This guidebook describes major biological and physical attributes of the 433-ha (1,070-ac) Grayback Glades Research Natural Area.

As the Government prepares to announce how and when the coronavirus lockdown will be relaxed, parents have put forward the questions they want answers to before they send their children back to school

Simon Cowell took the while at the Britain's Got Talent auditions by David isn't happy when crashes into another vehicle

Mark Douglas explains why he'd love to see Rafa Benitez back at Newcastle United should a takeover go through

COLORADO-based THE LUMINEERS are presenting TODAY (5/8) COLORADO GIVES BACK, a live stream benefit concert from 1-4p MT for the COLORADO RESTAURANT WORKERS and NATIONAL MUSIC COMMUNITY. The … more

The team at the UF/ IFAS Extension office show us how to create a pond, and fill it with native aquatic plants, to attract wildlife to our yards.

Research Highlights: Researchers have found a specific bacterial profile in the gut of people with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a chronic and progressive disease that causes constriction of arteries in the lungs. The unique bacterial profile...

A well-stocked bird feeder is a delight, especially when you are stuck in your house. I have spent many hours watching my feeders. Here are some tips to help you enjoy the view from inside:FOOD There...

CEDAR FALLS — A four-way quarterback competition dominated the preseason headlines for Northern Iowa last August. Walk-on redshirt freshman Will McElvain emerged as the competition’s...

As death rates from COVID-19 rise, the state is beginning to open back up. And with that the expectation is that Iowans get back to work. Iowans who don’t go back to work will lose...

ELIZABETH "BETTY" A. ZOBAC
Cedar Rapids


Betty A. Zobac, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy. She was 92.
Betty was born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on Oct. 29,
1927. She was the beloved
and only child to Francis
and Mary (Cahill) Sullivan. Betty attended grade school
at Immaculate Conception Catholic School in Cedar Rapids. Then carried on her education at St. Patrick's High School where she graduated in 1946.
It wasn't long after when Betty married the love of her life; Frank Zobac, in August 1947, at the Immaculate Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. To this union four children were born. Betty and Frank were married for 69 years. Frank passed away on Dec. 15, 2016.
Betty was very proud of her ancestry and Irish heritage. Betty and Frank actually got engaged on St. Patrick's Day 1947. She loved celebrating her culture every year on St. Patrick's Day by cooking corned beef and cabbage for her entire family.
Betty and Frank were a well-liked and social couple. They developed many friendships throughout their years and were always ready to have fun. The two loved to go out on the town dancing. They would often take a weekend trip to Chicago at the Allerton Hotel on Michigan Avenue. While there they would enjoy Broadway style shows, concerts or even a Cubs game. Later in life Betty and Frank would have season tickets to Iowa Hawkeyes football games. They rarely missed a bowl game during the Hayden Fry era. Neither did they miss a Friday night card group, any bingo game in town or an evening of Frank singing karaoke to Betty.
After having four young children, Betty worked the night shift in the pediatric department of Mercy Hospital for three years. Her endless energy and work ethic were remarkable. Betty also was a true fashionista and carried that passion over into her next career. From Killian's to Armstrong's then Coach House Fashions; she worked in retail women's clothing for over 15 years. While still maintaining her voguish taste, Betty's greatest accomplishment of her career began in 1961. As the backbone of the family business; Betty successfully ran the company as general manager of Frank Zobac Construction Co. Frank Zobac Construction Co. was in business for over 60 years.
Betty was the matriarch of her family. Betty loved to cook for and with her family. Like her taste for fashion, she was ahead of her time when it came to preparing meals for her family. Betty's culinary creativity led to many delicious and sometimes interesting meals. Rarely following a recipe; she inspired many. Her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have carried on her passion for cooking to this day. What Betty started in her little kitchen back in 1947 will be passed down throughout her family for generations. Betty also had an extraordinary love for dachshunds. Whether on the couch or in Hy-Vee, it was rare to see Betty not carrying one of her many spoiled dachshunds.
Betty's memory will continue to live on through her four children, Susan (Dennis) Draker of Marion, Mark (Connie) Zobac of Vinton, Kathy (Doug) Klinger of Marion and Debra Zobac of Marion; eight grandchildren, Amy (Clint) Houdek, Jeff (Diana) Draker, Barrett (Kiley) Scorpil, James (Christina) Zobac, Christopher Goodrow, Staci (John) Willems, Traci (Jeff) Chisholm and Michelle Ramirez; and her 16 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a date to be determined. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in memoriam of Frank and Betty Zobac. Please mail to: Susan Draker 2845 Hunters Ridge Rd. Marion, IA 52302.
Please leave a message or tribute to Betty's family on our web page, www.cedarmemorial.com, under Obituaries.
"Rest in Peace, Mom"

Tthink about the great relics of human civilization—the pyramids, the magnificent castles of Europe, the Great Wall of China, meticulously detailed sculptures from different eras, the awe-inspiring churches and temples that dot almost every landscape we’ve ever inhabited… All made of stone. All hundreds of years old. All crafted with the intention of permanence and […]

As death rates from COVID-19 rise, the state is beginning to open back up. And with that the expectation is that Iowans get back to work. Iowans who don’t go back to work will lose unemployment benefits, leaving thousands of workers forced to expose themselves and their families to a potentially deadly virus, which experts say could have a second wave in the fall.

The rush to reopen the state has left many questions about the health and safety of Iowans unanswered. Among those questions, “Who will watch the children?” is especially crucial.

Schools are closed for the rest of the year. The future of summer camps is uncertain. Half of the child care centers in America currently are closed. Using elderly parents for child care can be risky since grandparents are in the age bracket with the highest risk for death and complications from COVID-19.

This leaves families, mothers especially, at risk of losing their jobs and unemployment benefits.

Nationwide, women still carry the heavy burden of child care, despite the fact that most families are dual income homes. Two-thirds of minimum wage workers in America are women which puts them at risk for unemployment and illness because of exposure to the virus.

Already, the child care gap for women contributes to the wage gap. Women earn 80 cents to the male dollar. And the inequality is compounded when segmented by race.

Congress has tried to pass a paid leave policy, but those attempts have failed. And Iowa’s governor has so far not commented on the looming child care crisis as she declares victory over the virus and opens up the state.

Before the pandemic, a quarter of Iowa families lived in a child care desert, and child care in the state does not even come close to meeting the national definition of affordable. Experts estimated that the Iowa economy loses more than $1 billion each year because of a lack of child care. And with the reality of the pandemic sinking in, it will only get worse.

The Department of Human Services received $31.9 million in aid from the federal CARES Act that was dispersed to child care centers to help care for the children of essential workers. But as more people go back to work, that aid will be spent very quickly. Leaving the children of everyone else without answers to this fundamental question. If Reynolds wants to open up the state, her team needs to formulate a comprehensive plan that addresses the lack of child care and offers paid leave and works to reopen child care centers.

But rushing to open an economy when there is no child care is an attack not just on families but specifically mothers.

(319) 398-8262; editorial@thegazette.com

By now, anyone who has the internet has heard about how hackers targeted WordPress plugins during January and February 2020. Quite understandably, this hack job left many WordPress users wary about the damage done. For one of the most prevalent website template providers on the planet, this was an eye-opener. This hack job was also […]

Replacing the background of a photo can be useful at times if you want to superimpose the subject into a different setting, create a transparency, and so on. In fact it can be extremely helpful if you’ve snapped a photo where the subject looks great, but the background leaves a lot to be desired. Although it might sound fairly complicated to remove and replace the background of a photo, with Movavi Photo Editor it isn’t anywhere near as difficult as you imagine. To be honest even if you have absolutely no experience editing photos, you should be able to change background in a photo in a matter of minutes. To get started, launch Movavi Photo Editor and click on the ‘Browse for Images’ button located right in the middle of the main window. If you prefer you could drag and drop the photo that you want to edit into that area ... Read more

The post How to Change the Background of a Photo appeared first on Digital Photography Tutorials.

We're so excited to have a huge guest on the show – big time comedian and noted metalhead, Brian Posehn,...

The post METAL INJECTION LIVECAST #551 - Where Nickelback Shines with special guest Comedian Brian Posehn appeared first on Metal Injection.

If you’re a remote worker, you may have plenty of experience with video conferencing as a way to communicate with clients, team members, or other colleagues. But with millions of additional...

Click through to read the rest of the story on the Vandelay Design Blog.

By Jessica Corbett Common Dreams “We face a stark choice [between] radical, disruptive changes to our physical world or radical, disruptive changes to our political and economic systems to avoid those outcomes.” As people across the globe mobilize to demand … Continue reading →

By Jessica Corbett Common Dreams “The most robust study of the ice mass balance of Antarctica to date,” scientists say, “now puts Antarctica in the frame as one of the largest contributors to sea-level rise.” Scientists are expressing alarm over … Continue reading →

By Jessica Corbett Common Dreams “We face a stark choice [between] radical, disruptive changes to our physical world or radical, disruptive changes to our political and economic systems to avoid those outcomes.” As people across the globe mobilize to demand … Continue reading →

By Jessica Corbett Common Dreams “We face a stark choice [between] radical, disruptive changes to our physical world or radical, disruptive changes to our political and economic systems to avoid those outcomes.” As people across the globe mobilize to demand … Continue reading →

Everyday consumer products continue to frustrate people. The failure of companies to fully embrace UX is partly to blame, but there is also another reason -- one that is seldom discussed. Consumer product companies pay too much heed to their retail customers and, in so doing, they prevent the development team from getting first-hand knowledge of end users.

My Nostalgia is back with Streets of Rage 4

Receiving service-related disability compensation does not interfere with the funds veterans receive from the GI Bill, explains Adam.

A federal watchdog is recommending that ousted vaccine expert Rick Bright be reinstated while it investigates whether the Trump administration retaliated against his whistleblower complaints when it removed him from a key post overseeing the coronavirus response, Bright's lawyers said Friday.

Kamal Ravikant was in a dark place. After four years of pouring his heart, soul, and money into his tech startup, it blew up. He lost everything – including himself. In a moment of desperation, a vow deep within came to the surface: to love himself. Though it was a bit of a foreign concept, he set out to undo the misery in his head through the lens of love. The practice Kamal formed became the self-published book: Love Yourself Like Your Life Depends on It. It sold over a half a million copies and is now newly expanded. In our conversation Kamal shares his ruthlessly practical way he unwound the negative thoughts and more importantly, made it last. In our conversation we explore: Mindset as a practice, including the 7 minute meditation Kamal uses to break old mental patterns Kamal shares his advice in getting unstuck, including giving yourself time to simply live Our brain is a monkey gone bananas. Pain, joy, loneliness, love are a universal part of the human condition such that no matter our individual circumstance we are all trying to tame it. and much more… Enjoy! FOLLOW KAMAL: instagram | twitter | website Listen to the Podcast […]

The post 10 Breaths Back to Love with Kamal Ravikant appeared first on Chase Jarvis Photography.

The paper considers constrained linear systems with stochastic additive disturbances and noisy measurements transmitted over a lossy communication channel. We propose a model predictive control (MPC) law that minimizes a discounted cost subject to a discounted expectation constraint. Sensor data is assumed to be lost with known probability, and data losses are accounted for by expressing the predicted control policy as an affine function of future observations, which results in a convex optimal control problem. An online constraint-tightening technique ensures recursive feasibility of the online optimization and satisfaction of the expectation constraint without bounds on the distributions of the noise and disturbance inputs. The cost evaluated along trajectories of the closed loop system is shown to be bounded by the optimal predicted cost. A numerical example is given to illustrate these results.

We compute non-extremal three-point functions of scalar operators in $mathcal{N}=4$ super Yang-Mills at tree-level in $g_{YM}$ and at finite $N_c$, using the operator basis of the restricted Schur characters. We make use of the diagrammatic methods called quiver calculus to simplify the three-point functions. The results involve an invariant product of the generalized Racah-Wigner tensors ($6j$ symbols). Assuming that the invariant product is written by the Littlewood-Richardson coefficients, we show that the non-extremal three-point functions satisfy the large $N_c$ background independence; correspondence between the string excitations on $AdS_5 imes S^5$ and those in the LLM geometry.

In this work, we propose a simple modification of the forward-backward splitting method for finding a zero in the sum of two monotone operators. Our method converges under the same assumptions as Tseng's forward-backward-forward method, namely, it does not require cocoercivity of the single-valued operator. Moreover, each iteration only requires one forward evaluation rather than two as is the case for Tseng's method. Variants of the method incorporating a linesearch, relaxation and inertia, or a structured three operator inclusion are also discussed.

We derive sufficient conditions for exponential decay of solutions of the delay negative feedback equation with distributed delay. The conditions are written in terms of exponential moments of the distribution. Our method only uses elementary tools of calculus and is robust towards possible extensions to more complex settings, in particular, systems of delay differential equations. We illustrate the applicability of the method to particular distributions - Dirac delta, Gamma distribution, uniform and truncated normal distributions.

The Hierarchical Equal Area isoLatitude Pixelation (HEALPix) scheme is used extensively in astrophysics for data collection and analysis on the sphere. The scheme was originally designed for studying the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation, which represents the first light to travel during the early stages of the universe's development and gives the strongest evidence for the Big Bang theory to date. Refined analysis of the CMB angular power spectrum can lead to revolutionary developments in understanding the nature of dark matter and dark energy. In this paper, we present a new method for performing spherical harmonic analysis for HEALPix data, which is a central component to computing and analyzing the angular power spectrum of the massive CMB data sets. The method uses a novel combination of a non-uniform fast Fourier transform, the double Fourier sphere method, and Slevinsky's fast spherical harmonic transform (Slevinsky, 2019). For a HEALPix grid with $N$ pixels (points), the computational complexity of the method is $mathcal{O}(Nlog^2 N)$, with an initial set-up cost of $mathcal{O}(N^{3/2}log N)$. This compares favorably with $mathcal{O}(N^{3/2})$ runtime complexity of the current methods available in the HEALPix software when multiple maps need to be analyzed at the same time. Using numerical experiments, we demonstrate that the new method also appears to provide better accuracy over the entire angular power spectrum of synthetic data when compared to the current methods, with a convergence rate at least two times higher.

[IMAGE-1]After having their school year totally disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, a return to some semblance of normalcy come summer is all many school-age kids and their families are looking forward to. For many, this anticipation includes annual summer camp traditions, from sleep-away adventures on the lake to fun-filled day camps for arts, learning or team sports.…

The CDC designed a flawed test for COVID-19, then took weeks to figure out a fix so state and local labs could use it. New York still doesn’t trust the test’s accuracy By Caroline Chen, Marshall Allen, Lexi Churchill and Isaac Arnsdorf Propublica…

UPDATE: The Department of Veterans Affairs announced after this article was first published that Spokane Veterans Home residents with COVID-19 would be moved to the Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center.…

[IMAGE-1] Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story begins as its central marriage is coming to an end. Our two protagonists are fiercely independent, articulate, opinionated creative types: Charlie (Adam Driver) is the director of an avant-garde theater troupe in New York City; Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) is an actress and one of his primary collaborators.…

Jenny Don't and the Spurs were right in the middle of recording their third full-length album when a vocal polyp put a halt to the process.…

Materials and Methods are disclosed for producing nanoparticles linked to antibacterial ligands, including antibiotics and/or molecules which bind to bacterial markers, and for the use of the nanoparticles for the treatment of conditions treatable by the antibiotic ligands.

A double data rate memory physical interface having self checking loopback logic on-chip is disclosed. Disposed on the chip is a first linear feedback shift register, which is capable of generating a set of test data values that comprise at least two data bits. Also disposed on the chip is a second linear feedback shift register. The second linear feedback shift register is capable of generating a set of expected data values that match the test data values. Further, an internal loopback error check element is disposed on the chip. The internal loopback error check element is used to compare the set of expected data values with the set of test data values.

A method and apparatus may be used to evaluate a polynomial by initializing a multiply and accumulate feedback apparatus (260) comprising a multiplier stage (264) having an output coupled to an input of an accumulator stage (267) having an accumulator feedback output (269) selectively coupled to an input of the multiplier stage over a plurality of clock cycles; iteratively calculating a final working loop variable z over an additional plurality of clock cycles; multiplying the final working loop variable z and a complex input vector x to compute a final multiplier value; and adding a least significant complex polynomial coefficient to the final multiplier value using the multiplier stage of the multiply and accumulate feedback apparatus to yield a result of the polynomial evaluation.

Antibacterial sol-gel coating solutions are used to form articles. The antibacterial sol-gel coating solution includes at least one Ti or Si-containing compound that is capable of hydrolyzing to form a base film; a regulating agent capable of regulating the hydrolysis rate of the Ti or Si-containing compounds, an organic solvent, water, and at least one soluble compound of an antibacterial metal, such as Ag, Cu, Mg, Zn, Sn, Fe, Co, Ni, or Ce.

There is provided a system and method for dynamically generated client side streaming playlists. There is provided a method comprising receiving a request to stream a video asset for playback, retrieving, from a network, a video asset playlist corresponding to the video asset and an ad campaign playlist, generating a consolidated video playlist including the video asset playlist and the ad campaign playlist, and processing the consolidated video playlist using a media playback framework to stream a plurality of video files from the network for decoding and output to a display. Discontinuity tags within the video asset playlist may be utilized as insertion points for portions of the ad campaign playlist. The consolidated video playlist may be accessed through a local HTTP web server, advantageously allowing the use of commonly installed media playback framework models such as QuickTime X to trigger adaptive bitrate support through HTTP Live Streaming.

A watch case back opener is provided having a base. A vise is rotatably mounted on the base for securing a watch case to the base. The vise includes a first jaw and a second jaw movable between an open and closed position. Holes are formed in the jaw. They are adapted to receive a plurality of posts to secure a plurality of different sized and shaped watch cases to the vise. An opener unit including an opening blade is mounted on the base for separating a watch case back from the watch case by twisting the lever relative to the base and then lifting the blade relative to the base.

A method, a system and a computer program product for enhancing a cache back invalidation policy by utilizing least recently used (LRU) bits and presence bits in selecting cache-lines for eviction. A cache back invalidation (CBI) utility evicts cache-lines by using presence bits to avoid replacing a cache-line in a lower level cache that is also present in a higher level cache. Furthermore, the CBI utility selects the cache-line for eviction from an LRU group. The CBI utility ensures that dormant cache-lines in the higher level caches do not retain corresponding presence bits set in the lower level caches by unsetting the presence bits in the lower level cache when a line is replaced in the higher level cache. Additionally, when a processor core becomes idle, the CBI utility invalidates the corresponding higher level cache by unsetting the corresponding presence bits in the lower level cache.

An optical backup apparatus is provided and includes an optical storage device, an interface module to connect with at least one type of external storage medium, and a control unit to back up data from the external storage medium to the optical storage device in response to an external remote control operation.

An α-amylase from Bacillus subtilis (AmyE) produces significant amounts of glucose from various carbohydrate substrates, including vegetable starch, maltoheptaose, and maltotriose. Among other things, this advantageous property allows AmyE or variants thereof to be used in a saccharification reaction having a reduced or eliminated requirement for glucoamylase. The reduction or elimination of the glucoamylase requirement significantly improves the efficiency of the production of ethanol or high fructose corn syrup, for example.

The present invention generally relates to systems and methods for monitoring and/or providing feedback for drugs or other pharmaceuticals taken by a subject. In one aspect, the present invention is directed to devices and methods for determining a species within the skin of a subject; and producing feedback to a subject based on the determination of the species. The feedback may be, for example, visual, audible, tactile, a change in temperature, etc. In some cases, information regarding the determination of the species may be transmitted to another entity, e.g., a health care provider, a computer, a relative, etc., which may then provide feedback to the subject in some fashion. In some cases, the feedback may be directly indicative of the species, e.g., whether the species is present, the concentration of the species, whether a by-product of a reaction involving the species is present, whether a compound affected by the species is present, etc. However, the feedback may also be indirect in some embodiments. For example, the subject may be presented with an external reward, e.g., based on the determination of the species within the skin. For instance, a reward such as cash, coupons, songs, discounts, personal items, etc., may be offered based on the level of compliance of the subject. Still other aspects of the invention are generally directed to kits involving such devices (with or without the drug to be monitored), methods of promoting such systems, or the like.

Compositions and methods, including novel homogeneous microparticulate suspensions, are described for treating natural surfaces that contain bacterial biofilm, including unexpected synergy or enhancing effects between bismuth-thiol (BT) compounds and certain antibiotics, to provide formulations including antiseptic formulations. Previously unpredicted antibacterial properties and anti-biofilm properties of disclosed BT compounds and BT compound-plus-antibiotic combinations are also described, including preferential efficacies of certain such compositions for treating certain gram-positive bacterial infections, and distinct preferential efficacies of certain such compositions for treating certain gram-negative bacterial infections.

An inhibitor for tobacco axillary bud growth, the inhibitor containing one or more cell division inhibitors selected from pyridine-based compounds and benzamide-based compounds. This inhibitor may further include an aliphatic alcohol having 6 to 20 carbon atoms in combination with the one or more cell division inhibitors.

Cells that are in the process division are vulnerable to damage by AC electric fields that have specific frequency and field strength characteristics. The selective destruction of rapidly dividing cells can therefore be accomplished by imposing an AC electric field in a target region for extended periods of time at particular frequencies with particular filed strengths. Some of the cells that divide while the field is applied will be damaged, but the cells that do not divide will not be harmed. This selectively damages rapidly dividing cells like bacteria, but does not harm normal cells that are not dividing. Since the vulnerability of the dividing cells is strongly related to the alignment between the long axis of the dividing cells and the lines of force of the electric field, improved results can be obtained when the field is sequentially imposed in different directions.