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Travis Hopson
John Nolan
Rocky Hadadi
Julian Lytle
Mae Abdulbaki
The Punch Drunk Podcast
Cinema Royale
Cinema Con Queso
Review: 'Paddington 2', A Good-Natured Sequel That's Sweeter Than Marmalade
By Travis Hopson1/10/2018View Comments
Can we have every year start off with a Paddington movie? The world would be a much nicer place, I think. In early 2015, Michael Bond's lovable bear with the marmalade obsession charmed us all in a film that overflowed with sweetness, kindness, and adventure. Now a few years later and director Paul King has delivered to us a sequel that steals our hearts just as easily. If ever there's a need for a Paddington cinematic universe or something, anything to keep the franchise going as long as possible, then Paddington 2 is it.
Quietly, the Paddington films have some of the most gorgeous production design of any animated movie in recent years. Brightly-colored, literally popping off the screen with Wes Anderson-like pastels, Paddington 2 zips us into a pop-up book version of London. It's there that we find Paddington, happily fitting into the life of the Browns who have made him a part of their family. But more than that, Paddington has been accepted by the town as a whole. His presence makes everything just run better, smoother, and happier.
"If you're kind and polite, the world will be right"
It's a lesson often repeated as Paddington (again voiced by Ben Whishaw) makes his way through a series of light misadventures involving those who aren't so kind and definitely aren't polite. But the message has its origin from Paddington's Aunt Lucy (voiced by Imelda Staunton), who we see in flashback rescuing a very young Paddington from a watery doom. Many bear years later and her birthday has arrived, and Paddington hopes to gift her with a very special "popping book" found in an antique shop. It's his way of showing the bear who raised him a little bit of London, since she never had the chance to go herself.
Awwwww shucks.
Yeah, those are the stakes. Paddington needs to get that book, and he starts by working odd jobs that go disastrously at first, like cleaning a barber shop (haircut nightmare) or washing windows. Just as he's a day away from having enough to buy it, *POOF!* it's gone, stolen away by nefarious washed-up actor Phoenix Buchanan, played with gusto by Hugh Grant.
I'm telling you, the folks at Marvel and DC should call the Paddington folks about creating great villains. I'd take Phoenix Buchanan over Ultron or Steppenwolf any day. Not only does Phoenix steal away with the book, but Hugh Grant steal away every scene he's in. A master of disguise who does everything with a theatrical flourish, Phoenix is like the long-lost cousin of Lemony Snicket's Count Olaf. Grant is having way more fun than everybody, and everybody looks to be having a darn good time. Phoenix is basically the polar opposite of everything Paddington stands for; he's the perfect villain to highlight why Bond's creation has endured for more than 50 years and entertained millions.
Not that we mind spending more time with Paddington and the Browns, it does take a little while for the plot to kick into gear. After a rousing Tintin-esque chase through London's streets, Paddington is framed for the book's theft and sent to prison, where the film somehow becomes an even greater delight. Think of kindly, sweet-natured Paddington in a prison full of hardened criminals, only to have him mess up the laundry and turn everything pink. Think of innocently naïve Paddington running afoul of the prison chef, Knuckles (Brendan Gleeson), only to win over over his heart and taste buds with a well-timed marmalade sandwich. Pink-hued prison musical numbers and daring escapes are soon to follow. Somehow this diversion into Cell Block Fun remains both kid-friendly and entertaining to adults just looking for a good time. It gets a little messy following Paddington's exploits behind bars (making hundreds of marmalade sandwiches is tough!), the efforts of the Brown family to clear his name, and a convoluted walk through Phoenix's family history, but these are such enjoyable characters to be around that it hardly matters. The Browns, led by the great Sally Hawkins as the thrill-seeking Mrs. Brown, are a quirky complement to Paddington. But I think Gleeson really shines in the kind of role he's always been good at, that of the bruiser with a heart of gold.
Then again, everybody has a heart of gold when Paddington is around. His generosity and caring nature are infectious, and so is Paddington 2 for anyone looking to start their year feeling a little better about the world.
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I'd love to do some yoga! Do you have any sites you can recommend for this challenge?
That sounds interesting. Do you have any sites you recommend for that?
Thanks, I've added it to my list of options for help in getting to sleep!
I already do yoga every day.
It has helped me find my inner strength and stillness.
Give it a chance to do the same for you!
Thanks for the link! I do yoga every once in a while, but I want to do it daily. I'm taking the challenge.


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HomeArticlesGaza: Hope and Fog (PHOTOS)
Gaza: Hope and Fog (PHOTOS)
January 3, 2021 Articles, Features, Images
Despite the siege, the COVID-19 pandemic and the blanket of fog, the people of Gaza remain committed to their love for life. (Photo: Fawzi Mahmoud, The Palestine Chronicle)
Imagine Gaza, in fact, the whole of Palestine, without war, without siege, without military occupation and without apartheid walls.
Despite over 70 years of relentless colonialism, Palestine remains full of hope. The Palestinian people ache for normalcy. Their love for life is unmatched, perhaps because they have been deprived of their freedom for far too long.
Palestine Chronicle photojournalist Fawzi Mahmoud captures the spirit of Palestine in Gaza. Despite the state of siege, the COVID-19 pandemic and the blanket of fog, the people of Gaza remain committed to their love for life.
We hope that you enjoy this gallery, and share with Gaza's besieged population a moment of fun, peace and tranquillity.
(All Photos: Fawzi Mahmoud)
(The Palestine Chronicle)
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VIDEO: 'These Chains Will Be Broken': Delving into the Heart of Palestinian Resistance
September 8, 2020 Articles, Features, Videos
What if the story of Palestine was retold, this time by Palestinian prisoners? Ramzy Baroud's latest book, "These Chains Will Be Broken: Palestinian Stories of Struggle and Defiance in Israeli Prisons" attempts to answer that […]
Study: Polluted Water Main Cause of Death in Gaza
More than a quarter of illnesses in Gaza are caused by water pollution, a new study has said, noting that this is the main cause of mortality in the coastal enclave that has endured an […]
Abbas: We Have Never Rejected Negotiations with Israel (VIDEO)
"We have never rejected political negotiations with Israel," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday. Speaking to reporters in a press conference in Ramallah with his Bulgarian counterpart, Rumen Radev, Abbas stressed that the Palestinian Authority […]

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"Statement on the HD-Organised Libyan Consultative Meeting of 7-9 September 2020 in Montreux, Switzerland"
Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General (ASRSG) and Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Stephanie Williams warmly welcomes the outcomes of the consultations amongst key Libyan stakeholders that took place in Montreux in Switzerland under the auspices of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and in the presence of UNSMIL between 7-9 September. ASRSG Williams sincerely thanks the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue team for their tireless efforts in organizing this meeting that has come at a decisive turning point in the long search for a comprehensive solution to the Libyan crisis. The deteriorating socio-economic conditions in Libya, which have been exacerbated by the grinding conflict, the alarming rise in COVID cases, the lack of services and electricity and water shortages, in addition to the continuing oil blockade, make the need for a quick and peaceful solution all the more urgent.
UNSMIL commends the goodwill and national dedication of the Libyan participants who seized this opportunity to put aside their longstanding differences and disputes to recommend a Libyan-Libyan solution that can be put on the table for the early resumption of the UN-facilitated Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.
These consultations were organized following the August 21 parallel ceasefire declarations of President of the Presidency Council Fayez Sarraj and Speaker of the House of Representatives Agila Saleh and provide a basis for all responsible Libyan stakeholders to forge the way forward.
We note the consensual view of the participants in the Montreux consultations that Presidential and Parliamentary elections must be held at the end of an 18-month period on the basis of an agreed constitutional framework. This period would be initiated by the reformation of the Presidency Council, the establishment of a representative unity government dedicated to providing services and creating the necessary conditions for the holding of national elections, including implementing the Parliament-approved Amnesty Law and facilitating the return of displaced persons and those in the diaspora as a necessary step for much-needed national reconciliation.
We welcome the participants' proposal of moving key government functions and offices, such as the executive and the House of Representatives, on a temporary basis, to Sirt, following the implementation of the appropriate security and logistical arrangements. We encourage the House of Representatives and High State Council to continue their discussions on the issue of sovereign positions and we call on them to produce the needed electoral framework within a set timeline.
Building on these and other consultations, including those underway in the Kingdom of Morocco, and following weeks of extensive talks with key Libyan and international stakeholders, UNSMIL will now launch the arrangements needed to resume the fully inclusive Libyan Political Dialogue Forum with an announcement to be forthcoming. We call upon the international community to shoulder its responsibilities to support this process and to unequivocally respect the Libyan people's sovereign right to determine their future.
 UNSMIL Statement on the Protests in al-Marj City on 12 September 2020
 UNSMIL congratulates people of Misrata on successful municipal elections


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Most Viewed and Downloaded Articles
1. Analyzing Cell-Scaffold Interaction through Unsupervised 3D Nuclei Segmentation
2. Enhanced Attachment and Collagen Type I Deposition of MC3T3-E1 Cells via Electrohydrodynamic Printed Sub-Microscale Fibrous Architectures
3. Preparation of Graphene Oxide-loaded Nickel with Excellent Antibacterial Property by Magnetic Field-Assisted Scanning Jet Electrodeposition
4. Bioprinted Gelatin-Recombinant Type III Collagen Hydrogel Promotes Wound Healing
5. 3D food printing an innovative way of mass customization in food fabrication
1. Digital Light Processing Based Three-dimensional Printing for Medical Applications
2. Collagen as Bioink for Bioprinting: A Comprehensive Review
3. Additive manufacturing of bone scaffolds
4. 3D printing of hydrogel composite systems: Recent advances in technology for tissue engineering
5. 3D Bioprinting Photo-Crosslinkable Hydrogels for Bone and Cartilage Repair
(In progress)
Special Section: Bioprinting of 3D Functional Tissue Constructs
Regular Section
Biomaterial inks for extrusion-based 3D bioprinting: Property, classification, modification, and selection
by Xiaorui Li, Fuyin Zheng, Xudong Wang, Xuezheng Geng, Shudong Zhao, Hui Liu, Dandan Dou, Yubing Leng, Lizhen Wang, Yubo Fan
Int J Bioprint 2022, 9(2), 649; doi: 10.18063/ijb.v9i2.649
Three-dimensional (3D) extrusion-based bioprinting is the most widely used bioprinting technology to fabricate bionic tissue or organ constructs by combining biomaterial ink and living cells for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. One critical issue of this technique is the selection of suitable biomaterial ink to simulate extracellular matrix (ECM) that provides mechanical support for cells and regulates their physiological activities. Previous studies have demonstrated that it is an enormous challenge to form and maintain reproducible 3D constructs and eventually achieve the balance among biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and printability. This review highlights the properties of extrusion-based biomaterial inks and recent developments as well as details various biomaterial inks classified by their function. Key approaches related to their modification methods according to the functional requirements are also discussed, along with the selection strategies by varying extrusion paths and methods in extrusion-based bioprinting. This systematical review will assist researchers in identifying the most suitable extrusion based biomaterial inks based on their requirements, as well as in elaborating current challenges and prospects of extrudable biomaterial inks in the field of bioprinting of in vitro tissue models.
414 Views, 828 Downloads
Fabrication of large-scale scaffolds with microscale features using light sheet stereolithography
by Alejandro Madrid-Sánchez, Fabian Duerr, Fabian Duerr, Yunfeng Nie, Yunfeng Nie, Hugo Thienpont, Hugo Thienpont, Heidi Ottevaere, Heidi Ottevaere
The common characteristics that make scaffolds suitable for human tissue substitutes include high porosity, microscale features, and pores interconnectivity. Too often, however, these characteristics are limiting factors for the scalability of different fabrication approaches, particularly in bioprinting techniques, in which either poor resolution, small areas, or slow processes hinder practical use in certain applications. An excellent example is bioengineered scaffolds for wound dressings, in which microscale pores in large surface-to-volume ratio scaffolds must be manufactured – ideally fast, precise, and cheap, and where conventional printing methods do not readily meet both ends. In this work, we propose an alternative vat photopolymerization technique to fabricate centimeter-scale scaffolds without losing resolution. We used laser beam shaping to first modify the profile of the voxels in 3D printing, resulting in a technology we refer to as light sheet stereolithography (LS-SLA). For proof of concept, we developed a system from commercially available off-the-shelf components to demonstrate strut thicknesses up to 12.8 ± 1.8 μm, tunable pore sizes ranging from 36 μm to 150 μm, and scaffold areas up to 21.4 mm × 20.6 mm printed in a short time. Furthermore, the potential to fabricate more complex and three-dimensional scaffolds was demonstrated with a structure composed of six layers, each rotated by 45° with respect to the previous. Besides the demonstrated high resolution and achievable large scaffold sizes, we found that LS-SLA has great potential for scaling-up of applied oriented technology for tissue engineering applications.
Development of polycaprolactone grafts with improved physical properties and body stability using a screw extrusion-type 3D bioprinter
by Su Hee Kim, Se Jun Park, Bin Xu, Jae Hyup Lee, Sang Jin An, Misun Cha
Int J Bioprint 2022, 9(2); doi: 10.18063/ijb.v9i2.652
Three-dimensional (3D) bioprinter including screw extruder was developed, and the polycaprolactone (PCL) grafts fabricated by screw-type and pneumatic pressure-type bioprinters were comparatively evaluated. The density and tensile strength of the single layers printed by the screw-type were 14.07% and 34.76% higher, respectively, than those of the single layers produced by the pneumatic pressure-type. The adhesive force, tensile strength, and bending strength of the PCL grafts printed by the screw-type bioprinter were 2.72 times, 29.89%, and 67.76% higher, respectively, than those of the PCL grafts prepared by the pneumatic pressure-type bioprinter. By evaluating the consistency with the original image of the PCL grafts, we found that it had a value of about 98.35%. The layer width of the printing structure was 485.2 ± 0.004919 μm, which was 99.5% to 101.8% compared to the set value (500 μm), indicating high accuracy and uniformity. The printed graft had no cytotoxicity, and there were no impurities in the extract test. In the in vivo studies, the tensile strength of the sample 12 months after implantation was reduced by 50.37% and 85.43% compared to the initial point of the sample printed by the screw-type and the pneumatic pressure-type, respectively. Through observing the fractures of the samples at 9- and 12-month samples, we found that the PCL grafts prepared by the screw-type had better in vivo stability. Therefore, the printing system developed in this study can be used as a treatment for regenerative medicine.
Research progress and challenges of bioprinting in wound dressing and healing: Bibliometrics-based analysis and perspectives
by Shuduan Mao, Junjie Man, Jialei Wang, Li Fu, Chengliang Yin, Hassan Karimi-Maleh
As the body's largest organ, the skin has important roles in barrier function, immune response, prevention of water loss and excretion of waste. Patients with extensive and severe skin lesions would die due to insufficient graftable skin. Commonly used treatments include autologous skin grafts, allogeneic/allogeneic skin grafts, cytoactive factors, cell therapy, and dermal substitutes. However, traditional treatment methods are still inadequate regarding skin repair time, treatment costs, and treatment results. In recent years, the rapid development of bioprinting technology has provided new ideas to solve the above-mentioned challenges. This review describes the principles of bioprinting technology and research advances in wound dressing and healing. This review features a data mining and statistical analysis of this topic through bibliometrics. The annual publications on this topic, participating countries, and institutions were used to understand the development history. Keyword analysis was used to understand the focus of investigation and challenges in this topic. According to bibliometric analysis, bioprinting in wound dressing and healing is in an explosive phase, and future research should focus on discovering new cell sources, innovative bioink development, and developing largescale printing technology processes.
The first 3D-bioprinted personalized active bone to repair bone defects: A case report
by Yongqiang Hao, Bojun Cao, Liang Deng, Jiaxin Li, Zhaoyang Ran, Junxiang Wu, Boran Pang, Jia Tan, Dinghao Luo, Wen Wu
The repair and reconstruction of bone defects are still major problems to be solved in the field of orthopedics. Meanwhile, 3D-bioprinted active bone implants may provide a new and effective solution. In this case, we used bioink prepared from the patient's autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) combined with polycaprolactone/β-tricalcium phosphate (PCL/β-TCP) composite scaffold material to print personalized PCL/β-TCP/PRP active scaffolds layer by layer through 3D bioprinting technology. The scaffold was then applied in the patient to repair and reconstruct bone defect after tibial tumor resection. Compared with traditional bone implant materials, 3D-bioprinted personalized active bone will have significant clinical application prospects due to its advantages of biological activity, osteoinductivity, and personalized design.
Steam-sterilized and degradable fused filament fabrication-printed polylactide/polyhydroxyalkanoate surgical guides for dental implants: Are they accurate enough for static navigation?
by Matthias Gielisch, Diana Heimes, Daniel G. E. Thiem, C. Boesing, M. Krumpholtz, B. Al-Nawas, Peer W. Kämmerer
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is a rapidly evolving field and has gained increasing importance in the medical sector. However, the increasing usage of printing materials is accompanied by more wastages. With a rising awareness of the environmental impact of the medical sector, the development of highly accurate and biodegradable materials is of great interest. This study aims to compare the accuracy of polylactide/polyhydroxyalkanoate (PLA/PHA) surgical guides printed by fused filament fabrication and material jetted guides of MED610 in fully guided dental implant placement before and after steam sterilization. Five guides were tested in this study and each was either printed with PLA/PHA or MED610 and either steam-sterilized or not. After implant insertion in a 3D-printed upper jaw model, the divergence between planned and achieved implant position was calculated by digital superimposition. Angular deviation and 3D deviation at the base and the apex were determined. Non-sterilized PLA/PHA guides showed an angle deviation of 0.38 ± 0.53° compared to 2.88 ± 0.75° in sterile guides (P > 0.001), an offset of 0.49 ± 0.21 mm and 0.94 ± 0.23 mm (P < 0.05), and an offset at the apex of 0.50 ± 0.23 mm before and 1.04 ± 0.19 mm after steam sterilization (P < 0.025). No statistically significant difference could be shown for angle deviation or 3D offset at both locations for guides printed with MED610. PLA/PHA printing material showed significant deviations in angle and 3D accuracy after sterilization. However, the reached accuracy level is comparable to levels reached with materials already used in clinical routine and therefore, PLA/PHA surgical guide is a convenient and green alternative.
A holistic model for melt electrowritten three-dimensional structured materials based on residual charge
by Kai Cao, Fucheng Zhang, Ahmadreza Zaeri, Ralf Zgeib, Robert C. Chang
The printing accuracy of polymer melt electrowriting is adversely affected by the residual charge entrapped within the fibers, especially for three-dimensional (3D) structured materials or multilayered scaffolds with small interfiber distances. To clarify this effect, an analytical charge-based model is proposed herein. The electric potential energy of the jet segment is calculated considering the amount and distribution of the residual charge in the jet segment and the deposited fibers. As the jet deposition proceeds, the energy surface assumes different patterns, which constitute different modes of evolution. The manner in which the various identified parameters affect the mode of evolution are represented by three charge effects, including the global, local, and polarization effect. Based on these representations, typical modes of energy surface evolution are identified. Moreover, the lateral characteristic curve and characteristic surface are advanced to analyze the complex interplay between fiber morphologies and residual charge. Different parameters contribute to this interplay either by affecting residual charge, fiber morphologies, or the three charge effects. To validate this model, the effects of lateral location and grid number (i.e., number of fibers printed in each direction) on the fiber morphologies are investigated. Moreover, the "fiber bridging" phenomenon in parallel fiber printing is successfully explained. These results help to comprehensively understand the complex interplay between the fiber morphologies and the residual charge, thus furnishing a systematic workflow to improve printing accuracy.
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A novel photocurable pullulan-based bioink for digital light processing 3D printing
by Zhaoxuan Feng, Jinsong Li, Dasen Zhou, Hui Song, Jiaqi Lv, Wenqin Bai
Digital light processing has significant advantages, such as high repeatability, low failure rate, and no extrusion shear force. To make it possible to print complex structures with high resolution, the consecutive development of photocurable ink materials is indispensable. In this work, photo-functionalized pullulan (Pul-NB) was prepared by introducing norbornene groups into pullulan chains, and an ink material suitable for photocurable printing was prepared by thiol-ene click reaction. The rheology, water absorption, and mechanical properties of the Pul-NB precursor solution and photocurable hydrogel were investigated. The optimal composition of Pul-NB ink for three-dimensional (3D) printing was obtained by adjusting the degree of substitution, Pul-NB concentration, and thiol crosslinking agent. This novel bioink for digital light processing 3D printing showed good printability and high shape fidelity. This ink material provides an excellent alternative for printing biomimetic soft tissue organs, high-throughput tissue models, soft robots, etc.
The design and processing of a 3D-printed high-performance biological fixation plate
by Guoqing Zhang, Junxin Li, Xiaoyu Zhou, Yongsheng Zhou, Yuchao Bai
In order to generate a high-performance personalized biological fixation plate with matching mechanical properties and biocompatibility, reverse reconstruction and fracture reduction of a femur were performed by combining reverse and forward approaches, and the surface was extracted according to the installation position of the plate to complete plate modeling by shifting, thickening, and performing other operations. Subsequently, topology optimization and three-dimensional (3D) print¬ing were performed, and the properties of the manufactured plate were probed. The results showed that the maximum displacement of the plate was 4.13 mm near the femoral head, the maximum stress was 5.15e2 MPa on both sides of the plate across its entire length, and the stress concentration decreased following topology opti¬mization. The plate with optimized topology and filled with porous structure has a good filling effect. The final mass of the H-shaped plate was 12.05 g, while that of the B-shaped plate was 11.05 g, which dropped by 20.93% and 27.49%, respective¬ly, compared with the original plate. The surface of the 3D-printed plate was bright and new, with a clear pore structure and good lap joint. The B-shaped and H-shaped plates were closely dovetailed with the host bone, which met the assembly require¬ments. This lays a foundation for the direct application of a high-performance per¬sonalized biological fixation plate.
Hybrid biofabrication of neurosecretory structures as a model for neurosecretion
by Xingliang Dai, Xuefeng Tian, Shengcai Gu, Yafei Yang, Huaixu Li, Peng Gao, Hongwei Cheng, Qing Lan
The present study aimed to combine extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting and polymer nanofiber electrospinning technology to fabricate tissue-like structures with neurosecretory function in vitro. Using neurosecretory cells as cell resources, sodium alginate/gelatin/fibrinogen as matrix, polylactic acid/gelatin electrospun nanofibers as diaphragm, and neurosecretory cells-loaded 3D hydrogel scaffolds were bioprinted and then covered with electrospun nanofibers layer-by-layer. The morphology was observed by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and the mechanical characteristics and cytotoxicity of the hybrid biofabricated scaffold structure were evaluated. The 3D-bioprinted tissue activity, including cell death and proliferation, was verified. Western blotting and ELISA experiments were used to confirm the cell phenotype and secretory function, while animal in vivo transplantation experiments confirmed the histocompatibility, inflammatory reaction, and tissue remodeling ability of the heterozygous tissue structures. Neurosecretory structures with 3D structures were successfully prepared by hybrid biofabrication in vitro. The mechanical strength of the composite biofabricated structures was significantly higher than that of the hydrogel system (P < 0.05). The survival rate of PC12 cells in the 3D-bioprinted model was 92.849 ± 2.995%. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained pathological sections showed that the cells grew in clumps, and there was no significant difference in the expression of MAP2 and tubulin-β between 3D organoids and PC12 cells. The results of ELISA showed that the PC12 cells in 3D structures retained the ability to continuously secrete noradrenaline and met-enkephalin, and the secretory vesicles around and within the cells could be observed by TEM. In in vivo transplantation, PC12 cells gathered and grew in clusters, maintained high activity, neovascularization, and tissue remodeling in 3D structures. The neurosecretory structures were biofabricated by 3D bioprinting and nanofiber electrospinning in vitro, which had high activity and neurosecretory function. In vivo transplantation of neurosecretory structures showed active proliferation of cells and potential for tissue remodeling. Our research provides a new method for biological manufacture of neurosecretory structures in vitro, which maintains neurosecretory function and lays the foundation for the clinical application of neuroendocrine tissues.
Development of an alginate–gelatin bioink enhancing osteogenic differentiation by gelatin release
by Jueun Kim, Yeong-Jin Choi, Chang-Woo Gal, Aram Sung, Honghyun Park, Hui-Suk Yun
Hydrogels are natural bioink options for cellular printing due to their high-water content and permeable three-dimensional (3D) polymeric structure, which are favorable for cellular anchoring and metabolic activities. To increase the functionality of hydrogels as bioinks, biomimetic components are often incorporated, such as proteins, peptides, and growth factors. In this study, we aimed to enhance the osteogenic activity of a hydrogel formulation by integrating both the release and retention of gelatin so that gelatin serves as both an indirect support for released ink component on cells nearby and a direct support for encapsulated cells inside a printed hydrogel, thereby fulfills two functions. Methacrylate-modified alginate (MA-alginate) was chosen as the matrix because it has a low cell adhesion effect due to the absence of ligands. The gelatin-containing MA-alginate hydrogel was fabricated, and gelatin was found to remain in the hydrogel for up to 21 days. The gelatin remaining in the hydrogel had positive effects on encapsulated cells, especially on cell proliferation and osteogenic differentiation. The gelatin released from the hydrogel affected the external cells, showing more favorable osteogenic behavior than the control sample. It was also found that the MA-alginate/gelatin hydrogel could be used as a bioink for printing with high cell viability. Therefore, we anticipate that the alginate-based bioink developed in this study could potentially be used to induce osteogenesis in bone tissue regeneration.
3D printing of drug-eluting bioactive multifunctional coatings for orthopedic applications
by Eben Adarkwa, Abhijit Roy, John Ohodnicki, Boeun Lee, Prashant N. Kumta, Salil Desai
Three-dimensional (3D) printing is implemented for surface modification of titanium alloy substrates with multilayered biofunctional polymeric coatings. Poly(lactic-co-glycolic) acid (PLGA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) polymers were embedded with amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) and vancomycin (VA) therapeutic agents to promote osseointegration and antibacterial activity, respectively. PCL coatings revealed a uniform deposition pattern of the ACP-laden formulation and enhanced cell adhesion on the titanium alloy substrates as compared to the PLGA coatings. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirmed a nanocomposite structure of ACP particles showing strong binding with the polymers. Cell viability data showed comparable MC3T3 osteoblast proliferation on polymeric coatings as equivalent to positive controls. In vitro live/dead assessment indicated higher cell attachments for 10 layers (burst release of ACP) as compared to 20 layers (steady release) for PCL coatings. The PCL coatings loaded with the antibacterial drug VA displayed a tunable release kinetics profile based on the multilayered design and drug content of the coatings. Moreover, the concentration of active VA released from the coatings was above the minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration, demonstrating its effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strain. This research provides a basis for developing antibacterial biocompatible coatings to promote osseointegration of orthopedic implants
Experimental study on repair of cartilage defects in the rabbits with GelMA-MSCs scaffold prepared by three-dimensional bioprinting
by Zijie Pei, Mingyang Gao, Junhui Xing, Changbao Wang, Piqian Zhao, Hongtao Zhang, Jing Qu
Cartilage damage is a common orthopedic disease, which can be caused by sports injury, obesity, joint wear, and aging, and cannot be repaired by itself. Surgical autologous osteochondral grafting is often required in deep osteochondral lesions to avoid the later progression of osteoarthritis. In this study, we fabricated a gelatin methacryloyl-marrow mesenchymal stem cells (GelMA-MSCs) scaffold by three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting. This bioink is capable of fast gel photocuring and spontaneous covalent cross-linking, which can maintain high viability of MSCs and provide a benign microenvironment to promote the interaction, migration, and proliferation of cells. In vivo experiments, further, proved that the 3D bioprinting scaffold can promote the regeneration of cartilage collagen fibers and have a remarkable effect on cartilage repair of rabbit cartilage injury model, which may represent a general and versatile strategy for precise engineering of cartilage regeneration system.
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Toward better drug development: Three-dimensional bioprinting in toxicological research
by Diána Szűcs, Zsolt Fekete, Melinda Guba, Lajos Kemény, Katalin Jemnitz, Emese Kis, Zoltán Veréb
The importance of three-dimensional (3D) models in pharmacological tests and personalized therapies is significant. These models allow us to gain insight into the cell response during drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination in an organ-like system and are suitable for toxicological testing. In personalized and regenerative medicine, the precise characterization of artificial tissues or drug metabolism processes is more than crucial to gain the safest and the most effective treatment for the patients. Using these 3D cell cultures derived directly from patient, such as spheroids, organoids, and bioprinted structures, allows for testing drugs before administration to the patient. These methods allow us to select the most appropriate drug for the patient. Moreover, they provide chance for better recovery of patients, since time is not wasted during therapy switching. These models could be used in applied and basic research as well, because their response to treatments is quite similar to that of the native tissue. Furthermore, they may replace animal models in the future because these methods are cheaper and can avoid interspecies differences. This review puts a spotlight on this dynamically evolving area and its application in toxicological testing.
Three-dimensional printing as a cutting-edge, versatile and personalizable vascular stent manufacturing procedure: Toward tailor-made medical devices
by Fatima Garcia-Villen, Fernando López-Zárraga, Cesar Viseras, Sandra Ruiz-Alonso, Fouad Al-Hakim, Irene Diez-Aldama, Laura Saenz-del-Burgo, Denis Scaini, Jose Luis Pedraz
Vascular stents (VS) have revolutionized the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, as evidenced by the fact that the implantation of VS in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients has become a routine, easily approachable surgical intervention for the treatment of stenosed blood vessels. Despite the evolution of VS throughout the years, more efficient approaches are still required to address the medical and scientific challenges, especially when it comes to peripheral artery disease (PAD). In this regard, three-dimensional (3D) printing is envisaged as a promising alternative to upgrade VS by optimizing the shape, dimensions and stent backbone (crucial for optimal mechanical properties), making them customizable for each patient and each stenosed lesion. Moreover, the combination of 3D printing with other methods could also upgrade the final device. This review focuses on the most recent studies using 3D printing techniques to produce VS, both by itself and in combination with other techniques. The final aim is to provide an overview of the possibilities and limitations of 3D printing in the manufacturing of VS. Furthermore, the current situation of CAD and PAD pathologies is also addressed, thus highlighting the main weaknesses of the already existing VS and identifying research gaps, possible market niches and future directions.
Three-dimensional bioprinting of functional β-islet-like constructs
by Shahram Parvaneh, Lajos Kemény, Ameneh Ghaffarinia, Reza Yarani, Zoltán Veréb
Diabetes is an autoimmune disease that ensues when the pancreas does not deliver adequate insulin or when the body cannot react to the existing insulin. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease defined by continuous high blood sugar levels and insulin deficiency due to β-cell destruction in the islets of Langerhans (pancreatic islets). Long-term complications, such as vascular degeneration, blindness, and renal failure, result from periodic glucose-level fluctuations following exogenous insulin therapy. Nevertheless, the shortage of organ donors and the lifelong dependency on immunosuppressive drugs limit the transplantation of the entire pancreas or pancreas islet, which is the therapy for this disease. Although encapsulating pancreatic islets using multiple hydrogels creates a semi-privileged environment to prevent immune rejection, hypoxia that occurs in the core of the capsules is the main hindrance that should be solved. Bioprinting technology is an innovative process in advanced tissue engineering that allows the arranging of a wide array of cell types, biomaterials, and bioactive factors as a bioink to simulate the native tissue environment for fabricating clinically applicable bioartificial pancreatic islet tissue. Multipotent stem cells have the potential to be a possible solution for donor scarcity and can be a reliable source for generating autograft and allograft functional β-cells or even pancreatic islet-like tissue. The use of supporting cells, such as endothelial cells, regulatory T cells, and mesenchymal stem cells, in the bioprinting of pancreatic islet-like construct could enhance vasculogenesis and regulate immune activity. Moreover, scaffolds bioprinted using biomaterials that can release oxygen postprinting or enhance angiogenesis could increase the function of β-cells and the survival of pancreatic islets, which could represent a promising avenue.
Methodology for characterizing the printability of hydrogels
by Jesús M. Rodríguez-Rego, Laura Mendoza-Cerezo, Antonio Macías-García, Juan P. Carrasco-Amador, Alfonso C. Marcos-Romero
Currently, the characterization techniques for hydrogels used in bioprinting are extensive, and they could provide data on the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of hydrogels. While characterizing the hydrogels, the analysis of their printing properties is of great importance in the determination of their potential for bioprinting. The study of printing properties provides data on their capacity to reproduce biomimetic structures and maintain their integrity after the process, as it also relates them to the possible cell viability after the generation of the structures. Current hydrogel characterization techniques require expensive measuring instrument that is not readily available in many research groups. Therefore, it would be interesting to propose a methodology to characterize and compare the printability of different hydrogels in a fast, simple, reliable, and inexpensive way. The aim of this work is to propose a methodology for extrusion-based bioprinters that allows determining the printability of hydrogels that are going to be loaded with cells, by analyzing cell viability with the sessile drop method, molecular cohesion with the filament collapse test, adequate gelation with the quantitative evaluation of the gelation state, and printing precision with the printing grid test. The data obtained after performing this work allow the comparison of different hydrogels or different concentrations of the same hydrogel to determine which one has the most favorable properties to carry out bioprinting studies.
Zn-doped chitosan/alginate multilayer coatings on porous hydroxyapatite scaffold with osteogenic and antibacterial properties
by Zhijing He, Chen Jiao, Junnan Wu, Jiasen Gu, Huixin Liang, Lida Shen, Youwen Yang, Zongjun Tian, Changjiang Wang, Qing Jiang
Porous hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffolds prepared by three-dimensional (3D) printing have wide application prospects owing to personalized structural design and excellent biocompatibility. However, the lack of antimicrobial properties limits its widespread use. In this study, a porous ceramic scaffold was fabricated by digital light processing (DLP) method. The multilayer chitosan/alginate composite coatings prepared by layer-by-layer method were applied to scaffolds and Zn2+ was doped into coatings in the form of ion crosslinking. The chemical composition and morphology of coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) analysis demonstrated that Zn2+ was uniformly distributed in the coating. Besides, the compressive strength of coated scaffolds (11.52 ± 0.3 MPa) was slightly improved compared with that of bare scaffolds (10.42 ± 0.56 MPa). The result of soaking experiment indicated that coated scaffolds exhibited delayed degradation. In vitro experiments demonstrated that within the limits of concentration, a higher Zn content in the coating has a stronger capacity to promote cell adhesion, proliferation and differentiation. Although excessive release of Zn2+ led to cytotoxicity, it presented a stronger antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli (99.4%) and Staphylococcus aureus (93%).
Manufacturing flexible vascular models for cardiovascular surgery planning and endovascular procedure simulations: An approach to segmentation and post-processing with open-source software and end-user 3D printers
by Reinhard Kaufmann, Michael Deutschmann, Matthias Meissnitzer, Bernhard Scharinger, Klaus Hergan, Andreas Vötsch, Christian Dinges, Stefan Hecht
Three-dimensional (3D)-printed vascular models for cardiovascular surgery planning and endovascular procedure simulations often lack realistic biological tissues mim¬icking material properties, including flexibility or transparency, or both. Transparent silicone or silicone-like vascular models were not available for end-user 3D printers and had to be fabricated using complex and cost-intensive workarounds. This limita¬tion has now been overcome by novel liquid resins with biological tissue properties. These new materials enable simple and low-cost fabrication of transparent and flexi¬ble vascular models using end-user stereolithography 3D printers and are promising technological advances toward more realistic patient-specific, radiation-free proce¬dure simulations and planning in cardiovascular surgery and interventional radiol¬ogy. This paper presents our patient-specific manufacturing process of fabricating transparent and flexible vascular models using freely available open-source software for segmentation and 3D post-processing, aiming to facilitate the integration of 3D printing into clinical care.
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94 Views, 188 Downloads 188 Downloads 188 Downloads
Engineered extracellular vesicle-mediated delivery of miR-199a-3p increases the viability of 3D-printed cardiac patches
by Assaf Bar, Olga Kryukov, Sharon Etzion, Smadar Cohen
In recent years, extrusion-based three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is employed for engineering cardiac patches (CP) due to its ability to assemble complex structures from hydrogel-based bioinks. However, the cell viability in such CPs is low due to shear forces applied on the cells in the bioink, inducing cellular apoptosis. Herein, we investigated whether the incorporation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the bioink, engineered to continually deliver the cell survival factor miR-199a-3p would increase the viability within the CP. EVs from THP-1-derived activated macrophages (MΦ) were isolated and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), and Western blot analysis. MiR-199a-3p mimic was loaded into EVs by electroporation after optimization of applied voltage and pulses. Functionality of the engineered EVs was assessed in neonatal rat cardiomyocyte (NRCM) monolayers using immunostaining for the proliferation markers ki67 and Aurora B kinase. To examine the effect of engineered EVs on 3D-bioprinted CP viability, the EVs were added to the bioink, consisting of alginate-RGD, gelatin, and NRCM. Metabolic activity and expression levels of activated-caspase 3 for apoptosis of the 3D-bioprinted CP were evaluated after 5 days. Electroporation (850 V with 5 pulses) was found to be optimal for miR loading; miR-199a-3p levels in EVs increased fivefold compared to simple incubation, with a loading efficiency of 21.0%. EV size and integrity were maintained under these conditions. Cellular uptake of engineered EVs by NRCM was validated, as 58% of cTnT+ cells internalized EVs after 24 h. The engineered EVs induced CM proliferation, increasing the ratio of cell-cycle re-entry of cTnT+ cells by 30% (Ki67) and midbodies+ cell ratio by twofold (Aurora B) compared with the controls. The inclusion of engineered EVs in bioink yielded CP with threefold greater cell viability compared to bioink with no EVs. The prolonged effect of EVs was evident as the CP exhibited elevated metabolic activities after 5 days, with less apoptotic cells compared to CP with no EVs. The addition of miR-199a-3p–loaded EVs to the bioink improved the viability of 3D-printed CP and is expected to contribute to their integration in vivo.
Preparation and characterization of 3D-printed antibacterial hydrogel with benzyl isothiocyanate
by Yunxia Liang, Bimal Chitrakar, Zhenbin Liu, Xujia Ming, Dan Xu, Haizhen Mo, Chunyang Shi, Xiaolin Zhu, Liangbin Hu, Hongbo Li
Benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) is an isothiocyanate of plant origin, especially the mustard family, which has good antibacterial properties. However, its applications are challenging due to its poor water solubility and chemical instability. We used food hydrocolloids, including xanthan gum, locust bean gum, konjac glucomannan, and carrageenan as three-dimensional (3D)-printing food ink base and successfully prepared 3D-printed BITC antibacterial hydrogel (BITC-XLKC-Gel). The characterization and fabrication procedure of BITC-XLKC-Gel was studied. The results show that BITC-XLKC-Gel hydrogel has better mechanical properties by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR), mechanical properties, and rheometer analysis. The strain rate of BITC-XLKC-Gel hydrogel is 76.5%, which is better than that of human skin. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis showed that BITC-XLKC-Gel has uniform pore size and provides a good carrier environment for BITC carriers. In addition, BITC-XLKC-Gel has good 3D-printing performance, and 3D printing can be used for customizing patterns. Finally, inhibition zone analysis showed that the BITC-XLKC-Gel added with 0.6% BITC had strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and the BITC-XLKC-Gel added with 0.4% BITC had strong antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. Antibacterial wound dressing has always been considered essential in burn wound healing. In experiments that simulated burn infection, BITC-XLKC-Gel showed good antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant S. aureus. BITC-XLKC-Gel is a good 3D-printing food ink attributed to strong plasticity, high safety profile, and good antibacterial performance and has great application prospects.
77 Views, 154 Downloads
Laser bioprinting of human iPSC-derived neural stem cells and neurons: Effect on cell survival, multipotency, differentiation, and neuronal activity
by Lothar Koch, Andrea Deiwick, Jordi Soriano, Boris Chichkov
Generation of human neuronal networks by three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting is promising for drug testing and hopefully will allow for the understanding of cellular mechanisms in brain tissue. The application of neural cells derived from human induced-pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) is an obvious choice, since hiPSCs provide access to cells unlimited in number and cell types that could be generated by differentiation. The questions in this regard include which neuronal differentiation stage is optimal for printing of such networks, and to what extent the addition of other cell types, especially astrocytes, supports network formation. These aspects are the focus of the present study, in which we applied a laser-based bioprinting technique and compared hiPSC-derived neural stem cells (NSCs) with neuronal differentiated NSCs, with and without the inclusion of co-printed astrocytes. In this study, we investigated in detail the effects of cell types, printed droplet size, and duration of differentiation before and after printing on viability, as well as proliferation, stemness, differentiation potential, formation of dendritic extensions and synapses, and functionality of the generated neuronal networks. We found a significant dependence of cell viability after dissociation on differentiation stage, but no impact of the printing process. Moreover, we observed a dependence of the abundance of neuronal dendrites on droplet size, a marked difference between printed cells and normal cell culture in terms of further differentiation of the cells, especially differentiation into astrocytes, as well as neuronal network formation and activity. Notably, there was a clear effect of admixed astrocytes on NSCs but not on neurons.
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149 Views, 298 Downloads 298 Downloads 298 Downloads 298 Downloads 298 Downloads 298 Downloads
Fabrication of 3D gel-printed β-tricalcium phosphate/titanium dioxide porous scaffolds for cancellous bone tissue engineering
by Xulin Hu, Hu Li, Liang Qiao, Shuhao Yang, Haoming Wu, Chao Peng, Yamei Zhang, Hai Lan, Hua Yang, Kainan Li
Human bone is composed of cortical bone and cancellous bone. The interior portion of natural bone is cancellous with a porosity of 50%–90%, but the outer layer is made of dense cortical bone, of which porosity was not higher than 10%. Porous ceramics were expected to be research hotspot in bone tissue engineering by virtue of their similarity to the mineral constituent and physiological structure of human bone. However, it is challenging to utilize conventional manufacturing methods to fabricate porous structures with precise shapes and pore sizes. Three-dimensional (3D) printing of ceramics is currently the latest research trend because it has many advantages in the fabrication of porous scaffolds, which can meet the requirements of cancellous bone strength, arbitrarily complex shapes, and individualized design. In this study, β-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP)/titanium dioxide (TiO2) porous ceramics scaffolds were fabricated by 3D gel-printing sintering for the first time. The chemical constituent, microstructure, and mechanical properties of the 3D-printed scaffolds were characterized. After sintering, a uniform porous structure with appropriate porosity and pore sizes was observed. Besides, biological mineralization activity and biocompatibility were evaluated by in vitro cell assay. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of TiO2 (5 wt%) significantly improved the compressive strength of the scaffolds, with an increase of 283%. Additionally, the in vitro results showed that the β-TCP/TiO2 scaffold had no toxicity. Meanwhile, the adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells on scaffolds were desirable, revealing that the β-TCP/TiO2 scaffolds can be used as a promising candidate for repair scaffolding in orthopedics and traumatology.


text:
You are here: HOME > Artists > Joseph Edelberg
Joseph Edelberg
Joseph Edelberg, violin
Concertmaster of the Santa Rosa Symphony since 1997, Joe Edelberg has had the distinct honor of leading this outstanding orchestra under the batons of four inspiring SRS Music Directors. For many years, when not onstage at Weill Hall, he has played with the San Francisco Opera and San Francisco Symphony, as well as in the Bay Area early music scene, with Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, American Bach Soloists, and Magnificat Baroque. His guest leader appearances include the Berkeley, California, and Marin symphonies. He has also appeared at the Grand Teton Music Festival in Wyoming, as concertmaster at the Summer Festival Orchestras of Mendocino and San Luis Obispo, and, farther afield, as guest principal second violin of the Bavarian State Opera.
Edelberg plays with the string quartet StringCircle, and new music with Earplay and Composers, Inc. His solo performances, in addition to those with Santa Rosa Symphony, include the symphonies of Berkeley and Oakland. He has recorded with the aforementioned baroque orchestras, the Berkeley Symphony, Chanticleer, Earplay, and the Skywalker Symphony. A Massachusetts native, Edelberg graduated from Amherst College, and studied with Philipp Naegele, Felix Galimir, and Adolf Bruk.
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Labour leader David Shearer joins a long line of headline-seeking politicians wanting NZ to diversify away from what it does best.
What is it with our politicians wanting New Zealand to be like other countries?
Back in the 1980's we had David Lange aspiring New Zealand to become the Switzerland of the South Pacific. Then in the 90s Jim Bolger wanted us to all be Asians. Later, Helen Clark decreed Norway as the socialist utopia that we should emulate as a country and even John Key talked about catching up with Australia.
It's all a bit like wanting your kids to be more like the 'nice' ones across the road – a fanciful idea that's never going to actually happen.
Now Labour's newish leader David Shearer reckons Finland is the country we should be mimicking.
I don't want to start another Gerry Brownlee-type, international diplomatic incident by having a pop at Finland, but the only Finns David Shearer and the Labour Party should be promoting are the Te Awamutu-raised Tim and Neil and their musical endeavours.
While David Shearer may view New Zealand 'going on' relying on our primary products to earn a living as a major problem, I certainly don't. While exporting the world's best milk, meat and other primary produce may not seem quite as trendy or de rigeur in social democrat circles as producing mobile phones; the fact is New Zealand is good at it and the world is crying out for our primary products.
Despite all this political rhetoric about change, New Zealand remains a world leading agricultural producer and exporter. And as a country – including our politicians – should be proud of and celebrating this fact. Instead of looking at changing this, they should be investigating how we can do it even better.
They only have to look at the latest economic analysis of the value of pasture-based industries for the Pastoral Renewal Charitable Trust by Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL) to see the vital contribution and continuing growth of the primary sector to New Zealand's economic growth.
Naysayers, like Shearer, who bemoan New Zealand's reliance on the primary sector for its economic well-being, need to read the BERL report. It points out how the farm-gate value of dairy, sheep and beef products grew by 58% – from $10.2 billion in the 2006/2007 season – to $16.3 billion in the 2010/2011 season. It also shows that if farmers can increase the quality and management of their pasture crop, pastoral farming can make an even greater contribution to New Zealand's GDP – and deliver higher farm incomes and more jobs.
In fact, the analysis concluded that sustained investment in pasture renewal has the potential to increase the farm gate value of pastoral products from $16 billion per annum to $19 billion and boost direct and indirect full-time employment associated with pastoral farming from 334,000 jobs to 390,000.
These are impressive growth figures in any language – including Finnish!
No one would disagree with the idea of diversifying our economy and increasing our productive base. However, as Federated Farmer's president Bruce Wills says any technology success in New Zealand is more likely to be in specialised manufacturing and information technology linked to agriculture.
Instead of politicians trotting out diversifying New Zealand away from agriculture as the next 'big idea'; they should look at how they can implement policies to make the sector even more productive.
'You're so sadly neglected, And often ignored, A poor second to Belgium, When going abroad'.
So let's leave Finland to do what she is good at – bear hunting and making Nokia phones. And concentrate on what New Zealand is good at – farming!


text:
Q: How can I put the differents functions of the script together in the same html page? I want to use the DIV to display my report, so i see the icCube documentation icCube Web Reporting : Displaying a Report but when i try to apply it i'm confused about how can I putting the differents functions  of the script to gather in the same html page , those are the functions:
The first Part
var ic3reporting = new ic3.Reporting({
    noticesLevel: ic3.NoticeLevel.ERROR,
    dsSettings: {
        userName: "demo",
        userPassword: "demo",
        url: "http://localhost:8282/icCube/gvi"
    }
});

ic3reporting.setupGVIConfiguration(function() {
    ic3reporting.setupApplication({
        mode: ic3.MainReportMode.REPORTING,
        menu: ic3.MainReportMenuMode.OFF,
        noticesLevel: ic3.NoticeLevel.ERROR,
        container: $("#report-container")
    });

});

The Second Part
var options = {
    report: { name: 'My Report' },
    mode: ic3.MainReportMode.EDITING_REPORTING,
    menu: ic3.MainReportMenuMode.ON,
    noticesLevel: ic3.NoticeLevel.INFO
};

ic3reporting.openReport(options, function() {
    // your callback (I don't inderstand how can i putting this code)
});

I don't inderstand how can I put those parts to gather and
It's very important for me to build this script , That make the exportation of the report easier than before.

A: You can use these parts together in such way:
<!doctype html>

    <meta charset="utf-8">

A: This is the correcte code

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
(function ($) {

    $('#project-clone').on('show.bs.modal', function(event) {
        var modal = $(this);
        $('.callout-danger', modal).hide();

        var project_id = $('#skeleton_id').val();
        $('form', modal).prop('action', '/admin/projects/' + project_id + '/clone');
    });

    $('#project-clone button.btn-save').on('click', function (event) {
        var target = $(event.currentTarget);
        var icon = target.find('i');
        var dialog = target.parents('.modal');
    });

    $('#project').on('show.bs.modal', function (event) {
        var button = $(event.relatedTarget);
        var modal = $(this);
        var title = trans('projects.create');

        $('.btn-danger', modal).hide();
        $('.callout-danger', modal).hide();
        $('.has-error', modal).removeClass('has-error');
        $('.label-danger', modal).remove();

        $('.nav-tabs a:first', modal).tab('show');

        if (button.hasClass('btn-edit')) {
            title = trans('projects.edit');
            $('.btn-danger', modal).show();
        } else {
            $('#project_id').val('');
            $('#project_name').val('');
            $('#project_repository').val('');
            $('#project_branch').val('master');
            $('#project_targetable_id').select2(Piplin.select2_options)
                                    .val($("#project_targetable_id option:selected").val())
                                    .trigger('change');
            $('#project_key_id').val($("#project_key_id option:first").val());
            $('#project_deploy_path').val('');
            $('#project_builds_to_keep').val(10);
            $('#project_url').val('');
            $('#project_build_url').val('');
            $('#project_allow_other_branch').prop('checked', true);
        }

        modal.find('.modal-title span').text(title);
    });

    $('body').delegate('.project-trash button.btn-delete','click', function (event) {
        var target = $(event.currentTarget);
        var icon = target.find('i');
        var dialog = target.parents('.modal');

        icon.removeClass().addClass('piplin piplin-load piplin-spin');
        dialog.find('input').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
        $('button.close', dialog).hide();

        var project = Piplin.Projects.get($('#model_id').val());

        project.destroy({
            wait: true,
            success: function(model, response, options) {
                dialog.modal('hide');
                $('.callout-danger', dialog).hide();

                icon.removeClass().addClass('piplin piplin-delete');
                $('button.close', dialog).show();
                dialog.find('input').removeAttr('disabled');

                Piplin.toast(trans('projects.delete_success'));
            },
            error: function() {
                icon.removeClass().addClass('piplin piplin-delete');
                $('button.close', dialog).show();
                dialog.find('input').removeAttr('disabled');
            }
        });
    });

    $('#project button.btn-save').on('click', function (event) {
        var target = $(event.currentTarget);
        var icon = target.find('i');
        var dialog = target.parents('.modal');

        icon.removeClass().addClass('piplin piplin-load piplin-spin');
        dialog.find('input').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
        $('button.close', dialog).hide();

        var project_id = $('#project_id').val();

        if (project_id) {
            var project = Piplin.Projects.get(project_id);
        } else {
            var project = new Piplin.Project();
        }

        project.save({
            name:               $('#project_name').val(),
            repository:         $('#project_repository').val(),
            branch:             $('#project_branch').val(),
            targetable_id:      $('#project_targetable_id').val(),
            key_id:             $('#project_key_id').val(),
            deploy_path:        $('#project_deploy_path').val(),
            builds_to_keep:     $('#project_builds_to_keep').val(),
            url:                $('#project_url').val(),
            build_url:          $('#project_build_url').val(),
            allow_other_branch: $('#project_allow_other_branch').is(':checked')
        }, {
            wait: true,
            success: function(model, response, options) {
                dialog.modal('hide');
                $('.callout-danger', dialog).hide();

                icon.removeClass().addClass('piplin piplin-save');
                $('button.close', dialog).show();
                dialog.find('input').removeAttr('disabled');

                var msg = trans('projects.edit_success');
                if (!project_id) {
                    Piplin.Projects.add(response);
                    msg = trans('projects.create_success');
                }
                Piplin.toast(msg);
            },
            error: function(model, response, options) {
                $('.callout-danger', dialog).show();

                var errors = response.responseJSON;

                $('.has-error', dialog).removeClass('has-error');
                $('.label-danger', dialog).remove();

                $('form :input', dialog).each(function (index, element) {
                    element = $(element);

                    var name = element.attr('name');

                    if (typeof errors[name] !== 'undefined') {
                        var parent = element.parent('div');
                        parent.addClass('has-error');
                        parent.append($('<span>').attr('class', 'label label-danger').text(errors[name]));
                    }

                });

                icon.removeClass().addClass('piplin piplin-save');
                $('button.close', dialog).show();
                dialog.find('input').removeAttr('disabled');
            }
        });
    });

    Piplin.Project = Backbone.Model.extend({
        urlRoot: '/admin/projects'
    });

    var Projects = Backbone.Collection.extend({
        model: Piplin.Project
    });

    Piplin.Projects = new Projects();

    Piplin.ProjectsTab = Backbone.View.extend({
        el: '#app',
        events: {

        },
        initialize: function() {
            this.$list = $('#project_list tbody');

            $('#project_list').hide();
            $('#no_projects').show();

            this.listenTo(Piplin.Projects, 'add', this.addOne);
            this.listenTo(Piplin.Projects, 'reset', this.addAll);
            this.listenTo(Piplin.Projects, 'remove', this.addAll);
            this.listenTo(Piplin.Projects, 'all', this.render);

            Piplin.listener.on('project:' + Piplin.events.MODEL_CHANGED, function (data) {
                var project = Piplin.Projects.get(parseInt(data.model.id));

                if (project) {
                    if(Piplin.group_id == undefined || Piplin.group_id == data.model.targetable_id) {
                        project.set(data.model);
                    } else {
                        Piplin.Projects.remove(project);
                    }
                }
            });

            Piplin.listener.on('project:' + Piplin.events.MODEL_CREATED, function (data) {
                Piplin.Projects.add(data.model);
            });

            Piplin.listener.on('project:' + Piplin.events.MODEL_TRASHED, function (data) {
                var project = Piplin.Projects.get(parseInt(data.model.id));

                if (project) {
                    Piplin.Projects.remove(project);
                }

                $('#project_' + data.model.id).parent('li').remove();

                if (parseInt(data.model.id) === parseInt(Piplin.project_id)) {
                    window.location.href = '/';
                }
            });
        },
        render: function () {
            if (Piplin.Projects.length) {
                $('#no_projects').hide();
                $('#project_list').show();
            } else {
                $('#no_projects').show();
                $('#project_list').hide();
            }
        },
        addOne: function (project) {
            var view = new Piplin.ProjectView({
                model: project
            });

            this.$list.append(view.render().el);
        },
        addAll: function () {
            this.$list.html('');
            Piplin.Projects.each(this.addOne, this);
        }
    });

    Piplin.ProjectView = Backbone.View.extend({
        tagName:  'tr',
        events: {
            'click .btn-edit' : 'edit',
            'click .btn-clone': 'clone',
            'click .btn-trash': 'trash'
        },
        initialize: function () {
            this.listenTo(this.model, 'change', this.render);
            this.listenTo(this.model, 'destroy', this.remove);

            this.template = _.template($('#project-template').html());
        },
        render: function () {
            var data = this.model.toJSON();

            data.deployed = data.last_run ? moment(data.last_run).fromNow() : false;

            this.$el.html(this.template(data));

            return this;
        },
        edit: function() {
            $('#project_id').val(this.model.id);
            $('#project_name').val(this.model.get('name'));
            $('#project_repository').val(this.model.get('repository'));
            $('#project_branch').val(this.model.get('branch'));
            $('#project_targetable_id').select2(Piplin.select2_options)
                                    .val(this.model.get('targetable_id'))
                                    .trigger('change');
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                                    .val(this.model.get('key_id'))
                                    .trigger('change');
            $('#project_deploy_path').val(this.model.get('deploy_path'));
            $('#project_builds_to_keep').val(this.model.get('builds_to_keep'));
            $('#project_url').val(this.model.get('url'));
            $('#project_build_url').val(this.model.get('build_url'));
            $('#project_allow_other_branch').prop('checked', (this.model.get('allow_other_branch') === true));
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            $('#skeleton_id').val(this.model.id);
            $('#project_clone_name').val(this.model.get('name') + '_Clone');
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


With amazing guitar talents, this Jimi Hendrix tribute band will entertain you at Nordstock Music Festival.
"A power trio from Toronto, Canada that just knows how to rock! Mixing the styles of blues, rock, funk & reggae, the band has thrilled & captivated audiences all over North America & Europe for the past 25 years!"
See Wild T & The Spirit ... live at Nordstock Music Festival.


Ken Webster are located in Bishopthorpe. One of many major advantages of uPVC double glazing is that it is almost maintenance free.
Nonetheless there are some issues you must do (and some you should not do!) to extend the lifetime of your sealed double glazed units. They should be assured for 5-10 years, however should last you for much longer for those who look after them.
All the things works greatest if it is kept clean and free from mud and grime. Essentially the most environmentally pleasant option to clear the glass panes of your double glazed home windows is with vinegar and newspaper. It may sound unusual nevertheless it actually does carry a wonderful shine to the windows.
To do this, you shouldn't use an oil-based product. A silicone product is significantly better, and specialist ones can be bought for this purpose. This should not must be done more than every 3 months.
You shouldn't get condensation on a new double glazed unit however if you're doing one thing that creates a lot of steam, for example cooking, it could be doable to get some in your windows. If this does occur, you need to wipe it off with a moist cloth.
When you have double glazed patio doors, the temptation could also be to make use of the stress washer on them when you're cleaning the patio. This is not a good idea as although they should face up to the high strain of the water, they aren't designed to do so, and it will possibly invalidate your guarantee.
Within the unlikely occasion you have got a mechanical drawback together with your home windows, or you suppose there's a downside with the seal, do not try to fix it yourself. Always call either the corporate who installed them, or a certified double glazing repair company.
Additionally, solely use soft cloths, not scourer type sponges.
For those who comply with this easy advice, then you'll extend the life and attractiveness of your new double glazing.


text:
Q: Change Data Capture for deleted Events I created a ticket with Salesforce because outlook attendee event deletion is not firing the trigger or flow. So basically, when these events are deleted from Salesforce there is no way to run any automation.
They suggested Change Data Capture as a workaround.
So, I have to catch the event delete action via the Change Data Capture trigger. I checked this documentation and looks like we can only do that after insert.
trigger EventChangeEventTrigger on EventChangeEvent (after insert) {

}

Is it possible to catch the event delete action via the Change Data Capture trigger?

A: The trigger itself is always defined as after insert, as it is the event that is being created (thus, after insert). The headers for the event will tell you if it is an insert, update, delete, undelete, etc.
for(EventChangeEvent event: Trigger.new) {
  EventBus.ChangeEventHeader header = event.ChangeEventHeader;
  String changeType = header.changeType;
  switch on changeType {
    when 'DELETE','GAP_DELETE' {
      // Do something here
    }
  }
}


text:
Q: Как вывести "status": "member" из bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=message.chat.id, user_id=message.from_user.id) Добрый день или вечер гуру по питону. Как вывести "status": "member" из bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=message.chat.id, user_id=message.from_user.id)
Сам код:
@dp.message_handler()
async def bot_message(message: types.Message):
test1 = ['creator', 'administrator', 'member']
user_status = bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=message.chat.id, user_id=message.from_user.id)
if message.text == 'СЫЛЛКА НА ПРИВАТНЫЙ КАНАЛ':
            if db.get_sub_status(message.from_user.id):
                if user_status in test1:
                    await bot.send_message(message.from_user.id, "Вы уже находитесь в канале!")
                else:
                    expire_date = datetime.now() + timedelta(days=1)
                    link = await bot.create_chat_invite_link(chat_id, expire_date, 1)
                    await message.reply(link.invite_link, parse_mode="HTML")
                    user_channel_status = await bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=chat_id, user_id=message.chat.id)
                    print(user_channel_status)
            else:
                await bot.send_message(message.from_user.id, "Купи подписку")

Пытался сделать обычную проверку, есть ли пользователь в канале. Если есть какой-то другой способ использовать проверку, то пожалуйста комментируйте.
Пытался вывести данную вручную, но увы не получилось.
str(bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=message.chat.id,user_id=message.from_user.id).status)

A: Во-первых, Вы забыли await перед вызовом асинхронной функции:
user_status = await bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=message.chat.id, user_id=message.from_user.id)

Во-вторых, если Вы откроете в документации метод getChatMember, то увидите, что эта функция возвращает объект ChatMember.
В-третьих, если посмотрите в документации, что это за объект такой, ChatMember, то узнаете, что есть несколько типов, а именно:

This object contains information about one member of a chat.
Currently, the following 6 types of chat members are supported:

*

*ChatMemberOwner

*ChatMemberAdministrator

*ChatMemberMember

*ChatMemberRestricted

*ChatMemberLeft

*ChatMemberBanned

В таком случае, Вам нужно проверять является ли Ваш user_status объектом ChatMemberMember:
if isinstance(user_status, ChatMemberMember):
    # Пользователь является участником чата

В итоге всё будет выглядеть примерно так:
@dp.message_handler()
async def bot_message(message: types.Message):
user_status = await bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=message.chat.id, user_id=message.from_user.id)
if message.text == 'СЫЛЛКА НА ПРИВАТНЫЙ КАНАЛ':
            if db.get_sub_status(message.from_user.id):
                if isinstance(user_status, ChatMemberMember)
                    await bot.send_message(message.from_user.id, "Вы уже находитесь в канале!")
                else:
                    expire_date = datetime.now() + timedelta(days=1)
                    link = await bot.create_chat_invite_link(chat_id, expire_date, 1)
                    await message.reply(link.invite_link, parse_mode="HTML")
                    user_channel_status = await bot.get_chat_member(chat_id=chat_id, user_id=message.chat.id)
                    print(user_channel_status)
            else:
                await bot.send_message(message.from_user.id, "Купи подписку")


Mr Sciambi sent me your request for a trip opinion. We went on to France is why it has taken so long to reply. It was a wonderful trip and we had a great time.
I would suggest no American goes to Europe without a GPS. We would never have found those places on our own or a map. The people at the Schlosshotel were very accommodating about sending our costumes back although a little surprised at the request. A couple guests of the hotel asked to take our pictures and one thought we were some sort of entertainment for the hotel. I would think it might be a money maker for the castle hotels to offer the costume idea.


text:
Melania Trump urges Americans to wear face coverings, take social distancing 'seriously'
While the first lady is encouraging the practice, President Trump reiterated during a news conference on Friday that he doesn't plan to wear a mask.
April 4, 2020, 8:05 PM UTC / Source: TODAY
By Alyssa Newcomb
First lady Melania Trump is urging everyone to follow the suggestion that people should wear a mask or face covering if they must leave their home to get essentials or go for a walk.
"As the weekend approaches I ask that everyone take social distancing & wearing a mask/face covering seriously. #COVID19 is a virus that can spread to anyone — we can stop this together," she wrote on Twitter.
As the weekend approaches I ask that everyone take social distancing & wearing a mask/face covering seriously. #COVID19 is a virus that can spread to anyone - we can stop this together.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) April 3, 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the new recommendation this week as a precaution to take in addition to keeping at least 6 feet of social distance between people who don't live in the same household.
"It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus," it said on its website. "CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others."
The CDC also offered a guide on how people can make their own masks at home.
pic.twitter.com/3KXrAP0A35
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) March 19, 2020
While the first lady is encouraging the practice, President Donald Trump reiterated during a news conference on Friday that the guidelines are voluntary and he doesn't plan to wear a mask.
"Somehow sitting in the Oval Office, behind that beautiful Resolute Desk," the president said, where he greets "presidents, prime ministers, dictators, kings, queens — I don't know, somehow I don't see it for myself."
Many people on Twitter noticed the discrepancy between the first lady's warning and President Trump's refusal to wear a face covering.
One person wrote, "Talk to your husband. He's refusing to wear a mask."
Alyssa Newcomb
Alyssa Newcomb is a freelance contributor to TODAY.com where she covers breaking news and pop culture. She also contributes business and technology coverage to NBCNews.com and Fortune.com. She is based in New York City.


Developer can host WCF service on IIS. We need to create virtual directory in IIS and create SVC file for exposing WCF service. After doing that, IIS will take care of availability of service. Whenever you will start your machine, WCF service will be available to your customer. You don't required to start any program.
IIS also gives some in-built functionality like web gardening, web farming, recycling etc.
Developer can host WCF service on Console application. This option mainly used for testing purpose. You must need to start Console application for service availability. If anybody will close console application then service will not be available to any customer for consumption.
Developer can host WCF service on Windows application. This option also mainly used for testing purpose. You must need to start Windows application for service availability. If anybody will close windows application then service will not be available to any customer for consumption.
Developer can also host WCF service in Windows Service. Windows service runs in background. This option is best option to host WCF service if IIS is not available on the server. You can set windows service startup property to Automatic. Windows service will start as soon as machine start so you don't need to start any application for service availability.
WCF also provides facility to host itself. This used for only testing purpose on developer machine. You can select WCF service project and mark it as startup project. After running the project, Visual Studio IDE will host the WCF service in itself.


6 Using the baseplate as a template, drill two holes on the side. Do this on both sides using a 13/32 drill bit Into the holes drilled in the side also insert 3/8-16 x 1 1/ bolts with Loctite, 3/8 lock washers and 3/8 nut plates. Do this on both sides. 1 1.Using the 13MM socket, remove top hex nut from bumper extension and install item 13 between frame end and hex nut Cover the 1 1/ hole used to install the nut plates with tape and paint black. Do this on both sides The photo above shows recommended installation of the cables to frame of vehicle. If vehicle has additional options (not shown above) which interfere with mounting permanent baseplate safety cables, secure the cables to a solid piece of the vehicle frame as described in instructions included with the permanent baseplate safety cables. Page 6 of /30/ Reconnect the temperature sensor. Hold the fascia up to its original location. Mark and trim the fascia just on the outside edges of the receiver tube and convenience links. Do this to both sides of the vehicle. Reinstall the grille.


text:
Sabre Dance Aram Khachaturian Download 'Sabre Dance' on iTunes
Teens Unite Fighting Cancer - a Global's Make Some Noise-supported charity
7 October 2015, 11:35 | Updated: 7 October 2015, 11:55
Global's Make Some Noise is proud to support the work of Teens Unite – a charity dedicated to improving the lives of teenagers and young adults with cancer.
Every day in the UK, seven teenagers will hear the words 'you have cancer'. Teens Unite was founded in 2007 to bring young people and their families together and support them in the darkest of times.
How Global's Make Some Noise helps Teens Unite:
How Teens Unite helped Matt fight cancer
Matt was aged 19 when he was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia - a cancer of the white blood cells that affects the immune system.
It was after visiting his GP, concerned about some bruising on his foot, that Matt was referred for a blood test "just to check that everything was alright". The following day, he was asked to visit the hospital, and it was then he was told he had cancer.
Matt told us: "I never expected it. I didn't realise people my age got cancer like this - it was probably the worst day of my life."
Following his diagnosis, Matt began a gruelling nine-month course of intensive chemotherapy, followed by an additional two-and-a-half years of maintenance chemotherapy, which he is now coming towards the end of. He told us how life during his treatment has been easier than he expected, thanks to his friends and family, and the amazing support of Teens Unite:
"I've met so many amazing people and made so many great friends through having cancer. It's completely changed my outlook on life. It's given me direction to go out and help people - and to make the most of every opportunity I'm given."
Matt's first experience with the charity was through their week-long summer activity holiday, where teens from across the UK can experience the support of Teens Unite and meet others who share their condition.
He told us: "The best thing about Teens Unite is that it's completely different to any other charity. They're fully focused on everyone just enjoying themselves, and getting fully involved and having the best time."
As his treatment comes to an end, Matt can start focusing on the future. He will start university soon, and hopes to one day help children going through difficult experiences, just like his:
"I don't just want to go along with life, but try and be the best person I can be."
Find out more about the brilliant work of Teens Unite at their website.
Global's Make Some Noise is a national charity that helps to change young lives, brought to you by eight of the best-loved commercial radio stations in the UK: Heart, Capital, Capital XTRA, Classic FM, Smooth, LBC, Radio X and Gold.
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New Releases: Mozart versus Salieri – Christian Benda & Prague Sinfonia Orchestra; Bach Cello Suites – Rachel Podger
New Releases: Chopin Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 – Charles Richard-Hamelin; Schumann Symphonies Nos. 1-4 – Christian Thielemann & Staatskapelle Dresden
New Releases: Bach: Concertos for Pianos – Koroliov, Vinnitskaya, Georgieva; Nino Rota: Works for Harp – Anneleen Lenaerts


text:
Issue 143, December 2017
t11editor / December 12, 2017
Contemporary Perspectives on Critical Theory and Social Systems Theory
Guest Editors: Hans-Georg Moeller and Mario Wenning
Introduction – Mario Wenning
On Habermas: Old times – Ágnes Heller
Response to Ágnes Heller – Jürgen Habermas
Critique without crisis: Systems theory as a critical sociology – Elena Esposito
This paper proposes an extended idea of critique, bypassing the paradox of a critique of critique. It reconstructs the semantics of critique from ancient commentary to autonomous interpretation, identifying the blindness of critical theory in the claim to detect crises and to indicate how to overcome them. The critique of critique is achieved not by rejecting critique but by moving to second-order observation. In this understanding, critique does not refuse what is normal but observes it as improbable. Critical observation is understood as reflection on normality, its opposite, and its alternatives. The debate on risk society is presented and commented on as an example.
On second-order observation and genuine pretending: Coming to terms with society – Hans-Georg Moeller
This paper discusses the meaning of the concept of 'second-order observation' used by Niklas Luhmann (1927–1998). Luhmann identifies second-order observation as a defining characteristic of modern world society. According to Luhmann, all social systems construct a social reality on the basis of the observation of observations. Rating agencies in the economy or the peer-review process in the academic system are examples of social mechanisms manifesting second-order observation. Social media also represent organized second-order observation. The paper suggests that in a society based on second-order observation, 'genuine pretending' is an adequate mode of existence. This notion is derived from the Daoist text Zhuangzi. It indicates a disassociation from social roles which allows their performers to exercise these roles with ease and, at the same time, maintain a state of sanity.
Legitimating reason or self-created uncertainty? Public opinion as an observer of modern politics – Giancarlo Corsi
Theoretical approaches to public opinion are hard to find in the sociological literature, with the exception of the seminal work of Jürgen Habermas. One important alternative, although almost unknown in the English-speaking world, is offered in a few contributions by the systems theoretician Niklas Luhmann. Both critical theory and systems theory start from a historical analysis of the conditions that led to the rise of a public sphere and understand its function as the limitation and control of the arbitrariness of power. Critical theory considers the public sphere as a social space where citizens can (or should) participate and discuss freely and without constraints. Thus, it legitimizes political power. Systems theory presents a completely different concept of the public sphere and conceives of it in terms of second-order observation. Through public opinion the modern political system observes itself and stimulates as well as limits its decision-making processes. This paper argues that both approaches share the idea that the political system, like every other social subsystem, must generate a system-specific uncertainty (i.e. specific conditions that it cannot control) in order to limit its own arbitrariness and to be able to develop its decision-making potential. Both approaches locate this uncertainty in the sphere of public opinion. But they radically differ in the way they conceptualize public opinion's effects on modern politics. Such differences between critical theory and systems theory are illustrated by an analysis of recent political events.
Notes on Luhmann, Adorno, and the critique of neoliberalism – Laurindo Dias Minhoto
This article discusses some possibilities for a critical interpretation of Niklas Luhmann's systems theory. On the one hand, this theory could provide a sophisticated new sociological account of well-known modern social pathologies, such as alienation and reification; on the other, it could be considered a crypto-normative model for the reciprocal mediation between system and environment in which neither blind tautologies nor colonizations would take place. I argue that as a normative model this theoretical matrix seems to resonate with aspects of Adorno's negative dialectics between subject and object and that the involuntary promise it contains could be fully realized only under other social conditions. The article also presents a preliminary critique of neoliberalism reconceptualized in systems theoretical terms as a dedifferentiation machinery that aims at establishing the primacy of economic rationality and the formation of 'industries' in different social spheres.
Functional differentiation as ideology of the (neo)colonial society – Guilherme Leite Gonçalves
This article discusses the ideological character of the notion of functional differentiation. According to Luhmann, the development of worldwide social differentiation (that is, the rise of the world society) leads to different regional developments and generates, through the inclusion/exclusion code, a division of the world between places where the functional differentiation operates appropriately and inappropriately. This paper argues, however, that functional differentiation is only readable as an ensemble of relations of power and ideological discourses. This subject is developed in light of theoretical approaches from the Marxist tradition and from postcolonial studies. Regarding the first, the functional differentiation is reread as an abstract and generic equality, which permits the material reproduction of regional inequality. This idea provides a background for discussing the ideological features of the functional differentiation which serves the dominant position of Western countries in the international arena since it enables the maintenance of a ruling ideology, according to which the world is differentiated between the 'civilized' West (where democracy performs positively) and the 'uncivilized' non-West (where democracy performs negatively).
On gambling: The provocation of Lady Fortune – Mario Wenning
The gambler's probing of luck in games of chance cannot be reduced to rational calculation. The art of gambling flourishes at the margins of societies and undermines the correlation of effort and entitlement. This paper interprets the peculiar thrill of gambling in modern times by drawing on social systems theory and critical theory. It argues that gambling is a specific mode of agency that consists in a playful engagement with risk and contingency. The gambler reveals a highly aroused and yet passive consciousness. Success in gambling depends on the art of proper timing as well as a preconscious awareness of fortune.
Can social systems theory be used for immanent critique? – Alexei Procyshyn
Two trends have emerged in recent work from the Frankfurt School: the first involves a reconsideration of immanent critique's basic commitments and viability for critical social theory, while the second involves an effort to introduce temporal considerations for social interaction into critical theorizing to help make sense of the phenomenon of social acceleration. This article contributes to these ongoing discussions by investigating whether social systems theory, in which temporal relations play a primary role, can be integrated with immanent critique. If such a synthesis were successful, it would promise to unify two distinct forms of social theorizing that have often been taken to be orthogonal or incommensurate since the debate between Luhmann and Habermas in the 1970s. The investigation proceeds in three parts: first, the article delineates immanent critique's conditions of success; second, using these conditions, it identifies potential points of contact between social systems theorizing and immanent critical forms of analysis, while exemplifying these commonalities via a case study; finally, the article argues that, although immanent critique is not a strict method of analysis or investigation, its success conditions preclude social systems theory on the grounds that the latter approach cannot anchor itself within the context of analysis in the way 'immanent critique' requires.
Brazil's movement of the landless at the cutting edge of conflicted modernity – Rowan Ireland
Brazil's Movement of the Landless (MST) emerges from this collection as one of the great social movements of modernity. In historical chapters we see its evolution from confrontations with landowners and police in land invasions in the South of Brazil in the 1970s to become a multi-faceted movement with a presence throughout Brazil. More than a pressure group for Land Reform, it turned to mount a comprehensive challenge, on linked legal, cultural, political and economic fronts to Brazil's dominant model of development. Its 'social movement approach', conjoining challenge to Brazil's massive inequalities with the formation of active citizens among the marginalised rural poor, has become a model for movements in the urban scene. We see this not just through the rich descriptive accounts of MST actions, but because the contributing editor, Miguel Carter, has pointed the action portraits with theoretical acumen, and, with other contributors, placed them in historical context.
Book reviews:
The Idea of Socialism: Towards a Renewal – Volker M Heins
Agamben and Radical Politics – Francis Russell
A Critical Theory of Creativity: Utopia, Aesthetics, Atheism and Design – Chamsy el-Ojeili
German Cosmopolitan Social Thought and the Idea of the West: Voices from Weimar – David Roberts
Containing Community – Mattia Di Pierro
Asia, Modernity, and the Pursuit of the Sacred: Gnostics, Scholars, Mystics and Reformers -Fernando Rosa
December 12, 2017 in issues. Tags: Agnes Heller, Alexei Procyshyn, critical theory, Elena Esposito, Frankfurt School, Giancarlo Corsi, Guilherme Leite Gonçalves, habermas, Hans-Georg Moeller, Heller, Jürgen Habermas, Laurindo Dias Minhoto, Luhmann, Mario Wenning, Rowan Ireland, Systems Theory
Virtual Special Issue: Agnes Heller in Thesis Eleven
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International Conference on Marxist Critical Theory in Eastern Europe →
One thought on "Issue 143, December 2017"
gary e. davis says:
Thanks for routing a link to this issue of Thesis Eleven for the Facebook/Habermas Page.
Leave a Reply to gary e. davis Cancel reply