text:
\section{Introduction}

The QCD Lagrangian may be augmented with the gauge invariant term
$\theta~ G\tilde{G}/32 \pi^2$ which,
despite being a total divergence, can have physical
effects due to gauge field configurations with non-trivial topology.
In nature
this term appears to be absent (or at least small -- $\theta \leq 10^{-10}$
\cite{CP}),
 but it is of theoretical
interest to determine the effect such
a term has on the theory.  It is possible that understanding the effects of a
non-zero $\theta$ angle
may help determine why the term is absent in the strong interactions. In this
paper we shall
study the effects of adding a non-zero $\theta$ angle on the QCD vacuum
assuming it
does not change the pattern of chiral symmetry
breaking ($SU(N)_L \otimes SU(N)_R \rightarrow SU(N)_V$)
in the quark sector.
While it is possible that adding a non-zero theta term to QCD may have more
dramatic effects, such as altering the nature of confinement \cite{TH,SCHZ},
we consider ours to be the more conservative assumption.
In fact,  it can be shown \cite{us} that some exactly
solved softly broken supersymmetric gauge theories
which confine by dyon condensation
continue to do so for all $\theta$ \footnote{However,
in these models the low energy effective $\theta$ angle
depends in a complicated fashion on the bare $\theta$ angle.}.
If the behaviour of QCD is smooth with changing $\theta$
then the low energy theory may be described
in terms of the standard chiral Lagrangian formalism. Witten \cite{Witten}
has previously studied this
possibility and shown that there may be first order phase transitions at
$\theta = \pi$. He
was particularly interested in the possibility of spontaneous CP violation at
$\theta = \pi$ (note that although $\theta \neq 0$ in general violates CP,
$\theta = \pi$ actually
conserves CP). Creutz \cite{Creutz}
further explored the phase structure of the mass degenerate
chiral Lagrangian, demonstrating the existence of  first order phase
transitions at
$\theta = n \pi$ ($n \in$ odd integers).
Here we
develop these observations with further study of these phase
transitions, concentrating in particular on the role of the $\eta'$ meson, and
study their behavior in the presence of mass splitting in
the quark sector. We find that even for realistic values of the quark masses
interesting
effects persist as $\theta$ is varied from $0$ to $2 \pi$.
Finally, we discuss the implications of these phase transitions
on axion models, in which $\theta$ is a dynamical variable.
In particular, we investigate the internal hadronic structure of axion domain
walls (previously studied by Huang and Sikivie \cite{HS}),
and their coupling to thermal degrees of freedom in the early universe.
We conclude that the domain walls can efficiently dissipate their kinetic
energy and therefore contract away very rapidly
after the QCD phase transition.

\vspace{-0.5cm}

\section{$N$ Degenerate Quark Flavors}

As a first example we consider QCD with $N$ quark flavors and a non-zero
$\theta$ angle
\begin{equation}
\label{QCD}
{\cal L} = - {1 \over 4 g^2} G^{\mu \nu} G_{\mu \nu} + \bar{\Psi_i} ( i
\gamma^\mu
D_{\mu}  - M)_{ij} \Psi_j
+ {\theta \over 32 \pi^2} \epsilon_{\mu \nu \alpha \beta} G^{\mu \nu} G^{\alpha
\beta}
\end{equation}
where $i$ runs over the $N$ flavors, and we shall take $M = m {\cal I}$.
The bare Lagrangian has an $SU(N)_L \otimes
SU(N)_R \otimes U(1)_V$ global flavor symmetry weakly broken by the
small current quark masses. The axial U(1) symmetry of the
classical theory is anomalous in the quantum theory. Using the chiral Ward
Identity
associated with the $U(1)_A$ symmetry we may rotate the $\theta$ term on to
the quark mass matrix which becomes $M_\theta = M e^{i \theta/N}$.

We shall assume that for all $\theta$
the theory confines  and breaks the chiral symmetry of the quarks to the vector
subgroup. At low energies the theory may then be described by the standard
$SU(N)_L \otimes SU(N)_R$ chiral Lagrangian
\beq
\label{L}
{\cal L} ~=~ \frac{F^2}{4} tr( \partial_{\mu} U^{\dagger}
\partial^{\mu} U ) + \Sigma Re tr(M_{\theta} U^{\dagger})~,
\eeq
where $U(x) = exp( 2 i \pi^a T^a / F)$ is an
$SU(N)$ matrix.
Taking a derivative with respect
to $M_{ij}$ in (\ref{QCD}) and (\ref{L}) we note that
\beq
\langle \bar{\Psi_i} \Psi_j \rangle =
\Sigma \langle U^{\dagger}_{ji} \rangle  ~,
\eeq
so $U$ can be directly related to condensates of quark bilinears.

The behavior of the minimum of the potential with changing $\theta$
is easily determined when $N=2$ since
the trace of a general $SU(2)$ matrix is real and
the potential reduces to
\beq
\label{pot2}
\epsilon_0 ~=~ -  m \Sigma~ cos ( \theta / 2) ~Re tr U
{}~\equiv~ - m \Sigma~ cos ( \theta / 2) ~u~,
\eeq
where we have defined $u \equiv Re tr U $. The variable
$u$ varies between $-1$ and $1$, and for
$cos( \theta / 2) \neq 0$ the potential energy is minimized
at one of those values. These vacua correspond to
$U$ matrices
\beq
\label{vac2}
U ~=~ \pm \pmatrix { 1 & 0 \cr 0 & 1}~.
\eeq
When $\theta = ({\rm odd ~integer}) \cdot \pi$ the
potential is exactly zero (at lowest order in the potential)
and all $U$'s are exactly
degenerate. It is easy to see that at these values of
$\theta$ there is a first order phase transition with
the vacuum jumping discontinuously between the two
configurations (\ref{vac2}).
We show the form of the potential  V graphically in Figure 1 for
varying $\theta$ and for the set of configurations
$U = {\rm diag} (e^{i\alpha}, e^{-i \alpha})$
(non-zero $\alpha$ corresponds to a $\pi^0$ condensate).
The vertical
axis in the figure is measured in units of $\Sigma m$.
The first
order phase transition at $\theta = \pi$ is clear.

Creutz \cite{Creutz} has investigated the global
behavior for general $N$.
In this case there are $N$ distinct minima  of the form
\beq
\label{Nvac}
U = e^{- 2 n  \pi i /N} {\cal I} \hspace{1cm}  n = 1,2,...N~~~,
\eeq
occurring for the
special values of $\theta$
\beq \theta_n = 2 n \pi \hspace{1cm} n=1,2,...N~~~~.  \eeq
These minima are connected by N first order phase transitions
at $\theta =$ (odd integer) $\pi$. We note that the minima correspond to the
vector flavor symmetry preserving diagonal SU(N) matrices.
The $U(1)_A$ symmetry provides
a simple understanding of the origin of the $N$ vacua
in (\ref{Nvac}), which
are characterized by bilinear quark condensates.
The $U(1)_A$ symmetry of (\ref{QCD}) is broken by the anomaly to
a $Z_{2N}$ discrete symmetry acting on the quark fields.
Therefore, discrete $Z_{N}$ transformations
on  the quark condensates
relate equivalent vacua of the theory.

$\left. \right.$  \hspace{-0.6in}\ifig\prtbdiag{}
{\epsfxsize9.5truecm\epsfbox{thetafig1.eps}}  \vspace{-5.6cm} \\

\begin{center} Figure1: Potential, scaled by $\Sigma m$, for $U =
{\rm diag} (e^{i\alpha}, e^{-i \alpha})$
 and varying $\theta$ in  the degenerate
two flavor case. \end{center}

There is an important subtlety to discuss at this point.
To include the effects of
the $\theta$ angle in the chiral Lagrangian
we have made a $U(1)_A$ rotation on the
quark fields and moved the $\theta$ dependence into the quark mass
matrix. To put the low energy Lagrangians of bare theories with
different $\theta$ angles into the form of (\ref{L}),  {\it different}
axial rotations have been made in each case. Before comparing
the quark condensates in different models we must undo (or compensate for)
this  axial rotation.
We denote the matrix of condensates in the original basis of (\ref{QCD})
as $U_{0} = e^{ - i \theta /N} U $.
In the original basis the overall
phase of the quark condensate
changes smoothly  with $\theta$ and a discontinuous jump in the
$\pi^0$ condensate occurs at $\theta = \pi$.
This is shown in Figure 2 for the case of $N=2$,  where the
$U_{0}$  is parametrized as
\beq
\label{Uparam}
U_0 = e^{ - i \phi/2}  \left( \begin{array}{cc}  e^{i \alpha}
& 0 \\ 0 & e^{-i \alpha} \end{array} \right)~.
\eeq
After including the compensatory axial rotation, the
vacua at
$\theta = 0, 2 \pi$ are now identical, and given by
\beq
U_{0} ~=~ \pmatrix { 1 & 0 \cr 0 & 1}~.
\eeq
Similarly, in the $N$ flavor case the compensatory rotations also
cancel the phase factors in (\ref{Nvac}). Thus in the
original quark basis the $N$ vacua found by Creutz
are actually the same vacuum and correspond to $U_0 = {\cal I}$.

\vspace{1cm}

$\left. \right.$  \hspace{-0.3in}\ifig\prtbdiag{}
{\epsfxsize9.5truecm\epsfbox{thetafig2.eps}} \vspace{-1cm}
\begin{center} Figure 2: Phases of the vacuum $U_0$ matrix
as a function of $\theta$ in the degenerate two flavor case. \end{center}
\vspace{1cm}

In the two flavor case,
for $\theta = \pi \pm \epsilon$, the (compensated) minima are respectively
\beq
U_0 (\pi + \epsilon) = \left( \begin{array}{cc}  i & 0 \\ 0 & i \end{array}
\right), \hspace{1cm}
U_0 ( \pi - \epsilon) = \left( \begin{array}{cc}  - i & 0 \\ 0 & - i
\end{array} \right)
\eeq
Since they have an associated phase they violate CP. This model realizes the
possibility discussed by Witten that at $\theta = \pi$
there may be spontaneous CP violation by the occurence of
two CP violating vacua.
(CP is not explicitly violated when $\theta = \pi$
since physics is invariant to $2 \pi$ shifts in $\theta$, and CP acts by
changing the sign of any phase in the theory, $\theta = \pm \pi$
are equivalent.)

\section{Large $N_c$}

To better understand the physical implications of the vacuum dependence
on $\theta$ it is helpful to consider the problem in an $SU(N_c)$ gauge theory
at
large $N_c$. In this context the phase of $U$ can be identified with a
condensate in the $\eta'$ field.
It is well known that the anomaly in the $U(1)_A$ symmetry is the
result of the quark triangle graph which is suppressed at leading order in
$1/N_c$.
Thus at large $N_c$ the full $U(N)_L \otimes U(N)_R$ global symmetry on the
fermions is restored. The fermion condensates break the symmetry to $U(N)_V$
and there are $N^2$ goldstone bosons with the new state being identified with
the $\eta'$.  At ${\cal O}(1/N_c)$ in the $N_c$ expansion the
$\eta'$ acquires a small
mass. If for a given large value of $N_c$ we take the quark masses to zero
then this subleading term can dominate the $\eta'$ mass.  In \cite{eta}
it was argued that this is the limit most appropriate to realistic QCD.
We can hope therefore to
obtain some insight into the transition described above by looking to the large
$N_c$
limit.

The effective theory at large $N_c$ is \cite{Witten}
\beq
\label{LN}
{\cal L} ~=~ \frac{F^2}{4} tr( \partial_{\mu} U^{\dagger}
\partial^{\mu} U) + \Sigma Re tr(M U^{\dagger})~ - {
\tau \over 2} (\phi-\theta)^2.
\eeq
Here $U$ contains the $N^2$ goldstone degrees of freedom, and
is no longer restricted to unit determinant. The additional phase degree of
freedom correponds to the $\eta'$ meson, with

$$det U(x) = e^{- i \phi (x)}$$
and
\beq
\phi(x) = - {\sqrt{2 N} \over F} \eta'~.
\eeq
To obtain (\ref{LN}) we have performed an axial rotation on the bare Lagrangian
to
move the $\theta$ dependence into the mass matrix, then
undone the rotation by absorbing $\theta$ with a shift in the $\eta'$ field.
This
redefinition of the phase of $U$ corresponds exactly to the previously
discussed subtlety of
ensuring that we compare theories with different $\theta$ in the same quark
basis.
It is important to note that the final term in (\ref{LN}) is only the first
term
in an expansion in $\phi-\theta$  of a function that is $2\pi$ periodic.

Restricting our attention again to the case $N=2$ the potential
of the large $N_c$ theory is
\beq
\label{Npot}
V = -\Sigma Re tr(M U^{\dagger})~ + {
\tau \over 2} (\phi-\theta)^2~.
\eeq
We are interested in  the case $\tau / \Sigma m \rightarrow \infty$, where the
$\eta'$ is
very heavy, and we expect to recover the analysis of the
$SU(2)$ chiral Lagrangian above. The second term in the potential dominates
and is minimized by $\phi = \theta$. As $\theta$ changes between 0 and $2 \pi$
the phase of the mass matrix, which
is the $\eta'$ condensate, behaves as in Figure 2.
An ambiguity in the description arises here because a $\pi^0$ condensate
corresponding to $\alpha = \pi$ has the same effect as an $\eta'$
condensate of $\phi = 2 \pi$ on the matrix $U$ in (\ref{Uparam}).
This ambiguity is resolved in the presence of
mass splittings, as the discontinuities are smoothed,
and one can resolve the different behaviors of the $\pi^0$
and $\eta'$ condensates. We discuss the effect of mass splittings
below.

\section{Mass Splitting}

Returning to the $SU(N)$ chiral Lagrangian we may now consider the effects of
splitting the quark masses.  The potential is then
\beq
\label{split}
V = -\Sigma   \sum_i^{N-1} m_i \cos(\alpha_i - \theta/N) -
\Sigma m_N \cos(\theta / N + \sum_i^{N-1} \alpha_i)
\eeq
As before we have made
an equal axial rotation on each quark flavor to shift the $\theta$ angle
onto the quark mass matrix. The minima are of the form
\beq
\langle U \rangle = diag \left( e^{i\alpha_1}, e^{i\alpha_2},~...~,
e^{i\alpha_{N-1}}~,~
e^{-i\sum_i^{N-1} \alpha_i} \right)
\eeq
If we take  $m_N/m_i \rightarrow \infty$ the last term in (\ref{split})
dominates and the heavy quark
condensate acquires a phase $\sum_i^{N-1} \alpha_i = \theta/ N$.
In other words the phase of
the $N$th diagonal element of $UM_\theta$ goes to zero corresponding
to decoupling of the heavy quark and the problem reduces
to that  in which the $\theta$ angle has been rotated onto just the $N-1$ light
quarks. This is why the strong CP problem cannot be solved by simply
rotating the $\theta$ angle solely onto a heavy
quark such as the top. In nature
the charm, bottom and top quarks are sufficiently heavy that they essentially
decouple from the $\theta$ dependence of the vacuum.

For intermediate mass splittings we must minimize (\ref{split}).
For $N=2$ this is most easily done numerically.
Minimizing  (\ref{split}) and rotating the resulting $U$ back to
the quark basis of (\ref{QCD}) we have
\beq
U_0 = e^{-i \theta/2}  \left( \begin{array}{cc}  e^{i \alpha}
& 0 \\ 0 & e^{-i \alpha} \end{array} \right)~.
\eeq
We show the phase $\alpha$  that minimizes the potential at varying
$\theta$ for increasing mass splitting in Figure 3.
The first order phase transition is smoothed out by
the mass splitting and  as $m_d/m_u \rightarrow \infty$
we recover the one flavor case for which there is a single vacuum.

\vspace{-2cm}
$\left. \right.$  \hspace{-0.3in}\ifig\prtbdiag{}
{\epsfxsize9.5truecm\epsfbox{thetafig3.eps}}  \vspace{-2cm} \\
\begin{center} Figure 3: The phase $\alpha$ vs $\theta$ in the presence of mass
splitting. \end{center}

With mass splittings there is only a single CP conserving minimum at
$\theta = \pi$:
\beq
U_0 =  \left( \begin{array}{cc}  -1
& 0 \\ 0 & 1 \end{array} \right)~~.
\eeq
This minimum violates the vector symmetry of the model, however,
this is just a reflection of the explicit breaking of that symmetry in
the non-degeneracy of the quark masses.
Furthermore, in this case one can easily see by examining the
form of $U$ that both the
$\eta'$ and the $\pi^0$  condensates are changing with $\theta$.

The three flavor case is more complicated. The minimization equations
reduce to (with $U =diag(e^{i \alpha}, e^{i \beta}, e^{-i (\alpha + \beta)}$))
\beq \label{mins}
m_u \sin(\alpha - \theta/3) = m_d \sin (\beta-\theta/3) = - ~
m_s \sin(\alpha + \beta + \theta/3)
\eeq
The behavior is most easily studied by displaying the solutions
at $\theta = \pi$, where phase transitions are likely to occur.
There are several types of solutions to (\ref{mins}).
Trivial solutions occur when the sine functions
are all simultaneously zero. For realistic quark masses
($m_u \sim 5 \rm\,MeV$, $m_d \sim 10 \rm\,MeV$, $m_s \sim 150 \rm\,MeV$) one of
these solutions is the global  (and only)
minimum corresponding to the heavy strange
quark having decoupled and the minimum
closely resembles the $N=2$ case with $m_u \neq m_d$
(See Figure 3).
Non-trivial solutions were studied previously by
Witten \cite{Witten}, and occur when the quark masses
satisfy
\beq
\label{region}
m_u m_d \geq m_s |  m_d  - m_u | ~,
\eeq
which includes the degenerate mass limit discussed above.
They satisfy
\beq
1 - \cos(\alpha + \beta + \pi/3) = { m_u^2 m_d^2 - m_s^2(m_d-m_u)^2 \over
2 m_s^2 m_u m_d} ~.
\eeq
These latter solutions exhibit spontaneous
CP violation. In this case the trivial solutions discussed above
become points of inflection.
Witten's solutions are probably excluded for realistic values
of the light quark masses.

As an explicit example we have examined the behavior with varying
$\theta$ of the Large-$N_c$ effective Lagrangian.
We used the physical $\eta, \eta'$ masses to determine
$\tau / \Sigma = 200 \rm\,MeV$ and $m_s = 150 \rm\,MeV$.
With such large values of $\tau$ and $m_s$ the $\tau$ and
$m_s$ dependence of the solutions effectively decouples,
and we are left with the behavior of the $SU(2)$ chiral Lagrangian.
For example, taking $m_u = m_d = 7 \rm\,MeV$, we recover the
first order transition of the degenerate two flavor case.
Minimization in the $SU(3)$ degrees of freedom in
$U=e^{-i \phi/3} diag(e^{i (\alpha +\beta)}, e^{i (-\alpha +\beta)}, e^{-i (2
\beta)})$
leads to  discontinuities in the $\pi^0$, $\eta$ and $\eta'$
condensates at $\theta = \pi$ (Figures 4,5).

\vspace{1cm}

$\left. \right.$  \hspace{-0.3in}\ifig\prtbdiag{}
{\epsfxsize8truecm\epsfbox{Vmin.eps}} \vspace{-1cm}
\begin{center} Figure 4:
The value of the potential at the minimum as a function of $\theta$  for the
case
of degenerate $u$ and $d$ quarks, $m = 7 \rm\,MeV$,  $m_s = 150 \rm\,MeV$,
$\tau / \Sigma = 200 \rm\,MeV$.
 \end{center}
\vspace{1cm}

\vspace{1cm}

$\left. \right.$  \hspace{-0.3in}\ifig\prtbdiag{}
{\epsfxsize17truecm\epsfbox{abphi.eps}} \vspace{-1cm}
\begin{center} Figure 5:
The condensates $\alpha \propto \pi^0$, $\beta \propto \eta$,
 $\phi \propto \eta'$  as functions of $\theta$.
 \end{center}
\vspace{1cm}

If one moves away from $\theta = \pi$ one of the two solutions of the
minimization equation~(\ref{mins}) becomes the global minimum, whereas
the other solution is a local minimum. By crossing $\theta = \pi$ the
global minimum switches between the two branches. This description is
valid in the vicinity of $\theta = \pi$. For $\mid \theta - \pi \mid >
m_u/m_s$ the second (local) minimum disappears and there is only one
(global) minimum. The situation is similar for a small mass splitting
between $m_u$ and $m_d$, although Witten's condition~(\ref{region}) is
modified for $\theta \neq \pi$. Finally, for large mass splittings
there is only one minimum of the potential for all values of $\theta$
(see also \cite{Creutz}).

\newpage

\section{Axion Cosmology}

The results described above have some
interesting implications for axion cosmology,
particularly for non-trivial configurations like
axion domain walls (ADWs). The internal structure of the
ADW was investigated previously
by Huang and Sikivie \cite{HS}, who were the
first to notice its internal $\pi^0$ structure.
In this section we emphasize the additional
$\eta, \eta'$ structure of the wall and the
nature of the coupling of an ADW to thermal
degrees of freedom below the QCD phase
transition.

In axion models \cite{CP}
the role of the $\theta$ parameter is
played by a dynamical axion field $a$,
whose potential energy is minimized at
$\theta$ very close to zero, thus providing
a solution to the strong CP problem.
The models must exhibit an anomalous
Peccei-Quinn symmetry, $U(1)_{PQ}$,
at high energies, which is spontaneously
broken at some scale $f_{PQ}$.

Because of the spontaneous breaking of
a $U(1)$ symmetry, the cosmology of these
models is somewhat involved. At temperatures below
$f_{PQ}$, global cosmological strings are formed,
which persist until the QCD chiral phase transition
(unless inflation occurs with reheat temperature
below $f_{PQ}$).
At the QCD phase transition the degeneracy corresponding to
different values of $\langle a \rangle / f_{PQ} \sim  \theta$
is lifted, with the energy minimized at
$\theta = 2 \pi n ~,~~ n \in {\cal Z}$ in the simplest
(N=1) axion models.  Since the axion field undergoes
a `winding' about the axis of the string, after the chiral phase
transition  the axion strings become connected
by domain walls in which the axion field interpolates
from $\theta = 0$ to $\theta = 2 \pi$ over a
lengthscale $m_a^{-1}$. Our earlier results imply that
there are also domain walls in the
$\pi^0$, $\eta$ and $\eta'$ condensates
across the ADW. We note that
the physical axion and
Goldstone fields are obtained by diagonalizing the
low energy mass matrix, see for example \cite{mass}.

The subsequent evolution of a network
of axion strings connected by domain walls
was studied in \cite{SS}, with the conclusion that
the ADWs could persist for many horizon times
and eventually even affect structure formation.
This conclusion relies on the assumption that the
ADW is extremely weakly coupled to the thermal
background particles\footnote{It also assumes that
an ADW does not rapidly destroy itself by self-intersection.}.
In \cite{HS} this assumption was justified by detailed
calculations. However, only the $\pi^0$ component
of the ADW was considered in \cite{HS}, and in particular
only the derivative couplings of the $\pi^0$ to nucleons.
The derivative couplings lead to effects which are
suppressed by the spatial derivative of the wall, which
is $\sim m_a$ and hence very small.

There are additional interactions of the ADW with the
thermal background which lead us to believe that, in fact,
the ADW is strongly coupled and can rapidly dissipate
excess energy.  The relevant
couplings are due to

\begin{itemize}

{\item The internal $\eta, \eta'$ structure of the wall, which
couples strongly to all hadronic thermal modes. In particular,
the $\eta'$ interactions can be estimated from the large-$N_c$
effective Lagrangian, yielding interactions such as
$n$-point $\eta'$ vertices which are suppressed at most
by powers of $1/N_c$, but are otherwise of typical
strong interaction size. }

{\item The non-derivative couplings of the $\pi^0$ domain
wall, which are suppressed by powers of the light
quark masses (explicit chiral symmetry breaking) but which are
still non-negligible. For example there are four $\pi$ interactions
with coefficient $\sim \Sigma m / f_{\pi}^4$. }

\end{itemize}

Due to the interactions mentioned above, the
ADW will appear as a potential well of depth
$\Lambda_{QCD}$
to the thermal hadrons at the QCD phase transition,
which we expect to scatter with probability of order one.
The ADW will contract
at a rate \cite{HS}
\begin{equation}
\label{dis}
{ d E \over d t } \sim  \sigma  {d l^2 \over d t } \sim - \rho l^2
\end{equation}
where $l$ is the size of the ADW,
$\sigma \sim f_{PQ} f_{\pi} m_{\pi}$  is
the surface tension of the domain wall
and $\rho$ the hadron
energy density. We will focus on the contribution to (\ref{dis})
from pions, because they are likely to have the highest energy
density after the QCD phase transition.
Since the quark condensate approaches zero at the chiral
phase transition, we expect that
the effective masses of the pions should be reduced.
We therefore estimate the
pion energy density to be given roughly by the standard relativistic
formula for massless ($m << T$) particles
\begin{equation}
\rho_{\pi} = {\pi^2 \over 30} T^4 \sim f_{\pi}^4~.
\end{equation}
This should be compared with the energy density of
axions \cite{HS} which is much smaller: %
\begin{equation}
\rho_a \sim 10^{-9} f_{\pi}^2 m_{\pi}^2~.
\end{equation}
The  contraction rate of the ADW from interactions with the $\pi$
and $\eta'$
thermal background is therefore very large
\beq
\label{dldt}
{dl \over dt} \sim {f_{\pi}^2 \over  f_{PQ} } l
{}~.
\eeq
The rate of shrinkage in (\ref{dldt}) is to be compared
with the horizon doubling time $\sim M_{P} / f_{\pi}^2$.
Since the Planck scale $M_P >> f_{PQ}$,
we expect the ADW to contract away
in a relatively short cosmological timescale, even if
the effects of self-intersections are ignored.

\vskip 1in
\newpage
\centerline{\bf Acknowledgements}
\vskip 0.1in
The authors would like to thank Pierre Sikivie for
useful discussions.
This work was supported under
DOE contract DE-AC02-ERU3075. A.N. also acknowledges
the support of Schweizerischer Nationalfonds.

\vskip 0.5in
\baselineskip=1.6pt

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaArXiv


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Sept. 2018; New York, USA: Trustee of IFPBM and former head of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care at Linz General Hospital, Prof. Hans Gombotz, has received the 2018 SABM President's Award. SABM is a US-based multidisciplinary professional medical society, dedicated to improving health outcomes, increasing safety, and reducing healthcare costs through the advancement of scientific knowledge and practice in Patient Blood Management (www.sabm.org).
The award is presented annually at the Society's Annual Meeting in recognition of those who have made outstanding medical, scientific and/or educational contributions to Patient Blood Management and who have contributed to the public good in the area of blood safety and the reduction of unnecessary transfusions.
IFPBM Trustee, Prof. Hans Gombotz, states: "I am both honoured and humbled to receive the 2018 SABM President's Award. It is thrilling for me to see Patient Blood Management being accepted around the world as the gold standard of practice."
Prof. Gombotz has a long history with Patient Blood Management in Europe. From 2005 to 2010 he was the principal investigator of the First and Second Austrian Benchmark Studies on Blood Use in Elective Surgeryand in 2010 he developed Austria's first Postgraduate Patient Blood Management Course at the University of Graz.
From 2013 to 2016 he was the Chairman of the Patient Blood Management Project of the European Commission, managing pilot projects in five European University Hospitals. The project included developing an official Patient Blood Management hospital implementation guide and an official guide for Health Authorities for Building National Patient Blood Management Programs.
He was also responsible for the implementation of Austria's first hospital-wide Patient Blood Management program at the General Hospital Linz, Austria and was a Member of the International Faculty of the Western Australia Department of Health Patient Blood Management Project from 2008 to 2012.
Prof. Gombotz has also been a Trustee of IFPBM since formation in 2016.
The International Foundation for Patient Blood Management is the world focus for Patient Blood Management knowledge.
The Foundation provides the knowledge and resources to assist patients, health professionals and organisations to understand and implement Patient Blood Management successfully.
If you or your organisation would like to help us in our work, please consider the option to Donate or become a Sponsor.
Medical professionals, specialists and administrators are invited to subscribe to IFPBM Patient Blood Management professional resources that include a 5,000+ PBM Article Database, Video Library and Speakers Bureau.
Subscriptions are €49 per annum and help the Foundation to raise awareness and knowledge of Patient Blood Management worldwide.
Patient Blood Management gives Health Professionals a new tool to help improve patient outcomes. IFPBM empowers Health Professionals with the latest practical information, research and recommendations.
There are many benefits from implementing Patient Blood Management into your healthcare system. IFPBM has the most up to date knowledge base designed to assist governments, hospitals and other institutions implement PBM.
What every one of us should know about Patient Blood Management. Why your blood is important, how to manage the Patient / Doctor relationship and what questions you should be asking.
IFPBM Terms & Conditions
© The International Foundation for Patient Blood Management Image Copyright: 123RF Stock Photo

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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DR JO-ANNE MURRAY. PhD, PgDip, PgCert, BSc (Hons), BHSII, RNutr, FHEA
Dr Jo-Anne Murray is a senior lecturer at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, which is part of the University of Edinburgh. Jo-Anne has been involved with horses since a young girl and after many years of working on different yards and attaining her British Horse Society Intermediate Instructor qualification, Jo-Anne completed a degree in Equine Science in 1998. Jo-Anne then went on to complete a postgraduate diploma in Animal Nutrition and then a PhD in Equine Nutrition. After attaining her PhD, Jo-Anne began working at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, which is part of the University of Edinburgh. At the University of Edinburgh Jo-Anne has developed the first online Equine Science programme and has extensive experience of teaching online having attained a Masters in E-learning from the University of Edinburgh. Jo-Anne is also a register Nutritionist with the British Nutrition Society and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Jo-Anne has published over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles and is invited to speak at major equine conferences around the world.


Acadian Seaplants Limited announced it has re-branded its agricultural products division and has launched the division's new identity in an effort to reflect its commitment to providing effective solutions to growers within the agricultural industry. The division, Acadian Plant Health (APH), has a fundamental purpose of sustainably empowering plants and will offer a range of premium products for maximizing crop yields.
Focusing on innovation, sustainability, grower & partner focus, and its people, APH's vision is to empower growers and their crops to sustainably feed the world today and in the future.
"The launch of this new division is an important part of Acadian Seaplants' long-term growth strategy as it sets the stage for the company to expand its suite of plant health products," said President of APH, Roger Tripathi. "I am thrilled to be able to initiate the development of a portfolio of biostimulant and bionutritional solutions that will ensure long-term, sustainable growth for both our partners and our company," added Tripathi.
The importance of the biostimulant sector, within global agricultural markets, is advancing at an unparalleled rate. ASL is an active participant in the effort to advance the growth of the global biostimulant industry. It is a contributing member of several associations, such as the European Biostimulant Industry Council (EBIC) in Europe and the Biostimulant Coalition in the United States, that work with industry regulators to define and establish a category for biostimulant products. As this work continues and new research uncovers additional plant benefits attributed to biostimulant products, their use is expected to increase considerably as they take their rightful place in mainstream, integrated crop management programs.
"It's an exciting time for Acadian Seaplants," said President and CEO of ASL, Jean-Paul Deveau."The global biostimulant industry is growing and there is an ever-pressing need and demand for agricultural products that are safe for the environment. Acadian Plant Health™ will provide growers with the solutions they need to maximize their crops' ROI and keep sustainability at the forefront," added Deveau.
Acadian's agricultural products include Acadian®, Stimplex®, Stella Maris® and Toggle™ that are used as soil and foliar inputs on over 70 crops in more than 80 countries.


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Does spatial data as to the structure of colonies link with observed patterns of predation and phenology?
Seabirds worldwide are in rapid decline and yet basic breeding of breeding success and survival are lacking across large spatial scales to disentangle the threats to them. In the polar regions, we are particularly interested in how widespread species react or adapt to environmental perturbations across their ranges and in particular their strategies of tolerance, changes in survival and reproductive success or migration and range edges.
Recent advances in both Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) and time lapse cameras now mean that we can survey colonies to obtain counts and positions of nests within and between seasons, potentially on large scales. We intend to link survey data with phenology data to determine spatial patterns of microhabitat use that are key indicators of population increase or decline, and to test spatial metrics of colony formation against predation risk and nest survival rates.
Pioneering the use of a new Animal Dynamics UAV designed for use in the marine environment, the student will create a pipeline for rapid processing of survey data to the identification of nests and use these data for large-scale comparisons of seabird colonies within and between regions.
To develop machine-learning or automated parameter estimation from camera data on seabirds.
To test these across large scales. For several species, do we detect edge of range effects in the spatial structuring of colonies and is this linked to predation
Methods to be used
Take aerial survey imagery, turn these into digital elevation models and orthographic photos. Use existing or new automation methods to
Extract the location of nests within survey images and use these to test hypotheses as to the structuring of colonies and trends across species ranges.
Extended description of the project
Marine animals; from seals to seabirds and their breeding habitats, form an essential part of the marine environment that are of concern worldwide and subject to numerous treaties and agreements. They are under threat from climate change, pollution, disturbance and competition with fisheries, but monitoring these animals and the threats to them are difficult and costly. In particular, when we don't know the appropriate scale and frequency to disentangle these overlapping threats. Our ability to monitor and detect changes in the marine environment severely lags behind our conservation goals and therefore government bodies and NGOs have been forced to adopt risk–based approaches where regions are data deficient. Even so, we have very little ability to statistically distinguish between overlapping threats to determine what is driving such declines and therefore mitigate changes (Hart et al 2015).
Population trends are usually detected using census data, which has only been done on a large scale capable of detecting national population changes every 10-15 years in the UK and Ireland (Mitchell et al. 2004). Within this context, an analysis of monitored seabird populations between 1950 and 2010 found a 70% decline globally (Paleczny et al. 2015).
Outside of the UK, programmes such as Oceanites (https://oceanites.org/research-portal/), Penguin Watch (www.penguinwatch.org) and MAPPPD (http://www.penguinmap.com/) have shown that it is possible to increase frequency and coverage of monitoring even in challenging areas like the Southern Ocean that have been pivotal in informing the creation and management of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs; http://www.gov.gs/south-georgia-and-the-south-sandwich-islands-mpa-enhancements/).
Animal Dynamics are developing a new UAV called "Shearwater", which is a long-range all-weather surveillance UAV for the marine sector. The design specifications of this vehicle are that it is capable of vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) from vessels and the water surface with an extended 4 hour and 200 km range. Such a vehicle has the capacity to revolutionise marine monitoring for conservation, marine spatial planning and fisheries monitoring and enforcement if we can develop the tools for appropriate assessment of data.
We wish to trial this UAV to collect widespread census data from the marine environment in the UK and further afield. We will use existing UAV imagery from two polar field seasons to construct a pipeline for the rapid processing of imagery to 3D models and the automated or semi-automated identification of nests within this landscape. Methods for the automated detection of penguins exist and these may need to be expanded for other seabird species.
Specialised skills required
The student will need to be proficient in R and preferably GIS. The student will also need to be capable of carrying out fieldwork in remote areas although this will be with substantial support and training.
If you are interested in this project please contact Tom Hart tom.hart@zoo.ox.ac.uk in the first instance


The physicians and staff at Capitol Pediatrics are advocates for your child's well-being and strive to remain up-to-date on current advancements in the management of Pediatric illness and preventative care. In order to maintain the health of your child as well as other members of the community, we require our patients to complete the vaccination schedule as approved by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Below is the schedule of check-ups and vaccinations as provided and recommended by our office. Please feel free to discuss any questions or concerns you may have regarding preventative care, vaccines, or other minor issues at the time of your well-child visit. If you have any additional concerns that may require a lengthier or more involved discussion, we request that you make a separate appointment so that we can provide you and your child with the additional time and undivided attention you deserve.


Super Bowl is coming, so today's posts include a variety of inherited chili recipes, topped off with this inspired recipe, 3-Bean Super Bowl Chili. This new recipe is the result of all of the other chili recipes we've loved, and a new-found love for all things extremely hot and spicy.
The Tiguas, who are descendants of Indians from New Mexico's Pueblo tribes, run amazing tribal restaurants in Texas' oldest town, Ysleta (which means "little island'), which is now a suburb of the border city of El Paso. There they offer Indian, Mexican and Texan tastes on a menu that includes bread baked exactly the way it was 300 years ago, sizzling fajitas and this fiery red chile stew.
This chili even lasso'ed my son, ~he claims not to like chicken, but uttered a loud "mmmmm" when he tasted it!
This was a typical recipe until Sriracha helped to adjust the recipe, add a bit of heat, and crisp up the wings!
Combine marinade ingredients and pour over wings. Marinade in refrigerator 2-3 hours. Bake at 350° F. 45 min., then pace under broiler to crisp and slightly char. Serves 4-6.
Palomino Restaurant was a popular locale in Minneapolis in the early 1990s. While the restaurant can still be found in other cities, it closed in Minneapolis. But, before it left, I was sure to secure it's wing recipe.


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Mountain Lions Killed After Eating Human Remains Near Trail
The cougars are not suspected to have killed the person in Arizona incident
Posted Jan 2, 2020 1:05 PM CST
This undated remote camera image shows a female mountain lion in the Santa Monica Mountains, Calif. (National Park Service via AP)
(Newser) – Three mountain lions were killed by officials in Arizona after eating human remains near a popular hiking trail. The big cats, also called cougars or pumas, are not suspected of killing the person who was eaten, but the fact that they consumed the remains is troublesome because the animals are not typically scavengers, authorities say. "A mountain lion eating human remains is abnormal behavior," the state's Game & Fish Department regional supervisor says in a statement, per CNN. "Those that do are more likely to attack a human being in the future. In addition, they did so 50 yards from a popular hiking trail and within sight of homes, and repeatedly showed no fear of responding officers." Another official adds, per CBS, that with abundant live prey in the area, it's not clear why the mountain lions would eat a dead body.
The remains were discovered Tuesday morning at Pima Canyon Trail near Tucson, and a portion of the Coronado National Forest was temporarily closed as authorities first tried, in vain, to trap the mountain lions, Fox News reports. The mountain lions were killed overnight after being found to be "a clear and present danger to public safety," the supervisor said Wednesday, and the trail was reopened. "We thought the risk was too great and we had to take action," says the other official. Authorities are still attempting to identify the victim and determine what happened to them, with an autopsy scheduled Thursday; the mountain lions' bodies are also being preserved as possible evidence. (Read more mountain lion stories.)


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Someone Covered Their Toyota Corolla in Cow Poop to Keep Cool During the Hot Summer
This thing will have you saying "holy crap."
byRob Stumpf| UPDATED May 21, 2019 2:44 PM
Rob StumpfView rob stumpf's Articles
RobDrivesCars
allthingslow/
You've probably heard the term "sh*tbox" before, but this feces-friendly Toyota Corolla absolutely takes the cake. Welcome to the world of eco-conscious, all-natural air conditioning: cow dung.
A man by the name of Rupesh Gauranga recently posted a photo to Facebook which he says was sent to him from a woman in the Western Indian city of Ahmedabad. Attached are two photos of a Toyota Corolla Altis which appears to be covered in rust. A closer inspection, however, reveals a much more perturbed predicament.
Yeah, that's poop.
Your stomach is probably a bit unsettled now. You want to laugh, but you also want to throw up a little bit. Just why would someone do this?
Heat. Summers in India can be extremely hot and with temperatures peaking in May and June, air conditioning is a must. But when it comes to city driving, even newer cars have trouble keeping up with the sun beating down. According to the Facebook post, the woman who owns the car decided to take matters into her own hands once the climate started reaching daily temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius).
In rural India, cow feces is often used as an inexpensive method of insulation. It's commonplace for walls and floors to be intentionally coated with dung to keep the interior of a structure tepid in the harsh heat of summer or intense chill of winter. It's also believed to be a natural disinfectant and mosquito repellent.
That being said, I still have many questions. Does it work? How much does it weigh? Does it protect against door dings? What happens when it rains? And—most importantly—how does it smell?
I'll at least give this driver points for not covering her windshield.
News by BrandToyota News


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Cobra Woman (1944) Robert Siodmak, Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Sabu
Upon discovering his fiancée Tollea has been kidnaped, Ramu and his friend Kado set out for a Pacific isle where all strangers are to be killed on arrival and the inhabitants, who are frequently sacrificed to an angry volcano god, worship the cobra. The island is ruled over by Tollea's evil twin Naja, the Cobra Woman, who, besides having designs on her new prisoner Ramu, also desires to eliminate any competition from her benevolent sister.
Also Known As (AKA): Le signe du cobra, Il cobra, A Mulher Serpente, La reina de cobra, Die Schlangenpriesterin
File Name : Cobra Woman 1944.mkv
Subs: Russian (embedded)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Romance
Cobra_Woman_1944.mkv
1940s english Jon Hall Maria Montez Robert Siodmak SABU USA 2019-02-19
Tagged with: 1940s english Jon Hall Maria Montez Robert Siodmak SABU USA
Previous: Beat Girl (1960) Edmond T. Gréville, David Farrar, Noëlle Adam, Christopher Lee
Next: Far from Home (1975) Sohrab Shahid Saless, Parviz Sayyad, Cihan Anasai, Muhammet Temizkan
Cinderfella (1960) Frank Tashlin, Jerry Lewis, Ed Wynn, Judith Anderson
Scandal Sheet (1985) David Lowell Rich, Burt Lancaster, Lauren Hutton, Pamela Reed
My World Dies Screaming (1958) Harold Daniels, Gerald Mohr, Cathy O'Donnell, William Ching, Horror, Mystery, Romance
Madame Spy (1942) Roy William Neill, Constance Bennett, Don Porter, John Litel
Nana (1934) Dorothy Arzner, George Fitzmaurice, Anna Sten, Phillips Holmes, Lionel Atwill
Copie conforme / Certified Copy (2010) Abbas Kiarostami, Juliette Binoche, William Shimell, Jean-Claude Carrière, Drama
Quiz (2012) Dick Maas, Barry Atsma, Hanna Verboom, Susan Radder
Craig's Wife (1936) Dorothy Arzner, Rosalind Russell, John Boles, Billie Burke
The Third Contest / Mondonosuke Sanban Shobu (1965) Tetsuya Yamanouchi, Shigeru Amachi, Kanjûrô Arashi, Gannosuke Ashiya, Drama
Anything Goes (1936) Lewis Milestone, Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman, Charles Ruggles
My Man and I (1952) William A. Wellman, Shelley Winters, Ricardo Montalban, Wendell Corey
The Fan (1949) Otto Preminger, Jeanne Crain, Madeleine Carroll, George Sanders, Comedy, Romance
Fairy Tales (1978) Harry Hurwitz, Don Sparks, Sy Richardson, Irwin Corey
Grand Old Girl (1935) John S. Robertson, May Robson, Mary Carlisle, Fred MacMurray
Sciuscià / Shoeshine (1946) Vittorio De Sica, Rinaldo Smordoni, Franco Interlenghi, Annielo Mele, Drama
The Eddie Cantor Story (1953) Alfred E. Green, Keefe Brasselle, Marilyn Erskine, Aline MacMahon
A Lovers Return (1946) Christian-Jaque, Louis Jouvet, Gaby Morlay, François Périer
He Died with a Felafel in His Hand (2001) Richard Lowenstein, Noah Taylor, Emily Hamilton, Romane Bohringer
Moscow AKA Moskva (2000) Aleksandr Zeldovich, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Tatyana Drubich, Natalya Kolyakanova
Virdzina / Virgina (1991) Srdjan Karanovic, Miodrag Krivokapic, Ina Gogálová, Slobodan Milovanovic, Drama
Hercules vs the Molloch (1963) Giorgio Ferroni, Gordon Scott, Alessandra Panaro, Rosalba Neri, Adventure, Fantasy
When Eight Bells Toll (1971) Etienne Périer, Anthony Hopkins, Jack Hawkins, Robert Morley
North of Hudson Bay (1923) John Ford, Tom Mix, Kathleen Key, Frank Campeau
Ken (1964) Kenji Misumi, Raizô Ichikawa, Yûsuke Kawazu, Hisaya Morishige, Drama
Electra Glide in Blue (1973) James William Guercio, Robert Blake, Billy Green Bush, Mitchell Ryan, Crime, Drama, Mystery
The Naked Ape (1973) Donald Driver, Johnny Crawford, Victoria Principal, Dennis Olivieri
Fires Were Started (1943) Humphrey Jennings, Philip Dickson, George Gravett, Fred Griffiths, Drama, War
Lady, Let's Dance (1944) Frank Woodruff, Belita, James Ellison, Walter Catlett, Musical, Romance, War
A Cry in the Night (1956) Frank Tuttle, Edmond O'Brien, Brian Donlevy, Natalie Wood, Crime, Drama, Film-Noir
Africa Express (1975) Michele Lupo, Giuliano Gemma, Ursula Andress, Jack Palance, Adventure
Inimi cicatrizate / Scarred Hearts (2016) Radu Jude, Serban Pavlu, Gabriel Spahiu, Ivana Mladenovic, Biography, Drama
Expensive Women (1931) Hobart Henley, Dolores Costello, H.B. Warner, Warren William
SubUrbia (1996) Richard Linklater, Giovanni Ribisi, Steve Zahn, Jayce Bartok, Comedy, Drama
Her Lonely Lane AKA Hôrô-ki (1962) Mikio Naruse, Hideko Takamine, Akira Takarada, Daisuke Katô
The Beat That My Heart Skipped AKA De battre mon coeur s'est arrêté (2005) Jacques Audiard, Romain Duris, Niels Arestrup, Jonathan Zaccaï, Gilles Cohen
Justice, My Foot! AKA Sam sei goon (1992) Johnnie To, Stephen Chow, Anita Mui, Man-Tat Ng
Moscow on the Hudson (1984) Paul Mazursky, Robin Williams, Maria Conchita Alonso, Cleavant Derricks, Comedy, Drama, Romance
Backbiters (1924) Albert Dieudonné, Jean Renoir, Catherine Hessling, Albert Dieudonné, Eugénie Nau, Drama
Apache War Smoke (1952) Harold F. Kress, Gilbert Roland, Glenda Farrell, Robert Horton
Death of a Champion (1939) Robert Florey, Lynne Overman, Virginia Dale, Joseph Allen
Biography of a Bachelor Girl (1935) Edward H. Griffith, Ann Harding, Robert Montgomery, Edward Everett Horton
Revenge of the Musketeers / La fille de d'Artagnan (1994) Bertrand Tavernier, Sophie Marceau, Philippe Noiret, Claude Rich, Action, Adventure, Comedy
Chinatown (1974) Roman Polanski, Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston, Crime, Drama, Mystery
The Young Girls of Rochefort / Les demoiselles de Rochefort (1967) Jacques Demy, Catherine Deneuve, George Chakiris, Françoise Dorléac, Comedy, Drama, Musical
Wings (1927) William A. Wellman, Harry d'Abbadie d'Arrast, Clara Bow, Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, Richard Arlen


We live at the end of the road at the foot of Mont-Blanc.
Even though behind we have the Ever White Mountain, during three months of the year our home is in the dark side since we don´t get any sun during the winter. Despite all, I like to think about it as the perfect balance: The White Mountain needs to create darkness, the taller you are the bigger your shadow is or…something like that.
Oh my god! I missed the sun!
We have a crystal hanging in one of ours windows and during last week that crystal started to bring new colors and lights to our living room, again.
It can sound like a super small detail but the fact is that I almost cried.
I´m taking a risk of sounding like a crazy person but, have you ever feel that from now on, everything is going to be better and better, no matter what?
Soon, it will be one year since I came to Europe following my heart, following Andreas´ heart also. It sounds funny but only now I feel ready to face this journey. I feel ready, full of energy, happy, confident.
I feel -like a truth inside of me- that I am free to choose how my life will be from now on: It can be a little awkward (hell is not even an option) or it can be like heaven.
I guess you know what I will choose.
Previous Previous post: About Yoga and being Lost.
Next Next post: Please share.


Here at the Kwatra Lab, we are working to find targeted therapies for patients with glioblastoma (GBM). GBM is among the most aggressive and common primary brain tumors in adults. GBM patients have an extremely poor prognosis, and none of the current treatments (including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) have been able to extend median survival beyond fifteen months. The goal of our laboratory is to modify the current standard of care for GBM patients by replacing the chemotherapy/radiation step with targeted therapy.
To develop targeted therapy, we must know the molecular pathways driving tumor growth. These pathways are likely to differ among GBM patients because GBMs are heterogeneous. Recent molecular characterization of GBMs by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) resulted in the identification of four major subtypes: classical, mesenchymal, proneural, and neural. It is likely that each subtype will be found to be heterogeneous upon additional molecular characterization. Indeed this appears to be the case. We recently characterized a panel of twenty patient-derived glioblastoma xenografts (PDGXs) according to TCGA criteria, followed by proteomic characterization of the PDGXs and their corresponding primary tumors. We also found that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), which is one of the major proteins dys-regulated in GBM, is activated in seven PDGX (see our the preclinical models tab). It is our hope we can continue to use our preclinical models to find therapies for GBM patients using our strategy detailed below.
Classify and Conquer. Classify GBMs into subsets that utilize a similar molecular machinery for their growth (identified using proteomics and genetic approaches) and use drugs (both known and new) to block both primary and secondary growth pathways. Please see the above graphic.
To modify the current standard of care for GBM patients to decrease tumor recurrence and increase patient survival by developing targeted therapies based on tumors' molecular profiles.
Left: Sagittal T1-weighted MRI showing normal brain.
Middle left: Sagittal T1-weighted MRI showing a peripherally enhancing, centrally necrotic glioblastoma located in the frontal lobe causing significant swelling of surrounding tissue.
Middle right: Sagittal T1-weighted MRI showing peripherally enhancing, centrally necrotic glioblastoma located in the temporal lobe causing mass effect on surrounding tissue.
Right: Sagittal T1-weighted MRI showing an occipital lobe glioblastoma tumor in a pediatric patient.


text:
David Keith Feed
A season in hell: bushfires push at least 20 threatened species closer to extinction
In a matter of weeks, the fires have subverted decades of dedicated conservation efforts for many threatened species.
UNSW Science shines at Eurekas
UNSW scientists working on quantum computing, marine science and threatened ecosystems have won three prestigious Australian Museum Eureka Prizes – for leadership, science communication, and environmental research.
Red List approach identifies Australian ecosystems at risk
Climate change has emerged as a key threat to a wide range of Australian ecosystems according to a study which is the first to implement a new Red List for identifying systems at high risk of degradation.
New Red List for threatened ecosystems
UNSW scientists have led the development of a new Red List system for identifying ecosystems at high risk of degradation, similar to the influential Red List for the world's threatened species.


We are making HUGE changes!!
Thats a good thing for you.
Orders that are received before Jan 21st will be addressed, anything from the 21st on will be received but you may experience longer than normal wait times. Your orders will likely ship after Feb 4th at the soonest.
Email responses may be out of service for the time frame specified.


Drier in dry areas, wetter in already wet areas. This just about sums up the future water supply situation in India at the end of the century. In areas that are already experiencing water shortages, adaptation to climate change is very important for sustainable development and combatting poverty.
Rajasthan is an area in the northern part of India that is currently experiencing water shortages. Researchers from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, SMHI, have – together with Indian researchers – studied how a change in climate can affect supplies of water.
The study shows that by the end of the century, India could be experiencing up to 50 per cent changes in precipitation levels, ground humidity, snow depth, run-off, irrigation requirements and in the return times for droughts and high water flows. Maps show that the current pattern is accentuated in future climate conditions, so that dry areas will become drier and wet areas wetter.
"The change is of roughly the same magnitude as in previous calculations for India, but the spatial distribution is different, especially for the southern and north-western parts of the country. This shows that the new resolution in the climate models is of significance for impact studies," says Ilias Pechlivanidis, a researcher in hydrology at SMHI.
The project is the first of its kind in which researchers have used new detailed regional climate simulations from the CORDEX Project over the southern parts of Asia. The results have been compared with those of earlier studies of the region performed by other research groups.
"The project focuses on one specific area, the Luni River, but we set up the hydrological calculation model, HYPE, for the whole of India. This means that we can use the system on future projects and test hypotheses for the environment in India," says Berit Arheimer, Head of SMHI's hydrological research unit.
The results of the project were presented at a conference held in Rajasthan. The climate impact studies, as well as the conference itself, were financed by Sida.
Now SMHI's research staff are continuing their work together with Indian researchers from the Central University of Rajasthan and have initiated the planning of a new project with a focus on climate adaptation linked with a changed water balance and extremes. The proposal also builds on the new calculation system and responses from representatives of sectors that are affected by climate changes.
"Adaptation to a changed climate requires cross-sector cooperation at all levels of society. The local influence of players who are involved in planning and decision-making is of course necessary, but regional and national demands for the consideration of climate variability and changes are also necessary," says Lotta Andersson from the Swedish National Knowledge Centre for Climate Change Adaptation at SMHI.
SMHI's contact at the Central University of Rajasthan, Devesh Sharma, and SMHI researchers Berit Arheimer, Lotta Andersson and Ilias Pechlivanidis are among those who have been involved in studying future water supply in India, and in paving the way for new projects.


Blizzard announced in January that Overwatch had surpassed the 25 million player milestone, but despite being nearly a year old, there's still no standardized way to benchmark the game.
For example: your monitor has a 60 refresh rate but your counter says you're getting 180 it may be contributing to high temperatures. Basically the GPU is rendering more 3X the FPS than your monitor can display.
Enable Vsync to limit the game's framerate (FPS), which may lower the temperature of your GPU. You can also lower your FPS in most of our games by using controls found in the graphics settings. You can also lower your FPS in most of our games by using controls found in the graphics settings.


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Plants, Trees and Wildflowers
Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Mid-Atlantic
By J. Duane Sept
The possible benefits of wild plants for human health and well-being are extensive! Early settlers from England and Europe brought their knowledge of edible plants and medical treatments with them to the New World. Indigenous peoples too developed a widespread knowledge of edible and medicinal plants. With this pamphlet you can use this valuable information to find the common species present in the Region.
Additional information included in this guide includes:
• Habitats where desirable species are located
• How to harvest plants in an environmentally sustainable manor
• Become aware of the plants that are poisonous to touch
• Identifying poisonous plants that may also be encountered With this guide you will look at the plant life around you in a whole new light!
This 12-panel guide, conveniently folds up in to a packet narrow enough to fit in a back pocket, glove box or backpack yet sturdy enough to stand up to outdoor use—durable lamination also makes it waterproof.
Size: 4"x 9" folded; 9" x 24.5" unfolded.
Click the arrows to move between the pages of our Electronic Flip Guide.
J. Duane Sept
Duane Sept is a biologist, professional free-lance nature photographer and writer. Duane's award-winning photographs have been published internationally in books, magazines, newspapers, displays and others. He is the author of 30+ natural history books including Common Mushrooms of the Northwest published by Calypso Publishing which is a best seller many times over! He is also the past president of the Sunshine Coast Mycological Society in British Columbia.
Edible and Medicinal Plants of New England
The possible benefits of wild plants for human health and well-being are extensive! Early settlers from England and Europe brought their knowledge of edible plants and medical treatments with them to the New World. Indigenous peoples too developed a widespread knowledge of edible and medicinal plants. With this pamphlet you can use this valuable information to find the common species present in the Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.
• Habitats where desirable species are located • How to harvest plants in an environmentally sustainable manor
Edible and Medicinal Plants of the Pacific Northwest
The possible benefits of wild plants for human health and well-being are extensive! Early settlers from England and Europe brought their knowledge of edible plants and medical treatments with them to the New World. Indigenous peoples too developed a widespread knowledge of edible and medicinal plants. With this pamphlet you can use this valuable information to find the common species present in the Pacific Northwest.
• Identifying poisonous plants that may also be encountered
With this guide you will look at the plant life around you in a whole new light! This 12-panel guide, conveniently folds up in to a packet narrow enough to fit in a back pocket, glove box or backpack yet sturdy enough to stand up to outdoor use—durable lamination also makes it waterproof.
Edible and Medicinal Plants of California
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Mushrooms of Tennessee
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• How to make a spore print
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• Illustrations of the major mushroom groups
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Magnificent Motorcycling on Mull
It's a disgrace. I was born in Oban; lived in Tyndrum for 19 years (well, since I moved home again), and I had never been to Mull. Shock, horror.
What was really odd, Ed and I had the same inclination to go to Mull within hours of each other. I 'was' planning on popping to Oban; then I thought, might as well go to Mull seeing as I am there….. When we came home from work that day, he said he wanted to go to Mull via Lochaline. OK then, game on. Sod going to Oban!
We debated the ferry times. There was a ferry really early, however, to get to it we would have to get out our scratcher at 6.30. Hang on a mo, we don't even get up at that time normally. I fall out of bed at about 8am normally; shower, hair washed, dried, dressed and in work for 8.30. Down to a fine art. I thank boarding school for that. Once I woke at 8.15, with a jolt and still managed all of the above before 8.30!
So, being sensible, we opted for the 7.30 alarm. Much more sociable. Normally Ed lets me head off first. This morning, I selected first gear outside the garage at 8.20. Ed was still in his pants. It's become a challenge, let's see how far I can go before Ed catches up with me. This summer, I have been driving slightly more 'progressively', Ed has been taking longer to catch up. 🙂
There was diesel on the road north of Tyndrum. Careful. It was mainly on the southbound carriageway, however, some had dribbled over onto our side. When I got to Onich and Ed hadn't caught me up, I was worried. I know I shouldn't be, he's a very capable rider. So, I turned into the Corran ferry and joined the queue. I was behind the box junction, was off the bike and starting to feel marginally worried. Doesn't take this time to catch up, pants or not.
Then, a wee polo comes round to join the queue, well, actually, he tried to overtake me, then realised I had stopped for the box junction. I was pretty damn obvious. I resembled Santa: red bike, red jacket and a white helmet. I did get a wee wave of apology. The queue moved. I decided to go onto the ferry, with or without Ed. He still hadn't shown up…. I looked up at the Captain of the ferry (I am sure they have another name, you know, the one that sails the ship). I made motions of 'looking' for someone, then shrugged my shoulders. He got the hint. A few minutes later, there was Ed coming down the road. Phew. Not long after Ed was on board, we set sail. £4.40 later we were paid up members.
That's ma boy
It was a bit drizzly, however, it didn't stop us having a good run to the Lochaline Ferry. Not long after we got there, the ferry appeared. £34.80 return. Ouch. Even the ticket lady told us to brace ourselves! What were the cars paying???? Again, a short crossing and before we knew it, we were on Mull.
Lochaline
As I got onto the Island, I shouted 'MULL' at the top of my voice. Woohoo! At last! We headed up towards Tobermory. We were both surprised to find a single track road for part of the route on the way. Oh well, that set the tone for the day.
You have to go to Tobermory though. Really, I only went to see if I could find Tobermory Cat. TC is now world famous. Sadly, he had decided to take a well deserved day off. Otters were noted for their absence too :(. We took a wee stroll along the front. Oh look, there's the Mishnish. Seems rude not to, so went in and had a drink. The barman was a bitty miserable to start with, however, he soon warmed up, no doubt due to our enthusiastic banter. All the real ale was 'off', so Ed asked if he had 'normal' Guinness, "No, he said, "We only have the chilled one. But leave it for a wee while and it'll be just at the right temperature for you." Oh yes, he did. Fanny.
Mishnish
After our refreshment, we headed down the main street. Not much to distract us from our grumbling stomachs, so we headed back along to the Cafe Fish, who were advertising fresh seafood. Behind motorcycling, eating seafood is Ed's next passion. He's good at it too. We walked in at noon. By half past, the place was full. Not a big place, however, the time we sat there scoffing our way through two seafood platters, they had turned away the same amount of people that were in the cafe! It was stunning. Totally different to what we normally fill our faces with at the Lochleven Seafood Cafe, but well worth the visit.
I was 'ere
Love the sign….
Feeling stuffed, we tried to find some otters and TC. Nae luck. Back on the bikes in a drizzle, which thankfully was just for a short time. We followed the road to Dervaig, all the way round the island. On single track roads. They weren't in the best condition, you had to pay attention and definitely had to think about being able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear on your side of the road. All day that was the case….. challenging to say the least. Glad to be on a motorbike! Then all the way down to the Iona ferry pier. What welcomed us made our trip worth it. The sun came out and the view was breathtaking.
By the time we got there, given it was challenging riding, I needed a sugar fix. Mars bar – well, half of one of those two bar packs. Just what the doctor ordered. My brain was in a much better place. We headed back, having covered most of the island, we only had to get back to Fishnish for our ferry. For me, that was the best part. The roads were in better condition and there weren't so many tourists. Ace. We knew when the last ferry was running so we had a bit of fun on the way. As much as it was still single track roads, the line of sight was great and the road surface much better. All in all perfect.
We were accepting that we would be getting on the last ferry, however, as we got round the headland, I spied the ferry coming into Fishnish. It was going to be a close run thing. We might make the earlier ferry….. Damn traffic coming down the road made us stop…. As Ed got to the ferry, there it was starting to pull away. He waved his arms. Bless, they put down the ramp again so we could get on. Result!! That made our day even better!
The run to Ardgour was another highlight, apart from the knobs who wouldn't let me pass. Just as well they turned off, I was about to put my main beam on as I was verging on frustration. I don't get road rage in the slightest, however, I was getting a bitty pissed off! Once they had gone, it was a clear run to the ferry. One of the crew commented that he was pleased I had found Ed and managed to keep him during the day, making it back to the ferry together.
By this time, my petrol light had come on. 32 miles left in the tank. It's 32 miles from Glencoe village to home. I probably would have made it fine and dandy, however, who the hell wants to go through Glencoe at 50mph to preserve fuel? Not me. I filled up in Onich and stonked home. Lovely.
What a great day. Mull, big tick. Would we go back? Possibly if it was dry. Would go back for the squat lobsters and to find TC. It's been a long day though, it was challenging riding. Smoggy was just ace, and as it says in the blurb, did 250 miles to a tank. Nae bad. Big grins.
Oh, and only spotted 5 other bikes too. How odd, I would have expected more than that.
Back in my garage at 8.15pm.
Tags: Motorcycling, Mull, Tobermory
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Computational physics moulds the future of electronic devices
by Aalto University
Fundamental studies based on computational physics are an essential part of many different branches of research – from medical technology to mobile communication. Javad Hashemi has studied the electronic properties and conductivity of different structures based on carbon nanotubes in his doctoral dissertation for the Aalto University Department of Applied Physics.
Javad Hashemi's research is an effort to bridge the gap between experimental and theoretical physics.
"In computational physics we have two general areas: method development and application, which is simulating actual nano-scale systems, mostly with supercomputers. My work is a combination of both," describes Hashemi.
Hashemi has done basic research in both density-functional theory and density-matrix theory. The first is used to calculate the electronic properties of a physical system based on its electronic density.
"Density functionals have many shortcomings because of the approximations we use for it. A density matrix, on the other hand, can give more accurate results and allows us to calculate the properties of electronic systems more precisely."
"The study of nanotube structures and graphene is a very hot topic in nanoelectronics nowadays, and my computational research can give explanations for phenomena observed in experiments."
The basics of bendable and transparent nanoelectronics
When applied to "real-world" devices, carbon nanotubes are never complete and pristine: defects and imperfections affect the flow of electrons. Hashemi's research strives to understand what is the effect of defects on the conductivity of nanotubes and how to use these properties to engineer electronic devices.
"We have studied carbon nanotubes, which are cylinders made of a single atomic layer of carbon and tried to find out how the electronic current changes when applied through the tube. The effects of the defects and perturbations, for instance of foreign hydrogen atoms, on the electronic transport in the tubes must be known."
Hashemi paints a prospective application for the carbon nanotube structures: very thin, transparent and bendable electronic devices, for instance mobile phones.
"Good candidates for flexible electronic devices are carbon nanotube networks: a mat-like network on which there are many carbon nanotubes. Therefore, we need to know, how the current goes from one nanotube to another and another."
"This is the complicated physics behind flexible electronic devices. Even though fundamental research like this may seem something far off from real life now, it is the base of all modern technologic devices, and it will help to create better devices for easier life in the future."
Sandia researcher examines the physics of carbon nanotubes
Provided by Aalto University
Citation: Computational physics moulds the future of electronic devices (2013, January 2) retrieved 18 July 2019 from https://phys.org/news/2013-01-physics-moulds-future-electronic-devices.html
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Improve the health of both your teeth and your gums with a dental treatment from Beverly Hills's Jay A. Solnit. When you take advantage of an oral health service from this dental clinic, such as check-ups, you can keep your gums and teeth healthy. Remember to take care of all your toothy matters at Jay A. Solnit, and walk away with a healthier mouth.
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text:
Holocaust survivor's speech comparing Israel to Nazis censored at British university
The speech for Israeli Apartheid Week at Manchester University was originally titled: "A Holocaust survivor's story and the Balfour declaration: You're doing to the Palestinians what the Nazis did to me."
Trump's Hebrew translator lets the president's words speak for themselves
Merav Rosenbaum, a high school Hebrew teacher in San Francisco, is a contractor with the State Department and has now worked with three presidents.
Gingrich says he'd move embassy on first day
Newt Gingrich said he would move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem on his first day in office as president.
Students arrested for heckling Oren at Irvine speech
By	JTA Staff	 February 9, 2010 7:57 pm
Israel likes speech, stresses security
By	Ron Kampeas	 June 5, 2009 6:30 pm
Aussie Jewish paper refuses ad for activist's speech
By	Dan Goldberg	 March 12, 2009 4:54 pm
Hillel provides special edition of King speech
By	Eric Fingerhut	 January 13, 2009 8:00 pm


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Vedic Astrology Magic Powers
Many people are curious about the future prospects of astrology. The new ease with which horoscopes can be interpreted may have contributed to the renewed interest in the subject. Indeed, according to the Organization for Professional Astrology, the number of astrologers has doubled over the past year. Not everyone is a convert. First, astrologists do not always have the same views and interpretations.
In addition to astrology's use in religion, ancient people have had a very complex understanding of the universe and its processes. The oldest known document on astrology is a four century BC planetary omen tablets. It tracks the motion of Venus. Ancient Egyptians believed that stars formed constellations and that the sun moves at specific times throughout the year. Some astrologers believe that the movements of the stars reveal God's will.
Modern astrologers use a wide variety of methods to interpret a person's natal chart. The traditional zodiac sign is only one small detail. Astrologers study the whole chart, including birth date, year, and place, and look at these as indicators of our personality traits. They also consider other elements of your chart, such as asteroids and the Chiron comet. The information provided by these sources may help them determine your fate.
A 1990 study found that 26 percent of Americans believed in Astrology, while only 26 percent believed in it. This compares to the twenty-six percent who didn't. Two major publications have cited statistics that show that Americans are more open to astrology than ever before. They also noted that less Americans considered astrology "not scientific" in 2012. In fact, the rejection rate for astrology has dropped to 55 percent, its lowest level since 1983.
The application of astrology in the birth process is known as natal or genethlialogy. The astronomical bodies that influence a person's sign during their birth have an effect on their parents, siblings, children, and other family members. The two branches of genethlialogy are further subdivided into two: natal astrology and mundane astrology. Those two branches of genethlialogy are different.
Astrology is a subject that has many misconceptions and myths. Astrology is based on the belief that the planets in heaven influence the earthly world. It seeks to understand the natural world by establishing rules that govern the relative positions and movements of the heavenly bodies. Astrologists can predict the characteristics of a person's personality, including whether they'll be a successful businessman, a renowned musician, or an aspiring entrepreneur.
While astrology was once considered pseudoscience by some scientists, the prevailing view is that it's a largely natural phenomenon and therefore a valid form of interpretation. Odenwald warns against making a decision based solely on astrology. Astrology is not just about predicting the future. It is also based on people's feelings, hopes and experiences.
Many millennials believe in New Age spirituality, despite their skeptical outlook. Compared to previous generations, they are not as likely to identify with religion. Nevertheless, astrology has a large following and continues to be a popular subject of fascination. It can provide a context for individual emotions and struggles. Consequently, many people use astrology in psychological counselling. It is an excellent way to gain insight into your own personality and the lives of others.
A clear distinction between astrology and astronomy was established in the late 1400s. In fact, Isidore of Seville wrote c.630 that astrology is not an accurate science. Astrology had a distinct meaning by the 1600s. It was based on observation and research. It also influenced other disciplines, such as the sciences of medicine and astronomy. However, astrology remains an intriguing subject, despite the lack of scientific evidence.
Our signs are also influenced by the planets. Certain zodiac traits are more powerful than others. Fire signs, for example, are associated with passion, while earth signs, on the other hand, are more practical and materialistic. Air signs are prone to creativity, but can be indecisive and unpredictable. They are prone to emotional outbursts, but are excellent communicators. Pisces, a water sign, is sensitive, creative, intuitive, and emotional. They may want to escape from reality.
The sun sign or zodiac sign of a person represents their core personality, basic preferences, and how they move around the world. It reveals a person's innate strengths and weaknesses as well as their blind spots, which are often overlooked. The zodiac gives them a unique celestial profile and serves as their personal cosmic fingerprint. Learn more about your horoscope's stars to discover more about your personality.
Gnosticism Astrology
Indian Astrology Planet


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San Gabriel Unified Receives National Recognition for Increased Access to Music Education
SAN GABRIEL, CA – San Gabriel Unified's efforts to provide high-quality arts and music instruction at all educational levels have been recognized with a Best Communities for Music Education designation, an award given to just 18 school districts in the state and 623 districts nationwide.
The designation, given by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation, celebrates school districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.
"Music education – as well as the greater arts field – is important because it is a vehicle through which students can express themselves," Jefferson Middle School orchestra director Esther Minwary said. "Music making is a way for the students to simultaneously explore the emotional, physical, and intellectual worlds that they want and need in their growth process."
San Gabriel Unified provides a TK-12 pipeline of music instruction, beginning with foundational music lessons in elementary school, choral and band electives in middle school and 12 music, vocal and theater electives in high school.
The District has expanded elementary music programs over the last year, hiring a second full-time instructor and ensuring every elementary school provides K-5 lessons.
The District is also home to the TK-5 Music Immersion Experience (MIE) program – a two-time NAMM SupportMusic Merit Award recipient – which enhances student learning and achievement through music education.
Housed at Roosevelt Elementary, MIE offers all students daily fundamental music lessons; second- through fifth-graders can also sign up for three elective courses that meet one to three times a week.
"I am very proud of every single San Gabriel Unified educator who brings music and joy to our students' lives," SGUSD Superintendent Dr. John Pappalardo said. "Their dedication to their craft and hard work with all of our students changes lives for the better. Congratulations to our outstanding staff on this well-deserved honor!'"
SANGAB_NAMM: Gabrielino High's Pep Band performs for SGUSD staff during a professional development day. San Gabriel Unified's music programs were awarded the Best Communities for Music Education designation by the National Association of Music Merchants Foundation.


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Home Economics & PolicyCorruption Executive Magazine's July/August issue
CorruptionEconomics & PolicyEntrepreneurshipHospitality & TourismSpecial Report
Executive Magazine's July/August issue
by Executive Editors August 19, 2020
Executive Editors August 19, 2020
It has been just over two weeks since the deadly Beirut Port explosion that killed at least 180, injured over 6,000, and left over a hundred thousand without homes. The impacts of this horrific event are still unfolding.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Lebanon's most recent sit rep on the port explosion, covering the period from August 14 – 17, says that an estimated 70,000 workers have lost their jobs as a result of the blast, this coming amid an economic crisis that has improvished so much of the country—compounded by a coronavirus crisis that has, post blast, reasserted its threat through record increases in cases and a new lockdown scheduled for August 21 to September 6.
Our July/August issue comes, not as intended in the first week of August, but instead in its third, a direct consequence of the blast. None of our team suffered any serious injury in the explosion, for which we are incredibly grateful. But we could not but be impacted by what happened, our city, through sheer incompetence and negligence, was destroyed around us. The mental stresses and trauma of August 4 has had an impact on us all.
The original focus of this issue was our special report on anti-corruption, undertaken in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme. After the blast, we took time to rethink our cover for this issue, as well writing our own reflections on the explosion and its aftermath, which can be found in the beginning pages of this PDF.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 FINANCIAL ECONOMY SPECIAL REPORT
The formation of the new Lebanese government ahead of the 2022 planned elections raises the question of whether or not the appointed officials will be able to fulfill any of the long overdue tasks needed to save the Lebanese economy. Executive Magazine has embarked on an ambitious endeavor to break down the situation and map out the financial and political courses that lay before Lebanon, engaging handpicked experts and opinion makers in the process.
The resulting analysis will be published in the Financial Economy Special Report that will cover key aspects of the current Lebanese economic, currency, and banking crises, focusing on blind spots missed (or ignored) by the government, policy makers, stakeholders, and civil society, including:
➣Negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the management of public debt
➣A fiscal plan and macro-level rescue scheme to save the banking system and the Lebanese pound using a solutions-oriented approach.
➣Elevating the thinking of the public with regards to the crisis using an approachable, common language with clear objectives:
Explaining economic principles within the scope of the report to scrutinize where previous misconceptions and claims with regards to the evolution of the crisis and its management (or mismanagement) went wrong.
• Empowering the public to hold the ruling political class accountable and to take action accordingly and efficiently, uniting their efforts and their discourses to build a better, or any, future where civic liberties and rights can be preserved.
The rest of the magazine we bring to you as intended, prior to the events of August 4. Our special report on anti-corruption has lost none of its relevency in the wake this tragedy, rather the raw necessity of combatting corruption in this country has sharply increased in focus.
We hope that the articles within this PDF issue, available to read online, or to download, will help our readers amid the necessary conversations to come as we all do our part to rebuild.
As always, our articles will also be uploaded individually online, and will be shared on our Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram pages.
To our readers, we are simply grateful you are still with us and share our aspirations for a just future.
Executive Editors represents the voice of the magazine.
View all posts by Executive Editors
Executive is hiring!
Coalition formed to defend free speech in Lebanon
Mounir Rached
Dreaming a bright (lit) future
Left in the wind for now
Salah M. Tabbara
Gaelle Mounsef
Breaking bad power management
Marc Ayoub
Incentivize to energize
Christina Abi Haidar
Solar energy: What to buy and why?
Dangling hopes for alternatives
Yasser Akkaoui
Righting a wrong turn
Alexis Baghdadi


Pianist, singer, dancer, tennis player, teacher, cribbage player, house builder, hockey player, puzzler, skating queen. Dorothy Linden at 100 years old had lived a full life.
Born in Biggar, Saskatchewan, Dorothy had a work ethic born from the Prairies, with a steely determination to complete anything she put her mind to.
She had a joy for life and quick wit that stayed until her passing at Victoria Hospice, surrounded by her family.
She was known and loved as a mother to three daughters (Donna, Nadine, and Lois), grandmother to 11 grandchildren, and great-grandmother to 11 more. She was loved by her husband Ivor, whom she lost at 62, and her second partner, Vince, with whom she enjoying being snowbirds.
She will be dearly missed by all her family. As she would often say, she was the luckiest woman in the world.
We were lucky to have her in our lives for so long.


There have always been countless reasons to travel to London. With few notable exceptions, however, the food was never really at the top of the list. Not, anyway, until the latter part of the 20th century, when wave after wave of innovation, a newfound curiosity and an increased openness to the rest of the world resulted in the London we enjoy today. That is, a London where you can eat anything and everything, almost whenever you like it. (A world-class, top-notch food city, in other words.) However, with costs higher than ever on just about everything from housing to commercial space to the labor that enables such a transformation, the movement has over time spread far and wide, to less high-stakes corners of the country; follow the lead of these innovators and get out of town—even if only for a day. Here are five terrific (and tasty) quick trips out of the capital.
A clanging note amid the otherwise soothing harmony that defines a most idyllic swath of East Sussex, this scruffy seaside community of 90,000 is suddenly back on the map, it's dramatic geography, its active fishing fleet, the pebbled beaches, a rusticated funicular that grinds its way up lovely East Hill and the quaint Old Town charming the socks off Down From London types who come for the fresh breezes and low house prices. The modern town center may be burdened by very nearly everything that's wrong with too many English town centers in modern times, but these days Hastings no longer feels held back by its many weaknesses, but rather emboldened, charging ahead into a much brighter future. The classic pier, not long ago burned in a fire, is now a revelation of sleek, almost Scandinavian simplicity. The historic fishing village is now also home to a striking modern art gallery, the Jerwood. There's a spectacular underground skate park, open to spectators, there are fashionable little places to stay.
The Old Town, entirely separate from the town center, is now pleasingly vibrant (with dashes of out right chic), while inventive new play equipment and improved amenities have made the actual beachfront more family-friendly. Oh, and the food, of course. Start your day with coffees and nibbles at No. 23 Coffee Bar & Roastery or Penbuckles Delicatessen before tackling the hike up East Hill, followed by a stroll along the beach and out to the sun-drenched pier. Lunch is fish and chips at Maggie's, directly on Fisherman's Beach, featuring daily specials straight off the boats. Save room, however, for drinks and dinner at The Crown, a thoroughly modern pub that feels as if its gone missing from one of those impossibly cute towns in Devon or Cornwall where television stars early-retire to renovated barns and their neighbors run organic farms or rental yurt villages. Except here, you're just an hour and a half from Charing Cross.
The perfect day in this medieval city begins and ends, rather conveniently, right where you hop off the train. Steps from West station, The Goods Shed isn't just another food hall, it happens to be one of the most-sought after culinary destinations in the Southeast, thanks to a blissfully simple seasonal restaurant on its upper mezzanine, inspired by whatever's on offer down in the stalls where smart locals come to do their shopping. Sip a cocktail and watch the goings on at the butcher's, the baker's—everything but the candlestick maker, really—while you wait for lunch. (Two tips: Make a booking. Also, save room for dessert.) Afterwards, do the obligatory jaunt to the cathedral and through the storied city—even in England there are towns that can't take for granted nearly as much historical significance as Canterbury—before repairing back to the Shed for a glass of wine (or two) and some well-crafted nibbles at the excellent Wild Goose Bar while you wait for your train.
If England were to form a California, Bristol might be enlisted as its San Francisco. There's a lighter, sweeter energy here than newbies might expect to find in the UK, a flair for the countercultural. There are handsome rows of Georgian townhomes in pleasing pastels, dramatic views (here you will find an actual gorge, right in town, complete with ye olde suspension bridge) and a laidback vibe that encourages sticking around. It's hard to imagine, in fact, that you're just a touch over an hour and a half by train from go-go London. Where to start? Let's say Wapping Wharf, a reinvented bit of the harbor (yes, this is a waterfront town) with stacks of old shipping containers housing a growing mix of boutiques, bars and—of course—places to eat. Sample the best work of West Country artisans at Bristol Cheesemonger, check out the local ciders at the Bristol Cider Shop and stop for a bite at Woky Ko—a low-key Asian spot from a MasterChef UK finalist—for crispy duck pancakes, steamed buns and kimchi rice bowls. Get to know the city on foot before retiring to the pool bar at Lido Bristol, a historic private swimming club in the Clifton neighborhood that's still private—well, the pool, anyway; everything else is open to the public. On a sunny day, you could sit here forever, or, at least until dinner at Bulrush, a smart little neighborhood bistro operated by a trio of London expats doing a proper British Modern menu, to the delight of diners that trek here to try it out. Absolutely book ahead.
Looking to leave the city behind entirely, but not its creature comforts? Get to this sleepy-cool Kent town historically famous for oysters. Then keep going, out into the marshy, coastal nowhere that's inexplicably home to a Michelin-starred pub, The Sportsman. Self-described as "grotty and rundown," this humble spot next to a trailer park was awarded Best Restaurant of the Year in the 2016 National Restaurant Awards, an honor that doesn't seem to have distracted Chef Stephen Harris and his team much from their mission of honoring the regional bounty with both tasting and a la carte menus that feature (of course) oysters and other fruits de mer. The tasting's a steal at $65 per head. If you didn't walk out here—the seaside route from Whitstable is actually part of a heritage pathway—definitely hoof it back, if only to work up an appetite for dinner one town over in Herne Bay, home to the first certified Neapolitan-style pizzeria to open in the UK, A Casa Mia. The chef began his career delivering you-know-what in Naples, opening his dream spot here after decades of the London grind.
Anyone familiar with The Hamptons will get a chuckle out of their first visit to this postcard-darling region that attracts the sort of Londoners who always like to feel rather at home, even while out getting their bespoke Wellingtons muddy. This is easily one of England's most civilized rural areas, a veritable theme park of quaintness. For daytrippers, the destination is absolutely Daylesford, an organic farm/Instagram influencer magnet that calls to mind New York's Stone Barns Center, a food-centric respite from city life offering educational opportunities, a chance to explore a working farm and the surrounding open lands, a luxurious day spa, plenty of things to buy and—of course—places where you can sit down and eat. The farm is a gorgeous spot in any weather—no need to hang around waiting for sunshine. If weather permits, spend an afternoon on the footpaths, eventually finding your way to the nearby Wild Rabbit, a sleek rethink of a country pub (it's part of the Daylesford empire) that, you guessed it, currently lays claim to its very own Michelin star.


text:
Q: Does a method local structure require executing the default constructor When a you declare a struct in a class method, how is the memory for that struct allocated? For example:
void Foo::Bar(void)
{
    struct timeval a;

    a.tv_sec = 1;
    a.tv_usec = 0;

    ...
}

Is a allocated on the stack like any other local data (int, double, etc.), or is a default constructor called and the memory allocated on the heap?
What about if the struct initialized as so: struct timeval a = {0, 0};?
Trying to decide if it is better to make the structure a class member or have it as a method local since the method gets called quite often and needs to be as fast as possible.

A:
Is a allocated on the stack like any other local data (int, double, etc.), or is a default constructor called and the memory allocated on the heap?

It is allocated on local storage(stack).
An object will be created on Freestore(heap) only when any of the new versions of the operators(except maybe placement new) are used while creating it.
Also, your structure object does not persist beyond the scope of the function enclosing it. An Freestore(Heap) object would persist till you call delete on it explicitly.
Whenever you create an object of structure/class, an appropriate constructor(by matching parameter types) will be called for that structure/class. In your case you do not pass any arguments while creating the object hence the Default constructor will be called.

What about if the struct initialized as so: struct timeval a = {0, 0};

It is still allocated as an object with local storage.

Trying to decide if it is better to make the structure a class member or have it as a method local since the method gets called quite often and needs to be as fast as possible.

Creating Objects on local storage(stack) is faster than creating them on Freestore(Heap).
Though,In your case you are not using the heap at all.
Actual profiling a sample code shall tell you which one(a local structure or a class Member) better suits your performance requirements.
However,Consider how the structure is related to your class before making it a member. Does it have an has a relationship to your class or it is just an utility structure. You should consider that design aspect too.
Also, there are several restrictions in what can be accessed inside an local structure or class so do bear that in mind too.

A: In your example, the object is allocated on the stack and the default constructor is called.

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