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Everyone who values something special when cooking will find the perfect pressure cooker in the vitavit® edition. Unique design and outstanding user-friendliness mean that the top model of the vitavit® family is ideal for use in the modern kitchen.
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text:
Q: AWS CDK not deploying API Gateway change (EDGE to REGIONAL) I'm experimenting with AWS CDK by converting a console-developed application (just API Gateway and Lambdas for now). All is well--I can hit the API's resources and methods and the appropriate lambdas get executed.
I'm trying to understand what triggers a deployment (and what doesn't). For example, if I try to change the API's endpoint type from the default (EDGE) to REGIONAL:
const api = new apigateway.RestApi(this, "cy-max-api", {
    restApiName: "CY Max Service",
    description: "CDK version of Max AWS demo app.",
    endpointConfiguration: [EndpointType.REGIONAL] // <-- add only this line and deploy
});

and deploy (cdk deploy), nothing is deployed (I checked the logs, console says no stack changes). I even tried forcing the deploy (cdk deploy -f)--no joy.
I suspect this is the expected behavior, but would like to understand why this change doesn't trigger a deploy (and what would be necessary to force one).
Update based on response by @balu-vyamajala (thanks for taking the time to test it).
I am using version 1.82.0 of the CDK. Here's the result of cdk diff when the only change is adding the endpointConfiguration line:
Stack CyMaxStack
Resources
[-] AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment CyMaxcymaxapiDeploymentD64E3EA0186ed2bffe1dbc3004a8457d0ce5eb28 destroy
[+] AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment CyMax/cy-max-api/Deployment CyMaxcymaxapiDeploymentD64E3EA0cd62c1e6cd1229987f977199cc5906ea
[~] AWS::ApiGateway::RestApi CyMax/cy-max-api CyMaxcymaxapi48ECF39D
 └─ [+] EndpointConfiguration
     └─ {}
[~] AWS::ApiGateway::Stage CyMax/cy-max-api/DeploymentStage.prod CyMaxcymaxapiDeploymentStageprod5291AAF0
 └─ [~] DeploymentId
     └─ [~] .Ref:
         ├─ [-] CyMaxcymaxapiDeploymentD64E3EA0186ed2bffe1dbc3004a8457d0ce5eb28
         └─ [+] CyMaxcymaxapiDeploymentD64E3EA0cd62c1e6cd1229987f977199cc5906ea

and here's what cdk deploy says:
CyMaxStack: deploying...
[0%] start: Publishing 6280a7c7fbc87dd62aeb85e098d6de2f0b644eea442dcbfc67063a56c08ce151:current
[100%] success: Published 6280a7c7fbc87dd62aeb85e098d6de2f0b644eea442dcbfc67063a56c08ce151:current
CyMaxStack: creating CloudFormation changeset...
[█████████████████████████████·····························] (5/10)

 ✅  CyMaxStack

Outputs:
CyMaxStack.CyMaxcymaxapiEndpoint52D905B0 = https://...my URL...

Stack ARN:
arn:aws:cloudformation:us-west-1:...my ARN...

When I check the console the API has not been updated to REGIONAL. Also, endpointConfiguration is either missing, or {} in cdk.out/tree.json. I never see {REGIONAL} in that file.

A: I am guessing you are asking about update to AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment which doesn't automatically happen and cdk generates a hash of methods and resources to append to resource name to force deployment.
But in your case, EndpointConfiguration is a property of AWS::ApiGateway::RestApi which is directly referred in AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment. Irrespective of any other changes, it must trigger a new Deployment.
which version of cdk you are using?
I just tested it with 1.80.0, it did trigger a change in three resources AWS::ApiGateway::Deployment, AWS::ApiGateway::Stage and AWS::ApiGateway::RestApi.
Please try cdk synth and observe generated CloudFormation for resource AWS::ApiGateway::RestApi before and after compiling your change

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This has been long due. I didn't feel that I had the right to call myself a baker (or bakress, if you're a feminist) until I'd proved to you all that yes, I can bake a victoria sponge, and I can get it to rise!
I made this recently for a host of guests that we had staying over. It seemed the perfect choice, who doesn't like a victoria sponge? I thought that everybody did, that was one rule that I thought there was no exception to. Until……. I had an 8 year old boy come up to me and tell me that he didn't like jam, he didn't like jam! I'm still flabbergasted, sugary berryey goodness! What's not to like? So I commissioned a special slice without cream for him. The problem was finding it once the second layer was on top!
The strawberries in the middle of the cake give it a summery zing that you just don't get from the jam. And the buttons on the top are a kind of family tradition, my Mom's been putting them on top of my birthday cakes since I was about 5.
I'm going to write the recipe up because I'm not 100% sure where it came from, I've known it forever you see!
For an incredibly moist, spongey and summery treat.
Preheat the oven to 190C/ 170F/ Gas mark 5.
Grease 2 9 inch silicone cake tins.
Add in the eggs and vanilla essence and mix until well combined.
Mix in the flour and baking powder, do not overmix. This will knock any air out of you cake mix and will make it less light and airy.
Then stir in the milk to thin out. Your batter should be smooth and creamy.
Pop into the oven bake for about 20 – 25 mins or until the cake springs back when you poke it and a knife comes out with only a few small crumbs attached.
Cool on a wire rack until your cakes reach room temperature.
Then spread with jam, cover with sliced strawberries and dollop your cream on before dropping your second layer of cake on top and covering with you (optional) chocolate buttons!
Incredible low fat Brownies. Nothing more needs be said!
Though it is the middle of summer and I should really mention more season friendly recipes that I've baked, I'm getting a brownie itch today, and I just have to scratch it!
First of all, I have to mention, often when people see the words low and fat together they immediately scroll off to find a more taste-bud friendly recipe. DON'T. This is the densest, fudgiest and richest brownie recipe that I've ever tasted. And it's also the healthiest. In the original recipe there's no white flour, no chocolate and no butter. Have you ever heard such good news?
What these brownies do have are rolled oats, cocoa powder, yogurt and some optional peanut-butter! They're perfect for breakfast before your morning jog, the jog being optional in this case!
I did do a few things slightly differently from the original recipe. The oats weren't a priority for me as I don't jog so when I baked them I used half oats and half white flour, my blender is non-existant so I had to use a smoothie maker to turn them into a flour. Not ideal! I gave up half way, why persevere?!
I also decided to omit the peanut-butter swirls on the top, calories? No… Well, maybe!
But to me, I think if I had added it I would have made them almost too rich for me to eat. I shared them out with other people as I couldn't manage more than 2. Those 2 were worth the slight nausea!
Alas, at last it has arrived, those long endless days and those months that seem to go on and on forever. We no longer live for the days during which the sun beats down on us as we cool ourselves off in the ocean, we are in those days!
So because of my truly contradictory nature and the fact that as I'm cycling up to 10 miles a day I decided to go for something a bit unorthodox but never unwelcome for this time of year. Chocolate!
Now do you see why they're special? They taste like some sort of incredible fudge, except they're cookies!
The secret? No flour, lots of peanut-butter. I must admit, I was terrified when making the dough. When you find yourself scooping almost a WHOLE JAR of peanut-butter into a batch of cookies you can't judge me for beginning to freak! But I had already gotten myself in too deep, I had to keep going. And anyways I thought, I'm giving most of the batch away. Well, about this much of the batch!
They're like some funny little army getting ready to march out!!!
These cookies are full of cocoa. I added chocolate chips instead of the recommended peanut-butter chips which was perfect for me because I have a really sweet tooth and though these cookies are absolutely out of this world they would be even better suited to someone who rathers dark chocolate to milk as they had that same slightly bitter tang to them. But regardless, everyone adored them!
They would also be perfect to fuel a morning run, I know, chocolate for breakfast is frowned upon by a lot of people but with the amount of protein packed peanuts in this recipe it would keep you fueled for hours!
And an extra bonus is that they're gluten free!
So here's a link to the recipe, SBA (yes I have started abbreviating it! :)) if you're interested. Go on, add these to your get in shape for summer (or during summer) routine!


We sell a simply delicious range of Artisan breads, home made pastries and local cakes.
Our Artisan breads are traditionally hand made from freshly milled flour and are naturally gluten and wheat free, so ideal for anyone who enjoys proper organic bread. Baked in the Chalk Hills, the bread is delivered every Wednesday and Saturday. Pre-order your favourite loaf by calling the shop at least 24 hours before.
Further information about the bread is available on the Artisan Bread website.


text:
'Boys In The Band' Original Film Continues…
We Are Flagrant
10 Reasons Why "The Lost Boys" Is…
Flagrant Greeting Cards Are Now A Thing
Good Housekeeping Gets Stranger With Amy Sedaris
Comedy, Featured
Take your steaming pile of Goop and shove it, Gwyneth dear. There's a new sheriff in town; and she's got a new TV show. Comic tsunami and DIY doyenne Amy Sedaris will bring Gay Christmas early this fall with the launch of her 10-episode scripted comedy series At Home With Amy Sedaris. Presenting network TruTV loglines the project:
"Amy Sedaris cordially invites you into her home, where she will show off diverse but necessary homemaking skills, from death-bed etiquette, to gutting a fish, to crocheting miniature sweaters for a mice infestation, to entertaining your husband's business associates. As always, Amy will give it her best shot to entertain guests, increase her know-how and her can-do, and attempt to work out personal issues."
The Hollywood Reporter describes the eponymous project as "a mashup of hospitality, variety and talk-show formats," with each episode centered around "a traditional theme, such as fish, wood or grieving" which "will combine Sedaris' humor and talents as a crafter, chef, baker and hostess." Fish, wood or grieving? Crafting, chef-ing, baking and hostessing? Holy Preserve, Blake Lively! Sign us up!
Says Amy on the show: "I've been doing this show in my head for years. It will be terrific to get it on TV so I can free up some wiggle room up in my skull."
Though there isn't yet an official trailer for the series, Ms. Sedaris has been killing us softly and teasing behind-the-scenes Instagram posts.
Those not familiar with the transgressive comic bent of Amy Sedaris need only peruse clips from her spot-on riff on teen Afterschool Specials meets Fish Out of Water tropes, Strangers With Candy—a Comedy Central series and subsequent feature film, both of which featured frequent collaborators Stephen Colbert and Paul Dinello.
Or her quick scene-stealing cameos as off-kilter socialite Mimi Kanasis on Netflix's Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.
Her turn as Pam, an unhinged realtor with a neck brace was one of the highlights of Broad City season one.
See also the promotional video companions to her 2010 how-to tome "Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People," which was positively reviewed by The New York Times Sunday Book Review.
At Home With Amy Sedaris debuts this fall on TruTV. There is nary a Goop Vaginal Jade Egg in sight. And as grande dame St. Martha Stewart would say, "It's a good thing."
tags: amy sedaris, at home with amy sedaris, broad city, goop, paul dinello, stephen colbert, strangers with candy, trutv, unbreakable kimmy schmidt
By We Are Flagrant
Eleven 'Dark Shadows' Actors You Probably Didn't Know Were Gay
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text:
Featured: Top of Home Page
The End of Your Life of One-Size-Fits-All Web Content
Kimberly Springer and Yusuf Osman
Web 2.0 technology and its current, epitomized representative, Second Life, is the beginning of the end of your first life.
Web 2.0: the Mongolian BBQ of the Technology World
Sometimes I look at sites such as MySpace and YouTube, and think, Dear God, how completely laborious it's all become. From the consumer side, the amount of information and access to goods is proliferating at an alarming rate. On the producer side, we're in a new stage of the World Wide Web's development called Web 2.0. Suddenly we're all culture workers. This new status allows us to post our own video, audio, and writing for everyone to see. Basically, we (World Wide Web users) are now doing all the work.
I'm growing less keen on Web 2.0. It reminds me of that rip-off dining experience called "Mongolian BBQ". I'm Mongolian BBQ-ophobic. My irrational fear / hatred of them stems from one experience in the early '90s. At a Mongolian BBQ, the customer is presented with an array of ingredients (e.g., raw meats, vegetables, cooking oils, sauces). There are billboards suggesting combinations of ingredients, but if you're feeling zany, you can create your own recipe. Then you shuffle on over to the "chef" who cooks your concoction on an encircled grill while diners stand around and ooo and ahh through a lot of smoky and tasty aroma. Know what? I can watch any number of people cook and pay less for it. The charm of the Mongolian BBQ is lost on me and, I don't doubt, the lovely people of Mongolia. Like the Mongolian BBQ, Web 2.0 smells like a conspiracy to make me work. I don't like working and I certainly don't like being tricked into doing it.
In my opinion, Web 2.0 is a comparably (smoky) red-herring that makes us think that users are winning the battle for control of the web. Yes, users are flooding the web with their own content. But, the window of cooptation closes with increasing rapidity. The pace at which larger corporations, wary of the dot com bust, still snatch up smaller, creative start-ups seems to be quickening. YouTube, just snapped up by Google for $1.65 billion hasn't been around that long and has built a massive audience based on, frankly, some of the craziest and archaic videos I've ever seen. Through YouTube I've been able to reignite my crush on 1980s pop star Rick Springfield, re-live Dolly Parton on Hee Haw, and bemoan the fact that my people, African-Americans, will act a complete fool for network news stations by hunting leprechauns…in Alabama. Were it not for some diligent, and perhaps sinfully unemployed, adherents to the Web 2.0 philosophy, I'd never know what I was missing in the world of video. As consumers are taking to creating content, where does this leave corporations? Are they willing to sit back and just act as the platform for our creations?
Examples of the continuing struggle between consumers and corporations could be found at the London Games Summit (LGS), held in October in the UK. Michael Denny, VP from Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studio, raised some interesting questions about corporate reactions to Web 2.0. Though he gave his keynote at a gaming conference, his comments have implications for everything we download. According to Denny: of downloaded files in the UK alone this year, 135,000 were wallpapers, 60,000 were photos, 120,000 were music files, 175,000 were videos, and 210,000 were games by 2010, 80 percent of homes will have broadband connections; and today's 18-year-olds have never known a world without mobile phones and mp3 players. Given these statistics, gaming, music and film companies are scrambling to make the quickest and most profitable use of what they call "UCC", or "user created content". Denny's goal is "hybrid"; "pure" UCC is content that's created almost entirely by the consumer, while hybrid content allows the consumer to create and participate in a manufactured gameworld. In that respect, rather than attempting to fight the consumer by arresting them for downloading or creatively remixing their content, corporations are slowly going to have to shift their priorities. Instead of creating products strictly for the market, Denny says, corporations will need to offer a mix of content and services.
Other examples from the LGS indicate that the industry is working overtime to make their content / services the gateway for UCC. For example, Adrian Hon from Mind Candy introduced many at the LGS to the concept of alternate reality games. Hon's company has been running successfully for two years an ARG called Perplex City. I thought ARG were simply of the Second City-ilk that Yusuf writes about this month (see below), but it was more closely aligned with the hybrid model Denny spoke of. Players enter the Perplex City digital world in a quest to, as a community, solve a mystery and locate treasure. Yet players have gone beyond the predefined confines of the game by creating backstories and props that further propel the story's action. The UCC has gotten so sophisticated, in fact, that Hon claims Mind Candy designers actually refer to the UCC in their production of the game. According to the game's designers, the main character is supposed to have written a book that is key to solving the game's mystery. However, the book didn't actually exist before players took it upon themselves to write it. Game designers now refer to the contents of the user-created book in game scenarios. It's an innovative symbiosis that provokes new questions about media control. Will the line between consumer and producer become permanently blurred? Is the distinction in the creative control or in who's making the profits from the media?
Web 2.0 and corporate attempts to harness UCC are only the latest manoeuvrings in a chess match for control over the media. But if, for corporations, control means assuring profit, and if, for consumers, control is the ability to create the product we want, which really has the upper hand? Are consumers obligated to become producers in a Web 2.0 world? Does Web 2.0 finally allow us, as Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedy exhorted us, to "be the media"? My inner child, lazy little nipper that she is, whines, "Do I gotta be the media?" As a media instructor, what I'm about to say is blasphemy: sometimes I don't want to talk back to the media. I think I've hit my limit with being jacked in to technology and being an active member of the Web 2.0 wave means contributing even more time to developing web content. With great Web 2.0 power comes great Web 2.0 responsibility. How much power do you want? And are you ready for the responsibility?
-- Kimberly Springer
Fantasy rules
I spent a large chunk of my adolescence locked in my room, sitting at my desk, 'tippaty-tappatying' away on my keyboard. I would often be told that I sat at the computer too much, that I 'lived' on the computer. However to me it was escapism from the humdrum of my simultaneously bored and hormone-ridden young life. Back then; computers were not a standard part of the furniture as they are today. The computer was exciting and new, and I was discovering and learning as I played on the keyboard. There I was, sitting at my desk for hours on end interacting with my computer and later interacting with the world through the Internet. That was the difference, I didn't 'live' online, and there was a definite division between my real life and the one experienced within the computer screen. Believe me, there was no way I could confuse the two. The Internet then was very much a 'closed' system, with those who could code material (the real techies) providing content for those to whom anything more than http:\\ was alien. Alas, I wasn't the whiz back then.
Now we're all being bombarded with Web 2.0 content, the amalgam of already present web technologies presented in a palatable array that allows for unprecedented user interaction. UCC, as it's fondly known within tech-circles, or User Created Content, is the future (and present) of computer usage. Broadly speaking this covers everything where the user is in control (or thinks he is): YouTube, Blogs, Podcasts, and virtual reality gaming.
I could take the cynical view; media companies want us to get involved so they no longer have to do anything 'cept make mucho bucks. Kinda like the two weeks you have to spend doing work experience, where the employer gets some spotty school-kid to do the worst jobs but gets none of the credit. I don't want the equivalent of a spotty school-kid with a video camera telling me on his YouTube entry all about his awful life, when actually he really has everything and is just an ungrateful mongoose.
But I'll try not to be so cynical. I'm sure Web 2.0 is the way forward. Essentially these services are merely providing a great user interface, thus truly harnessing the free publishing capacities of the Internet and making them truly accessible to the everyday user who may have no knowledge of complex code. For example, iWeb allows you to create a professional website in minutes, Second Life allows you to create complex animations without knowledge of 3D imaging software. Such programs easily reduce the number of clicks it takes to get your 'baps' online while removing any quality checks for what is posted. Thus, they create a cyber space where there's a whole lotta rubbish floating around.
The most topical of these 2.0 technologies is Second Life. For those who haven't been bombarded by it (yet), Second Life brings together social interaction, commerce, media, and potentially anything else on the 'net and gives it 'form'. Second Life creates a 'real space' on the net, complete with neighbourhoods, islands, and people. There is a pseudo real economy; you buy Linden Dollars with your real money, users add money to their accounts, create an online persona, and away they go. My explanation simplifies the vastness that is Second Life. You can buy everything from new facial features to property -- anything you can create you can buy and sell. You character doesn't come with genitals so you can also buy yourself a penis if you wish to indulge in online sex from, say, a male's experience. Anything you can't do in your real life you can do online even better. In Second Life, there is no waiting in long airport lines -- you simply lift off and fly yourself. Or if you've a fear of flying, you can transport about much characters like the in Star Trek.
I learned about this 'game' from a friend many moons ago, when Second Life was in its infancy. Now it has truly taken off with over one million members and tens of thousands clogging up Linden Labs' registration systems on a daily basis. The game has garnered profits for many corporations that have integrated their products into the game by creating real (that is, real real, not fake real) businesses online and global brands are now positioning on prime 'real' estate -- BBC and American Apparel are amongst those who are promoting or selling their services and products within the Second Life sphere.
The game itself is a hodgepodge of styles and tastes. Because you can fly from place to place, there is very little 'infrastructure' like roads and public spaces. One user can have has his land with a castle next to another who has chosen to erect a modern home. Despite the free reign on creative licence, most people simply create an extension of their existing lives online. The character they create resembles themselves, and they merely add those things they feel they can't have in their physical life: the big house, the nice car (even though in this world, cars are useless) and so on.
There is a real sense of community to be found in the artificial confines of Second Life, something people may feel their real lives have lost or never had. I tend to forget that at the heart of the 'game' there is a community, and what Second Life is trying to do is present a unified 2.0 user experience in a format we can truly relate with. No longer do you sit in front of boring text in an IM session but you can get together and chat with your friends in your online flat; shopping doesn't have to be scrolling through a webpage, but walking around a virtual shopping mall.
Slowly these systems will develop so as to truly integrate your real life and your virtual life. You'll be able to buy shoes online for your character and have the same pair delivered to your physical address. Fancy seeing a top DJ perform? Cyber-boogie on down to a club in Second Life – you'll always find a good seat. Exhibitions and concerts, gambling and shopping, sex and dinner parties -- why step outside your door when you can do it all online in a virtual world? We won't be opening up Internet Explorer in the future, but our Second Life browser. We will be able to seamlessly communicate and hear the Web in the language of our choice, you and your Chinese friend will be able to speak to each other even though neither of you can understand the other's natural language. True, seamless communication is becoming possible.
But I don't see the point of spending hours on the net in this virtual world, going to a virtual mall to buy virtual clothes for my virtual persona, then going to a virtual club and virtually dancing the night away. You get the point. I'd rather step outside and enjoy such things in my real life. I'm probably taking the whole thing too seriously. Web 2.0 is no more than an extension of our imagination, a shared dream space, where citizens of the world can get together and give form to their wildest fantasies after the drudgery of the day job.
The future, it seems, is largely a virtual environment; it's a place where corporate content, mixed content (user + corporate), and sole UCC is presented through a 3D interface. Web 2.0 isn't alternate to our reality, but rather it runs parallel -- a virtual extension of the physical self. For the first time, average humans with the means and access can give 'form' to their pipe dreams and imaginations in a communal space. We can all be equal in our dreams. In lieu of getting off our very real chairs and making a difference in this first, real life, perhaps this, at least, gives us something to rejoice?
-- Yusuf Osman


You can access the schedule by clicking that link above or by visiting the Volunteer Schedule page on the City Church website.
We are still in the process of filling in a few spots, but we wanted to get the schedule out so you all have time to review it. So please do so and please do so carefully, particularly if you serve on multiple teams. If you do have a conflict, please do your best to swap dates with another volunteer--just make sure to let your team leader know who will be serving in your place.
Should you need help finding a replacement or have general questions or concerns about the dates for which you've been scheduled, be sure to contact your team leader(s).
And as always, thank you for your willingness to serve. City Church's staff and leadership are continually humbled by how generous you all are with your time and gifts.
PS: You might notice that we've already started filling in some teams for the October-January rotation. You do not need to review that portion of the schedule just yet--we're just trying to be proactive in our planning for the coming months.


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Tonic – Phil Bickley "Behind every small business, there's a story worth knowing"
Established on the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Portobello Road in November 2000 by Phil Bickley, Tonic has become a local landmark and a destination clothes shop for men with a sophisticated sense of style. The shop sells a range of premium label menswear from casual everyday outfits like Harrington jackets to beautifully cut chinos. There's also a selection of designer parkas, stylish footwear and classic knitwear by the likes of John Smedley.
You'll get an idea of the shop's ethos from the fact that a regular customer is style icon Paul Weller, sometimes known in fashionista circles as the Modfather. In fact, Paul has become much more than a customer since he and Phil have gone into business and launched their own exclusive line of menswear, Real Stars Are Rare. More of that later.
Phil takes up his story, "I was interested in clothes from an early age, and my first formative influences came from the football terraces of my home town, Liverpool. It was the stylish dress of the 1980s 'casuals' that really caught my imagination, and that influence is still with me today.
"After I left school, I worked for a bank in Liverpool, then I got a transfer to London in 1989. The bank wasn't really for me long-term so I started studying. I got my A-levels and then did a degree in fashion at the London College of Fashion. I got a placement with Paul Smith and worked for them in Nottingham and London, then joined Moss Bros as a junior buyer and spent six years there, ending up as a senior buyer.
"A Moss Bros colleague and I decided to set up on our own. We spent about a year researching and preparing to launch and first set up in Portobello Road in 2000. Eventually, I bought my partner out so now I'm the sole proprietor.
"In those early days, the Portobello Business Centre was a tremendous source of help. They helped me to work on my business plan, I went on some of their courses and they pointed me in the direction of start-up grants that were available at the time.
"I've had the same vision for the shop from day one. We sell high-end, premium branded menswear, not designer, and I look for clothes that are subtle and stylish, not over-branded, with simple, clear lines. Our clothes aren't cheap but they represent good value as they're made with quality fabrics and tailoring. This reflects what I like to wear – I believe that less is more and I like things that last.
"Now, I've gone into business with Paul Weller and that came about simply because he liked to shop here and we used to shoot the breeze together. Obviously, he's first and foremost known as a musician but he's always loved clothes so having an interest in a label seemed like a natural step for him.
"Our label, Real Stars Are Rare, makes clothes that we both like and wear. We've had offers to go wholesale, but we want to keep the operation small, selling only through the website and here at the shop. That means we can keep total control of design and quality, which is really important to both of us.
"Thinking back to 15 years ago when I was starting my own business, I remember how important the Business Centre was to me. There are no rules to setting up your own business and there's so much to get to grips with, but the Centre was always there to answer my questions. They were my first port of call whenever I needed to discuss an idea or I came up against a problem."
276 Portobello Road, London W10 5TE
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Krevní destička (též trombocyt) savců je bezjaderné tělísko se schopností přilnavosti (adhezivity) a shlukování se (agregaci), které se podílí na procesu zástavy krvácení a srážení krve. U ostatních obratlovců jde o jadernou buňku (koagulocyt).

Nedávno byly objeveny známky příznaků funkce krevních destiček jako buněk nespecifické a specifické imunity, přičemž imunitní role trombocytů je přičítána jednak hemostatické funkci, jednak jiným zcela svébytným sekrečním funkcím.

Popis

Krevní destička má oválný tvar, 2–4,0 μm v průměru (erytrocyt člověka – 7,5 μm), často má zoubkované okraje. Nemá jádro.

Skládá se z okrajové hyalomery, která se barví světle modře a obsahuje tzv. marginální svazek mikrotubulů a aktinová mikrofilamenta, která udržují tvar trombocytu a umožňují mu tvořit výběžky a panožky. Ve středu krevní destičky je granulomera, shluk acidofilních (tzn. červeně se barvících) granul a ojedinělé mitochondrie.

Krevní destičky ptáků a ryb jsou plnohodnotné buňky s velkým jádrem.

Destičková granula

Granulomera obsahuje granula trojího typu:

 alfa-granula – obsahují fibrinogen, trombokinázu, směs proteinů, růstový faktor s mitogenními účinky hlavně na fibroblasty, destičkový faktor 4 (antagonista heparinu), glie a hladké svalové buňky, β-tromboglobulin, faktor V. aj.
 delta-granula (denzní) – obsahují serotonin, vápenaté ionty Ca2, pyrofosfát, ATP, ADP
 lambda-granula (lysosomy) – obsahují lysosomální enzymy

Trombocyty v krvi

Krevní destičky jsou stálou součástí krve v počtu 150–450 tisíc na mikrolitr. Při poklesu pod určitou úroveň začnou játra produkovat hormon thrombopoetin, který stimuluje tvorbu dalších destiček.

Snížení počtu destiček se označuje jako trombocytopenie. Tento stav je příčinou vážných poruch srážlivosti krve.

Trombopoéza

Krevní destičky nemají jádro a nemohou se samy množit. Vznikají v kostní dřeni fragmentací cytoplazmy obrovských buněk megakaryocytů, které vznikají z prekursorové buňky megakaryoblastu.

Jejich životnost je 8–12 dní, poté jsou degradovány ve slezině.

Funkce destiček při srážení krve

Primární agregace

Při poranění cévy se obnaží kolagen, vláknitá bílkovina přítomná v mezibuněčné hmotě vaziva. Destičky se váží na kolagen a zároveň jsou aktivovány thrombinem, který vzniká při srážení krve, nebo ADP, který je uvolňován ostatními destičkami. Aktivované thrombocyty změní tvar a v přítomnosti fibrinogenu, který se na aktivované destičky váže, se shlukují a vytvářejí destičkovou zátku, bílý trombus.

Sekundární agregace

Destičky se rozpadají, uvolňují obsah svých granul. Tak dojde k rozeběhnutí kaskády reakcí koagulačních faktorů, na jejímž konci se z fibrinogenu stane nerozpustný fibrin, který vytvoří síť. Ta zpevní masu rozpadlých destiček a zachycených červených krvinek a vytvoří červený trombus, definitivní krevní sraženinu.

Krevní destičky jako imunitní buňky
Krevní destičky mají centrální roli v nespecifické imunitě, iniciují a účastní se mnoha zánětlivých procesů, přímo navazují patogenů a dokonce jsou schopny je zničit. Toto je podpořeno klinickými daty, která ukazují, že významné množství pacientů se závažnými bakteriálními nebo virovými infekcemi trpí trombocytopenií (sníženým množstvím trombocytů v krvi), čímž se snižuje jejich podíl na vzniku a regulaci zánětu. Rovněž agregáty trombocytů a leukocytů (platelet-leukocyte aggregates – PLA) nacházející se v oběhu, jsou typické pro sepse nebo zánětlivé onemocnění střev, což dále prokazuje propojení mezi trombocyty a imunitními buňkami sensu stricto.

Imunotrombóza
Přestože je hemostáza základní funkcí trombocytů u savců, má také využití při možném infekčním onemocnění. V případě poranění tvoří trombocyty společně s koagulační kaskádou první linii obrany pomocí tvorby krevní sraženiny. Proto byly hemostáza a imunitní obrana během evoluce do značné míry propojeny. Například jediný typ krevních buněk ostrorepa amerického (Limulus polyphemus) (živoucí fosilie, jehož původ je podle odhadů starší než 400 miliónů let), amébocyty, usnadňuje jak hemostatickou funkci, tak obalení i fagocytózy patogenů díky exocytóze jejich intracelulárních granulí, které obsahují baktericidní obranné molekuly. Srážení krve dále podporuje imunitní funkci tím, že zachycuje patogenní bakterie uvnitř trombu.

Ačkoli trombóza, tedy koagulace krve uvnitř nepoškozených cév, je obvykle považována za patologickou imunitní odpověď, která vede k uzavření lumen cév a následnému hypoxickému poškození tkáně, v některých případech však řízená trombóza, nazývaná imunotrombóza, může lokálně zpomalit či zastavit šíření infekce. Trombóza je řízena v organizované kooperaci krevních destiček, neutrofilních granulocytů a monocytů. Proces je iniciován buď imunitními buňkami sensu stricto aktivací jejich pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), nebo vzájemným navázáním destiček a bakterií. Krevní destičky se mohou navázat na bakterie buď přímo přes trombocytové PRRs  a bakteriální povrchové proteiny, nebo přes plazmatické proteiny, které se vážou jak na destičky, tak na bakterie.  Monocyty reagují na molekulární vzory asociované s bakteriálními patogeny (pathogen-associated molecular patterns – PAMP) nebo molekulární vzory spojené s poškozením (damage-associated molecular patterns – DAMP) aktivací vnějšího systému srážení krve. Neutrofilní granulocyty usnadňují srážení krve pomocí NETózy. Trombocyty naopak dále aktivují NETózu neutrofilů. NETs se vážou na tkáňový faktor, který cílí srážení krve přímo do cenrta infekce. Také aktivují vnitřní cestu koagulace tím, že poskytují svůj negativně nabitý povrch faktoru XII. Delší sekrety neutrofilů, například jsou proteolytické enzymy, které štěpí inhibitory srážení krve, také posilují proces srážení.

V případě nerovnováhy v průběhu regulace imunotrombózy může tento proces rychle přejít do patologie. Poruchy regulace imunotrombózy jsou pravdpodobně jedním z hlavních faktorů vzniku patologické trombózy v mnoha chorobách, jako je diseminovaná intravaskulární koagulace (DIC) nebo hluboká žilní trombóza. Diseminovaná intravaskulární koagulace při sepsi je klasickým příkladem patologické regulace srážení krve i neregulovatelné systémové zánětlivé reakce, která vede k množství mikrotrombů podobného složení jako u fyziologické imunotrombózy – fibrinu, destiček, neutrofilů a NET, což dále argumentuje ve prospěch propojenosti funkce srážení krve i imunitní funkce destiček.

Zánět
Krevní destičky jsou rychle nasazeny v místech poškození nebo infekce cév a zde modulují zánětlivé procesy interakcí s leukocyty a vylučováním cytokinů, chemokinů a dalších mediátorů zánětu. Trombocyty rovněž vylučují růstový faktor odvozený od trombocytů (platelet-derived growth factor – PDGF).

Krevní destičky regulují činnost neutrofilních granulocytů tím, že vytvářejí agregáty trombocytů a leukocytů (platelet-leukocyte aggregates – PLA). Tyto struktury indukují zvýšenou produkci integrinu αmβ2 (Mac-1) u neutrofilů. Interakce s PLA také indukuje degranulaci a zvýšenou fagocytózu u neutrofilů. Trombocyty jsou také největším zdrojem rozpustného CD40L, který indukuje produkci reaktivních druhů kyslíku (reactive oxygen species – ROS) a reguluje expresi adhezních molekul jako je E-selektin, ICAM-1 a VCAM-1 u neutrofilních granulocytů, aktivuje makrofágy a aktivuje cytotoxickou odpověď příslušnou aktivací T a B lymfocytů.

V nedávné době bylo vyvráceno dogma, že savčí krevní destičky, které postrádají jádro, nejsou schopné autonomní lokomoce.  Ve skutečnosti jsou trombocyty aktivními sběrači, putujícími po stěnách krevních cév a reorganizujími krevní sraženinu. Jsou schopni rozpoznat a navázat se na mnoho druhů povrchu, včetně bakterií. Dokonce jsou schopni je zcela obalit do otevřeném kanalikálním systému (open canalicular system – OCP), což vede k navrženému novému názvu procesu, který je "covercytóza" (cover – pokrýt), spíše než fagocytóza, neboť OCS je pouze invaginací vnější plazmatické membrány. Tyto slepence destiček a bakterií jsou poté používány jako interakční platforma pro neutrofilní granulocyty, které ničí bakterie za použití NETózy a fagocytózy.

Trombocyty se také účastní chronických zánětlivých onemocnění, jako je například synovitida nebo revmatoidní artritida. Trombocyty jsou aktivovány pomocí kolagenového receptoru glykoproteinu VI (GPVI). Prozánětlivé mikročástice sekretované trombocyty vyvolávají konstantní sekreci cytokinů ze sousedních fibroblastům podobných synovialocytů (fibroblast-like synoviocyte), nejvíce se pak projevují Il-6 a Il-8. Zánětlivé poškozování okolní extracelulární hmoty neustále odhaluje více nového kolagenu, čímž dochází k produkci dalších prozánětlivých mikročástic.

Specifická imunita
Aktivované krevní destičky se mohou podílet na specifické imunitě, která je založena na interakci s protilátkami. Trombocyty sou schopny specificky vázat imunoglobulin G (IgG) přes FcyRIIA, receptor pro konstantní fragment (Fc) IgG. Po aktivaci trombocytu a vazbě na opsonizovanou bakterii pomocí IgG krevní destičky následně uvolňují reaktivní druhy kyslíku (reactive oxygen species – ROS), antimikrobiální peptidy, defensiny, kinocidiny a proteázy, čímž zabíjejí bakterie bez prostředníka. Trombocyty také vylučují prozánětlivé a prokoagulační mediátory, jako jsou anorganické polyfosforečnany nebo trombocytový faktor 4 (PF4), spojující specifické a nespecifické imunitní odpovědi.

Odkazy

Reference

Související články
 krev
 srážení krve

Externí odkazy

Trombocytopenie – informační stránka sloužící všem zájemcům o tuto závažnou nemoc krve a krevních destiček.

Destička
Destička
Typy buněk

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Kuznîci (în ) este o comună în raionul Horodnea, regiunea Cernihiv, Ucraina, formată numai din satul de reședință.

Demografie

Conform recensământului din 2001, majoritatea populației comunei Kuznîci era vorbitoare de ucraineană (%), existând în minoritate și vorbitori de rusă (%) și belarusă (%).

Note

Kuznîci, Horodnea, Cernihiv
Kuznîci, Horodnea, Cernihiv
Kuznîci, Horodnea, Cernihiv


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Indonesia charges 8 Papuan students with treason over 'independence' march
JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian police have confirmed the charging of eight Papuan students with treason after a demonstration this week marking what many people in the remote region regard as their own day of independence.
Amnesty International on Friday called for the release of the students, who were detained on Dec. 1 after a rally marking the 1963 end of Dutch colonial occupation of the resource-rich and remote Papua region.
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Discussion of Papuan independence is a sensitive issue for Indonesia's government, which has long insisted the plebiscite was legitimate.
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Lawyers for the students, ages 18-29, in a statement said there were "discrepancies" in the law used against them.
On Friday, Amnesty International criticised the arrests, among 34 detentions this week of Papuan protesters, as well as 19 injuries sustained at demonstrations elsewhere in Indonesia.
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(Reporting by Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Stanley Widianto; Editing by Martin Petty)
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4e D&D, the After Action Review
It is safe to say, without much doubt, that the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons (4e D&D) is the most contentious edition of the game ever to issued by either TSR or Wizards of the Coast (WotC). It was also the shortest-lived edition since the game made the leap from the 1974 "Original D&D" to Basic and 1st Edition in 1977, lasting only four years (2008-2012) before work on its replacement started. So what happened? How did everything unfold so disastrously? This post is going to be an AAR (after action review) of 4e D&D.
As I surmised in my Editions War post on 4e D&D, I believe that the d20 bubble popping spooked WotC into taking action to change their product. But that's only part of the story. In an exhaustive interview with Andy Collins and Liz Schuh by The Escapist, more can be discerned. WotC, and their corporate parent, Hasbro, appear to have identified two large trends at the time that they believed were indicating the future of fantasy RPG gaming, and were labouring under the shadow of TSR's failure in the 1990's without fully understanding it. When combined with what was seen in the actual 4e D&D plan and what was released, it all comes together.
The trends they identified that were cleaning up shop in the mid to late 00's were miniature wargaming and MMORPGs. Warhammer and Warhammer 40000 were enjoying something of a renaissance, and "WarmaHordes" was a fast up and comer. People all over were getting into the hobby, and it appeared that their own Chainmail lineup was missing out for lack of integration into the larger D&D game (which was in 3.5e D&D at the time). MMORPGs were an influence in that they appeared to indicate how people were "playing" fantasy RPGs, and had a monstrous following as that was only growing (World of Warcraft wouldn't see falling numbers until Q4 2010). Suffice to say, WotC wanted a taste of these numbers, and the cash that was flowing out of them.
TSR in the 1990's decided, poorly, to try to dominate the tabletop gaming industry; they hammered out campaign settings for almost every genre fantasy could be applied to, dipped their toes in strategic wargaming, and made a push. It failed and left the company bankrupt and ripe for take over. When I say that WotC didn't understand what happened, it's because they appear to have conflated the system of the game with the failure, instead of the reckless volume of material being pumped out in an effort to capture a market that had grown bigger than what TSR was really capable of grasping. 2nd Edition AD&D (2e AD&D) didn't fail because of its system becoming stale (it was but it wasn't a failure point yet, and the Options series was a life-ring); it failed because TSR tried to dominate a market they no longer fully understood that was crowded with games in genres that they weren't even competing with.
So, with that in mind, 4e D&D's creation was set in motion.
The Plan & Execution
Like most plans, the plan for 4e D&D was good on paper from what I can determine. The idea was to bring in some new blood, revitalize the game, improve its systems, bring it in line with modern gaming trends and tastes, and to combine it with a digital offering to leverage the online capabilities that were coming into use. One of the things I recall hearing a lot at the time was that 4e D&D was getting back to the "roots" of D&D, which excited a lot of players. It shouldn't have though, because what Dungeons & Dragons, as a cultural institution, had become to many players was not what close to its roots at all. D&D, as a game, has its roots in a squad level tactical tabletop miniatures wargame, and that was the bulk of what 4e D&D was.
4e D&D had a number of issues in its execution. Not the least of which was that, unlike previous editions, purchasing the core three books did not give you a complete starting set. The digital supporting material never fully materialized. The licence made it so that companies that wanted to produce 4e D&D material had to cease all production and support of 3/3.5e D&D material. The situation snowballed until, in 2010, the unthinkable happened. Paizo Publishing' Pathfinder RPG, made under the OGL to 3.5e D&D, tied 4e D&D for sales. Then in 2011, it surpassed the it. The world's most recognized fantasy game was no longer its top selling fantasy game. The writing was on the wall for real this time, and in 2012, four years after 4e D&D was released, D&D Next was announced. 4e D&D had failed.
WotC badly misread the trends at the time as indicators of "what" gamers wanted. Key aspects of 4e D&D that were most problematic were:
Role Enforcement: In previous editions, "roles" of different classes were implied, but extremely flexible, and could be ignored completely if desired. 4e D&D embraced a strongly MMORPG influenced model of taxonomy for classes. There were defenders, leaders, controllers, and strikers. Then it enforced those roles with game mechanics and implied direction in the "fluff".
Combat Orientation: 4e D&D was the most combat oriented edition I have played. Everything, every class ability, every level gained, was all oriented towards efficacy in combat. There were no options for making less combative characters, and frankly, trying to do so (like making say, an enchanter specialist magic user) was not on. Additionally, the game was heavy on playing with miniatures, a battlemat, and so on.
Unification of Worlds: This edition went to every effort to shoehorn its base races into pre-existing campaign settings, regardless of whether they fit or not, and erased much of the uniqueness of these worlds as a result. As a Dark Sun and Forgotten Realms fan, this hit particularly hard for me.
Character Choice: Despite ultimately offering more classes and more player races than any previous or following edition (to date), the MMORPG style character development trees, role enforcement, and combat orientation in combination with the lack of true dual classing or multiclassing, ultimately reduced the amount of potential directions of development for characters. Classes were designed to work a specific way, and deviation was frowned on.
"Money Grab": As mentioned earlier, you did not get what was recognized as the full "base" list of classes and races in the core three books. There were two more PHBs to buy if you wanted the actual full base game. It rubbed the consumer base wrong, and came off as a cash grab by WotC, spoiling a lot of good will.
Poor Representation: For an edition that was supposed to reach out to the "younger" gamer generation and bridge the gap between them and the old guard of D&D gaming, this edition had a shocking lack of diversity in its art. Compounded with things like what happened to the non-white parts of Faerûn, the edition came off as fairly hostile, or at least unwelcoming to many, and odd to people now accustomed to a more diverse fantasy environment.
No Compatibility: When WotC introduced 3e D&D, there was a booklet available to guide players and DM's in converting their 2e AD&D characters, NPCs, and monsters into the new edition. There was no such animal for 4e D&D. Not just that, but many characters were impossible to recreate or update to the new edition because of the adherence to roles and the comparatively rigid structure of character development.
In summation, the edition reduced player agency, focused on combat, ripped up established worlds, and came off as a grab for gamer cash. Of these, the player agency and combat orientation were the most problematic. These aspects probably did more to turn players away than anything else. To me, the general feel of the game was that I was playing an MMORPG built character in a squad level tactical game. Adding to that feeling was that my friends who did play both MMORPGs and tactical miniature games picked up on the cues in the material and switched their game styles to match the game play style being offered.
What Went Right
This may sound surprising to anyone who has seen me in social media forums banging on against 4e D&D, but there were some things that it did very well, and that should have made the transition (with modifications) to 5e D&D.
Class Variety: There were lots of classes, and had they not been so prescribed by their assigned "roles", they could have revolutionized D&D for the better. There were twenty-two classes in the base PHBs, and the concepts behind them were good.
Player Races: Again, lots of them, seventeen in total. It was outstanding. For an undescribed base world, this is the sort of variety you need to bring it to life.
Division of Powers: Divine, arcane, martial, psionic, and primal; it was a clear-cut set of divisions that actually improved the game in many ways. It also acted to help with the next point.
Embrace of Fantasy: This sounds a bit odd, but, more than any other edition to date, 4e D&D deeply embraced modern "fantasy" concepts and constructs, and nearly broke away from the limiting historical fetters that other editions hew to.
New Base World: Points of Light, later evolving into Nentir Vale, was an original concept that actually made the D&D ecology work. It was brilliant and while minimalistic, allowed for amazing development by individual DM's.
Layout and Tools: The actual layout of the books, and tools for players and DM's alike were superb, and set a good standard for how that sort of information should be conveyed to the end user.
4e D&D had immense potential that was lost because of a blinkering effect caused by the biases and influences of the "What Went Wrong" and "Background" sections. Seriously, in my opinion, had 4e D&D not embraced the MMORPG and tactical tabletop approaches it did, and had instead come at D&D from a broader playstyle perspective, that we would probably still be playing it and wondering what WotC would do for the upcoming 5e D&D, and why Paizo was still persisting with that 3.5e D&D knockoff.
When 4e D&D was in development, there were a lot of rumours about it, and in honesty, I wish some had been true. But ultimately, the edition failed because while it was labeled "Dungeons & Dragons", it didn't feel, act, or read like Dungeons & Dragons. After the progressively increasing player agency and variability within classes through 2e AD&D and into the 3e and 3.5e D&D era, 4e D&D was a sharp regression in both of those areas, back down to a very core concept of play that was at odds with what D&D had developed into. It felt like the developers and planners understood that modern gamers wanted more than the original fighting-man, magic-user, thief, and cleric combination, but still thought that the tactical dungeon crawl with a 10' pole and rigid tactical tasking was the norm of play. This is a little understandable given the extreme popularity of MMORPGs at the time and the structure of raid play in them.
Which I think brings me to the biggest killer of this edition. It assumed. It assumed that play in a computer environment (with the limitations of that) was "what" players were looking for. It assumed that miniature gaming was how people wanted to do combat, and is what they wanted the focus to be. It ignored that those games are heavily structured the way they are because they are limited by their hardware (computers), and focus (tactical gaming). This doesn't mean that MMORPGs or tabletop tactical miniature games are "bad", or "unworkable", it means that they have to place constraints on the players in order to function, and those restraints are heavier than those needed by an pen'n'paper RPG.
So there it is. My assessment and AAR of 4e D&D, an extremely contentious edition that had immense potential. Had it been released as is under a different title, it would probably still be published and supported; but it had the misfortune of trying to take on what D&D had become in the years since its 1974 debut as an appendix to a medieval wargame, and was unable to match it.
tagged with 4e, 4e D&D, blerd, critical examination, diversity fail, Dungeons and Dragons, fantasy roleplaying, gaming, Review, Roleplaying Games, RPG, wizards of the coast, WotC
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Sable Aradia
Excellent post-mortem. I agree with your assessment completely. When I have sputtered 4e vitriol, online or in the company of friends, I have complained at length that if I wanted to play World of Warcraft, I would play World of Warcraft. I also complained about the limiting classes, the shoehorning, many of the in-world changes to some of my favourite settings (like Forgotten Realms,) the requirement for minis, and the impossibility of character conversion. I've got a character I've been playing since 1st edition and several from 2e, so that didn't do anything to endear the game to me. I playtested D&D Next and I liked it in the playtest, but the truth is that they lost me to Pathfinder during the 4e fiasco and that's what we're still playing.
I want to focus on one part of what you've said; that you could no longer buy three books and have the basics you needed to play the game. That's significant, and not just because of the extra books you had to buy. The big problem IMO was the requirement to use minis. This displays amazing tone-deafness and a lack of awareness about WotC's target demographic. In short, the extra costs of the extra books and the minis made the game inaccessible to anyone not making more than a certain net annual income.
It also made it impossible to play an ongoing game in a small living space, which not only excludes the poor, but also high school and college students, younger adults just getting going, people who live in many places outside of the United States, Canada and Australia, most millennials, and many military personnel – and these demographics in fantasy gaming are HUGE. People in countries where their currency is worth a fraction of the American dollar pool their money and save up for months to buy the three basic books, and then they share between them. You can't do that with a system that requires six or seven core books and a metric shitton of minis.
So not only did they effectively piss all over their longest-running fans, they assured that only the privileged could afford to play their game
On the other hand, in the interests of fairness and giving credit where it is due, as you have – I own one 4e book, and that was their flavour text on Menzoberranzan, which incorporates the events of the War of the Spider Queen novels. Like you said, their layout was top-notch; accessible, easy to follow, and put all the information you actually needed at your fingertips without having to go search for it because it was laid out in a logical manner – unlike almost every other RPG book I have ever owned, except (maybe) the Battletech books.
Reblogged this on Diane Morrison and commented:
An excellent "after action report" on D&D 4th edition, and why it didn't work, from my friend @POCGamer.


Why do I get rows of missing data when I use infile?
As mentioned above, the file named auto.raw contained invalid EOL sequences. Here is the EOL sequence found in our test file: "\r\r\n". As you can see, the pattern does not match any of the three valid EOL sequences.
We can see that all "\r\r" sequences were replaced by "\r", which yields a new "\r\n". Now our file contains valid Windows EOL sequences.


Abstract : This paper proposes an estimation approach of the Whittle estimator to fit periodic autoregressive moving average (PARMA) models when the process is contaminated with additive outliers and/or has heavy-tailed noise. It is derived by replacing the ordinary Fourier transform with the non-linear M-regression estimator in the harmonic regression equation that leads to the classical periodogram. A Monte Carlo experiment is conducted to study the finite sample size of the proposed estimator under the scenarios of contaminated and non-contaminated series. The proposed estimation method is applied to fit a PARMA model to the sulfur dioxide (SO2) daily average pollutant concentrations in the city of Vitória (ES), Brazil.


When recording from external sources or from the analog tuner, you're presented with a choice of four recording modes – XP, SP, LP and EP – which respectively offer 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours of recording time on a single-layer, single-sided DVD. In truth, there are actually six modes, if you include the 8hr EP mode (selectable from the setup menu) and the Flexible Recording mode, which automatically selects the appropriate mode for timer recordings, according to how much space is left on the disc.
But unusually, recordings from the built-in digital tuner can only be made in FR mode. It selects the recording mode that's best suited to the quality of the incoming signal, which means you don't waste precious recording time by choosing a high-bitrate mode for a low-bitrate broadcast.
With DVD-RAM, DVD-RW VR mode and hard-disk recording on board, it should come as no surprise that the deck's editing functionality is second to none. When using any of these three formats, you can create playlists of favourite scenes without affecting the original recordings, as well as delete unwanted chunks or split titles in two. For hard-disk recording, you can also watch a title from the start before it's finished recording or pause live TV.
Rounding off a very enticing feature list is Anynet+, Samsung's version of HDMI CEC technology, which allows you to control this deck and an HDMI-equipped Samsung TV with the same remote.
Operating the DVD-SH855M isn't quite the joyous, carefree experience you'd hope for, due largely to the remote. It's cluttered with small, confusingly laid out buttons, the most important of which are hidden away at the bottom rather than being given the prominence they deserve.
Otherwise, this deck is actually very user-friendly. The Setup Menu and recordings library are bright, colourful and easy to read, and the EPG is a real feat of electronic engineering – it crams the programme guide, programme information and a box playing live TV into one screen, but doesn't feel cluttered or hard to follow. The deck is also slick and responsive, with no annoying pauses when changing digital channels or surfing text.