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Redheffer matrix | Key properties | Other than that the underlying so-termed mask matrix which specifies the inclusion of indices in the divisor sums at hand are invertible, utilizing this type of construction to expand other Redheffer-like matrices for other special number theoretic sums need not be limited to those forms classically studied here. For example, in 2018 Mousavi and Schmidt extend such matrix based factorization lemmas to the cases of Anderson-Apostol divisor sums (of which Ramanujan sums are a notable special case) and sums indexed over the integers that are relatively prime to each n (for example, as classically defines the tally denoted by the Euler phi function). More to the point, the examples considered in the applications section below suggest a study of the properties of what can be considered generalized Redheffer matrices representing other special number theoretic sums. |
Redheffer matrix | Key properties | Spectral radius and eigenspaces If we denote the spectral radius of An by ρn , i.e., the dominant maximum modulus eigenvalue in the spectrum of An , then lim n→∞ρnn=1, which bounds the asymptotic behavior of the spectrum of An when n is large. It can also be shown that log n) , and by a careful analysis (see the characteristic polynomial expansions below) that log n+O(1) The matrix An has eigenvalue one with multiplicity log 2(n)⌋−1 The dimension of the eigenspace Eλ(An) corresponding to the eigenvalue := 1 is known to be ⌊n2⌋−1 . In particular, this implies that An is not diagonalizable whenever n≥5 For all other eigenvalues λ≠1 of An , then dimension of the corresponding eigenspaces Eλ(An) are one. |
Redheffer matrix | Key properties | Characterizing eigenvectors We have that [a1,a2,…,an] is an eigenvector of AnT corresponding to some eigenvalue λ∈σ(An) in the spectrum of An if and only if for n≥2 the following two conditions hold: and λa1=∑k=1nak.
If we restrict ourselves to the so-called non-trivial cases where λ≠1 , then given any initial eigenvector component a1 we can recursively compute the remaining n-1 components according to the formula aj=1λ−1∑d|jd<jad.
With this in mind, for λ≠1 we can define the sequences of := 2.
There are a couple of curious implications related to the definitions of these sequences. First, we have that λ∈σ(An) if and only if ∑k=1nvλ(k)=λ.
Secondly, we have an established formula for the Dirichlet series, or Dirichlet generating function, over these sequences for fixed λ≠1 which holds for all ℜ(s)>1 given by ∑n≥1vλ(n)ns=λ−1λ−ζ(s), where ζ(s) of course as usual denotes the Riemann zeta function. |
Redheffer matrix | Key properties | Bounds and properties of non-trivial eigenvalues A graph theoretic interpretation to evaluating the zeros of the characteristic polynomial of An and bounding its coefficients is given in Section 5.1 of. Estimates of the sizes of the Jordan blocks of An corresponding to the eigenvalue one are given in. A brief overview of the properties of a modified approach to factorizing the characteristic polynomial, pAn(x) , of these matrices is defined here without the full scope of the somewhat technical proofs justifying the bounds from the references cited above. Namely, let the shorthand := log 2(n)⌋ and define a sequence of auxiliary polynomial expansions according to the formula := pAn(t+1)tn−s−1=ts+1−∑k=1svnkts−k. |
Redheffer matrix | Key properties | Then we know that fn(t) has two real roots, denoted by tn± , which satisfy log log 2(n)n), where 0.577216 is Euler's classical gamma constant, and where the remaining coefficients of these polynomials are bounded by log k−1(n)(k−1)!. |
Redheffer matrix | Key properties | A plot of the much more size-constrained nature of the eigenvalues of fn(t) which are not characterized by these two dominant zeros of the polynomial seems to be remarkable as evidenced by the only 20 remaining complex zeros shown below. The next image is reproduced from a freely available article cited above when 10 6 is available here for reference. |
Redheffer matrix | Applications and generalizations | We provide a few examples of the utility of the Redheffer matrices interpreted as a (0,1) matrix whose parity corresponds to inclusion in an increasing sequence of index sets. These examples should serve to freshen up some of the at times dated historical perspective of these matrices, and their being footnote-worthy by virtue of an inherent, and deep, relation of their determinants to the Mertens function and equivalent statements of the Riemann Hypothesis. This interpretation is a great deal more combinatorial in construction than typical treatments of the special Redheffer matrix determinants. Nonetheless, this combinatorial twist on enumerating special sequences of sums has been explored more recently in a number of papers and is a topic of active interest in pre-print archives. Before diving into the full construction of this spin on the Redheffer matrix variants Rn defined above, observe that this type of expansion is in many ways essentially just another variation of the usage of a Toeplitz matrix to represent truncated power series expressions where the matrix entries are coefficients of the formal variable in the series. Let's explore an application of this particular view of a (0,1) matrix as masking inclusion of summation indices in a finite sum over some fixed function. See the citations to the references and for existing generalizations of the Redheffer matrices in the context of general arithmetic function cases. The inverse matrix terms are referred to a generalized Mobius function within the context of sums of this type in. |
Redheffer matrix | Applications and generalizations | Matrix products expanding Dirichlet convolutions and Dirichlet inverses First, given any two non-identically-zero arithmetic functions f and g, we can provide explicit matrix representations which encode their Dirichlet convolution in rows indexed by natural numbers n≥1,1≤n≤x := [Md(n)f(d)g(n/d)]1≤d,n≤x=[00⋯0g(x)00⋯g(x−1)g(x)……⋱⋱⋯g(1)g(2)⋯g(x−1)g(x)][00⋯0f(1)00⋯f(2)f(1)……⋱⋱⋯f(x)f(x−1)⋯f(2)f(1)]RxT.
Then letting := [1,1,…,1] denote the vector of all ones, it is easily seen that the nth row of the matrix-vector product eT⋅Df,g(x) gives the convolved Dirichlet sums (f∗g)(n)=∑d|nf(d)g(n/d), for all 1≤n≤x where the upper index x≥2 is arbitrary.
One task that is particularly onerous given an arbitrary function f is to determine its Dirichlet inverse exactly without resorting to a standard recursive definition of this function via yet another convolved divisor sum involving the same function f with its under-specified inverse to be determined: where := 1/f(1). |
Redheffer matrix | Applications and generalizations | It is clear that in general the Dirichlet inverse f−1(n) for f, i.e., the uniquely defined arithmetic function such that (f−1∗f)(n)=δn,1 , involves sums of nested divisor sums of depth from one to ω(n) where this upper bound is the prime omega function which counts the number of distinct prime factors of n. As this example shows, we can formulate an alternate way to construct the Dirichlet inverse function values via matrix inversion with our variant Redheffer matrices, Rn Generalizations of the Redheffer matrix forms: GCD sums and other matrices whose entries denote inclusion in special sets There are several often cited articles from worthy journals that fight to establish expansions of number theoretic divisor sums, convolutions, and Dirichlet series (to name a few) through matrix representations. Besides non-trivial estimates on the corresponding spectrum and eigenspaces associated with truly notable and important applications of these representations—the underlying machinery in representing sums of these forms by matrix products is to effectively define a so-termed masking matrix whose zero-or-one valued entries denote inclusion in an increasing sequence of sets of the natural numbers {1,2,…,n} . To illustrate that the previous mouthful of jargon makes good sense in setting up a matrix based system for representing a wide range of special summations, consider the following construction: Let An⊆[1,n]∩Z be a sequence of index sets, and for any fixed arithmetic function f:N⟶C define the sums := ∑k∈Anf(k). |
Redheffer matrix | Applications and generalizations | One of the classes of sums considered by Mousavi and Schmidt (2017) defines the relatively prime divisor sums by setting the index sets in the last definition to be := gcd (d,n)=1}.
This class of sums can be used to express important special arithmetic functions of number theoretic interest, including Euler's phi function (where classically we define := 0 ) as φ(n)=∑d∈Gndm, and even the Mobius function through its representation as a discrete (finite) Fourier transform: gcd (k,n)=11≤k≤ne2πikn. |
Redheffer matrix | Applications and generalizations | Citations in the full paper provide other examples of this class of sums including applications to cyclotomic polynomials (and their logarithms). The referenced article by Mousavi and Schmidt (2017) develops a factorization-theorem-like treatment to expanding these sums which is an analog to the Lambert series factorization results given in the previous section above. The associated matrices and their inverses for this definition of the index sets An then allow us to perform the analog of Moebius inversion for divisor sums which can be used to express the summand functions f as a quasi-convolved sum over the inverse matrix entries and the left-hand-side special functions, such as φ(n) or μ(n) pointed out in the last pair of examples. These inverse matrices have many curious properties (and a good reference pulling together a summary of all of them is currently lacking) which are best intimated and conveyed to new readers by inspection. With this in mind, consider the case of the upper index := 21 and the relevant matrices defined for this case given as follows: (1000000000000000000011000000000000000000101000000000000000001111000000000000000010001000000000000000111111000000000000001010101000000000000011011011000000000000101000101000000000001111111111000000000010001010001000000000111111111111000000001010100010101000000011010011001011000000101010101010101000001111111111111111000010001010001010001000111111111111111111001010001010101000101011011001011010011011)−1=(10000000000000000000−11000000000000000000−101000000000000000001−1−110000000000000000−10001000000000000000100−1−110000000000000010−10−1010000000000000−102−100−11000000000000−100010−1010000000000010−110−11−1−110000000000−101000−1000100000000010−1000100−1−110000000030−20−2020−10−1010000000−301030−1−11000−11000000−101010−100000−101000001000−2001001−11−1−110000−302020−201000−1000100030−20−2020−1000100−1−110010−100010−10000000−1010−100−1110−12−1−11−111−100−11) Examples of invertible matrices which define other special sums with non-standard, however, clear applications should be catalogued and listed in this generalizations section for completeness. An existing summary of inversion relations, and in particular, exact criteria under which sums of these forms can be inverted and related is found in many references on orthogonal polynomials. Other good examples of this type of factorization treatment to inverting relations between sums over sufficiently invertible, or well enough behaved triangular sets of weight coefficients include the Mobius inversion formula, the binomial transform, and the Stirling transform, among others. |
Redheffer matrix | External links and citations to related work | Weisstein, Eric W. "Redheffer matrix". MathWorld.
Cardinal, Jean-Paul. "Symmetric matrices related to the Mertens function". Retrieved 12 December 2018.
Kline, Jeffery (2020). "On the eigenstructure of sparse matrices related to the prime number theorem". Linear Algebra and Its Applications. 584: 409–430. doi:10.1016/j.laa.2019.09.022. |
Plafond | Plafond | A plafond (French for "ceiling"), in a broad sense, is a (flat, vaulted or dome) ceiling.
A plafond can be a product of monumental painting or sculpture. Picturesque plafonds can be painted directly on plaster (as a fresco, oil, glutinous, synthetic paints), on a canvas attached to a ceiling (panel), or a mosaic.
As a decorative feature of churches and staterooms, plafonds were popular from the 17th century until the beginning of the 19th century. Designs of this period typically used illusionistic ceiling painting showing the architectural structure behind, strongly foreshortened figures, architectural details, and/or the open sky. |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TTC39C gene. TTC39C is one of three TTC39. Its function is currently unknown; however, there is some evidence suggesting that it plays a role in anaphase. It also contains a relatively well-characterized structural motif called the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR). |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Gene | TTC39C is located on the long arm of human chromosome 18 at 18q11.2. Its most common aliases are FLJ33761, C18orf17, and HsT2697. |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Protein | The TTC39C protein is 583 amino acids long, and appears to be localized to the cytoplasm of the cell based on its predicted secondary structure It has three isoforms, the longest of which is transcript variant 1. It contains three tetratricopeptide repeats, as well as the domain of unknown function DUF3808. The protein product has a molecular weight of 65.9 kDa and an isoelectric point of 6.584. There are several predicted phosphorylation, acetylation, and palmitoylation sites, which are shown in the table below. Its whole predicted secondary structure is composed almost entirely of helices, and forms a tertiary structure that is predicted to match the structure of the cut9 protein in yeast with 100% accuracy and 85% coverage. |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Homology | The TTC39C protein is over 50% conserved in most vertebrates, and has conservation levels as low as about 24% in invertebrates. At least one ortholog and several homologs have also been identified in fungi. No orthologs have been identified in plants. Several of its orthologs are shown in the table below.
TTC39C has two paralogs from the TTC39 family: TTC39A, and TTC39B, which are located on chromosome 1, at 1p32.3 and chromosome 9, at 9p22.3 respectively. TTC39B has been associated with the management of HDL cholesterol, and may be involved in the prevention of cardiovascular disease |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Expression | The promoter region controlling expression of transcript variant 1 begins approximately 952 bases upstream of the start codon, and includes the entire 5' UTR. Several possible transcription factor binding sites have been identified using the program El Dorado including the CCCTC binding factor and a site for CTCF, an insulator protein that binds CCCTC. This transcription factor is associated with a number of functions including organization of chromatin. There were also several sites that appear to be the general transcription factor TFIIB, and both E2F and E2F transcription factor binding sites. The E2F transcription factors are involved in mediating the cell cycle, which could be a potential link to the hypothesized role of TTC39C in anaphase. Several microarray studies of humans, dogs and mice have provided evidence that TTC39C is most highly expressed in the liver. It exhibits relatively high expression in all tissues, and had a percentile rank above 50% in all tissues except in kidney, spinal cord, and skeletal muscle samples of humans. |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Function | The function of TTC39C is currently unknown. However, one of its structural motifs, the tetratricopeptide repeat is relatively well characterized, and has been shown to be active primarily in four categories of protein-protein interactions: interacting with molecular chaperones, mediating the start of anaphase during cell division, transcription repression, and the transport of proteins. Of these four areas of functionality, the most evidence exists for its involvement in the initiation of anaphase. Two of the three possible interacting proteins identified by STRING play a role in anaphase. Finally, the protein that had a structure that appears to perfectly match 85% of the TTC39C sequence is involved in anaphase in the yeast, Schizosaccharomyces pombe. However, the role of TTC39C in anaphase must be confirmed through additional studies. |
Tetratricopeptide repeat protein 39C | Interactions | Textmining studies have identified several proteins that TTC39C may interact with. These protein-protein interactions have not been confirmed; however, two of the identified proteins, AGBL1 and HAUS4, are likely candidates due to their roles in anaphase. Additional potential protein-protein interactions were identified for TTC39C in mice; however, there is no apparent connection to TTC39C besides coexpression. |
Front-runner | Front-runner | In politics, a front-runner (also spelled frontrunner or front runner) is a leader in an electoral race. While the front-runner in athletic events (the namesake of the political concept) is generally clear, a political front-runner, particularly in the presidential primary process, is less so as a potential nominee may lead in the polls, have the most name recognition, the most funds raised, or a combination of these. The front-runner is most often declared by the media who are following the race and is written about in a different style than his or her challengers. |
Front-runner | Etymology | The word front-runner originated in the United States. The term emerged from foot racing. It was used by 1914. According to Merriam-Webster the term meant "a contestant who runs best when in the lead" by that time. However the Dictionary of American Slang says it meant "the leader in a contest, election, etc." by that year.The adjective front-running was used by 1940. It also originated from racing. The meaning of the word was analogous to its nounal counterpart at that time. The term was used as a noun by 1970 in the United States to mean "support given to a person or team only when they are doing well." By the 1980s a new definition for front-running emerged from the commodities market in which the word was also used as a noun. The definition was used to describe "a type of fraud in which a trader withholds a large customer order so that he can personally profit from its effect on the market."The intransitive verb front-run emerged by 1950. It originated from a back formation of front-runner. By that year it had a meaning that was analogous to its nounal counterpart.The related word frontrunneritis was used by 1995. It is a combination of frontrunner and –itis, a suffix frequently used informally to describe a tendency or mood that is comparable to a disease. The term was used by that time to describe "the condition of being a leading candidate." In particular it was used to characterize "a tendency to coast or to be under increased scrutiny by the press." |
Front-runner | Performance | American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter William Safire describes the front-runner as being able to leave "the starting gate well" and set the pace for the other contestants. He uses the racing term "shows early foot" to characterize this tendency. Safire says occasionally the front-runner's lead becomes "insurmountable." He cites Barry Goldwater's successful 1964 Republican presidential nomination and Jimmy Carter's success in several convention states and early primaries in his 1976 presidential campaign as examples.However Safire says the modern usage of the word front-runner has "ominous overtones" of being likely to eventually lose. As an example he references Franklin D. Roosevelt's receiving a letter from Robert W. Woolley about Roosevelt's front-runner status early in his 1932 presidential campaign: "Herein lies the danger ... automatically you become the target of the other candidates, real and potential. There isn't a single favorite son whose delegation won't be held out of the Roosevelt column so long as there is a reasonable chance of getting something for that favorite son, even at your expense." Safire gives another example when he quotes Ted Sorensen's thoughts about John F. Kennedy's front-runner status during his 1960 presidential campaign: "There were disadvantages in being the 'front runner.' The Senator's critics became more open and vocal and his every word was politically interpreted."The outcome of the second round of primaries is critical to a front-runner's success. Safire argues that the front-runner "must come thundering into the convention increasing his speed and with enough 'kick' left for a final spurt" to be successful. He quotes Thomas E. Dewey writing about his losing the 1940 Republican presidential nomination as an example: "When the balloting starts, every candidate wants to show enough strength to be one of the leaders on the first ballot. He also wants to have enough strength in reserve so he can gain on the psychologically important second ballot. For example, in 1940, I led on the first three ballots out of six—the wrong three. I lost ground on the second ballot. That was the beginning of the end and everybody knew it."Safire states that front-runners often take advantage of the bandwagon effect by emphasizing their "inevitability factor." He says this is done by suggesting the futility of the front-runner's opponents. However Safire notes that a front-runner's "inevitability" can be vulnerable to their opponents. Safire cites the example of George W. Bush's front-runner status in the 2000 Republican primary being threatened by John McCain's victory in the New Hampshire primary. Another example he notes is Gary Hart's upset win in the New Hampshire primary, which challenged Walter Mondale's front-runner status in the 1984 Democratic primary. Safire quotes Peter Hart, a pollster "who advised" Walter Mondale, commenting on the 1984 race in 2007: "Inevitability is not a message ... there needs to be something to grab on to. Inevitability is not a tune that people can march to." Safire also cites journalist Adam Gourney's thoughts: "[N]othing invites a teardown more than being perceived as the front-runner. Being on top makes you a big target for your opponents and the news media, and sets you up for buyer's remorse, a common phenomenon in the nomination process, even before the sale is done."Safire says that despite the risks in being the front-runner, candidates prefer it over being a dark horse or a long shot because that position has a higher chance of winning. Front-runners often have a financial advantage over dark horses. |
Front-runner | Performance | Early front-runners David Greenberg, associate professor of History and of Journalism and Media Studies at Rutgers University, states that front-runners decided by early polls often do not win the nomination. Greenberg notes that early polls decided Birch Bayh in the 1976 Democratic primary, Ted Kennedy in the 1980 Democratic primary, Jesse Jackson in the 1988 Democratic primary, Jerry Brown in the 1992 Democratic primary, Howard Dean in the 2004 Democratic primary and Herman Cain in the 2012 Republican primary as front-runners, all of whom lost the nomination.Greenberg suggests that the futility of most early front-runners reflects early polls' unreliability and in particular, their respondents' indifference to the candidates. He notes that indifference is especially justified for electorates whose state primary runs during the later stages of the race. He cites David Karol, a political scientist, who says that "[t]he media don't always report the numbers that say 'not sure' or 'don't know enough.'"Greenberg states that the rise of early front-runners is partly due to name recognition. He cites the early lead of Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican primary, Joe Lieberman in the 2004 Democratic primary and George W. Bush in the 2000 Republican primary as examples of this. He further states that early front-runners are established in part due to recent media attention, and notes that Jonathan Bernstein, a political scientist and columnist, shares this view. Greenberg cites the early front-runners Donald Trump in the 2016 Republican primary, Gary Hart in the 1984 Democratic primary and Howard Dean in the 2004 Democratic primary as examples of this.Greenberg acknowledges that some front-runners decided by early polls win the nomination. He states that this often occurs "in races with few competitors." He notes Al Gore’s early lead in 1999 before winning the 2000 Democratic presidential nomination as an example. Greenberg states that early front-runners can also win if they are an "overwhelming favorite" in the race. He gives Ronald Reagan’s early front-runner status in 1979 before winning the 1980 Republican presidential nomination as an example. Greenberg notes that William Mayer, a political scientist at Northeastern University, discovered that in contested primary races since 1980, of the eight front-runners who polled at 34 percent or higher in the September before the election, six won the nomination, and none of the five front-runners who polled below that percentage won. |
Front-runner | Performance | Debates Primary debate participation may hinder a front-runner's chance to be nominated.Debate analysts and scholars recognize that the front-runner is often attacked more frequently by the other candidates. It is a common strategy of the front-runner's opponents, especially for long shot candidates. During the December 2, 1999 Republican primary debate, almost all attacks were directed against the front-runner George W. Bush. Long shot candidates Gary Bauer, Orrin Hatch and Alan Keyes significantly contributed to the mass attack. In a debate featuring the 1988 Democratic primary candidates, long shot candidates "gang[ed] up" on the front-runner. Analysis on a 1992 primary debate showed that the front-runner received the most attacks.However, excessively attacking the front-runner can hurt one's image and support from viewers. In the December 2, 1999 Republican primary debate, all 10 of Steve Forbes' attacks were made against George W. Bush, contributing to over half of the total attacks that targeted Bush. Steve Forbes experienced a negative effect on his image and lost all support he had from a sample of 91 viewers before the debate. Although reasons other than excessive attacking may have contributed to Forbes' decline, viewers had "a clear negative reaction to his constant attack of Bush." John McCain, who made no attacks, had his image improved and his support from the viewers increased. This suggests that a front-runner's opponent may be more successful if they "attack in moderation." It may also suggest that if the opponent is recognized by viewers as a "legitimate contender," they can benefit from refraining from attacks and "permitting the larger field of [long shot candidates] to do the dirty work of attacking a front-runner." This would allow the opponent to project "a more positive message" about their ideas. |
Sinopharm CNBG COVID-19 vaccine | Sinopharm CNBG COVID-19 vaccine | Sinopharm NVSI COVID-19 vaccine, also known as mutI-tri-RBD or NVSI-06-08, is a COVID-19 vaccine developed by National Vaccine & Serum Institute (NVSI, 中生研究院), a subsidiary of CNBG of Sinopharm.They claim to be the world's first "second generation broadly protective" recombination protein subunit vaccine, i.e. by combining three heterogeneous antigens into one single trimer RBD protein (突变集成三聚化RBD, mutI-tri-RBD). It's based on the original, and the Beta (K417N/E484K/N501Y) and Kappa (L452R/E484K) variants. |
Vinculum (ligament) | Vinculum (ligament) | In anatomy, a vinculum (pl. vincula) is a band of connective tissue, similar to a ligament, that connects a flexor tendon to a phalanx bone. They contain tiny vessels which supply blood to the tendon.
In vertebrate anatomy, they are referred to as mesotendons. |
Vinculum (ligament) | Vinculum (ligament) | For example, in the fingers and toes of humans and related vertebrates, vincula are responsible for the direct vascularization of the flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus tendons to the intermediate and distal phalanges in each finger. These vincula are four folds in the synovial membrane that carry blood vessels to the body and insertion of the tendon. The tendon receives some additional nutrition directly from the synovial fluid in the sheath, which is important in case of partial loss of direct vascularization from the vincula.In the chick, vincula are much larger and more complex than in humans. Though they contain blood vessels, these only make up a very limited portion of the total mass of the vincula, most of which consists of collagen and elastic fibres.A vinculum is also found in insects' male genitalia. Unlike the vertebrate structures, it is part of the exoskeleton, being formed by the ventral part of the ninth abdominal segment. It retains the aedeagus and the clasper attaches to it. |
Spermidine | Spermidine | Spermidine is a polyamine compound (C7H19N3) found in ribosomes and living tissues and having various metabolic functions within organisms. It was originally isolated from semen. |
Spermidine | Function | Spermidine is an aliphatic polyamine. Spermidine synthase (SPDS) catalyzes its formation from putrescine. It is a precursor to other polyamines, such as spermine and its structural isomer thermospermine. |
Spermidine | Function | Spermidine synchronizes an array of biological processes, (such as Ca2+, Na+, K+ -ATPase) thus maintaining membrane potential and controlling intracellular pH and volume. Spermidine regulates biological processes, such as Ca2+ influx by glutamatergic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA receptor), which has been associated with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and cGMP/PKG pathway activation and a decrease of Na+,K+-ATPase activity in cerebral cortex synaptosomes. |
Spermidine | Function | Spermidine is a longevity agent in mammals due to various mechanisms of action, which are just beginning to be understood. Autophagy is the main mechanism at the molecular level, but evidence has been found for other mechanisms, including inflammation reduction, lipid metabolism, and regulation of cell growth, proliferation, and death.Spermidine is known to regulate plant growth, assisting the in vitro process of transcribing RNA, and inhibition of NOS. Also, spermidine is a precursor to other polyamines, such as spermine and thermospermine, some of which contribute to tolerance against drought and salinity in plants. |
Spermidine | Function | Spermidine has been tested and discovered to encourage hair shaft elongation and lengthen hair growth. Spermidine has also been found to “upregulate expression of the epithelial stem cell-associated keratins K15 and K19, and dose-dependently modulated K15 promoter activity in situ and the colony forming efficiency, proliferation and K15 expression of isolated human K15-GFP+ cells in vitro.” |
Spermidine | Biochemical actions | Spermidine's known actions include: Inhibits neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) Binds and precipitates DNA Polyamine plant growth regulator |
Spermidine | Sources | Good dietary sources of spermidine are aged cheese, mushrooms, soy products, legumes, corn, and whole grains. Spermidine is plentiful in a Mediterranean diet.
For comparison: The spermidine content in human seminal plasma varies between approx. 15 and 50 mg/L (mean 31 mg/L).
Note - spermidine content varies by source and age. See ref for details.
In grains, the endosperm contains most of the spermidine. One of the best known grain dietary sources is wheat germ, containing as much as 243 mg/kg. |
Spermidine | Uses | Spermidine can be used in electroporation while transferring the DNA into the cell under the electrical impulse. May be used for purification of DNA-binding proteins.
Spermidine is also used, along with calcium chloride, for precipitating DNA onto microprojectiles for bombardment with a gene gun.
Spermidine has also been reported to protect the heart from aging and prolong the lifespan of mice, while in humans it was correlated with lower blood pressure. It also was found to reduce the amount of aging in yeast, flies, worms, and human immune cells by inducing autophagy.
Spermidine may play a role in male and female fertility. Fertile men have higher spermidine levels than men who are infertile, and spermidine supplementation has been shown to help maintain a healthy hormone balance and reduce oxidative stress.
Spermidine is commonly used for in vitro molecular biology reactions, particularly, in vitro transcription by phage RNA polymerases, in vitro transcription by human RNA polymerase II, and in vitro translation.
Spermidine increases specificity and reproducibility of Taq-mediated PCR by neutralizing and stabilizing the negative charge on DNA phosphate backbone.
Spermidine is, at physiological pH, a polycationic reagent that aids in enzyme digestion by forcing apart DNA molecules. |
Optical margin alignment | Optical margin alignment | Optical margin alignment outdents letters like A, V, W, Y, and punctuation into the margins to align the text border optically. Some users remark that it makes the text margin look crooked, but this is because text frames or margin guides are visible. If text frames are not visible, e.g. in print preview, or when printed, the edge of a block of text looks more even if optical margin alignment is enabled. |
Optical margin alignment | Optical margin alignment | From the earliest days of machine printing, punctuation and Drop Capitals were indented slightly into the margin, as can be seen in the pages of the Gutenberg Bible in the British Library. Word-processing software lacks this attention to detail that could be achieved when manually setting type page by page, but professional page layout software like InDesign, Ventura and Serif PagePlus can now achieve this with a fine level of adjustment over which letters to indent into the margin and by how much. |
Optical margin alignment | Use | Optical margin alignment is designed to be used for body text, and not for display type, text in tables, or headlines. |
Optical margin alignment | Use | It is often used for block quotes, which benefit from “hung punctuation.” In such cases, the leading quotation mark is outdented 100% into the margin or paragraph indent, so that subsequent lines of text align with the first character in the quotation. If the first character of the quotation is meant to be styled as a drop cap, then both the opening, hung quotation mark and the following letter are styled as such. |
Optical margin alignment | Use | The optimal values used for the outdents is font-dependent. A typeface whose capital A, V, W, and Y have vertical sides needs no outdents for these letters, but the capital T and punctuation will still benefit from the use of optical margin alignment.
If text has narrow gutters between columns, table borders, or any straight edge such as an image near to the edge of the text, optical margin alignment should not be used because the proximity of the straight line will break the optical illusion.
This technique is related to and sometimes equated with hanging punctuation, though optical margin alignment is not limited to adjusting only punctuation.
Suggested values for optical justification These values may be suitable for common seriffed fonts like Times New Roman, Palatino, or Garamond. Other fonts may need different values. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Cortana (virtual assistant) | Cortana is a virtual assistant developed by Microsoft, that uses the Bing search engine to perform tasks such as setting reminders and answering questions for the user. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Cortana (virtual assistant) | Cortana is currently available in English, Portuguese, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese language editions, depending on the software platform and region in which it is used.Microsoft began reducing the prevalence of Cortana and converting it from an assistant into different software integrations in 2019. It was split from the Windows 10 search bar in April 2019. In January 2020, the Cortana mobile app was removed from certain markets, and on March 31, 2021, the Cortana mobile app was shut down globally. On June 2, 2023, Microsoft announced that support for the Cortana standalone app on Microsoft Windows will end in late 2023 and would be replaced by Windows Copilot and Bing Chat AI. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | History | Cortana was demonstrated for the first time at the Microsoft Build developer conference in San Francisco in April 2014. It was launched as a key ingredient of Microsoft's planned "makeover" of future operating systems for Windows Phone and Windows.It is named after Cortana, a synthetic intelligence character in Microsoft's Halo video game franchise originating in Bungie folklore, with Jen Taylor, the character's voice actress, returning to voice the personal assistant's US-specific version. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | History | Development The development of Cortana started in 2009 in the Microsoft Speech products team with general manager Zig Serafin and Chief Scientist Larry Heck. Heck and Serafin established the vision, mission, and long-range plan for Microsoft's digital personal assistant and they built a team with the expertise to create the initial prototypes for Cortana. Some of the key researchers in these early efforts included Microsoft Research researchers Dilek Hakkani-Tür, Gokhan Tur, Andreas Stolcke, and Malcolm Slaney, research software developer Madhu Chinthakunta, and user experience designer Lisa Stifelman. To develop the Cortana digital assistant, the team interviewed human personal assistants. The interviews inspired a number of unique features in Cortana, including the assistant's "notebook" feature. Originally, Cortana was meant to be only a codename, but a petition on Windows Phone's UserVoice site proved to be popular and made the codename official. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | History | Expansion to other platforms In January 2015, Microsoft announced the availability of Cortana for Windows 10 desktops and mobile devices as part of merging Windows Phone into the operating system at large. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | History | On May 26, 2015, Microsoft announced that Cortana would also be available on other mobile platforms. An Android release was set for July 2015, but the Android APK file containing Cortana was leaked ahead of its release. It was officially released, along with an iOS version, in December 2015.During E3 2015, Microsoft announced that Cortana would come to the Xbox One as part of a universally designed Windows 10 update for the console. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | History | New focus In 2017, Microsoft partnered with Amazon to integrate Echo and Cortana with each other, allowing users of each smart assistant to summon the other via a command. This feature preview was released in August 2018. Windows 10 users can just say "Hey Cortana, open Alexa" and Echo users can say "Alexa, open Cortana" to summon the other assistant.In January 2019, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that he no longer sees Cortana as a direct competitor against Alexa and Siri. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | History | Decreasing focus on Cortana and discontinuation On July 24, 2020, Cortana was removed from the Xbox dashboard as part of a redesign, then on January 31, 2021, Microsoft removed the Cortana mobile application in certain markets (including UK, Australia, Germany, Mexico, China, Spain, Canada, and India).On March 31, 2021, Microsoft shut down the Cortana apps entirely for iOS and Android and removed them from corresponding app stores. To access previously recorded content, users have to use Cortana on Windows 10 or another specialized Microsoft application.Microsoft has also reduced emphasis on Cortana in Windows 11. Cortana is not used during the new device setup process and isn't pinned to the taskbar by default.On June 2, 2023, Microsoft announced that they would shut down the Cortana standalone app on Windows 10 and Windows 11 later in the year. This is because of more powerful productivity and increased AI capabilities tools in Windows and Edge. Microsoft lists several alternatives such as Bing Chat AI and Windows Copilot (coming later in June). They also stressed that the change wouldn't impact Cortana in Office 365 and Teams environments.On August 11, 2023, Microsoft updated the Cortana app in Windows, announcing it is deprecated and can no longer be used. The Cortana End of Support article was updated to reflect this change. Along with the standalone app being deprecated, it was announced in the End of Support article that Cortana support in Teams mobile, Microsoft Teams displays, and Teams rooms will end in Fall 2023. The support article states that Cortana in Outlook mobile will continue to be available. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Cortana in other services | Microsoft has integrated Cortana into numerous products such as Microsoft Edge, the browser bundled with Windows 10. Microsoft's Cortana assistant is deeply integrated into its Edge browser. Cortana can find opening hours when on restaurant sites, show retail coupons for websites, or show weather information in the address bar. At the Worldwide Partners Conference 2015 Microsoft demonstrated Cortana integration with products such as GigJam. Conversely, Microsoft announced in late April 2016 that it would block anything other than Bing and Edge from being used to complete Cortana searches, again raising questions of anti-competitive practices by the company.Microsoft's "Windows in the car" concept includes Cortana. The concept makes it possible for drivers to make restaurant reservations and see places before they go there.At Microsoft Build 2016, Microsoft announced plans to integrate Cortana into Skype (Microsoft's video-conferencing and instant messaging service) as a bot to allow users to order food, book trips, transcribe video messages and make calendar appointments through Cortana in addition to other bots. As of 2016, Cortana can underline certain words and phrases in Skype conversations that relate to contacts and corporations. A writer from Engadget has criticised the Cortana integration in Skype for responding only to very specific keywords, feeling as if she was "chatting with a search engine" due to the impersonal way the bots replied to certain words such as "Hello" causing the Bing Music bot to bring up Adele's song of that name.Microsoft also announced at Microsoft Build 2016 that Cortana would be able to cloud-synchronise notifications between Windows 10 Mobile's and Windows 10's Action Center, as well as notifications from Android devices.In December 2016, Microsoft announced the preview of Calendar.help, a service that enabled people to delegate the scheduling of meetings to Cortana. Users interact with Cortana by including her in email conversations. Cortana would then check people's availability in Outlook Calendar or Google Calendar, and work with others Cc'd on the email to schedule the meeting. The service relied on automation and human-based computation.In May 2017, Microsoft in collaboration with Harman Kardon announced INVOKE, a voice-activated speaker featuring Cortana. The premium speaker has a cylindrical design and offers 360-degree sound, the ability to make and receive calls with Skype, and all of the other features currently available with Cortana. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Functionality | Cortana can set reminders, recognize natural voice without the requirement for keyboard input, and answer questions using information from the Bing search engine (For example, current weather and traffic conditions, sports scores, biographies). Searches using Windows 10 are made only with the Microsoft Bing search engine, and all links will open with Microsoft Edge, except when a screen reader such as Narrator is being used, where the links will open in Internet Explorer. Windows Phone 8.1's universal Bing SmartSearch features are incorporated into Cortana, which replaces the previous Bing Search app, which was activated when a user presses the "Search" button on their device. Cortana includes a music recognition service. Cortana can simulate rolling dice and flipping a coin. Cortana's "Concert Watch" monitors Bing searches to determine the bands or musicians that interest the user. It integrates with the Microsoft Band watch band for Windows Phone devices if connected via Bluetooth, it can make reminders and phone notifications.Since the Lumia Denim mobile phone series, launched in October 2014, active listening was added to Cortana enabling it to be invoked with the phrase: "Hey Cortana". It can then be controlled as usual. Some devices from the United Kingdom by O2 received the Lumia Denim update without the feature, but this was later clarified as a bug and Microsoft has since fixed it.Cortana integrates with services such as Foursquare to provide restaurant and local attraction recommendations and LIFX to control smart light bulbs. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Functionality | Notebook Cortana stores personal information such as interests, location data, reminders, and contacts in the "Notebook". It can draw upon and add to this data to learn a user's specific patterns and behaviors. Users can view and specify what information is collected to allow some control over privacy, said to be "a level of control that goes beyond comparable assistants". Users can delete information from the "Notebook". |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Functionality | Reminders Cortana has a built-in system of reminders, which can, for example, be associated with a specific contact; it will then remind the user when in communication with that contact, possibly at a specific time or when the phone is in a specific location. Originally, these reminders were specific to the device Cortana was installed on but starting on February 12, 2015, Cortana synchronizes reminders across devices. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Functionality | Design Most versions of Cortana take the form of two nested circles, which are animated to indicate activities such as searching or talking. The main color scheme includes a black or white background and shades of blue for the respective circles.
Phone notification syncing Cortana on Windows mobile and Android is capable of capturing device notifications and sending them to a Windows 10 device. This allows a computer user to view notifications from their phone in the Windows 10 Action Center. The feature was announced in early 2016 and released later in the year. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Functionality | Miscellaneous Cortana has a "do-not-disturb" mode in which users can specify "quiet hours", as was available for Windows Phone 8.1 users. Users can change the settings so that Cortana calls users by their names or nicknames. It also has a library of "Easter Eggs", pre-determined remarks.When asked for a prediction, Cortana correctly predicted the winners of the first 14 matches of the football 2014 FIFA World Cup knockout stage, including the semi-finals, before it incorrectly picked Brazil over the Netherlands in the third place play-off match; this streak topped Paul the Octopus who correctly predicted all 7 of Germany's 2010 FIFA World Cup matches as well as the Final. Cortana can forecast results in various other sports such as the NBA, the NFL, the Super Bowl, the ICC Cricket World Cup and various European football leagues. Cortana can solve mathematical equations, convert units of measurement, and determine the exchange rates between currencies including Bitcoin. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Integrations | Cortana can integrate with third-party apps on Windows 10 or directly through the service. Starting in late 2016, Cortana integrated with Microsoft's Wunderlist service, allowing Cortana to add and act on reminders.At Microsoft's Build 2017 conference, Microsoft announced that Cortana would get a consumer third-party skills capability, similar to that in Amazon Alexa.On February 16, 2018, Microsoft announced connected home skills were added for ecobee, Honeywell Lyric, Honeywell Total Connect Comfort, LIFX, TP-Link Kasa, and Geeni, as well as support for IFTTT. At Microsoft's Ignite 2018 conference, Microsoft announced an Technology Adopters Program that Enterprises could build skills that could be developed and deployed into Azure tenants, accessible by organizational units or security groups. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Privacy concerns | Cortana indexes and stores user information. Cortana can be disabled; this will cause Windows search to search Bing as well as the local computer, but that can also be disabled. Turning Cortana off does not in itself delete user data stored on Microsoft's servers, but it can be deleted by user action. Microsoft has further been criticized for requests to Bing's website for a file called "threshold.appcache", which contains Cortana's information through searches made through the Start Menu even when Cortana is disabled on Windows 10.As of April 2014, Cortana was disabled for users aged under 13 years. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Regions and languages | The British version of Cortana speaks with a British accent and uses British idioms, while the Chinese version, known as Xiao Na, speaks Mandarin Chinese and has an icon featuring a face and two eyes, which is not used in other regions.As of 2020 the English version of Cortana on Windows devices is available to all users in the United States (American English), Canada (French/English), Australia, India, and the United Kingdom (British English). Other language versions of Cortana are available in France (French), China (Simplified Chinese), Japan (Japanese), Germany (German), Italy (Italian), Brazil (Portuguese), Mexico, and Spain (Spanish). Cortana listens generally to the hot word "Hey Cortana" in addition to certain languages' customized versions, such as "Hola Cortana" in Spanish.The English United Kingdom localised version of Cortana is voiced by voice actress Ginnie Watson, while the United States localised version is voiced by Jen Taylor. Taylor is the voice actress who voices Cortana, the namesake of the virtual assistant, in the Halo video game series.The following table identifies the localized version of Cortana currently available. Except where indicated, this applies to both Windows Mobile and Windows 10 versions of the assistant. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Technology | The natural language processing capabilities of Cortana are derived from Tellme Networks (bought by Microsoft in 2007) and are coupled with a Semantic search database called Satori.While many of Cortana's U.S. English responses are voiced by Jen Taylor, organic responses require the use of a text-to-speech engine. Microsoft Eva is the name of the text-to-speech voice for organic response in Cortana's U.S. English. |
Cortana (virtual assistant) | Updating | Cortana updates were delivered independently of those to the main Windows Phone OS, allowing Microsoft to provide new features at a faster pace. Not all Cortana-related features could be updated in this manner, as some features such as "Hey Cortana" required the Windows Phone update service and the Qualcomm Snapdragon SensorCore Technology. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Analysis of Functional NeuroImages (AFNI) is an open-source environment for processing and displaying functional MRI data—a technique for mapping human brain activity.
AFNI is an agglomeration of programs that can be used interactively or flexibly assembled for batch processing using shell script. The term AFNI refers both to the entire suite and to a particular interactive program often used for visualization. AFNI is actively developed by the NIMH Scientific and Statistical Computing Core and its capabilities are continually expanding. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | AFNI runs under many Unix-like operating systems that provide X11 and Motif libraries, including IRIX, Solaris, Linux, FreeBSD and OS X. Precompiled binaries are available for some platforms. AFNI is available for research use under the GNU General Public License, the included SVM-light component is non-commercial and non-distributable. AFNI now comprises over 300,000 lines of C source code, and a skilled C programmer can add interactive and batch functions to AFNI with relative ease. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | History and development | AFNI was originally developed at the Medical College of Wisconsin beginning in 1994, largely by Robert W. Cox. Cox brought development to the NIH in 2001 and development continues at the NIMH Scientific and Statistical Computing Core. In a 1995 paper describing the rationale for development of the software, Cox wrote of fMRI data: "The volume of data gathered is very large, and it is essential that easy-to-use tools for visualization and analysis of 3D activation maps be available for neuroscience investigators." Since then, AFNI has become one of the more commonly used analysis tools in fMRI research, alongside SPM and FSL.Although AFNI initially required extensive shell scripting to execute tasks, pre-made batch scripts and improvements to the graphical user interface (GUI) have since made it possible to generate analyses with less user scripting. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Features | Visualization One of AFNI's initial offerings improved the approach to transforming scans of individual brains onto a shared standardized space. Since each person's individual brain is unique in size and shape, comparing across a number of brains requires warping (rotating, scaling, etc.) individual brains into a standard shape. Unfortunately, functional MRI data at the time of AFNI's development was too low resolution for effective transformations. Instead, researchers use the higher resolution anatomical brain scans, often acquired at the beginning of an imaging session. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Features | AFNI allows researchers to overlay a functional image to the anatomical, providing tools for aligning the two into the same space. Processes engaged to warp an individual anatomical scan to standard space are then applied also to the functional scan, improving the transformation process.Another feature available in AFNI is the SUMA tool, developed by Ziad Saad. This tool allows users to project the 2D data onto a 3D cortical surface map. In this way researchers can view activation patterns while more easily taking into account physical cortical features like gyri. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Features | Image Pre-processing "afni_proc.py" is a pre-made script that will run fMRI data from a single subject through a series of pre-processing steps, starting with the raw data. The default settings will perform the following pre-processing steps and finish with a basic regression analysis: Slice timing: Each 3D brain image is composed of multiple 2D images, "slices". Although acquired at approximately the same time, up to several seconds could separate the first slice acquired from the last. Through interpolation, the slices are aligned to the same time point. Generally, any introduced noise from interpolation errors is thought to be outweighed by improvements in signal. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Features | Motion correction: Head movements can create sources of error in the analysis. Each 3D acquisition in a scan is collected on a 3D grid, with each small cube of grid space, "voxel", representing a single image intensity value. Ideally, voxels will always represent the same part of the brain in each acquisition, rather than vary from one 3D image to the next. To correct small motion artifacts, AFNI's motion correction tool employs a linear least squares algorithm that attempts to align each 3D image acquired to the first image acquired in the scan. |
Analysis of Functional NeuroImages | Features | Smoothing: To account for random noise in the image, a smoothing kernel is applied. While smoothing can increase the signal-to-noise ratio of the image, it reduces image resolution.
Mask: Removes any non-brain areas, such as skull, from the fMRI image.
Scale: Scale each voxel so that changes in intensity represent percentage of signal change over the course of the scan. The default sets the mean of each voxel equal to 100. |
Milman–Pettis theorem | Milman–Pettis theorem | In mathematics, the Milman–Pettis theorem states that every uniformly convex Banach space is reflexive.
The theorem was proved independently by D. Milman (1938) and B. J. Pettis (1939). S. Kakutani gave a different proof in 1939, and John R. Ringrose published a shorter proof in 1959.
Mahlon M. Day (1941) gave examples of reflexive Banach spaces which are not isomorphic to any uniformly convex space. |
Techno-animism | Techno-animism | Techno-animism or technoanimism is a culture of technological practice where technology is imbued with human and spiritual characteristics. It assumes that technology, humanity and religion can be integrated into one entity. As an anthropology theory, techno-animism examines the interactions between the material and the spiritual aspects of technology in relation to humans. Techno-animism has been studied in the context of Japan, since techno-animism traces most of its roots to the Shinto religion, and also in DIY culture where Actor–network theory and non-human agencies have been labeled as techno-animist practices. |
Techno-animism | Background and history | The practice of instilling human and spiritual characteristics into physical objects has always been part of the Shinto religion. Deities in the Shinto religion often symbolizes objects of the physical world and their statues often take human forms. With these practices, people form tighter bonds with physical objects. In Japanese culture, the interaction between humans and non-human objects is critical to the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. A prime example of this type of interaction is that before meals, Japanese people always say "itadakimasu" which expresses gratitude for the ingredients of the meal may it be animals or plants. |
Techno-animism | Background and history | Techno-animism builds upon the practices of the Shinto religion by instilling human and spiritual characteristics into technology. As for representation, techno-animism is often embodied in the engineering design of objects and the way that people interact with those objects. In a larger social context, Techno-animism provides a means for technology to be integrated into the human society because new technology can always be instilled with traditional values.Examples of Techno-animism also exist within the context of the DIY ethic and Maker culture: linking contemporary theories of material agency and Material culture with post-modern ideas of Animism and ethnographies " with recent academic studies suggesting that a form of Techno-animism can be observed in the highly developed practices of material engagement present in certain Do it yourself sub-cultures recorded in contemporary ethnographic studies of technology. |
Techno-animism | Examples | The design of certain objects can have human-related traits that illustrate techno-animism. A robot designed by Honda called ASIMO takes the form of an astronaut wearing a spacesuit. The form factor along with the spiritual values associated with space exploration makes ASIMO an embodiment of techno-animism. In addition, ASIMO can also communicate with humans through language and gestures. Communication is a defining factor of determining whether something is an individual being or not. In Japan, the robot industry offers a wide range of functions from talking robots to sex robots. Conversation and sexual relationships used to be concepts that only belonged to humans. However, technological advancements and techno-animism are breaking down that barrier with engineering designs that embodies human and spiritual characteristics. |
Techno-animism | Examples | Beyond the design of objects, the way that people choose to interact with objects could also demonstrate techno-animism. In Shinjuku, Tokyo, there is a restaurant where the waiters are robots instead of humans. Rather than talking to another person, customers only interact with machines throughout the dining process. In this process, customers accept the fact that technology has become part of the human society and has a unique way of interacting with humans. |
Techno-animism | Social implications | Japanese culture and legislation are generally supportive of the techno-animism trend. Considering that Japan's modernization took place in a relatively short period of time in comparison to western nations, techno-animism is seen as a major reason why Japan has been one of the world's centers of technological innovations. As a result, acceptance of techno-animism is the current attitude in Japan both culturally and legislatively. |
China Seas | China Seas | The China Seas consist of a series of marginal seas in the Western Pacific Ocean, around China. They are the major components signifying the transition from the continent of Asia to the Pacific Ocean. They have been described in terms of their collective vastness and complexity: The four seas of China, the Bohai Sea, the Huanghai Sea, the East China Sea, and the South China Sea, occupy a total area of about 4.7 million sq. km, half of the area of Mainland China. These seas are located in the southeastern margin of the Eurasian continent and subject to the interactions between the Eurasian, Pacific, and Indian-Australian plates. The seas have complicated geology and rich natural resources. |
China Seas | China Seas | Seas included in the China Seas are: The East China Sea The South China Sea The Yellow Sea (including Bohai Sea and Korea Bay) |
Unsaturated monomer | Unsaturated monomer | Unsaturated monomers are those having carbon–carbon double bonds. In general, the term "unsaturated" refers to the presence of one or more double (or triple) bonds and the ability to "saturate" the molecule by addition of H2.
Some examples of unsaturated monomers include: acrylic acid, acrylamide, acryloyl chloride, and methyl methacrylate.
Research suggests that unsaturated monomers that are coordinatively complexed together may be important in the process of enantioselective cyclopropanation of synthetic fibers. |
Many antennas | Many antennas | Many antennas is a smart antenna technique which overcomes the performance limitation of single user multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques. In cellular communication, the maximum number of considered antennas for downlink is 2 and 4 to support 3GPP Long Term Evolution (LTE) and IMT Advanced requirements, respectively. Since the available spectrum band will probably be limited while the data rate requirement will continuously increase beyond IMT-A to support the mobile multimedia services, it is highly probable that the number of transmit antennas at the base station must be increased to 8–64 or more. The installation of many antennas at single base stations introduced many challenges and required development of several high technologies: a new SDMA engine, a new beamforming algorithm and a new antenna array. |
Many antennas | Many antennas | New space-division multiple access (SDMA) engine: multi-user MIMO, network MIMO, coordinate multi-point transmission (COMP) (Cooperative diversity), remote radio equipment (RRE).
New beam-forming: linear beam-forming such as MF, ZF and MMSE and non-linear beam-forming (precoding) such as Tomlinson-Harashima precoding (THP), vector perturbation (VP), and Dirty paper coding (DPC).
New antenna array: direct, remote and wireless antenna array.
Direct antenna array: linear and 3D phased array, new structure array, and dynamic antenna array.
Remote and wireless antenna array: distributed antenna array and cooperative beam-forming.
Multiple air interfaces: single chip antenna array for an energy efficient short-range transmission. |
Many antennas | History of multiple antennas in cellular communications | The table summarizes the recent history of multiple antenna techniques in cellular communications. The table includes the future prediction as well for IMT-A and beyond. |
Hildegund C. J. Ertl | Hildegund C. J. Ertl | Hildegund C. J. Ertl is a researcher who works at The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. |
Hildegund C. J. Ertl | Career | Ertl's research into vaccine has taken a different approach from conventional wisdom, combining parts of different viruses that pose no harm to humans but still stimulate an immune response.In 2007, Ertl helped create The Wistar Institute Vaccine Center. Ertl said that the vaccines the laboratories in the center are developing "have important implications for public health because they can reduce disease and death from very common infections. Additionally, she said that she wants to make existing vaccines more accessible in developing areas such as Africa and Asia.In interviews, Ertl has been cautious and critical when it comes to the development of vaccines for AIDS. Her research has shown that the vaccine may exhaust key cells of the immune system that are needed to fight the virus. |
Sketch (drawing) | Sketch (drawing) | A sketch (ultimately from Greek σχέδιος – schedios, "done extempore") is a rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not usually intended as a finished work. A sketch may serve a number of purposes: it might record something that the artist sees, it might record or develop an idea for later use or it might be used as a quick way of graphically demonstrating an image, idea or principle. Sketching is the most inexpensive art medium.Sketches can be made in any drawing medium. The term is most often applied to graphic work executed in a dry medium such as silverpoint, graphite, pencil, charcoal or pastel. It may also apply to drawings executed in pen and ink, digital input such as a digital pen, ballpoint pen, marker pen, water colour and oil paint. The latter two are generally referred to as "water colour sketches" and "oil sketches". A sculptor might model three-dimensional sketches in clay, plasticine or wax. |
Sketch (drawing) | Methods | The two methods in sketching are line drawing and shading.
Line art A line drawing is the most direct means of expression. This type of drawing without shading or lightness, is usually the first to be attempted by an artist. It may be somewhat limited in effect, yet it conveys dimension, movement, structure and mood; it can also suggest texture to some extent.
Shading Line gives character but shading gives depth and value-it is like adding an extra dimension to the sketch. |
Sketch (drawing) | Advanced techniques | Pencil painting When the pencil is handled almost as if it was a brush, resulting a paintlike quality, then the technique is called Pencil Painting.
Wash and benzene Starting with a pencil drawing first, then washing over the pencil areas with a sable haired water color brush dipping it into the benzine is called Wash and Benzene. Benzene does not itself add color, but merely modifies the shaded pencil areas. |
Sketch (drawing) | Uses | Sketching is generally a prescribed part of the studies of art students. This generally includes making sketches (croquis) from a live model whose pose changes every few minutes. A "sketch" usually implies a quick and loosely drawn work, while related terms such as study, modello and "preparatory drawing" usually refer to more finished and careful works to be used as a basis for a final work, often in a different medium, but the distinction is imprecise. Underdrawing is drawing underneath the final work, which may sometimes still be visible, or can be viewed by modern scientific methods such as X-rays. |
Sketch (drawing) | Uses | Most visual artists use, to a greater or lesser degree, the sketch as a method of recording or working out ideas. The sketchbooks of some individual artists have become very well known, including those of Leonardo da Vinci and Edgar Degas which have become art objects in their own right, with many pages showing finished studies as well as sketches. The term "sketchbook" refers to a book of blank paper on which an artist can draw (or has already drawn) sketches. The book might be purchased bound or might comprise loose leaves of sketches assembled or bound together.Sketching is also used as a form of communication in areas of product design such as industrial design. It can be used to communicate design intent and is most widely used in ideation. It can be used to map out floor plans of homes.The ability to quickly record impressions through sketching has found varied purposes in today's culture. Courtroom sketches record scenes and individuals in law courts. Sketches drawn to help authorities find or identify wanted people are called composite sketches. Street artists in popular tourist areas sketch portraits within minutes. |
Sketch (drawing) | Sources | Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Sketch" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 25 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 186.
Fabry, Alois (1958). Sketching Basics by Alois Fabry. Mud Puddle Books. |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Dissociated vertical deviation | Dissociated vertical deviation (DVD) is an eye condition which occurs in association with a squint, typically infantile esotropia. The exact cause is unknown, although it is logical to assume it is from faulty innervation of eye muscles. |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Presentation | The eye drifts upward spontaneously or after being covered. The condition usually affects both eyes, but can occur unilaterally or asymmetrically. It is often associated with latent or manifest-latent nystagmus and, as well as occurring with infantile esotropia, can also be found associated with exotropias and vertical deviations. |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Presentation | DVDs are usually controlled from occurring with both eyes open, but may become manifest with inattention. Usually some level of dissociative occlusion is required to trigger the brain to suppress vision in that eye and then not control a DVD from occurring. The level of dissociative occlusion required may involve using a red filter, a darker filter or complete occlusion (e.g. with a hand). |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Presentation | Onset DVD typically becomes apparent between 18 months and three years of age; however, the difficulties of achieving the prolonged occlusion required for accurate detection in the very young make it possible that onset is generally earlier than these figures suggest. |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Mechanism | Dissociation refers to the situation where the innervation of one eye causes it to move involuntarily and independently of the other eye. Usually both eyes work together as described by Hering's and Sherrington's laws of innervation. A DVD is a slow upward and sometimes temporal movement of one eye, with cortical suppression of the vision in that eye while it is deviated. On returning downward and possibly inward to take up fixation, the DVD slow movement will be reversed.The dissociative movement seen 'objectively' should not be confused with the dissociation that occurs 'subjectively' – as when the brain begins to not visualise both images simultaneously (by ignoring or suppressing vision in that eye). |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Diagnosis | A test called the Bielschowsky Darkening Wedge Test can be used to reveal and diagnose the presence of dissociated vertical deviation, although any (or no) amount of dissociative occlusion may also prompt it to occur. |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Diagnosis | The patient is asked to look at a light. One eye is covered and a filter is placed in front of the other eye. The density or opacity of this filter is gradually increased, and the behaviour of the eye under the cover (not of the eye beneath the filter) is observed. Initially, if DVD is present, the covered eye will have elevated, but as the filter opacity is increased the eye under the cover will gradually move downwards. This Bielschowsky phenomenon is present in over 50% of persons with prominent DVD, all the more if the DVD is asymmetric and amblyopia is present as well.The Bielschowsky phenomenon is also present in the horizontal plane in patients with prominent DHD (dissociated horizontal deviation). |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Diagnosis | Differential diagnosis DVD is often mistaken for over-action of the inferior oblique extra-ocular muscles. DVD can be revealed on ocular movement testing when one eye is occluded by the nose on lateral gaze. This eye will then elevate, simulating an inferior oblique over action. However, in a unilateral case, overaction of the superior rectus muscle in the unaffected dominant eye, can also be a causing factor as well as causing a V pattern exophoria. |
Dissociated vertical deviation | Treatment | Management of this condition is surgical and typically involves reducing the strength of the superior rectus muscle or anterior transposition of the inferior oblique muscle of the affected eyes.Several different surgical procedures exist for the correction of DVD including: inferior oblique anteriorization, inferior oblique anteriorization plus resection, superior rectus recession, superior rectus recession plus posterior fixation suture, and inferior oblique myectomy, though there is insufficient evidence to determine which procedure results in the best outcomes for patients. |
Mag-Thor | Mag-Thor | Mag-Thor is the common name for a range of magnesium (Mg) alloys containing thorium (Th) that are used in aerospace engineering. |
Mag-Thor | Alloys | These alloys commonly contain manganese and zinc, but there are other combinations known. Some common alloys are named HK31, HM21, HM31, HZ32, ZH42, ZH62; where the "H" indicates that the alloy contains thorium. Magnesium alloy names are often given by two letters following by two numbers. The two letters indicate the main elements present in the alloy where A = aluminum, Z = zinc, M = manganese, S = silicon, etc. the numbers tell percentage compositions of the two elements. So, AZ31 would indicate that there is 3% aluminum and 1% zinc in the alloy. |
Subsets and Splits