How to build a zero-shot email classifier
Some of the best models are able to solve various tasks in a zero-shot setting. It means being able to solve tasks without any examples and finetuning.
This guide will be using a zero-shot text classification model and an emotion detection model to automatically sort emails.
The end product will be able to process e-commerce customer emails, ranking them by urgency and category (shipping, complaint, etc).
This guide assumes you already know how to use tasks.
Read the tasks tutorial if you are new.
Setting up Backprop
For convenience, we will be using the Backprop open-source library.
You can do it via plain API calls. Using the library lets us write a bit less code.
Install backprop.
pip install backprop
Import backprop.
import backprop
Starting the Emotion task
This starts an Emotion task with the base model in the API. See more details in the API Reference.
emotion = backprop.Emotion(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
Starting the Text Classification task
Starting a Text Classification task works exactly the same way. See more details in the API Reference.
tc = backprop.TextClassification(api_key="YOUR_API_KEY")
Detecting urgency
The default model used for the emotion task is t5-base-qa-summary-emotion.
It can detect various emotions. The logic here is that if a negative emotion is detected, the email is marked as urgent.
negative_sentiments = ["annoyance", "disapproval", "disappointment", "anger", "disgust"]
def is_urgent(text):
 detected_emotions = emotion(text)
 detected_emotions = detected_emotions.split(", ")
 # Email is urgent if the customer has negative sentiment
 for em in detected_emotions:
 if em in negative_sentiments:
 return True

 return False
Predicting the category
As part of zero-shot classification, we have to provide a set of labels. These are the labels that will get assigned probabilities.
The logic here is to give all possible categories and predict the one with the highest probability.
categories = ["returns", "promotion", "complaint", "technical issue", "product inquiry", "shipping question", "other"]
def predict_category(text):
 probabilities = tc(text, labels=categories)
 # Gets the highest probability category
 category = max(probabilities, key=probabilities.get)
 return category
Putting it all together
Now, we can write a simple function that makes use of the urgency and category detection to sort our emails.
def process_email(text):
 email_urgency = is_urgent(text)
 email_category = predict_category(text)
 print(text)
 if email_urgency:
 print("Urgent!")
 else:
 print("Not urgent")
 print("Category:", email_category)
Let's try out some examples to see how it performs.
email1 = "Hi, how long will it take for my order to arrive? I've been waiting four days."
email2 = "How could you sell something this broken? This is the worst thing I've ever seen, and you should be ashamed to make money off it."
process_email(email1)
process_email(email2)
Hi, how long will it take for my order to arrive? I've been waiting four days.
Not urgent
Category: shipping question
------
How could you sell something this broken? This is the worst thing I've ever seen, and you should be ashamed to make money off it.
Urgent!
Category: complaint

Awesome. The emails get the correct category and the customer who's really disappointed in the service gets their email marked as urgent.


Ben Taylor
Ben Taylor
_PHONE_
How to Create a Discord Bot to Track COVID-19 with Nodejs
In this article, I'll show you how to:
 1. Build the most basic Discord Bot.
 2. Link the Bot to a Discord Server.
 3. Add functionality to track Coronavirus cases for a given country.
Here's a sneak peek of the final result.
Image for post
Gif of the Coronavirus Discord Bot — Created by Author.
Before we begin
Make sure you have these:
 1. Node.js installed locally on your machine.
 2. A Discord account.
Discord Developer Portal
Application
Create an application in the Discord Developer Portal
Once it's created, you should see the Client ID. This will be used later on to connect the app to a discord server.
Bot
Before we can connect our application, we need to create a Bot.
Select Bot from the left menu, and then click Add Bot.
Image for post
Screenshot of the Discord Developer Portal
When the Bot is created, you should be able to click to reveal its access token. This token is used to connect the Bot to our code.
Image for post
Screenshot of the Discord Developer Portal
#nodejs #javascript #discord #covid 19
How to Create a Discord Bot to Track COVID-19 with Nodejs


text:
Exploring S'Klallam's history at your fingertips in the Zoom presentation
David Brownell will use ethnographic and research materials to "reconstruct" the landscape and understand how Jamestown S'Klallam's ancestors thrived for millennia through his abundant resources in an online presentation scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 13 from 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Zoom.
Brownell, Executive Director of the North Olympic History Center, presents âEthnography and Ethnobotany of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley,â an event organized by the Jamestown S'Klallam Tribal Library in conjunction with the North Olympic History Center.
Originally dotted with at least 10 grasslands and extensive wetlands, the landscape of the Sequim-Dungeness Valley has undergone significant change over the past century. Brownell's presentation examines the deep and ancient connection the S'Klallam people have to the plants and animals of the Olympic Peninsula.
Join the Zoom meeting by visiting tinyurl.com/JSTethnography (meeting ID _PHONE_ 8291, passcode 231216).
For more information, call _PHONE_, email [email protected], or visit library.jamestowntribe.org/home/ProgramsEvents.

source: m-a-p/FineFineWeb


text:
Polish - English Dictionary:
The word "czyn" can have the following grammatical functions:
We have found the following english words and translations for "czyn":
||czyn (masculine noun)
So, this is how you say "czyn" in english.
Up to now, 401,669 words and expressions have been searched, among 2,129 today.
Tags: czyn, act, deed, Polish - English Dictionary, Polish, English, translation, online dictionary Polish

source: openbmb/Ultra-FineWeb


text:
Cincinnati Urban Promise, Inc. seeks to create holistic change in the lives of youth and their families by meeting their physical, emotional, academic and spiritual needs through a Christ-centered approach to education, empowerment, and loving relationships.
We envision empowered young people who take control and responsibility for their own development.
We seek to facilitate racial and economic reconciliation.
We exist to equip youth and their families to succeed in every area of life: spiritual, emotional, physical, and academic.
We work to nurture loving and supportive long-term mentoring relationships that result in a stronger community.
CUP began in 2007 as an urban church plant in the neighborhood of Northside in Cincinnati, Ohio sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene. The goal of this church was to reach those living in generational poverty and help them escape that cycle. Through the first year it became clear that the neighborhood was in need of much more than a simple church plant. In 2009, Cincinnati Urban Promise, Inc. was officially organized as a community development non-profit with the intention of helping families break the cycle of poverty through empowerment, education, and loving mentoring relationships. CUP began a series of programs focused on youth development such as mentoring, after school tutoring, life skills courses, and a summer academic enrichment program. These programs laid the ground work for CUP's vision to impact youth across their lifespan helping families to break the cycle of poverty in one generation and achieve a Lifetime of Resilience. In 2016, CUP moved to a new facility in the neighborhood of Westwood and continues to expand its programming.
CUP serves the neighborhoods of Westwood, East Westwood and North Fairmount. These communities are diverse urban neighborhoods in Cincinnati, Ohio where as many as 65% of children are living in poverty. Many of these families are living below the poverty line and/or experiencing Generational Poverty.
Generational Poverty is different than Situational Poverty. Situational Poverty is when income and support is decreased due to a specific change such as job loss, divorce, death, etc. Generational poverty is when families have lived in poverty for at least two generations. The cycle of poverty sets in when families live in poverty for at least three generations. This pattern is often due to factors outside of the families control such as systemic oppression, poor education systems, and lack of access to resources like quality transportation, education, employment, or food. When this occurs there is likely no living family member who has the resources or skills to navigate their unique challenges and create the change needed to end the cycle of poverty.
Communities with large concentrations of people living in generational poverty often lack the wealth of financial, educational, social or spiritual resources that communities of upper or mixed incomes enjoy. However, these under-resourced communities have a wealth of resilience and families who dream big dreams for their children and future generations. CUP's vision is to empower families to reach their goals and fulfill their dreams.
Resilience is the ability to "bounce back" when adverse situations occur. Many families living in generational poverty have experienced immense trauma and because of a lack of supportive structures have never been able to develop the resilience needed to set and meet their life goals.
Developing resilience is a complex and personal process. The process is unique to each individual and family. By focusing primarily on the needs of youth and their parents or caregivers CUP is able to provide each student with an individualized plan for developing resilience which will empower each student to set and achieve their goals and dreams. Our unique focus on meeting needs across the lifespan allows us to follow children and their parents from birth to adulthood – supporting and empowering the parent as their child's first and most important teacher and supporting them as they parent their child through each developmental stage. This a holistic approach that encompasses education, physical development, emotional and social health and spiritual growth – with the goal of fully developed and strong adults who are equipped to break the cycle of poverty in their families and live a Lifetime of Resilience.


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THERMOTECH 302 Series in Singapore, SAFENET Fire Systems Pte Ltd
In the realm of fire safety, the choice of fire detectors plays a pivotal role in ensuring the protection of lives and property. SAFENET Fire Systems Pte Ltd, a trusted leader in the fire safety industry in Singapore, offers an array of cutting-edge solutions to meet these crucial needs. One of their standout offerings is the THERMOTECH 302 Series. In this article, we will delve into the significance of the THERMOTECH 302 Series and how SAFENET Fire Systems Pte Ltd is contributing to enhancing safety measures in Singapore.
Understanding the Importance of THERMOTECH 302 Series
Before we explore the specifics of the THERMOTECH 302 Series, it's essential to understand the critical role these fire detectors play. The THERMOTECH 302 Series represents a line of advanced fire detectors designed to detect heat and temperature variations, providing early warnings of potential fire hazards. These detectors are crucial for minimizing response times and preventing extensive damage.
Introduction to the THERMOTECH 302 Series
The THERMOTECH 302 Series exemplifies SAFENET's dedication to innovation and safety. These detectors are strategically placed within facilities to provide early detection of heat and temperature variations, ensuring a swift response and the prevention of fire-related risks.
Key Features of the THERMOTECH 302 Series
1.Heat and Temperature Detection
The THERMOTECH 302 Series is designed to detect increases in heat and temperature variations, enabling early fire hazard identification.
2. Rapid Response
These detectors offer rapid response capabilities, ensuring that potential fire hazards are addressed swiftly, reducing the risk of extensive damage.
The THERMOTECH 302 Series is known for its reliability, providing continuous monitoring and early warning capabilities.
Why Choose the THERMOTECH 302 Series
Selecting the right fire detectors is pivotal for early warning and safety. Here are some compelling reasons to consider the THERMOTECH 302 Series:
These detectors excel at early detection of heat and temperature variations, allowing for timely intervention.
With rapid response capabilities, the THERMOTECH 302 Series minimizes the risk of extensive damage by addressing potential fire hazards swiftly.
These detectors are highly reliable, providing continuous monitoring and early warning capabilities.
Installation and Maintenance
To ensure that your THERMOTECH 302 Series detectors operate optimally, professional installation and regular maintenance are essential. SAFENET Fire Systems Pte Ltd offers expert installation services and comprehensive maintenance plans to keep your THERMOTECH 302 Series detectors in peak condition.
In conclusion, the THERMOTECH 302 Series represents a significant advancement in fire detection technology, and SAFENET Fire Systems Pte Ltd, available in Singapore, is a trusted partner in enhancing safety measures. With their heat and temperature detection, rapid response capabilities, and reliability, the THERMOTECH 302 Series is a valuable addition to any fire safety system, ensuring early detection and response to potential fire hazards.
1. How does the THERMOTECH 302 Series work?
The THERMOTECH 302 Series is designed to detect increases in heat and temperature variations, enabling early identification of potential fire hazards, leading to swift response measures.
2.Can the THERMOTECH 302 Series be integrated with existing fire safety systems?
Certainly, these detectors can be integrated seamlessly with existing fire safety systems, enhancing overall fire hazard detection and response capabilities.
3. Can Are the THERMOTECH 302 Series detectors suitable for residential use?
Yes, these detectors are versatile and can be used in both residential and commercial settings.
4.Are the THERMOTECH 302 Series detectors cost-effective?
Despite their advanced features and capabilities, the THERMOTECH 302 Series detectors offer cost-effective solutions for early fire hazard detection and safety, ensuring enhanced protection without exceeding your budget.


text:
Dentipet Toothpaste for Dogs and Cats
Dentipet Toothpaste for dogs and cats is an exclusively developed pet's toothpaste for daily dental care. The spill-free formulation helps clean teeth and prevents plaque build-up. It stops bad breath and keeps mouth fresh. Dentipet strengthens teeth and keeps gums healthy. It helps prevent dental health conditions and ensures complete oral hygiene in dogs and cats.
Suitable for use on:
Dogs and catsManufacturer


#!/usr/bin/perl -w # # compare_sequences.pl # A script to compare two sequences and output the position and base change at each position # # _EMAIL_, 22/02/2011 # # Script used to compare the cured A and C versions of the naive reference sequences # The unigene identifier needs to be the same in both sequences # can also be used to compare a cured sequence to the naive reference sequence # Input the sequences to be compare as fasta files # Outputs a list of the unigene,position within the unigene,and the base in both versions of the sequence at this position use FileHandle; # Hashes my %A=(); my %C=(); # Check arguments unless(_USER_ == 3) { print "Usage: compare_sequences.pl \n"; exit; } # Open FHs open(A, "<$ARGV[0]") or die "Couldn't open inputA fasta file ($!)\n"; open(C, "<$ARGV[1]") or die "Couldn't open inputC fasta file ($!)\n"; open(OUT, ">$ARGV[2]") or die "Couldn't open output file ($!)\n"; _TAG_ in genome A refseqs print "Reading in A genome cured refseq... "; while () { chomp; if (/^>(\S+)(.*)/) { ($id)= $1; } elsif (/^(\w+)$/) { $A{$id}.=$1; } } close A; print "done\n"; _TAG_ in genome C refseqs print "Reading in C genome cured refseq... "; while () { chomp; if (/^>(\S+)(.*)/) { ($id)= $1; } elsif (/^(\w+)$/) { $C{$id}.=$1; } } close C; print "done\n"; foreach my $id (sort keys %A) { my _USER_ = split //, $A{$id}; my _USER_ = split //, $C{$id}; foreach my $pos (0... $_TAG_) { if ( $A[$pos] ne $C[$pos]){ print OUT "$id\t"; print OUT "". $pos+1. "\t"; print OUT "$A[$pos]\t"; print OUT "$C[$pos]\t"; print OUT "\n"; } } } close OUT;


should identify and exclude any known administrative scripts in the detection rule before implementation in production environments.
T1021.001 – Remote services: Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
T1021.005 – Remote Services: Virtual Network Computing (VNC)
With the credentials acquired using the techniques explained in the Credential Access section, the Lazarus Group were able to move laterally across the network. To achieve this, they made use of common remote services such as RDP and VNC.
It is challenging to write detection rules for the use of RDP and VNC as they are generally widely used within networks of all sizes for legitimate purposes. Context is crucial for such activities, and malicious activity is often only apparent by looking at a combination of user and endpoint activity across many systems on the network over hours or days, rather than focusing on a single event on a single endpoint.
To combat this detection challenge, at F-Secure Countercept we use User Behavior Analytics (UBA), a technique focused on detecting when users perform new activity that they have not performed historically.
Traditionally, blue teams' focus has been on detecting generic "bad" behavior. As with most of the content in this detection report, it involves searching for a wide variety of offensive tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) and general anomalies that relate to them. UBA differs from this in that it focuses on detecting anomalies based on user behavior, regardless of whether any offensive techniques have been used. This focus makes it a perfect complement to our traditional focus and has the potential to fill in some key detection gaps.
For example, by analyzing 4624 and 4648 logon events from Windows security Event Logs, it is possible to identify when a standard user account authenticates to multiple new (for that user) endpoints, which can be an indication of lateral movement.
Command and Control
TA0011 – Command and Control
The Lazarus Group leveraged a network backdoor implant to communicate with the victim's network. The built-in Windows utility Netsh was used to open a port in the Windows Firewall when the port number was passed as an input argument to the implant Mcc.exe, as seen below:
C:\ProgramData\mcc.exe 3388 netsh firewall add portopening TCP 3388 Assistance
The network backdoor then listens on the opened port and can execute any command it receives via the listening port.[19] In order do that, the backdoor executable will run Cmd.exe with the command that it received from the C&C server.
Detection for this type of network backdoor on the endpoint can be achieved by looking for the process creation of the Netsh utility with command line arguments "firewall add portopening". An existing Sigma rule is already available to detect when a port or application is allowed through the firewall via the Netsh utility[20].
However, this detection is also prone to false positives from legitimate administrative processes such as Spoolsv.exe (the spooler service which manages print jobs). Therefore, blue teams should verify the parent process and correlate with other events to exclude false positives.
In this scenario, a hunt query can be an effective complement to the existing detection rule. Defenders can query for Netsh.exe processes launched with arguments containing "firewall add portopening" and then aggregate the results based on the parent process. This should return a list of processes that use Netsh to open a port in the Windows Firewall. Blue teams can then filter out known legitimate processes from the hunt results and whitelist them in the detection rule.
Another suspicious execution characteristic of the mcc.exe binary was its location on disk. The "C:\ProgramData\" directory is a commonly used location for attackers / malware as it is writeable by any authenticated user and has execution permissions by default on Windows. Although legitimate programs are often installed and executed from within the "C:\ProgramData" directory, these executables are often stored within subfolders specific to that application. In contrast to this normal behavior, the mcc.exe binary used by the Lazarus Group was not stored in a subdirectory of the "C:\ProgramData" folder and was instead stored directly under the "ProgramData" directory. Combining this information with the knowledge that the mcc.exe binary would launch cmd.exe as a child process to execute received commands, we can build a detection for executables being launched where the parent executable is located in the "root" of the "C:\ProgramData" folder.
This rule can be found on our GitHub and is named win_susp_exec_programdata. During testing this rule resulted in a very low false positive rate when run against F-Secure Countercept endpoint data.
The Lazarus Group invested significant effort into evading defenses in this instance. This is apparent from the breakdown of the campaign and the association of the various TTPs to the MITRE ATT&CK framework. The Group demonstrated a strong sense of operational security awareness by disabling built-in defenses, removing indicators of compromise, and leveraging process injection and signed binaries to hide their presence and blend in with normal network traffic.
Our findings highlight the importance of capturing and leveraging endpoint telemetry for early detection of compromise as well as increased visibility into the threat actor's chain of activities following initial access.
Most of the endpoint telemetry used for detection throughout this post series can be easily logged by using existing Windows utilities. For example, System Monitor (Sysmon)[21] can be installed on endpoints to log specific events such as process creation, image load and process access. Alternatively, blue teams can directly tap into Event Tracing for Windows (ETW)[22], which is a powerful kernel-level trace collection system built-in to the Windows Operating System. ETW can also be used by Sysmon to further enhance visibility into endpoint behavior.
Although we have provided Sigma rules throughout this blog series, this does not necessarily mean that they can be used "as is" to produce detection results. In fact, a lot of work needs to be done before rule implementation. This involves building a data pipeline, aggregating the correct datasets, and adapting the Sigma rules to the existing log collection/SIEM formats before the detection rules can be used to alert on suspicious activity.
We believe that these two blog posts can be of great use to organizations seeking to improve their detection capabilities. Although the provided Sigma rules were created from Threat Intelligence on the Lazarus Group, the detection logic covers a wide range of TTPs that are used by a wide range of threat actors. The provided Sigma rules have not been directly implemented in a real production environment, but our internal rules follow a similar format, are built with similar detection logic, and have been tested with existing telemetry. This means that common false positives have been studied and excluded, which is a benefit for smaller organizations which might not have the resources to do this kind of work, but also for larger organizations to improve their detection at scale.
All of the Sigma rules referenced throughout this blog series can be found here.


text:
Comparative Evaluation of Colour Stability and Surface Hardness of Methacrylate Based Flowable and Packable Composite -In vitro Study
Dr. Nandini Thipannanavar Niranjan,
Govindam Karyavattom, po-695581, Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
Introduction: With the advent of new technology in material sciences in recent years, the quality of composite resin restorations has improved; however, discolouration and wear of composite resin materials remains to be a major problem in long-term clinical studies.
Aim: The aim of the present study was to compare the colour stability and surface hardness of methacrylate based flowable nano composite with methacrylate based packable nano composite.
Materials and Methods: The difference in colour stability and microhardness of the three composites: G aenial Universal Flo (GC India), Filtek Z350XT (3MESPE) and Tetric N Ceram (Ivoclar Vivadent) were evaluated. Forty eight disc shaped specimens were made out of three different resin composite materials which were subdivided into two groups of Colour Stability (CS) and Vickers Hardness (VH). For colour stability, specimens were immersed in staining solution consisting instant coffee for 72 hours, and then specimens were rinsed thoroughly under tap water and subjected to 10 strokes of brushing with a soft-grade toothbrush. The colour measurements were obtained using spectrophotometer and the process was repeated every 72 hours for three weeks. VH was evaluated using microhardness tester (Zwick/Roell Vickers Microhardness Tester). Vickers Hardness Numbers (VHN) were determined from indentations made under 10 N load for 15 seconds by the arithmetic mean of three indentation values randomly performed. One-way ANOVA and Tukeyâ€™s post-hoc analysis were applied.
Results: Statistically significant difference was found in comparison of colour stability at different time interval in study groups (p<0.001). Filtek Z350XT group showed least discolouration followed by Tetric N Ceram group and highest colour change in G aenial Universal Flo group after immersion for 21 days. Mean microhardness value of Filtek Z350XT (101.62) group was found to be significantly different from Tetric N Ceram group (63.74) (p<0.001*) and G aenial Universal Flo group (56.75) (p<0.001*).
Conclusion: Greatest CS and VH was seen in Filtek Z350XT followed by Tetric N Ceram and least values were seen in G aenial Universal Flo.


You received a bill from a lab?
What to do if you received a bill from a lab for services rendered at Family Care, PA.
If you are reading this, you probably received a bill from a lab and had a question, so you were directed to this blog post for answers. There are a few pieces of information you'll want to collect before determining if the bill is accurate.
Check the Explanation of Benefits (EOB) letter from your Insurer. For any claim against your health insurance, you will receive a statement of benefits from your insurer after the claims has been processed. This is an insurance-side verification document to be sure you are being billed the proper amount from the rendering facilities. This document also explains why something wasn't covered – in many cases, the reason is something that can easily be fixed once you review the explanation and compare the result to your plan's details.
Seriously, check your EOB. This step answers 90% of the questions by itself and helps answer the other 10% much faster. Please take the time to find and evaluate a paper or electronic copy of this document before asking questions or paying a bill.
 - Check statement dates. If your EOB shows the claim was processed after the bill was generated, you may receive an updated bill to reflect the changes.
 - Check denial codes. If something wasn't covered, the EOB will tell you why. If you disagree with the reason and think it should have been covered differently, you still have a chance to fix or appeal the denial. If the denial reason makes sense, you'll likely owe that amount.
 - Check each line item. Often, large bills are the result of a single, uncovered service, among a set of otherwise covered services. Narrow your focus on the specific line items that need to be fixed in your appeal.
If your insurer does not have record of the claim (eg. there is no EOB), then the lab did not file your claim with your correct insurance. You will need to contact the lab to update your insurance information and have them re-file the claim.
Find the portion of the EOB that states your patient responsibility. Based on the denial reasons stated in your EOB, we may have the potential to appeal and/or re-file your claim to have it re-processed by your insurer. If you think there is something that should have been paid, this annotated portion of your EOB will give you a clue as to why the service was denied. From there, we have a few options. In order of most likely, here are a few of the common situations we encounter:
Amount applied to deductible.
This probably means the reason/diagnosis used for the testing was not considered a preventive code. If your bill shows a primary diagnosis code starting with a Z, it was probably filed as preventive. If not, many plans have a lab deductible to meet prior to covering non-preventive services. If you believe the service should have been considered preventive, read this information regarding preventive wellness services and/or check your insurer's benefit package to verify potential coverage.
Coinsurance owed.
Even after you meet your deductible, many plans still have a coinsurance percentage that will apply to lab services. Instead of paying 100% prior to meeting your deductible, you will pay a smaller portion (usually 10% or 20%) until you reach your out-of-pocket maximum. Basically, if your insurer allows $10 for a service, you can expect to pay $1. If you have not yet met your out-of-pocket maximum, you should expect to owe some amount for all non-preventive services.
Non-covered services.
This service is not considered a part of your insurer's benefits package. This is rare, but it does happen. In certain cases, mostly regarding lab procedures, the lab and/or your provider may not be allowed to bill you for non-covered services. Always contact the rendering provider of any non-covered service within 2-3 weeks of receiving your EOB to verify your claim's status to be sure. For services that are ultimately considered non-covered and billable, we can potentially have you pay our uninsured prices, rather than paying the lab directly.
Still have questions?
If you have gone through these steps and still have questions, we would be glad to help! Please include a copy of your EOB, a copy of the bill you received from the lab, and any information you have learned so far from your discussions with your insurer and the lab. This information will be needed to solve whatever complication you're having with your claim. Good luck!
Appeal Denial, a Play in 4 Acts
If you have any questions, please contact Ryan!
The Appeal Denial Begins (Act 1)
Eight Weeks Later (Act 2)
Two Weeks Later (Act 3)
Three Months Later (Act 4)


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In this paper, double weight zero cross correlation (DW-ZCC) code is proposed for spectral amplitude coding optical code division multiple access (SAC OCDMA) system. DW-ZCC takes the advantages of two previously proposed SAC-codes namely modified double weight (MDW) and zero-cross correlation (ZCC) codes, while providing optimized code length and maximum cross-correlation of zero. Although the proposed code can be utilized in SAC-OCDMA system with any optical medium, this research work focuses on outdoor wireless optical networks (WON) deploying multi-wavelength laser (MWL) source, where optical bandwidth is much limited. The mathematical and simulation analysis of proposed system employing direct decoding (DD) is developed, considering the influences of turbulence and system noises including relative intensity noise, optical beat interference (OBI) and receiver noises. It is shown that employing DD detection; it is possible to completely avoid OBI which enhances system capability. The results show that SAC-OCDMA-WON system is noticeably improved using DW-ZCC in term of transmission distance by at least 200 m in comparison with MDW and conventional ZCC codes.
- spectral amplitude coding
- wireless optical networks
- free space optics (FSO)
- multi-wavelength laser
- optical code division multiple access (OCDMA)


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Three Strategies Popular Businesses Use To Solve Workplace Problems
Different problems can arise in marketing agencies: teams miss deadlines, productivity decreases, office politics can get sour, and sometimes things happen that are simply out of anyone's control. These are regular occurrences in any marketing company. Marketing agencies face high turnover rates and pressure builds up naturally. The need for consistently creative and fresh work also increases the strain on both project managers and company employees. If allowed to fester, a simple mishap can eventually result in loss of efficiency, lower employee satisfaction, and creative standstills.
This article will explore three unique ways used by marketing agencies for managing problem solving within their workplace, as well as discuss the benefits of running a smooth operation, and how deploying these tactics improves business in general.
- The Ideal Strategy
Marketing agencies can sometimes work with several different teams on a single project, which can create a complex network of people involved. To successfully deal with any problems and navigate a network of employees, some companies use the IDEAL strategy. IDEAL is an acronym which stands for :
I: Identify the problem
D: Define the cause
E: Explore possible strategies
L: Look and Learn
The strategy, first introduced by Bransford and Stein in 1984, involves a step by step approach which focuses on avoiding casting blame and explores a broad amount of possible solutions to choose from.
The method begins by identifying the overall problem, followed by working out what the underlying cause of the issue is. The next step is exploring possible strategies for tackling the cause of the issue. This stage consists of brainstorming and consultation, effectively trying to exhaust all possibilities, and creating a comprehensive response. Finally, the best-fitting solution is deployed, and an observation period ensues. The idea behind this is to learn by observing how successfully the implemented changes panned out, and then adopt strategies for the next time.
This method highlights the importance of reasoned and paced approaches to problem-solving. Focusing on possible solutions instead of the cause allows team members to exercise their strengths rather than dwelling on weaknesses.
Project managers utilize this strategy as it is a well thought out process which follows simple steps, prevents panic among employees and avoids blame-shifting. According to Minterapp, by exercising their strengths daily, employees can be 8% more productive and six times more likely to be engaged with tasks.
- Team Building Activities
This problem-solving strategy is aimed at solving problems related to team dynamics, such as a lack of cooperation and communication or animosity between team members. Good team dynamics are paramount in a creative line of work such as marketing since problems within a team can stifle creativity.
By hosting team building activities, marketing agencies speed up the natural process of bonding and collaboration in a team. After all, having connected employees increases productivity by between 20 and 50%. By efficiently working together, members can be more satisfied and less stressed.
Team building activities are often perceived as corny. Those asked to participate in them sometimes grumble and complain, feeling that there is no need for such things, or worse, that the activity is belittling, as it can seem playful and childish.
However, marketing project managers use these activities to get the "creative juices flowing". By engaging in games such as blind drawing and conducted stories, team managers emphasize the importance of good communication and listening skills when collaborating.
- Group Discussions
Sometimes talking it out is the best thing to do. This applies to friendships and relationships but also the workplace. By going back to basics, group discussions enable team leaders to get a sense of what their team members think about the problem at hand. This increases the number of people collaborating on solving an issue, which in turn maximizes the chances of solving it.
Many agencies have found that group discussions offer an opportunity for debate and thoughtful conversations. Apart from brainstorming possible causes and solutions to a particular problem, these sessions can evolve into opportunities for creative thinking in other areas.
Weekly or fortnightly meetings of this type also help establish a sense of community and participation. Considering that less than half of employees in companies are aware of the concrete goals their company is aiming towards, a bit of talking definitely doesn't hurt.


text:
Has the Risk Relevance of Securitization Changed in the Post-Crisis Period?
Posted: 23 Apr 2016
Date Written: April 21, 2016
This study investigates the association between two measures of bank insolvency risk, the accounting-based z-score and the market-based Merton's distance to default, and asset securitization as the financial crisis approached, unfolded, and in its aftermath. We consider both the risks arising from the exposure associated with off-balance sheet securitized assets and those deriving from retained interest, over the period 2001-2014. This allows us to investigate the temporal and cross-sectional variation in the risk relevance of securitization, overall and across major securitized asset classes (asset-backed and mortgage-backed securitization). We find that both measures of insolvency risk reflect the temporal and cross-sectional variation in the riskiness of securitized assets, although to a different extent, with the Merton's distance to default reflecting the riskiness of outstanding mortgage securitization and related retained interest during the crisis period. We also find evidence of greater transparency of securitization risk exposure in the post-crisis period.
Keywords: Securitization, retained interest, insolvency risk, banks
JEL Classification: G21, G32
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation


let (a, s') = u s in f a s';; Gratifyingly, we can use the 'tree_monadize' function without any modification whatsoever, except for replacing the (parametric) type ''b reader' with ''b state', and substituting in the appropriate unit and bind: let rec tree_monadize (f : 'a -> 'b state) (t : 'a tree) : 'b tree state = match t with | Leaf a -> state_bind (f a) (fun b -> state_unit (Leaf b)) | Node (l, r) -> state_bind (tree_monadize f l) (fun l' -> state_bind (tree_monadize f r) (fun r' -> state_unit (Node (l', r'))));; Then we can count the number of leaves in the tree: # let incrementer = fun a -> fun s -> (a, s+1);; # tree_monadize incrementer t1 0;; - : int tree * int = (Node (Node (Leaf 2, Leaf 3), Node (Leaf 5, Node (Leaf 7, Leaf 11))), 5). ___|___ | |.. ( _|__ _|__, 5 ) | | | | 2 3 5. _|__ | | 7 11 Note that the value returned is a pair consisting of a tree and an integer, 5, which represents the count of the leaves in the tree. Why does this work? Because the operation 'incrementer' takes an argument 'a' and wraps it in an State monadic box that increments the store and leaves behind a wrapped 'a'. When we give that same operations to our 'tree_monadize' function, it then wraps an 'int tree' in a box, one that does the same store-incrementing for each of its leaves. We can use the state monad to annotate leaves with a number corresponding to that leave's ordinal position. When we do so, we reveal the order in which the monadic tree forces evaluation: # tree_monadize (fun a -> fun s -> ((a,s+1), s+1)) t1 0;; - : int tree * int = (Node (Node (Leaf (2, 1), Leaf (3, 2)), Node (Leaf (5, 3), Node (Leaf (7, 4), Leaf (11, 5)))), 5) The key thing to notice is that instead of just wrapping 'a' in the monadic box, we wrap a pair of 'a' and the current store. Reversing the annotation order requires reversing the order of the 'state_bind' operations. It's not obvious that this will type correctly, so think it through: let rec tree_monadize_rev (f : 'a -> 'b state) (t : 'a tree) : 'b tree state = match t with | Leaf a -> state_bind (f a) (fun b -> state_unit (Leaf b)) | Node (l, r) -> state_bind (tree_monadize f r) (fun r' -> (* R first *) state_bind (tree_monadize f l) (fun l'-> (* Then L *) state_unit (Node (l', r'))));; # tree_monadize_rev (fun a -> fun s -> ((a,s+1), s+1)) t1 0;; - : int tree * int = (Node (Node (Leaf (2, 5), Leaf (3, 4)), Node (Leaf (5, 3), Node (Leaf (7, 2), Leaf (11, 1)))), 5) Later, we will talk more about controlling the order in which nodes are visited. One more revealing example before getting down to business: replacing 'state' everywhere in 'tree_monadize' with 'list' lets us do: # let decider i = if i = 2 then [20; 21] else [i];; # tree_monadize decider t1;; - : int tree List_monad.m = [ Node (Node (Leaf 20, Leaf 3), Node (Leaf 5, Node (Leaf 7, Leaf 11))); Node (Node (Leaf 21, Leaf 3), Node (Leaf 5, Node (Leaf 7, Leaf 11))) ] Unlike the previous cases, instead of turning a tree into a function from some input to a result, this monadized tree gives us back a list of trees, one for each choice of 'int's for its leaves. Now for the main point. What if we wanted to convert a tree to a list of leaves? type ('r,'a) continuation = ('a -> 'r) -> 'r;; let continuation_unit a = fun k -> k a;; let continuation_bind u f = fun k -> u (fun a -> f a k);; let rec tree_monadize (f : 'a -> ('r,'b) continuation) (t : 'a tree) : ('r,'b tree) continuation = match t with | Leaf a -> continuation_bind (f a) (fun b -> continuation_unit (Leaf b)) | Node (l, r) -> continuation_bind (tree_monadize f l) (fun l' -> continuation_bind (tree_monadize f r) (fun r' -> continuation_unit (Node (l', r'))));; We use the Continuation monad described above, and insert the 'continuation' type in the appropriate place in the 'tree_monadize' code. Then if we give the 'tree_monadize' function an operation that converts 'int's into ''b'-wrapping Continuation monads, it will give us back a way to turn 'int tree's into corresponding ''b tree'-wrapping Continuation monads. So for example, we compute: # tree_monadize (fun a k -> a :: k ()) t1 (fun _ -> []);; - : int list = [2; 3; 5; 7; 11] We have found a way of collapsing a tree into a list of its leaves. Can you trace how this is working? Think first about what the operation 'fun a k -> a :: k a' does when you apply it to a plain 'int', and the continuation 'fun _ -> []'. Then given what we've said about 'tree_monadize', what should we expect 'tree_monadize (fun a -> fun k -> a :: k a)' to do? Soon we'll return to the same-fringe problem. Since the simple but inefficient way to solve it is to map each tree to a list of its leaves, this transformation is on the path to a more efficient solution. We'll just have to figure out how to postpone computing the tail of the list until it's needed... The Continuation monad is amazingly flexible; we can use it to simulate some of the computations performed above. To see how, first note that an interestingly uninteresting thing happens if we use 'continuation_unit' as our first argument to 'tree_monadize', and then apply the result to the identity function: # tree_monadize continuation_unit t1 (fun t -> t);; - : int tree = Node (Node (Leaf 2, Leaf 3), Node (Leaf 5, Node (Leaf 7, Leaf 11))) That is, nothing happens. But we can begin to substitute more interesting functions for the first argument of 'tree_monadize': (* Simulating the tree reader: distributing a operation over the leaves *) # tree_monadize (fun a -> fun k -> k (square a)) t1 (fun t -> t);; - : int tree = Node (Node (Leaf 4, Leaf 9), Node (Leaf 25, Node (Leaf 49, Leaf 121))) (* Counting leaves *) # tree_monadize (fun a -> fun k -> 1 + k a) t1 (fun t -> 0);; - : int = 5 It's not immediately obvious to us how to simulate the List monadization of the tree using this technique. We could simulate the tree annotating example by setting the relevant type to '(store ->'result, 'a) continuation'. Andre Filinsky has proposed that the continuation monad is able to simulate any other monad (Google for "mother of all monads"). If you want to see how to parameterize the definition of the 'tree_monadize' function, so that you don't have to keep rewriting it for each new monad, see [this code](/code/tree_monadize.ml). The idea of using continuations to characterize natural language meaning ------------------------------------------------------------------------ We might a philosopher or a linguist be interested in continuations, especially if efficiency of computation is usually not an issue? Well, the application of continuations to the same-fringe problem shows that continuations can manage order of evaluation in a well-controlled manner. In a series of papers, one of us (Barker) and Ken Shan have argued that a number of phenomena in natural langauge semantics are sensitive to the order of evaluation. We can't reproduce all of the intricate arguments here, but we can give a sense of how the analyses use continuations to achieve an analysis of natural language meaning. **Quantification and default quantifier scope construal**. We saw in the copy-string example ("abSd") and in the same-fringe example that local properties of a structure (whether a character is ''S'' or not


text:
Groundwater Supply Feasibility Study – Vandenberg AFB, Golf Course, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District
Exploration and Development of Alternatives; Design; Construction Oversight
Vandenberg Air Force Base (VAFB), through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, awarded DRC a design/build contract to develop a groundwater supply to irrigate the Vandenberg Golf Course. As the prime consultant, DRC identified and delivered a fully functioning and efficient system. The work included exploring, analyzing, and assessing the environmental impacts on the community and on withdrawing water from the groundwater system, searching for sources of water in the site's proximity that would be cost-effective, designing the well(s) and appurtenances, pipelines, and the system's construction that included the pumping control, delivery and reservoir system.


Ask vs Tell. A simple switch for behavioural change.
I once worked for a manager who changed the team's reliance on her in a mere matter of months by making one subtle shift. She knew the difference between ask vs tell.
When the team would come with questions, or decisions to be made. Historically, she would've told them what to do. Instead she switched to asking them what they thought and engage them in the discussion.
The results were astonishing.
Our default as humans is to tell and impart our knowledge, but telling doesn't always achieve the best results from others. In fact, it can instil a reliance upon your expertise that in time can become a burden on your time.
This article will explore how you too can make the shift and adopt an ask vs tell coaching style in your learning and development activities.
What is ask vs tell?
You might be thinking, is there really that much of a difference between asking and telling? Yes there is! The illustration below helps to make clear the difference between the two.
As you can see the graph is more of a continuum.
Depending on which side of the ask vs tell continuum we sit on, shows the impact of our communications on others.
ask vs tell continuum
Ask vs tell continuum
If you use a tell style by giving advice or simply telling others what to do, you're exhibiting a controlling style. Whereas if you're asking questions, paraphrasing or making suggestions you are exhibiting more empowering behaviours.
If you're empowering others, they are able to learn, grow and develop much faster than those who are controlled and reliant upon your expertise.
As learning and development professionals we like to be known for our expertise, which could lead us to use a 'telling' style. Reflect personally on whether you think that approach will foster the best results over time?
To reiterate the difference further, when you tell you:
 - Control the information
 - Don't engage them in decision making
 - Supply the same information to everyone
 - Continue to keep the role of the 'knowledgeable person'
 - People rely on you for information
 - People will likely keep coming back for answers
When you ask however you:
 - Empower others
 - Engage them in the thought process
 - Encourage devolved decision making
 - Trust that your team are capable to the right choices
 - People become less reliant on your expertise
I know which side I would prefer to be on. To be known for empowering individuals through learning and development to truly transform their behaviour. Rather than to be reliant on your L&D expertise.
Impact on recall
Just in case you still aren't bought into the difference. John Whitmore had this great graphic in his book 'Coaching for Performance'.
 ToldTold and shownTold, shown and experienced
Recall after 3 weeks70%72%85%
Recall after 3 months10%32%65%
Taken from John Whitmore: Coaching for performance
The results speak for themselves. When you tell others, within 3 months they recall much less than if you ask and let individuals make decisions themselves and learn by doing.
Consider your approach to training. Where does the focus lie currently, asking or telling?
Are you just telling your learners what they need to know and expect them to recall the information? Newsflash, in 3 months they will only have 10% of that telling left. Let's hope they remember is the important part!
But what if you took a different approach?
What if your training or discussions with others became less about telling and imparting information and focussed instead on facilitating discussion and asking questions.
How might that change the learners experience and recall?
Ways to make the shift
In the spirit of the article I'm not going to tell you any answers. I'm simply going to provide you with a list of coaching questions to reflect on.
 - Where on the ask vs tell continuum do I currently sit?
 - Does this current position serve a purpose for me? If so, how?
 - Reflecting on a recent 'tell' discussion with someone. How might the discussion have changed if I'd used a coaching, 'ask' approach instead?
 - What changes can I make to my approach to learning and development to incorporate more ask moments?
 - On a scale of 1-10 how committed am I to doing this?
 - What are my next steps as a result of reading this post?
Ask vs tell is a powerful shift, by making the change you will over time notice a difference in the behaviours of those you use it on. Remember, these behavioural shifts do take time but by persevering it will have a greater affect.
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Datastream with Redshift
A guide to loading Datastream data from your S3 bucket into an Amazon Redshift cluster for querying.
To get started on this tutorial, you'll need:
 - A working datastream feed delivering to your S3 bucket. You'll want the name of this bucket and access credentials handy.
 - A Redshift cluster and credentials for a user with sufficient permissions
On Disk vs Spectrum
To query Datastream data in Redshift, data needs to be made accessible, either by loading the data to disk in Redshift or by creating an external table pointing to your S3 bucket and querying the data via Redshift Spectrum. An overview of the tradeoffs between these two designs is below:
Data loaded to Redshift disk
Data queried via Redshift Spectrum
Price per TB of data
Very low
High, depends on cluster design
Performance tuning
Performance of queries can be improved by tuning cluster size, table properties
Less direct control over performance
Querying through multiple systems
Data must be loaded into each system
Data in S3 can by queried by other systems
Rows can be deleted or updated through Redshift
Data in S3 cannot be edited through SQL commands
JSON field support
Limited JSON functionality in Redshift
Improve JSON functionality
Note: Most users of Datastream will want to start by storing data in Redshift directly and consider migrating to Spectrum if data reaches a scale where costs are a concern.
Storing data on disk in Redshift
Step 1: Table creation
Start by creating a table on your Redshift cluster. We recommend the following CTA statement:
CREATE TABLE example_table (
Distribution VARCHAR(8),
Last_ping_timestamp TIMESTAMP,
Host VARCHAR(32),
Cookie_id VARCHAR(32),
Page_session_id VARCHAR(32),
Domain VARCHAR(64),
Path VARCHAR(1024),
New_user BOOLEAN,
Device VARCHAR(16),
Engaged_time_on_page_seconds INT,
Page_width REAL,
Page_height REAL,
Max_scroll_position_top REAL,
Window_height REAL,
External_referrer VARCHAR(64),
No_client_storage BOOLEAN,
City_name VARCHAR(64),
Region_name VARCHAR(32),
Country_code VARCHAR(2),
Country_name VARCHAR(32),
Continent_name VARCHAR(16),
Dma_code INT,
Utc_offset_minutes INT,
User_agent VARCHAR(256),
Recency INT,
Frequency INT,
Internal_referrer VARCHAR(1024),
Author VARCHAR(128),
Section VARCHAR(128),
Content_type VARCHAR(32),
Sponsor VARCHAR(32),
Utm_campaign VARCHAR(32),
Utm_medium VARCHAR(32),
Utm_source VARCHAR(32),
Utm_content VARCHAR(32),
Utm_term VARCHAR(32),
Account_id VARCHAR(32),
Page_title VARCHAR(256),
Virtual_page BOOLEAN,
Scrolldepth INT,
Total_time_on_page_seconds INT,
Ga_client_id VARCHAR(32),
Login_id VARCHAR(32),
Id_sync VARCHAR(32),
Subscriber_acct VARCHAR(32),
Page_load_time INT,
As shown above, we recommend selecting cookie_id as the table's distribution key. This field is a unique per-user ID. Distributing on it ensures that data is distributed roughly uniformly across Redshift slices while also generating performance improvements for queries looking at data per-user, which are common for Datastream users.
For example, calculating unique visitors via COUNT(DISTINCT(cookie_id)) will be significantly more performant using this distribution style. Alternatively, we recommend leaving the default distribution style in place.
Since most queries for traffic data contain a time filter, we strongly recommend choosing a sort key of last_ping_timestamp. We strongly recommend that compression encodings not be specified and instead be set automatically by the COPY command.
Step 2: Loading
Data should be loaded into Redshift via the COPY command. It can either be loaded in 30 minute batches or, if needed, on a per-file basis.
Datastream delivers data to folders partitioned into 30 minute chunks, for example all files written between 7:00am and 7:29:59am on August 12, 2020 will be written to the folders3://yourbucket/2020/08/12/07/00/
Given that, the simplest way to load data into Redshift is to issue COPYstatements copying an entire 30 minutes of data into the cluster, for example:
FROM 's3://yourbucket/YYYY/MM/DD/HH/MM/
TIMEFORMAT 'epochsecs'
Important notes:
 - {AUTHORIZATION} should be specified using the appropriate authorization parameters, as described in the Redshift documentation here.
 - The above query must be run once a given half-hour has completed. For example, a COPY of the 7:00am folder can only be executed at 7:30am or later. Failure to do so will result in data written after the COPY command is run being skipped.
 - Redshift does not provide functionality to avoid duplicate imports or to retry failed imports (for example, if the cluster is unavailable when a COPY is issued). The calling function should ensure that COPY statements are executed exactly once for each folder.
Step 2b: Loading data via Lambda
While batch loading is easy operationally, it introduces up to 30 minutes of lag between data delivery and input because one must wait for a folder's time window to be up before executing a COPY. If faster imports are needed, we recommend following the AWS instructions to create a function in Lambda that immediately copies over files upon their delivery to S3.
To ensure that data is delivered in real-time, Datastream guarantees that a record of each pageview is delivered to S3 at least once. While duplicates are rare, they can occur, so for the purposes of accuracy we recommend an additional deduplication step after each COPY statement. In the below deduplication statement we look back for duplicated records for a two hour window and always keep the more recent row:
Cookie_id, page_session_id, MAX(row_id) AS ri_to_keep
Last_ping_timestamp >=GETDATE() - TIMEDELTA '2 hours'
Cookie_id, page_session_id
COUNT(1) > 1
) AS duplicates
EXAMPLE_TABLE.Last_ping_timestamp>=GETDATE() - TIMEDELTA '2 hours'
EXAMPLE_TABLE.row_id!= duplicates.ri_to_keep;


text:
Self-healing concrete is used to fill up the cracks after hardening, which is developed in structures with the help of bacterial reactions in the concrete.
Self-healing concrete is the process of self-healing up of cracks or self-filling of damages with the help of bacterial reaction in the concrete after hardening.
The use of technology has taken the construction standards to a new high level in modern days. To attain a very good, sustainable, and economic concrete construction, different procedures, methods, and materials are used.
In repetitive dry and wet cycles, it can be observed that small cracks that occur in a structure of width in the range of 0.05mm to 0.1mm get wholly sealed, but the need for other remedial work is required when the cracks are of greater width occurs.
Self-healing concrete is one of the alternative processes for cracks, and before and after the crack, this common problem of cracking in the building has many remedies.
For self-healing of cracks, the bacteria used are acid-producing, and these types of bacteria can be viable for over 200 years under dry conditions and can be in dormant cells. Thus, in the crack healing process, these bacteria act as a catalyst.
Types of Bacteria Used in Concrete:
In the self-healing concrete, there are various types of bacteria used, such as;
As a result of the biological reaction of non-reacted limestone and a calcium-based nutrient self-healing concrete is formed, and calcium nutrients called 'Calcium Lactate' special type of bacteria's are known as' 'Bacillus'. These products are added to the wet concrete when the mixing is done while preparation of concrete. For around 200 years, these bacteria can be in the dormant stage.
The water seeps in the cracks when the cracks appear in the concrete, and spores of the bacteria germinate and start feeding on the calcium lactate consuming oxygen. Then, to insoluble limestone, the soluble calcium lactate is converted.
Then the insoluble limestone starts to harden, and then without any external aid filling, the crack automatically begins. It also helps prevent corrosion of steel due to damages and improves the durability of steel-reinforced concrete.
Preparation of Self Healing Concrete:
There are two ways for the preparation of self-healing concrete as given below;
Direct Application Method
Direct Application Method:
In this method, when the mixing of concrete is done, bacterial spores and calcium lactate are added to concrete directly. The average properties of concrete do not change with the use of this bacteria and calcium lactate.
To climatic changes, the bacteria are exposed, and they germinate and feed on calcium lactate and produce limestone when water comes in contact with this bacteria, and thus sealing the cracks is done.
In this method, concrete is prepared by the bacteria and its food such as calcium lactate which are placed inside treated clay pellets, and for making self-healing concrete, about 6% of the clay pellets are added.
The sealing of cracks is done when concrete structures are made with bacterial concrete and when the damage occurs in the construction, and clay pellets are broken. The bacteria germinate, eat down the calcium lactate, and produce limestone, which hardens, and cracks are sealing.
This method is costlier than direct application but most commonly used.
Chemical Process of Self Healing Concrete:
Calcium hydroxide is produced with the help of bacteria which acts as a catalyst when the water comes in contact with the un-hydrated calcium in the concrete. With atmospheric carbon dioxide, this calcium hydroxide reacts, which forms water and limestone.
In the concrete, the limestone then hardens itself and seals the cracks.
Test & Result of Self Healing Concrete:
On regular concrete and self-healing concrete, standard tests were conducted and for 7 and 28 days test conducted were compressive and flexural strength tests on a concrete cube.
Compressive Strength Test Result for 28 and 7 Days:
Advantages of Self Healing Concrete:
There are the following advantages such as;
Without any external aide, self-repairing of cracks.
When compared to the usual concrete significant increase in compressive strength and flexural strength.
It helps in the reduction in permeability of concrete and resistance towards attacks of freeze-thaw.
It improves the durability of steel-reinforced concrete and reduces the corrosion of steel due to crack formation.
To human life, Bacillus bacteria are harmless.
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Simplified Chinese Solaris User's Guide
Chapter 8 Managing the htt Input Method Server
This chapter describes the basic display features of the input method server. The input method server (IM server) handles Simplified Chinese input for Simplified ChineseSolaris software. The IM server receives keyboard input and makes the input available as Simplified Chinese characters to Simplified Chinese Solaris applications. The IM server can serve any internationalized X Window application that uses X Window Input Method (XIM) application program interfaces (API) to receive language input.
The following sections of this chapter explain the basic display features of the IM Server.
Input Method Server Basic Properties
The Simplified Chinese Solaris Operating System starts the IM server automatically when you start the Simplified Chinese in a locale that requires an input method. The IM server continues to run and service applications that are started and connected to it.
Simplified Chinese Solaris applications that use the IM server for Simplified Chinese character input typically find the IM server running when they start. To user the IM server's service for language input, the IM server should be running before an application is started. If the IM server is not running when an application is started, the application might not be able to get the input service even if IM server is started later.
Three htt Processes
The input method server comprises three related processes running together. The processes are htt, htt_xbe, and htt_server. One process controls the input method server properties, another controls the population of the input method server (that is, a "watchdog" process), and the third handles input methods of clients.
Usually, you don't need to know the details of these three processes. When htt is started, htt_xbe and htt_server are started automatically.
htt Application Display
The following figure shows a typical application display when using the htt input method.
The preceding context describes the graphic.
How and When htt Is Started
The htt process must be running before an application starts in order for the application to use the htt input method server to receive Simplified Chinese input. The C locale does not require htt. If you change the default locale from C to another locale that requires htt, you must start htt in same terminal window. You can start htt with a command such as the one shown in the following example.
system% /usr/openwin/bin/htt -if twle -xim htt_xbe &
When the locale is set tozh, htt is started automatically when the Simplified Chinese windowing environment starts. In CDE, htt is started from the /usr/dt/config/Xsession.d/0020.dtims script. This script is executed by Xsession, which runs at every initialization stage upon a user's login from dtlogin. This script ensures that htt is started before other applications in CDE.
Using the iiim Server in zh.UTF-8 and zh_CN.UTF-8 Locales
The Internet Intranet Input Method Server (iiim) supports the European Local Input Methods that use the Compose Key. The iiim server supports the Asian Remote Input Methods using IIIM Protocol. The default Language Engine is English/European which supports ASCII and some European Languages such as German and French.
To switch to Chinese input methods, press Control-spacebar.
To switch to other language engines, click the left mouse button in the status area.
The following language engine list appears:
The following language engines appear if their corresponding locales are installed:
After the Simplified Chinese language engine is selected, you can use the following function keys to switch between different input methods:
For more detailed information about Input Methods, see Chapter 4, Entering Simplified Chinese Text.


The World Food Prize Winner Says Soil Should Have Rights | Civil Eats
The World Food Prize Winner Says Soil Should Have Rights
Soil scientist Dr. Rattan Lal digs deep into the power of soil to sequester carbon, mitigate climate change, and the need for a Clean Soil Act.
Dr Rattan Lal holding a cup of grain. Photo courtesy of the World Food Prize.
Rattan Lal, this year's winner of the World Food Prize, is the fourth soil scientist awarded the $250,000 equivalent of the "Nobel Peace Prize in Agriculture." The India native is director of the Carbon Management and Sequestration Center at Ohio State University, which studies how to use sustainable land management to not only reduce atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, but also enhance food security, improve water use efficiency, and reduce poverty.
Working across four separate continents, Lal has spent five decades researching how soil can help solve a number of societal woes. His work has improved the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers around the world and saved hundreds of millions of hectares of tropical ecosystems. Lal may have grown up on a small farm in India, but his soil restoration research has informed politicians and underpinned several of the United Nation's sustainable development goals. In 2007, he was one of the recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize for contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports.
He spoke to Civil Eats about how soil alone can't solve climate change, but is a vital part of the solution.
What does it mean, as a soil scientist, to win the World Food Prize?
Personally and professionally, it means quite a lot to win what is considered the top prize in agricultural sciences. When I got the call, I had to make sure I wasn't asleep and no one was pulling my leg. It is auspicious timing for a few reasons. I'm the 50th awardee, only the second soil scientist, and I received the award on the 50th anniversary of Norman Borlaug's Nobel Peace Prize—the only agricultural scientist to receive the Nobel. Plant breeders typically win this prize because they are in a position to say that millions of acres of land were saved using their "miracle" variety. Plant breeding is incredibly important, but elite varieties are most effective when they are grown in healthy soil.
What soil protection laws would you like to see enacted?
In the 1960s, we enacted a Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. We do not have a Clean Soil Act. How is it possible to have clean water or clean air without healthy soil? It's time that our policymakers wake up. We need the trinity—water, air, and soil—protected. We need a Soil Management Act or Soil Health Act. I've also argued that soil is a living thing, and therefore has rights. If every living thing has legal rights, why not soil? I raised these issues in 2007, when I was the president of the Soil Science Society of America. A soil protection resolution was approved unanimously by the U.S. Senate in June 2008, but has not yet been translated into an act.
What drives your research?
The question that I have really focused on is how to achieve food and nutritional security for the growing population, while at the same time improving water quality and air quality and mitigating climate change. It's not either-or. We have to have both. The problem is technology without wisdom. We have to use technology—wisely. We keep blaming agriculture for environmental problems. How can you blame agriculture as long as you like to eat food three times a day? We have an obligation to make agriculture a solution.
Soil is one of five big carbon sinks on earth, and it traditionally held a great deal of carbon that has now entered the atmosphere. Can you put into perspective how much carbon has been lost from soils globally?
I calculated that 135 gigatons have been lost from agricultural soils. To put that into perspective, the total fossil fuel emissions each of the last few years has been 10 gigatons. Surprisingly, at the same time, another scientist, Jonathan Sanderman at Woods Hole Research Center, also initially calculated 133 gigatons. Since then, Sanderman has changed it to 110 after updating his computer program. It's anywhere between 110-130. If you combine how much carbon has been lost from soil and vegetation together—for example from cut trees or drained wetlands—we have lost more than 500 gigatons.
How important is soil as a climate change solution?
The climate problem is so humongous, it cannot be solved effectively unless agriculture and soil are part of the overall agenda. Soil, by itself, cannot solve the climate problem, but it has to be part of the solution. The most economic, natural, low-hanging fruit is restoring soil.
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I published a paper showing that soil can sequester about 180 gigatons. Some soils are more degraded than others. Vegetation can add back another 150 gigatons, so, in total, about 330 gigatons could theoretically be added back between 2020 and 2100. If it happened, it would draw down the atmospheric carbon dioxide amount by about 150 ppm. Even if only one-third of that happened, it is still more than 50 ppm.
(Editor's note: As of February 2020, the planet's atmosphere contained 414 ppm of carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide level has risen around 50 ppm since the late 1990s. For climate scientists, 400 ppm, a number that the planet surpassed in 2017, was as a "clear red line into a danger zone of climate change.")
Do you have any concerns that the ability of regenerative agriculture to sequester carbon long-term has been oversold?
It is possible. Soil is like a cup. You [can] put into a cup [only] as much as you drink out of it. The best rate of carbon sequestration in Midwest under ideal conditions is about 1,000 pounds per acre. I've heard people saying they can do three times that. I don't want to discourage their enthusiasm, but we have to be realistic. It is our responsibility to make sure that regenerative practices, be they cover crops or no-till farming, work.
Do you think we need more intensive monitoring to sustain a robust carbon market?
In the last couple of decades, tremendous progress has been made in monitoring soil carbon. That said, we don't need to monitor every bit of soil. Recall the very successful Conservation Reserve Program. At its peak, in both 1994 and 2007, the government had enrolled at least 35 million U.S. acres in it and paid farmers to prevent soil losses from highly erodible lands [by removing the land from agricultural production and planting species on it that would improve its environmental quality]. Did we monitor to see if erosion control happening? No. We assumed that if we set aside the land and didn't plow it, erosion was controlled. The same thing applies here.
We can assume, given the same soil type, climate, and management, that farmers get about the same carbon storage give or take 2 to 5 percent. The idea that we have to monitor every acre, to me, does not make sense. I've been listening to the same argument since 1992, "Do you know how to measure it?" When I see the idea that we have to monitor every acre, I ask why not monitor every inch?
What incentives do you think farmers should receive to adopt regenerative practices?
I calculated farmers should be compensated at $16 per acre per year for the ecosystem services they provide. To arrive at that number, I calculated the value of the crop residue and nutrients required to produce one ton of humus, and came up with $123/ton of carbon. The final number corrects for the assumed net gain of carbon in the Midwest on a per acre basis. Farmers must be given transparent, just, and fair pay. It should not be decided by the demand and supply for carbon.
Farmers should be paid because we're asking them to do things to help the planet, society, and ultimately themselves. The societal value of carbon is not the economic value of carbon. The Chicago Climate Exchange trading of carbon dioxide fell to 5 cents before it closed in 2010. That is undervaluing a precious resource. When we undervalue a resource, we degrade it and ruin it.
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How has your work influenced policymakers?
In addition to working on the IPCC and with the FAO, a few politicians have reached out to me specifically over the years. Stéphane Le Foll, then the French minister of agriculture, who promoted the COP 21 in Paris in 2015, the Climate Summit, came to my lab that year. From that discussion, he created the "4 per 1,000" Initiative to increase soil carbon at an annual growth rate of 0.4 percent through implementing conservation farming practices. I'm a strong supporter of that program, although I think they may be overly ambitious. If we can scratch.1 percent per year, it would be good.
I was asked to help launch Global Soil Week, an international forum to promote conversations between researchers, farmers, government, and business. The President of Iceland, Olafur Grimsson, and the President of Bangladesh, Iajuddin Ahmed, himself a soil scientist, attended the Soil Science Society of America meeting in 2007, when I was president


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Disruptive physicians are staple characters on television shows about the medical field. Some of the most recent T.V. doctors of this vein that come to mind are Dr. Gregory House of House and Dr. Perry Cox of Scrubs. While Dr. House and Dr. Cox present entertaining caricatures of disruptive physician behavior ("DPB"), in "real life" DPB has long presented many significant workplace challenges for health care institutions.
The American Medical Association defines DPB as, "personal conduct, whether verbal or physical, that that negatively affects or that potentially may negatively affect patient care constitutes disruptive behavior."
In July 2008, The Joint Commission issued a Sentinel Event Alert about DPB noting that, "intimidating and disruptive behaviors can foster medical errors, contribute to poor patient satisfaction and to preventable adverse outcomes, increase the cost of care, and cause qualified clinicians, administrators and mangers to seek new positions in more professional work environments." To combat DPB and its negative impact on the health care industry, The Joint Commission introduced a new Leadership standard that required hospitals to develop a code of conduct that defines disruptive and inappropriate behaviors as well as a process for managing these behaviors.
While The Joint Commission's efforts have helped healthcare institutions become more aware of DPB, ten years later, industry consultants observe that many medical professionals remain afraid to report DPB for fear of retaliation. A March 2018 article published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine entitled, "Disruptive Physician Behavior: The Importance of Recognition and Intervention and Its Impact on Patient Safety," echoes the sentiment that there is more work to be done. Specifically, the article suggests four interventions that hospitals should take to limit disruptive behavior and its attendant potential legal and financial consequences:
- Prevent the Behavior. Make physician health and wellness a priority. Encourage physicians to seek professional care for their own health and wellness. If your institution has an employee assistance program, consider hiring a clinician trained in dealing with DPB. Stress the importance of a peaceful and professional work environment.
- Build the Right Infrastructure. Create a fair system for reliable reporting and monitoring. Develop a medical staff "Professionalism Committee" tasked with investigating DPB complaints, and making recommendations. Ensure that a system exists for a fair hearing.
- Take a Progressive Approach and Be Consistent. Minor incidents should be addressed with verbal coaching in a timely manner. If incidents are more serious or if informal warnings have been provided in the past, institutional progressive discipline policies should be adhered to consistently for all physicians.
- Collaborate. Involve counsel, human resources, the office of medical affairs, and the hospital's medical board when drafting policies and making decisions.
To learn more about how the firm can assist with proactive measures to help remediate DPB in your institution through our EngageMD service, please contact your Jackson Lewis Attorney.


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Gravissimum Educationis (Declaration on Christian Education)
October 28, 1965
Gravissimum Educationis (Declaration on Christian Education) is a declaration released during the Second Vatican Council in 1965 that primarily addresses education, particularly by the Catholic Church. Gravissimum Educationis reaffirms the Church's commitment to provide a Catholic education for children at every level (from primary school to universities). It argues that every person has a right to an education, including a religious one, and that the Church has a responsibility to educate in both religious and secular terms. The declaration also states that it is the responsibility of the parents to educate and create an atmosphere of learning about religion, secular subjects, and civic virtues. In addition, Gravissimum Educationis calls for moral teachings in public schools and the placement of Catholic schools in and for non-Catholic regions.


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Founder of One Stock One Future
Rendel serve as Principal for a firm that manages private equity investments for institutional (government and corporate) pension funds. ABOUT THE One Stock One Future PROGRAM Stock /stäk/ (noun): Ownership of a corporation indicated by shares, which represent a piece of the corporation's assets and earnings. We believe a single stock combined with curriculum on financial literacy will positively impact a child's trajectory in life. Like the logo, a child's path in life will have its ups and downs similar to the stock market. This initiative will be the catalyst that propels them toward a future that they did not believe was possible, helping them to break outside the confines of their neighborhood, like the arrow shooting out of the "O" in the logo. Students will be exposed to basic concepts related to ownership, money management, and investing. We will help children think like owners by first turning them into owners. We will turn One Million children into public company shareholders!! One Stock One Future is specifically looking for children ages 8-18 for the program. We will teach a basic class about company stock, help them setup investment accounts with their parents or guardians, and then donate one share of stock to immediately turn them into shareholders. After launching in Chicago, we will execute the same program in cities across the country like Milwaukee, St. Louis, Detroit, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Atlanta, Oakland, LA, until we turn one million children into shareholders!


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|Title:||Audit of paediatric surgical intensive care unit admissions in north Jordan|
|Abstract:||An audit was carried out over a 12-month period at a district general hospital in the north of Jordan. The study aimed to establish the reasons for and outcome of paediatric intensive care unit admissions. Of the 854 admissions, 107 were paediatric surgical cases. The causes of trauma were: road traffic accident [42 cases], burns and falls . The remaining 12 cases were either post-operative admissions [7 cases] or acute admissions [5 cases]. A total of 31 patients died and 8 children were left with significant disability or brain death. We conclude that trauma is a significant cause of disability, morbidity and mortality in children in our area. Society as a whole needs to look at the causes of childhood trauma and identify ways of reducing it|
Wounds and Injuries
|Subject:||Intensive Care Units, Pediatric|
|Appears in Collections:||EMRO Journal Articles (EMHJ)|
Items in WHO IRIS are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.


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If you had purchase the LD Printable Valentines, here's a quick tip that will show you how to use the Crop tool to remove the "To" and "From" portion of the Valentine. You can use the resulting image to make a quick Valentine's Day card instead.
|Click on the image to enlarge.|
After you have imported the PNG image, reduce it to a more manageable size. I used the Scale tool to reduce the size to 33%.
Use the rectangle tool to draw a rectangle around the image, making sure to exclude the "To" and "From" portions.
Select both the graphic and the rectangle. Open the Align window, and click on "Align Horizontally-Align Center".
With both the graphic and the rectangle still selected, click on Object - Modify - Crop.
The resulting image will be whatever that you had enclosed in the rectangle! You can use this "new" image to make a quick printable card or tag or whatever suits your fancy. :-)


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SQL TRUNCATE TABLE
SQL TRUNCATE TABLE command used to completely remove all table records. Not supporting to a WHERE clause.
SQL TRUNCATE command is faster and use some transaction log resources.
SQL TRUNCATE command logically equivalent to a DELETE command that deletes all rows, but they are practically different under some rules.
SQL TRUNCATE command Rules
- TRUNCATE operation use for dropping or re-create table, which is much faster than deleting rows one by one.
- TRUNCATE operation not rollback, It means truncated can not be returned.
- TRUNCATE operation is not a safe.
Considering following syntax that help you to understanding TRUNCATE,
TRUNCATE TABLE table_name;
SQL> TRUNCATE TABLE emp_data; Table Truncated.
|1||If we want to delete all the records from the table, then our SQL query is:
|Whereas Truncate command is used to delete all records from the table. Our SQL query is:
|2||DELETE statement with WHERE clause you can remove specific record in a table.
|Whereas TRUNCATE statement use for remove all record in a table.|
|3||DELETE statement is a DML (Data Manipulation Language) command.||Whereas TRUNCATE statement is a DDL (Data Definition Language) command.|
|4||Executed DELETE statement you can UNDO the changes and return back to deleted data.||Whereas executed TRUNCATE statement you can't return back.|


- Taylor Gallegos
The Mural Process
What is the process of making a mural?
That's a good question. Every artist has their own process of making art. No way is the 'wrong way' and no way is the 'right way.' Whatever way that completes the project that is most aligned with the intention of the mural is the best way. This is my way.
I'm a professional custom muralist and with that I work with clients to bring their visions to life. My intention and my goal is to leave my clients 100% satisfied with their artwork. It's their artwork on their wall. I want them to absolutely love it. That being said, I aim to work closely with the client through the art making process all along the way.
Here's my general process
 1. The Introduction
 2. This is where the client and the artist get to know each other. This can happen over the phone, email, in person. It doesn't matter. The artist and the client need to get to know one another just a bit. Where is the client coming from with their desire for their art? Why do they want a mural? Knowing this will help keep things on track in every decision that gets made.
 3. The concept phase
 4. This is derived from the why, but taken further. Sometimes clients already have a concept and vision and have this step taken care of, other times they don't. The concept phase is the brainstorming phase. This is where different ideas come out, and we combine things together. A pinterest board can help with this step. What is the intended feeling? Is there a style to be achieved? Is there an overall message? These are good questions to ask at this point.
 5. The design phase
 6. This is where things get more concrete. This is where we ask ourselves 'how can we achieve this feeling, style or message? What images can be used to convey these elements? How can we put visual ingredients together in a composition to give the mural an overall flavor that we're desiring? These are the nuts and bolts of the overall engine.
 7. Preparation
 8. The wall may or may not need to be prepared for paint. This depends on what the wall is made out of. Is it stucco, concrete, wood, drywall? Everything will need a different preparatory cleaning, coating or priming. This step will ensure that the mural lasts as long as possible and doesn't peel or fade.
 9. The lay out phase
 10. Once you have your design it's time to put it on the wall. This can be done in a number of ways. It can be hand drawn using chalk, it can be brush painted, it can be printed and then applied, it can be gridded, it can be projected, It can be spray painted, it can be rocket launched (if you're getting really abstract)... It doesn't really matter, so long as the basic structure of the image gets placed on the wall. This is the perfect time to consult with the client of the overall direction. Granted, it's just the bare bones of what's to come so it can't be judged harshly on the look of it. This is just the time least everyone can get an idea of the placement of elements, sizing and compositional structure.
 11. Base Layers
 12. This is sometimes called blocking in. This is where base coats of paint are applied, filling in large spaces with color. These swaths of color set the stage for what's to come. This should be done using rollers, sprayers, or the largest brushes possible. This step helps in shortening the time needed to produce a large scale piece of art.
 13. Top Coat
 14. This is the layer where the image really starts to develop. Here is where the color fades take place. This is where details start to emerge. This is where the artwork really becomes defined. This level will be done with smaller rollers, large brushes and small brushes.
 15. The critique
 16. Now is when you can get a good and clear critique from the client. The painting isn't done yet but it's getting close. There's still time and room to change some things if needed. As the artist, one needs to be ready for positive and negative critiques. A readiness to hear anything will protect the feelings of the artist and make sure the client feels heard and is going to be 100% satisfied. This is how the mural ends up as a win win situation for everyone.
 17. The finishing touches
 18. Now with any and all critiques from the client, the final moves can be made. This is when highlights and deep darks can be added that will make everything really pop. This level is done with smaller brushes, the airbrush or spray cans. This is when any and all tape is removed, any plastic covering anything is taken off, any switchplate covers are replaced. Basically it's readied for completion.
 19. All done! Time to celebrate!
So that's a basic rundown of the mural process. Every project is unique, so every process will have its own special nuances. But if you follow this basic formula you'll be sure to have a relatively high level of success in whatever large scale mural project you go after. Happy painting!
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Literacy and Life Skills for Pasifika Adults: Results from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) Survey
The 2006 ALL survey was designed to measure the distribution of literacy and numeracy skills among the adult population of New Zealand. The ALL survey included an oversample of Pasifika adults. This design feature has allowed meaningful insights into the distribution of literacy and numeracy skills among the adult Pasifika population of New Zealand.
Author(s): Elliot Lawes, Research Division, Ministry of Education.
Date Published: August 2009
This report is available as a download (please refer to the 'Downloads' inset box). To view the individual chapters please refer to the 'Sections' inset box. Links to related publications/ information can be found in the 'Where to Find Out More' inset box and on the webpage (below).
Section 13: Publications
Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey (ALL) Releases
Links to Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey publications are listed below:
Other Publications using Adult Literacy and Life Skills (ALL) Data
The publication 'Profile and Trends: New Zealand's Tertiary Education Sector' uses Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey data in their 2007 Research Summaries and Short Analyses. You can download these articles listed below:
- The Educational Inheritance of New Zealanders
[MS Word 87KB]
This short article contained in Profile & Trends 2007 covers a range of questions on education inheritance including: 'How much does parents' education level influence that of their children?'
- Higher-level Education is Strongly Associated with Greater Skills
[MS Word 72KB]
This short article contained in Profile & Trends 2007 explores higher level education and how strongly it is associated with greater skills.
- Healthy and Wise: Does Education Improve Wellbeing?
[MS Word 128KB]
This short article contained in Profile & Trends 2007 used the results of the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey to analyse the relationship between New Zealanders' education level and their assessment of their own wellbeing.
- Literacy & Numeracy in NZ: ALL Survey Findings
[MS Word 79KB]
This short article contained in Profile & Trends 2007 summarises the first findings from the Adult Literacy and Life Skills Survey.
- Section 1: Executive Summary
- Section 2: Introduction
- Section 3: Age
- Section 4: Gender
- Section 5: Labour Force
- Section 6: Attainment
- Section 7: Language
- Section 8: First Language
- Section 9: Place of Birth
- Section 10: Income
- Section 11: Ethnic Populations
- Section 12: Discussion
- Section 13: Publications
Where to find out more
For more information about this publication please email the: Research Mailbox


Average Weather Data for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Monthly Averages
January February March April May June July August September October November December
Average Monthly high in °F: 40° 44° 53° 64° 74° 83° 87° 85° 78° 67° 56° 45°
Average Monthly low in °F: 26° 28° 34° 44° 54° 64° 69° 68° 60° 48° 39° 30°
Yearly Averages
What's The Average High Temp in Philadelphia? 64.7 °F
What's the Average Low in Philadelphia? 47 °F
What's the Average Temperature in Philadelphia? 55.85 °F
How Many Inches of Rain per year does Philadelphia get? 41.45 inches
How Many Rainy Days a year are there in Philadelphia? N/A
How Much Sunshine each year is there in Philadelphia (in hours)? N/A
How much, if any, snow falls each year in Philadelphia? 23 inches
Philadelphia Temperature and Rain Graphs
Average high in °F
Average low in °F
Average precipitation in inches


McCrum, Robert
political writer psychological british
(British, 1953– )
McCrum was born in Cambridge, where he was educated at the University, before becoming an editor and writer. In the Secret State (1980), his first novel, is a good introduction to the unsettling world of political corruption and psychological isolation featured in much of his writing. As traditional values decay, the book's disenchanted bureaucrats cynically manipulate the political system in order to preserve their hold on power. Vividly depicting events during the Prague Spring of 1968, The Fabulous Englishman (1984) deals with a once-successful English author whose journey to Prague involves him in painful confrontations with his past. McCrum's other novels include The Psychological Moment (1993), dealing with a presidential speech-writer in retreat at Cape Cod who is beset by treacheries and painful personal choices when he learns of a British political conspiracy.
Piers Paul Read, Frederic Raphael, James Buchan. See ADVENTURE DH
McCullers, Carson [next] [back] McClure, James
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Vitis labrusca
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Vitis labrusca
A young Concord grapevine
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Vitales
Family: Vitaceae
Genus: Vitis
Species: V. labrusca
Binomial name
Vitis labrusca
Vitis labrusca (fox grape) is a species of grapevines belonging to the Vitis genus in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The vines are native to eastern North America and are the source of many grape cultivars, including Catawba and Concord grapes, and many hybrid grape varieties such as Agawam, Alexander and Onaka. Among the characteristics of this vine species in contrast to the European wine grape Vitis vinifera are its "slip-skin" that allows the skin of the grape berries to easily slip off when squeezed, instead of crushing the pulp, and the presence of tendrils on every node of the cane. Another contrast with European vinifera is the characteristic "foxy" musk of V. labrusca, best known to most people through the Concord grape.[1] This musk is not related to the fox animal, but rather the earthy, redolent aromas characteristics of the grapes that were known by early American settlers to the New World. The term "foxy" became a sort of catchall for the wine tasting descriptors used for these American wines that were distinct from the familiar flavors of the European vinifera based wines.[2]
Concord grapes.
According to wine historian Edward Hyams and wine expert Jancis Robinson, Vitis labrusca was likely the species spotted by Leif Ericsson growing wild along the coast of Vinland in the 11th century. There is ample evidence that the labrusca was growing wild in North America centuries before the Europeans discovered the continent. However, the vine was not officially identified and recorded until Carl Linnaeus and his peers started cataloging American vine species in the mid 18th century. In the 19th century, Vitis labrusca was among the American vines transported to Europe that were carrying the phylloxera louse which would cause widespread devastation to the European vineyards planted with Vitis vinifera.[3]
Also in the 19th century, Ephraim Bull of Concord, Massachusetts, cultivated seeds from wild labrusca vines to create the Concord grape which would become an important agricultural crop in the United States.[3]
Vine characteristics[edit]
The majority of Vitis labrusca grape varieties are red (though white varieties such as Niagara and "pink-skinned" varieties such as Catawba exist), with dark colored berries high in phenolic compounds that produced strongly flavored wines. As the berries near harvest and become fully ripe, they separate easily from the pedicel (berry stem). If the berry is squeezed gently between two fingers, the thick skin will slip easily off leaving the pulp intact as a ball. This trait gives Vitis labrusca the name of "slip skin" grapes. Another trait of labrusca that aids ampelographers in identification of vines and hybrid varieties descended from the species is the large, thick leaves of the vines that have a hairy underside with dense brown or white hairs.[1]
Like many other American vine species, Vitis labrusca has some natural resistance to many grape diseases, including phylloxera. However, its resistance and grafting compatibility is not as high as other species, such as Vitis aestivalis, Vitis rupestris and Vitis berlandieri, and is not often used for commercial rootstock.[1]
Wine regions[edit]
Botanical features of Vitis labrusca.
Vitis labrusca can be found along the eastern seaboard of North America from Nova Scotia down to Georgia and westward to the Mississippi river. Among the Canadian wine regions and American Viticultural Areas (AVA)s that produce wine from labrusca or hybrids derived from labrusca include Ontario, Upper Mississippi Valley, Mississippi Delta, Ohio River Valley, Southeastern New England, Lake Erie as well as several AVAs in the states of New York, Virginia, Ohio and Michigan.[4]
Unlike vinifera, hybrids and Vitis labrusca varieties can better withstand the severe continental conditions of eastern North America with severely cold winters and hot, humid summers. (However, labrusca doesn't do quite as well as varieties like Vitis rotundifolia in the humidity of southeastern US). In fact, in areas of the United States where vinifera does flourish in the west, the conditions during the growing season are often too arid for labrusca vines.[4]
"Foxy" musk[edit]
According to University of California, Davis viticulture expert A. J. Winkler, outside of the vinifera Muscat family of grapes, Vitis labrusca varieties have the most pronounced aromas among wine grape varieties. The description of "foxy" doesn't have anything to do with actual animal, but rather serves as a catch-all term to describe the unique, earthy and sweet muskiness that is best epitomized by fresh Concord grapes though some of the "sweet muskiness" can be perceived in grape juice made from Concord and other labrusca varieties like Niagara. In the 1920s, scientists were able to isolate the aroma compound responsible for the "foxy" musk as methyl anthranilate.[4]
Notable varieties[edit]
See also[edit]
 1. ^ a b c J. Robinson (ed) "The Oxford Companion to Wine" Third Edition pg 19-20 Oxford University Press 2006 ISBN 0-19-860990-6
 2. ^ B. Ramey The Great Wine Grapes Concord, Catawaba and Delaware entries (no page numbers in book) University of California-Davis, 1977 ASIN B0006CZP4S
 3. ^ a b J. Robinson Vines, Grapes & Wines pg 8, 18, 228 Mitchell Beazley 1986 ISBN 1-85732-999-6
 4. ^ a b c Winkler AJ, Cook JA, Kliere WM and Lider LA General Viticulture (2nd ed.) pg 17-20, 59, 166-167 University of California Press. 1974 ISBN 0-520-02591-1.
External links[edit]