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Rangers Remind Visitors to Hike Smart at Grand Canyon National Park

Visitors to Grand Canyon, especially inner canyon hikers, mule riders, and backpackers, need to prepare for excessively hot days in the coming weeks. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/hike-smart-reminder.htm




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Rangers Strongly Urge Visitors to Hike Smart at Grand Canyon National Park

National Park Rangers at Grand Canyon National Park are strongly urging visitors to Grand Canyon, especially inner canyon hikers, mule riders, and backpackers to be prepared for excessively hot days in the coming weeks. https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/news/hike-smart-at-grand-canyon-national-park.htm




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Small grants make a big difference in mental health




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New COVID-19 ‘Citizen Science’ Project Lets Any Adult with a Smartphone Help Fight Coronavirus

Researchers from the University of California San Francisco are asking adults to help them fight the novel coronavirus by downloading this smartphone app.

The post New COVID-19 ‘Citizen Science’ Project Lets Any Adult with a Smartphone Help Fight Coronavirus appeared first on Good News Network.




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NBA Players Recovered From COVID-19 Are Donating Plasma to Clinical Trials Helping Sick Patients

Four NBA players have been confirmed as volunteer blood plasma donors as a means of testing an experimental therapy to treat COVID-19.

The post NBA Players Recovered From COVID-19 Are Donating Plasma to Clinical Trials Helping Sick Patients appeared first on Good News Network.




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New Jersey Teens Take Matters into Their Own Hands to Help First Responders and Small Businesses Amidst COVID-19 Crisis

These two siblings from New Jersey have managed to raise more than $2,200 in order to benefit their local businesses and healthcare workers.

The post New Jersey Teens Take Matters into Their Own Hands to Help First Responders and Small Businesses Amidst COVID-19 Crisis appeared first on Good News Network.




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CSSplay - Smartphone Mini Menu

A multi level mini menu suitable for smartphones.




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CSSplay - PC, tablet and Smartphone Menu

A multi level mini menu suitable for PCs, Tablets and Smartphones.




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CSSplay - PC, tablet and Smartphone Menu verson 2

A second multi level mini menu suitable for PCs, Tablets and Smartphones.




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CSSplay - PC, tablet and Smartphone droplist animated menu

A droplist animated menu suitable for PCs, Tablets and Smartphones.




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CSSplay - PC, tablet and Smartphone vertical concertina animated menu

A vertical concertina animated menu suitable for PCs, Tablets and Smartphones.




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Urgent product recall as Mini Calippo multi-packs may contain 'small pieces of metal'

Wall's said internal quality checks have shown they may contain "very small fragments of metal"




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User guide for HCR Estimator 2.0: software to calculate cost and revenue thresholds for harvesting small-diameter ponderosa pine

The HCR (Harvest Cost-Revenue) Estimator is engineering and financial analysis software used to evaluate stand-level financial thresholds for harvesting smalldiameter ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex Laws.) in the Southwest United States. The Windows-based program helps contractors and planners to identify costs associated with tree selection, residual handling, transportation of raw materials, and equipment used. Costs are compared against total financial return for regionally based market opportunities to arrive at potential net profit. Information is used to identify per-acre cost thresholds, for contract appraisal, and for prioritizing project planning for wildfire fuel reduction treatments and forest restoration efforts.




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Economic Sensitivity and Risk Analysis for Small-Scale Wood Pellet Systems—an Example From Southeast Alaska.

This research models a wood pellet heating system at the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority in Juneau, Alaska, used to provide thermal energy to a 929-m2 warehouse, as an alternative to a heating system that burns more costly fossil fuels. Research objectives were to evaluate project economics of the pellet system and to conduct cost:benefit analysis on key variables (initial capital cost, fuel oil cost, and wood pellet cost). Economic results of interest included net present value, payback, internal rate of return, and cost:benefit ratio. Monte Carlo simulations were conducted using RETScreen software with the parameters of heating oil cost, wood pellet cost, fuel price escalation, and heating load. Cost:benefit analysis was conducted for capital cost versus wood fuel cost and also versus alternative fuel cost. This research found that economic performance was favorable over a wide range of normal operating conditions, even when paying a relatively high price for wood fuel. A pellet production facility in southeast Alaska could lead to lower wood fuel costs and even more favorable regional economics.




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Small meal portions to catalogue order delays: Complaints made by prisoners

The notorious North East prison has been dubbed 'Monster Mansion' due to list of violent killers and rapists it houses



  • North East News

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iHeartMedia Establishes 'Small Business Crisis Resource' Website, Newsletter

iHEARTMEDIA has launched a "Small Business Crisis Resource" initiative with resources including a newsletter and website to offer relevant news and information, including … more




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Edison Research, NPR Release 2020 Smart Audio Report

EDISON RESEARCH and NPR released the findings in its 2020 Smart Audio Report on smart speaker and voice-controlled device usage THURSDAY (4/30)  in a webinar hosted by EDISON's TOM … more




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Small Dreams: Mental Illness and Primary Care

Matt Freitas, nurse practitioner, treats people with mental illness, including his daughter, who has schizophrenia. The number of patients seeking treatment for mental illness has tripled over the past three years, Freitas says. Photography, audio and production by Lauren M. Whaley, CHCF Center for Health Reporting.




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Family Of Romanian Photographer Moved To A Small Town In The UK And He Started Discovering The Beauty Of This Country

According to Aurel Paduraru: “I am a Romanian photographer and traveler. Last year, my wife, our five-year-old son, and I...




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Time Machine: Smallpox epidemic hit Meskwaki hard in 1901

At the turn of the 20th century, a vaccine had been developed for smallpox, a virus that killed millions in the 1800s. Those who survived the disease were often left badly scarred or blind. The...




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Phinney: County needs common sense, smarter government

I have been a Johnson County resident since 1977. I grew up in Clear Lake, a small farming community in North Central Iowa. I came to Iowa City after being recruited by Dan Gable to wrestle for the University of Iowa Hawkeye wrestling team and placed 3rd place in the 1980 NCAA Division I.

I met my wife Teresa and we settled in Iowa City. I have two children, Melissa, 36, and Anthony, 25; and grandchildren Emma, 9, Ellie and Emilia, 4-month-old twin girls, and Jack, who passed two just before his 2nd birthday. I am a cancer survivor and support cancer research and patient support.

I was a maintenance supervisor at the old Cantebury Inn, I owned and operated Advance Property Management for 23 years and drove a school bus for First Student, Inc. While working at First Student I was one of the driving forces in the campaign for the workers to unionize with the Teamsters. I was asked to join the Teamsters as a full-time organizer after the campaign, which I did for 13 years. I found my calling as an organizer because I was able to help others stand up for themselves and really change their lives.

I made the decision to run for Johnson County supervisor because we need to bring some common sense back to Johnson County government, and run a smarter government that works for all. The supervisors need to oversee the county departments better to stop wasting county funds paying settlements to individuals because of illegal action by department employees. Rules are for everyone and if you work outside the rules there will be costs and consequences.

I want to bring new blood to the board as well as new ideas. County supervisor is a public service position of honor and trust. Being a supervisor is about following through on jobs you were elected to do for the people. The supervisors need to finish jobs that they started but never completed. You should never leave a job half done!

I hope the voters agree the Johnson County Board of Supervisors need to answer to the public for their actions and their employees. We can no long just “sweep issues under the rug.”

Dean Phinney is a candidate in the Democratic primary for Johnson County Board of Supervisors.




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Time Machine: Smallpox epidemic hit Meskwaki hard in 1901

At the turn of the 20th century, a vaccine had been developed for smallpox, a virus that killed millions in the 1800s. Those who survived the disease were often left badly scarred or blind.

The vaccine’s protection, though, lasted only five years and had to be renewed. And people forgot to do that, leading to occasional epidemics, including a serious outbreak on the Meskwaki Settlement near Tama.

In February 1901, three dozen Iowa communities reported smallpox outbreaks. When Des Moines reported 200 smallpox cases in late February, the mayor closed the schools and prohibited public gatherings. Still, no one died. That would not be the case at the Meskwaki Settlement.

Meskwaki Outbreak

On Oct. 22, 1901, an area resident told Dr. Benjamin Thompson of Tama, “I believe the Indians have the smallpox.”

Thompson went to the nearby Meskwaki Settlement, home to 309 people, to investigate.

He learned that an Indian from the Winnebago tribe had visited the settlement Sept. 23. He had become ill, but no doctor was called and he continued meeting with tribe members.

Two weeks later, the Meskwaki were becoming ill.

Thompson went back to the settlement with Dr. George Carpenter of Toledo. The first wickiup they visited had four active smallpox cases and three people recovering from the virus. Two Meskwaki who’d lived there had died.

The doctors found another five cases and were told of two other deaths.

The doctors that night reported to a joint meeting of the boards of health in Tama, Toledo and Montour.

William Malin, the Interior Department’s Indian agent for the settlement, insisted there was no problem. But after another medical visit to the settlement, the three cities quarantined themselves.

By Nov. 2, 70 Meskwaki had smallpox, and nine members of the tribe had died. Two weeks later, the totals had risen to 90 Meskwaki with smallpox and 35 deaths.

To complicate matters, the Meskwaki declined offers to go to the hospital, they refused smallpox vaccinations and they refused to stay on the settlement. If they became sick, they would hide from the doctors.

The Tama Herald reported, “It looks as though the disease must run its course through the tribe, carrying off the aged and the infirm and weakening the constitution of those who may survive.”

Quarantine Enforced

The Iowa governor appealed to Interior Secretary Ethan Hitchcock for authority to enforce the quarantine among the Meskwaki. Hitchcock complied, giving the state the authority to “take any necessary action.”

National Guard hospital tents and cots were shipped to the settlement. The Meskwaki were vaccinated, and they acquiesced to the quarantine.

The local towns began raising money for medicines and provisions not covered by the federal government.

Meanwhile, Congress appropriated $50,000 — more than $1 million in today’s dollars — to eradicate smallpox on the settlement. The bill gave the Interior Department the authority to quarantine the village and, if necessary, burn Meskwaki wickiups and clothing to halt the contagion.

The state of Iowa chipped in another $7,000 to burn the clothing, blankets, wickiups and other property belonging to the Tama tribe and to provide replacements for the Meskwaki.

The money paid for disinfectants — formaldehyde gas and corrosive sublimate fluid — to bathe tribal members and their dogs. Members of the tribe were forced to move to a camping ground while their village was decontaminated.

Malin, the Indian agent, reported to the Interior Department it took seven days to clean and renovate “the Indian camp.”

“During this process, a large number of the wickiups, where the disease had been prevalent, also large quantities of clothing, bedding and other infected property, were committed to the flames and new goods of similar character supplied,” he reported.

“Twenty-four new board houses, built of good lumber, and some 2,700 square yards of very heavy duck for tents, to those who preferred tents to houses, were given in lien of the wickiups destroyed. ... The Indians emerged from the trying ordeal through which they had passed and came out into the world again, after having been confined to the limited area of their camping grounds ... with a higher and better conception of the white man’s civilization.”

That assessment aside, the Meskwaki Settlement survived and grew. It now covers 8,000 acres and is home to 800 of the tribe’s 1,300 members.

It wasn’t until 1980 that smallpox was declared eradicated worldwide.

l Comments: d.fannonlangton@gmail.com




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Smartwatch Showdown: Apple Watch vs. Fitbit Versa

In the world of smartwatches, the two big contenders are the Apple Watch and the Fitbit Versa. The Smartwatch Showdown infographic from The Watchstrap is very timely with recent news that Google has just acquired Fitbit.

In the world of wearable gadgets, smartwatches are all the rage at the moment. The smartwatch market is growing by the day, and new and improved devices are constantly being released. This means that picking the right smartwatch can be a real head-scratcher. To help you choose the right device for your needs, we’ve compared two of the hottest smartwatches on the market: the Apple Watch Series 4 and Fitbit Versa!

If you want to find out which of these devices came on top in the end, don’t miss the comprehensive infographic below!

First, this is a great use of infographics in content marketing! The Watchstrap is an online retailer of watch bands, and the infographic is a comparison design without being a sales pitch. It draws in traffic by providing valuable information, which build credibility for their brand.

There are a handful of things I didn’t like about the design itself that could be easily improved to make this a better infographic design:

  • Too much text. I realize there isn’t much data to work with, but they need to cut down the text in the infographic. Paragraphs of explanation don’t belong in the infographic, they belong on the landing page. The infographic should be short and draw in readers to the website if they want to learn more.

  • The scale is wrong in the Size & Design section of the infographic. The dimensions of the Apple Watch are larger, but the graphic illustration on the page is smaller. The illustrations should be visually correct to scale.

  • Eliminate any word wrap when possible. There are a number of list points that have one hanging word wrapping to a second line. This could be avoided by shortening the text or just widening the text box. There’s room in the design without wrapping some of these words.

  • The URL in the footer should link to the infographic landing page, not the home page of the company site.

  • Copyright or Creative Commons license is completely missing.

  • Don’t obscure the source by only listing the home page URL. What’s the link to the research data?




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Smashing Podcast Episode 15 With Phil Smith: How Can I Build An App In 10 Days?

In this episode of the Smashing Podcast, we’re talking about building apps on a tight timeline. How can you quickly turn around a project to respond to an emerging situation like COVID-19? Drew McLellan talks to Phil Smith to find out. Show Notes CardMedic React Native React Native for Web Expo Apiary Phil’s company amillionmonkeys Phil’s personal blog and Twitter Weekly Update Getting Started With Nuxt Implementing Dark Mode In React Apps Using styled-components How To Succeed In Wireframe Design Mirage JS Deep Dive: Understanding Mirage JS Models And Associations (Part 1) Readability Algorithms Should Be Tools, Not Targets Transcript Drew McLellan: He is director of the full-stack web development studio amillionmonkeys, where he partners with business owners and creative agencies to build digital products that make an impact.




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Meet SmashingConf Live: Our New Interactive Online Conference

In these strange times when everything is connected, it’s too easy to feel lonely and detached. Yes, everybody is just one message away, but there is always something in the way — deadlines to meet, Slack messages to reply, or urgent PRs to review. Connections need time and space to grow, just like learning, and conferences are a great way to find that time and that space. In fact, with SmashingConfs, we’ve always been trying to create such friendly and inclusive spaces.




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GraCIAS: Grassmannian of Corrupted Images for Adversarial Security. (arXiv:2005.02936v2 [cs.CV] UPDATED)

Input transformation based defense strategies fall short in defending against strong adversarial attacks. Some successful defenses adopt approaches that either increase the randomness within the applied transformations, or make the defense computationally intensive, making it substantially more challenging for the attacker. However, it limits the applicability of such defenses as a pre-processing step, similar to computationally heavy approaches that use retraining and network modifications to achieve robustness to perturbations. In this work, we propose a defense strategy that applies random image corruptions to the input image alone, constructs a self-correlation based subspace followed by a projection operation to suppress the adversarial perturbation. Due to its simplicity, the proposed defense is computationally efficient as compared to the state-of-the-art, and yet can withstand huge perturbations. Further, we develop proximity relationships between the projection operator of a clean image and of its adversarially perturbed version, via bounds relating geodesic distance on the Grassmannian to matrix Frobenius norms. We empirically show that our strategy is complementary to other weak defenses like JPEG compression and can be seamlessly integrated with them to create a stronger defense. We present extensive experiments on the ImageNet dataset across four different models namely InceptionV3, ResNet50, VGG16 and MobileNet models with perturbation magnitude set to {epsilon} = 16. Unlike state-of-the-art approaches, even without any retraining, the proposed strategy achieves an absolute improvement of ~ 4.5% in defense accuracy on ImageNet.




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IPG-Net: Image Pyramid Guidance Network for Small Object Detection. (arXiv:1912.00632v3 [cs.CV] UPDATED)

For Convolutional Neural Network-based object detection, there is a typical dilemma: the spatial information is well kept in the shallow layers which unfortunately do not have enough semantic information, while the deep layers have a high semantic concept but lost a lot of spatial information, resulting in serious information imbalance. To acquire enough semantic information for shallow layers, Feature Pyramid Networks (FPN) is used to build a top-down propagated path. In this paper, except for top-down combining of information for shallow layers, we propose a novel network called Image Pyramid Guidance Network (IPG-Net) to make sure both the spatial information and semantic information are abundant for each layer. Our IPG-Net has two main parts: the image pyramid guidance transformation module and the image pyramid guidance fusion module. Our main idea is to introduce the image pyramid guidance into the backbone stream to solve the information imbalance problem, which alleviates the vanishment of the small object features. This IPG transformation module promises even in the deepest stage of the backbone, there is enough spatial information for bounding box regression and classification. Furthermore, we designed an effective fusion module to fuse the features from the image pyramid and features from the backbone stream. We have tried to apply this novel network to both one-stage and two-stage detection models, state of the art results are obtained on the most popular benchmark data sets, i.e. MS COCO and Pascal VOC.




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Performance of the smallest-variance-first rule in appointment sequencing. (arXiv:1812.01467v4 [math.PR] UPDATED)

A classical problem in appointment scheduling, with applications in health care, concerns the determination of the patients' arrival times that minimize a cost function that is a weighted sum of mean waiting times and mean idle times. One aspect of this problem is the sequencing problem, which focuses on ordering the patients. We assess the performance of the smallest-variance-first (SVF) rule, which sequences patients in order of increasing variance of their service durations. While it was known that SVF is not always optimal, it has been widely observed that it performs well in practice and simulation. We provide a theoretical justification for this observation by proving, in various settings, quantitative worst-case bounds on the ratio between the cost incurred by the SVF rule and the minimum attainable cost. We also show that, in great generality, SVF is asymptotically optimal, i.e., the ratio approaches 1 as the number of patients grows large. While evaluating policies by considering an approximation ratio is a standard approach in many algorithmic settings, our results appear to be the first of this type in the appointment scheduling literature.




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Mutli-task Learning with Alignment Loss for Far-field Small-Footprint Keyword Spotting. (arXiv:2005.03633v1 [eess.AS])

In this paper, we focus on the task of small-footprint keyword spotting under the far-field scenario. Far-field environments are commonly encountered in real-life speech applications, and it causes serve degradation of performance due to room reverberation and various kinds of noises. Our baseline system is built on the convolutional neural network trained with pooled data of both far-field and close-talking speech. To cope with the distortions, we adopt the multi-task learning scheme with alignment loss to reduce the mismatch between the embedding features learned from different domains of data. Experimental results show that our proposed method maintains the performance on close-talking speech and achieves significant improvement on the far-field test set.




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An Optimal Control Theory for the Traveling Salesman Problem and Its Variants. (arXiv:2005.03186v1 [math.OC])

We show that the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and its many variants may be modeled as functional optimization problems over a graph. In this formulation, all vertices and arcs of the graph are functionals; i.e., a mapping from a space of measurable functions to the field of real numbers. Many variants of the TSP, such as those with neighborhoods, with forbidden neighborhoods, with time-windows and with profits, can all be framed under this construct. In sharp contrast to their discrete-optimization counterparts, the modeling constructs presented in this paper represent a fundamentally new domain of analysis and computation for TSPs and their variants. Beyond its apparent mathematical unification of a class of problems in graph theory, the main advantage of the new approach is that it facilitates the modeling of certain application-specific problems in their home space of measurable functions. Consequently, certain elements of economic system theory such as dynamical models and continuous-time cost/profit functionals can be directly incorporated in the new optimization problem formulation. Furthermore, subtour elimination constraints, prevalent in discrete optimization formulations, are naturally enforced through continuity requirements. The price for the new modeling framework is nonsmooth functionals. Although a number of theoretical issues remain open in the proposed mathematical framework, we demonstrate the computational viability of the new modeling constructs over a sample set of problems to illustrate the rapid production of end-to-end TSP solutions to extensively-constrained practical problems.




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Football High: Small Hits Add Up

Research is showing that the accumulation of sub-concussive hits in sports like football can be just as damaging as one or two major concussions.




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Despite risks, many in small town continue to support youth football

Despite multiple concussions, a high school freshman continues to play football. Will family tradition outweigh the risks?




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20 Company Website Designs to Inspire Your Small Business

As a small or midsize business (SMB), your company website is often the first touchpoint for potential clients — and you want it to make a great first impression. The secret to hitting home with your audience is to have a sophisticated and lively website design that’s aesthetically pleasing and provides great user experience (UX). […]

The post 20 Company Website Designs to Inspire Your Small Business appeared first on WebFX Blog.




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.NET Development Tools for Smart Development in 2020

.NET is indeed an important application development platform, as it's secure, robust, and quite easy to learn and implement. Developers are widely using the .NET framework to build web applications and even modernize legacy programming based applications into .NET-based ones. .NET developers also use many third-party tools to carry out development. These tools have proven to provide the best support for development.

Here are some of the top useful tools being used by many.NET development teams, .NET developers, individual .NET programmers, etc.




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Local distilleries are relying on curbside bottle sales - and small batches of hand sanitizer - to stay afloat

Drink Local In tumultuous times, one thing remains true: People still want their spirits.…



  • Food/Food News

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Adjacent to a ski resort, this mountainside hamlet offers plenty of small-town pleasures

If you've ever been compelled to visit Chewelah, it has likely been related to a trip to 49 Degrees North.…




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Methods for the synthesis of 13C labeled plasmalogen

A method for preparing 13C labeled plasmalogens as represented by Formula B: The method involves producing a 13C labeled cyclic plasmalogen precursor of Formula A: and conversion of the precursor to a plasmalogen of Formula B.




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Steam plasma arc hydrolysis of ozone depleting substances

A two step process for the destruction of a precursor material using a steam plasma in a three zone reactor wherein the precursor material is hydrolyzed as a first step in the high temperature zone of the reactor, followed by a second step of medium temperature oxidation of the reactant stream in the combustion zone of the reactor where combustion oxygen or air is injected and immediate quenching of the resulting gas stream to avoid the formation of unwanted by-products. A related apparatus includes a non transferred direct current steam plasma torch, an externally cooled three zone steam plasma reactor means for introducing the precursor material into the plasma plume of the plasma torch, means for introducing the combustion air or oxygen into the combustion zone, means for exiting the reactant mixture from the reactor and means for quenching the reactant mixture located at the exit end of the reactor.




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Method and apparatus for applying plasma particles to a liquid and use for disinfecting water

The invention provides a method and apparatus for creating plasma particles and applying the plasma particles to a liquid. Liquid feedstock (e.g., water and/or hydrocarbons mixed with biomass) is pumped through a pipeline; the single-phase stream is then transformed into a biphasic liquid-and-gas stream inside a chamber. The transformation is achieved by transitioning the stream from a high pressure zone to a lower-pressure zone. The pressure drop may occur when the stream further passes through a device for atomizing liquid. Inside the chamber, an electric field is generated with an intensity level that exceeds the threshold of breakdown voltage of the biphasic medium leading to a generation of a plasma state. Furthermore, the invention provides an energy-efficient highly adaptable and versatile method and apparatus for sanitizing water using plasma particles to inactivate biological agents contaminating water.




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Optimizing a rate of transfer of data between an RF generator and a host system within a plasma tool

A bus interconnect interfaces a host system to a radio frequency (RF) generator that is coupled to a plasma chamber. The bus interconnect includes a first set of host ports, which are used to provide a power component setting and a frequency component setting to the RF generator. The ports of the first set of host ports are used to receive distinct variables that change over time. The bus interconnect further includes a second set of generator ports used to send a power read back value and a frequency read back value to the host system. The bus interconnect includes a sampler circuit integrated with the host system. The sampler circuit is configured to sample signals at the ports of the first set at selected clock edges to capture operating state data of the plasma chamber and the RF generator.




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Production of small particles

The present invention relates to a method for producing particles of a compound of interest. In a method according to the invention a solution is provided of the compound of interest in a solvent. This solution is thickened or gelled and particles are formed. The invention further relates to a particle that is obtainable by the invention.




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Automatically preventing large block writes from starving small block writes in a storage device

A mechanism is provided in a storage device for performing a write operation. The mechanism configures a write buffer memory with a plurality of write buffer portions. Each write buffer portion is dedicated to a predetermined block size category within a plurality of block size categories. For each write operation from an initiator, the mechanism determines a block size category of the write operation. The mechanism performs each write operation by writing to a write buffer portion within the plurality of write buffer portions corresponding to the block size category of the write operation.




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Compositions and methods for silencing SMAD4

The present invention provides compositions comprising therapeutic nucleic acids such as interfering RNA (e.g., dsRNA such as siRNA) that target SMAD4 gene expression, lipid particles comprising one or more (e.g., a cocktail) of the therapeutic nucleic acids, methods of making the lipid particles, and methods of delivering and/or administering the lipid particles (e.g., for treating anemia of inflammation in humans).




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Estimating loss rates of links in smart grids

A method for estimating loss rates of links in a smart grid includes identifying end-to-end passage rates from a source to each of multiple receiver and/or load meters in a smart grid, and estimating a loss in at least one link of the grid by identifying the sparsest solution of link loss rates that matches the end-to-end passage rates. Also, a system includes a memory, a processor coupled thereto, and software modules executing on the processor, including a monitoring module for monitoring power flow of receiver and/or load meters in a smart grid, a measurement collector module for collecting measurements to compute end-to-end passage rates from a source to each receiver and/or load meter, and a processing module for estimating a loss in a link of the grid by identifying the sparsest solution of link loss rates matching the end-to-end passage rates.




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Method and apparatus for concentrating platelets from platelet-rich plasma

An apparatus for use with a centrifugal cellular separation device that comprises a rotor rotatable about an axis of rotation is provided that comprises a fluid separation chamber having a first port, a second port spaced apart from the first port, and a third port located intermediate the first port and the second port. The fluid separation chamber has a cross sectional area generally transverse to a radius extending from the axis of rotation that varies between the first port and the second port. The fluid separation chamber is adapted to be mounted to the rotor so as to be rotatable therewith, with the first port located at a greater radial distance from the axis than the second port, and the third port located radially intermediate the first port and the second port.




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Dynamic small cell provisioning and frequency tuning

A system may include a macro cell base station configured to determine a service quality associated with the macro cell base station; determine whether the service quality is below a quality threshold; and instruct a small cell base station to switch from a sleep mode to an awake mode, when the service quality is below the quality threshold. The system may further include a small cell base station, located within a coverage area of the macro cell base station, configured to enter an awake mode, when instructed to enter the awake mode by the macro cell base station; and inform the macro cell base station that the small cell base station is in awake mode. The macro cell base station may be further configured to hand over one or more user devices to the small cell base station, when the small cell base station is in the awake mode.




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Small molecule inhibitors of polynucleotide kinase/phosphatase, poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and uses thereof

The present invention generally relates to use of compounds and compositions as a chemosensitizers and/or radiosensitizers and/or inhibitors of PNKP phosphatase activity. The present invention provides pharmaceutical combinations and/or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, kits containing such compounds and/composition and methods of using such compounds and/or compositions.




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In-liquid plasma electrode, in-liquid plasma generating apparatus and in-liquid plasma generating method

An in-liquid plasma electrode according to the present invention is an in-liquid plasma electrode for generating plasma in a liquid and has an electrically conductive member having an electric discharge end surface in contact with the liquid, and an electrically insulating member covering an outer periphery of the conductive member at least except the electric discharge end surface. Preferably, d and x satisfy −2d≦x≦2d, where d is a length of a minor axis of the cross section when a conductive end portion of the electrically conductive member having the electric discharge end surface has an approximately circular cross section, or d is a length of a short side of the cross section when the conductive end portion has an approximately rectangular cross section, and x is a distance from a reference plane to a plane containing the electric discharge end surface when the reference plane is an end surface of the electrically insulating member that is approximately parallel with the electric discharge end surface. Owing to this construction, it is possible to provide an in-liquid plasma electrode which can simply generate plasma in a wide variety of liquids including a conductive liquid such as water and alcohol, and furthermore an in-liquid plasma generating apparatus having this electrode, and an in-liquid plasma generating method using this electrode.




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Smart medicine container assembly

Present invention discloses a dispenser having means to dispense desired number of pills from a bulk supply of pills contained in the dispenser. The dispenser comprises of storage compartment having bulk supply of pills and having a discharge port emptying into counting compartment The counting compartment contains first and second conveyors moving at first and second speed; wherein the second speed is greater than the first speed thereby enabling pill separation; the second conveyor discharges pills into dispensing compartment. Sensors are strategically placed along the conveyors to count pills discharged into dispensing compartment. A pill recovery system and apparatus is disposed inside the dispenser having means to recover pills remaining on conveyors upon completion of a dispensation cycle and deposit recovered pills back into the storage compartment for use in future dispensation cycles. A docking station having receptacles to accommodate dispenser is provided. Docking station has communication ports enabling two-way communication with personal computer.




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Method and device to measure temperature of a prismatic cell of automotive battery

Apparatuses and methods of use are provided that include a battery cell comprising a flexible resistive thermal device. The resistive thermal device includes a flexible conductive circuit that is positioned on or adjacent to the surface of the battery cell. Resistance measured in the conductive circuit is correlated with a temperature of the battery cell thereby allowing control of a cooling system and/or the charging/discharging rates of the battery cell to be adjusted in response to temperature. Flexibility of the resistive thermal device also accommodates dimensional changes in the battery cell.