, but for the most part developing an equally entertaining game for only one player. As most board games make evident, "it takes two" 1 to tango. In order to produce a single player digital version of an analog multi-player game, it became necessary to investigate other digital adaptations of analog games. The emulation of board games into the digital world opens up new and exciting possibilities in the way of human interaction with games. Real-Time Robo-Rally© was thus designed to emulate and modify the board game Robo Rally so that it could be played by one person on a computer.
Real Time Robo Rally (RTRR) was designed as an adaptation of the original board game. As with every adaptation, RTRR faced practical logistic questions.
"Generally, you expect a classic board game adaptation to fall into one of two categories. Either it's so completely untrue to the original that you wonder why they named it after the game in the first place, or it's such a painstaking duplication that you might as well just break out the actual board game." 2
In order to escape these common results of board game adaptation, it was necessary to define the goals of RTRR. The objective of the original Robo Rally is to trigger the interaction of at least two players. The goal of the game is to reach a destination on a square matrix game board. There are obstacles such as lasers, holes, walls, and conveyer belts that provide an element of chance and risk. If the cards are played right, given the obstacles are overcome, one player will reach the destination first and win the game. The objective of the board game is, to instigate interactivity with other players who are all competing to arrive at the same goal. In the case of RTRR the objective is similar, in that the player is trying to get to a predefined location on a matrix, but the interaction is with a computer. The original board game objectives change because victory is gained as a result of a personal aspiration and there is only one competitor.
To develop a single player game, other digitally adopted single player games were examined. Most single player games developed in flash, such as Galactic Tennis 3, are based on hand eye coordination. The Microsoft Windows game Solitaire 4 was studied as it is a turn based strategic single player game. Solitaire uses both an element of chance, playing cards, and a single goal achieved by one player. Each move must be calculated based on the last move and the games' narrative is constructed 'on the fly'. Similarly, the narrative in RTRR is developed in a linear fashion and each move depends on the last move. "There is a lot of strategy in it, although it might not be obvious until you reach level 3." 5 The most entertaining factor then becomes the element of chance. The player does not know what card to expect and therefore is not able to predetermine the next move. The challenge is to use the limited selection of cards to move a player to a final destination. As such, solitaire was a model for the adaptation of Robo Rally into RTRR.
After considering the element of adaptation from the original game, the real question becomes; 'why make the game digital?' "This involves such questions as how the original work is changed to allow for interactivity and the completion of an objective..." 6 The answer is in the extensive window of opportunity to add new and relevant media elements. RTRR uses sound, animation, and music that is not available in the analog version. All of these components allow for a stage set that adds to interactive enjoyment of the game. The sounds used give the player a sense of space. The animations suggest a virtual course of action. The music sets a relaxed setting and an ambient atmosphere. All of these elements make relevant the addition of new media types in the adaptation of the original game. In the original game, each move is signified by an analog action of moving the game piece according to the card selected. In RTRR, an animation represents the movement of a playing piece. Therefore, the user is immersed in the character of the game piece. The audio cues and sounds that react to the player's clicks give a robotic-like feel to the character further developing a connection with the user and the playing piece.
 "You could do everything... you had your sound which you could modify and the graphics corresponded well with the user and the game... so the environment was totally connected and the player was connected to the environment." 7
This connection between the player and the game also makes it easy to develop other interactive elements.
An important interactive element RTRR has, that is obviously not available in the analog version, is the ability of the player to modify the environment. The game offers a pop-up menu that lists several ambient atmospheric music samples. The player can also turn the background audio off. This may seem like a small feature to the digital version but the implications are enormous. The user now has the power to select different mood settings and thus further interact with the game. It is through this interaction and the immersion of the player into the gaming interface that allows for a more enjoyable gaming experience.
The adaptation of Robo Rally into Real Time Robo Rally©, as with the adaptation of any board game into a video game, involved many questions. Why make the game digital; why change elements of the original game, and what does the new game offer in addition to the old game's structure? Analyzing other adaptations, understanding digital media and interaction provides some of the answers. The adaptation of board games into computer games provides the user with new and more involving experiences that challenge the gamer even further.
Works and Sources Sighted:
1. _URL_
2. Crowe, Greg. "Risk II." _URL_: Noble Order Press Enterprises Inc. 2000.
3. _URL_
4. Microsoft Windows. "Solitaire" (video game).
5. Eskandar, Remon. Usability Tester. March, 2003.
6. Wolf, Mark J. P. Genre and the Video Game. Texas: University of Texas Press, 2000.
7. Rauscher, Sarah. Usability Tester. March, 2003.
8. _URL_


text:
The adoption of 3D Model Based Definition (MBD), PLM, and digital manufacturing technologies requires an unprecedented level of 3D product data precision and accuracy. Therefore, an increasing focus for engineering and manufacturing leaders is minimizing the re-creation of 3D product data. Production pressures drive shop floor behavior, and if 3D MBD models aren't usable in downstream processes, knowledge workers and suppliers are likely to re-design or re-work the models.These scenarios often lead to unidentified and/or undocumented changes, increases in labor costs, and in some cases, product quality issues. Successful model based enterprise (MBE) initiatives reduce these changes by identifying the gaps earlier in the manufacturing process, using real-time methods for finding, documenting, and communicating changes to 3D production data. On Wednesday, November 16, I will host a webinar that coalesces years of ITI project experience and technical expertise into useful insights for addressing what has become a major gap in MBE implementations.
This 30-minute online workshop offers five insights for engineering and manufacturing groups implementing MBE:
- Examining processes and user actions that may prevent downstream reuse of 3D models
- Measuring and documenting manufacturing labor costs due to changes in MBD models
- Evaluating partner and supply chain workflows and processes for potential MBD data quality issues
- Implementing automated methods for identifying upstream and downstream MBD model changes
- Closing the feedback loop by using an instant, automated approach for documenting and communicating change
Space is limited. To register, please click the following link: _URL_


until a switch back to the first tree is necessary. The alternative is the coroutine or cofunction of the current traversal function.
 Cont = element -> Cont -> List of element
 merge tree1 tree2 =
 let rec
 traverse tree cont switch alternative =
 if null tree then
 cont switch alternative
 traverse (left tree) (travright tree cont) switch alternative,
 travright tree cont switch alternative =
 if null tree then
 cont switch alternative
 else if elt tree <= switch then
 (elt tree).(traverse (right tree) cont switch alternative)
 alternative (elt tree) (travright tree cont ), --- [*]
 m tree1 cont1 tree2 cont2 =
 if not null (left tree1) then
 m (left tree1) (travright tree1 cont1) tree2 cont2
 else if not null (left tree2) then
 m tree2 cont2 tree1 cont1
 else if elt tree1 <= elt tree2 then
 travright tree1 cont1 (elt tree2) (travright tree2 cont2)
 travright tree2 cont2 (elt tree1) (travright tree1 cont1),
 fin switch cont = cont maxint halt,
 halt switch cont = nil
 if null tree1 then
 traverse tree2 halt maxint halt
 else if null tree2 then
 traverse tree1 halt maxint halt
 else m tree1 fin tree2 fin
 fin, halt :Cont
 traverse, travright :Tree of element -> Cont -> Cont
 m :Tree of element -> Cont -> Tree of element -> Cont -> List of element
 merge : Tree of element -> Tree of element -> List of element
A continuation simulates a coroutine. Its element parameter is a parameter of the resumption. The Cont parameter is the other coroutine, itself to be resumed at a later date. When the alternative is resumed [*] it is given a switch parameter and the "current" coroutine. Note that travright is not a continuation but
 travright t c :Cont, if t:Tree of element, c:Cont
If one of the trees is empty, traverse the other tree. Otherwise'm' finds the least element of tree1 (and later tree2) while building a continuation to traverse tree1. When the continuation for each tree is built, the appropriate one is started and the two of them swap control as necessary.
Pascal and Algol.
The treemerge function cannot be programmed in Pascal because this language does not allow recursive function types such as 'Cont'. However it can be programmed in Algol-68 which does allow such types.
McVitie and Wilson give an Algol-60 program for the stable marriage problem [McVi71, algorithm 2 and sec3.2]. It uses recursive procedure calls in a way that mimics continuations. Coincidentally, it appeared at about the same time as Mazurkiewicz's paper [Mazu71]. The stable marriage problem has a natural solution by coroutines [Alli83].
The use of continuations allow a function to govern the flow of control into and out of what would normally be considered a subsequent computation. This allows unusual control regimes such as non-determinism and coroutines to be simulated in functional programming. In particular, non-deterministic grammars can be parsed by simple recursive descent plus continuations and functions can be made to cooperate as coroutines.
[Alli83] L. Allison. Stable marriages by coroutines. Information Processing Letters 16 pp61-65 Feb 1983.
[Carl84] M.Carlsson. On implementing Prolog in functional programming. 1984 International Symposium on Logic Programming pp154-159.
[Cloc81] W.F.Clocksin, C.S.Mellish. Programming in Prolog. Springer Verlag 1981.
[Jone84] N.D.Jones, A.Mycroft. Denotational semantics of Prolog. 1984 International Symposium on Logic Programming pp281-288
[Mazu71] A.W.Mazurkiewicz. Proving algorithms by tail functions. Information and Control 18 p220-_PHONE_.
[McVi71] D.G.McVitie, L.B.Wilson. The stable marriage problem. CACM 14(7) pp486-490 July 1971, and algorithm 411 CACM 14(7) pp491-492 July 1971.
[Miln76] R.Milne, C.Strachey. A Theory of Programming Language Semantics. Chapman Hall 1976 (2 vols).
[Nich85] T.Nicholson, N.Foo. A denotational semantics for Prolog. Basser Dept. Computer Science, University of Sydney 1985.
[Stra74] C.Strachey, C.P.Wadsworth. Continuations, a mathematical semantics for handling full jumps. PRG-11 Oxford University 1974
See [treemerge.a68], [Pascal] and also [1990].
window on the wide world:
Computer Science Education Week
free op. sys.
free office suite,
ver 3.4+
~ free photoshop
web browser
like it says!
© L. Allison (or as otherwise indicated),
Created with "vi (Linux + Solaris)", charset=iso-8859-1, fetched Thursday, 27-Apr-2017 21:09:13 AEST.


Digital voltmeters often have a choice of ranges. The rangesindicated on a typical voltmeter are 0-3, 0-30, 0-300, and 0-3000AC volts. The output is represented with four significant digits.Determine the resolution uncertainty for each range. If it has anaccuracy of ±2% of full range for each range, determine theabsolute uncertainty of measurement in each case.
I'm not sure what the difference between resolution uncertainty andabsolute uncertainty is.. or how to find them. I've read thechapter and looked at both examples in the book.
Want an answer?


Component #4
Component#4 is Mike Rowley. Deep bass lines, driving beats and synthesisers blend with acoustic instruments such as piano, guitar and vocals, mixing electronica, post-dubstep, pop and experimental hip-hop into an evolving and hard to pinpoint eclectic sound. Each release by Component#4 is built around a concept of a particular time and place with often character led themes, part fictional and part biographical. The 'Barbed Wire Sunday' EP was influenced by travels to Berlin, immersion in its Cold War history and the similarities Rowley identified between the German capitol and in the post-industrial, post-Thatcher Black Country which he grew up in. The album 'Into Memory' deals directly with that upbringing, the decaying factories, vandalised bus shelters and litter-strewn canals which formed the landscape of his childhood as well as various significant characters from his past. The forthcoming EP 'A Sentence', draws on the claustrophobic, often violent, manipulative experiences Rowley observed during his four-year employment in a British prison; exploring the physical and emotional journey of a young man serving a relatively short sentence due to a rather serious drink driving offence.


, -5F);
 leg4.setTextureSize(64, 64);
 leg4.mirror = true;
 setRotation(leg4, 0F, 0F, 0F);
 leg5 = new ModelRenderer(this, 0, 16);
 leg5.setRotationPoint(-4F, 18F, 5F);
 leg5.setTextureSize(64, 64);
 leg5.mirror = true;
 setRotation(leg5, 0F, 0F, 0F);
 leg6 = new ModelRenderer(this, 0, 16);
 leg6.setRotationPoint(4F, 18F, 5F);
 leg6.setTextureSize(64, 64);
 leg6.mirror = true;
 setRotation(leg6, 0F, 0F, 0F);
 public void render(Entity entity, float f, float f1, float f2, float f3, float f4, float f5)
 super.render(entity, f, f1, f2, f3, f4, f5);
 setRotationAngles(f, f1, f2, f3, f4, f5, entity);
 model.rotateAngleX = x;
 model.rotateAngleY = y;
 model.rotateAngleZ = z;
 this.body.rotateAngleX = ((float)Math.PI / 2F);
 this.leg2.rotateAngleX = MathHelper.cos(f * 0.6662F) * 1.4F * f1;
 this.leg3.rotateAngleX = MathHelper.cos(f * 0.6662F) * 1.4F * f1;
 this.leg4.rotateAngleX = MathHelper.cos(f * 0.6662F + (float)Math.PI) * 1.4F * f1;
Non-mob entites
I'm guessing Nait will be able to write this. Covers things like boats, carts, trains.
Custom-Rendered Block
As a tile entity
For example: Custom_Tile_Entity_Renderer
Without using a tile entity
I hear it's possible. Other than that, see "As a tile entity"
Personal tools


text:
Skeleton showing the effects of leprosy, Netherlands, _PHONE_
The right and left feet show the devastating effects of leprosy on the bones of the body. This erosion and damage, caused by the decay of protective fatty tissue, does not occur in all cases. These feet are believed to be from an adult female buried in a Danish leprosy cemetery attached to a leper hospital. Those with leprosy were social outcasts due to fear of catching the disfiguring disease and it appears the same happened in death. However, similar skeletal remains have been found in graveyards not attached to leper hospitals.
Related Themes and Topics
There are 583 related objects. View all related objects
Glossary: human remains
term created as part of the NMSI human remains policy (from April 2007); Other terms used are 'blood' and 'human hair'
The bones or bony framework of an animal body considered as a whole; also, more generally, the harder (supporting or covering) constituent part of an animal organism.
A chronic disease that affects the skin, mucous membrane and nerves. It is now confined mainly to the tropics and is transmitted by direct contact. Previously a widely feared disease, leprosy is not highly infectious.
A period of isolation that is forced on people to try to halt the spread of disease. Quarantine was one of the few measures available to combat the spread of infectious disease before the development of antibiotics.


text:
Step Into the Painting: Indiana History and Culture Through Art
Students will be given the opportunity to study a historical painting by a Hoosier artist. Several paintings have been pre-selected from the Haan Museum's collection to be used along with this program. Students will apply their growing academic skills and knowledge of Indiana and its relationships to other communities.
The skills and concepts could be related to students' lives and could be presented in a
variety of hands-on activities which include:
- Collecting or examining documents, photographs, or sites
- Making a visual model (a photograph of the student participating in the same activity as the historical painting depicts)
- Talking with community resource persons
- Visiting historical buildings or locations
Vertically articulated lesson plans based on Indiana State Standards are available upon request, as well as reproductions of the pre-selected paintings for class study.


text:
Starvation occurs if the player does not eat food after a long enough period of time. It accumulates slowly at all times, and primarily affects Strength, though Perception and Charisma also suffer at higher starvation levels. It takes five days for the player to starve without eating anything. Most types of food will reduce starvation by some amount, though certain foods are more effective than others.
There are no items or effects which directly increase the player's starvation level.
The Survival skill affects all food items, and increases the amount of starvation they reduce. Players with a high Survival skill will find it necessary to carry less food.
The amount of starvation a given consumable item will reduce may not correlate to the amount of health it provides. For example, iguana bits restore less than a package of Cram, although both items have the same weight, value, radiation, and health restoration properties.
The MREs found in Lonesome Road restore lots of starvation, up to 600 points to be precise, and are plentiful in the DLC.


text:
, choose equipment or resources for
and perform a first hand investigation
to demonstrate properties of silicone such as acid resistance, flexibility and
imperviousness to water that make it suitable for bionics
- Plan the activity by considering how you will test silicone. The
easiest way to obtain some may be to buy a tube of silicone sealant from a
hardware store. You will need to squeeze out a line of it, let it dry and
then cut sections for your experimentation. You could trial one strip in water
and another in acid. You could also try different concentrations of acid.
You will need to decide how much silicone you will need for each part of the
investigation. Will you use a control? For testing imperviousness to water,
you could coat some material, such as a sugar cube, in silicone, allow it
to dry and leave it immersed in water. Coat the material with the silicone
and then leave time for it to set before you put it in water. You could then
cut through it and see if there is any moisture soaked into the material.
Will you leave them for an hour or over night?
- Choose what equipment you will need and check that it is available.
You may need some cleaning material for cleaning up any excess silicone that
may have spilled. Read packaging labels to determine recommended procedures
for safety, cleaning and disposal.
- Perform the investigation for whatever criteria you decided to test.
You may need to make modifications to your planned procedures as you go.
the properties of silicone that make it suitable for use in bionics
- Silicone possesses many characteristics that allow it to be used in bionics:
- It may be combined with silica (a filler) to improve its mechanical properties.
This allows the silicone to be manufactured to the mechanical strength required
for most applications.
- It has high elongation properties before the addition of a filler i.e. it
can be stretched if required.
- The polymeric structure of silicone closely resembles the structure of natural
polymer components, like collagen. This allows compatibility between living
tissue and silicone.
- It has a similar density to natural tissue (0.99 to 1.5 g cm-1),
which reduces problems during the lifetime of the implant.
- It has a high permeability to oxygen, which means minimal obstruction to
the distribution of oxygen around the body.
why silicone joints would be suitable substitutes for small joints in the fingers
and toes that bear little force
- Silicone joints would be suitable substitutes for small joints in the fingers
and toes because they can be made as strong and as flexible as natural joints.
They are biocompatible, as they allow the flow of oxygen and do not react
with living tissue. They would last a long time, as they do not dissolve in
Artificial Joint Replacement
of the finger Orthogate, Internet Society of Orthopaedic Surgery and
analyse secondary information
to compare the strength of UHMWPE and superalloy metal
- Analyse suitable information, such as that referred to or provided
below. Make some generalisations from the data, then justify your generalisations
by providing explanations of your thinking.
Table: Comparison of the properties of UHMWPE and metal alloys
(Source: Biomaterials: An Introduction, by Parks & Lakes, 2nd
||Tensile strength (MPa)
(cast Co-Cr-Mo alloy)
Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene Wikipedia
the properties that make ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) a
suitable alternative to cartilage surrounding a ball and socket joint in terms
- biocompatibility with surrounding tissue
- low friction
- Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is biocompatible with
surrounding tissue. It possesses a similar density to living tissue, and therefore
tends not to cause problems in the body.
- UHMWPE has a low friction coefficient and this, along with other exhibited
characteristics, such as high hardness, high tensile strength, high elasticity,
add to its suitability of it for use in joints as artificial cartilage.
- UHMWPE is durable: it has no known effective solvent at mild temperatures.
High temperatures and pressures must be used to manipulate the material and
gain the desired product. UHMWPE also exhibits a very high creep resistance.
Creep resistance is the tendency for polymers to deform when under constant
why artificial joints have the articulating ends covered in polyethylene
- The articulating ends of a natural joint are covered by a cartilage which
cushions the bones in the joint and provides ease of movement when lubricated
with synovial fluid.
- When constructing artificial joints, it is important to replicate the natural
structure of the joint.
- Polyethylene is used to coat the articulating ends of artificial joints
- it has a similar density to living tissue
- it is relatively elastic (especially high-density polyethylene)
- it has a low coefficient of friction
- it has low creep properties i.e. it will not deform under stress.
- Recently, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has been developed,
which exhibits superior characteristics under stress.
the properties of the materials, including superalloy that make
a ball and stem for the bone components of a large joint including:
- high strength
- low weight
- good compatibility with body tissue
- Many newly-developed alloys are designed to have the properties required
for successful implantation. Some properties, with examples, are discussed
- Many alloys - especially metal alloys - are very strong. Co-Ni-Cr-Mo (cobalt-nickel-chromium-molybdenum)
alloy is used for making stems of prostheses for heavily loaded joints like
- Large loads lead to high friction for Cobalt-Chromium (Co-Cr) alloys, so
Co-Cr alloy-polyethylene and stainless steel-polyethylene alloys have been
developed to reduce the friction in artificial joints bearing large loads.
- Many metals are not suitable for implantation because they are heavy, and
may lead to damage of surrounding living tissue. Titanium-based alloys are
very lightweight (lighter than stainless steel and Co-alloys), as are the
polymer components of the artificial joint.
- Carbon-based alloys show a high level of biocompatibility. For this reason,
carbon or carbon-based alloys are integrated into the development of new materials.
- Corrosion is a major concern, as it may lead to the breakage of load-bearing
joints like the artificial hip joint. Metal alloys generally have much lower
corrosion factors than stainless steel. Co-Cr alloys are inert in the body,
remaining literally unchanged under physiological conditions. Ceramics also
exhibit inertness under physiological conditions.
that artificial implants can be either cemented or uncemented into place
- There are two main ways to attach an artificial joint to the living tissue:
Dr J. Charnley introduced bone cement for the fixation of artificial
hip joints in the 1950s. Once the diseased femoral head of the bone
is cut off, the medullary canal is filled with a doughy bone cement,
and the implant is inserted. Alignment of the implant with the other
components of the joint is verified before the bone cement sets.
The artificial joint is designed to wrap around the remaining bone,
once the diseased bone is removed. Cement-free implants possess a
porous surface, which permits bone tissue to grow in and create an
interface between bone and implant. Cement-free implants are more
vulnerable to loosening than cemented implants, and it is expected
that the time required before the patient can walk will be longer
than for cemented implants.
the properties of the cement that is used in implants and discuss how an uncemented
implant forms a bond with a bone
- The cement used in a cemented implant serves many purposes. These include
- It allows the initial fixation of the implant to the bone.
- It acts as a shock absorber for the joint, as it is a viscoelastic polymer.
- It helps to spread the load more evenly over a large area and reduces
the stress concentrated on the bone by the prosthesis.
- In contrast, a cement-free implant is coated with a porous layer, which
comes into contact with the bone, placing less pressure on the bone (which
sometimes leads to bone reabsorption and therefore loosening). The porous
layer of cement-free implants allows the bone to grow into the implant, creating
a dynamic interface of bone and implant.


text:
Teach STEAM with ease!
- Build time 10 minutes
- Suitable for grades 7+
- Requires basic soldering knowledge
The Solar Cockroach is a little bug that uses the solar energy to power a vibrating motor. The vibrations from the motor travel down the legs, causing the bug to scoot around. These little vibrating bugs are essential tools for teaching beginning soldering lessons to students and adults of all ages. This project also offers a lesson in solar energy, motion, and vibration. Simply place the completed Solar Cockroach in the sun and watch it vibrate and scoot around!
Ordering information: Parts include 2V Solar Cell, Vibrating Motor, Resistor, 2 Paperclips, Magnet Wire, and Googly Eyes.


text:
The Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Long-Time Hospice Nurse
The Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Long-Time Hospice Nurse is an end of life book, a resource that reads like a novel, yet has the content of a textbook. It is available in hard copy and ebook versions.
Barbara wrote this book following years of not only being at the bedside of hundreds of persons at their moment of death but with them as their hospice nurse in the months before their actual death. From the stories and experiences she shares you will see that death unfolds as a process, within a framework, and doesn't simply happen.
By being at the bedside during a time in our culture when a person dying was usually in the hospital, in a private room and very much alone, Barbara brings to the forefront of our consciousness the dynamics of dying from disease and old age.
We will all be affected by dying, death, and grief at some time in our lives. "The Final Act of Living: Reflections of a Long-time Hospice Nurse" is a book on the end of life that offers knowledge and clarity to ease the fear and misinformation about dying and death. It explores the topics of living with a life threatening illness, fear of death, understanding the signs of approaching death from disease, the dying process, stages of death, the normal grieving process, living wills, and other end of life issues.
The Final Act of Living is used as:
- A resource on end of life issues
- A reference book for everyone working with end of life issues:
nurses, social workers, chaplains, Lay ministers, counselors, and others
- A textbook in RN/LPN classes, CNA training classes, social
work classes, college and university classes
- A training handbook for hospice volunteers
- An easy read for anyone interested in dying and grief
This material may be described as an "end of life book," however as the title states, its content and philosophy are all about "The Final Act of Living."


D20 Modern: The Mystery of the Heritage
Here Come the Fraal...
Alien invasion version 1.3
After having visited And'liss Station the crew of the Vigilance learned of a Fraal fleet moving toward Earth. Vigilance immediately jumped into FTL and made for far terran orbit. There they discovered that the Fraal were in communication with the Earth and were spreading a message of peace after the Earth had shot at them.
Vigilance detected a small ship of Earth origin hiding behind the moon. This was the Prometheus. This military ship was launched for mysterious reasons and carries a strike team aboard it. In order to keep the military people safe they were brought on board the Vigilance.
Now the Vigilance has 20 highly trained military personnel aboard along with their food and weapons. Many questions remain. What should be done with the troops? How much can they be trusted? Is is a good idea to hand this over to the authorities as some around the ship are beginning to suggest?
Kitty is beginning to feel the pressure too. She feels responsible for the lives of all aboard this ship and is staring at the possibility of a war. She also is beginning to feel more alienated from her friends. This is stressing her out and could lead to some poor decisions…


text:
For the first time ever, a team led by the University of Colorado Boulder has sequenced the internal bacterial makeup of the three major life stages of a butterfly species, a project that showed some surprising events occur during metamorphosis.
The team, led by CU-Boulder doctoral student Tobin Hammer, used powerful DNA sequencing methods to characterize bacterial communities inhabiting caterpillars, pupae and adults of Heliconius erato, commonly known as the red postman butterfly. The red postman is an abundant tropical butterfly found in Central and South America.
The results showed the internal bacterial diversity of the red postman was halved when it morphed from the caterpillar to the chrysalis, or pupal stage, then doubled after the pupae turned into active adult butterflies. The study is important because communities of bacteria inhabiting other insects have been shown to affect host nutrition, digestion, detoxification and defense from predators, parasites and pathogens, said Hammer of the ecology and evolutionary biology department.