Portrait Lighting is a powerful photography tool available on newer iPhone models cameras. Apple aimed to bring studio-quality effects to the camera app by analyzing light on a subject in real-time while in portrait mode, and the result is the portrait lighting mode feature. There are five different studio-like effects to choose from, in the ... Read More

oscon: RT @build_cloud: Play poker w/ Apache #CloudStack's community members above Portland's city lights at #OSCON! Register now...

velocityconf: Who's up for a 5 minute lightning talk. Last day to get your #Ignite proposal in for #velocityconf CA. http://t.co/pzL0WJtQH5

Daily, social media is flooded with requests for funding by non-NSFAS students on the brink of financial exclusion at tertiary institutions, because they're unable to raise the money needed to cover historical debt so that they can continue with their studies.

The 2Checkout team kicked off Feb 2019 by joining over 12,000 participants in San Jose for SaaStr Annual 2019, the largest conference in the world for B2B software. The general consensus of 2Checkout team members at the end of the conference was simple and to the point: “It. Was. Amazing.”

One of the most popular hikes in South America, the Inca Trail is definitely the experience of a lifetime. A centuries-old trail, it begins in the ancient Incan capital of Cusco and winds some 88 kilometers to some of the world’s most iconic ruins: Machu Picchu. Of course, the entirety of Inca Trail is absolutely stunning, from stunning snowcapped Andean peaks to centuries-old ruins situated in bucolic river valleys. However, these 5 highlights are truly bound to make your jaw drop.

Wayllabamba. The endpoint of the first day’s trek along the Inca Trail, Wayllabamba, which means “grassy plain” in Quechua, is the perfect spot to watch the sunset behind the dramatic Andean peaks. This grassy plain overlooks a stunning spot of Andean scenery, with centuries-old Incan terraces winding through the surrounding mountainsides. There is even a village nearby where travelers can mingle with local villagers.

The Valley of Llulluchapampa. Trekkers will start off the first portion of day two of the journey hiking through the picturesque Valley of Llulluchapampa. As you gradually ascend in altitude, you will even be afforded perfect views of stunning snowcapped cliffs.

Runkuracay: This unique oval structure, sometimes colloquially know as the “Egg Hut,” is believed to have been a kind of rest stop for Incan travelers, called a tambo, providing them with a place to spend the night and rest their animals. It is the perfect place to enjoy a mid-hike break and marvel at the beauty of Incan architecture.

Sayacmarca: First discovered by the famous Hiram Bingham when he wandered along a road extending from Machu Picchu, the dramatic Sayacmarca is situated at a fork in an old Incan road in a dense subtropical forest full of butterflies and hummingbirds. Quechua for “Dominant Town,” these unique ruins have an almost mystical air about them and are arguably the most impressive along the Inca Trail (except for Machu Picchu itself, of course!). It is believed that Sayacmarca was actually built by the Colla, a major enemy of the Incas, and that the Incas took over the site following their conquest of the group.

Phuyupatamarca: Dubbed “La Ciudad entre la Niebla” (“The City above the Clouds”), this major archeological site is situated a staggering 3,200 meters above sea level. Apropos to the nickname, Phuyupatamarca is very often surrounded by dense, white clouds. The ruins, dramatically constructed into a steep cliffside, contain five stone baths that fill up with freshwater during the rainy season. It is believed that these baths were used for religious ceremonies. Visitors can also check out the site’s elaborate hydraulic system, a true testament to impressive capabilities of Incan engineering. Of all of the Incan ruins in the region, Phuyupatamarca is arguably the most intact and therefore a truly spectacular site for trekkers passing through.

Huiñay Huayna (Wiñay Wayna): Huiñay Huayna (traditionally spelled Wiñay Wayna in Quechua, the language of the Incas) was constructed into a steep hillside overlooking the Urubamba River. In addition to the site’s ancient houses and temples, it also boasts an incredibly complex system of Incan terraces, formerly used for agriculture. The name of the site roughly translates to “Forever Young,” and many trekkers report that these ruins are the most beautiful found along the trail.

These are just some of what you will see along the Inca Trail: Learn more about popular Inca Trail itineraries here

Invisibility is no longer confined to fiction. In a recent experiment, microwaves were bent around a cylinder and returned to their original trajectories, rendering the cylinder almost invisible at those wavelengths. This doesn't mean that we're ready for invisible humans (or spaceships), but by using Maxwell's equations, which are partial differential equations fundamental to electromagnetics, mathematicians have demonstrated that in some simple cases not seeing is believing, too. Part of this successful demonstration of invisibility is due to metamaterials electromagnetic materials that can be made to have highly unusual properties. Another ingredient is a mathematical transformation that stretches a point into a ball, "cloaking" whatever is inside. This transformation was discovered while researchers were pondering how a tumor could escape detection. Their attempts to improve visibility eventually led to the development of equations for invisibility. A more recent transformation creates an optical "wormhole," which tricks electromagnetic waves into behaving as if the topology of space has changed. We'll finish with this: For More Information: Metamaterial Electromagnetic Cloak at Microwave Frequencies, D. Schurig et al, Science, November 10, 2006.

The first batch of about 300 Hong Kong residents stranded in Pakistan will take a chartered flight tentatively scheduled to leave Islamabad on the morning of April 30 and arrive in Hong Kong in the afternoon.

In a statement today, the Security Bureau said the returnees upon arrival at Hong Kong International Airport will proceed to the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre at AsiaWorld-Expo by coach for compulsory COVID-19 testing before they are transferred to the quarantine centre at Chun Yeung Estate for a 14-day quarantine.

In view of the COVID-19 situation, the Pakistan Government banned all international flight movements since late March, resulting in Hong Kong residents there being unable to return to Hong Kong through normal means.

The Immigration Department has received requests for assistance from Hong Kong residents stranded there and as at yesterday, it has successfully contacted about 1,600 of them.

Due to the large number of people requesting assistance and having regard to the returnees' quarantine arrangements, the capacities for testing, and the quarantine and treatment facilities, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government must adopt a phased approach in assisting their return, subject to the circumstances.

The first batch of Hong Kong residents on the chartered flight are those staying in Islamabad and its surrounding areas. They also include people with special needs such as those with illnesses and pregnant women.

The cost of taking the chartered flight is about $6,000 per person and is borne by the user.

The Security Bureau said the chartered flight could not have been arranged smoothly without the staunch support of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (OCMFA) and the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, as well as the full co-operation rendered by the Pakistan Government and the Consulate General of Pakistan in Hong Kong.

The bureau said the Hong Kong SAR Government will continue to liaise with the residents still in Pakistan and assist in their return.

Meanwhile, a flight will arrive from Doha this afternoon carrying about 170 Hong Kong residents returning from Pakistan themselves.

The bureau added that upon their arrival in Hong Kong, they will be arranged to leave deep throat saliva samples at the Temporary Specimen Collection Centre before being admitted to the quarantine centre at Chun Yeung Estate for a 14-day quarantine.

Apart from Pakistan, the Indian Government has also since late March banned all international flight movements. As at yesterday, the Immigration Department has successfully contacted about 3,100 Hong Kong residents stranded there who sought assistance to return home.

The Hong Kong SAR Government is maintaining close contact with the OCMFA, the Chinese Embassy in India and the Consulate General of India in Hong Kong, while also contacting several airlines to arrange return flights to Hong Kong.

(Arizona State University) Cun-Zheng Ning, a professor of electrical engineering in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, and collaborators from Tsinghua University in China discovered a process of physics that enables low-power nanolasers to be produced in 2D semiconductor materials. Understanding the physics behind lasers at nanoscale and how they interact with semiconductors can have major implications for high-speed communication channels for supercomputers and data centers.

(Florida Atlantic University) Despite PPE use, reports show that many health care workers contracted COVID-19. A novel training technique reinforces the importance of using proper procedures to put on and take off PPE when caring for patients during the pandemic. Researchers vividly demonstrate how aerosol-generating procedures can lead to exposure of the contagion with improper PPE use. The most common error made by the health care workers was contaminating the face or forearms during PPE removal.

(King's College London) A study of female astronauts has assessed the risk of blood clots associated with spaceflight.The study, published in Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, in collaboration with King's College London, the Centre for Space Medicine Baylor College of Medicine, NASA Johnson Space Centre and the International Space University, examines the potential risk factors for developing a blood clot (venous thromboembolism) in space.

(Kobe University) Hydrogen is a possible next generation energy solution, and it can be produced from sunlight and water using photocatalysts. A research group from Kobe University has developed a strategy that greatly increases the amount of hydrogen produced using hematite photocatalysts. In addition to boosting the high efficiency of what is thought to be the world's highest performing photoanode, this strategy will be applied to artificial photosynthesis and solar water-splitting technologies via university-industry collaborations.

(American Chemical Society) Modern society relies on polymers, such as polypropylene or polyethylene plastic, for a wide range of applications, from food containers to automobile parts to medical devices. However, like people, polymers age, and when they do, the materials become prone to cracking or breaking. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Central Science have developed a method to visualize variations in polymers that arise with age.

(University of Warwick) 21st century X-ray technology has allowed University of Warwick scientists to peer back through time at the production of the armour worn by the crew of Henry VIII's favoured warship, the Mary Rose.

(King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)) Optical fibers wrapped around date palm trunks could help detect this tree's most destructive pest early enough to save it.

(American Geriatrics Society) The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) and the AGS Health in Aging Foundation today announced that two expert researchers--Kavita Dharmarajan, MD, MSc, an assistant professor in the Department of Radiation Oncology and the Brookdale Department of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in N.Y.; and Nazema Siddiqui, MD, MHSc, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.--will receive the 2020 Jeffrey H. Silverstein Memorial Award.

(University of Sydney) Data centres and digital information processors are reaching their capacity limits and producing heat. Foundational work here on optical-acoustic microchips opens door to low-heat, low-energy, fast internet.

E xcess Love, a song by Nigerian gospel artiste Mercy Chinwo, has found favour with both Christians and non-Christians alike and has been flooding the airwaves since last year. Joanna Walker, the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's (JCDC)...

By William Yslas Vélez Professor Emeritus University of Arizona “When I go to a Mexican restaurant I would gladly pay the musicians to stop playing.” John (not his real name) did not like the noise level. This statement came up … Continue reading →

Methods that provide rapid access to radiolabeled antibodies are vital in the development of diagnostic and radiotherapeutic agents for positron emission tomography (PET) or radioimmunotherapy. The human hepatocyte growth factor receptor (c-MET) signaling pathway is dysregulated in a number of malignancies including gastric cancer, and is an important biomarker in drug discovery. Here, we used a photoradiochemical approach to produce ⁸⁹Zr-radiolabeled onartuzumab (a monovalent, anti-human c-MET antibody), starting directly from the fully formulated drug (MetMAb). Methods: Simultaneous ⁸⁹Zr-radiolabeling and protein conjugation was performed in one-pot reactions containing ⁸⁹Zr-oxalate, the photoactive chelate DFO-aryl azide (DFO-ArN3) and MetMAb to give ⁸⁹ZrDFO-azepin-onartuzumab. As a control, ⁸⁹ZrDFO-Bn-NCS-onartuzumab was prepared via a conventional two-step process using pre-purified onartuzumab and DFO-Bn-NCS. Radiotracers were purified by using size-exclusion methods and evaluated by radiochromatography. Radiochemical stability was studied in human serum and immunoreactivity was determined by cellular binding assays using MKN-45 gastric carcinoma cells. PET imaging at multiple time points (0–72 h) was performed in female athymic nude mice bearing subcutaneous MKN-45 xenografts. Biodistribution experiments were performed after the final image. Tumor specificity of ⁸⁹ZrDFO-azepin-onartuzumab was assessed by competitive inhibition (blocking) studies. Results: Initial photoradiosynthesis experiments produced ⁸⁹ZrDFO-azepin-onartuzumab in <15 min. with an isolated decay-corrected radiochemical yield (RCY) of 24.8%, a radiochemical purity (RCP) ~90% and a molar activity (Am) of ~1.5 MBq nmol^-1. Reaction optimization improved the radiochemical conversion (RCC) of ⁸⁹ZrDFO-azepin-onartuzumab to 56.9±4.1% (n = 3), with isolated RCYs of 41.2±10.6% (n = 3), and RCPs >90%. Conventional methods produced ⁸⁹ZrDFO-Bn-NCS-onartuzumab with isolated RCY >97%, RCP >97% and Am ~14.0 MBq nmol^-1. Both radiotracers were immunoreactive and stable in human serum. PET imaging and biodistribution studies showed high tumor uptake for both radiotracers. By 72 h, tumor and liver uptake reached 15.37±5.21 %ID g^-1, 6.56±4.03 %ID g^-1, respectively for ⁸⁹ZrDFO-azepin-onartuzumab (n = 4), and 21.38±11.57 %ID g^-1 and 18.84±6.03 %ID g^-1 for ⁸⁹ZrDFO-Bn-NCS-onartuzumab (n = 4). Blocking experiments gave a statistically significant reduction in tumor uptake (6.34±0.47 %ID g^-1) of ⁸⁹ZrDFO-azepin-onartuzumab (n = 4). Conclusion: Experiments demonstrate that photoradiosynthesis is a viable alternative approach for producing ⁸⁹Zr-radiolabeled antibodies direct in protein formulation buffer which reduces protein aggregation and liver uptake.

Depth-encoding detectors with single-ended readout provide a practical, cost-effective approach for constructing high resolution and high sensitivity PET scanners. However, the current iteration of such detectors utilizes a uniform glass light guide to achieve depth-encoding, resulting in non-uniform performance throughout the detector array due to suboptimal intercrystal light sharing. We introduce Prism-PET, a single-ended readout PET detector module with a segmented light guide composed of an array of prismatoids that introduces enhanced, deterministic light sharing. Methods: High resolution PET detector modules were fabricated with single-ended readout of polished multicrystal lutetium yttrium orthosilicate (LYSO) scintillator arrays directly coupled 4-to-1 and 9-to-1 to arrays of 3.2 x 3.2 mm² silicon photomultiplier pixels. Each scintillator array was coupled at the non-readout side to a light guide (one 4-to-1 module with a uniform glass light guide, one 4-to-1 Prism-PET module and one 9-to-1 Prism-PET module) to introduce intercrystal light sharing, which closely mimics the behavior of dual-ended readout with the additional benefit of improved crystal identification. Flood histogram data was acquired using a 3 MBq Na-22 source to characterize crystal identification and energy resolution. Lead collimation was used to acquire data at specific depths to determine depth-of-interaction (DOI) resolution. Results: The flood histogram measurements showed excellent and uniform crystal separation throughout the Prism-PET modules while the uniform glass light guide module had performance degradation at the edges and corners. A DOI resolution of 5.0 mm full width at half maximum (FWHM) and energy resolution of 13% were obtained in the uniform glass light guide module. By comparison, the 4-to-1 coupled Prism-PET module achieved 2.5 mm FWHM DOI resolution and 9% energy resolution. Conclusion: PET scanners based on our Prism-PET modules with segmented prismatoid light guide arrays can achieve high and uniform spatial resolution (9-to-1 coupling with ~ 1 mm crystals), high sensitivity, good energy and timing resolutions (using polished crystals and after applying DOI-correction), and compact size (depth-encoding eliminates parallax error and permits smaller ring-diameter).

Vitamin A aldehyde covalently bound to opsin protein is embedded in a phospholipid-rich membrane that supports photon absorption and phototransduction in photoreceptor cell outer segments. Following absorption of a photon, the 11-cis-retinal chromophore of visual pigment in photoreceptor cells isomerizes to all-trans-retinal. To maintain photosensitivity 11-cis-retinal must be replaced. At the same time, however, all-trans-retinal has to be handled so as to prevent nonspecific aldehyde activity. Some molecules of retinaldehyde upon release from opsin are efficiently reduced to retinol. Other molecules are released into the lipid phase of the disc membrane where they form a conjugate (N-retinylidene-PE, NRPE) through a Schiff base linkage with phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). The reversible formation of NRPE serves as a transient sink for retinaldehyde that is intended to return retinaldehyde to the visual cycle. However, if instead of hydrolyzing to PE and retinaldehyde, NRPE reacts with a second molecule of retinaldehyde a synthetic pathway is initiated that leads to the formation of multiple species of unwanted bisretinoid fluorophores. We report on recently identified members of the bisretinoid family some of which differ with respect to the acyl chains associated with the glycerol backbone. We discuss processing of the lipid moieties of these fluorophores in lysosomes of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, their fluorescence characters and new findings related to light and iron-associated oxidation of bisretinoids.

Invitation Only Research Event

Event participants

Mathieu Boulegue, Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Nikolai Petrov, Senior Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Ekaterina Schulmann, Associate Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Chair: James Nixey, Programme Director, Russia and Eurasia, Chatham House

Invitation Only Research Event

Event participants

Mathieu Boulegue, Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Nikolai Petrov, Senior Research Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Ekaterina Schulmann, Associate Fellow, Russia and Eurasia Programme, Chatham House
Chair: James Nixey, Programme Director, Russia and Eurasia, Chatham House

We could dance on Gravity, We could burst the Sun, We could be that horror Alien who stole your child, We are born metal touching galaxies though glass, Galileo’s kids seeing through Sombrero, We could look after water, Or it’s facsimile, We could look after Earth.                                                                                                                                                         evocative short poetry

The brown bee, Big as a bear, That visits my Polyandra, Flies meticulous patterns around morning blooms Dispersing pollen, As easily as the hummingbird next to it, Serenades hibiscus. We spend time collecting memories and ornaments like, Christmas bulbs have no lifetime, We miss Pansy’s and Holly’s and Twinkly lights, At Sundown, When closets shut, […]

IT IS said that every cloud has a silver lining, and that could still hold true, even in the midst of a terrifying global pandemic. Despite COVID-19, the cycle of life continues, and out of it has sprung forth an inspiring poetry competition,...

In our accompanying roundtable discussion,we hear views from a group of patients and clinicians based largely in the UK on the actions required  to advance  progress towards providing patient centred care. To extend the conversation we talked to members of the BMJ's international patient advisory panel and other patient advocates - and what...

Participants in our discussion on person centred care in January agreed that a change in culture and better use of technology could benefit both patients and doctors. At the roundtable: Fiona Godlee (chair), editor in chief, The BMJ Tessa Richards, senior editor, patient partnership, The BMJ Rosamund Snow, patient editor, The BMJ Navjoyt Ladher,...

THE SWITCH towards liquefied natural gas, LNG, as fuel to produce power supplies for Jamaica has a downside for electricity customers, who are largely missing out on the big oil savings. The near two-thirds plunge in oil prices will have limited...

Playing in Taiwan once was a last option Justin Nicolino had to continue a professional baseball career. Now the former Miami Marlins pitcher is one of many ex-MLB players who provide entertainment for U.S. sports fans.

Caroline S. Fox
Sep 1, 2015; 38:1777-1803
Scientific Statement

This year the February observance of National Children’s Dental Health Month honors the 75th anniversary of community water fluoridation with its theme, “Fluoride in water prevents cavities! Get it from the tap!”

When Dr. Gil Rivera became a dentist, he had no idea his career would take him to the bloodied and bruised front lines of the NHL, but nearly 18 years later, he continues to treat the ravaged mouths of professional hockey players as the team dentist of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The International Association for Dental Research and American Association for Dental Research have canceled their general session scheduled for March 18-21 in Washington, D.C., in light of the coronavirus disease outbreak.