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Even if they hadn't introduced the world to the concept known as Get the Funk Out Ma Face we'd be happily extolling the many virtues of The Brothers Johnson. Their irrepressible blend of meta-soul, rock and pop licks and yes, all the above funk, made these guys shine out in an era when groove and disco picked up where the likes of Jimi Hendrix and Sly and The Family Stone left off. During the mid-seventies through the 1980s the Brothers Johnson enjoyed great success: three of their singles topped the R&B charts and if you've never heard the Holy Trinity of "I'll Be Good to You", "Strawberry Letter 23" or "Stomp" then it's time to get your freak on and dig 'em out. Plus, their albums are immaculate conceptions – born in the West Coast, Californian studios that were their home patch. Consider that their debut and the following three albums were all produced by Quincy Jones no less and that each of these ends up topping a relevant chart and you will see that while they may be considered a genuine cult act they also enjoyed a mess of success in a highly competitive era. We have all their classics for your delectation and also a fistful of compilations, which can be viewed as introductions or must-hear items in their own right. Even if you haven't picked up on the Brothers yet you will have heard bassist Louis Johnson no doubt since his slap-technique is all over Michael Jackson's Thriller. Whatever, once you get the Johnson bug it doesn't go away.
Guitarist/vocalist George and bassist/vocalist Louis were in various school bands in the Los Angeles area during the late 1960s and such was their prowess that before reaching majority they'd turned professional and were backing up established megastars like Bobby Womack and the Supremes. They were in Billy Preston's touring band for a while and then hooked up with Quincy Jones who not only hired them to play on his album Mellow Madness he also recorded four of their songs.
Finding this team worked well Jones then took them the Record Plant to lay down what became Look Out For #1 (1976) just in time for the world domination of groove'n'disco. The original Funk Soul Brothers soared on this superfly intro with a blend of flash, finesse and fun that still illuminates tracks such as "I'll Be Good to You", "Tomorrow" and their trademark tune "Thunder Thumbs And Lightnin' Licks" – their agreeably upfront self-descriptions. No room for modesty here but they were also assisted by plenty of Jones' men: Dave Grusin's piano, Harvey Mason's drums, Ernie Watts on sax, Billy Cobham behind the timbales! So listening now you'll detect a strong jazz funk atmosphere.
Right on Time certainly was. It won the Grammy for Best Instrumental Performance R&B on the cut "Q" and also contains the legendary ear-worm single "Strawberry Letter 23" which they borrowed from writer Shuggie Otis and turned into a spectacular summertime smash that still elevates the spirits umpteen years on. This time the class sessioneers were joined by Tower of Power's Oakland brass and the net results are sublime and seamless pop funk, much of it co-written with Quincy and his wife Peggy Jones.
Blam! (1978) now took them to the top of R&B charts and made #7 on the national pop chart. This time the key pieces are "Ain't We Funkin' Now" and "Ride-O-Rocket" and guests are of the caliber of Larry Carlton and Steve Khan (guitars) with other stalwarts including Richard Tee, Michael Brecker and David Foster. Jazzier still than the previous disc they can still leave you sweating on the dance floor on "Mista' Cool" and "Streetwave" – both are West Coast modern soul incarnate.
Light Up the Night (1980) completes a straight roll with Quincy and brings in Jackson's collaborator Rod Temperton on a bundle of fine tunes as well as Jackson himself, co-writing "This Had to Be". Opening track "Stomp!" is a constant club classic and a long time favourite amongst British dance people.
The Brothers will self-produce Winners (1981) but the quality never dips. Given that Steve and Jeff Porcaro and David Paich are amongst the composers the instrumental flair is peachy. Check out "The Real Thing" and Louis' "I Want You" for affirmation of a spirit lifting sound. Before embarking on solo projects and other work the Brothers leave us with Out of Control and Kickin' and just because these don't go Platinum, like the first four, they are still worthy of consideration and rediscovery with "You Keep Me Coming Back" and the ultra funky "Kick It to the Curb" retaining all their allure.
Several compilations all do the trick: Blast: The Latest and the Greatest, Greatest Hits, the ever-popular The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Brothers Johnson, the handy Universal Masters Collection and the most recent Strawberry Letter 23: The Very Best of the Brothers Johnson are made for the home, the road and the dance floor and deserve heavy-rotation.
Like all the great soul and funk acts of their era the Brothers Johnson exhibit considerable wit and charm. They knew the value of a larger than life cartoon image and the power of a punchy slogan: sharp dudes always. Discovering them again has been a delight. Put some Johnson in your handy record machine and get ready to Stomp!
Words: Max Bell
Brothers Johnson – Right On Time
Brothers Johnson – Light Up the Night
Brothers Johnson – Winners
Brothers Johnson – Strawberry Letter 23/The Very Best Of The Brothers Johnson
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About – Pathfinder Wealth Management, Inc.
is President and CEO of Pathfinder. He is a nationally-recognized Financial Educator, Author, Speaker and Retirement Income Specialist, whom you may have seen in NBC, ABC, CBS, and FOX network affiliates and Yahoo Finance, Wall Street Journal's Market Watch, Wall Street Select, Chicago Business Journal, Daily Herald, among others.
As a Contributing Author on Retire Abundantly: The Proven Principles To Create A More Worry Free Retirement With Less Stress!; Giving Transforms You! 52 Ways Giving Transforms You, Your Family, Your Business and Your Community; and Creator of the Wealth with Peace Path®, Guske has been interviewed by Kevin Harrington, original Shark on the multi-Emmy® Award winning TV Series, Shark Tank, and James Malinchak, featured on the hit ABC TV series, Secret Millionaire. He and his team equip families to more fully enjoy their money, family and giving, so that they can enjoy their Wealth with Peace Path®.
is founder of Pathfinder Wealth Management, Inc., began his career in 1980 after serving on active duty as an officer and US Army Pathfinder. Initially Phil was reluctant to enter the financial business because he refused to be associated with an industry known for its high pressure sales tactics and dubious products. That was changed after reading Norman F. Dacey's book What's Wrong with Your Life Insurance. He recognized a critical need for consumer education in the areas of life insurance and investments. After entering the business his insights and recommendations to clients often placed him at odds with his superiors and associates.
Over the years Phil's journey took him to several large firms. Eventually his experience led to the conclusion that the "home office" always encouraged their representatives to promote products and strategies that were most profitable for them but least productive for the consumer. An investor, it seemed, had little chance of achieving peace of mind and financial security. In 1996 he created Pathfinder as an alternative to these industry "conflicts of interest" and as a fee-only, independent had the opportunity to place the needs of the client first – not some big Wall Street firm.
is a Retirement Income Certified Professional® and Investment Advisor Representative, began her career in financial services in 1998. In 2011 she became a part of the Pathfinder family. Barbara began her financial career while working as a Comptroller for 22 years in the Rockford area. After working on the accounting side of business, Barbara made a decision to branch out of the corporate world and seek out areas where people needed help in their personal finances.
As Barb began her career, she soon realized she desired to conduct business differently and that an important client/advisor relationship starts with good listening skills as well as attention to detail. Barb has a strong commitment to her clients, acknowledging that her business is about valued partnership and trust. In 2004, Barb started her own business, Senior Capital Management, Inc, specializing in helping families with post-retirement issues such as investment management, asset protection and estate preservation.
As Barb determined a need to offer more comprehensive estate planning for her existing clients, she decided to merge her practice with Pathfinder in February, 2011. Barbara is excited about the money management philosophy at Pathfinder and plans on educating the public and existing clients on the need for comprehensive retirement income planning, estate planning and asset protection. Barb is passionate about encouraging and motivating consumers about investing and preparing for the long-term.
A native of Rockford, Barbara loves vacationing, reading, music, exercising and gardening. In her spare time, Barb has a passion for helping the underprivileged and disadvantaged.
Jessica Hardy is the newest addition to our team as of April of this year, she is our new Office Coordinator. If you need to make a withdrawal, schedule an appointment, or make other updates to your account, Jessica is happy to help.
Born and raised in Rockford, IL, Jessica recently moved back to her hometown from Charleston, SC where her fiancé was stationed in the U.S. Air Force.


Japanese stock can be made with different, and sometimes a combination of ingredients. Two out of 5 types of dashi are completely vegan/vegetarian because it's made with kombu (edible kelp) or dried shiitake mushrooms. You can choose which dashi to use based your diet requirement or the dish you plan to make. Today we'll make vegan-friendly dashi made with kombu, and then we will make miso soup with the kombu dashi. It takes less than 30 minutes to put it all together!
Is any of the ingredients above unfamiliar to you" If so, you can read more about kombu, miso, tofu, and wakame on my blog.


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Q: UITableView tableFooterView weird resizing I want to display a UIButton in a UITableView's Footer (should be exactly the same for the header).
This code is in the viewDidLoad of my TableViewController:
UIButton *footerShareButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeRoundedRect];
[footerShareButton setFrame:CGRectMake(10, 0, 70, 50)];
NSLog(@"%f", footerShareButton.frame.size.width);

[self.tableView setTableFooterView:footerShareButton];

NSLog(@"%f", footerShareButton.frame.size.width);
NSLog(@"%f", self.tableView.tableFooterView.frame.size.width);

However, this code doesn't work. The Button's width is much too large, it's 320. (The height is correct though.) The first NSLog outputs 70, the second and the third output 320. So it seems like the setTableFooterView method strangely resizes the button.
I have solved this problem by putting the UIButton in another UIView before setting it as the table footer:
 UIButton *footerShareButton = [UIButton buttonWithType:UIButtonTypeRoundedRect];
 [footerShareButton setFrame:CGRectMake(10, 0, 70, 50)];

 UIView *aView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(10, 0, 70, 50)];
 [aView addSubview:footerShareButton];

 [self.tableView setTableFooterView:aView];
 [aView release];

This works, the button has the correct width.
However, I don't understand why the first code sample doesn't work. Can anyone explain?

A: There is actually a way which I came across trying to overcome this problem;
Create an empty UIView 320x(the height of your button) and then place the button centred inside this containing view. This way the button inside the view doesn't get resized.
Hope this helps,
Jonathan

A: No matter what width you set to the view that you are adding as a UITableView footer/header - its width always will be the same as the table's width.
So, in your case the view that you've added is resized to CGRectMake(0, 0, 320, 50), but the button remains with the correct frame. Button's frame is according to the view...
EDIT:
The only parameter in footer's/header's frame that remains as you set it is the height.
Notice that if you will change the height of the header/footer view after it is added to the table it won't make any change. You should set the height before adding it to the table...

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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Trail running, climbing and anything in between. An outdoor blog about not keeping still and trying anything once.
Race Report: Wings for Life World Run, 2015
WHAT: Run as far as you can before the 'finish line' car catches you
WHERE: Silverstone race track
WHEN: 3rd May 2015
"Don't set off too fast, pace yourself."
The advice from former Red Bull F1 driver, Mark Webber, which I should have taken – he did run 28km to my 17 last year, after all – but eleven kilometres later, it was quite clear I'd chosen to ignore this little nugget.
Despite the stiff creak of cold muscles at the start of the Wings for Life World Run, the thought of the 'finish line' car chasing me down, seemed enough to influence my speed. I was running fast, whizzing straight past Mr Webber and passing other runners as I ticked off the miles. But it was only after escaping the Silverstone race track onto surrounding country roads, when I realised I was on for a 10k PB!
In theory this was a great idea. The chaser car, this year driven by former F1 driver David Coulthard, had set off half an hour after the runners and was gradually gaining speed. As soon as it passed, your race was over. Speed was the key here. But, whilst focusing on collecting that 10k milestone, I'd forgotten one vital thing. In order to clock a decent distance before being caught, I'd have to keep running.
My pace maths is pretty shaky at the best of times, it's hopeless when trying to calculate my speed against that of an accelerating car. I had no idea how far I might end up running or how long I'd be on my feet but there was no way I could continue at the speed I'd been travelling.
From then on, my running was erratic. I struggled to settle into a steady rhythm and spent most of my time seeing the same people over again – being overtaken as I retired to almost walking up the continuous hills and running past them as I sprinting downhill to compensate for lost time. Only the 17k marker brought comfort – anything beyond this point would be a PB for this unique race.
All I'd heard for, what felt like, hours was music quietly humming in my ears and my own heavy panting. The commotion of the finish line procession was a hard shake back to the task at hand. It was either excitement or terror that drove my sprint finish, annoyingly metres short of a nice round 19k.
My sulk was short lived. Sat on the shuttle bus that took us back to the race village, it was hard not to soak up the giddy atmosphere of those pumped with endorphins from running and adrenaline from being chased by a car. Back at Silverstone, where giant screens showed the remaining runners in the other 34 global events, which had started at the same time as the UK race, it was even harder to not feel some pride in what we'd been just done.
Every penny of the entry fee for the World Run goes to spinal cord injury charity, Wings for Life. You can pre-register for next year's race, here.
Scallywag 13 May 2015 at 09:23
Congratulations! Whats your new 10km PB? Sounds like a fun race, though I think I might hate the first 5 miles on the track!
Thank you. I'm now a member of the 50 minute club! It was such a great event, a brilliant concept. The first couple of miles on the track were novel but then I couldn't wait to escape into the countryside.
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Buying a Car or Truck
Deceptions at Auto Auctions
Ads for used cars in newspapers and magazines, on television and the Internet, and in coupon mailings to your home may sound like the ticket to your dream car. They offer the chance to buy a big ticket item at auction, for well below its market value. What deals! Just call the toll-free number for more information.
Is there a catch? You bet!
Don't Be Mis-Guided
If you respond, you're likely to hear pitches for guides to cars being sold in your area at great prices. But the guides aren't always what they're promised to be. And if you buy one, you may end up spending more than you planned.
You'll be charged about $50 for each guide, either to your credit card or through a withdrawal from your checking account. You may even be billed for a guide you didn't order.
Here's how it happens: When you place an order, the salesperson might offer to include another guide as well. What you won't be told is that you'll be charged for the second guide, even though you never agreed to buy it.
In many cases, the businesses bill your credit card or debit your checking account even if you never agreed to buy anything. They get your bank account or credit card information under false pretenses, sometimes claiming that they need the account number to verify your credit history or to "hold" your order.
And when auction guides arrive in the mail, chances are that they contain far less information than you expected. Actually, it's information that is readily available elsewhere for free.
The bottom line: While it's possible to buy cars at auction through foreclosure sales, you won't find the "deals" advertised in auction guides sold by fraudulent promoters.
Despite claims to the contrary, the auto auction guides these companies sell don't contain specific information about dates and locations of auto auctions or lists of available cars. Rather, they contain general information about auto auctions and addresses and phone numbers - all of which are available in your phone book. You'll still need to call for details about upcoming auctions.
And, despite what you might hear about auction guides or see in the ads, cars at auction typically sell for their fair market value. These auctions attract a variety of buyers, including used car dealers, so the bidding can get competitive. At many government sales, the items are appraised before the sale and won't be sold if the bidding runs too low. Indeed, it's rare to find high-end or late model vehicles for sale, especially at "bargain basement" prices. And the truth be told, the cars that sell for $500 or less usually are damaged or junk vehicles purchased for scrap. These cars are sold "as is." They don't come with warranties, and sellers don't disclose the problems. Buyers may find themselves mired in unanticipated repair bills.
Not Proprietary Information
Auction guide companies aren't the only ones with access to information about federal government sales programs. In fact, the information is available free or at a low cost. The classified or business sections of national or local newspapers often publish information about upcoming sales. In addition, trade papers like Commerce Business Daily occasionally publish information on sales programs. Your local library or Chamber of Commerce may maintain subscriptions for public use.
Some government sales programs also advertise on local radio and television. Or you may see notices posted at post offices, town halls and other government buildings. You also might want to contact individual government agencies and affiliates about their sales programs. Look for listings in your phone book under "U.S. Government," or check out these websites:
U.S. Customs Service: www.treas.gov/auctions/customs
U.S. Marshals Service: www.usdoj.gov/marshals/assets/nsl.html
General Services Administration: www.r6.gsa.gov/fss/property/govsurp.htm
The Best Defense
If you respond to an ad for auction guide:
Avoid giving your bank account or credit card number to a company representative who says it's necessary for verification or credit.
Recognize that seized vehicles often aresold at government auctions, but rarely at the bargain prices quoted in some ads. Expect to pay what the vehicle is worth and to compete against other bidders, including used car dealers.
Recognize that the auction guide company isn't the only source for the information you want. Contact individual government agencies for information about their sales programs. Ask to be put on a mailing list to be notified of upcoming sales. Some government sales programs advertise in the media, on the Internet or through postings in government buildings.
Get the name and location of the company and check it out with the local Better Business Bureau or state Attorney General.
Get a written copy of the return policy before you pay for an auction guide. Some fraudulent sellers of auction guides give consumers the impression that refunds are no problem. But often, the businesses put so many conditions on refunds that few consumers ever get them.
Use your credit card to pay for an auction guide. It offers more protections than other payment methods if you have a problem with the purchase.
Where to Complain
If you believe you have been victimized by fraudulent auction guide promotions, contact your local postmaster or the U.S. Postal Inspection Service by phone, toll-free: 1-888-877-7644; by email at: http://www.uspsoig.gov/ ; or by mail at: U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Office of Inspector General; Operations Support Group; 222 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 1250; Chicago, IL 60606-6100.
Other organizations that investigate fraud include your state Attorney General, state and local consumer protection offices or your local Better Business Bureau.
Courtesy of the FTC
How to Auction Off Hand Painted Wooden S...
How to Auction Off Hand Painted Wooden Signs
How to Sell a Car Through an Auction
By Chris Nickson
7 Tips for Selling a Car in a Bad Econom...
7 Tips for Selling a Car in a Bad Economy
How to Sell a Car "As Is"
By Paul Cozby


Third-party compressors, EQs and reverbs are everywhere, but are they still getting better?
Who needs groceries when you can have a new EQ?
On the face of it, you're entitled to wonder why there's a market for third-party mixing plugins at all. The vast majority of DAWs now come with a good selection of compressors, EQs, reverbs, etc, as standard, though it seems that, for most computer musicians, these aren't nearly enough.
The majority of us are always on the lookout for a new effects processor or two that we think will improve our tunes, and developers are more than happy to provide them. Indeed, some software companies seem to thrive on releasing endless streams of EQs and compressors, but will this state of constant renewal go on forever, or are we approaching a time when the mixing plugin market will reach its peak, both in terms of demand and quality?
Let's deal with the most obvious question first: why do users seek out new mixing plugins when they already have them in their DAWs? Dave Gamble is the mastermind at DMGAudio, which has released several highly regarded EQ and dynamics plugins. He thinks it's all about focus.
"Plugins are today's 19-inch rack units," he says. "A stock DAW plugin must be simple and effective, like the processing on a desk: not a solution to all problems, but capable enough for most. For the rest, plugins are the way forward."
Mateusz Wozniak of PSP Audioware - another company that has made its name producing mixing plugins of distinction - agrees that third-party developers can offer something different to what DAW owners already have.
"External plugins can provide a wide range of sound characteristics and GUIs, and they can also emulate vintage gear famous for its sonic personality and ease of use."
Wozniak also believes that creators of third- party mixing plugins can afford to be bolder. "Plugins are often - or should be - created with processing quality in mind rather than the lowest possible CPU usage," he notes.
Even once we've accepted that third-party mixing plugins do serve a valuable purpose, though, we have to remember that there aren't just a few on offer - there are hundreds. So how do you create one that stands out?
"We're a small team with a lot of solid industry experience," explains Dave Gamble. "We know a fair bit about what audio engineers need and how they work. This informs our design work. Also, we have a strong research focus, and we have results and techniques that appear to be unique in the industry."
For Mateusz Wozniak, it's all about quality: "We cannot afford to release poor quality plugins," he tells us. "Aside from the quality of the algorithms, our customers know that the plugins we offer are updated in a way that follows their configurations."
It's easy to accept that developers are usually seeking to improve on what's already out there, but one thing that customers are entitled to wonder is why so many of them continue to emulate the same vintage hardware again and again. Are the latest recreations actually better than the older ones?
"I think that in the beginning, some emulations sounded poor and their strength probably lay in the GUI, which put a smile on a mixer's face," reckons Mateusz Wozniak. "As of now, many emulations are pretty fine and some still need development. Ultimately, the most important thing should not be how faithful the plugin is to the hardware - various revisions of the gear may have performed differently - but how good it sounds in universal terms."
Dave Gamble can see why developers and customers keep returning to the classics, but he believes that they should serve as a starting point rather than being the be-all and end-all.
"There are plenty of hardware emulations that pass ABX tests and even some that phase- cancel the original hardware," he tells us. "There's something appealing about archiving/ preserving old gear; the units that get modelled are the designs that have stood the test of time, so there's always something to learn from them. This said, over-focusing on the past should be avoided, too - as toolsmiths, we should be designing better tools; copying classic designs is more something with which to hone one's skills."
How, then, does a developer approach a new mixing plugin? Obviously, they want to add something to the market, but do they sit down with the intention of creating the ultimate compressor, for example, or do they have to accept that they're inevitably going to be compromised to an extent by the levels of knowledge, resources and processing power that they currently have at their disposal?
"The development of an algorithm and the GUI is always based on our current knowledge and experience," explains Wozniak. "We do our best to gain more of both with every new plugin.
"Of course, at some point, we also consider if the algorithm could work in real time. In some of our latest projects, we were really close to a level of complexity that would ruin most CPUs; in the end, we figured out how to deal with optimisations without losing quality."
Dave Gamble explains the potential reasons behind a new plugin's development: "A design process can be inspired by novel research results that are worthy of implementation, to investigate a concept in user-interaction, or to solve a specific problem. Through debate and consideration, a product vision arises with a succinct summary of the design goal ('an EQ controlled entirely with a graph' or 'a dynamics processor to replace all others', etc).
"An advantage of being a small team is that you can ignore your own deadlines and keep pushing until you've fulfilled your design goals. Instead of sitting down to build a new processor, you form an idea of what you want to achieve, then dedicate the resources required, research all the knowledge you need, and optimise to get it running on available processors."
The fact that both developers still mention optimisation suggests that there is still some element of compromise involved before a product is finally released. Are we to assume that the already-large mixing plugin market will continue to grow, and that future releases will sound even better than their predecessors?
"There are always some limitations," admits Wozniak. "For instance, we still record at low sample rates while we should do it at high ones. There are still some algorithmic areas where CPU usage really is a factor, so we're forced to balance quality and usability. Some algorithms are hard to implement with good results, bearing in mind current processing resources."
Is it safe to assume, then, that the best is yet to come? Dave Gamble believes it is: "I don't think improvements in audio processing will ever stop. In this regard, software has surpassed hardware now, so the next few decades will see interesting improvements in software."
Stick around, then: as far as mixing goes, the plugin revolution is only just getting started.
This article originally appeared in issue 194 of Computer Music magazine.


On July 25, 1898, during the Spanish-American War, Puerto Rico was invaded by the United States with a landing at Guánica.
As an outcome of the war, Spain ceded Puerto Rico, along with Cuba, the Philippines, and Guam to the U.S. under the Treaty of Paris.
Puerto Rico, Guam, the Philippines, and Cuba, ceded by Spain after the Spanish-American War in 1898, and for which the United States compensated Spain an additional $20 million under the terms of Article 3 of the Treaty of Paris. All four of these areas were under United States Military Government (USMG) for extended periods. Cuba became an independent nation in 1902, and the Philippines became an independent nation in 1946.


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PHOTOS: 12-14 Foot Shark Bites Board of Surfer in Māʻalaea, No Injuries
October 18, 2014, 12:28 PM HST · Updated October 20, 1:11 PM
12-14 foot shark bites board at Māʻalaea. Photo courtesy DLNR Enforcement.
By Wendy Osher
***Related story: A second shark encounter in three days was reported on Monday, Oct. 20, 2014 at Kahului Harbor.
Crews from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources are working to clear a section of beach in South Maui after a confirmed shark bite incident, in which a shark bit the board of a surfer, with no injuries were reported.
"It was confirmed a 12 to 14 foot shark did bite a surfer's board. DLNR will be clearing the surrounding water," said Brianne Savage, Interim Director of the County of Maui Parks and Recreation department.
The incident was reported in the south Maui area of Māʻalaea at around 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014.
Dan Dennison with the state Department of Land and Natural Resources tells Maui Now that the surfer had to shove the board into the shark to fend off the attack.
According to Dennison, the water is "very dirty" and the Department's Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement launched two jet skis to help life guards warn people to stay out of the water.
There is currently a flash flood watch and a high surf advisory in effect for the south facing shores of Maui County waters through 6 p.m. tonight with waves expected to be in the 10 to 14 foot range. Forecasters with the National Weather Service say the large swell is one of the impacts as Hurricane Ana passes south of the state.
Maui Police say beaches are closed between McGregor's Point and Kealia Beach Pond due to a shark sighting. Affected beaches will be remain closed until at least 12 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 19. DLNR will reassess the beaches during that time.
The Dept. of Parks and Recreation today announced that all County of Maui parks, recreational facilities and campgrounds are scheduled to reopen tomorrow, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014.
Parks facilities were closed due to the unpredictability of weather conditions related to Tropical Cyclone Ana, and will remain closed for the remainder of today, said Maui County Communication Specialist Lois Whitney.
Surfers being called out of the water following a shark bit the board of a surfer in Māʻalaea (south Maui) at around 11:30 a.m. 10/18/14. No injuries reported. Photo by Jack Dugan.
Maui High Clinches State Tourney Berth With Win
Large Swells Bring 10-14 Foot Surf to South Maui
UPDATE: 3rd Shark Encounter on Maui Prompts Beach Closure
Kauaʻi Surfer Says He was Bitten by 3-4 Ft Shark
2nd Maui Shark Bite Incident, This Time at Kahului Harbor


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Ahead of AI #4: A Big Year For AI
magazine.sebastianraschka.com
Sebastian Raschka
Happy New Year! I'm thrilled to see that Ahead of AI has gained more than 20,000 subscribers after only 3 issues. This is a great motivator to keep writing, and I hope that everyone has a healthy and successful 2023 ahead!
It's been ten years since I first started exploring the field of machine learning, but this year has proven to be the most exciting and eventful one yet. Every day brings something new and exciting to the world of machine learning and AI, from the latest developments and breakthroughs in the field to emerging trends and challenges.
Ahead of AI is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
To mark the start of the new year, this month's issue will feature a review of the top ten papers I've read in 2022.
PS: Thank you to those who have reached out asking how they can support Ahead of AI. While this newsletter is free and unabbreviated, there is a paid subscription option on Substack for those who would like to support it.
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Articles & Trends
In January 2022, diffusion models caught my eye for the first time, and I suspected something big was coming. However, I never expected what followed in just a matter of months: DALLE-2, Imagen, Stable Diffusion, and many others.
Similarly, large language models have had a big year, with the recent ChatGPT putting the cherry on top and stealing the show. What a year!
However, since we already discussed those diffusion models in issue 1, various language models in issue 2, and you probably can't hear "ChatGPT" anymore, let me keep this section brief. So instead, let's jump to the December highlights and a summary of a state of AI report and industry survey by McKinsey before going over 5 noteworthy papers published this year.
There has been a rapid release of the milestones mentioned above that will be hard to top. However, that doesn't mean December was dull. So, keeping it brief, here are two papers that caught my eye.
What do vision transformers (ViTs) learn?
A visual exploration shows that ViTs learn inductive biases or features similar to those learned by convolutional networks (CNNs). For example, the early layers of ViTs capture edges and textures, while later layers learn more complex representations to capture broader concepts.
The progression for visualization features of vision transformers from early layers (left) to deeper layers (right). Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.06727.
Regarding generative modeling, ViTs tend to generate higher-quality backgrounds than CNNs. This raises the question of how ViTs handle backgrounds and foregrounds in prediction tasks. It appears that ViTs are better at predicting the target class than CNNs when backgrounds are removed, and they also perform better when foregrounds are removed. This suggests that ViTs may be more selective in relying on certain features based on their presence or are simply more robust in general.
Paper: What do Vision Transformers Learn? A Visual Exploration
A diffusion model for generating proteins
Diffusion models have resulted in breakthrough peformance when it comes to image generation, how about generating protein structures? Researchers have developed a diffusion model, called RoseTTAFold Diffusion (RFDiffusion) for de novo protein synthesis -- proteins that are created from scratch, rather than being derived from preexisting proteins found in nature.
Source: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.12.09.519842v1
It is important to distinguish de novo proteins, which are synthesized in the laboratory using amino acid sequences that have no evolutionary history, from systems such as AlphaFold and AlphaFold2, which use existing amino acid sequence data to predict protein 3D structures. However, it is worth noting that AlphaFold2 was used to validate the results of the RDiffusion study.
Paper: Broadly applicable and accurate protein design by integrating structure prediction networks and diffusion generative models
And as researchers, we usually (try to) work on and read about the state-of-the-art in AI. But what is actually used in industry today? According to McKinsey's recent state of AI report, it's not large language models (transformers).*
(*It is important to consider that the findings in this report may not accurately reflect the experiences of all companies due to the limitations of the sample size and representativeness.)
Source: McKinsey State of AI Report 2022
Let me summarize some takeaways from the graphic above that I found interesting.
Natural language processing has always been popular in industry, but it was usually substantially surpassed by computer vision applications. Now, for the first time, we see that computer vision and natural language processing are almost tied.
Natural-language text understanding (which may refer to text classification*) is almost twice as popular as natural-language "generation". Note that natural-language generation typically dominates the news: GPT-3, Galactica, ChatGPT, and others.
(*Text understanding may include summarization. Summarization is also "generative," so I assume it largely refers to classification-like tasks here. On the flip side, categories can overlap.)
Transformers rank at the bottom.
It appears that many companies have not yet adopted BERT-like language model encoders for text understanding and classification (1). Instead, they may still be using bag-of-word-based classifiers or recurrent neural networks. Similarly, it seems that GPT-like model decoders are not yet being widely used for language generation, so text generation may still rely heavily on recurrent neural networks and other traditional methods.
Data set sizes, getting data to production, and model explainability
Additional insights I found interesting (based on the figure below):
It's important to be able to leverage "small data" (keyword: data-centric AI). When data is not available, the ability to generate synthetic data is useful.
Having the ability to integrate data into the AI model as quickly as possible is what sets high-performers apart from the competition. A good software framework and infrastructure setup may be critical for this.
Most high-performing companies unfortunately don't care about model interpretibility (yet).
Papers of the Year
The following are the top three papers that I read in 2022, along with a short discussion of each. Of course, there are many, many more exciting and potentially timeless and influential papers that were published this year.
Keeping it to "only" top-3 was particularly challenging this year, so there is also an extended list below featuring seven additional papers from my top-10 list.
1) ConvNeXt
The A ConvNet for the 2020s paper is a highlight for me because the authors were able to design a purely convolutional architecture that outperformed popular vision transformers such as Swin Transformer (and all convolutional neural networks that came before it, of course).
Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.03545
This so-called ConvNeXt architecture may well be the new default when it comes to using convolutional neural networks not only for classification, but also object detection and instance segmentation -- it can be used as a backbone for Mask R-CNN, for example.
As the authors stated in the paper, they were inspired by modern vision transformer training regimes as well as the fact that the Swin Transformer hybrid architecture showed that convolutional layers are still relevant. That's because pure vision transformer architectures lack useful inductive biases such as translation equivariance and parameter-sharing (i.e., the "sliding window" in convolutions).
To develop ConvNeXt, the authors started out with a ResNet-50 base architecture and adopted architecture modifications and training regimes adopted from modern vision transformer training regimes. Note that these were not new, even in the context of convolutional neural networks. However, the novelty here is that the authors used, analyzed, and combined these techniques effectively.
Which techniques did they adopt? It's a long list, including depthwise convolutions, inverted bottleneck layer designs, AdamW, LayerNorm, and many more. You can find a summary in the figure below. In addition, the authors also used modern data augmentation techniques such as Mixup, Cutmix, and others.
Annotated version of a figure from https://arxiv.org/abs/2201.03545
2) MaxViT
Despite convolutional neural networks making quite the comeback with ConvNeXt above, vision transformers are currently getting all the attention (no pun intended).
MaxViT: Multi-axis Vision Transformer highlights how far vision transformers have come in recent years. While early vision transformers suffered from quadratic complexity, many tricks have been implemented to apply vision transformers to larger images with linear scaling complexity.
Released in September, MaxViT is currently state-of-the-art on ImageNet benchmarks. Source: https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.01697.
In MaxViT, this is achieved by decomposing an attention block into two parts with local-global interaction:
local attention ("block attention");
global attention ("grid attention").
It's worth mentioning that MaxViT is a convolutional transformer hybrid featuring convolutional layers as well.
And it can be used for predictive modeling (incl. classification, object detection, and instance segmentation) as well as generative modeling.
Annotated version of figures from https://arxiv.org/abs/2204.01697.
As a side note, a search for "vision transformer" on Google Scholar yields over 5,000 results for 2022 alone. This high number of results, while potentially including false positives, demonstrates the widespread popularity and interest in vision transformers.
But no worries, vision transformers won't entirely replace our beloved convolutional neural networks. Instead, as MaxViT highlights, the current trend goes towards combining vision transformers and convolutional networks into hybrid architectures.
3) Stable Diffusion
Before ChatGPT became the state of the show, it was not too long ago since Stable Diffusion was all over the internet and social media. Stable Diffusion is based on the paper High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Models, which was uploaded in December 2021. But since it was presented at CVPR 2022 and got the spotlight with the Stable Diffusion in August 2022, I think it's fair to include it in this 2022 list.
Diffusion models (the topic of the first Ahead of AI issue), are a type of probabilistic model that are designed to learn the distribution of a dataset by gradually denoising a normally distributed variable. This process corresponds to learning the reverse process of a fixed Markov Chain over a length of T.
Illustration of a diffusion model
Unlike GANs, which are trained using a minimax game between a generator and a discriminator, diffusion models are likelihood-based models trained using maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). This can help to avoid mode collapse and other training instabilities.
Diffusion models have been around for some time (see Deep Unsupervised Learning using Nonequilibrium Thermodynamics, 2015) but were notoriously expensive to sample from during training and inference. The authors of the 2022 paper above mentioned a runtime of 5 days to sample 50k images.
The High-Resolution Image Synthesis with Latent Diffusion Models paper's novelty is in applying diffusion in latent space using pretrained autoencoders instead of using the full-resolution raw pixel input space of the original images directly.
The training process can be described in two phases: First, pretrain an autoencoder to encode input images into a lower-dimensional latent space to reduce complexity. Second, train diffusion models on the latent representations of the pretrained autoencoder.
Operating in latent space reduces the computational costs and complexity of diffusion models for training and inference and can generate high-quality results.
Another contribution of this paper is the cross-attention mechanism for general conditioning. So, next to unconditional image generation, the proposed latent diffusion model can be capable of inpainting, class-conditional image synthesis, super-resolution, and text-to-image synthesis -- the latter is what made DALLE-2 and Stable Diffusion so famous.
Seven Other Paper Highlights of 2022
Here are short summaries of seven other papers that I had on my original top-10 list:
A Generalist Agent. In this paper, the researchers introduce Gato, which is capable of performing over 600 tasks, ranging from playing games to controlling robots.
Training Compute-Optimal Large Language Models. To achieve optimal computation during training, the researchers found that it's necessary to scale both the model size and the number of training tokens by the same factor. They created a model called Chinchilla that, for example, outperformed Gopher using 4 times fewer parameters and 4 times more data.
PaLM: Scaling Language Modeling with Pathways: The proposed PaLM model shows impressive natural language understanding and generation capabilities on various BIG-bench tasks. To some extent, it can even identify cause-and-effect relationships.
Robust Speech Recognition via Large-Scale Weak Supervision. This paper introduces the Whisper model, which was trained for 680,000 hours on multilingual tasks and exhibits robust generalization to various benchmarks. I was very impressed with the Whisper model introduced in this paper. I used it for generating the subtitles for my Deep Learning Fundamentals – Learning Deep Learning With a Modern Open Source Stack and Introduction to Deep Learning classes.
Revisiting Pretraining Objectives for Tabular Deep Learning. I enjoined reading quite a lot of deep-learning-for-tabular-data papers. I particularly liked this paper because it highlights and reminds us how important it is to pretrain models on additional (typically unlabeled) data. (You can't easily do this with tree-based models like XGBoost.)
Why do tree-based models still outperform deep learning on tabular data? The main takeaway is that tree-based models (random forests and XGBoost) outperform deep learning methods for tabular data on medium-sized datasets (10k training examples). But the gap between tree-based models and deep learning becomes narrower as the dataset size increases (here: 10k -> 50k). Unfortunately, this paper doesn't include many state-of-the-art deep tabular networks, but it features a robust analysis and an interesting discussion. It is definitely worth reading.
Evolutionary-scale prediction of atomic level protein structure with a language model. The paper proposed the largest language model for predicting the three-dimensional structure of proteins to date. It's also faster than previous methods while maintaining the same accuracy. This model has created the ESM Metagenomic Atlas, the first large-scale structural characterization of metagenomic proteins, featuring over 617 million structures.
Open Source Highlights
Scikit-learn 1.2
The new version of my favorite machine learning library, scikit-learn came out in December. My highlights are around the HistGradientBoostingClassifier. (The HistGradientBoostingClassifier is an implementation of the LightGBM.)
The HistGradientBoostingClassifier now supports
interaction constraints (in trees, features that appear along a particular path are considered as "interacting");
class weights;
feature names for categorical features.
PaLM + RLHF - Pytorch (WIP)
PaLM + RLHF - Pytorch is an implementation of RLHF (Reinforcement Learning with Human Feedback) on top of the PaLM architecture mentioned in the top-10 paper list above. It may be the first open-source equivalent of ChatGPT. The big caveat is that it doesn't come with pretrained weights (yet).
Remember OpenAI's Whisper model from Ahead of AI Issue #1? Whisper (also included in the top-10 paper liset above) is a large language model for generating high-quality subtitles.
I've tried many subtitle generators over the years, and I am genuinely impressed by the quality of the subtitles it generates. In fact, I was so impressed that I used it to generate the subtitles for the Deep Learning Fundamentals course as well! (PS: it's also one of the few models that handle non-native accents well!)
Last month we released the Echo app, which provides a user-friendly interface around Whisper that lets you drag & drop videos directly from your computer. Like Muse, which runs Stable Diffusion, Echo is another example of putting a large model into production and scaling it to multiple users using the Lightning AI framework.
Of course, Echo is fully open-source. Check out the Deploy OpenAI Whisper as a Cloud Product tutorial to learn how this was built.
Notable Quote
If you devote yourself to anything diligently for ten years, that will make you an expert. (That is the time that it would take to earn two master's degrees and a doctorate.)
-- Elizabeth Gilbert
Announcement: Deep Learning Fundamentals, Unit 3
I have been heads-down working on Deep Learning Fundamentals -- Learn Deep Learning With a Modern Open-Source Stack!
This free course teaches you deep learning from the ground up, from machine learning basics to training state-of-the-art deep neural networks on multiple GPUs in PyTorch.
I am happy to share that Unit 3 is out now. In Unit 2, we introduced PyTorch as a tensor/array library. In Unit 3, we take it a step further and talk about automatic differentiation!
I would love to hear your feedback! Please reach out on social media or the forum. I'd love to hear what you think!
Study & Productivity Tips
A Yearly Review
One of the things to keep me sane is to do a weekly review (more on that in another newsletter). Since it's the end of the year, let me take this opportunity to write about my yearly review routine, which I usually do around New Year's Eve.
It's an exercise to reflect on your accomplishments (which hopefully serves as motivation) and what you want to accomplish next (to keep you focused).
Step 1: Looking Back
First, I collect stats, like reviewing my overall financials (expenses, income, savings), citations, website visits, etc., and compare them to last year's. I also look at the books I read and the courses I've taken.
Second, I am going through my calendar and project folders (a topic for another newsletter, but I also wrote about it here) and writing down 2-4 highlights for each month.
Third, I go through all the pictures I took this year and pick 1-2 for each month to create a little diary/album I print out (highlighting key events, trips, etc.) to keep a nice and concise summary.
Fourth, I take some time to reflect and think about everything that went well and didn't go so well. And I write down a key lesson for the new year ahead.
Step 2: Looking Forward
After the review has commenced, I take some time to reflect on the main things I want to accomplish this year. This is the most challenging part of the yearly review, and I recommend taking time for that.
Naming 2-3 big things you want to accomplish this year is an excellent exercise for me to stay focused. Over the year, I accumulate a lot of small but interesting projects and responsibilities. This could include maintaining small hobby open-source projects. It's hard to let things go, but sometimes it's important to let things go. Letting things go is the only way to make room for something new.
In that process, I am also planning my curriculum for the year. This usually includes textbooks I want to read and courses I want to take. I am often way too optimistic in terms of what I can actually finish, but it's always good to have a plan.
Machine Learning Humor
"Move fast and break things" -- Software 2.0, 2004
"Scrape vast and generate fake things" -- Software 3.0, 2023
Are you interested in more AI-related news, musings, and educational material but don't want to wait until the next newsletter issue? Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, or check out my books.
Taraqur Rahman
Writes Taraqur's Expedition Notes
Jan 10Liked by Sebastian Raschka
Awesome summary for 2022! I really enjoyed you inputing your thoughts for each paper! Already looking forward to 2023 summary 😁
1 reply by Sebastian Raschka
Sameer Kesava
Jan 3Liked by Sebastian Raschka
Many thanks for the post, insightful as always. Could you comment on developments in time-series modelling and prediction? Do you think this field has matured? I am especially interested in multivariate time-series modelling but I don't see many progress updates in this field.
2 replies by Sebastian Raschka and others
© 2023 Sebastian Raschka


text:
In enzymology, a cis-1,2-dihydrobenzene-1,2-diol dehydrogenase () is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

cis-1,2-dihydrobenzene-1,2-diol + NAD+  catechol + NADH + H+

Thus, the two substrates of this enzyme are cis-1,2-dihydrobenzene-1,2-diol and NAD+, whereas its 3 products are catechol, NADH, and H+.

This enzyme belongs to the family of oxidoreductases, specifically those acting on the CH-CH group of donor with NAD+ or NADP+ as acceptor.  The systematic name of this enzyme class is cis-1,2-dihydrobenzene-1,2-diol:NAD+ oxidoreductase. Other names in common use include cis-benzene glycol dehydrogenase, cis-1,2-dihydrocyclohexa-3,5-diene (nicotinamide adenine, and dinucleotide) oxidoreductase.  This enzyme participates in 4 metabolic pathways: gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane degradation, toluene and xylene degradation, naphthalene and anthracene degradation, and styrene degradation.

References

EC 1.3.1
NADH-dependent enzymes
Enzymes of unknown structure

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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text:
Q: error: no matching function for call to , using C++ I am new to C++, Please if anyone could provide guidance/insight into these errors. It would be of great help.
The following code fuzzyex1.cpp:
#include "fuzzyvar.h"

TControlVariable TEMPERATURE(0,1,1200);
TFuzzySet
COLD = TEMPERATURE.Trapezoid(0,0,300,500),
COOL = TEMPERATURE.Trapezoid(100,300,500,700),
TEPID = TEMPERATURE.Trapezoid(300,500,700,900),
WARM = TEMPERATURE.Trapezoid(500,700,900,1100),
HOT = TEMPERATURE.Trapezoid(700,900,1200,1200);

TSolutionVariable POWER(0,1,100);
TFuzzySet
LOW = POWER.Trapezoid(0,0,30,50),
MEDIUM = POWER.Triangle(30,50,70),
HIGH = POWER.Trapezoid(50,70,100,100);

void FuzzyController(float Temperature, float &Power)
{
TEMPERATURE = Temperature;
If (TEMPERATURE is COLD) then (POWER should be HIGH);
If (TEMPERATURE is TEPID) then (POWER should be MEDIUM);
If (TEMPERATURE is WARM) then (POWER should be LOW);
Power = POWER.Defuzzification();
}

Gives the following Error:
fuzzyex1.cpp:6: error: no matching function for call to TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet(TFuzzySet)'
fuzzyset.h:14: note: candidates are: TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet(TFuzzySet&)
fuzzyset.h:13: note:                 TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet(TUniverse*)
fuzzyset.h:12: note:                 TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet()
fuzzyex1.cpp:7: error: no matching function for call to TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet(TFuzzySet)'
fuzzyset.h:14: note: candidates are: TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet(TFuzzySet&)
fuzzyset.h:13: note:                 TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet(TUniverse*)
fuzzyset.h:12: note:                 TFuzzySet::TFuzzySet()

and so on for the similar lines of code.
The fuzzyset.h is as follows:
#include "membership.h"
#include "universe.h"

class TFuzzySet
{
protected:
TMembershipDegree *Membership;
TUniverse *Universe;
unsigned Size;
public:
TFuzzySet();
TFuzzySet(TUniverse *AUniverse);
TFuzzySet(TFuzzySet &Set);
void SetUniverse(TUniverse *AUniverse);
TUniverse *GetUniverse();
TMembershipDegree &operator [](unsigned Index);
TMembershipDegree MembershipDegree(float Valor);
void Clear();
TFuzzySet operator or(TFuzzySet &Op2);
TFuzzySet operator and(TFuzzySet &Op2);
TFuzzySet operator not();
TFuzzySet operator and(TMembershipDegree &Op2);
TFuzzySet &operator =(TFuzzySet &Op);
~TFuzzySet() ;
  };
class TSolutionFuzzySet : public TFuzzySet
{
public:
TSolutionFuzzySet();
TSolutionFuzzySet(TUniverse *AUniverse);
TSolutionFuzzySet &operator=(TFuzzySet &Op);
float Sum();
float WeightedSum();
float Centroid();
float MaxMean() ;
 };

A: Temporaries can't be bound to non-const references.
Change TFuzzySet(TFuzzySet &Set); to TFuzzySet(const TFuzzySet &Set);


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text:
Kaposi's sarcoma with HHV8 infection and ANCA-associated vasculitis in a hemodialysis patient
Lilia Ben Fatma1, Lamia Rais1, Amel Mebazza2, Haifa Azzouz3, Somaya Beji1, Madiha Krid1, Wided Smaoui1, Hedi Ben Maiz4, Karim Zouaghi1, Moncef Zitouna3, Amel Ben Osmane2, Fatma Ben Moussa1
1 Department of Nephrology, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
2 Department of Dermatology, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
3 Department of Anatomo-Pathology, La Rabta Hospital, Tunis, Tunisia
4 Laboratory of Renal Pathology, LR001SP, Tunis, Tunisia
The association between Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and human herpes virus eight (HHV-8) infection is rarely reported in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We report here the rare association of KS, HHV-8 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection as well as syphilis in a HD patient. We report the case of a 72-year-old woman who presented with microscopic polyangiitis with alveolar hemorrhage and pauci-immune necrosing and crescentic glomerulonephritis as well as renal failure requiring HD. Biological tests showed positive HCV and syphilis tests. The patient was treated by HD and intravenous pulse, followed by oral corticosteroids and six cyclophosphamide monthly pulses with remission of the alveolar hemorrhage, but without renal functional recovery as the patient remained HD dependent. Five months after the first treatment administration, she developed extensive purpuric lesions on her lower limbs, abdomen face and neck. A skin biopsy showed KS. The HHV-8 test was positive, with positive polymerase chain reaction-HHV8 in the serum and skin. After immunosuppression withdrawal, the KS skin lesions regressed rapidly without relapse after 12 months of follow-up, but alveolar hemorrhage relapsed after 16 months of follow-up. Our case showed that the immunosuppressed state related to multiple factors such as aging, vasculitis, HHV-8, HCV, syphilis, immunosuppressive therapy and HD may all have contributed to the development of KS in our patient.
Fatma LB, Rais L, Mebazza A, Azzouz H, Beji S, Krid M, Smaoui W, Maiz HB, Zouaghi K, Zitouna M, Osmane AB, Moussa FB. Kaposi's sarcoma with HHV8 infection and ANCA-associated vasculitis in a hemodialysis patient. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl 2013;24:1199-202
Fatma LB, Rais L, Mebazza A, Azzouz H, Beji S, Krid M, Smaoui W, Maiz HB, Zouaghi K, Zitouna M, Osmane AB, Moussa FB. Kaposi's sarcoma with HHV8 infection and ANCA-associated vasculitis in a hemodialysis patient. Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl [serial online] 2013 [cited 2020 Jan 17];24:1199-202. Available from: http://www.sjkdt.org/text.asp?2013/24/6/1199/121285
Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) was first described by Moritz von Kaposi in 1872 as a low-grade mesenchymal tumor involving the blood and lymphatic vessels. The mucocutaneous sites are primarily affected, typically the skin of the lower extremities, face, trunk, genitalia and the oropharyngeal mucosa; other organs like the digestive and pulmonary tracts are involved in the disseminated form of the disease. [1],[2]
KS is reported to be associated with human herpes virus eight (HHV-8). HHV-8 was discovered in 1994 in the biopsy of KS in a patient with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Its prevalence ranges from 3.81 to 46.02%. [3] Since then, it has been identified in all variants of KS. [4] The incidence of iatrogenic KS, a cancer linked with HHV-8 following organ transplantation, is 500-times higher than that in the general population. The incidence of KS in the transplant population ranges from 2 to 3.5%. [5] In the Middle East, KS is the most common malignancy reported in kidney transplant recipients. [6] Differences in the prevalence of HHV-8 and KS have been described, depending on the study population and their geographic origin. In a cross-sectional study, serum samples were collected and evaluated for the presence and titers of HHV-8-specific antibodies, and it was suggested that a longitudinal evaluation of the antibody titers in patients with chronic kidney disease be undertaken to confirm their predictive value in the development of KS. [7]
In an immunocompromised host, the primary infection with HHV-8 presents with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphoid hyperplasia, pancytopenia and liver dysfunction. Occasionally, rapid-onset KS develops in association with apparent primary HHV-8 infection. [5] Iatrogenic KS develops in patients undergoing immunosuppressive treatment and is considered to be induced by activation of latent HHV-8. In most cases, the first manifestation of KS develops after 1 year from when the drug was first administered. [8]
Finally, the simultaneous presence of two viruses such as HHV8 and hepatitis C virus (HCV) can create a synergy for the onset of KS. [8]
KS is related to HHV-8 infection and it is rarely reported in hemodialysis (HD) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative patients. We report here the rare association of KS, HHV-8 and HCV infection as well as syphilis in a HD patient.
A 72-year- old HIV-negative woman presented with weakness, microscopic hematuria, oliguria and rapidly progressive renal failure. A kidney biopsy revealed pauci-immune-necrosing crescentic glomerulonephritis [Figure 1]. P-ANCA was positive with anti-myeloperoxidase specificity. The diagnosis was microscopic polyangiitis with renal and pulmonary involvement including alveolar hemorrhage and a GOLD score at 150. Blood tests for HIV, syphilis and HCV/HBV were carried out and showed positive antibodies for syphilis (TPHA and VDRL) and HCV, with positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for HVC, but the blood test for HIV was negative. The patient was initiated on regular HD and intravenous corticosteroids, followed by oral prednisone (1 mg/kg/day) administered for a duration of 1 month then tapered by 5 mg every 15 days in addition to six-monthly cyclophosphamide intravenous pulses at dose 500 mg/1.73 m 2 . Unfortunately, the renal function failed to improve and the patient remained on chronic HD. Syphilis was treated with intramuscular benzathine benzylpenicillin injection repeated after 15 days.
Figure 1: Kidney biopsy (optical microscopic): Extracapillary glomerulonephritis.
After 5 months from the initiation of treatment, the patient presented with multiple nodular purpuric lesions on her lower limbs, abdomen, face and neck [Figure 2], [Figure 3] and [Figure 4]. A skin biopsy diagnosed KS [Figure 5]. Blood tests were positive for HHV-8: IgG anti-HHV8 positive, titer 1/640. PCR amplification showed HHV-8 in the peripheral blood. Immunohistochemical stains for HHV-8 were positive in the skin sample. No lesions were detected in the gastrointestinal tract.
Figure 2: Kaposi lesions on the plant feet.
Figure 3: Kaposi lesions on the lower left limb.
Figure 4: Kaposi lesions on the face and neck.
Figure 5: Skin biopsy of an infiltrated lesion (hematoxylin and eosin ×10): Double proliferation of fibroblastic cells and vascular structures increased spindle cells with vascular slits and vascular structures, with a predominance of endothelial cells. Extravasated erythrocytes and hemosiderin-laden macrophages. Some spindle cells may show nuclear pleomorphism.
Withdrawal of immunosuppressive therapy was associated with complete regression of the KS lesions within 3 months without relapse. After a follow-up of 16 months, the patient remained on HD. Alveolar hemorrhage relapsed with iron-laden macrophages in the broncho - alveolar lavage and a GOLD score of 280. Anti-myloperoxidase P-ANCA was also positive.
Our case is unique if we consider the presence of multiple viral-related diseases, including HHV8, HCV and syphilis, besides immunosuppressive treatment in a patient with ANCA-associated vasculitis who is uremic and undergoing HD. In endemic countries, the seroprevalences of HCV and syphilis are reported to be 1.3% and 2.3%, respectively. [9] There is no report in the literature of an association between KS and syphilis. KS and kidney disease are frequently reported after kidney transplantation, and more rarely in native kidneys. Only one case of KS associated with microscopic polyangiitis with long-term corticosteroids has been reported, and our case is the second of such reports, with a difference in its association with HHV-8 and a shorter-term corticosteroid treatment. [10] In HD, reports of KS are rare, [11] and KS is seldom reported in immunocompetent patients. [4],[7]
A variety of therapeutic options exist and the choice of treatment depends on the clinical form and stage as well as the location of the lesions and their size; options include surgical excision, intralesional interferon alfa-2b, local or extended field radiotherapy and chemotherapy. [12]
Radiation therapy was also used with a complete response rate in 88% of the cases, with limited toxicity to the skin. [12] Paclitaxel has been approved as second-line therapy after anthracyclines in AIDS- KS patients according to the AIDS Clinical Trials Group criteria. [13] Several studies have suggested an interest in thalidomide for treating AIDS-related KS because of its anti-angiogenic and immunomodulatory properties. [10]
KS can be managed with a conservative approach and discontinuation of the immunosuppressive treatment. However, discontinuation of the immunosuppression is not always possible and, in such cases where immunosuppression is discontinued, chemotherapy may be indicated. [14] In our patient, withdrawal of immunosuppression improved Kaposi skin lesions but induced a relapse of alveolar hemorrhage that is rare in ANCA vasculitis patients undergoing chronic HD.
1. Catricalà C, Marenda S, Muscardin LM, Donati P, Lepri A, Eibenschutz L. Angiomatous reaction Kaposi-sarcoma-like as a side effect of topical corticosteroid therapy in lichen sclerosus of the penis. Dermatol Ther 2009;22:379-82.
2. Tedesco M, Benevolo M, Frezza F, et al. Colorectal Kaposi's sarcoma in an HIV-negative male in association with ulcerative rectocolitis: A case report. Anticancer Res 1999;19:3045-8.
3. de Sanjose S, Mbisa G, Perez-Alvarez S, et al. Geographic variation in the prevalence of Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus and risk factors for transmission. J Infect Dis 2009;199:1449-56.
4. Pastor MA, Vasco B, Mosquera JM, Debén G, Bautista P, Requena L. Two HHV8-related illnesses in a HIV-negative patient: Kaposi's sarcoma and multicentric Castleman's disease. Response to treatment with Rituximab and CHOP. Actas Dermosifiliogr 2006;97:385-90.
5. Aseni P, Vertemati M, Minola E, et al. Kaposi's sarcoma in liver transplant recipients: Morphological and clinical description. Liver Transpl 2001;7:816-23.
6. Ahmadpoor P. Human herpesvirus-8 and kaposi sarcoma after kidney transplantation: Mechanisms of tumor genesis. Iran J Kidney Dis 2009;3:121-6.
7. Magri MC, Carbone PH, De Los Santos-Fortuna E, Caterino-de-Araujo A. A comparative study of the frequency of antibody and titers against human herpesvirus 8 latent and lytic antigens in "at-risk" individuals and among patients with Kaposi's sarcoma. J Med Virol 2009;81:1292-7.
8. Monti M, Mancini LL, Ceriani R, Hendrickx I, Guizzardi M. Iatrogenic Kaposi's sarcoma and HCV infection. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2004;18:191-3.
9. Tiruneh M. Seroprevalence of multiple sexually transmitted infections among antenatal clinic attendees in Gondar Health Center, northwest Ethiopia. Ethiop Med J 2008;46:359-66.
10. Ben M'barek L, Fardet L, Mebazaa A, et al. A retrospective analysis of thalidomide therapy in non-HIV-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Dermatology 2007;215:202-5.
11. Bacha MM, Goucha R, Zouaghi K, et al. Myeloma, Kaposi's sarcoma and HHV8 infection in hemodialyzed patient. Tunis Med 2007;85: 237-9.
12. Hauerstock D, Gerstein W, Vuong T. Results of radiation therapy for treatment of classic Kaposi sarcoma. J Cutan Med Surg 2009;13:18-21.
13. Silvestris N, Galetta D, Colucci G. Successful treatment with three-weekly paclitaxel of an anthracycline-refractory classical Kaposi's sarcoma. Anticancer Res 2009;29:675-6.
14. Svrcek M, Tiret E, Bennis M, Guyot P, Fléjou JF. KSHV/HHV8-associated intestinal Kaposi's sarcoma in patient with ulcerative colitis receiving immunosuppressive drugs: Report of a case. Dis Colon Rectum 2009;52:154-8.
Lilia Ben Fatma
Department of Nephrology, La Rabta Hospital, Jabbari, 1007, Tunis
Fatma LB
Rais L
Mebazza A
Azzouz H
Beji S
Krid M
Smaoui W
Maiz HB
Zouaghi K
Zitouna M
Osmane AB
Moussa FB


Edie Sedgwick. American actress and model.
Discovered by Andy Warhol, artist, she made a huge fortune during her artistic career due to the famous actor, movie director and photographer who wanted her, as a first woman in all his movies. Unfortunately, after the success during '60 years, the pretty Edie had terrible health problem so she needed to be hospitalised in California. She died, four months after her marriage with Michael Post, exactly on 16 November 1971, due to an overdose of barbiturates. "She was only 32 years old; too earlier to die".
Edie Sedgwick: unfortunate Andy Warhol's "woman".


The Tinker Lab is the key educational program at Lewis H. Latimer House Museum to serve high-quality, innovative hands-on activities treating science and technology as an integral part of the humanities. In the Tinker Lab, participants use an array of technologies such as Scratch, Ev3, and Wedo, and build from scratch using various micro-controllers, proto boards, and coding programs. The museum sees the drive to build in three-dimensional spaces and coding as an invaluable 21st century literacy skillset.
Watch an video of example activities in tinkering and students telling the story of Lewis H. Latimer.
Featured Tinker Activity: HEBOCON. Hebocon is a robot sumo-wrestling "competition." It is a competition where robots–that have been built out of re-use materials –gather and somehow manage to engage in odd, funny battles.
Click to see detailed Tinker Lab Birthday Party Schedule & Agreement.
To enquire about or book a Tinker Lab birthday party, please email education@latimernow.org.
Option of two-week or one-week camp.


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Photographic Legacy: Journalism Professor Pays Tribute to Father's Seminal Book 'Songs of My People'
by Victoria L. Valentine on Mar 2, 2017 • 5:58 am No Comments
Installation view of "Songs of My People: 25 Years Later," at George Washington University. | Photo courtesy Gallery 102
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, before social media existed and online news outlets were few, there were scant alternatives to combat negative portrayals in mainstream media.
"The African American community was not being covered fairly in the mainstream media and the question is, 'Well then, what are you going to do about it?'" D. Michael Cheers told CBS News, in the video below. "We have a responsibility to argue our case for black people and the best way to argue that case for us, as black people, is through our art and our cameras."
Weighing his options, Cheers, a photojournalist, decided to publish a book and mount an exhibition, with Eric Easter and Dudley M. Brooks. They gathered 50 of their colleagues; the best black photographers in the country who contributed 200 photographs.
"Songs of My People: African Americans, a Self Portrait" featured a wide-range of powerful images documenting triumphant strides and unrelenting strife, and everything in between. Gordon Parks, Roland Freeman, Howard Bingham, Chester Higgins Jr., and Ron Caesar, are among the contributors.
The 1992 portfolio had a profound influence on Cheers's daughter. Now 37, Imani M. Cheers, was 12 when "Songs of My People" was published. She followed in her father's footsteps, choosing a career in journalism. A photographer and multimedia journalist, the younger Cheers is a professor in the School of Media & Public Affairs at George Washington University. (Her father teaches photojournalism at San Jose State University.)
In tribute to her father and the groundbreaking project, Imani curated "Songs of My People: 25 Years Later." The new exhibition revisits the original concept with contemporary photographers considering what the African American experience looks like today, after the historic presidency of Barack Obama and in the age of Black Lives Matter, alternative facts and supposed "fake" news.
Imani told CBS News: "In current times our field is under a lot of scrutiny. But for me, the core elements of journalism is truth telling. You are there to document truth and for me it's been something I watched my father do as a child, and it definitely inspired me to do that now." CT
"Songs of My People: 25 Years Later" is on view at Gallery 102 in the Smith Hall of Art at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., through March 3.
Through the lens of 50 black photographers, "Songs of My People: African Americans, A Self Portrait" presents an unvarnished vision of African American life. More recent photography volumes documenting black America include Deborah Willis's "Reflections in Black: A History of Black Photographers 1840 to the Present" and "Through the African American Lens: Double Exposure," published by the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History.
D. Michael Cheers and Imani M. Cheers discuss "Songs of My People," then and now. | Video by CBS News
With Words and Deeds, President Obama Pays Tribute to the Legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Dawoud Bey's Photographic Tribute to the Victims of 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing Collapses the Past and Present Gifted: Photographer Jaimie Milner Pays Tribute to Beauty, Ingenuity of Black Men Portrait Artist Amy Sherald Discussed Her Practice at the National Gallery of Art: 'I Paint American People. Black People Doing Stuff'
Tags: D. Michael Cheers, George Washington University, Imani Cheers, Songs of My People
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Techno India College of Technology offers one of the best BBA programmes in the state. The department of BBA was started in the year 2005. The B.B.A. course of TICT is comparable to any world class business school. The enviable team of faculty members, state of the art classrooms, labs & libraries all make B.B.A program the dream program in Management studies. The B.B.A programme is designed to bridge the gap between conceptual learning and practical application to inculcate professional and managerial expertise. The department currently has around 120 students. It is meant for students who are motivated, disciplined, ready and eager to move ahead in the business world. It is based on the premise that the true mark of learning is not just what you know but what you can do with what you know. Our priority is to provide students a top-notch curriculum where emerging business leaders can build on their professional experiences and successfully contribute to their firms. This innovative programme is facilitated by multi-media learning environment enriched by face-to-face faculty mentoring and coaching.
This prestigious program in management leading to a BBA degree is spread over three years and consists of six semesters, each approximately of six months duration. The program therefore lays strong emphasis in connecting theory and application. In the various courses key concepts are covered and then students are exposed to how they are played out in real business situations using case studies.
The seminal effect of our pedagogy is placement of our B.B.A in all the corporate houses of repute. In a span of less than a decade, our students have ensured their presence at responsible positions in Multinationals and Indian companies.


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Washington Redskins vs. St. Louis Rams Point Spread – Pick Against the Spread
Washington Redskins (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) vs. St. Louis Rams (0-1 SU, 1-0 ATS)
NFL Week 2
Date/Time: 4:05 PM ET, September 16, 2012
Where: Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, MO
TV: FOX
by Jason Green, Football Handicapper, Predictem.com
Point Spread: Wash -3.5/STL +3.5
Over/Under Total: 45.5
Bet the Skins/Rams game using your credit card at an online bookie where it WILL work and where you'll get a generous 25% signup bonus: Sportsbook.
Could the Redskins get off to a better start to the 2012 season? I would think not, as they beat the Saints in the Big Easy in their season opener and Robert Griffin III had a great game and was the only rookie QB in the league to get a W. The Rams only lost by 4 points in their season opener, but they really struggled on offense only gaining 251 yards and only had 14 first downs. Last season the Redskins beat the Rams in St. Louis 17-10.
in their opening games to the 2012 season the Redskins beat the New Orleans Saints 40-32 while the Rams lost to the Detroit Lions 27-23.
RG3 was stellar in his debut passing for 320 yards with 2 TD and more importantly 0 INT. He looked poised in the pocket and also rushed for 42 yards. His WR's played well and Griffin needs to avoid the turnover. The Rams had 3 picks in their loss to the Lions, but they gave up 355 yards and their pass rush only had 1 sacks. RG3 is for real and he will avoid the pass rush and have another solid game.
Not only did Griffin III shine, but fellow rookie RB Alfred Morris rushed for 96 yards with 2 TD. He is a 6th round pick and you can be sure the Skins will have a solid ground game since head coach Mike Shanahan likes to establish the run. The Rams held the Lions to under 100 rushing yards, but Lions have one of the, if not the, weakest rushing offenses in the league. The Skins rushing offense will slaughter the Lambs in this NFC match up.
QUIT WASTING MONEY! STOP BETTING AT -110
ODDS; START BETTING AT -105 TODAY AT 5DIMES
Sam Bradford has a sophomore slump last season, but it was not his fault since he has a less than stellar WR corps. That is still the case and Bradford only passed for 198 yards even though he had 1 TD. He will not have a good game against a confident Redskins' secondary that held Drew Brees to a completion percentage below 50%.
Bradford was sacked 4 times in the Lions' loss and the Redskins will come after him all game and the Washington pass rush played great last week constantly pressuring Brees in the pocket. The Rams are working with a new offensive line and they struggled in Week 1 and will do so again since C Scott Wells was lost until later in the season with a foot injury and T Rodger Saffold has an injured neck and is doubtful for this game.
The Redskins totally stuffed the run against the Saints holding them to only 32 yards. They will play well against the run again since Steven Jackson looks to have lost a step and he only averaged 2.5 yards per carry in Week 1.
Hard to put a lot of weight on betting trends since the Skins finally have a legit QB, but still they are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games against the Rams in St. Louis. However, the Rams have not changed that much and they are only2-5-1 ATS in their last 8 road games and are only 2-7-1 ATS in their last 10 games facing a team with a winning record. The total of this game is set at 45.5 and that seems a tad high and in the last 8 games between these 2 teams the posted total has gone Under.
Jason's Pick to Cover the Point Spread: This line look a little low to you? Yeah, me too. That's because the books know that the Rams are going to win this game straight up. They're just dangling that field goal for you to bite on what is the nastiest trap line I've seen in quite some time. This Rams team is much improved and I full expect them to win this game straight up.
Additional NFL Football Betting Previews


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Home » Politics • Slider-Home » Imran Khan Denounces Judicial Commission's Terms of References
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Imran Khan Denounces Judicial Commission's Terms of References
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Imran Khan criticised the terms of reference of judicial commission announced by the prime minister to probe the allegations levelled by Panama Papers.
While addressing a press conference on Saturday, Imran said he was "very disappointed after hearing yesterday's speech by Nawaz Sharif".
"I thought the prime minister would perhaps give an explanation of why he has the offshore accounts, but now I am positive that he has something to hide."
"Allegations against Nawaz are not by any political party but by an international consortium of journalists," said Imran, adding that "now the premier is under moral obligation to clear his name".
Nawaz Sharif has lost moral authority to rule, he maintained.
The PTI chief said that other world leaders have accepted the allegations against them.
"But Nawaz Sharif did not give any answers in his speech, he just attacked the opposition parties."
Imran complained that the terms
Politicians React to PM's Address To The Nation
Maryam Nawaz ki tarbiyat Benazir Bhutto jesi nahi hai


The craziest race of the summer? Of course on theAsiago plateau, and more precisely in Gallium!
From 28 to July 31, 2016 run with us the toughest 300 metres of the summer 2016! Track your line of glory on Italy's tallest trampoline and makes history!
On the trampoline of Gallium, 300 meters high, the highest in Italy, all participants will compete in this exciting ride uphill with the aim to get as high as possible.
hours 22.00- musical evening of ballroom dancing with theOrchestra Santa Fè.
hours 20.00 -award ceremonies and to follow musical evening by Macrillo with Fireworks.
Appointment in the locality of Pakstall, to Gallium. For more info contact the Gallium by pressing the buttons below.


Pictures of seven teens, all different heights and weights, but all normal. Shows healthy teens come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For grades 7 and up. 25" x 22". Check out the accompanying lesson plan, Health at Every Size: So, What's Normal?.