This is literally the first review I've bothered to write man, I found this extremely useful especially being able to create the light source location and brightness. The only thing I could think of that would be of any more use was if you could somehow manipulate the wrist and fingers/thumb yourself to make infinitely different gestures. In close, I wouldn't have minded paying more haha.
The model is quality with 24 different poses. You can rotate it by any angle and zoom past life size. The lighting can be rotated around the model and each light can be switched on/off independently. I can't wait for more body parts.
Super useful application, great range of poses and lighting options. Hope to see more body parts to go with it soon.


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Labi-labi dance is a traditional dance of Pahang inspired by the community's observation of labi-labi living in rivers, lakes, and ponds. It starts with the event of anglers who want to fish but are lured by labi-labi. Although the anglers were disappointed, the community made the event as a joke and the labi-labi dance movement broke out.

The earliest Labi-labi dance was detected and originated in Kampung Sarang Tiong, Endau, Kuala Rompin, Pahang. This dance has been danced since the 1950s. The Labi-labi dance in Kampung Sarang Tiong is inspired and developed by individuals who are skilled in martial arts. This dance was in its heyday in the 1950s to 1960s. The main purpose of the Labi-labi dance in Kampung Sarang Tiong was created as entertainment. So the dance moves and facial expressions of the dancers are adapted to add an element of funny entertainment that can attract the audience to laugh with funny and entertaining humorous actions.

There are three versions of the origin of Labi-labi dance in Pahang based on the location of this dance. Labi-labi dance in Kampung Sarang Tiong was inspired by the incident of a wife (Ms. Siti) who craved to eat labi-labi, but Ms. Siti's husband could not fulfill the request because he could not catch the labi-labi for the wife. One night, the wife dreamed of being approached by an old man dressed in all white. In his dream, the old man had given instructions on how to catch the labi-labi. The tip is given, anglers only need to prepare banana bait as it is a favorite food of labi-labi. The dream was conveyed by the wife to her husband. After the couple's event, labi-labi became a hot topic of discussion in the village and was inspired to realize a form of dance from the movement of labi-labi that can attract the attention of the people with a funny and very touching performance. It is to celebrate the success of Ms. Siti's husband in catching labi-labi.

The Labi-Labi Dance in Kampung Pulau Rumput, Pekan, Pahang was brought by Encik Iderus bin Ginuh from Kampung Alai, Rompin to Pekan, Pahang in 1964 after he established a household and settled there.

While the Labi-Labi Dance in Kampung Jambu, Pekan is based on the experience of a fisherman named Pak Ngah Hitam in Endau, Kuala Rompin who was stunned by the movement of labi-labi who wanted to eat the bait. Because he was attracted to the movement of the labi-labi, he imitated the action of labi-labi. The Labi-Labi dance in Kampung Jambu at the initial stage was danced by a man who enriched the dance resembling the movement of the labi-labi movement and had nothing to do with the martial arts movement.

See also

Malay dance

References

Dances of Malaysia
Malay dances

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Two teenagers and three men will appear in Ipswich Crown Court this week, charged with assisting a boy accused of murdering Daniel Saunders.
Mr Saunders, a 32-year-old man from Surrey, died in Turin Street, Ipswich, just after 1.50pm on Sunday, December 16.
A Home Office post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was as a result of a single stab wound to the abdomen.
A 17-year-old boy from Bury St Edmunds, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been charged with murder in connection with the attack.
He appeared before Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, January 11, where he was remanded in custody pending a next hearing on Friday, April 12.
Five more people appeared at Ipswich Magistrates' Court today, Monday, April 8, where they were all formally charged with assisting an offender.
Arjun Jadeja, aged 18, of The Nook, Wivenhoe, and a 16-year-old boy from Bury St Edmunds were charged with disposing of clothing and concealing an offender.
Olusola Durojaiye, aged 33, of Appleton Mews, Colchester, was charged with providing transport to an offender.
Benjamin Gosbell, aged 20, of Gratian Close, Highwoods, Colchester, and a 17-year-old boy also from Colchester were charged with assisting an offender through the disposal of clothing.
All five were granted unconditional bail and ordered to appear at Ipswich Crown Court on Friday, April 12.


The bride and groom would like to thank you all very much for your cards, kind thoughts and wonderful presents. They have been most gratefully received but, more importantly, your best wishes have given them the best start to their marriage.
Paul and Linda have asked me to express their most heartfelt gratitude for the bevy of gifts they have received today. And let me just say that all of this fine china, fine crystal, and fine silverware could not have gone to a finer couple.
See all 3 examples in this category.


text:
Polylepis racemosa is a species of small tree in the family Rosaceae. It is endemic to Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador.  It is threatened by habitat destruction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the conservation status of this tree as "vulnerable".

Distribution and habitat
Polylepis racemosa is endemic to high altitudes in the Andes of Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. It is very typical of the flora of  the western Andes in southern Peru where it grows at altitudes of up to . South of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, it is restricted to the region around Araca. The region is known as the "Suni" meaning high and consists of long, narrow, steep-sided valleys and intervening undulating flatter areas.

Ecology
This species is fast growing, and is more ecological and adapts better than other species of the genus. It is a promising candidate for reforestation and agroforestry. This region is cold in the winter but has a dry climate; the herbage consists of various grasses and herbaceous plants, the wild potatoes Solanum acaule and Solanum bukasovii, and the woody shrubs P. racemosa, Mutisia acuminata, Baccharis sp., and Cantua buxifolia, which is the national flower of Peru. In Ecuador it has been introduced from Peru, and this may be detrimental because it hybridises readily with the local species of Polylepis, of which there are eight, including the endemic species Polylepis lanuginosa. The Polyepsis forest plays an important role in the ecosystem of the region, acting as a sponge to retain moisture.

Uses
The Aymara people, the indigenous people of this region, call the tree "queñua" and use the timber for fuel, for roofing their huts and for making charcoal.

Status
Polylepis racemosa has a somewhat restricted range and specific habitat requirements. It is under threat from reduction in its habitat as trees are cut and used for fuel and building materials. The area is also subject to burning, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed the conservation status of this tree as "vulnerable".

References

racemosa
Flora of the Andes
Páramo flora
Vulnerable plants
Trees of Peru
Trees of Bolivia
Trees of Ecuador
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot


text:
Microribbons composed of directionally self-assembled nanoflakes as highly stretchable ionic neural electrodes
View ORCID ProfileMingchao Zhang, Rui Guo, Ke Chen, Yiliang Wang, Jiali Niu, Yubing Guo, Yong Zhang, Zhe Yin, Kailun Xia, Binghan Zhou, Huimin Wang, Wenya He, View ORCID ProfileJing Liu, View ORCID ProfileMetin Sitti, and View ORCID ProfileYingying Zhang
aKey Laboratory of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, People's Republic of China;
bPhysical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany;
cDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, People's Republic of China;
dKey Laboratory of Bio-Inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Beihang University, 100191 Beijing, People's Republic of China;
eBeijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Key Laboratory of Polymer Chemistry & Physics of Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, 100871 Beijing, People's Republic of China
PNAS June 30, 2020 117 (26) 14667-14675; first published June 12, 2020; https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2003079117
Mingchao Zhang
ORCID record for Mingchao Zhang
Rui Guo
Ke Chen
Yiliang Wang
Jiali Niu
Yubing Guo
Yong Zhang
Zhe Yin
Kailun Xia
Binghan Zhou
Huimin Wang
Wenya He
Jing Liu
ORCID record for Jing Liu
Metin Sitti
ORCID record for Metin Sitti
Yingying Zhang
ORCID record for Yingying Zhang
Edited by John A. Rogers, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, and approved May 15, 2020 (received for review February 19, 2020)
Direct-ink writing has been attracting significant attention as a three-dimensional printing method while symmetric structures can be mainly printed when a single ink is used. Here, we present the formation of asymmetric microstructures during printing and ink drying, induced by a symmetry-breaking self-assembly process of aligned two-dimensional nanoflakes in the viscous polymer matrix. The obtained structural variation in the printed microribbons can be controlled in a reproducible and standardizable manner by tuning the rheological properties of the printing ink. We further demonstrated the spontaneous transformation of as-printed microribbons to ultrastretchable springs upon stimulation that show superior nanoscale ionic transport behavior as soft and highly stretchable neural electrodes.
Many natural materials possess built-in structural variation, endowing them with superior performance. However, it is challenging to realize programmable structural variation in self-assembled synthetic materials since self-assembly processes usually generate uniform and ordered structures. Here, we report the formation of asymmetric microribbons composed of directionally self-assembled two-dimensional nanoflakes in a polymeric matrix during three-dimensional direct-ink printing. The printed ribbons with embedded structural variations show site-specific variance in their mechanical properties. Remarkably, the ribbons can spontaneously transform into ultrastretchable springs with controllable helical architecture upon stimulation. Such springs also exhibit superior nanoscale transport behavior as nanofluidic ionic conductors under even ultralarge tensile strains (>1,000%). Furthermore, to show possible real-world uses of such materials, we demonstrate in vivo neural recording and stimulation using such springs in a bullfrog animal model. Thus, such springs can be used as neural electrodes compatible with soft and dynamic biological tissues.
self-assembly
microribbons
nanoflakes
neural electrodes
direct-ink writing
Evolution endows biological materials with complex structural variation by guiding the assembly of building blocks across multiple length scales, contributing to their superior mechanical properties and diverse functions (1, 2). Examples of such materials include hierarchically arranged proteins in animal silk and hair (3, 4) and site-specific orientation of stiff fibrils in animal bone, shell, and tooth (5⇓–7), rendering these biomaterials both flaw-tolerant and mechanically strong. In particular, locally anisotropic arrangement of cellulose in pinecones, seedpods, and awns (8⇓–10) enables them to change their morphology to adapt to various environments for their seed dispersal. To mimic these ingenious strategies for smart materials, researchers have been proposing various assembly techniques to incorporate structural anisotropy and diversity into synthetic materials (11, 12).
Self-assembly, as one of the few practical assembly methods for constructing nanomaterials, is a process of spontaneously organizing building blocks into ordered structures without human intervention (13). Studies on the automatic construction of the building blocks enabled by internal interaction forces (e.g., covalent and noncovalent interactions) or external stimuli (e.g., electric field, magnetic field, and light) help to understand the complex biological behavior and contribute to the development of nanofabrication techniques as well (14). However, it is challenging to realize programmable structural variations in self-assembled materials since highly symmetric and uniform structures usually dominate such assemblies as a result of uniform equilibrium interactions (15, 16).
On the other hand, ionic transport widely exists in plants and animals, and it helps to maintain normal physiological activities (17, 18). Interestingly, ionic transport through a confined nanoscale fluidic channel is significantly different from that in bulk (19, 20). The ionic current in a nanofluidic channel with a charged surface is dominated by monopolar counterions at low salt concentrations, and it can largely enhance ionic conductance up to several orders of magnitude compared with that of bulk solution (21). Therefore, incorporating structural variations into nanofluidic ionic assemblies may enable new properties and broaden their applications. Considering the same ionic-conducting nature of nanofluidic ionics and biological tissues, nanofluidic ionic assemblies may have promising applications in bioelectronic devices (22). In particular, soft and stretchable nanofluidic ionic conductors are promising for replacing conventional rigid and dry metal or inorganic oxide electrodes (23).
Here, we show the formation of an ionic conducting microribbon composed of directionally self-assembled two-dimensional (2D) nanoflakes in a polymeric matrix during three-dimensional (3D) printing, which can spontaneously transform into an ultrastretchable spring upon stimulation and serve as a soft and highly stretchable neural electrode. The 2D nanoflakes in the polymer matrix are prealigned when extruded from the printing nozzle then follow a process of solvent-evaporation-assisted asymmetric self-assembly on the substrate, leading to the formation of a ribbon with site-specifically varied mechanical properties. Upon stimulation, the ribbons with graded structures morph their shape into ultrastretchable helical springs, which can be applied as nanofluidic ionic conductors with high conductivity and large elasticity. We further demonstrate their application as soft and biocompatible neural electrodes for reliable neural recording and stimulation.
Formation of Directionally Self-Assembled Microribbons.
A hybrid solution, composed of 2D graphene oxide (GO) dispersed in sodium alginate (SA) viscous solution, was used as the 3D printing ink. GO, as a typical monolayer nanosheet (SI Appendix, Fig. S1) with masses of oxygen-containing functional groups in the plane, is proved to be a superior reinforcement nanofiller. The extremely high aspect ratio of GO nanosheets endows them with remarkable anisotropy (24) that provides the basis for the construction of structural variation observed in the printed GO/SA ribbons. We observed that 2D nanofillers in a viscous polymeric matrix attempt to directionally self-assemble on a substrate and form site-specific structural variations.
Fig. 1A shows the formation of a directionally self-assembled ribbon with a graded structure. Fig. 1 A, i schematically shows that the printing ink is composed of randomly distributed GO flakes in SA polymeric matrix, which is evidenced by the scanning electron microscope (SEM) image (Fig. 1 B, i). A diffraction ring of (002) plane in the 2D wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) pattern of the GO/SA ink shows nearly uniform intensity at all azimuthal angles and a low Herman's orientation factor (f) of 0.006 (Fig. 1 C, i), indicating the isotropic nature of the printing ink. During printing, these GO flakes are then aligned with their planes parallel to the flow direction (or with their director n perpendicular to the flow direction) when extruded from a nozzle (Fig. 1 A, ii and B, ii), which can be ascribed to the large shear force in the nozzle and thus increases the GO orientation (f = 0.253; Fig. 1 C, ii). Notably, the circular cross-section of the extruded filament shows that the parallelly aligned GO flakes are radially distributed (Fig. 1 A, ii, B, ii, and SI Appendix, Fig. S2), which can be ascribed to the radial flow of the ink induced by swell of the extrudate and thus the generated extensional rate leads to radial alignment of the GO flakes (25, 26). Z = 1/Oh (Oh is the Ohnesorge number; see details in Materials and Methods) is used to characterize and analyze the printability of the ink (27). Z of our printing ink is on the order of 10−1, indicating continuous and smooth extrusion can be realized during the direct-ink-writing printing. In contrast, Z >2 is usually required to achieve single-drop ejection in inkjet printing for drop-on-demand printing (27).
Formation of directionally self-assembled ribbon with graded structure. (A) Schematic illustration showing the evolution of the orientation of GO during the extrusion and drying process (i–v). (B) SEM images showing the evolution of GO orientation during printing and deposition process (i–v). (Scale bars, 50 μm.) (C) The 2D WAXD patterns and their corresponding Herman's orientation factors (f) showing the change of orientation degree (i–v).
When the extruded filament is deposited on a substrate, the radially distributed GO flakes continue to reorient until the water fully evaporates (Fig. 1 A, ii–v). Note that the motion range of GO flakes in different portions of the cross-section is different. With the confinement of substrate, GO flakes in the bottom portion tend to lie flat when contacting with the substrate, forming a planar alignment (i.e., a typical bricks-and-mortar structure). In contrast, as the top portion is exposed to the ambient environment the water evaporates and the viscosity of the left ink thus increases, which causes an enhanced energy barrier for the movement of GO flakes in the top portion and greatly restricts their motion, resulting in only a small deflection from their original location and forming a homeotropic alignment (Fig. 1 B, iii–v). As a result, a sharp contrast of GO orientation in the bottom and top portions of the obtained ribbons was observed. During the process, the reorientation of GO flakes contributed to the increased orientation degree of GO flakes, and it was proved by the stepwise narrowed azimuthal-integrated intensity distribution curves (SI Appendix, Fig. S3) and increased f from 0.253 to 0.782 (Fig. 1 C, ii–v).
Site-Specific Mechanical Properties of the Graded Structure.
The directional self-assembly of GO flakes leads to a significant structural variation of the printed microribbon, thus resulting in different mechanical properties along the direction of its thickness. Fig. 2A shows distinctly different morphologies between the top and bottom portions of the ribbons. As shown in Fig. 2 A–C, loosely and vertically distributed GO flakes can be seen in the top portion (Fig. 2B), while an orderly and planarly stacked microstructure is observed in the bottom one (Fig. 2C). As shown in Fig. 2D and SI Appendix, Fig. S4, the top surface shows a rough surface with a root-mean-square roughness value of 470.5 nm, while that of the bottom one is only 39.0 nm with a smaller friction coefficient.
Difference in the morphology and mechanical properties between the top and bottom portion of the printed ribbons. (A) SEM image of the cross-section of a ribbon showing the different morphology in the top and bottom portion. (B) SEM image of the cross-section showing the top portion. (C) SEM image of the cross-section showing the bottom portion. (D) Friction coefficients of the top and bottom surfaces. (Insets) AFM images showing the topography of the top and bottom surfaces. (E) Nanoindentation measurement of partial loading–unloading curves of the top and bottom surfaces. (F) Comparison of the modulus and hardness as a function of the distance to the top and bottom surfaces. (G) Scratch test of the top and bottom surfaces.
As revealed by the partial loading–unloading nanoindentation curves in Fig. 2E, the bottom portion shows a sharper force response and a smaller maximum contact depth than that of the top one under an applied normal force of 3 mN, indicating Young's modulus (Ey) and hardness (H) of the bottom portion are higher than the top one. As shown in Fig. 2F, Ey and H of the bottom portion remain constantly high as the indentation depth increases, while the values of the top portion show an increasing trend until reaching values similar to the bottom one. In addition, the scratch test is shown in Fig. 2G, further indicating their structural variation. The applied sliding results in a typical scratch under a constant normal force of 3 mN (SI Appendix, Fig. S5). The scratch depth (normal displacement of the nanoindentation tip) of the bottom surface is larger than that of top one, while the resistant forces (lateral forces) of both surfaces are similar, which can be ascribed to the loosely packed GO flakes in the top areas.
Controllable Structural Variation.
The size of the printing nozzle largely influences the alignment of GO flakes and thus the resultant structural variation degree. As revealed by the computational fluid dynamics simulations (Fig. 3A), small diameter of the nozzle outlet renders a large shear stress to the flowing ink, leading to a higher alignment of GO flakes with their planes parallel to the flowing direction. In addition, the speed of the ink flow is accelerated when flowing through a tapered nozzle, and the generated elongation rate further enhances the orientation degree of GO flakes in the extruded filament (SI Appendix, Fig. S6). The shear-force-induced prealignment of GO flakes strongly influences the resultant orientation degree in the printed ribbons. From the 2D WAXD results shown in Fig. 3B, a higher orientation degree (evidenced by f) of the printed ribbons can be obtained using printing nozzles with a narrower nozzle outlet.
The effect of nozzle diameter, rheological property of ink, and temperature of substrate on the resultant structural variation of the printed ribbons. (A) Distribution of calculated shear stress in a tapered printing nozzle with different outlet diameters. (B) The 2D WAXD patterns of the printed ribbons using nozzle outlets with different diameters. (C) Apparent viscosity of printing inks with different water content as a function of shear rate. (D) POM images of the extruded filament ink with high water content (94.3%) before and after drying. The insets in D, iii and iv are their corresponding conoscopic figures. (Scale bars, 300 μm.) (E) POM images of extruded filament ink with low water content (87.0%) before and after drying. The insets in E, iii and iv are their corresponding conoscopic figures. (Scale bars, 300 μm.) (F) Distribution curves of azimuthal-integrated intensity of the printed ribbons using printing inks with different water content. (G) Distribution curves of azimuthal-integrated intensity of the printed ribbons deposited on substrates with different temperature.
The rheological properties of the printing ink significantly affect the motion of the GO flakes on a substrate during the drying process, and thus eventually determine the resultant structural variation of the obtained ribbons. As shown in Fig. 3C, the printing ink shows a typical shear-thinning behavior. By controlling the water content in the printing ink, the viscosity can be adjusted. A low water content leads to high viscosity of the printing ink that greatly restricts the motion of the aligned GO flakes during the drying process, and thus causes a large structural variation to the printed ribbons. Notably, the decrease of water content also enhances the storage modulus (G′) of the printing ink (SI Appendix, Fig. S7 A–E), which helps shape maintenance of the extruded filaments on the substrate and makes the ink components hard to move; with water content less than 89.3%, printing inks show larger G′ than loss moduli (G′′) (SI Appendix, Fig. S7 A–E), indicating that they possess more solid-like behavior when resting on the substrate. In contrast, increased loss tangents (tan δ = G′/G′′) are observed when enhancing the water content (SI Appendix, Fig. S7F), proving these inks have more fluid-like behaviors and the GO flakes are thus realigned more easily after being extruded. In addition, the capillary number (Ca) describes the relative effect of viscous force versus surface tension of the printing ink (28, 29). The Ca of our ink approaches or even exceeds 1 as the water content decreases (see details in Materials and Methods), indicating the viscous effect becomes dominant, and the movement of GO is thus restricted. Alternatively, if the viscosity is rather low, the capillary effect would dominate and the commonly seen coffee-ring effect would appear (30).
The effect of rheological properties of the printing ink on the resultant GO alignment can be also evidenced by polarizing optical microscopy (POM) (Fig. 3 D and E). The GO flakes of the printing ink with a high water content (94.3%) can move easily and form a planar (homogeneous) alignment after the extruded filament becomes dry, which can be proved by the completely darkening POM image (Fig. 3 D, i and iii) and its conoscopic figure showing a Maltese cross in the center (Fig. 3 D, iii, Inset). Rotation of the dried ribbon about the microscope axis does not alter the dark image and the cross (Fig. 3 D, iv), further proving the formation of the planar alignment of GO flakes after the printing ink dries on the substrate. In contrast, a lower water content (87.0%) of the printing ink causes a higher energy barrier for these GO flakes to move. After being aligned when extruding from the printing nozzle, the GO flakes in the top portion retain their homeotropic alignment after drying. A sharp contrast in the intensity of transmitted light can be found in Fig. 3 E, i and its 45° rotation in Fig. 3 E, ii, revealing a higher viscosity of printing ink tends to retain the alignment of GO flakes after being extruded onto the substrate. When the axis of the dried ribbon is along the direction of the polarizer, it shows a completely dark POM image, while the ribbon reappears after a 45° rotation. Their corresponding conoscopic figures change from the dark cross (Fig. 3 E, iii) into two arc-shaped isogyre patterns (Fig. 3 E, iv), which indicates the existence of biaxial phase and retaining homeotropic alignment in the dried ribbon.
Thus, the structural variation of the printed ribbons can be controlled by adjusting the rheological properties of the printing inks. Fig. 3F shows the distribution curves of azimuthal-integrated intensity of the printed ribbons by using inks with different viscosities; a lower water content of the printing ink leads to a more broadening peak distribution, indicating its large structural variation, while a higher water content of the printing ink reduces its viscosity and contributes to an easy motion of GO flakes, thus leading to a more uniform structure and thus a smaller structural variation in the printed ribbons, which is evidenced by the increased f (SI Appendix, Fig. S8A) when water content increases.
A more practical way to control the structural variation of the printed ribbons is to adjust the temperature of the deposition substrate. It is noted that the saturated vapor pressure of water will increase as the temperature rises (the values are 814, 2,339, 12,344, 31,176, and 101,325 Pa at temperatures of 4, 20, 50, 70, and 100 °C, respectively), which will affect the evaporation rate of water. High temperatures tend to drive the solvent out fast and increase the viscosity of the ink quickly. As a result of increased viscosity, the movement of ink components is further restricted. As shown in Fig. 3G, higher temperature of the substrate induces a larger structural variation of the printed ribbons, which is proved by the decreased f as the temperature increases (SI Appendix, Fig. S8B);
Spontaneous Transformation to Ultrastretchable Springs.
The structural variation of the printed ribbons enabled by the directionally self-assembled 2D nanoflakes can be employed to realize complex 3D architectures that are beyond the capability of conventional 2D fabrication techniques. As schematically illustrated in Fig. 4A, a printed ribbon can spontaneously transform into an ultrastretchable spring in water. First, the ribbon was cross-linked in Ca2+ aqueous solution, and the microstructure of GO alignment was fixed to prevent its dissolution in the following water treatment. Then the cross-linked ribbon underwent an anisotropic swelling in water and finally transformed into an ultrastretchable spring.
Structural variation enabled the spontaneous transformation to ultrastretchable springs. (A) Schematic illustration of the morphing of a printed ribbon to an ultrastretchable spring. (B) Schematic illustration of the shape-morphing mechanism. (C) Snapshots showing the process of the transformation of a printed ribbon in water. (D) Simulation results showing the process of a shape-morphing ribbon. (E) The radius and pitch of the resultant springs as a function of the temperature of substrate during the ink drying process. (F) Deflection angles of the resultant springs as a function of the temperature of substrate during the ink drying process. (G) Photographs of an ultrastretchable spring under different tensile strains and their corresponding calculated induced strain distribution (along the tensile direction).
The mechanism for the spontaneous transformation of the printed ribbons is based on the formation of the structural variations. The SA polymeric matrix was confined by the aligned GO flakes and the swelling of the matrix in water was thus limited and guided (Fig. 4B). Notably, the dominant swelling direction was along the director n of the aligned GO flakes, since it was easier to expand these layered structures than others. To be more specific, the GO flakes in the bottom portion form a horizontally located bricks-and-mortar structure, so the dominant swelling direction (with a swelling ratio of a1) is along the thickness of the ribbon (director n). In contrast, the GO flakes in the top area are vertically aligned with a small in-plane deflection angle to the longitudinal axis of the ribbon. Thus, the dominant swelling direction (with a swelling ratio of a1) of the top area is along the deflection angle in the top surface (director n). As suggested by Timoshenko's thermal expansion bilayer model (31), a large in-plane swelling of the top portion is restricted by the less deformed bottom one, whereas the bottom portion is in turn forced to deform along with the top one. The generated bending moment thus renders the ribbon to bend along the dominant swelling direction of the top area. Since its swelling direction is not along the ribbon, a spring architecture thus forms. As shown in Fig. 4C, the printed ribbon can suddenly snap into a helical spring after swelling to a certain extent in water (Movie S1). It is noted that the transformation of the printed ribbon to helix is enabled by the asymmetric microstructures, which is different from the reported deformations induced by the variation in materials (32).
The mechanism of structural variation enabled shape morphing is further proved by the finite-element analysis results (Fig. 4D). As guided by the simulations, different geometric dimensions of the springs can be obtained by controlling their structural variation. Therefore, the printing nozzle, rheological property of the ink, and temperature of the substrate can be rationally adjusted to meet the desired architectures of the spring. For example, the temperature of the substrate significantly affects the structural variation of the printed ribbon and thus the resultant architecture of the spring. As shown in Fig. 4 E and F, the radius, pitch, and deflection angle of the obtained springs increase when raising the temperature of the substrate. These trends can be explained by the enlarged structural disorder of the ribbon after drying on hot substrates.
The obtained spring shows an ultrahigh stretchability. As shown in Fig. 4G, it can be stretched to more than 1,000% of its initial length. As revealed by the finite-element analysis result, when a strain of 1,050% is applied to the spring, the maximum induced strain (MIS) distributed in the stretched spring is less than 0.1%. More specifically, the outside surface of the stretched spring is in compression, while its internal surface is in tension. Both tensile and compressive MISs rise along with the increase of the applied strain (SI Appendix, Fig. S9). In addition, the temperature of the substrate can influence the stretchability of the obtained springs. A lower temperature of the substrate during the ink drying favors a higher stretchability of the obtained spring (SI Appendix, Fig. S10A). For example, springs with large ultimate stretchability of >2,000% can be obtained from the ribbons when the ink is dried on a 4 °C substrate, while that of only about 300% is reached if the ink is dried on a 70 °C substrate. In addition, the MIS distributed in fully stretched springs with a low drying temperature is also smaller than those with a high drying temperature (SI Appendix, Fig. S10B). Nevertheless, the largest MIS in the stretched spring is nearly two orders of magnitude lower than the fracture limit (∼18%) of the cross-linked ribbon (SI Appendix, Fig. S11), making it possible as an ultrastretchable ionic conductor.
Highly Conductive and Stretchable Nanofluidic Ionic Conductors.
The structurally stretchable springs can be served as high-performance nanofluidic ionic conductors. Fig. 5A shows the test setup for measuring the ionic conductivity of such springs. Typical current–voltage curves at various salt concentrations show linear current response to the applied voltage (Fig. 5B). Fig. 5C compares the ionic conductivities of the obtained springs with the printed SA ribbons and the salt bulk electrolyte under different electrolyte concentrations. The ionic transport characteristics of the spring exhibit two apparent features. At high electrolyte concentrations the ionic conductivity of the spring linearly rises as the increase of the electrolyte concentration, which is similar to the behavior of the salt bulk electrolyte, whereas at low electrolyte concentrations its ionic conductivity becomes independent of the electrolyte concentration and remains several orders of magnitude larger than that of bulk electrolyte, which is due to its surface-charge-governed ionic transportation at this concentration regime.
Highly conductive and stretchable nanofluidic ionic conductors. (A) Schematics showing the test setup for measuring the ionic conductivity of the spring. (B) Representative current–voltage curves of the spring. (C) Ionic conductivity of the obtained spring, SA ribbon, and bulk solution as a function of electrolyte concentration. (D) Schematics showing the molecular structure of the ink components and ion transportation in subnanoscale channel of the spring. (E) X-ray diffraction patterns of the printed ribbon and SA ribbon. a.u., arbitrary units. (F) Comparison of the resistance change of the obtained spring with reported electronics conductors and hydrogel conductors under stretching.
The ionic conductivity of the spring is higher than that of the printed SA ribbon and can also be proved by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (SI Appendix, Fig. S12), where an impedance value of ∼525.5 Ω at 1 kHz for the spring and ∼1,844.0 Ω for the printed SA filament was measured. The high ionic conductivity of the spring can be ascribed to two main reasons: its chemical composition and highly aligned subnanoscale ionic transportation channel (Fig. 5D). The ionic conductivity of an ionic conductor at low electrolyte heavily depends on the charge density of the conductor. The composed GO and SA of the printed ribbon, both of which contain masses of carboxyl group (–COO−), contribute to a high density of negative charge and a high ionic conductivity (21). Additionally, as shown in Fig. 5E, there are well-aligned 2D subnanoscale channels with an interspace of 8.6 Å in the printed ribbon, which can efficiently boost the smooth transportation of positive ions (33). In contrast, the lower ionic conductivity of the printed SA ribbon can be ascribed to a lower charge density and the lack of well-aligned channels.
Notably, the high ionic conductivity of the spring remains nearly invariable even under a stretch of >11 times of its initial length (Fig. 5F). In comparison, hydrogel conductors, as the most typical type of ionic conductor, follow a theoretic resistance change of λ2 along with the stretch of λ due to the deformation of their intrinsic polymer network (34). Even worse, electronic conductors show a more dramatic change in resistance when stretched due to the breakdown of their rigid or brittle materials (35, 36). Our spring exhibits excellent performance in high ionic conductivity as well as high stability in conductivity under ultralarge deformations.
Application of the Spring as a Soft and Elastic Neural Electrode.
Conventional neural electrodes are usually made of dry, rigid, electron-conducting, and static materials (metal or metal oxide electrodes), which are quite foreign and incompatible with biological tissues with a wet, soft, ion-conducting, and dynamic nature (37). The large mechanical mismatch between these hard electrodes (e.g., the elastic modulus of ca. 100 GPa for metal electrodes) and soft neural tissues (e.g., elastic modulus of ca. 100 kPa) may incur small contact areas or even cause wound or glial scar to the tissue, resulting in large resistances against a good signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Moreover, electrochemical reaction at the tissue–electrode interface may take place when injecting electric currents to the tissue from these electron-conducting electrodes, and thus the incurred environment change at the neural interface, such as production of hazardous chemicals, pH change, or generation of local heat, poses serious issues (such as acute inflammation and chronic neural disorder) to the tissue (22). Surprisingly, the soft and ion-conducting nature of the helical spring with high ionic conductivity and highly stable conductivity under large deformations shows great potential for the neural interface applications.
As a proof of concept, we implanted and integrated the obtained springs on the sciatic nerve of a bullfrog (Fig. 6A) as neural electrodes for in vivo compound action potential (CAP) recording and neural stimulation. Due to its aqueous nature and ultrastretchable helical architecture, the spring with helical architecture could conformably contact with the highly deformable and dynamic nerve fiber (Fig. 6B). As the experimental setup shown in Fig. 6C, two Pt wires were used as the stimulating electrodes at one end of the sciatic nerve, and the two spring electrodes at another end recorded the evoked CAPs. Upon stimulated by a series of monophasic rectangle waves that were applied to the Pt wires, the evoked CAPs were thus transmitted along the nerve and recorded by the spring electrodes (Fig. 6D).
Application of the obtained springs as neural electrodes for action potential recording and neural stimulation. (A) Schematic of a bullfrog. (B) Photograph of a spring integrated on the sciatic nerve of a bullfrog. (C) Schematic showing the experimental setup for recording the CAPs of the sciatic nerve. (D) A recorded CAP using the spring electrodes. (E) Recorded CAPs using the spring electrodes under different voltages of stimulation with a frequency of 15 Hz. (F) Comparison of recorded CAPs using the spring electrodes and Pt wires. (G) Twitch forces evoked in the gastrocnemius muscle of the bullfrog using the springs as the stimulation electrode under various applied voltages with a frequency of 0.5 Hz.
Different stimulating voltages with a constant frequency of 15 Hz and a width of 1 ms led to a series of CAPs with different amplitudes (Fig. 6E). The recorded CAPs show a high SNR due to the high ionic conductivity of the spring electrodes and their compatible contact with the nerve fiber. In addition, the peak of the evoked CAPs increases as the applied stimulating voltage enhances and reaches a plateau after a voltage of 0.5 V, which can be ascribed to the saturated transmembrane potential of the nerve cell. Notably, the evoked CAPs recorded by the spring electrodes show higher amplitudes compared with that recorded by the Pt wires (Fig. 6F), which show great advantages over the conventionally rigid, dry, and geometrical mismatched metal electrodes for the neural interface. In addition, the spring electrodes were used as the stimulating electrodes for muscle electrical stimulation. The evoked action potentials by the spring electrodes led to the contraction of the gastrocnemius muscle of the bullfrog. The twitch force of the gastrocnemius muscle rose linearly along with the increase of voltages (0.2 V to 0.7 V) applied to the spring electrodes (Fig. 6G and SI Appendix, Fig. S13). Note that higher stimulating voltage will not induce hazardous electrochemical reaction at the interface due to the ion-conducting nature of the spring electrodes, so the workable voltage of stimulation is not limited to the restriction of harmful water electrolysis. These results prove that the fabricated springs can be used as a highly compatible and efficient electrode for neural recording and stimulation. In addition, the materials (GO and SA) of the spring electrodes are generally pretty safe according to the toxicity evaluation in the recent studies (38, 39). It should be noted that SA is usually used as bioresorbable material, while it is hard for GO to be absorbed by biological tissues. However, we believe the reported asymmetrical self-assembly strategy may be applied to other nanoflakes that may bring new properties such as biodegradability and bioresorbability (40, 41) or other functionalities into the system.
In summary, we report the spontaneous formation of ribbons composed of directionally self-assembled 2D nanoflakes in a polymeric matrix during printing. Controllable manipulation of asymmetric self-assembly of building blocks was realized by using a composite ink containing GO flakes and SA polymeric matrix dispersed in water. The printing ink formed a graded structure through a process containing two key steps. First, randomly distributed GO flakes were aligned along the extruded filament driven by the large shear force when extruded from a printing nozzle. Once the ink was deposited on the substrate, the aligned GO flakes then reoriented discrepantly at different thicknesses of the extruded filament, and finally formed a ribbon with structural variation. The asymmetric self-assembly of GO flakes enabled site-specific mechanical properties of the printed ribbons at different thicknesses. It was demonstrated that the structural variation could be further enlarged by swelling in water after cross-linking in Ca2+ ions, leading to an enhanced mismatch along the thickness. As a result, the printed ribbons could be spontaneously transformed into springs with controllable helical architectures in water. The obtained spring can work as an elastic nanofluidic ionic conductor with high and stable ionic conductivity under high tensile strains (>1,000%). Further, we demonstrated the application of the nanofluidic ionic spring as neural electrodes for action potential recording and neural stimulation, showing its high potential for neural interface applications.
Preparation of the GO/SA Printing Ink.
GO was prepared according to the typical Hummers' methods (42). To obtain GO/SA aqueous ink with different viscosities, GO and SA with a weight ratio of 200 mg:1,000 mg were mixed in a series of water with different volumes ranging from 8 mL to 20 mL. Then, these components were mixed in a speed mixer at 3,500 rpm for 5 min, following by mechanical mixing at 100 rpm for 5 min, then underwent another mixing in the speed mixer at 3,500 rpm for 5 min. Unless otherwise stated, the GO/SA ink used elsewhere in this work is at the weight ratio of GO:SA:H2O = 1:5:60.
Fabrication Process of the Printed Ribbon and the Spring.
Multiple parallel filaments were designed using a commercial software (3ds Max) and the corresponding G-codes were generated by another commercial software (Ultimaker Cura). The ink was then loaded in an injection syringe and connected to a nozzle with different outlet diameters that was fixed on a 3D printer (Anycubic I3 MEGA). The ink was extruded by a syringe pump (Lead Fluid TSD01) at a feeding rate of 200 μL/min to draw filaments on a polyethylene terephthalate film fixed on a bed with controllable temperature and left to dry for further use. The obtained ribbons were then immersed into 0.5 M CaCl2 aqueous solution for 5 s and then transferred into deionized water to swell for shape morphing into springs.
Characterization of the GO/SA Printing Ink, the Printed Ribbon, and the Spring.
The rheological properties including viscosity and modulus of the printing ink were measured by a rheometer (MCR 301; Anton Paar). The storage and loss modulus of the printing ink was recorded within a shear sweep from 10−1 to 104 Pa at a constant frequency of 1 Hz. Reynolds (Re = αρu/η), Weber (We = αρu2/γ), and Ohnesorge [Oh = (We)0.5/Re = η/(γρα)0.5] numbers are used to analyze the printability of our ink, where α is the nozzle diameter (micrometers), ρ is the ink density (grams per cubic centimeter), u is the ink velocity at the nozzle (meters per second), η is the ink viscosity (millipascal second), and γ is the surface tension (millijoules per square meter). Z = 1/Oh is usually used to analyze and evaluate the printability of ink. For our ink system, the nozzle diameter is 260 μm, the ink density is 1.11 g/cm3, the ink viscosity is on the order of 103 mPa⋅s at shear rates between 103 to 104 s−1, and the surface tension is on the order of 102 mJ/m2, and thus Z is on the order of 10−1.
In addition, capillary number (Ca, Ca = ηu/γ) describes the relative effect of viscous forces versus surface tension. For water drying on a substrate (with a low viscosity on the order of 10−3 Pa⋅s), Ca is the on the order of 10−7. For our highly viscous ink, the viscosity (102∼104 Pa⋅s at low shear rates) is several orders of magnitude higher than that of water, where the ink velocity (u = R/tdry, where R is the diameter of extruded filament and tdry is the drying time) is on the order of 10−5 m/s and surface tension is on the order of 10−1 J/m2, and thus Ca is on the order of 1.
The thickness of GO flake and surface topography of the printed ribbon were measured using atomic force microscope (AFM) (Oxford Instruments Asylum Research, Inc.). The printing ink and extruded filament were freeze-dried and their morphologies were measured by an SEM (Zeiss, Merlin). The strain–stress curves of the cross-linked ribbon with a gauge length of 10 mm were measured at a load rate of 1 mm/min using a Shimadzu AGS-X universal testing machine. Friction coefficients were measured using a multifunctional surface mechanics tester (MFT-5000; RETC-Instruments, Inc.) equipped with a sliding diamond ball (R = 6.33 mm). Nanoindentation measurements were done using a triboindenter (TI 950; Hyitron) equipped with a Berkovich diamond tip (R = 100 nm), and the scratch test was also conducted in the triboindenter with a conical diamond tip (R < 1μm). X-ray diffraction spectra of the printed ribbon and SA ribbon were measured using a laser Al Kα radiation (Escalab 250Xi; Thermo Scientific). The 2D WAXD patterns of the printed ribbons were recorded by a single crystal diffractometer (Bruker D8). Multiple printed ribbons were piled together and mounted with their thickness toward the incident X-ray beam. Azimuthal angle intensity distributions [I(ϕ)] of (002) plane at 2θ ≈ 10.3° were analyzed by GADDS software, and the Herman's factors (f) was calculated to evaluate the GO orientation according to the following equations:(cos2φ)=∫I(ϕ)sinϕcosϕ2dϕ∫I(ϕ)sinϕdϕ[1]f=1−3(cos2ϕ).[2]
The ionic conductivities of the obtained spring, SA ribbon, and bulk solution at different concentrations of KCl were calculated by their corresponding current–voltage curves measured by an electrochemical workstation (CHI760E; CH Instruments, Inc.).
In Vivo Animal Experiments.
The in vivo bullfrog tests were approved under contract SYXK (Jing) 2009-0022 by the Ethics Committee of Tsinghua University, Beijing, China. The gastrocnemius muscle with sciatic nerve from the bullfrog (weight: 348 g) was extracted with the double pithing method. Two of the spring electrodes were immersed into Ringer's solution and then intertwined onto the sciatic nerve and connected to a physiological signal processing device (RM-6240BD; Chengdu Instrument Factory). For recording the signal of CAPs by the spring electrodes, two Pt wire electrodes were placed on the bottom surface of the sciatic nerve. A series of monophasic rectangle waves with different voltages (15 Hz, a width of 0.2 ms) were applied on the Pt wire electrodes, and the sampling rate of the spring electrodes was 20 kHz. As a comparison, another two Pt wire electrodes replaced the spring electrodes and recorded the CAPs. For stimulating the gastrocnemius muscle by the spring electrodes, a series of monophasic rectangle waves with different voltages (0.5 Hz, a width of 1 ms) were applied on the spring electrodes, and the twitch force of the gastrocnemius muscle was recorded by a force sensor.
Finite-Element Analysis.
Computational fluid dynamics simulations were conducted to understand the influence of shear stress on the resultant GO orientation. The GO/SA printing ink is considered to be incompressible, and the printing ink follows the typical non-Newtonian flow behavior. By fitting the data from Fig. 3C by the power law viscosity modelη=Kγ˙n−1, we obtain the corresponding parameters K = 771.24 kg/(m·s) and n = 0.223 and apply them to the simulation. The Navier–Stokes equation shown below guides the dynamics of the velocity filed V of the printing ink:▽·V=0[3]▽·[−pI+η(▽V+▽VT)]=ρ(V·▽)V+ρ∂tV,[4]
where ρ is the density of the fluid and measured to be 1.11 g/cm3 and I is the unity matrix. The equation is solved in COMSOL Multiphysics software with corresponding geometry of printing nozzles, and the shear stress distribution is then obtained from the results.
The induced strain of a spring under tensile strain is simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics software. The mechanical properties of the ribbon are obtained according to the strain–stress curve of the ribbon in the wet state (SI Appendix, Fig. S8) and applied into simulation of the stretched spring. Different tensile strains are loaded to the spring, and the corresponding induced strain and stress distribution in the spring are then calculated. The transformation of the printed ribbon to the spring is simulated using ABAQUS software. The shape-morphing mechanism is ascribed to the different swelling along the thickness of the printed ribbon. Thus, swelling ratio and direction can be easily tuned in each layer of top and bottom and applied into the simulation, which determines the final helical architectures of the obtained springs.
Data Availability.
All data, materials, and associated protocols are included in the paper and SI Appendix.
We thank Prof. Zhiping Xu for his help with finite-element analysis, Maosheng Chai for his help with AFM measurement, Yuke Zeng for his help with POM images, and Bo Peng for his help with friction measurement. This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (51672153 and 21975141), the National Key Basic Research and Development Program (2016YFA0200103), and the National Program for Support of Top-notch Young Professionals.
↵1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: yingyingzhang{at}tsinghua.edu.cn.
Author contributions: Yingying Zhang and M.Z. designed research; M.Z., R.G., K.C., Y.W., J.N., Z.Y., K.X., B.Z., H.W., and W.H. performed research; J.L. contributed new reagents/analytic tools; M.Z., J.N., Y.G., Yong Zhang, B.Z., and Yingying Zhang analyzed data; and M.Z., M.S., and Yingying Zhang wrote the paper.
The authors declare no competing interest.
This article contains supporting information online at https://www.pnas.org/lookup/suppl/doi:10.1073/pnas.2003079117/-/DCSupplemental.
Published under the PNAS license.
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You are going to email the following Microribbons composed of directionally self-assembled nanoflakes as highly stretchable ionic neural electrodes
Mingchao Zhang, Rui Guo, Ke Chen, Yiliang Wang, Jiali Niu, Yubing Guo, Yong Zhang, Zhe Yin, Kailun Xia, Binghan Zhou, Huimin Wang, Wenya He, Jing Liu, Metin Sitti, Yingying Zhang
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Jun 2020, 117 (26) 14667-14675; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2003079117

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


LOVE! LOVE! WHAT IS LOVE?
What does love really mean to you?
After doing some research by asking friends and reading about it. Everyone seems to relate it to a connection between two or more people. I read varied definitions whilst others seem to have no idea what this abstract word 'LOVE' means to them. Before I tell you my own meaning of love, I will like to share some views I discovered in my quest to seek the meaning of love mean?
Interesting right? My search wouldn't have been complete without me going into the most read book in the world; The Bible. This is what the Bible says about love.
Digging deeper into love, will continue with article with the 5 love languages and how people express theie love.
I am a smart unapologetic woman who knows what she wants. I embody success, passion, ambition and drive. And yesssss I know how to have fun.
Next Story → My boyfriend beats me up what should I do?


Recent tragedy at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., has forced the nation to reflect on a topic that is rarely discussed and often ignored: mental health care. This important issue is not just for lawmakers and advocates to address, however. Leaders must address the mental health of our subordinates every day.
I serve as a noncommissioned officer in the Army Reserve, and during a drill weekend last year, I led a discussion with Soldiers on mental health. It was not an easy talk. Service members are expected to embody strength and toughness.
To start the session, I painted a picture of those we serve with; the missions our nation expects us to accomplish; and the hard training we go through. I then asked them to imagine that one of their comrades was struggling, unable to carry his weight and forcing us to slow down. I asked: How did that make them feel?
They were all resentful. When everyone works hard to complete the mission, it's natural to be annoyed, even angry, at someone who is falling behind. They were even less sympathetic when I asked how they would feel if this Soldier had always struggled, maybe couldn't pass a physical fitness test, or was usually late.
Then I asked them: What would they do if this Soldier asked them for help, or just to talk?
They wrestled with the question, because it touched on an internal conflict: Equal to the value Soldiers put on strength and toughness is an emphasis on teamwork. This theoretical Soldier was a member of our team, and we never leave anyone behind. But in a group of high performers, it's natural to ostracize those who can't keep up. For good or for bad, this happens often.
Finally, I asked them how they would feel if this person confided in them about troubles at home, with kids, with finances, with his or her marriage. What would they do with that information? Would they help their fellow Soldier, maybe offer to carry some of his load, share words of encouragement? They all nodded.
Then I asked how often any of their Soldiers confided personal struggles in them. The consensus: "Very rarely." And that is the problem.
The theoretical Soldier isn't just theoretical. A friend of mine confided that one of his Soldiers attempted suicide on his recent deployment to Afghanistan. Everyone thought this man was lazy, couldn't keep up, was "weird." Rather than helping, fellow Soldiers shut him out. Ultimately, he tried to take his own life. After his attempt, the Soldier's unit discovered that his toddler had been sick, and the Soldier lost sleep for weeks looking for answers from doctors as the man's parents cared for his son while he was deployed. Without enough rest, his performance suffered. Even as he fought to keep his family going, his comrades in arms believed he was slacking. If he had reached out and asked for help, things could have gone differently.
Leaders in every kind of organization, in and outside the military, must do more to take care of our own. People aren't going to just come to us and ask for support. Changing mindsets requires a change in leadership style. We must be intrusive in our leadership. We need to ask hard questions of those who are struggling, without passing judgment. How are we supposed to lead those working for us if we don't know what is happening in their lives? A team is only as strong as its weakest link -- but a weak link can be strengthened with support and compassion.
Ostracizing, criticizing or ignoring personal circumstances hurts the individual and the team. Turning our backs on someone in need cuts that person off from those who can help. In some cases, asking the right questions -- or simply listening -- can save a life. This is the purest form of leadership.
We all have the ability to place our Soldiers' needs first. But first, it's up to us to find out what those needs are.


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text:
using System;

namespace PGSolutions.Monads {
    using static FormattableString;

    /// Class factory for <see cref="LazyPayload{TState,TValue}"/>, with conveninece methods that perform constructor type inference.
    public static class LazyPayload {
        /// Expose type inference on the corresponding constructor for <see cref="LazyPayload{TState,TValue}"/>.
        public static LazyPayload<TState,TValue> New<TState,TValue>(TState state, TValue value) =>
            new LazyPayload<TState,TValue>(state, value);
    }

    /// TODO
    /// <typeparam name="TState">Type of the internal state.</typeparam>
    /// <typeparam name="TValue">Type of the delivered value.</typeparam>
    public struct LazyPayload<TState,TValue> {
        /// Return a new object instance.
        internal LazyPayload(TState state, TValue value) : this(new ValueTuple<TState,TValue>(state,value)) { ; }
        /// Return a new object instance.
        private LazyPayload(ValueTuple<TState, TValue> tuple) : this(() => tuple) { ; }
        /// Return a new object instance.
        private LazyPayload(Func<ValueTuple<TState, TValue>> valueFactory)
            => Base = new Lazy<ValueTuple<TState,TValue>>(valueFactory);

        private Lazy<ValueTuple<TState,TValue>> Base { get; }

        /// Returns the calculated current <typeparamref name="TState"/> value.
        public TState State => Base.Value.Item1;
        /// Returns the calculated current <typeparamref name="TValue"/> value.
        public TValue Value => Base.Value.Item2;

        #region Value Equality with IEquatable<T>.
        /// <inheritdoc/>
        public override bool Equals(object obj) =>
                (obj as LazyPayload<TState,TValue>?)?.Equals(this) ?? false;

        /// Tests value-equality, returning false if either value doesn't exist.
        public bool Equals(LazyPayload<TState, TValue> other) => Value.Equals(other.Value) && State.Equals(other.State);

        /// Tests value-equality.
        public static bool operator ==(LazyPayload<TState,TValue> lhs, LazyPayload<TState,TValue> rhs) => lhs.Equals(rhs);

        /// Tests value-inequality.
        public static bool operator !=(LazyPayload<TState,TValue> lhs, LazyPayload<TState,TValue> rhs) => !lhs.Equals(rhs);

        /// <inheritdoc/>
        public override int GetHashCode() => Value.GetHashCode() ^ State.GetHashCode();
        /// <inheritdoc/>
        public override string ToString() => Invariant($"({State},{Value})");
        #endregion
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
« Man who ran across field during Chicago White Sox game held on higher bail than people charged with illegal gun possession | More parents are speaking up about toxic Critical Race Theory in schools »
The revival of English identity
By Michael Curtis
Smile at us, pay us, pass us, but do not forget for we are the public of England that never have spoken yet.
What does it mean to be English in a multi-ethnic society? The distinction between "English" and "British" has always been nebulous. The popular 1939 song, a patriotic defiance of the Nazis, heralded, "There will always be an England while there's a country lane, while there's a busy street." So will be the Morris Dance around a maypole, Yorkshire tea, and Cornish cream scones. Iconography is emotionally moving. The flag of St. George flies, and the White Cliffs of Dover are compelling. The question now is whether there is a significant sense of English identity, and if so, whether it is growing in a land of competing national identities where different flags are flying.
The area known as England had an identity under the Anglo-Saxons but took its name from the Angles, a Germanic tribe during the 5th to 6th centuries. It became a unified state in the 10th century. It had a significant impact on the world, with its attributes of the English language, the Anglican church, the common law system, the parliamentary system of government, and later in the 18th century the Industrial Revolution. That impact is declining for various reasons: the loss of empire and dominance, decline of past greatness, and the spread of Scottish and Welsh nationalism.
Flag of England.
England's present population of 56 million is about 85% of the population of the United Kingdom. The Kingdom of England, which after 1535 included Wales, united in 1707 with the Kingdom of Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. There had already been a personal union of the two kingdoms in 1603 when James VI of Scotland became James I of England. In 1801, G.B. united with the Kingdom of Ireland to become the United Kingdom of G.B. and Ireland. However, in 1922, the Irish Free State seceded from the existing U.K., which then became officially the U.K. of G.B. and Northern Ireland, the present U.K.
The different units of the U.K. have taken part in an intellectual and scientific evolution, an industrial revolution, the building of an empire, and military power. Now the union is weak and fraying, not least because of Brexit and Britain's exit from the E.U. Three factors are pertinent: whether the union can hold together in its present form; whether England could survive as a separate entity; and whether any of the constituent parts of the union if they declared independence would have different political and cultural values from the U.K. at present.
Is a dramatic change in the political structure likely? Much depends on the consequences of Brexit, which the country is unenthusiastically undergoing, and the strength of the demand for separate independence of the units. The votes on Brexit are germane. In the referendum on June 23, 2016, on whether to Leave the E.U., the vote, with turnout of 71.7%, was 51.8% (17.4 million) to Leave to 48.1% (16.1 million) to Remain.
England voted to Leave, 53.4% to 46.6%. Greater London voted to Remain 59.9% (2.2 million), and 40% (1.5 million) to Leave: almost every London borough voted to Remain. Wales also voted to Leave, 52.5% to 47.5%. But Scotland (62% to 38%) and Northern Ireland (55. 8% to 44.2%) voted to Remain. Every county in Scotland voted Remain. The conclusion is clear: there is a strong correlation between feeling English and being Euroskeptic .
A new book, Englishness by Alisa Henderson and Richard Wyn Jones, argues that politically, there is a big difference between people who self-identify as "English" and those who identify as "British but not English." The basic argument is that Englishness is related to and correlated with a strong sense of grievance about England's place in the U.K. and the feeling that England is losing financially and politically to the other units, particularly to Scotland, a country that has been linked with British politics, prime ministers and Cabinet members, and free trade, and which has a separate church and legal system. The grievance asks, why should the Scots and Welsh have their own parliament, but England does not? Scotland, for example, since July 1, 1999 has a devolved, unicameral Legislature with power to legislate on all areas, education, transport, health care, except those explicitly reserved for Westminster.
Scotland was an independent kingdom through the Middle Ages, and many of its citizens now favor independence. First there was pressure for devolution in 1979, when 52% to 48% voted in favor, and in 1997, when 73% were in favor. Devolution was obtained in July 1999. The referendum in 2014 on whether Scotland should be an independent country was defeated; 44.7% were in favor, and 55.3% were against. Had it not been for COVID-19, another referendum would have been held in 2020.
The pressure for independence is mounting as the major political party, the SNP, which is expected to win most seats in the Scottish parliament election in May 2021, is strongly in favor of it. If it succeeds, it will give Scotland full decision-making power over items such as nuclear disarmament, defense and foreign policy, removal of Trident nuclear weapons, and full exploration of North Sea oil and gas, and adopting the euro. Yet links will remain. About 700,000 adults born in Scotland live elsewhere in U.K., and 470,000 who were born elsewhere live in Scotland. Moreover, 60% of Scotland's exports go to the rest of Britain. One major problem is the fear of Wales and Northern Ireland following the lead of the Scottish independence movement.
English nationalism until recently was not pronounced so strongly. As so often, George Orwell spoke the truth. In his essay "England, your England," written in 1941, he wrote, "It is quite true that the so-called races of Britain should feel themselves to be very different from one another. England is perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality."
Brexit, which has weakened the union, has made a difference in assertion of English identity and deep pride in Britain's past. The number of people who describe themselves as exclusively or mainly English is increasing. They feel left behind as other parts of the U.K. are getting disproportionate benefits. They are more Euroskeptic than other areas and hold that English identity is incompatible with membership of the E.U. English nationalism is not a rejection of Britain, but is a combination of commitment to and pride in the past of real identity, bound by culture, history, language and a sense of grievance about the place of England in the U.K. today.
The number of people who describe themselves as exclusively or mainly English is growing.
All this is not without ironies. One is that the most extreme advocate of Leave, the break with E.U., was UKIP (U.K. Independence Party). A second is that the book Englishness is written by two scholars both at non-England universities, Cardiff and Edinburgh. A third concerns the speech by John of Gaunt in Shakespeare's Richard II, perhaps the most famous invocation of English patriotism, "This royal throne of kings ... this blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England." Eloquent but mistaken. The ambitious John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, for twenty years was most interested in pursuing the crown of Castille. And John le Carré, distinguished novelist who had worked for MI5 and MI6, became an Irish citizen before his death.
England has 84% of the British population, and London has more than Scotland and Wales combined. Studies show that people who are "English" feel aggrieved, left behind, some living in unfashionable parts of the country, or older, or less educated. But they also adhere to a set of values: commitment to fair play, parliamentary democracy, pride in England's history. They feel the Scots are getting more than they should; the Scottish tail is wagging the English dog. They dislike EU membership because they regard Parliament as the only legitimate source of power.
Yet the exact meaningful self-identification of citizens is ambivalent. The latest poll indicates that 83% indicate they are strongly English, while 85% feel strongly British. Those who identify as English have a strong identity with a region or place in England and are proud of their identity. Britishness means very different things in different parts of Britain, and British identity tends to align with different political attitudes. A meaningful conclusion is that English nationalism is developing for two reasons; skepticism of the E.U. and of Europe; and high levels of grievance about England's place in the U.K.


Wallet Hub also looked at the strongest job markets in 180 cities in the U.S. "The data set ranges from job opportunities to employment growth to the monthly average starting salary," according to Wallet Hub.
Colorado Springs came in at No. 5.


text:
In: Rossignol
Now available in limited quantities, the sustainably designed Essential ski named one of the 100 greatest innovations of 2022 Rossignol, the…
For decades, the Rossignol Group's teams have been guided by the desire to offer, through their brands, products of the highest…
For every new pair of skis sold the brand will donate a refurbished ski to charitable organizations Kicking off the "giving…
ROSSIGNOL UNVEILS ITS NEW CAMPAIGN FOR WINTER 2022-2023, AN ODE TO SHARING AND HERITAGE
In this new film, Rossignol celebrates its love for the mountains and snow sports in all their richness and diversity. A…
Rossignol bikes are now available all over Europe
After a great success of the new Rossignol bikes range in France and USA. Rossignol is excited to announce that Rossignol…
Rossignol's new Blackops Sender TI wins 2020 ISPO Award
Rossignol's all-new freeride-focused Blackops Sender TI has turned heads at the 2020 ISPO Convention in Germany and been dubbed the winner…
Rossignol and Dynastar skis exposed at the Elysée
Rossignol and Dynastar skis exposed at the Elysée. This past weekend, 10 000 visitors have discovered 120 products representing the French…
ROSSIGNOL ANNOUNCES A NEW STORE OPENING IN AUSTRIA
Following the successful opening of its two prestigious stores in the center of Paris, and the one in North America, in…
France's national ski instructor union chooses Rossignol to make its uniforms for the next two seasons!
It's official: Rossignol has signed a two-year contract (2019-2021) with France's national ski instructor union, the SNMSF. Rossignol's strengths lay in…


text:
Q: design automation older engines Is there any plan to support older versions of the engines? My potential use case would be automated creation of testing files to be used in data compliance checks against forge model-derivative. Ea. does our data still process the same in older versions (potentially to be used in CI, so that we can also test the other side of the equation, does Forge still output the same data?)

A: Generally we are looking forward to supporting newer engine versions.  That said, we would be interested in hearing which older engine versions you'd like supported.  Please let us know which products - Revit, Inventor, AutoCAD, or 3dsMax - you want the versions for too.
Best,
Michael

A: First, you can check all the supported engine versions by the endpoint GET https://developer.api.autodesk.com/da/us-east/v3/engines.
But as Michael mentioned, we will mainly support the newer engine versions, there might be a less chance to support old version like 2013-2018 as far as I know, but you can always let us know your request and reason, and we can forward to our engineering team if this confirms to be a reasonable request.

A: The official support of AutoCAD goes back 3 releases.
If you inspect the response from  GET https://developer.api.autodesk.com/da/us-east/v3/engines you'll see that we have engine version posted going back to AutoCAD 2016 ("Autodesk.AutoCAD+20_1"). This is because the cost of removing old engines is higher than the cost saving that their removal would bring. This can obviously change and you should expect that we will remove older engines as we see customers stop using them.
We have no plans to post earlier engines.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Miscellaneous Chatter
The Stone Dance of the Chameleon
ThoughtsOfThelli
Great Name
Thelli's Revenge
Approximation of a Human
Here's a reading suggestion for you all during this fine new year.
This series is a trilogy (consisting on: The Chosen, The Standing Dead and The Third God) written by a Portuguese author, Ricardo Pinto (though the original version is in English - apparently he has lived in the UK since a very young age).
It is set in a world ruled by the (appropriately-named) Masters, who oppress the remainder of humanity and live (mostly) in a citadel, Osrakum, isolated from the rest of the world, ruled by a God Emperor. One of the other ethnic groups of this world, the Plainsmen, must surrender a certain number of their children to become slaves of the Masters every year (this is enforced through an organized system). The Masters also wear masks and have a complicated set of rules that determines who can be masked in whose presence. (That's all I'm going to say on their society - I'd probably do a poor job of explaining it further and you should check it out by yourselves... )
The protagonist is a teenage boy, Carnelian, who is the son and heir of an exiled Master. He has lived his whole life in an island far away from Osrakum (he was an infant at the time of the exile) and has developed a sense of compassion that other Masters lack due to it. The story starts when some of the other Masters unexpectedly leave Osrakum and arrive at the island intending to have Carnelian's father (and Carnelian himself) return with them, as the God Emperor is dying. They have revoked the father's exile so that he can act as He-who-goes-before (a regent of sorts) for the short time they have while the current emperor is still alive, and aid them in making sure the election of the next God Emperor goes their way.
This series has some wonderfully developed world building. The author's website is very much detailed on this matter and should absolutely be checked out (though maybe only after reading the whole series, as there are some spoilers on there).
Oh, and another thing I thought I should mention: this is a low fantasy series, but it includes dinosaurs (not sure how you might feel about that, maybe some of you would be put off by it). That might sound silly and in contrast with the rest of the world, but let me explain: in this world, you have dinosaurs as you might have regular animals in ours. (Honestly, I almost forgot the dinosaurs were there at one point, it's not like their existence is remarkable or anything.) Some are predators to be avoided, like for instance, wolves in our world; some are used as horses would be, etc. It's just part of the world for this story.
Basically: fairly dark story (though you all have read TSA, it's not like it would scare anyone off), low on the fantasy scale (dinosaurs or not...), fantastic worldbuilding. Why not give it a try and add it to your "to read in 2018" list?
"But you've simply made the discovery that Thelli made—only without the benefit of her unerring sense of fashion."
-Anasûrimbor Kayûtas (The Great Ordeal, chapter 13)
"You prefer to believe women victims to their passions, but we can be at least as calculating as you. Love does not make us weak, but strong."
-Ykoriana of the Masks (The Third God, chapter 27)
Re: The Stone Dance of the Chameleon
The author of this series recently announced that he will be releasing a second edition of the series, divided into seven books instead of three and with the full text reduced by about a quarter.
This might come as good news for anyone interested in reading the series, as it seems to me that it'd be much easier to read it for the first time in its second iteration.


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Marvel's Ant-Man And The Wasp Action Figures Review – No Need For A Can Of Doom
Home > Toys > Marvel's Ant-Man And The Wasp Action Figures Review – No Need For A Can Of Doom
Marvel's Ant-Man And The Wasp Action Figures Review – No Need For A Can Of Doom
bySergio Pereira
in Toys
Tags: Ant-ManHasbroMarvel NewsToys
Just in time for Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hasbro has released a set of action figures for the fans. While the figures are sold separately, I've decided to look at them in a combined review. Do keep in mind, though, that the Ant-Man figurine is part of the Titan Hero Series, which includes another version of the Wasp as well. This Wasp figurine being reviewed is the one with Wing FX.
Right, so let's start with Ant-Man. The detail on the 12-inch character is largely good, with a nice change in textures and accurate colouring. That said, the helmet could've used a little more work, as it appears to be a modified Stormtrooper helmet rather than an original creation. Yes, we all know that toy companies take shortcuts with their products, but this one is a bit too obvious for my liking.
Ant-Man's head, arms, hands, and legs are all movable; however, there are limitations. The figure isn't quite as poseable as one would like and he's pretty useless from the waist down. Look, it wouldn't look ugly or out of place on a bookshelf, but if you like to pose your figurines you're limited here.
All things considered, Ant-Man is a disappointing figurine that comes with absolutely no accessories. If you wish to connect the Power FX Pack and utilize the sounds and phrases, you'll need to purchase that separately. Surely, that should've been stock and standard with every character? Especially considering this figurine came with nothing else.
Now, to the Wasp.
Much like Ant-Man, the design of the character is spot-on. It's also a textured and accurately coloured figurine, with a costume design inspired by the upcoming film. Surprisingly, the helmet design is much better than Ant-Man's and isn't a Stormtrooper rip-off (or if it is, it's better disguised).
Where this 12-inch figurine suffers is in the movability of the body parts. The head turns and the arms lift up… And that's it. The reason for the legs being immovable is easily explainable as they're used to activate the wings when you squeeze them. Speaking of which, the wing feature works well and looks terrific too. They appear to be rather sturdy and able to handle more than a few flights.
Additionally, the Wasp comes with stinger accessories for you to put over the figurine's hands. It's a small detail, but it just adds that little bit more to the character.
Overall, these two action figures are geared more towards children than collectors. They're built to last the most strenuous of playground combat and look incredibly durable. A few more accessories would've been welcome – especially for Ant-Man – but you can't deny both these figures look just like the film version of the characters.
https://www.fortressofsolitude.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/SERG.mp4
Wolverine In The MCU: How, When, Why, Who?
Thanos: How Powerful Is Marvel's Mad Titan?
Deadpool 3: Ryan Reynolds On Release Date, Cast, Trailers & The MCU
No Way Home: The Spell They Should Have Cast
The MCU's Klev Deserves His Own TV Show
Why James Gunn Should Direct Deadpool 3


text:
SGS North America, Inc.: Application for Expansion of Recognition
SUMMARY: In this notice, OSHA announces the application of SGS North
America, Inc., for expansion of the scope of recognition as a
Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) and presents the
agency's preliminary finding to grant the application.
DATES: Submit comments, information, and documents in response to this
notice, or requests for an extension of time to make a submission, on
or before March 12, 2020.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments by any of the following methods:
Electronically: You may submit comments and attachments
electronically at: https://www.regulations.gov, which is the Federal
eRulemaking Portal. Follow the instructions online for submitting
Facsimile: If your comments, including attachments, are not longer
than 10 pages, you may fax them to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-
Mail, hand delivery, express mail, messenger, or courier service:
When using this method, you must submit a copy of your comments and
attachments to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2006-0040,
Occupational Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of
Labor, Room N-3653, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20210.
Deliveries, (hand, express mail, messenger, and courier service) are
accepted during the Docket Office's normal business hours, 10:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m., ET.
Instructions: All submissions must include the agency name and OSHA
docket number (OSHA-2006-0040). All comments, including any personal
information you provide, are placed in the public docket without
change, and may be made available online at https://www.regulations.gov. Therefore, the agency cautions commenters about
submitting statements they do not want made available to the public, or
submitting comments that contain personal information (either about
themselves or others) such as Social Security numbers, birth dates, and
medical data.
Docket: To read or download comments or other material in the
docket, go to https://www.regulations.gov or the OSHA Docket Office at
the above address. All documents in the docket (including this Federal
Register notice) are listed in the https://www.regulations.gov index;
however, some information (e.g., copyrighted material) is not publicly
available to read or download through the website. All submissions,
including copyrighted material, are available for inspection at the
OSHA Docket Office. Contact the OSHA Docket Office for assistance in
locating docket submissions.
Extension of comment period: Submit requests for an extension of
the comment period on or before March 12, 2020 to the Office of
Technical Programs and Coordination Activities, Directorate of
Technical Support and Emergency Management, Occupational Safety and
Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution
Avenue NW, Room N-3653, Washington, DC 20210, or by fax to (202) 693-
of Communications, U.S. Department of Labor, telephone: (202) 693-1999;
email: meilinger.francis2@dol.gov.
Safety and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, phone:
(202) 693-2110 or email: robinson.kevin@dol.gov.
I. Notice of the Application for Expansion
OSHA is providing notice that SGS North America, Inc. (SGS), is
applying for expansion of current recognition as a NRTL. SGS requests
the addition of one recognized testing and certification site to the
NRTL scope of recognition.
the requirements specified in 29 CFR 1910.7. Recognition is an
acknowledgment that the organization can perform independent safety
testing and certification of the specific products covered within the
scope of recognition. Each NRTL's scope of recognition includes (1) the
type of products the NRTL may test, with each type specified by the
applicable test standard and (2) the recognized site(s) that has/have
the technical capability to perform the product-testing and product-
certification activities for test standards within the NRTL's scope.
Recognition is not a delegation or grant of government authority;
however, recognition enables employers to use products approved by the
NRTL to meet OSHA standards that require product testing and
certification.
The agency processes applications by a NRTL for initial recognition
and for an expansion or renewal of this recognition, following
application and provides the preliminary finding. In the second notice,
the agency provides the final decision on the application. These
notices set forth the NRTL's scope of recognition or modifications of
that scope. OSHA maintains an informational web page for each NRTL,
including SGS, which details the NRTL's scope of recognition. These
pages are available from the OSHA website at http://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/index.html.
SGS currently has nine facilities (sites) recognized by OSHA for
product testing and certification, with headquarters located at: SGS
North America, Inc., 620 Old Peachtree Road, Suwanee, Georgia 30024. A
complete list of SGS sites recognized by OSHA is available at https://www.osha.gov/dts/otpca/nrtl/sgs.html.
II. General Background on the Application
SGS submitted an application, dated October 16, 2017 (OSHA-2006-
0040-0052) to expand recognition to include the addition of one
recognized testing and certification site located at: SGS Consumer and
Retail France, 135, Rue Rene Descartes- CS 30584, 13857 Aix en Provence
Cedex 3, France. OSHA staff performed an on-site review of SGS France's
testing facilities on July 23-24, 2018, in which the assessors found
some nonconformances with the requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7. SGS
addressed these nonconformances satisfactorily, and OSHA has made a
preliminary decision to approve the application.
III. Preliminary Finding on the Application
SGS submitted an acceptable application for expansion of the scope
of recognition. OSHA's review of the application files and detailed on-
site assessments indicate that SGS can meet the requirements prescribed
by 29 CFR 1910.7 for expanding recognition to include the addition of
one recognized testing and certification site. This preliminary finding
does not constitute an interim or temporary approval of SGS's
application.
OSHA welcomes public comment as to whether SGS meets the
requirements of 29 CFR 1910.7 for expansion of its recognition as a
NRTL. Comments should consist of pertinent written documents and
exhibits. Commenters needing more time to comment must submit a request
in writing, stating the reasons for the request by the due date for
comments. OSHA will limit any extension to 10 days unless the requester
justifies a longer time period. OSHA may deny a request for an
extension if it is not adequately justified. To obtain or review copies
of the exhibits identified in this notice, as well as comments
submitted to the docket, contact the Docket Office, Occupational Safety
and Health Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, listed in
ADDRESSES. These materials also are available online at https://www.regulations.gov under Docket No. OSHA-2006-0040.
OSHA staff will review all comments to the docket submitted in a
timely manner. After addressing the issues raised by these comments,
staff will make a recommendation to the Assistant Secretary for
Occupational Safety and Health on whether to grant SGS's application
for expansion of its scope of recognition. The Assistant Secretary will
make the final decision on granting the application. In making this
decision, the Assistant Secretary may undertake other proceedings
prescribed in Appendix A to 29 CFR 1910.7. OSHA will publish a public
notice of this final decision in the Federal Register.
IV. Authority and Signature