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Structural elucidation of lignins from corncob acid hydrolysis residue by enzymatic mild acidolysis and deep eutectic solvent pretreatment
Li, N., Cao, C., Shao, L., Wang, C., Liu, Y., Sun, L., and Lucia, L. A. (2020). "Structural elucidation of lignins from corncob acid hydrolysis residue by enzymatic mild acidolysis and deep eutectic solvent pretreatment," BioRes. 15(2), 4362-4372.
Achieving mild and efficient extraction of high purity lignin from corncob acid hydrolysis residue is essential for efficient lignin application. In this study, enzymatic/mild acidolysis lignin (EMAL) and deep eutectic solvent (DES)-lignin were extracted from corncob acid hydrolysis residue. The structural features of the two lignin fractions were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR). The highest DES-lignin yield of 58.8 wt% was achieved at 120 °C with a choline chloride-to-lactic acid (ChCl-to-Lac) molar ratio of 1:10 and a reaction time of 12 h. The FTIR analysis indicated a higher amount of guaiacyl units in EMAL than DES-lignin. Furthermore, condensation and fragmentation occurred simultaneously under DES pretreatment, but the fragmentation reaction was dominant. The structural characteristics investigated will allow for more effective lignin usage.
Na Li,a Chao Cao,a Lupeng Shao,a,* Chao Wang,a Yu Liu,a,* Laizhi Sun,a,b and Lucian A. Lucia a,c
Keywords: Corncob acid hydrolysis residue (CAHR); Lignin; Deep eutectic solvent (DES); Structural characterization
Contact information: a: State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking, Qilu University of Technology, Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250353, China; b: Energy Research Institute of Shandong Academy of Sciences, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China; c: Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Box 8005, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005, USA; *Corresponding authors: shaolp@qlu.edu.cn; leoliuyu@163.com
Alternative, sustainable fuel sources have received increased attention due to concerns of petroleum shortages and global warming (Ten and Vermerris 2013; You et al. 2016). Bio-ethanol produced from lignocellulose is attracting worldwide attention, as lignocellulose is the world's most abundant renewable resource (Zhang et al. 2012; Wang et al. 2018). Corncob, a common agricultural waste product, is the main feedstock for the production of bio-ethanol and xylose by acid hydrolysis. Acid hydrolysis residue (AHR) is a by-product in the hydrolysis process, and its availability has risen due to increased bio-ethanol and xylose production (Matsushita and Yasuda 2005). Lignin is one of the main components of AHR (Wang et al. 2014). Traditionally, AHR has been considered a waste material or low-value by-product and is usually burned for heat or power. The effective utilization of AHR is essential, as it can reduce production costs and prevent pollution caused by AHR discharge (Huang et al. 2012).
Lignin is the most abundant renewable resource composed of aromatic units in the plant world (Li et al. 2015). Lignin is mainly composed of three phenylpropane units, which are the p-hydroxyphenyl (H) units, guaiacyl (G) units, and syringyl (S) units (Shao et al. 2018). The specific chemical structure of lignin makes it a sustainable alternative feedstock for the production of aromatic chemicals and performance products, such as phenol, BTX (benzene, toluene, and xylene) (Zakzeski et al. 2010), phenolic resins (Da Silva et al. 2013), polyurethanes (Pan and Saddler 2013), and carbon quantum dots (Wang et al. 2019). Despite its potential, the current industrial utilization of lignin is still limited due to its purity, yield, and complex chemical structure. In addition, the low solubility and functional group heterogeneity of lignin are major drawbacks to its use in polymer synthesis (Mbotchak et al. 2015). Due to the complicated linkages between lignin and other components in plants, the isolation of lignin from lignocellulosic biomass is challenging. Several processes for isolating lignin from lignocellulosic feedstocks have been developed. All such isolation methods have the same goals of obtaining high yield, high purity, and homogeneous lignin. In addition, lignins extracted by different methods exhibit different structural characteristics, which influence how the material can be used. A combination of enzymatic and mild acid hydrolysis can isolate high yield lignin (Wu and Argyropoulos 2003). Furthermore, enzymatic mild acidolysis lignin (EMAL) is more representative of the lignin typically present in milled lignin (Guerra et al. 2006). To find a better strategy to isolate lignin, deep eutectic solvent (DES) was investigated. Formed by mixing hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA), DES has low volatility, nontoxicity, non-flammability, biocompatibility, and low cost (Zhang et al. 2016; Lynam et al. 2017; Liu et al. 2019). Tan et al. (2019) extracted 60 wt% of lignin from empty fruit bunches using acidic deep eutectic solvent. Additionally, lignin extracted by DES treatment has been reported to have high purity, high yield, and low molecular weight, which would be conducive to future utilization.
The comparable structural alterations of lignin from different integrated biorefineries have not been clearly determined due to the chemical technology and raw materials. Therefore, prior to utilization of lignin to chemicals and materials, comparative characterization of lignin obtained from different technologies is essential. In this study, EMAL and DES-lignin were obtained from corncob acid hydrolysis residue (CAHR). Two lignin fractions were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gel permeation chromatography (GPC), and 31P-nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR). Comparative characterization of lignin from CAHR will facilitate faster development of chemicals and materials from lignin by-product.
The CAHR, obtained from Shandong Longlive Bio-Techbology Co., Ltd., Dezhou, China, was collected for feedstock. The corncob was treated hydrothermally to convert hemicellulose into oligosaccharides, producing a CAHR residue. The main compositions of CAHR were determined using the NREL Laboratory Analytical Procedure (Sluiter et al. 2008). The CAHR, which was dried prior to use, contained 25.85 wt% lignin, 62.34 wt% cellulose, and 6.12 wt% hemicellulose.
Isolation of Lignins
The EMAL was isolated from CAHR following the procedure described by Wu and Argyropoulos (2003).
The DES-lignin was obtained by pretreatment of CAHR with prepared DES. The CAHR and DES were combined with a 1:30 ratio by weight. To remove extractives, CAHR was first extracted with mixed benzene and 95% ethanol for 8 h. Then, DES was prepared by mixing choline chloride (ChCl) and lactic acid (Lac). The impact of the molar ratio of ChCl:Lac, reaction temperature, and reaction time were investigated. The DES pretreatment procedure is shown in Fig. 1. The yields of solid residue and extracted DES-lignin were calculated using Eq. 1 and Eq. 2, respectively,
Yield of solid residue (wt%) = WSR / WCAHR × 100 (1)
Yield of DES-lignin (wt%) = WDES–lignin / Wlignin in CAHR × 100 (2)
where WSR (g) is the weight of solid residue , WCAHR (g) is the weight of CAHR, WDES-lignin (g) is the weight of extracted DES-lignin, and Wlignin in CAHR (g) is the weight of lignin in CAHR.
Fig. 1. The DES pretreatment procedure
FTIR analysis
Fourier-transform infrared spectra analysis of lignins was performed with a VERTEX70 instrument (Bruker, Karlsruhe, Germany) using a KBr pellet procedure. Lignins were scanned in the range of 4000 to 400 cm-1 with a resolution of 4 cm-1.
Thermal stability
Thermal stability of lignins were investigated on a STA449F3 simultaneous thermal analyzer (Netzsch, Selb, Germany). Approximately 10 mg of lignin was placed in an alumina crucible and heated from ambient temperature to 800 °C with a heating rate of 10 °C/min. High-purity nitrogen was used as the carrier gas with a flow rate of 40 mL/min.
Molecular weight determination
The molecular weight distributions of the lignins were determined using an Alliance e2695 gel permeation chromatograph (Waters, Milford, MA, USA). Lignin was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (THF), and 10 µL of solution was injected into the column calibrated with polystyrene standards at a flow rate of 1 mL/min.
31P-NMR analysis
Quantitative 31P-NMR spectra of lignins were acquired according to published procedures (Argyropoulos 1994; Granata and Argyropoulos 1995). Forty mg of lignin was completely dissolved in 650 µL of pyridine and deuterated chloroform (1.6:1, v/v). Next, 50 µL of N-hydroxy-5-norbornene-2,3-dicarboximide (80 mg/mL) was added as an internal standard, and 50 µL of chromium(III) acetylacetonate (11 mg/mL) was added as a relaxation regent. Finally, 100 µL of 2-chloro-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaphospholate was added to the NMR tube for subsequent NMR analysis.
Yield Analysis
The yield of EMAL, based on the initial lignin in CAHR, was 22.34 wt%.
Fig. 2. Effects of DES composition, temperature, and time on the extraction of DES-lignin. Condition: (a) Temperature, 120 °C; time, 12 h (b) ChCl-to-Lac molar ratio, 1:10; time, 12 h (c) ChCl-to-Lac molar ratio, 1:10; temperature, 120 oC
The effects of DES composition, temperature, and time on the extraction of DES-lignin are shown in Fig. 2. Five different molar ratios of ChCl-to-Lac (1:4, 1:6, 1:8, 1:10, and 1:12) were investigated. As the ChCl-to-Lac molar ratio increased from 1:4 to 1:10, the yield of DES-lignin gradually increased, and the solid residue yield decreased. The highest DES-lignin yield of 58.8 wt% with the lowest solid residue yield of 70.2 wt% was obtained with a ChCl-to-Lac molar ratio of 1:10. Increasing the lactic acid ratio decreased the DES-lignin yield to 53.1 wt% and increased solid residue yield. This might have been caused by an excess of lactic acid, which reduced the solubility of lignin in solvent. The result of the pure lactic acid pretreatment also supported this explanation. Figure 2b shows the effect of temperature on the DES-lignin and solid residue yields. The yields of DES-lignin and solid residue were highly temperature dependent. There were substantial yield changes in the temperature range of 90 °C to 120 °C. The yield of DES-lignin increased from 34.8 to 58.8 wt% as temperature increased from 90 °C to 120 °C, and solid residue yield decreased from 90.1 to 70.2 wt%. When the temperature was increased to 130 °C, the yield of DES-lignin increased slowly. Therefore, 120 °C was the most appropriate temperature for DES pretreatment. Figure 2c shows the effect of time on DES pretreatment. The yield of DES-lignin increased as time increased from 6 h to 12 h. With a pretreatment time of 12 h, a 58.8 wt% yield of DES-lignin was obtained. Small variation in lignin yield was observed when the pretreatment time was greater than 12 h. Thus, 12 h was the most suitable pretreatment time for obtaining high lignin yield. Based on the above findings, the optimum condition for ChCl-to-Lac pretreatment of CAHR was a ChCl-to-Lac molar ratio of 1:10, a temperature of 120 °C, and a time of 12 h. These conditions resulted in a 58.82 wt% DES-lignin yield.
Figure 3 shows the FTIR spectra of the EMAL and DES-lignin obtained from CAHR.
Fig. 3. The FTIR spectra of EMAL and DES-lignin
Table 1 lists the band assignments (Shao et al. 2017). The spectra of the EMAL and DES-lignin were similar except for the intensities of the absorption bands. A wide absorption band at 3420 cm-1 was assigned to the O-H stretching vibration in aliphatic and aromatic OH groups, and the bands at 2930 and 2845 cm-1 represent the C-H vibrations in the methyl and methylene groups. The band at 1710 cm-1 was attributed to unconjugated carbonyl stretching vibration in ketone or aldehyde groups. The spectrum of EMAL showed a stronger absorbance at 1630 cm-1, which was assigned to -COO- antisymmetric stretching of glucuronic acid or glucuronic acid carboxylate. This indicated that EMAL contained a high amount of glucuronic acid or glucuronic acid carboxylate. The bands at 1605, 1510, and 1425 cm-1 are attributed to aromatic skeletal vibrations (Wen et al. 2013). The bands at 1167 cm-1 indicated that the two lignin fractions were HGS-type lignins. The band at 1265 cm-1 (C-O stretching of guaiacyl ring) showed a stronger absorbance in EMAL, suggesting that it contained a higher amount of guaiacyl units than DES-lignin.
Table 1. Band Assignments for FTIR Spectrum of Lignin
Thermal Stability Analysis
The thermal properties of lignin have important implications for its utilization. The thermogravimetric (TG) and different thermogravimetric (DTG) curves of lignins are shown in Fig. 4. The thermal degradation behavior of these two lignin fractions was consistent. The thermal degradation process could be divided into three stages. The initial stage before 160 °C was mainly attributed to the release of water and some organic constituents. The second stage between 160 °C and 600 °C belonged to fast degradation stage in which lignin was converted into volatiles; this part would become bio-oil using condensation technology. The third stage from 600 °C to 800 °C belonged to a slow degradation stage, and char was the main product instead of bio-oil. In the fast degradation stage, the maximum rate of mass loss occurred at 374 °C. Further, a 41.7 wt% char yield char was obtained from DES-lignin, whereas a 36.7 wt% char yield was obtained from EMAL, which could have been due to the difference in HGS units (Chen et al. 2015). This explanation is consistent with the FTIR results.
Fig. 4. TG and DTG curves of EMAL and DES-lignin
Molecular Weight Distribution
The molecular weight distribution of lignin was obtained by gel permeation chromatography (You et al. 2015a). The number-average molecular weight (Mn), weight-average molecular weight (Mw), and polydispersity (PDI, Mw/Mn) of EMAL and DES-lignin are shown in Table 2. The weight-average molecular weight and number-average molecular weight of DES-lignin were 2601 and 1281 g/mol respectively, which were substantially lower than 3384 and 1404 g/mol of EMAL (Lyu et al. 2018). Lignin molecular weight is closely related to the amount of structural units. Therefore, the above result might have been caused by the breakage of lignin linkages during DES pretreatment, resulting in the formation of smaller fragments. It can be seen from Table 2 that the polydispersity value of DES-lignin was lower than that of EMAL, which indicated that lignin produced under DES pretreatment was relatively homogeneous. This was conducive to the more stable development of lignin into high value-added products. Furthermore, the condensation reaction would result in a heterogeneous lignin structure with higher molecular weight, whereas the fragmentation reaction would lead to a decrease in lignin molecular weight (You et al. 2015b). The results indicate that the fragmentation reaction was dominant over the condensation reaction in the DES pretreatment.
Table 2. Molecular Weight Distribution of Lignin Samples
31P-NMR was used to differentiate and quantify the hydroxyl groups (phenolic, aliphatic, and carboxylic) in lignin (Pu et al. 2011). The contents of different types of hydroxyl groups, which were determined by integration of the corresponding peaks with respect to the internal standard, are listed in Table 3. The quantitative results showed that aliphatic hydroxyl dominated the hydroxyl groups. With respect to phenolic hydroxyl groups in EMAL, p-hydroxyphenyl phenolic hydroxyl was predominant, followed by guaiacyl and syringyl phenolic hydroxyl. The findings were similar to those in previous studies, indicating that the content of p-hydroxyphenyl phenolic hydroxyl in corncob or corn stalk lignin presented a high proportion among the phenolic hydroxyl groups (Liu et al. 2018; You et al. 2019). In contrast to the EMAL, the DES pretreatment led to a decrease in aliphatic hydroxyl content in DES-lignin. The content of aliphatic hydroxyl in DES-lignin decreased to 1.17 mmol/g. This reduction can be attributed to the dehydration reaction during the breakage of the β-O-4 linkage in the DES pretreatment process. The increase of syringyl phenolic hydroxyl content indicated that the syringyl unit in lignin underwent a greater extent of ether linkage cleavage during the DES pretreatment. This increase of S units could be attributed to the lack of association of lignin-carbohydrate complex in CAHR (Sun et al. 2015). In addition, an increase in condensed phenolic hydroxyl in DES-lignin occurred. Acidic conditions facilitate the recondensation of lignin (Gierer 1986). Consequently, lignin recondensation occurred in DES pretreatment. Meanwhile, the stable content of total phenolic hydroxyl meant that the lignin structure framework did not change. The COOH content increased slightly during DES pretreatment, indicating that an oxidation reaction occurred.
Table 3. Quantification of Functional Groups in EMAL and DES-lignin by 31P-NMR
The enzymatic/mild acidolysis lignin (EMAL) and deep eutectic solvent (DES) lignin were extracted from corncob acid hydrolysis residue. A 58.8 wt% yield of DES-lignin was obtained under the optimum pretreatment conditions (ChCl-to-Lac molar ratio of 1:10, 120 °C, and 12 h).
The FTIR spectra indicated that DES-lignin had a higher amount of guaiacyl units than the EMAL. In contrast with the EMAL, DES pretreatment led to decreases in the molecular weight and aliphatic hydroxyl content of the DES-lignin.
The GPC and 31P-NMR results indicated that both condensation and fragmentation reactions occurred under DES pretreatment, with the fragmentation reaction being the dominant reaction.
The authors are grateful for the support of the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2017YFB0307905), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31770626), the Shandong Provincial Natural Science Foundation (Grant No. ZR2019BC074), the Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Biobased Material and Green Papermaking of the Qilu University of Technology and the Shandong Academy of Science (Grant No. ZZ20190103), and the Doctoral Cooperation Foundation of Qilu University of Technology and the Shandong Academy of Science (Grant No. 2018BSHZ0025).
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Article submitted: January 12, 2020; Peer review completed: March 21, 2020; Revised version received and accepted: April 20, 2020; Published:


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Plàsi & Axel Flóvent
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Project: 6CHOICE | Contract No: 223804 | Project Website: http://www.6choice.eu/
India-Europe Cooperation to Promote IPv6 Adoption
Project: IMPACT | Contract No: 213037 | Project Website: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/impact/page.php
IMproving Protein Annotation and Co-ordination Through Technology
Project: HYDRALAB IV | Contract No: 261520 | Project Website: http://www.hydralab.eu
HYDRALAB IV More Than Water; Dealing With the Complex Interaction of Water with Environmental Elements, Sediment, Structures and Ice
A total of 11 HYDRALAB partners are offering Access to 18 experimental installations. Electronic pool (E-pool) of unique measurement instruments, a web-based database containing details of unique instrumentation that HYDRALAB (or other EU) institutes have developed, is available
More info: http://www.hydralab.eu/calls.asp
Project: GENESI-DR | Contract No: 212073 | Project Website: http://www.genesi-dr.eu/
Ground European Network for Earth Science Interoperations Digital Repositories
Project: GridTalk | Contract No: 223534 | Project Website: http://www.gridtalk.org/
GridTalk: Co-ordinating Grid Reporting Across Europe
Project: GLORIA | Contract No: 283783 | Project Website: http://www.gloria-project.eu/
GLObal Robotic telescopes Intelligent Array for e-Science
Project: GLOBAL | Contract No: 223120 | Project Website: http://www.global-project.eu/
Global Linkage Over BroadbAnd Links


Calm Wizardry was founded in 1989 in a small village in Western Germany in the area of Hannover.
The band made several albums, absolved several gigs - but only in Germany.
Their rock/pop music is mainly inspired by british and american bands of the seventies and of every sound they hear.


text:
Events: Exhibition "Encounters, Spain-Bulgaria" November 14-28
Culture | November 14, 2020, Saturday // 15:20| views
The exhibition titled "Encounters, Spain-Bulgaria" was officially inaugurated today in the presence of Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Bulgaria, HE Alejandro Polanco Mata, Sofia Deputy Mayor Todor Chobanov, diplomats of the Spanish embassy and other guests. It is organized by the Embassy of Spain in collaboration with BTA and Sofia Municipality.
A total of 26 photos from the archives of BTA illustrate the political, public, economic, cultural and sports aspects in the countries' bilateral relations. The first one dates back to the remote year 1987, followed by the photos taken at the concert of famous Spanish guitar player Paco de Lucia and Flamenco band at the Golden Orpheus music festival in 1988, whereas one of the latest ones features the performance of the National Ballet of Spain in Hall 1 of the National Palace of Culture in Sofia as well as the opening of the exhibition "Picasso. The Eternal Quest" at the National Art Gallery. This exposition comprised over 78 lithographical and 7 ceramic works by the famous artist made from 1920 to 1971.
The BTA photographers have captured on film the historic events, such as the visit of the royal family in May 1993, the state visit of the Princess of Asturias to Sofia in 2006 and the opening ceremony of the Cervantes Institute mastered by the then-prince Philip, now the reigning King of Spain Philip VI. Among the exhibits are the photos of Montserrat Caballe taken during her concert at the Sofia Palace of Culture on 28 October 2014 and of the performance of the National Ballet of Spain. Sports photos are not missing either, among them are the pictures of volleyball Olympic qualifiers Spain-Bulgaria in the Armeets Hall, welfare campaigns and other events.
The exhibition is not arranged in chronological order, it is focused on people and human relationships, the organizers emphasized. Maybe next year there will be more events but regrettably they will be staged online owing to Covid-19 pandemic although the Embassy hopes that it will be possible to organize offline events as well. There will be music, scenic arts, dances and paintings expositions. The exposition of etchings, illustrations to Don Quixote at the Museum of the History of Sofia was confirmed, as well as the exhibition of paintings curtsey of the Embassy of Spain, sources of the Embassy said. The photo exhibition "Encounters, Spain-Bulgaria" is a part of cultural events organized to commemorate the 110th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Bulgaria.
The exhibition will be on view till November28th.
Tags: exhibition
Events: Interfood & Drink Expo in Sofia, Bulgaria with significant Italian presence
Famous Czech Photographer Bara Prasilova Presents Her Surreal Images in Sofia
BSMEPA and BATOK will Organize an Exhibition for the Textile Industry
Exhibition Commemorating the 500th Anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci is Open in the Louvre
Mariya Gabriel Opens an Exhibition For Sofia at the European Commission
Unique Mono Works Within the Exhibition "Okay"


THE LAKE SUVIANA is bathing and is of considerable tourist appeal.
On the banks of the lake in the pine forest areas have been equipped for picnic with barbecue.
On the eastern shore of structures located where it is possible to rent beds, canoes, pedalos.
Much is charged with windsurfing boards also hired on the spot.
On our river limentra starting from May until September takes place sporting activity rafting.


Mosquitoes attracted by carbon dioxide and body odors.
Mosquitoes those carry diseases like dengue, malaria and zika, these mosquitoes prefer bacteria and sweat.
There are plenty of chemical mosquito repellents available in the market but going natural is the perfect way for the long run. Using coils and vaporizers on a regular basis would definitely harm your body.
Tulsi plant has mosquito repellent properties, hence is a major ingredient in many herbal mosquito repellent vaporizers.
Tulsi releases an odour (the element estragole present in the plant responsible for this scent) which repel the mosquitoes entering the premises.
Apart from this, Tulsi plant can kill the larva of mosquitoes. Planting tulsi in your yards definitely helps prevent mosquito growth.
Plant Tulsi on the windowsill to prevent the mosquito from entering your home.
Squeeze tulsi leaves and take the extract, apply on your skin.
Neem oil is a natural insect repellent. As per the research conducted by Malaria Research Centre of Delhi, India, neem is ideal to prevent malaria-spreading mosquitoes (Anopheles species).
Neem has anti-virus properties that prevent the malaria-spreading viruses.
Method 1: Apply a mix of 2% neem oil mixed in coconut oil on your skin.
Method 2: Burn Kerosene lamps with 1% neem oil in the living rooms.
Method 3: Lit earthen lamps (diya) with Neem oil.
Neem oil may cause skin irritation if you apply directly on the skin.
You should use cold pressed oil directly from the neem seeds.
Spraying garlic liquid is very common among farmers to keep insects away from farms and gardens. Garlic is also useful to prevent mosquitoes.
Garlic has natural sulphur content which repels the mosquitoes.
Method 2: Apply garlic spray in the rooms.
To make garlic spray, crush a handful of garlic cloves and mix with 1 cup of water, boil around 20 minutes. Once boiled well, spray this garlic water in your rooms.
Mosquitoes can't withstand the aroma that lemon and cloves emit together. The combination of citric acid in limes and the fragrance of cloves effectively repels the mosquitoes.
Apart from this, cloves are known to repel house flies naturally.
Method 1: Take 2-3 lemons, cut them into halves. Insert 10-12 cloves into each half of the lemon. Place the lemons where there are more mosquitoes.
Marigolds contain Pyrethrum, a compound used in many insect repellents. Hence, the fragrance of Marigold repels the mosquitoes away.
Place potted marigolds near entrances and common mosquito entry points like open windows and doors.
Rosemary is an easy to grow container herb. The woody scent from rosemary repels mosquitoes.
Other than mosquitoes, the herb is also helpful to repel certain houseflies like carrot flies and cabbage moths.
Take 1 cup of dried rosemary into 1 litre of water and boil well at least 20-30 minutes.
Take another container filled with 1 litre of cool water.
Strain the boiled rosemary water into this container.
Use small spray bottles to apply directly on your skin.
The Lavender oil is distilled from the English lavender. The crushed lavender flowers produce a fragrance and oil which keeps the mosquitoes away especially adult mosquitoes.
Apart from this, lavender is an analgesic and has antifungal and antiseptic properties which help to soothe and calm your skin.
Dilute the lavender essential oil with a career oil such as almond or jojoba oil.
1-4 drops of essential oil with 1 tablespoon of carrier oil and rub on your skin.
The fragrance of peppermint essential oil is unpleasant to mosquitoes. Hence the presence of peppermint plants can repel the mosquitoes away from your home.
Mix peppermint oil with a carrier oil like canola oil or almond oil and rub on your skin.
Lemongrass oil is aromatic and most effective oil to repel mosquitoes and several other insects. Lemongrass contains citronella (primary element) which acts in the prevention of mosquitoes.
Method 1: Dilute the pure lemongrass oil with a carrier oil and apply on your skin.
Method 2: Burn pure lemongrass oils in candles and small lamps to get protection.
Citronella oil is made from certain species of grasses in the Cymbopogon grouping of plants.
As per researches on plant based repellents, the formulation of citronella oil is directly proportional to effectiveness.
A correct formula is as effective as DEET (Diethyltoluamide – a most common active ingredient in insect repellents).
Method 1: Burn candles using citronella oil.
Method 2: Rub the mix of citronella oil diluted with a carrier oil.
Lemon Eucalyptus oil is an effective ingredient in many of the mosquito repellents which is often used as an alternative to DEET. The essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the Eucalyptus citriodora tree.
Applying lemon eucalyptus oil on your skin masks the body odour, thereby you become less vulnerable to mosquito attack.
Make a mixture with 1 part lemon eucalyptus oil to 10 parts sunflower oil or witch hazel and apply on your skin.
Precaution: Essential oils should not be applied directly to your skin. Applying directly may give a burning sensation on your skin because of the high concentration.
They are always diluted in a carrier oil such as almond oil, jojoba oil or coconut oil, usually 3 to 5 drops of essential oil in 1 tablespoon of carrier oil.
Prepare and keep a DIY mosquito repellent spray at your home. The DIY spray is a healthy way to keep you protected from the itchy mosquito bites.
The spray is made from natural substances, hence are extremely good for kids and pregnant women at your home.
Take all the essential oils in a glass bottle, add alcohol and shake well.
Pour this mixture witch hazel and combine well.
Add water and shake well.
Fill this mixture in a glass spray bottle, shake well before every use.
We hope these natural mosquito repellent remedies help you save from the itchy bites.
If you know any natural remedies other than mentioned in this article that you personally tested, please share with us in the comment.


Represents a single screen available on the system. A screen is any physical or virtual display device or monitor attached to the computer. Before using most functions in the class, a call to Synchronize must be made. This function will gather the most up to date information about the display devices attached to the system and then caches it. This function must return true for most of the functionality in the class to work.
After synchronization, the Screen class offers several functions for retrieving useful information about the display devices attached to the system. For instance, to retrieve a list of all available screens, use the GetList function. To retrieve the primary/default screen, use the GetMain function. To retrieve the screen at a position, use any of the GetScreen functions.
After a screen has been retrieved, use the accessor functions to extract a variety of useful information. For example, to retrieve the geometry of a screen, use the GetBounds function. To retrieve just the usable geometry of a screen, use the GetUsable function. To determine whether a screen is portrait or landscape, use the IsPortrait or IsLandscape function. The total geometry across all screens can be retrieved through the GetTotalBounds function. Similarly, the total usable geometry across all screens can be retrieved through the GetTotalUsable function.
The Screen class also offers the ability to take screenshots of entire screens or portions of screens using the GrabScreen function. And on Windows 7 and below, Aero can be toggled on and off using the IsCompositing and SetCompositing functions.
Constructs a local screen with all components set to the parameters.
Returns the geometry of the screen in pixels. As an example this might return (0, 0, 1920, 1080), or (1920, 0, 1920, 1080) if operating in a virtual desktop environment.
Returns the usable geometry of the screen in pixels. The usable geometry excludes window manager reserved areas such as task bars, system menus and gutter.
Returns true depending on whether the screen or portrait or landscape.
Gathers the most up to date information about display devices attached to the system and caches the results. This function must be called before calling any other function in this class, unless otherwise specified. If this function is not called or it fails by returning false, other functions in this class will return invalid or otherwise incorrect data. This function can be called multiple times throughout the lifetime of an application, but beware as calling it too many times within a short period can have performance implications.
Returns the primary/default screen on the system, or null if there is none.
Returns a list of all screens available to the application on the system.
Returns the screen at point. This function will return the main screen if the point is out of bounds or null if there are no available screens. When passing a window, the point at the center of the window bounds will be used in place of point, however, if window is invalid, this function will return null.
Takes a screenshot of the system or window, minus the mouse cursor, at bounds and then copies the result into image. When specifying a window, the accuracy of the resulting image depends greatly on the underlying platform. For instance, windows which are partially off-screen or are otherwise obscured by other windows may have parts of it cut off, so be sure to test for all conditions when using this function. When an error occurs this function will return false. Moreover, image will only be overwritten when data is about to be copied into it, therefore a return value of false will never cause image to be modified.
When width or height is zero or negative, their values are individually set to window client. If window is invalid, the values are instead individually set to the total bounds of the system. It is important to ensure that bounds do not fall outside the boundaries of the screen or window, doing so will result in a variety of platform-dependent errors. While some of these errors may only cause the out of bounds regions to become black or contain invalid data, some platforms will out right cause this function to fail.
The performance of this function ranges dramatically from platform to platform. Even certain conditions and system configurations can cause the performance of this function to fluctuate. Therefore it is strongly advised to perform benchmarks to determine the viability of this function. Sometimes, certain tweaks such as disabling Aero on Windows can be made to improve performance but overall, applications needing real-time solutions may need to rely on alternative methods to capture the screen.
Note: This function does not require synchronization when specifying a width and height.
Returns the total geometry across all screens in pixels. This value is determined by combining the bounds of all screens on the system during class synchronization.
Returns the total usable geometry across all screens in pixels. The usable geometry excludes window manager reserved areas such as task bars, system menus and gutter. This value is determined by combining the usable bounds of all screens on the system during class synchronization.
On Windows 7 and below, gets or sets the current enabled state of Windows Aero. If enabled is false, the transparent glass effect, among other features, will be disabled. Certain applications, particularly those with high interactivity, will gain dramatic performance increases with Aero disabled. Additionally, the performance of GrabScreen may also improve with Aero disabled, however, capturing individual windows hidden behind other windows will no longer work. Windows Aero will be automatically enabled when the application terminates. On Linux, Mac and Windows 8 and above, this function does nothing and will always return true.
Note: This function does not require synchronization.


text:
LGBTQ+ Alumni Project
An important aspect of identity development takes place when students are able to see the ways in which LGBTQ+ identities are embodied through the lives and experiences of those who have come before them. Connecting the past, present and future, and understanding that there are career pathways for LGBTQ+s that connect to all of our academic programs is a critical way that students are supported by alums and that bridges are built between students and alums.
The LGBTQ+ Alumni project will feature profiles of LGBTQ+ alumni of Illinois Wesleyan University. Each alumni participant will provide a picture, some basic demographic information and answer 5 questions:
Major(s)/Minor(s)
Profession (position, field, etc)
Where you currently reside
Can you share a few favorite memories of IWU?
Where, how and from whom did you see support for people with LGBTQ identities when you were at IWU?
What challenges existed for LGBTQ individuals on campus during your IWU experience?
How has your identity influenced your life and career choices?
What advice would you have for LGBTQs or Allies who are Wesleyan students today?
Do you know of any LGBTQ+ alums who should be invited to participate in the alumni project?
Profile pages will become a part of the LGBT student life section of the IWU website: https://www.iwu.edu/studentlife/lgbt/ Responses will also become a part of the Illinois Wesleyan Archives as we attempt to provide history and documentation of LGBTQ+ people and experiences at IWU.
Profile pages will not be indexed by Google or other internet search engines, and therefore will not appear in search results. Profile pages will be public pages, though, so anyone with the direct link would have access to the page. Pages/content would be removed at anytime upon request.
New profiles will be promoted within the IWU Pride Alliance Facebook group which is a closed group, meaning that permission must be provided to join and participate. Participants are largely students and those involved in local LGBT+ advocacy organizations.
If you are willing to participate, please provide your picture and answers to the questions above by email to mdamschr@iwu.edu or LGBTQ@iwu.edu. We thank you for your consideration!


text:
Q: Mysql "Unknown column 'slon–dlon' in 'field list' I have the following 'haversin' algorithm implemented as an SQL function.
DELIMITER //
CREATE FUNCTION `db`.`haversin` (slat FLOAT, slon FLOAT, dlat FLOAT, dlon FLOAT)
RETURNS FLOAT
BEGIN
 declare alphaLon,a FLOAT;
 set alphaLon=(slon–dlon);
 set a=3956*2*ASIN(SQRT( POWER(SIN((slat - abs(dlat)) * pi()/180 / 2),2) + COS(slat * pi()/180 ) * COS(abs(dlat) *  pi()/180) * POWER(SIN((alphaLon) *  pi()/180 / 2), 2) ));
 return a;
 END
//delimiter;

when executing the above, i get a 1064 error 'syntax error near //delimiter', however, the function DOES get created.
what's confusing the most, when running the function, thats the result:
mysql> SELECT haversin(2.0,45.0,2.0,1.2);
ERROR 1054 (42S22): Unknown column 'slon–dlon' in 'field list'

how is this even possible?

A: *

*The code you have pasted contains three instructions to your MySQL client:

*

*Change its statement delimiter to //;

*Send to the server a CREATE FUNCTION command; and

*An unknown instruction delimiter;.
Thus the first two commands succeed and the third fails.  To rectify the failure of the third command, insert whitespace between the delimiter keyword and the desired new delimiter.

*Stored programs are not evaluated until they are executed: thus runtime errors (such as "unknown column") will not be detected until the function is invoked.  Indeed, this makes perfect sense given that the database schema could change after a function is defined.
You are receiving this error because your minus character is in fact an EN DASH (U+2013).  For arithmetic subtraction, replace with HYPHEN-MINUS (U+002D).

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Oskar Gröning, né le  à Nienburg-an-der-Weser et mort le , est le comptable du camp de concentration et d'extermination d'Auschwitz, avec le grade de sergent : Unterscharführer. De 1942 à 1944, il y fut responsable du triage et du comptage de l'argent volé aux prisonniers exterminés, ainsi que, dans de plus rares occasions, de la garde de prisonniers internés dans le camp.

Au cours de son séjour au camp, il fut le témoin de l'intégralité du processus d'extermination mis en place par les nazis. Après avoir été transféré du camp vers une unité d'active en 1944, il fut capturé par les troupes britanniques le  lorsque son unité se rendit. Temporairement détenu dans un ancien camp de concentration, Gröning fut transféré en 1946 en Angleterre en tant que travailleur forcé. Il retourna ensuite en Allemagne pour y vivre une vie relativement normale, préférant garder le silence sur son passé à Auschwitz. Il se décida toutefois à en faire publiquement état lorsqu'il fut mis au courant de l'existence du négationnisme. Depuis lors il a ouvertement critiqué ceux qui nient les événements dont il fut le témoin.

À la fin d'un procès pour « complicité de meurtres dans au moins  » commencé le  à Lunebourg (Basse-Saxe), il fut condamné à quatre ans de prison pour « complicité » dans le meurtre de  Juifs. C'est la première fois que la justice allemande a admis que la participation active aux faits reprochés n'était pas nécessaire pour être condamné (John Demjanjuk avait été condamné sur cette base mais il avait fait appel et était mort avant le jugement définitif).

Biographie

Jeunesse
Né en 1921 à Nienburg-an-der-Weser, en Basse-Saxe, Oskar Gröning est le fils d'un ouvrier textile qualifié qui fait montre d'un conservatisme strict. Sa mère meurt alors qu'il est âgé de quatre ans. Son père, fièrement nationaliste, se joint au Stahlhelm après la défaite de l'Allemagne à la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale et son dépit face à la manière dont est traité son pays à la suite du traité de Versailles s'accroît lorsque son entreprise textile fait faillite en 1929 en raison d'un capital insuffisant.

Oskar Gröning est fasciné par les uniformes militaires et l'un de ses premiers souvenirs est la contemplation de photographies de son grand-père sur son cheval et jouant de la trompette alors qu'il servait dans un régiment d'élite du duché de Brunswick.

Enfance
Selon Gröning, son enfance est  marquée par la discipline, l'obéissance et l'autorité. Il s'affilie en 1930 au Scharnhorst, l'organisation de jeunesse du Stahlhelm, et, par la suite, à la Hitlerjugend une fois que Hitler fut arrivé au pouvoir en 1933. Influencé par ses valeurs familiales, il estime que le nazisme est une chance pour l'Allemagne et croit que les nazis  Il participe à l'autodafé de livres écrits par des Juifs et par d'autres auteurs considérés comme dégénérés par les nazis en pensant qu'il aide l'Allemagne à se libérer d'une culture étrangère. Gröning considère que le national-socialisme a un effet positif sur l'économie, notamment en réduisant le chômage.

Après l'école
Gröning quitte l'école avec d'excellentes notes et commence un stage d'employé de banque à l'âge de dix-sept ans. La Seconde Guerre mondiale éclate peu après son entrée dans la banque : huit des trente employés sont mobilisés dans la Wehrmacht, ce qui permet aux autres stagiaires d'espérer une rapide ascension professionnelle. Nonobstant ces possibilités, Gröning et ses collègues, enthousiasmés par les victoires de l'Allemagne en France et en Pologne, souhaitent s'engager.

Carrière dans la SS
Désireux de servir dans une unité militaire d'élite, Gröning jette son dévolu sur la SS. À l'insu de son père, il s'y engage dans un hôtel où les SS recrutent. Selon lui, son père fut déçu de l'apprendre lorsqu'il revint à la maison.

Gröning se décrira plus tard comme un « bureaucrate » qui se satisfaisait de son rôle de salarié dans l'administration SS, qui lui garantissait à la fois les aspects militaire et administratif qu'il attendait d'une carrière.

Auschwitz

Arrivée
Oskar Gröning travaille comme comptable pendant un an jusqu'en 1942. À cette date, la SS décide que les emplois administratifs doivent être réservés aux vétérans blessés et que les employés de bureau aptes au service doivent se voir attribuer des tâches plus stimulantes. Gröning et environ 22 de ses collègues partent pour Berlin, où ils font leur rapport à l'un des bureaux économiques de la SS. Plusieurs officiers SS de haut rang leur font un exposé au cours duquel leur est rappelé le serment de loyauté qu'ils ont prêté et où il leur est dit qu'ils pourraient s'en acquitter en effectuant une mission difficile. Cette tâche est couverte par le sceau du secret et tant Gröning que ses camarades eurent à signer une déclaration selon laquelle ils n'en révéleraient rien à leur famille et amis ni aux autres hommes de leurs unités. Ils sont ensuite séparés en petits groupes et emmenés vers différentes gares de chemin de fer où ils montent à bord d'un train en direction de Katowice avec l'ordre de se présenter au commandant d'Auschwitz, un endroit dont Gröning n'a jamais entendu parler.

À leur arrivée au camp, on leur alloue des couchettes provisoires dans les baraques réservées aux SS et ils sont chaleureusement accueillis par leurs camarades, qui leur procurent de quoi manger. Gröning s'étonne de l'abondance de la nourriture disponible en plus des rations habituellement dévolues aux SS. Ses compagnons cherchent à savoir quel genre d'endroit est Auschwitz ; on leur répond qu'ils doivent le découvrir par eux-mêmes car Auschwitz est un camp de concentration d'un type spécial. Sur ces entrefaites, quelqu'un entre dans le baraquement et crie « Transport ! », ce qui amène trois ou quatre hommes à quitter la pièce.

Le jour suivant, Gröning et les autres sont interrogés au bâtiment central de l'administration SS sur leur formation avant la guerre. Un des officiers déclare que les compétences de Gröning en matière bancaire seraient utiles et l'emmène vers des baraquements où est conservé l'argent des détenus. Gröning raconte qu'on lui expliqua que lorsque les prisonniers étaient enregistrés à leur arrivée, leur argent était déposé à cet endroit et leur était restitué lorsqu'ils quittaient le camp.

Toutefois, il devint clair qu'Auschwitz n'était pas seulement un camp d'internement où les SS recevaient des rations supérieures à la moyenne, mais qu'il était utilisé pour une fonction additionnelle. Ainsi Gröning apprend que l'argent pris aux Juifs ne leur est en fait pas restitué. Lorsqu'il cherche à obtenir davantage d'informations, ses collègues lui confirment que les Juifs sont exterminés, et que c'était en effet le cas pour ceux du transport arrivé la nuit précédente.

Tâches

Les responsabilités d'Oskar Gröning consistent à trier et à compter la multitude de devises prises aux déportés, à les expédier à Berlin, à assister à la sélection – non en vue de décider qui serait tué, mais pour garder les possessions des arrivants jusqu'à ce qu'elles soient triées. Il dit avoir été surpris d'apprendre l'existence du processus d'extermination, mais il accepte plus tard d'y participer, déclarant que son travail était devenu une « routine » au bout de quelques mois.

Ses tâches bureaucratiques ne purent lui permettre d'ignorer entièrement le processus d'extermination : dès son premier jour au camp, Gröning voit que des enfants cachés dans le train, ainsi que des personnes invalides qui restent au milieu des débris et des déchets après la sélection, sont abattus. Gröning entend et voit également d'autre choses :

Après avoir été témoin de cette scène, Gröning va trouver son supérieur pour lui expliquer qu'il ne se sent plus capable de travailler à Auschwitz, déclarant que si l'extermination des Juifs est nécessaire,  L'officier refusa sa demande de mutation.

Une nuit, vers la fin de 1942, Gröning et ses camarades de baraque dans le camp SS à la lisière de Birkenau sont réveillés par une alarme. On leur explique qu'un certain nombre de Juifs qu'on amenait à la chambre à gaz se sont échappés et se cachent dans les bois. On leur ordonne de prendre des armes et de fouiller les environs. Lorsque son groupe arrive à la zone d'extermination du camp, ils voient une ferme en face de laquelle se trouvent des SS ainsi que les corps de sept ou huit prisonniers abattus. Les SS disent à Gröning et à ses camarades qu'ils peuvent rentrer au camp mais ils décident de rester dans l'ombre des arbres.

Ils voient alors un SS se couvrir d'un masque à gaz et verser du Zyklon B dans une ouverture du mur de la ferme. Gröning raconte que le bruit provenant de l'intérieur  pendant une minute, puis le silence se fit. Plus tard, un de ses compagnons lui montre les corps incinérés dans un puits, et un kapo lui explique les détails de l'incinération, par exemple le fait que les gaz qui se développent dans le corps semblent faire se mouvoir les cadavres.

La tranquillité relative de son travail s'en trouve une nouvelle fois rompue et une fois de plus il se plaint à son chef. Ce dernier, un Untersturmführer SS, l'écoute, puis lui rappelle le devoir que lui-même et ses camarades ont accepté. Gröning retourne alors à ses tâches en veillant à organiser sa vie à Auschwitz de façon à ne pas être confronté aux pires aspects du camp.

Après Auschwitz

Royaume-Uni
Sa demande de transfert vers une unité combattante finit par aboutir : en 1944, il est incorporé dans les Ardennes à une unité SS combattante. Il y est blessé et envoyé dans un hôpital de campagne avant de rejoindre son unité, qui va finalement se rendre aux Britanniques le .

Conscient que déclarer , Gröning s'efforce de ne pas attirer l'attention sur ce fait. Sur le formulaire qui lui a été remis par les Britanniques, il écrit qu'il a travaillé pour le SS-Wirtschafts-Verwaltungshauptamt, parce que  et parce que se produisirent à Auschwitz des choses qui .

Oskar Gröning et ses collègues sont emprisonnés dans un ancien camp de concentration nazi. Il est par la suite envoyé en tant que travailleur forcé en Angleterre, où il connaît une . Il bénéficie d'une bonne nourriture et gagna de l'argent, voyageant à travers les Midlands et l'Écosse, où il donne durant quatre mois des concerts, chantant des hymnes allemands et des chansons populaires anglaises devant un public britannique bienveillant.

Retour en Allemagne
Une fois relâché, Gröning retourne en Allemagne en 1947 ou 1948. Après avoir retrouvé sa femme, il lui dit :

Il lui est impossible de retrouver son poste à la banque en raison de son passé dans la SS. Il obtient un travail dans une fabrique de verre, où il va accéder à un poste à responsabilités. Il devient chef du personnel et est nommé juge honoraire au tribunal du travail.

Après son retour en Allemagne, Gröning vit avec ses beaux-parents. Lors d'un repas, ils font , insinuant qu'il était un , ce qui, selon Gröning, le fit exploser. Frappant la table du poing, il s'écrie :

Selon Gröning, cette exigence fut respectée.

Vues sur le négationnisme de la Shoah
Oskar Gröning mena une vie normale et bourgeoise après la guerre. Collectionneur assidu de timbres, un jour qu'il assiste à la réunion annuelle de son cercle philatéliste, plus de quarante ans après la guerre, il engage une conversation sur la politique avec son voisin. Ce dernier lui déclara qu'il était « terrible » que la négation de la Shoah fût illégale en Allemagne et lui expliqua pourquoi il était impossible de brûler autant de corps, en précisant que les quantités de gaz supposées avoir été utilisées auraient dû tuer tout organisme vivant dans le voisinage.

Gröning ne rétorque rien, se bornant à répondre :  Son interlocuteur lui recommande un pamphlet rédigé par le négationniste Thies Christophersen. Gröning en obtient une copie et l'envoie par la poste à Christophersen, après y avoir inclus son propre commentaire, qui comprenait ces mots :

Il commence alors à recevoir des appels téléphoniques d'inconnus qui lui affirment qu'Auschwitz n'était pas un endroit où on exterminait des êtres humains dans des chambres à gaz. Il devint évident pour lui que ses commentaires condamnant le négationnisme de la Shoah ont été imprimés dans une revue néo-nazie et que la plupart des appels et des lettres anonymes émanent de

En réponse à ces commentaires, Gröning décide de parler ouvertement de son expérience et de dénoncer publiquement les personnes qui soutiennent que les événements auxquels il a assisté n'ont jamais eu lieu. Son message aux négationnistes est le suivant :

Il écrit également des mémoires d'un total de 87 pages à l'intention de sa famille.

Vues sur son propre rôle
Dans ses déclarations, Oskar Gröning refuse de se considérer comme coupable de quelque crime que ce soit et insiste sur le fait qu'il n'a pas été directement impliqué dans les massacres. Il décrit son rôle dans la machine d'extermination comme un involontaire « petit rouage dans le mécanisme », ce qui lui a inspiré en retour une culpabilité involontaire. Citant ses comparutions en vue de témoigner contre un membre de la SS accusé d'avoir assassiné des prisonniers à Auschwitz, il affirme également être innocent aux yeux de la loi, soulignant qu'il s'est exprimé en qualité de témoin et non d'accusé.

Même si Gröning a demandé à quitter Auschwitz après avoir assisté aux tueries, Laurence Rees écrit que ce le fut simplement en raison de son implication pratique, et que Gröning n'avait pas d'objection sur le principe même de l'extermination des Juifs. Il estimait normal que les ennemis de l'Allemagne fussent détruits, les moyens employés (comme les chambres à gaz) le laissant indifférent. Pour cette raison, ses sentiments en voyant des gens dont il savait qu'ils n'avaient plus que quelques heures à vivre avant d'être gazés étaient « très ambigus ». Pour Gröning, les enfants étaient assassinés parce que, sans être eux-mêmes l'ennemi, la menace était le sang qui circulait dans leurs veines : en devenant adultes, ils risquaient de devenir des Juifs dangereux. Rees attribue à l'éducation ultra-nationaliste reçue par Gröning sa justification de l'assassinat de femmes et d'enfants sans défense.

Gröning indique que les horreurs de la chambre à gaz finirent par l'atteindre lorsqu'il entendit les hurlements. Pour Rees, Gröning décrit son séjour à Auschwitz comme s'il parlait d'un autre Oskar Gröning ; le Gröning d'après la guerre s'exprime plus franchement à propos de sa vie à Auschwitz en différenciant le Gröning qui contribua à la gestion d'un camp d'extermination du Gröning moderne qui condamne l'idéologie nazie.

Les hurlements de ceux qui mouraient dans les chambres à gaz n'ont jamais quitté Gröning, selon ses propres dires, et il n'est jamais retourné à Auschwitz en raison de la honte qu'il éprouve. Il se sent coupable à l'égard du peuple juif, et coupable d'avoir appartenu à l'organisation qui a commis un tel crime contre eux, même s'il « n'a pas lui-même été un des exécutants. Il demande le pardon de Dieu et du peuple juif ».

Procès
Oskar Gröning a comparu, pour ce qui figure parmi les derniers procès possibles d'un nazi, à partir du  au tribunal de Lunebourg.

Il est condamné le  à quatre ans de prison pour « complicité » dans le meurtre de  Juifs. La décision du tribunal est légèrement supérieure à la peine de trois ans et demi d'emprisonnement requise le  par le parquet, mais dans le bas de la fourchette de 3 à 15 ans encourus par l'accusé. Son procès se caractérise notamment par la précision de son témoignage. Le , le parquet de Hanovre déclare, après expertise médicale, Oskar Gröning apte à purger sa peine d'emprisonnement malgré ses 96 ans. L'exécution de la peine n'est cependant pas ordonnée immédiatement. Le , la cour d'appel saisie par le condamné confirme qu'il est apte à purger sa peine.

Oskar Gröning meurt à l'hôpital le , avant d'avoir pu être incarcéré : si la justice a finalement ordonné sa mise en détention, cette décision ne lui a jamais été notifiée, alors que par ailleurs sa demande de grâce demeurait en instance d'être traitée à son décès.

Références

Source

Notes

Annexes

Bibliographie

Liens externes

 « Oskar Gröning, the bookkeeper of Auschwitz, is dead at 96 », The New York Times,

Naissance en juin 1921
Naissance à Nienburg/Weser
Enrôlé de la SS
Personnel du camp de concentration d'Auschwitz
Décès à 96 ans
Décès en mars 2018

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
Second Cities: Destinations to add onto a trip to Berlin
Emily Manthei
Welcome to TPG's series, Second Cities. The series is designed to help you find smaller or less-popular-but-equally-amazing places to visit no more than a few hours by air or land from your original destination so you can maximize your itinerary.
Berlin, with a reputation for being "poor but sexy," offers a wild club scene by night and a busy tourist scene by day.
The German capital has become a year-round destination; visitors crowd in on rental bikes and scooters and there is much to see. Berlin has more than 100 museums alongside remnants of its brutal history (Hitler's bunker) and the city's divided Cold War past.
The tourist scene is set against the backdrop of the modern city that has risen from a gritty wasteland since the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1989. Today, it boasts gleaming new tech headquarters and brightly colored aboveground water pipes (because of the city's high water table) that come with each construction project.
Present-day Berlin is becoming harder to navigate and the costs of hotels and tourist attractions are constantly rising, but we have some easy-to-reach second cities to add to your itinerary so you can still experience some of the best things about Berlin in other, less hectic destinations.
If your tourist dream is to experience the Berlin of the '90s, you'll find it in Leipzig. A hotbed of revolutionary punks and rebel priests in the 1980s, the city actually led the citizen charge to overthrow the East German secret police.
Leftists, anarchists and assorted nonconformists can be found crowding into bars and spilling onto the sidewalks on the Eisenbahnstrasse, where political activists, graffiti taggers and squatters gather. Nonetheless, the city's streets are safe and not as crowded as Berlin. Leipzig is also far from the infamous "Berliner Schnauze" (the "Berlin snout"), an abrupt unfriendly attitude. On the contrary, locals are curious and helpful.
The New City Hall in Leipzig. (Photo by Witold Skrypczak/Getty Images)
Getting there: Leipzig's main train station is just an hour and 12 minutes from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, with trains departing every hour on the half-hour. Outside the train station, you'll find trams that take you everywhere you want to go and the central city is just across the busy street.
Where to stay: The Westin Leipzig stands next to the central station — convenient for Marriott Bonvoy members. Just two tram stops away is the Radisson Blu, perfect for earning some Radisson Rewards. German luxury chain Penta Leipzig, which has its own loyalty program, may be a good choice if you travel frequently in Germany.
What to see and do: The city was part of the former East Germany. Prices for beer, meals and overnight accommodation retain "old Berlin prices." In other words, it's cheap. If you have an interest in Cold War intrigue, visit the Museum in der Runden Ecke, the "Museum in the Round Corner," once a nondescript bunker for the secret police. Today, the building has been preserved to remind citizens of the crimes of the Stasi, East Germany's secret police, as well as its demise.
The Museum in der Runden Ecke. (Photo courtesy of Appaloosa/Wikimedia Commons)
Some of Germany's most famous composers are from Leipzig. Classical music can be heard in the central train station and all around the city. Bach, Mendelssohn, Wagner, Mahler, Reger, and both Clara and Robert Schumann have a history in Leipzig. Many churches and concert halls are dedicated to their memory. Pay a visit to the Mendelssohn Haus, the Schumann Haus or the Bach Museum to learn about their lives. Meanwhile, the Leipzig Opera is a great place to hear some of their work. If you visit in the summer, check out the White Elster River, best seen from Clara-Zetkin Park at the live music stage.
On the Elbe River, Hamburg is the country's second-largest city. The historic shipping port and city-center canals offer a different take on contemporary German culture that might surprise you. Hamburg was a central trading port for the Hanseatic League in the Middle Ages and, despite bombing in the Second World War, there are a number of architectural gems that remain.
Hamburg's Old Town. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)
Getting there: Take a train from Berlin Hauptbahnhof, which leaves for Hamburg nearly every 30 minutes. It takes about one hour and 45 minutes (ICE trains); two hours (IC trains).
Where to stay: Pick up Marriott Bonvoy points, whether you stay lakeside at Le Méridien Hamburg or harborside at The Westin Hamburg. To stay near central city, check out the Park Hyatt Hamburg, where members can earn World of Hyatt points. For a sleek budget hotel near the harbor, check out Arcotel Onyx.
What to see and do: Compared to Berlin, Hamburg is a calmer, gentler place and the hospitality of friendly northerners will put you in the mood to explore. The revitalized harbor district, HafenCity, with its modernist take on Bauhaus architecture, includes the Elbe Philharmonic Hall, Germany's newest concert venue, sprawling on a peninsula along the Elbe. You can cruise the harbor on a boat tour, join a hop-on, hop-off boat to take you through the city by canal, or float serenely along the Alster, a tributary of the Elbe, upstream from HafenCity.
In the city center, you can explore baroque (St. Michael's Church) and gothic (St. James' church), Hanseatic landmarks like City Hall and other historic structures that survived the war. Walk the leafy streets near the Alster Lakes to get a feel for how the wealthy live.
The St. Pauli Piers in Hamburg. (Photo by Westend61/Getty Images)
Check out the St. Pauli Piers district in central Hamburg. It's where the Beatles once performed. The neighborhood's theater and entertainment district along Reeperbahn offers popular musical theater, German "boulevard" (broad slapstick) comedy and vaudeville, along with clubs and bars. Gentrification has expelled the seedier sex clubs and brothels from the former "red light district," but the area is still known for both highbrow and lowbrow culture. For popular entertainment, catch a comedy show at the Schmidt Theater or a Broadway musical (translated into German) at Operettenhaus.
A small but hip city in southwest Poland, Wrocław is known by most Germans as Breslau, the city's name when the Silesian region of Poland was German-controlled. Through its thousand-year history, it has also been claimed as Prussian, Soviet, Hungarian, Bohemian and Habsburg territory, giving it a colorful and varied central European lineage. Those who think European cities are not multicultural just haven't discovered Wrocław yet.
Wroclaw, Poland. (Photo by Antagain/Getty Images)
How to get there: The Kraków Główny train station is the city's transportation hub. A daily direct train from Berlin takes about four hours. A European discount coach service, Flixbus, also offers service from Berlin to Wroclaw, usually for under 15 euros, and it takes just a half-hour longer.
Where to stay: Earn Hilton Honors points at DoubleTree by Hilton near the National Museum, or earn Radisson Rewards at the retro Radisson Blu. To go chic on a budget, try the Sleepwalker Boutique Suites in a classy row of 19th-century apartments in the historic Old Town.
What to see and do: Speaking of Old Town, it's a perfect place to start exploring. Learn more about the city at its Prussian palace or the historic Market Square, where, much like picturesque Krakow, some facades date back to the 13th century. The eclectic architecture of the town hall, which was 250 years in the making, is a good place to start.
The Prussian Palace in Wroclaw, Poland. (Photo by Witold Skyrpczak/Getty Images)
Skipping to the 20th century, Wroclaw's Cold War history is told through more than 300 metal gnomes. In the 1980s, Wroclaw artists rebelled against the Soviet regime by drawing graffiti gnomes on the sides of buildings. After the fall of the iron curtain, these figures began to show up around the city. Each one has its own name and back story. Be sure to look it up each time you spot a new one.
If you're a cinema buff, check out Poland's largest film festival, and one of the most audience-friendly festivals in Europe. The New Horizons Film Festival in late July or early August usually features award-winning films from The Berlinale and Cannes Film Festival, with extremely affordable ticket prices and enthusiastic audiences. You can find the filmmakers at hip international restaurants near the cinema or along the river, where local residents go to enjoy the peaceful parkside landscape.
Featured photo of Berlin by Rafael Dols/Getty Images.
Emily Manthei is a contributing writer for The Points Guy


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General surgeons in Ga. receive nod to build ASCs
A lawsuit along with legislative action are expected to rain down on the Georgia Board of Community Health's Dec. 13 unanimous 6-0 decision to approve a controversial certificate-of-need rule that recognizes general surgeons as single specialists. That decision paves the way for general surgeons to open their own ambulatory surgery centers. The rule goes into effect Jan. 1, 2008.
While there are 200 small physician-owned ASCs in Georgia—owned by oral surgeons, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, gastroenterologists and orthopedic surgeons—none are operated by general surgeons, according to the state Department of Community Health, or DCH.
Some experts estimate six to 12 general surgery groups will build or open ASCs if the rule goes unchallenged in court or the state's General Assembly, which meets next month.
"We are thrilled for not only the general surgeons but for patients," said Kathy Browning, executive director of the Georgia Society of General Surgeons. "They will have options to get higher-quality and lower-cost-care, something they did not have before."
The Georgia Alliance of Community Hospitals will file a lawsuit to overturn the rule, says alliance president Monty Veazey. Hospitals also will ask the General Assembly to reverse the DCH's CON rule change, says Kevin Bloye, a spokesman with the Georgia Hospital Association. The GHA will join the lawsuit, he says.
"We are disappointed (in the board's decision)," Bloye says. "We still maintain the DCH doesn't have the legal authority to make changes."
Bloye says the CON rule change could cause many hospitals to lose money, cut services or possibly close. In 2005, the last year for which data are available, 56 of 161 hospitals, or 35%, lost money, he says. Some 56% of hospitals had negative patient care margins in 2005, he says.
"It is getting worse" in 2007, says Bloye, adding: ASCs operated by general surgeons will conduct "cream skimming (of profitable patients) that will have a dramatic negative effect on hospital bottom lines."
Bloye adds that because outpatient clinics aren't legally required to serve indigent patients, they are free to load up on patients who can afford to pay. Hospitals then are left with a higher concentration of nonpaying patients.
To address those issues, the board also approved a separate resolution that asks the General Assembly to approve legislation that would require physician surgery centers to treat Medicaid and uninsured patients and report their utilization data to the state.
Thomas Gadacz, M.D., a general surgeon and professor emeritus of the department of surgery at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, says general surgeons support the proposed legislation.
"Providing charity care is very appropriate," Gadacz says. "This will affect the other specialties like ophthalmology that also operate surgery centers. It is very similar to the requirement that hospitals have."
Thomas Reeve III, M.D., a general surgeon in Carrollton, says some hospitals exaggerate the effects general surgeons will have on the outpatient surgery market. For example, five single specialty outpatient surgery centers have opened near 176-bed Tanner Medical Center, Carrollton, over the past 10 years, and have peacefully co-existed, he says.
Loy Howard, president and chief executive officer of three-hospital Tanner Health System, is in favor of the CON rule change for general surgeons.
"It is unfortunate that hospitals and doctors are fighting over these kinds of issues when we have Medicaid funding and rising uninsured issues facing us," Howard says. "I don't think privately owned surgery center are good for us, (but) I don't see why general surgeons don't have the right to have surgery centers."
The ASCs also haven't negatively affected Tanner's Carrollton hospital. "We have six Ors, and we run five around the clock and the sixth is quite busy. We have not seen any decline" in surgeries," he says. Over the past five years, operating margins have averaged 7.5%, he says. "This year we are running at 2%, but that is due to significant cuts in Medicaid and the uninsured."
Under the CON rule change, general surgeons, who focus on abdominal surgeries, are now classified as single specialists, a designation every state had recognized except Georgia. Single-specialty physicians are exempt from CON if capital expenditures are less than $1.71 million. However, they must file with DCH for a letter of nonreviewability.
Backers of the change, including the American College of Surgeons, say physician-owned ASCs offer patients high-quality healthcare at lower costs than at hospitals.
For example, hospitals receive a $3,000 inpatient fee for hernia repair at a hospital, while an ASC gets $800, says Gadacz, a former ASC governor from Georgia. "We want to reduce the costs of healthcare. It is astronomical," he says.
General surgeons also believe patients will benefit because minor outpatient surgeries will be more convenient, Gadacz says.
"The smaller cases in hospitals are deferred later in the day," Gadacz says. "Hospitals want major cases in the morning because they have larger nursing staffs then. Simple operations are sometimes done at seven or eight at night. What hospitals do is set up schedules that are inconvenient to patients, doctors and nurses."
It is unclear why the DCH in 1998 adopted the definition of general surgeons as multispecialty. But in 1991, the state exempted single specialty physicians from CON rules. However, Rhonda Medows, M.D., who became DCH commissioner in late 2005, began efforts over the past year to reverse that decision.
"General surgeons are recognized by the American Medical Association to be single specialists, and all single specialist physicians should be treated as hospital applicants," says Medows, who adds she is not afraid to be sued.
The DCH's CON rule change will now be forwarded to the state's Legislature. "House and Senate leaders can protest or appeal to stop it," Medows says. "They have never tried to change a rule, but they have the opportunity to change or clarify the statute."
Reeve says he isn't surprised that hospitals will fight the rule change. "We have a small group of hospital leaders who are out to squish this effort," he says. "They won't quit."
What do you think? Write us with your comments at [email protected]. Please include your name, title and hometown.
More docs consider retirement amid COVID-19 pandemic
Physician assistants expand roles as Michigan's laws change, acceptance increases


text:
The council or board of a public school works with the school community to achieve the best outcomes for students.
It plays an important role in contributing to good school governance so that school resources are used efficiently and community expectations and the school's priorities reflect the needs of students.
There are two types of school councils/boards: incorporated and unincorporated. Most schools have an unincorporated council/board. Incorporated councils/boards have higher levels of obligations and additional functions. An unincorporated council/board uses approved terms of reference to define its way of working and to meet the requirements of the legislation. The information pack includes advice on the roles and responsibilities of a school council/board, membership, induction and procedures for conducting elections and meetings. An incorporated council/board must have a constitution which defines its rules and way of working. The constitution meets legislative requirements and includes advice on the roles of office bearers, meetings and proceedings, management of finances, disputes and mediation, legal responsibilities, induction and requirement to obtain insurance.
The functions of councils/boards are covered by legislation and include both approval and advisory roles. Some of the matters councils/boards may make decisions on include fees and charges, book lists, sponsorship and dress codes. Councils/boards make these decisions with the principal who ensures the decisions adhere to legislative and policy requirements. Principals also seek the advice of councils/boards so as to understand local community views.
The council/board does not intervene in the control or management of the school. This is the role of the principal.
Being a council/board member
Councils/boards and Parents and Citizens' Associations (P&Cs) working together
Support for council/board members
Being a member of a council or board is an important and rewarding role that contributes greatly to the success of a school.
Members include the principal, parents, students (15 years, or will reach that age during the year), staff, and others from the wider community who can lend their skills and expertise to the school. When a vacancy occurs on a council/board, the principal seeks nominations. There are also criminal history screening requirements for parents and community members. The term for which members sit on a council/board is determined by each school council/board in accordance with legislation.
A council/board seeks to be representative of the school community.
Having quality members is a critical part of the process of establishing and maintaining a successful council/board. It is imperative that schools have broad networks to ensure a wide variety of people are considered. Ensuring diversity on councils/boards contributes to effective school governance, and leads to better informed decision-making, new ideas, opinions, solutions and stronger connections with the school community. In determining the composition (or the balance between categories), regard should be given to the nature of the student population of the school and the social, cultural, lingual, economic or geographic factors that may be relevant to the school.
Council/board members are encouraged to reflect on the diversity of their school community and the council/board. Approaches can be made to persons who would bring diversity to the council/board and to encourage them to nominate when there is a position vacant.
What do public school P&Cs do?
The functions of P&Cs are covered by legislation. P&Cs promote the interests of the school. They do this through cooperation between parents, teachers, students and members of the general community; assisting in the provision of resources, facilities and amenities for the school; and fostering of community interest in educational matters. P&Cs are very highly regarded in public schools for their organisation of fundraising or other benefits for the good of the school. P&Cs can seek voluntary contributions from parents of students at the school, and these are reflected in the contributions and charges schedule published by the school each year.
What do councils/boards do?
The council or board of a public school works with the school community to achieve the best outcomes for students. It plays an important role in contributing to good school governance so that school resources are used efficiently and community expectations and the school's priorities reflect the needs of students. The functions of councils/boards are covered by legislation and include both approval and advisory roles. Some of the matters councils/boards may make decisions on include fees and charges, book lists, sponsorship and dress codes. Councils/boards make these decisions with the principal who ensures the decisions comply with legislation and policy. Councils/boards promote the school in the community and take part in establishing and reviewing the school's objectives, priorities and general policy directions and evaluating the school's performance in achieving these.
What is the relationship between the P&C and the council/board?
P&Cs and councils/boards each play important roles in supporting public schools. They have separate functions which are legislated but work together to achieve common goals. Members of the council/board and the P&C often work together on different projects. The P&C is often an incorporated body through WACSSO, and if so, they can apply for grants or funding.
Can a P&C member be a member of the council/board?
While there can be no ex officio position for a P&C member on the council/board, there are two ways by which P&C members can be members of the council/board:
nominated as a parent member; or
nominated as a community member.
The legislation provides categories of membership on a council/board: parent/student, community and staff.
Once appointed to the council/board, members do not represent any particular group. These include, for example, teachers, P&C members or members with other affiliations. P&C members bring their experience as parents at the school, and the views and context of the wider school community. Teacher members may bring expertise such as an education perspective, networks and knowledge that the council/board is looking for at that time.
How can you be involved in your child's school?
There are so many ways to be involved! Here are just a few:
Join the P&C
Nominate to be a member of the council/board
Act as a classroom helper
Volunteer in the canteen or library
Help out at events such as the sports carnival
Bring along your skills to a 'busy bee'
Take part in class excursions
Coach sporting teams or clubs e.g. chess, computer, netball, football
Attend school assemblies and special occasions, P&C and council/board meetings – everyone is welcome
Help to organise fundraising initiatives.
A new program called Linking Schools and Communities has been developed to support council/board members in their role. The program provides them with training and online resources that are accessible, flexible and respond to the changing needs of councils/boards.
Council/board members can also seek advice on training, resources and other council matters from the Department's Leadership, Innovation and Strategy unit. P&C Association members can also seek support from the Western Australian Council of State School Organisations (WACSSO).
E: schoolcouncils-boards@education.wa.edu.au
Training enquiries:
WACSSO for P&C members
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Our School - Our Voice
A resource for community representatives on principal selection panels. The resource outlines the process, roles and responsibilities of being an effective panel member and the importance of the community voice in selecting public school principals. This resource has been developed with the support of the Western Australian Council of State School Organisations.
Size: 843.5kB Download
Our School - Our Voice video
Engaging and Working with Your Community Framework
A resource for principals to use with their school community that recognises many positive developments and innovations are already occurring in schools. It has been developed to support schools to build on these partnerships, and as a result, influence the quality of learning.
Public school councils and boards information package
This package provides information for public school councils and boards about their role in linking schools and communities.
FAQs - Incorporated public school councils and boards
Find out more about incorporated school councils and boards.
FAQs - Unincorporated public school councils and boards
Find out more about unincorporated school councils and boards.
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text:
Want to Learn About Giving Notice to Third Parties to Freeze Assets?
CALIFORNIA FINANCIAL CODES
NOTICE OF ADVERSE CLAIM TO FREEZE ACCOUNT
Financial Code Section 1450
Notice to any bank of an adverse claim (the person making the adverse claim being hereinafter called "adverse claimant") to a deposit standing on its books to the credit of or to personal property held for the account of any person shall be disregarded, and the bank, notwithstanding the notice, shall honor the checks, notes, or other instruments requiring payment of money by or for the account of the person to whose credit the account stands and on demand shall deliver that property to, or on the order of, the person for whose account the property is held, without any liability on the part of the bank; subject, however, to the exceptions provided in subdivisions (a) and (b):
(a) If an adverse claimant delivers to the bank at the office atwhich the deposit is carried or at which the property is held an affidavit of the adverse claimant stating that of the adverse claimant's own knowledge the person to whose credit the deposit stands or for whose account the property is held is a fiduciary for the adverse claimant and that the adverse claimant has reason to believe the fiduciary is about to misappropriate the deposit or the property, and stating the facts on which the claim of fiduciary relationship and the belief are founded, the bank shall refuse payment of the deposit and shall refuse to deliver the property for a period of not more than three court days (including the day of delivery) from the date that the bank received the adverse claimant's affidavit, without liability on its part and without liability for the sufficiency or truth of the facts alleged in the affidavit.
(b) If at any time, either before, after, or in the absence of the filing of an affidavit by the adverse claimant, the adverse claimant procures and serves upon the bank at the office at which the deposit is carried or at which the property is held a restraining order, injunction, or other appropriate order against the bank from a court of competent jurisdiction in an action in which the adverse claimant and all persons in whose names the deposit stands or for whose account the property is held are parties, the bank shall comply with the order or injunction, without liability on its part.
(c) This section shall be applicable even though the name of the person appearing on the bank's books to whose credit the deposit stands or for whose account the property is held is modified by a qualifying or descriptive term such as "agent," "trustee," or other word or phrase indicating that the person may not be the owner in his or her own right of the deposit or property.
(d) Nothing in the California Multiple-Party Accounts Law contained in Part 2 (commencing with Section 5100) of Division 5 of the Probate Code limits the applicability of this section.