Yulia Sister

Yulia Sister (, ; born September 12, 1936 in Chișinău, Bessarabia, Romania) is a Soviet Moldavian and Israeli analytical chemist engaged in chemical research with the use of polarography and chromatography, a science historian, and a researcher of Russian Jewry in Israel, France, and other countries. She holds the position of Director General of the Research Centre for Russian Jews abroad and in Israel.
Biography.
Early childhood and schools.
Yulia Sister was born in 1936 in Chișinău (Russian: Kishinev), at the time in the Kingdom of Romania, a city which later became the capital of the Moldavian SSR and since 1991 is the capital of Moldova. Her parents and paternal grandparents were also born in this city. The grandparents were there and survived the pogrom of 1903.
David Iosifovich, Yulia's father, was a doctor educated in Prague at Charles University. He used to tell his daughter about his student years, the Bessarabian association of fellow-countrymen in Prague and his meetings with famous people. Yulia's mother Yevgenia (Bathsheba) Moiseevna copied for her by hand children's verses and Yulia learned to read quite early. Among the first poems was "What Is Good and What Is Bad" by Mayakovsky.
Yulia's grandparents stuck to traditions and spoke Yiddish, and grandfather Yosef (Iosif) even wrote Yiddish poetry. But Yulia could hardly remember them. Her grandfather Moshe (Moisei) died before she was born; her parental grandparents lost their lives in the Kishinev Ghetto in the Holocaust and her grandmother Sarah died during the World War II in evacuation.
During the 2nd World War Bessarabia was reclaimed and then occupied by the Soviet Union in June 1940. A year later in July 1941 it was reconquered by Germany and Romania, and in August 1944 reoccupied by the Soviet Union. In her memoirs Yulia recalled the day when the Red Army entered Kishinev. She also remembered the German bombing of the city and the air raids on the roads, by which her family escaped to the East from the Nazis.
At the beginning of the war David Sister and his family was evacuated to the left bank of the Volga River where he was appointed chief physician at the district hospital and a consultant of the nearby military hospital. The hospital was located in the open steppe between two villages and on the other side of Volga there was Stalingrad. The family lived there a few years. There were no other children in the neighborhood and Yulia had no friends to play with. But she was fascinated by the local nature and made observations of plants and animals. The inhabitants of the hospital could hear the cannonade from the other bank, and during the battle of Stalingrad it became particularly strong.
In 1944 Yulia's family moved to Kirovograd where she, after a year's delay, was enrolled in the first grade of primary education. A year later the family came back to the native city of Kishinev. Despite severe post-war shortages and difficulties, the Sister's family succeeded to restore their home, which included a huge library. Among the family friends and guests were writers, actors, musicians and scientists, and Yulia grew up in an atmosphere of thirst for knowledge.
Between the years of 1945 and 1954 Yulia Sister studied at the School for Girls Number 2 in Kishinev. Chemistry was taught very passionately by a teacher that loved the subject and was able to convey her enthusiasm to the students. On the advice of her teacher Sister participated in the chemistry enrichment program for school children that was carried out by Professor at the University of Kishinev.
Education and research career.
Yulia Sister entered the Department of Chemistry of the University of Kishinev in the fall 1954. While asked by Professor , who interviewed the applicants to the Department, why she has chosen this Department, she explained that thanks to her school teacher she fell in love with chemistry. At the University Yulia was involved in various campus activities, and served as an editor of the faculty newspaper "Chemist". Since her second year at the University she became a member of the student scientific society and was engaged in the research of compounds called heteropolyacids. In 1959 Sister successfully defended her Master's thesis "Precipitation chromatography of heteropolyacids." and graduated with honors from the University of Kishinev.
Upon completion of the studies Sister was assigned to the laboratory of analytical chemistry headed by Professor Yuri Lyalikov. The laboratory was a part of the Institute of Chemistry at the Moldavian branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, which became the Academy of Sciences of Moldova in 1961. Working in this laboratory allowed the young chemist Sister to begin her research with new polarographic methods. In order to carry out analysis of organic compounds by the means of alternating-current (ac) polarography Yulia built with her own hands a polarograph and received the first polarograms. Sister was the first in Moldova (with Y. S. Lyalikov), who applied the methods of ac polarography and second harmonic ac polarography for analyzing organic compounds. Then, together with the physicist Vil Senkevich, they assembled an automatic device, and only later began the serial production of polarographs in the USSR. In the early 1960s Yulia published her first research articles. In 1967 she received her Ph.D. from the Institute of Chemistry of the Moldavian Academy of Sciences.
Through 25 years of research at the Institute of Chemistry Sister dealt with a wide range of topics. Her ecology oriented research included analysis of pesticides in environmental samples, food items and biological mediums. She participated in research and analysis of suspensions and was involved in analyzing new organic compounds. Sister made a substantial contribution to the development of such methods as the second harmonic ac polarography, the difference polarography with magnetic recording, the chromatopolarography. For about 20 years Yulia Sister served as a consultant on the use of the polarographic method in biology at the Department of Human and Animal Physiology of the University of Kishinev.
In 1984 Yulia Sister was invited to work with the Institute of Technology and Development where she soon headed the laboratory of physical and chemical methods. The Institute was affiliated to a research and production association in the Ialoveni (formerly Kutuzov). Sister and her laboratory were using a variety of research methods and among them the high-performance liquid chromatography being at that time a new approach in the laboratories of the country. She also contributed as a board member of Moldavian branch of the Mendeleev Chemical Society and led the program "Young Chemist" in the Moldavian Republic. Many of her students, the former young chemists, became later scientists and managers of respectable companies.
New activities and challenges.
Yulia Sister and her family repatriated to Israel in 1990. In 1992–1993 she served as a senior researcher of the Department of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and then she was engaged in the topics related to the analysis of biological objects at the Tel Aviv University. During these years, along with her career in chemistry, Yulia Sister became deeply interested in the study of Russian-Jewish culture.
In 1991 Sister began to write for the Shorter Jewish Encyclopedia (SJE) as a non-staff editor. She served as a research fellow covering the field of history of science and wrote about 90 articles for the encyclopedia. Yulia is the author of the articles "Chemistry" (jointly with P. Smorodnitsky), "Veniamin Levich", "Frederick Reines", "Moise Haissinsky", "Yuri Golfand" and many others.
Yulia Sister's activities in the House of Scientists and Experts of Rehovot started in 1991. Within this forum she organizes lectures, seminars and scientific conferences. She leads the scientific seminars of the House of Scientists that are regularly held at the Weizmann Institute of Science. In 2008, and then in 2014 she organized conferences devoted to the Bilu movement and to the First Aliyah. She also maintains friendly contacts with foreign colleagues, such as the Club of Russian-speaking scientists of Massachusetts.
In 1997 Mikhail Parkhomovsky initiated creation of the Research Center for Russian Jewry Abroad, which aimed to collect and publish information on Jews, who emigrated from the Russian Empire, Soviet Union or Post-Soviet states and made a contribution to world civilization. Parkhomovsky became the Scientific Director and Chief Editor and Yulia Sister Director General of the Center. From 2012 the Center changed its name to Research Centre for Russian Jews abroad and in Israel (Erzi). The collection, processing and publication of materials related to Russian Jewry are organized by Sister. By 2015 the Center published about 30 volumes of collections, including books devoted to Jews in England, France, U.S., Israel and other countries. In addition to her executive functions, Sister is a frequent editor and author of the Center's collective monographs. She is the editor of the 17th volume ("Let Us Build the Walls of Jerusalem. Book 3"), a coeditor of the 11th volume ("Let Us Build the Walls of Jerusalem. Book 1") and of the monograph "Israel, Russian Roots", and a participant in the editing of the 10th volume.
Sister's activities include the organization of seminars and conferences. The following examples are a small sampling of the events organized by the Director General of the Center. In 1999 she was the coordinator of the conference dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. Together with Prof. Aron Cherniak she published a detailed report on the conference and some of its materials in the 8th volume of the "Russian Jewry Abroad" series. In 2003 Sister led a conference in Kiryat Ekron, in which she introduced the contribution of the Russian Aliyah to Israeli science, culture and education. More than 200 scientists from all over the country participated at the tenth-anniversary of the Center conference in 2007. The 2012 conference was devoted to the 130th anniversary of the First Aliyah and the event was covered by the House of Scientists of Rehovot.
Yulia Sister lives with her family in Kiryat Ekron. Her husband, Boris (Bezalel) Iosifovich Gendler, is a physician with an extensive experience in medical practice and education. After his repatriation from Kishinev Bezalel Gendler worked as a doctor in one of the Israeli hospitals and published several articles, some of them in collaboration with Yulia.
Selected publications.
Chemistry.
Yulia Sister is the author or co-author of more than 200 scientific publications.


Prepress proofing

A contract proof usually serves as an agreement between customer and printer and as a color reference guide for adjusting the press before the final press run. Most contract proofs are a prepress proof.
The primary goal of proofing is to serve as a tool for customer verification that the entire job is accurate. Prepress proofing (also known as off-press proofing) is a cost-effective way of providing a visual copy without the expense of creating a press proof. If errors are found during the printing process on press, correcting them can prove very costly to one or both parties involved.
Press time is the most expensive part of print media. The main objective of proofing is to produce either a soft or hard copy of what the final product will look like on press. Hard-copy proofing usually involves ink-jet printing or other technologies (i.e. Laminate Proof) to produce high-quality one-off copies of the production artwork. Soft proofing usually involves highly color accurate wide-gamut computer displays.
"The printed proof is a dispassionate simulation of the ultimate output – a CMYK press sheet. The mission of a proofing system is to create accurate predictions, not pretty pictures." In the best conditions the proofing process will actually try to emulate the effects of the printing press through color management and screening techniques, which can be quite challenging because proofing devices may behave and operate quite differently from press devices.
History.
Since the first days of Johannes Gutenberg, proofing has just been press proofs - one makes a short run on the press in order to verify what is to be done on a production run. As technology evolved to lower the per-copy cost of a printing job, the cost of starting a production run continued to rise. Today, it can be very costly to start up a production press, and thus it is cost-prohibitive to run a press proof. While some people may think a press proof is the ultimate proof quality, this is not necessarily so, especially if the production run is done days or weeks later when press conditions may have changed, or the production run is done on a different press than the press proof.
In the late 1940s, the first overlay systems were developed. These systems produce each of the process colors on a separate sheet of clear film and then register them together to view the final proof.
The Ozalid division of General Aniline and Film (GAF) Corporation created Ozachrome as the first commercial system used in proofing. Diazo (light-sensitive dye) coatings on film were used for each of the process colors, and the films were developed using ammonia vapor. The initial process colors used were red, yellow, blue and black, although other colors may have been used in subsequent years. A black separation was processed on a white paper, while the remaining separations were processed on clear cellulose acetate.
Around 1965, 3M invented an overlay system called Color Key. Basically, sheets of clear polyester were coated with UV-sensitive pigmented emulsions in the four process colors, cyan, magenta, yellow and black. Later, spot colors were created (Color Key Custom Colors). The sheets were exposed to the artwork via a carbon arc lamp, washed with water and process chemicals, and then dried.
As of 2010, overlay proofs are still created, for example for small single-drum presses where each color has to be a separate run. Such proofs are usually made using either inkjet printers or lamination devices.
Internal (single-sheet) or laminate systems attempt to overcome the problems with overlay systems by putting all process colors on a single sheet of media. After the end of World War II, the first commercial system, called Watercote, was introduced by the Direct Reproduction Corporation.
By the 1970s, 3M developed Transfer Key technology, which used a cold lamination adhesive process. Successive layers of colored adhesive would be pressed on the substrate, exposed and washed away until all the colors existed on a single substrate. This later evolved into the Match Print product, which used a thermal transfer lamination process. The Match Print trade mark has since been sold to Kodak, which uses it today in its MATCHPRINT InkJet and MATCHPRINT Virtual products. Both Color Key and Match Print have also become generic names for types of prepress proofs. Later, other similar water process products such as DuPont Waterproof came on the market.
In the early 1960s, several attempts were made to develop electrophotographic proofing processes based on the electrofax principle, using paper coated with zinc oxide in a resistive binder as a photoconductor, along with toners consisting of ink pigments dispersed in liquid isopar. The electrofax principle was introduced in the United States by RCA, and the use of liquid toners was developed in Australia by Ralph Metcalf and Robert Wright of the Australian government. Other groups worked on similar processes, but these never got to market.
Later in the 1970s, toner-based solutions such as Dupont Cromalin were developed.
By the 1980s, custom colors, including white and metallics such as gold and silver, were becoming commonplace.
By 1987, the first Iris printer was commercialized. This was a continuous stream inkjet printer that was later followed by the Veris printer in 2004. Initially, these printers had unparalleled quality in inkjet printing, but steady advances in drop-on-demand printers has made their quality acceptable to more and more prepress shops. As of 2010, both Iris and Veris devices are still in use.
In the early 1990s, Dye Sublimation was introduced with products like 3M Rainbow and Kodak DCP9000 and DCP9500.
Also in the early 1990s, Laser Sublimation systems were introduced. Products such as the Fuji FINALPROOF, and Kodak Approval are still in use today.
In the late 1990s, laser thermal transfer was developed. These systems are still in use, such as the Creo (now Kodak) Spectrum. The Spectrum was notable in that the same platesetter device used to make plates was also used to make proofs, resulting in proofs with identical screening as the press.
By 2005, the first spectrophotometers were integrated with inkjet printers, such as the Creo Veris and HP 2100. By 2009, Epson released a printer with an integrated spectrophotometer. By automating the measurement process, this eliminates much of the labor involved in calibrating the proofing system and validating the proofs. However, it slows down overall throughput of the proofing device, so more proofing devices are needed to maintain throughput.
By 2003, soft proofing emerged using well-calibrated and profiled computer displays under highly controlled viewing conditions. This approach continues to gain in popularity due to the much lower cost and lesser production time than producing a hard-copy proof.
As of 2010, the majority of hard-copy contract proofing is done on inkjet and laminate devices, while soft proofing continues to gain popularity.
Since the late 1990s, a number of software proofing solutions were developed by companies. Previously, proofing systems were typically a complete solution from one vendor, but as software has become the dominant enabling technology in proofing, customers enjoy the benefits of being able to use commodity print devices over special proofing devices.
Proofing methods.
Depending on the quality needed and the use of product, there are two major types of proof:
Soft proof.
Soft proof describes the simulation of the print result on a monitor. This is the cheapest solution for proofing since no additional equipment, except a monitor, is needed.
Usually soft proof is done in software applications in combination with color management systems. The monitor used for soft proofing must be calibrated, so that the image on the screen looks like the image on the paper. The major problem is the difference of color spaces (RGB in monitor and CMYK in print), and this is solved by using ICC profiles for input and output devices. Moreover, colors on a monitor depend not only on its properties, but also on lighting conditions in a room where the image is viewed. Usually, lighting is standardized and is close to a daylight (D50 or D65).
Soft proofing can be used an unlimited number of times, and is most useful when editing images and designing layout, but is normally not used as a contract proof.
The use of soft proofs in low end printing has become prevalent in recent years allowing for a time and cost savings where color management is not crucial.
Hard proof.
Hard proof is an actual printed sample of a printed product. It is further divided into five general classifications
Blueprint (originated from conventional platemaking) is a copy printed in one color and used for checking and correcting mistakes in contents, imposition layout and completeness of data.
Imposition proof (Layout proof) is similar to blueprint, but the copy is printed in color. Imposition proof is usually done with a large-format color inkjet printer.
Color proof provides the color-reliable/color-true reproduction of the contents of the file intended for printing. Color proof is made with inkjet printers or thermal sublimation printers in combination with powerful color-management systems. Proofing is usually performed in full-size format, but in some cases small-page format is also acceptable. Color proof serves as a guideline for a printing press operator, and usually stands for a contract proof.
Screen Proof (True Proof) is a method of proofing used for simulating a raster structure of the printed image. Performing this proof makes it possible to recognize different raster-dependent effects such as smoothness, grade and range of tonal gradations, and moiré or rosette patterns.
Several vendors offer special proof systems for creating a screen proof. The proof is produced via color donors and thermal transfer (ablation) onto intermediate carriers or onto the substrate used for the print run. Both systems are imagesetter-like devices with which the image motifs can be reproduced in every detail including their color, screen definition, and screen angles. The true proof systems use color foils that are to be processed in separate units (laminators), transferred from intermediate carriers onto production paper and/or laminated, either to protect the proof or to give it the appearance of the surface structure of production paper.
Press proof is a test print of the data directly on a printing press. This can be the press for the production run or a comparable press (using the same print technology) prepared especially for proof purposes. Short runs of 50 or 100 copies can be produced more cost-effectively than with other color proof processes. The individual proof is, however, hardly economically justifiable.
Issues.
Proofing can either be viewed subjectively as an art based on training, experience, talent and judgment; or objectively as a science based on measurement, algorithms, and analysis; but in practice it is somewhere in between. Increasingly, however, printers rely on scientific methods, as it is often more cost-effective to buy the necessary technology than to acquire, train and retain skilled artisans.
In many cases, it makes sense to align the proof with the press, but in other cases it makes sense to align the press with the proof. Typically, one would align the press with the proof when one is trying to achieve a particular industry specification (i.e. Fogra, GRACoL, SWOP, etc.). In situations where one is trying to achieve the best possible color on a particular press, typically to distinguish oneself as a printer, one would define a custom color standard for the press and then align the proof with the press.
Process control.
A central aspect of scientific proofing is process control, which consists of baselining, characterizing and calibrating the proofing process.
A baseline is representation of the output device settings (i.e. paper feed, head alignment, etc.) and associated conditions (i.e. media, ink, screening, etc.). A baseline is created by adjusting device settings under a given set of conditions and running test samples, measuring the samples, readjusting the settings, until the output process is brought to an optimal state. Once optimized, a final set of measurements are made of output samples and this data becomes part of the baseline information.
The baseline is then characterized by outputting ECI or IT8.7/4 test charts (samples of color patches), then the charts are scanned with a spectrophotometer to finally produce a color profile of the baseline.
Over time, specific device performance (and other conditions) may vary. Certainly different devices of the same device type will also vary with respect to the baseline data. However it is essential that the proofing system always perform as closely as possible to the original color profile. Calibration is a process of outputting more color charts, measuring them and adjusting the color mapping until system performance is as close as possible to the original baseline and color profile. During calibration, device settings may also be changed to achieve an optimal output process and subsequent color match.
In ideal circumstances, the printing press will also be characterized and calibrated using similar techniques. When there exists a color profile of the press device and a color profile of proofing device, the best emulation of the press on the proofing device is possible. Doing this accurately requires well controlled and repeatable processes (including calibration), in order to ensure that the color profiles continue to represent the devices involved.
Proof Validation is another aspect of process control. While calibration only ensures that the proofing system is producing output as close to the baseline as possible, proof validation embeds color charts in the artwork itself to ensure that at the artwork matches an industry color standard or a custom color standard (i.e. a specific press that has been characterized). In short, it validates that the proofing system emulates the desired press results accurately.
Proofing for packaging.
Producing proofs for packaging faces a number of challenges beyond those for conventional offset press.
Often, customers want three-dimensional mock-ups of the actual package. This could be cardboard, metal (i.e., aluminum pop can), glass, plastic, etc. This can be very difficult, or impossible to do effectively using inkjet printers, so typically laminate processes such as Kodak APPROVAL or Fuji FINALPROOF are needed, so that the proof can be transferred to the preferred packaging materials.
In the case of cardboard cartons, an automated cutting-and-creasing table is useful. Typically, computer-aided design (CAD) software is used to define the cuts and creases based on the proof geometry, and this is fed into the cutting-and-creasing table software.
Most packaging is printed using flexography, because it is more versatile over the range of materials used in packaging. However, the image quality of flexographic prints is often inferior to offset presses, and it is important to simulate the characteristics of the press in the proofs so that customers have realistic expectations for the final packaging. Similarly certain materials, such as corrugated cardboard, add their own characteristics to the image, and these too need to be simulated.


Mandobass

Mandobass is the largest (and least common) member of the mandolin family, sometimes used as the bass instrument in mandolin orchestras. It is so large that it usually isn't held in the lap, but supported on a spike that rests on the floor. The neck-scale length on a full-size mando-bass is similar to that of a standard orchestral double bass viol: about . The instrument is otherwise similar to the smaller, higher-pitched members of the mandolin family, having a fretted neck, a headstock with geared tuning machines, and a large resonating body often—but not always—shaped like that of other mandolins.
Variants.
There are three main variants of the mandobass:
History.
When mandolin orchestras were being organized in numbers, the members became aware of the problem of adding bass to their orchestras. In trying to play the bass range, many mandolin players were reluctant to switch to the contrabass, because they saw its bowed action as an intrusion into their plucked-string world. They faced the problem, however, that mandolin basses were too quiet; it was hard to get forte (loud sound) from them. Furthermore, they didn't get the deep bass notes of the contrabass. For those reasons, most mandolin orchestras preferred to use the ordinary contra-bass, rather than a specialized mandolin family instrument. The bow not only helps with volume for forte sections of music, but the contrabass has deeper notes available.
Up until 1911, the mandolin family of instruments as known in the United States had no true bass member. Mandolins were relatively new to the United States, beginning to be known in the mid-1880s and reaching the peak of popularity before 1910. The American public was mostly unaware of the few mando-basses being made in Europe. Published minutes from the 1911 meeting of the "American Guild of Banjoists, Mandolinists and Guitarists" included an entry about bass mandolins developed in Britain, and indicate that issues related to the mando-bass were among the first discussed at the meeting. It was at this meeting that George D. Laurian of the Gibson Mandolin-Guitar Company announced that his department had developed a bass member for the mandolin family.
At the Guild's next meeting in 1912, four companies displayed their versions of a mando-bass: Gibson, Leland, Vega, and Wm. C. Stahl. All four companies advertised extensively, but in contrast to its competitors, only Gibson promoted their mando-bass in photographs of musicians playing it in large groups, emphasizing the social aspects of playing their instrument. Ultimately, the two most successful instruments were those produced by Gibson and Vega.
Gibson designed their mandobasses to play either upright or on their side (like a regular mandolin) by changing the position of the pins the instrument rests on. Gibson made Mandobasses from 1912 to approximately 1930. Most mandobasses that survive from this era are Gibsons.
Musical instrument makers produced mandobasses in a variety of sizes and shapes. Gibson models were mostly a scaled-up version of the traditional "A" style mandolin (teardrop shaped), with the exception of their limited-edition "O. Pagani" model, which more closely resembled an orchestral double bass in shape. The Pagani model was also one of the few eight-string mando-basses made in the US, with four double-strung courses like the European tremolo bass. Vega produced both a flat-back and a humped-back mando-bass (known as a "cylinder back"), both with a generally mandolin-shape in outline, but with markedly pointed upper bouts. Other builders (H.F. Meyer; Prairie State; Wm. C. Stahl) produced instruments that were more guitar, lute, or cittern-shaped.
By the late 1920s, the popularity of mandolin orchestras was waning, and demand for the mando-bass began to evaporate. Gibson ceased production in 1930, and by the mid-1930s most other companies had followed suit. No commercial mando-basses are known to have been manufactured after 1940, and none are currently (2015) in production. An occasional instrument has been privately commissioned, however, such as that crafted in 1992 by English luthier Robin Greenwood, for musician Hilary James.
Tuning and playing.
As noted earlier, several tunings were employed for the mando-bass, depending on the style and size of the individual instrument, player's preference, and the requirements of the music to be performed. Tuning on the full-sized 4-string instrument was commonly in fourths, and identical to the orchestral double bass: E1 A1 D2 G2. This tuning was favored in both America and also quite common in Europe. Smaller, shorter-scaled instruments were more usually tuned in fifths, two octaves below the mandolin: G1, D2 A2 E3. In Europe, especially, this tuning was sometimes preferred even for the larger instrument.
The eight-string instrument appears to always have been tuned in fifths, either two octaves below the mandolin: G1 D2 A2 E3, or two octaves below the mandola: C1, G1, D2 A2. There is scant information as to how common this lower tuning (lower-ranging than the orchestral double bass) was, or in what circumstances people used it.
In playing the instrument, the left hand stops the strings against the top surface of the neck (fingerboard) for different pitches, in the same method as other stringed instruments. Given the scale of the neck and the presence of frets, the left-hand "feel" of the instrument is similar to a modern electric bass guitar.
As with tunings, right-hand playing methods varied. Photographs of the instrument in use show some players using a traditional mandolin technique with a plectrum (pick), while others play the instrument with bare fingers like pizzicato on the double bass. Tremolo is possible with either playing method, but somewhat more difficult that on higher pitched instruments due to the thickness of the bass strings.


Cancer stick


Journal of Molecular Neuroscience

The Journal of Molecular Neuroscience is a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering research in neuroscience. It is published by Humana Press and the editor-in-chief is Illana Gozes. In 1999, the journal absorbed "Molecular and Chemical Neuropathology", a journal that had been established in 1983 as "Neurochemical Pathology". According to the "Journal Citation Reports", the journal has a 2011 impact factor of 2.504.


Cut to the chase

"Cut to the chase" is a phrase that means to get to the point without wasting time.
The saying originated from early film studios' silent films. It was a favorite of, and thought to have been coined by, Hal Roach Sr.
History.
Films, particularly comedies, often climaxed in chase scenes. Some inexperienced screenwriters or directors would pad the film with unnecessary dialogue, which bored the audience and prolonged the time before the exciting chase scene. "Cut to the chase" was a phrase used by movie studio executives to mean that the audience shouldn't get bored by the extra dialogue, and that the film should get to the interesting scenes without unnecessary delays. The phrase is now widely used, and means "get to the point."
An earlier version of the phrase (recorded 1880–1940) was Cut to Hecuba. This refers to the practice of shortening matinée performances of "Hamlet" by cutting the long speeches before the reference to Hecuba in Act II, Scene ii.
References.
 2. https://www.outc.org.uk/tennisandthechase.html


Loreclezole

Loreclezole is a sedative and an anticonvulsant which acts as a GABAA receptor positive allosteric modulator. The binding site of loreclezole has been shown experimentally to be shared by valerenic acid, an extract of the root of the valerian plant. Structurally, loreclezole is a triazole derivative. In animal seizure models, loreclezole is protective against pentylenetetrazol seizures but is less active in the maximal electroshock test. In addition, at low, nontoxic doses, the drug has anti-absence activity in a genetic model of generalized absence epilepsy. Consequently, loreclezole has a profile of activity similar to that of benzodiazepines. A potential benzodiazepine-like interaction with GABA receptors is suggested by the observation that the anticonvulsant effects of loreclezole can be reversed by benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonists. The benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil, however, fails to alter the anticonvulsant activity of loreclezole, indicating that loreclezole is not a benzodiazepine receptor agonist. Using native rat and cloned human GABA-A receptors, loreclezole strongly potentiated GABA-activated chloride current. However, activity of the drug did not require the presence of the γ-subunit and was not blocked by flumazenil, confirming that loreclezole does not interact with the benzodiazepine recognition site.


Chaenomeles speciosa

Chaenomeles speciosa, the flowering quince, Chinese quince, or Japanese quince (in the context of traditional Chinese medicine known as zhou pi mugua), is a thorny deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub native to eastern Asia. It is taller than another commonly cultivated species, "C. japonica", usually growing to about . The flowers are usually red, but may be white or pink. The fruit is a fragrant but hard pome that resembles a quince.
Cultivation.
This plant is widely cultivated in temperate regions for its twining habit and its showy flowers which appear early in the season, occasionally even in midwinter. It is frequently used as an informal low hedge. Numerous cultivars with flowers in shades of white, pink and red have been selected. The following cultivars and hybrids have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:
The following cultivars have received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:-


Ethylnorepinephrine

Ethylnorepinephrine (Etanor, Bronkephrine, Butanefrine) is a sympathomimetic and bronchodilator related to norepinephrine. It activates both α and β adrenergic receptors.


Profenamine

Profenamine (INN; also known as ethopropazine (BAN); trade names Parsidol, Parsidan, Parkin) is a phenothiazine derivative used as an antiparkinsonian agent that has anticholinergic, antihistamine, and antiadrenergic actions. It is also used in the alleviation of the extrapyramidal syndrome induced by drugs such as other phenothiazine compounds, but, like other compounds with antimuscarinic properties, is of no value against tardive dyskinesia.


Jill Balcon

Jill Angela Henriette Balcon (3 January 192518 July 2009) was an English film and radio actress, who was also known for her stage and television work. She made her film debut in "Nicholas Nickleby" (1947). She was the second wife of poet Cecil Day-Lewis and they had two children together: Tamasin Day-Lewis, who became a food critic and TV chef, and Daniel Day-Lewis, notable for his acting career.
Life and career.
Balcon was born in Westminster, London, the daughter of Aileen Freda Leatherman (1904–1988) and her husband Michael Balcon. Her family was Jewish, with immigrant 19th-century Lithuanian Jewish ancestors from what is now Latvia on her father's side and Poland on her mother's. Balcon attended Roedean School.
She studied acting and performed on stage and in radio, film, and television. Her debut film was "Nicholas Nickleby" (1947). On 3 January 1948 she appeared on the BBC radio programme "Time for Verse", where she had already become a favourite for her voice: "a rich, expressive, finely modulated instrument." That night noted Anglo-Irish poet Cecil Day-Lewis, who was 21 years her senior, also appeared on the show. That year Balcon worked for a season with the Bristol Old Vic.
Balcon and Day-Lewis began a relationship that year, complicated by his marriage to Mary Day-Lewis, who lived with their two teenage boys in Dorset, and his public affair with Rosamond Lehmann, a noted novelist of the day, who lived in Oxfordshire. Day-Lewis eventually broke with both his wife and his mistress in order to be with Balcon. (Reputedly he was no more faithful to her than he had been to his first wife or Lehmann.)
She was quite active in film, starring opposite Stewart Granger in "Saraband for Dead Lovers" (1948), with Jean Kent in "Good Time Girl" (1948), and "The Lost People" (1950). But her first love was the stage.
In 1951, Balcon married Day-Lewis. Her father was deeply unhappy about the affair and Balcon being named publicly as co-respondent in Day-Lewis' divorce, and cut her off. After her marriage, she could see her mother only secretly.
Cecil Day-Lewis and Jill Balcon shared a great love for poetry and performed together in many public readings. They had two children together: Tamasin Day-Lewis, who became a documentary filmmaker/television chef and author of food books, and noted actor Daniel Day-Lewis. After the children were born, Balcon concentrated on acting in radio and TV productions in order to have more manageable schedules.
Balcon died of a brain tumour on 18 July 2009, aged 84.


Sylvia Chase

Sylvia Belle Chase (February 23, 1938 – January 3, 2019) was an American broadcast journalist. She was a correspondent for ABC's "20/20" from its inception until 1985, when she left to become a news anchor at KRON-TV in San Francisco; in 1990 she returned to ABC News in New York.
Early life and education.
Chase was born in Northfield, Minnesota, where she graduated from Northfield High School. She was the youngest of three children. Her aunt was a radio announcer in Minneapolis, and in junior high school Sylvia and her sister produced a local radio show on news from the school.
Her parents divorced early in her childhood and she had foster parents; she refused a scholarship from Wellesley College to join her sister studying at the University of California in Los Angeles, where her father was living, but he died shortly before she started classes. She worked her way through a degree in English, graduating in 1961.
Career.
Chase managed the UCLA urban extension program; after graduation she was a temporary secretary and receptionist and modeled on weekends at I. Magnin; for some time she worked for Democratic California legislators and managed political campaigns in the state. In 1969 she went to work as a reporter at KNX, then a CBS radio station. She moved to New York in 1971, where she worked for CBS News and became a correspondent in 1974; she was the writer and narrator for a new radio show, "The American Woman", which replaced the radio version of the advice column "Dear Abby". She became one of the earliest prominent women reporters in the Walter Cronkite era of the "CBS Evening News", persuading the network to cover stories such as the Coalition of Labor Union Women conference in 1974 in Chicago, and serving as a role model; she also headed the CBS employees' women's rights group that presented a list of concerns to the network president, Arthur Taylor. She anchored "CBS Newsbreak" and hosted the daytime "Magazine" news show, and also made appearances on "60 Minutes". She transferred in 1977 to ABC News, where she was a general assignment correspondent and co-anchor of "ABC News Weekend Report".
She was a correspondent for "20/20" from its start in summer 1978 to 1985. "TV Guide" referred to her during this period as "the most trusted woman on TV" and readers voted her the best investigative reporter for the U.S. TV news magazines.
In late 1985, she left for San Francisco to take a job as a news anchor at KRON (San Francisco's NBC affiliate at the time). She later stated that ABC News president Roone Arledge's cancellation of a "20/20" story she had worked on based on a book by Anthony Summers about Marilyn Monroe's relationships with President Kennedy and his brother Bobby Kennedy, which was to have been featured in that year's season premiere, had precipitated the move; after being shortened and postponed, the segment was canceled shortly before it was to have aired. At the time of her move she denied a connection, and that her resignation was related to that of Geraldo Rivera, who left shortly before her after criticizing the decision. KRON advertised her arrival with the slogan "The Chase is on!". In addition to co-anchoring the station's news broadcasts, she also hosted news documentaries, including one on environmental degradation in Leningrad, and frequently reported on the AIDS crisis and on children. She was in Europe when the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake struck the Bay Area.
In late 1990, she returned to ABC News in New York, telling the "San Francisco Chronicle"s columnist Herb Caen, "I hate to leave the Bay Area, but if I’m going to get mugged it might as well be in New York". She co-anchored "Prime Time Live" and was a correspondent for "20/20"; among other work, she reported on an American woman whose children were taken by her Serbian ex-husband and narrated "Hopkins 24/7", a six-hour documentary about the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore that aired in 2000. Following her investigative report on the death of Kimberly Bergalis, the US Centers for Disease Control and the American Dental Association both increased requirements for sterilization of dental equipment.
In 2001, when ABC cutbacks led to her contract not being renewed, she moved to PBS, where she was a contributing correspondent for "Now with Bill Moyers" and the narrator on "". She retired to Belvedere, California.
Awards.
Chase's awards included the 1983 Pinnacle Award in Television News, the 1983 National Headliner Award for Outstanding Investigative Reporting, and two Emmy Awards for her "20/20" work, a Peabody Award for a KRON documentary on homeless children in 1989, three further Emmy awards for local news, the National Headliner Award in 1979, 1983, and 1994, and the 1991 Matrix Award from New York Women in Communications. She also received duPont-Columbia and Washington Press Club awards.
Personal life and death.
While in college Chase married Robert Rosenstone, a graduate student in journalism who became a history professor at the California Institute of Technology, and moved with him to Wisconsin; she returned to UCLA when they separated two years later, and they subsequently divorced. She had both a professional and a personal relationship with producer Stanhope Gould, whom she met at CBS and with whom she shared an Emmy for a report on cars with exploding gasoline tanks and also collaborated on the Monroe report and at KRON; they traveled together to Russia.
In retirement, she volunteered at De Marillac Academy, a Catholic middle school in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco; she made a documentary about one family whose children attended the school.
Chase was diabetic. She died on January 3, 2019, at the age of 80, after undergoing treatment for brain cancer.


Control flow analysis

In computer science, control-flow analysis (CFA) is a static-code-analysis technique for determining the control flow of a program. The control flow is expressed as a control-flow graph (CFG). For both functional programming languages and object-oriented programming languages, the term CFA, and elaborations such as "k"-CFA, refer to specific algorithms that compute control flow.
For many imperative programming languages, the control flow of a program is explicit in a program's source code. As a result, interprocedural control-flow analysis implicitly usually refers to a static analysis technique for determining the receiver(s) of function or method calls in computer programs written in a higher-order programming language. For example, in a programming language with higher-order functions like Scheme, the target of a function call may not be explicit: in the isolated expression
it is unclear to which procedure codice_1 may refer. A control-flow analysis must consider where this expression could be invoked and what argument it may receive to determine the possible targets.
Techniques such as abstract interpretation, constraint solving, and type systems may be used for control-flow analysis.


Intelligent Input Bus

The Intelligent Input Bus (IBus, pronounced as I-Bus) is an input method (IM) framework for multilingual input in Unix-like operating-systems. The name "Bus" comes from its bus-like architecture.
Goals.
The main goals of the IBus project include:
Motivation.
The draft "Specification of IM engine Service Provider Interface" document from the Northeast Asia OSS Forum Work Group 3 recommends bus-centric IM framework architectures with a bus implementation (similar to dbus). According to the specification, SCIM-1.4 is not considered suitable for further development as it is developed in C++, which usually causes ABI transition problems.
Since then, succeeding projects like IM-BUS (led by James Su) and SCIM-2 (led by Zheng Hu) were started. However, both projects are suspended. Therefore, Huang Peng from Red Hat established the IBus project to prove the idea of IM-BUS by using Python, D-Bus and GLib rather than implementing the functions recommended by CJK OSS forum. In spite of that, IBus has already gained community acceptance, and FreeBSD and many Linux distribution such as Fedora and Ubuntu already have IBus in their package repositories. IBus became the new default input method framework in Fedora 11, and replaced SCIM in Ubuntu 9.10.
Architecture.
IBus is developed in C and Python, thus avoiding the C++ ABI transition problem of SCIM <1.4.14.
IBus provides most of its functionality through services. There are three kinds of services:
IBus employs D-Bus to communicate among ibus-daemon, services, and IM clients such as terminal emulators, editors and web browsers. ibus-daemon manages all clients and services by receiving registrations from services, and sending D-Bus message to corresponding services and IM client.
It implements XIM protocol, and has GTK and Qt input method modules.
Available input method plugins and engines.
ibus-m17n.
ibus-m17n is an IME that uses input methods and corresponding icons in the m17n database. Unlike ibus-table which supports plain tables, m17n input methods also support states, whose labels are displayed on the IBus panel (language bar). M17n input methods also support surrounding text, consequently, languages such as Thai and IMs such as plain Zhuyin that require this feature are supported through ibus-m17n.
ibus-table.
ibus-table, developed by Yu Wei Yu, is an IME that loads tables of input methods which do not need complicated logic to select words. Many structure-based Chinese input methods such as Cangjie and Wubi are supported this way.
Officially released IM tables:


Globus pallidus

The globus pallidus (GP), also known as paleostriatum or dorsal pallidum, is a subcortical structure of the brain. It consists of two adjacent segments, one external, known in rodents simply as the globus pallidus, and one internal, known in rodents as the entopeduncular nucleus. It is part of the telencephalon, but retains close functional ties with the subthalamus in the diencephalon – both of which are part of the extrapyramidal motor system. The globus pallidus is a major component of the basal ganglia, with principal inputs from the striatum, and principal direct outputs to the thalamus and the substantia nigra. The latter is made up of similar neuronal elements, has similar afferents from the striatum, similar projections to the thalamus, and has a similar synaptology. Neither receives direct cortical afferents, and both receive substantial additional inputs from the intralaminar thalamus.
Globus pallidus is Latin for "pale globe".
Structure.
Pallidal nuclei are made up of the same neuronal components. In primates, almost all pallidal neurons are very large, parvalbumin-positive, with very large dendritic arborizations. These have the peculiarity of having the three-dimensional shape of flat discs, parallel to one another, parallel to the border of the pallidum. and perpendicular to the afferent striatopallidal axons. There are only a few small local circuitry neurons.
The globus pallidus is traversed by the numerous myelinated axons of the striato-pallidonigral bundle that give it the pale appearance from which it is named.
The ultrastructure is very peculiar, as the long dendrites are everywhere, without discontinuity, covered by synapses.
Parts.
In the primate basal ganglia, the globus pallidus is divided into two parts by the medial medullary lamina. These are the internal globus pallidus (GPi) and the external globus pallidus (GPe); both are composed of closed nuclei surrounded by myelinic walls.
The ventral pallidum lies within the substantia innominata (Latin for unnamed substance) and receives efferent connections from the ventral striatum (the nucleus accumbens and the olfactory tubercle). It projects to the dorsomedial nucleus of the dorsal thalamus, which, in turn, projects to the prefrontal cortex; it also projects to the pedunculopontine nucleus and tegmental motor areas. Its function is to serve as a limbic-somatic motor interface, and it is involved in the planning and inhibition of movements from the dorsal striatopallidal complex.
Function.
The globus pallidus is a structure in the brain involved in the regulation of voluntary movement. It is part of the basal ganglia, which, among many other things, regulate movements that occur on the subconscious level. If the globus pallidus is damaged, it can cause movement disorders, as its regulatory function will be impaired. There may be cases in which damage is deliberately induced, as in a procedure known as a pallidotomy, in which a lesion is created to reduce involuntary muscle tremors.
When it comes to regulation of movement, the globus pallidus has a primarily inhibitory action that balances the excitatory action of the cerebellum. These two systems evolved to work in harmony with each other to allow smooth and controlled movements. Imbalances can result in tremors, jerks, and other movement problems, as seen in some people with progressive neurological disorders characterized by symptoms like tremors.
The basal ganglia acts on a subconscious level, requiring no conscious effort to function. When someone makes a decision to engage in an activity such as petting a dog, for example, these structures help to regulate the movement to make it as smooth as possible, and to respond to sensory feedback. Likewise, the globus pallidus is involved in the constant subtle regulation of movement that allows people to walk and engage in a wide variety of other activities with a minimal level of disruption.
Pallidonigral pacemaker.
The two pallidal nuclei and the two parts of the substantia nigra (the pars compacta and pars reticulata) constitute a high-frequency autonomous pacemaker. (see primate basal ganglia#Pallidonigral set and pacemaker)
Common afferents.
The two parts receive successively a large quantity of GABAergic axonal terminal arborisations from the striatum through the dense striato-pallidonigral bundle. The synaptology is very peculiar (see primate basal ganglia system). The striatal afferents contribute more than 90% of synapses.
The two pallidal nuclei receives dopaminergic axons from the pars compacta of the substantia nigra.
Pathway.
This area of the basal ganglia receives input from another area, called the striatum, which has two parts, the caudate nucleus and the putamen. This data is routed to the thalamus, either directly or indirectly. In the case of the interna, one area of the globus pallidus, the structure can feed directly to the thalamus. The externa, which lies on the outside of this structure, feeds information to the interna, where it can be passed on to the thalamus.
History.
The origin of the name is not established. It was known by Dejerine (1906), but not by Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1909–1911). As the elements in no way have the shape of a globe, Foix and Nicolesco (1925), the Vogts (1941), Crosby et al. (1962) followed by the Terminologia anatomica proposed the simpler term (neuter adjective) of pallidum ("pale"). For a long time the globus pallidus was linked to the putamen and termed the lentiform nucleus (nucleus lenticularis or lentiformis), a heterogeneous anatomical entity that is part of the striatum rather than the pallidum. The link with the substantia nigra pars reticulata was stressed very early on due to the similarities in dendritic arborisation (and they are sometimes known as the pallidonigral set) but, in spite of strong evidence, this association remains controversial.


Posterior branch of coccygeal nerve

The posterior division of the coccygeal nerve does not divide into a medial and a lateral branch, but receives a communicating branch from the last sacral; it is distributed to the skin over the back of the coccyx.


Propafenone

Propafenone, sold under the brand name Rythmol among others, is a class 1c anti-arrhythmic medication, which is used to treat illnesses associated with rapid heart beat such as atrial and ventricular arrhythmias.
Mechanism of action.
Propafenone works by slowing the influx of sodium ions into the cardiac muscle cells, causing a decrease in excitability of the cells. Propafenone is more selective for cells with a high rate, but also blocks normal cells more than class Ia or Ib anti-arrhythmic medications. Propafenone differs from the prototypical class Ic antiarrhythmic in that it has additional activity as a beta-adrenergic blocker which can cause bradycardia and bronchospasm.
Metabolism.
Propafenone is metabolized primarily in the liver. Because of its short half-life, it requires dosing two or three times daily to maintain steady blood levels. The long-term safety of propafenone is unknown. Because it is structurally similar to another anti-arrhythmic medicine, flecainide, similar cautions should be exercised in its use. Flecainide and propafenone, like other antiarrhythmic drugs have been shown to increase the occurrence of arrhythmias (5.3% for propafenone, Teva physician prescribing information), primarily in patients with underlying heart disease. However, their use in structurally normal hearts is considered safe.
Side effects.
Side effects attributed to propafenone include hypersensitivity reactions, lupus-like syndrome, agranulocytosis, CNS disturbances such as dizziness, lightheadedness, gastrointestinal upset, a metallic taste and bronchospasm. About 20% of patients discontinued the drug due to side effects.
Initiation of therapy.
Propafenone generally needs to be started in a hospital setting to assure ECG monitoring of the patient. There are many different dosages of propafenone, depending on clinical presentation of the arrhythmia. The treatment is generally begun with a relatively high dose (450–900 mg/d), decreasing to near 300 mg/d. In most Western countries, the accepted maximal dose is 900 mg/d.
For economic and convenience reasons, some clinicians are starting certain antiarrhythmic agents in an outpatient setting for some patients. No consensus exists regarding the safety of this practice, and information is needed to determine which agents and which patients are appropriate for outpatient initiation of antiarrhythmic therapy. From a clinical point of view, this drug is used primarily in patients with relatively preserved myocardial function.
Contraindications and cautions.
Caution should be used in administrating propafenone in individuals with hepatic dysfunction, asthma, congestive heart failure, or bradycardia.
History.
Propafenone was approved for use in the United States in November 1989.
Stereochemistry.
Propafenone contains a stereocenter and consists of two enantiomers. This is a racemate, a 1:1 mixture of ("R")– and ("S")–forms:


Pacchionian foramen

Pacchionian foramen means:
The Pacchionian foramen (incisura tentorii) is important due to some types of brain herniation through it, i.e. supratentorial, infratentorial herniation.
Tentorium cerebelli.
The tentorium cerebelli divides the cranial cavity into two closed spaces which communicate with each other through the incisura tentorii. The larger
anterior space includes the anterior and middle cranial fossas and lodges the cerebrum; the small posterior space— the posterior cranial fossa contains the cerebellum, the pons, and the medulla.


FYI

"FYI" is a common abbreviation of "for your information".
"FYI" is commonly used in email, instant messaging and other messages to indicate an informational message, with an intent to communicate to the receiver that they may be interested in the given topic, but does not insist to perform any action. It is also commonly used in informal and business spoken conversations.
The usage of "FYI" dates back at least as far as 1941. A notable early usage occurs in an episode in 1959 of "The Twilight Zone", "One for the Angels."
Among Internet Standards, FYIs are a subset of the Request for Comments (RFC) series.
The FYI series of notes is designed to provide Internet users with a central repository of information about any topics which relate to the Internet. FYIs topics may range from historical memos on "Why it was done that way" to answers to commonly asked operational questions.


Downstate

Downstate may refer to:


Macaulay duration


Merna Barry


Inocoterone acetate

Inocoterone acetate () (developmental code names RU-38882, RU-882) is a steroid-like nonsteroidal antiandrogen (NSAA) that was developed for topical administration to treat acne but was never marketed. It is the acetate ester of inocoterone, which is less potent in comparison. Inocoterone acetate is actually not a silent antagonist of the androgen receptor but rather a weak partial agonist, similarly to steroidal antiandrogens like cyproterone acetate.
Inocoterone acetate was investigated for the treatment of acne but showed only modest (albeit statistically significant) efficacy in clinical trials. A reduction of 26% of lesions was observed in males treated with the drug after 16 weeks (~3.7 months). However, this is notably far less than that achieved with other agents such as benzoyl peroxide or antibiotics, which produce 50–75% reductions within 2 months. Similar poor results with the topical route have disappointingly been found for other antiandrogens such as cyproterone acetate and spironolactone. Similarly to rosterolone, inocoterone acetate has no systemic antiandrogenic activity when applied systemically.


Mark Boxer

Charles Mark Edward Boxer (19 May 1931 – 20 July 1988) was a British magazine editor and social observer, and a political cartoonist and graphic portrait artist working under the pen-name ‘Marc’.
Education.
Boxer was educated at Berkhamsted School, an independent school for boys in Berkhamsted in Hertfordshire. He then attended King's College, Cambridge, where in 1952 he became editor of the student magazine "Granta".
During this period, the magazine published a poem deemed by the University authorities to be blasphemous. The Vice-Chancellor demanded Boxer be sent down, the first student since Percy Bysshe Shelley to receive such a sentence for this offence (although Shelley studied at Oxford). E.M. Forster spoke in his defence. His college succeeded in reducing the sentence to a week's rustication during May Week, which would mean that he missed the May Ball. The authorities forgot, however, that May Balls go on into the early hours and, on the stroke of midnight during the Ball, Boxer made a triumphant return.
Life and career.
Editor.
After his graduation, Boxer became editor of the small magazine "Lilliput", followed by his appointment as Art Director of the society magazine "Queen" owned by Jocelyn Stevens. In 1962, he became Founding Editor of "The Sunday Times Colour Supplement". There he created a format imitated by all UK Sunday broadsheet newspapers, and was responsible for commissioning such leading artists, photographers and writers of the 1960s as Peter Blake, David Hockney, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Don McCullin, Angus Wilson and John Mortimer.
In 1965, Boxer left "The Sunday Times" but remained within the Thomson Organization, then owners of "The Sunday Times", to relaunch the ailing "Tatler" under a new title of "London Life". When that title folded, he returned to "The Sunday Times" in a reduced role, which gave him time to develop his work as a cartoonist.
After a brief period as a book publisher at Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Boxer accepted the editorship of the revived "Tatler" at Condé Nast Publications in 1983, for which he won the PA Editor of the Year award in 1986. At the time of his death, he was Editor-in-Chief of "Tatler", and Editorial Director of Condé Nast Publications in the UK.
Boxer's influence as an editor is commemorated in the annual Mark Boxer Award, presented by the British Society of Magazine Editors for an outstanding contribution to magazine publishing in the UK.
Cartoonist.
Drawing under the pen-name 'Marc', Boxer first came to prominence with a regular cartoon Life and Times in NW1, which ran in "The Listener" from 1968. This satirised the lifestyles of NW1 trendies, as typified in his characters Simon and Joanna Stringalong.
Boxer followed this with the production of a long series of pocket cartoons, single frame social commentaries which were published first in "The Times", and subsequently in "The Guardian". These were created in collaboration with the humorist George Melly, and led many to consider him the successor to Osbert Lancaster.
Profile artist.
Boxer's profile drawings of celebrated personalities, usually commissioned to accompany a feature profile article, appeared in the "New Statesman" between 1970 and 1978, and in "The Observer" between 1982 and 1987. Many are now in the archives of the National Portrait Gallery (London). They also appeared as illustrations to mock-heroic poems written by Clive James. "The Fate of Felicity Fark in the Land of the Media" (1975) and "Britannia Bright's Bewilderment in the Wilderness of Westminster" (1976).
Boxer also produced a series of drawings of characters to illustrate the covers of Anthony Powell’s 12-volume novel, "A Dance to the Music of Time".
Personal life.
Boxer's first marriage was to Lady Arabella Stuart, youngest daughter of the eighteenth Earl of Moray, with whom he had two children. As Arabella Boxer, she became a successful cookery writer, after Boxer designed her first book, "First Slice Your Cookbook", in 1964. They later divorced. His second marriage was to newsreader Anna Ford, with whom he had two daughters, Kate and Claire.
Boxer died of a brain tumour at home in Brentford, Hounslow, Greater London, aged 57.
References.
"The Collected and Recollected Marc", Fourth Estate 1993,


Posterior parahippocampal gyrus

The posterior parahippocampal gyrus is a portion of the parahippocampal gyrus.
It can show deterioration in Alzheimer's disease.


Modified duration


Substantia gelatinosa of Rolando

The apex of the posterior grey column, one of the three grey columns of the spinal cord, is capped by a V-shaped or crescentic mass of translucent, gelatinous neuroglia, termed the substantia gelatinosa of Rolando (or SGR) (or gelatinous substance of posterior horn of spinal cord), which contains both neuroglia cells, and small nerve cells. The gelatinous appearance is due to a very low concentration of myelinated fibers. It extends the entire length of the spinal cord and into the medulla oblongata where it becomes the spinal nucleus of the trigeminal nerve.
It is named after Luigi Rolando.
It corresponds to Rexed lamina II.
Structure.
The SGR, or lamina II, is composed of an outer lamina II and an inner lamina II.  In rodents, the inner lamina II is divided into a dorsal and ventral inner lamina II. The distinction between these laminae lies in the areas of the spinal cord that send information to and from the laminae (input and output projections).
The cell types within the SGR include islet cells, central cells, stalked or large vertical cells, small vertical cells, and radial cells. The islet cells and small vertical cells are primarily GABAergic, while the large vertical cells and radial cells are primarily glutamatergic. The descriptors GABAergic and glutamatergic refer to the neurotransmitter (GABA and glutamate, respectively) that the cell releases. Typically, the release of GABA from one cell causes the next cell to stop firing. The release of glutamate typically causes the next cell to depolarize and fire. Central cells can be either glutamatergic or GABAergic. These cells synapse on each other to modulate pain signaling through the release of these different neurotransmitters and various neuropeptides.
The cells in the SGR receive input from each other and primary afferent neurons and project outwards to other cells within the lamina. Complex circuits of excitation and inhibition lead to transmission and inhibition of pain signals through the spinal cord to the thalamus.
Function.
The substantia gelatinosa is one point (the nucleus proprius being the other) where first order neurons of the spinothalamic tract synapse.
Many μ and κ-opioid receptors, presynaptic and postsynaptic, are found on these nerve cells; they can be targeted to manage pain of distal origin. For instance, neuraxial administration of opioids results in analgesia primarily by action in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord in the substantia gelatinosa where they inhibit release of excitatory neurotransmitters such as substance P and glutamate and inhibit afferent neural transmission to the brain from incoming peripheral pain neurons via hyperpolarization of postsynaptic neurons.
C fibers terminate at this layer. Thus, the cell bodies located here are part of the neural pathway conveying slowly conducting, poorly localized pain sensation. However, some A delta fibers (carrying fast, localized pain sensation) also terminate in the substantia gelatinosa, mostly via axons passing through this area to the nucleus proprius. Thus, there is cross talk between the two pain pathways.
C fibers carrying information about pain and temperature synapse in outer lamina II and dorsal inner lamina II and release glutamate to excite neurons in these regions. Some C fibers also release BDNF, which can be either excitatory or inhibitory, sometimes depending on the characteristics of the post-synaptic neuron. These fibers are part of a pathway which may be implicated in central sensitization in chronic pain conditions. Fibers synapsing on these laminae that release peptides SST and GDNF may be part of a pathway that inhibits pain signaling.
Some of the SGR projects to the posteromarginal nucleus of the spinal cord, or lamina I, and laminae III-V. Most of these projections are excitatory.


Mingalaba

Mingalaba ( ; variously romanised as mingalarpar, mingalabar, or mingalar par) is the formal Burmese greeting." It is typically accompanied by a slight bow, or more formally, an Añjali Mudrā gesture, wherein the palms are folded together. The phrase "mingalaba" is typically rendered in English as "may you be blessed" or "auspiciousness to you."
Origins.
Much like the Thai greeting, mingalaba is a relatively modern creation. The phrase first emerged during British rule in Burma in the 19th to 20th centuries, coined as a Burmese language equivalent to 'hello' or 'how are you.' In the late 1960s, the Burmese government institutionalized the phrase in the country's educational system. Burmese pupils now greet their teachers with mingalaba at the beginning of each school day.
Mingalaba itself is a phrase, decomposed into mingala + ba. The first word "mingala" (မင်္ဂလာ) originates from the Pāli term , which means auspicious, lucky, prosperous, or festive. The word also appears in a well-known Buddhist sutra called the Maṅgala Sutta. Burmese culture recognizes Twelve Auspicious Rites or "Mingala." In Burmese, "mingala" is affixed to several Burmese terms, including "to wed" (မင်္ဂလာဆောင်) and "housewarming" (အိမ်တက်မင်္ဂလာ). The second word , "ba" (ပါ), is a grammatical particle suffixed to Burmese verbs to denote politeness.


Automotive acronyms and abbreviations

The following items are commonly used automotive acronyms and abbreviations:


Ribbon synapse

The ribbon synapse is a type of neuronal synapse characterized by the presence of an electron-dense structure, the synaptic ribbon, that holds vesicles close to the active zone. It is characterized by a tight vesicle-calcium channel coupling that promotes rapid neurotransmitter release and sustained signal transmission. Ribbon synapses undergo a cycle of exocytosis and endocytosis in response to graded changes of membrane potential. It has been proposed that most ribbon synapses undergo a special type of exocytosis based on coordinated multivesicular release. This interpretation has recently been questioned at the inner hair cell ribbon synapse, where it has been instead proposed that exocytosis is described by uniquantal (i.e., univesicular) release shaped by a flickering vesicle fusion pore.
These unique features specialize the ribbon synapse to enable extremely fast, precise and sustained neurotransmission, which is critical for the perception of complex senses such as vision and hearing. Ribbon synapses are found in retinal photoreceptor cells, vestibular organ receptors, cochlear hair cells, retinal bipolar cells, and pinealocytes.
The synaptic ribbon is a unique structure at the active zone of the synapse. It is positioned several nanometers away from the pre-synaptic membrane and tethers 100 or more synaptic vesicles. Each pre-synaptic cell can have from 10 to 100 ribbons tethered at the membrane, or a total number of 1000–10000 vesicles in close proximity to active zones. The ribbon synapse was first identified in the retina as a thin, ribbon-like presynaptic projection surrounded by a halo of vesicles using transmission electron microscopy in the 1950s, as the technique was gaining mainstream usage.
Structure.
Microscopic.
The photoreceptor ribbon synapse is around 30 nm in thickness. It sticks out into the cytoplasm around 200-1000 nm and anchors along its base to the arciform density which is an electron dense structure that is anchored to the presynaptic membrane. The arciform density is located within the synaptic ridge, a small evagination of the presynaptic membrane. Hair cells lack an arciform density so the anchor of this ribbon is considered to be invisible by electron microscope. The ribbon's surface has small particles that are around 5 nm wide where the synaptic vesicles tether densely via fine protein filaments. There are multiple filaments per vesicle. There are also voltage gated L-type calcium channels on the docking sites of the ribbon synapse which trigger neurotransmitter release. Specifically, ribbon synapses contain specialized organelles called synaptic ribbons, which are large presynaptic structures associated in the active zone. They are thought to fine-tune the synaptic vesicle cycle. Synaptic ribbons are in close proximity to synaptic vesicles, which, in turn, are close to the presynaptic neurotransmitter release site via the ribbon.
Postsynaptic structures differ for cochlear cells and photoreceptor cells. Hair cells is capable of one action potential propagation for one vesicle release. One vesicle release from the presynaptic hair cell onto the postsynaptic bouton is enough to create an action potential in the auditory afferent cells. Photoreceptors allow one vesicle release for many action potential propagation. The rod terminal and cone ribbon synapse of the photoreceptors have horizontal synaptic spines expressing AMPA receptors with additional bipolar dendrites exhibiting the mGluR6 receptors. These structures allow for the binding of multiple molecules of glutamate, allowing for the propagation of many action potentials.
Molecular.
The molecular composition between conventional neuronal synapse and ribbon synapse is surprisingly dissimilar. At the core of synaptic vesicle exocytosis machinery in vertebrate neuronal synapses is the SNARE complex. The minimally functional SNARE complex includes syntaxin 1, VAMP 1 and 2, and SNAP-25. In contrast, genetic ablation or application of botulinum, targeting SNAP-25, syntaxin 1-3, and VAMP 1-3, did not affect inner hair cell ribbon synapse exocytosis in mice. Additionally, no neuronal SNAREs were observed in hair cells using immunostaining, pointing to the possibility of a different exocytosis mechanism. However, several studies found SNARE mRNA and protein expressed in hair cell, perhaps indicating presence of a neuronal SNARE complex in ribbon synapse that is present in low levels and with very redundant components.
Several proteins of the synaptic ribbon have also been found to be associated with conventional synapses. RIM (Rab3-interacting proteins) is a GTPase expressed on synaptic vesicles that is important in priming synaptic vesicles. Immunostaining has revealed the presence of KIF3A, a component of the kinesin II motor complex whose function is still unknown. The presynaptic cytomatrix proteins Bassoon and Piccolo are both expressed at photoreceptor ribbons, but Piccolo is only expressed at retinal bipolar synaptic ribbons. Bassoon is responsible for attaching itself to the base of the synaptic ribbons and subsequently anchoring the synaptic ribbons. The function of Piccolo is unknown. Also important is the filaments that tether the vesicles to the ribbon synapse. These are shed during high rates of exocytosis. The only unique protein associated with the synaptic ribbon is RIBEYE, first identified in purified synaptic ribbon from bovine retina. It is found to be a part of all vertebrate synaptic ribbons in ribbon synapses and is the central portion of ribbon synapses. RIBEYE interactions are required to form a scaffold formation protein of the synaptic ribbon.
There has been a significant amount of research into the pre-synaptic cytomatrix protein Bassoon, which is a multi-domain scaffolding protein universally expressed at synapses in the central nervous system. Mutations in Bassoon have been shown to result in decreased synaptic transmission. However, the underlying mechanisms behind this observed phenomenon are not fully understood and are currently being investigated. It has been observed that in the retina of Bassoon-mutant mice, photoreceptor ribbon synapses are not anchored to pre-synaptic active zones during photoreceptor synaptogenesis. The photoreceptor ribbon synapses are observed to be free floating in the cytoplasm of the photoreceptor terminals. These observations have led to the conclusion that Bassoon plays a critical role in the formation of the photoreceptor ribbon synapse.
Structural plasticity.
In correspondence to its activity, ribbon synapses can have synaptic ribbons that vary in size. In mouse photoreceptor synapses when the neurotransmitter release rate is high and exocytosis is high, the synaptic ribbons are long. When neurotransmitter release rate is low and exocytosis is low, the synaptic ribbons are short. A current hypothesis is that synaptic ribbons can enlarge by the addition of more RIBEYE subunit.
Function.
Features of the ribbon synapse enable it to process information extremely quickly. Bipolar neurons present a good model for how ribbon synapses function.
Information is conveyed from photoreceptor cells to bipolar cells via the release of the neurotransmitter glutamate at the ribbon synapse. Conventional neurons encode information by changes in the rate of action potentials, but for complex senses like vision, this is not sufficient. Ribbon synapses enable neurons to transmit light signals over a dynamic range of several orders of magnitude in intensity. This is achieved by encoding intensity changes in tonic rate of transmitter release which requires the release of several hundred to several thousand synaptic vesicles per second.
To accomplish this level of performance, the sensory neurons of the eye maintain large pools of fast releasable vesicles that are equipped with ribbon synapses. This enables the cell to exocytose hundreds of vesicles per second, greatly exceeding the rate of neurons without the specialized ribbon synapse.
The current hypothesis of calcium-dependent exocytosis at retinal ribbon synapses suggests that the ribbon accommodates a reservoir of primed releasable vesicles. The vesicles that are in closest contact with the presynaptic plasma membrane at the base of the ribbon constitute the small, rapidly releasable pool of vesicles, whereas the remaining vesicles tethered to the ribbon constitute the large, readily (slower) releasable pool. These regularly aligned rows of synaptic vesicles tethered to either side of the ribbon along with the expression of the kinesin motor protein KIF3A at retinal ribbon synapses can move vesicles like a conveyor belt to the docking/release site at the ribbon base.
Exocytosis.
During exocytosis at the bipolar ribbon synapse, vesicles are seen to pause at the membrane and then upon opening of the calcium channels to promptly release their contents within milliseconds. Like most exocytosis, Ca2+ regulates the release of vesicles from the presynaptic membrane. Different types of ribbon synapses have different dependence on Ca2+ releases. The hair cell ribbon synapses exhibit a steep dependence on Ca2+ concentration, while the photoreceptor synapses is less steeply dependent on Ca2+ and is stimulated by much lower levels of free Ca2+. The hair cell ribbon synapse experiences spontaneous activity in the absence of stimuli, under conditions of a constant hair cell membrane potential. Voltage clamp at the postsynaptic bouton showed that the bouton experiences a wide range of excitatory postsynaptic current amplitudes. The current amplitude distribution is a positive-skew, with a range of larger amplitudes for both spontaneous and stimulus evoked release. It was thought that this current distribution was not explainable with single vesicle release, and other scenarios of release have been proposed: coordinated multivesicular release, kiss-and-run, or compound fusion of vesicles prior to exocytosis. However it has been recently proposed that uniquantal release with fusion pore flickering is the most plausible interpretation of the found current distribution. In fact, the charge distribution of currents is actually normally distributed, supporting the uniquantal release scenario. It has been shown that the skewness of the current amplitude distribution is well explained by different time courses of neurotransmitter release of a single vesicles with a flickering fusion pore.
The bipolar cell active zone of the ribbon synapse can release neurotransmitter continuously for hundreds of milliseconds during strong stimulation. This release of neurotransmitters occurs in two kinetically distinct phases: a small fast pool where about twenty percent of the total is released in about 1 millisecond, and a large sustained pool where the remaining components are released over hundreds of milliseconds. The existence of correspondence between the pool of tethered vesicles and the pool for sustained release in the rods and bipolar cells of the ribbon reveals that the ribbon may serve as a platform where the vesicles can be primed to allow sustained release of neurotransmitters. This large size of the sustained large component is what separates the ribbon synapse active zones from those of conventional neurons where sustained release is small in comparison. Once the presynaptic vesicles have been depleted, the bipolar cell's releasable pool requires several seconds to refill with the help of ATP hydrolysis.
Endocytosis.
A high rate of endocytosis is necessary to counter the high rate of exocytosis during sustained neurotransmitter release at ribbon synapses. Synaptic vesicles need to be recycled for further transmission to occur. These vesicles are directly recycled and because of their mobility, quickly replenish the neurotransmitters required for continued release.
In cone photoreceptors, the fused membrane is recycled into the synaptic vesicle without pooling of the membrane into the endosomes. Bipolar cells rely on a different mechanism. It involves taking a large portion of the membrane which is endocytosed and gives rise to synaptic vesicles. This mechanism is conserved in hair cells as well.
Research.
Loss of hearing and sight in mice.
Research has shown that abnormal expression of otoferlin, a ribbon synapse associated protein, impairs exocytosis of ribbon-bound vesicles in auditory inner hair cells. Otoferlin displays similar functional characteristics to synaptotagmin, a synapse associated protein important for mediating exocytosis in many other synapses (such as those in the central nervous system). Impaired hearing in mice has been shown to be associated with disrupted expression of otoferlin.
In studies of retinal genetic coding of laboratory mice, several mutated ribbon synapse associated voltage-gated L-type calcium channel auxiliary subunits were shown to be associated with dysfunctional rod and cone activity and information transmission. Mice were shown to express significantly reduced scotopic vision, and further research has shown the dysregulation of calcium homeostasis may have a significant role in rod photoreceptor degradation and death.
Human implications.
Much of the genetic information associated with the proteins observed in laboratory mice are shared with humans. The protein otoferlin is observed phenotypically in human auditory inner hair cells, and abnormal expression has been linked with deafness. In humans, cochlear implants have shown to reduce the debilitating effects of abnormal otoferlin expression by surpassing the synapse associated with the auditory inner hair cells.
The genetic code for retinal subunits associated with impaired scotopic vision and rod photoreceptor degradation are conserved at approximately 93% between mice and humans. Further research into the abnormal functioning of these mechanisms could open the door to therapeutic techniques to relieve auditory and visual impairments.
Other areas.
Several recent studies have provided evidence that loss-of-function mutations in pre-synaptic proteins of the photoreceptor cells ribbon synapse can cause X-linked congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) through mutations in the CACNA1F gene, which codes for the αF1-subunit of the L-type calcium channel Cav1.4. The gene is expressed at the active zone of photoreceptor ribbon synapses. The mutation is characterized by a significant reduction in both night and variable perturbation of daylight vision. The mutations in CACNA1F and Cav1.4 have also been observed to co-localize with CaBP4, a photoreceptor-specific calcium-binding protein. CaBP4 has been theorized to modulate the activity of the Cav1.4 channel. It has been theorized to be associated with the proper establishment and maintenance of photoreceptor ribbon synapses. While no evidence has been published, the association between CaBP4 and Cav1.4 is an area of continued research.


LqhIT2

LqhIT2 is a long-chain scorpion depressant β-toxin derived from "Leiurus quinquestriatus hebraeus". It targets insect voltage-gated sodium channels (Navs) and shifts the voltage dependence of channel activation to a more negative membrane potential.
Family and structure.
LqhIT2 belongs to the family of long chain scorpion depressant β-toxins. The protein can be produced using E. coli.
The molecular mass of LqhIT2 is approximately 5 kDa, with an isoelectric point of 6.4. LqhIT2 is a relatively small protein, containing only 61 amino acids. The protein is a long-chain toxin, which means that it is made up of an α-helix that is packed against a three-stranded antiparallel β-sheets. This construction is stabilized by a total of four cysteine sulfide bridges.
The α-helix and β-sheets make up the core globule. This core globule is connected to the NC-globule, which is encompassed by the N-groove on one side and the C-groove on the other side. The N-groove is important for the potency, activity, and selectivity of LqhIT2.
There are a few amino-acids that are thought to be of importance for the toxicity of LqhIT2: residues Asn 58 and Gly 61 at the C-terminus, and Asp 8, Lys11, and Lys 26 of its adjacent bioactive surface.
Target.
Voltage dependent sodium channels detect a change in membrane potential with the voltage sensor S3-S4. When the change in voltage reaches the threshold for an action potential, the ion channel opens and sodium ions diffuse into the cell. The general target for scorpion β-toxins is the receptor site 4 of Navs. Scorpion depressant β-scorpion toxins have a high affinity for Navs of insects.
LqhIT2 toxin possesses two non-interacting binding sites: a high-affinity and low-capacity binding site, as well as a low-affinity and high-capacity binding site. LqhIT2 binds to receptor site 4 of the voltage-gated sodium channel, more specifically to loop D2/D3-S. Additionally, the toxin binds non-specifically to the phospholipid bilayer and thus partitions into the cell membrane. However, this binding occurs ten times more slowly than the binding to receptor site 4.
Mode of action.
After binding to receptor site 4 of the Navs, the activation threshold of the channel shifts to a more hyperpolarized membrane potential. This shift in activation threshold is due to a two-step process.
First, the toxin binds to the S3/S4 binding site of the Navs channel irrespective of the channels current state. Once the channel switches to the open state, the toxin traps the activation sensor in its current position thus making the ion channel easier to open. The channel is now in a preactivated state . By switching the channel into a preactivated state, LqhIT2 toxin increases the rate of spontaneous neurotransmitter release.
Next, the increased rate of transmitter is followed by a reduction of synaptic potentials with eventually a block of neuromuscular transmission. Within 3 minutes after application, the toxin decreases the amplitudes of synaptic signals that are based on Navs activity. This leads to a gradual decrease in amplitudes of action potentials. After 4 minutes, the cell is in a permanent state of depolarization, which prevents the generation of further action potentials.
Toxicity.
Injection of 50 ng LqhIT2 of per 100 mg body weight is sufficient to paralyze blowfly larvae. This injection causes a short transient muscle contraction a few seconds after application. However, the threshold to increase membrane potential then decreases until the muscle is not electrically excitable anymore. The contraction is followed by flaccid paralysis, which lasts up to five minutes after injection. The initial increased sensitivity of Navs channels as well as the consequential release of neurotransmitter correlates with the brief contractile phase in intact larvae. The reduction of synaptic potentials that follows might account for the onset of flaccid paralysis.
The toxin does not appear to be toxic for mammals such as mice
References.


GJA5

Gap junction alpha-5 protein (GJA5), also known as connexin 40 (Cx40) — is a protein that in humans is encoded by the "GJA5" gene.
Function.
This gene is a member of the connexin gene family. The encoded protein is a component of gap junctions, which are composed of arrays of intercellular channels that provide a route for the diffusion of low molecular weight materials from cell to cell. Mutations in this gene may be associated with atrial fibrillation. Alternatively spliced transcript variants encoding the same isoform have been described.
GJA5 has been identified as the gene that is responsible for the phenotypes observed with congenital heart diseases on the 1q21.1 location. In case of a duplication of GJA5 tetralogy of Fallot is more common. In case of a deletion other congenital heart diseases than tetralogy of Fallot are more common.


Robert Nixon (prophet)

Robert Nixon was a legendary prophet of Cheshire. Many accounts about him appear to be in conflict with each other.
At least one account has Robert Nixon being born in c. 1467. In this account, he is the son of John Nixon during the time of Edward IV, who leased a farm in the parish of Over from Vale Royal Abbey. Another account of Nixon states that he was born during the reign of James I (1603–25) and that he was for some time in the service of Thomas Cholmondeley, master of Vale Royal after 1625.
There are also two claimed homes for Robert Nixon: one says he was an illiterate boy who was born in Bark House on a hill between Over and Whitegate. Alternatively, another source claims Robert Nixon lived at Bridge House near the Forest of Delamere.
He is the claimed source of various prophecies circulating in the early 18th Century and published in leaflet form.
Some of his prophecies relate to Vale Royal Abbey.
Prophecies.
Summoned to the court of King Richard III, he refused, saying he would be "clemmed death", that is, starved to death. The King ordered him to be kept in the kitchen, but because he was always picking at food he was locked in the cupboard. The cook was called away and he starved to death.
According to ‘Witchcraft, the history and mythology‘ “(King) Henry ordered that he be given all the food he wanted whenever he wanted. This was annoying to the kitchen staff, so whenever Henry left London he charged one of those officers with Robert’s safety. One day this officer was suddenly called away himself, so he locked Robert in the Kings own room for safekeeping. Unfortunately he forgot to tell anyone what he had done and when Robert was finally discovered, it was found that, as he predicted, he had starved to death.”
A man for all seasons?
Many of the prophecies relate to the family living at Vale Royal Abbey mansion at the time of the 1714 and 1745 Jacobite rebellions. It seems the prophecies of Robert Nixon were invented or modified to suit the political situation at the time.


Potentiometric titration

Potentiometric titration is a technique similar to direct titration of a redox reaction. It is a useful means of characterizing an acid. No indicator is used; instead the potential is measured across the analyte, typically an electrolyte solution. To do this, two electrodes are used, an indicator electrode (the glass electrode and metal ion indicator electrode) and a reference electrode. Reference electrodes generally used are hydrogen electrodes, calomel electrodes, and silver chloride electrodes. The indicator electrode forms an electrochemical half cell with the interested ions in the test solution. The reference electrode forms the other half cell.
The overall electric potential is calculated as Ecell = Eind - Eref + Esol. Esol is the potential drop over the test solution between the two electrodes. Ecell is recorded at intervals as the titrant is added. A graph of potential against volume added can be drawn and the end point of the reaction is halfway between the jump in voltage.
Ecell depends on the concentration of the interested ions with which the indicator electrode is in contact. For example, the electrode reaction may be
Mn++ne−----->M
As the concentration of Mn+ changes,the Ecell changes correspondingly. Thus the potentiometric titration involve measurement of Ecell with the addition of titrant. Types of potentiometric titration:
acid–base titration (total alkalinity and total acidity), redox titration (HI/HY and cerate), precipitation titration (halides), and complexometric titration (free EDTA and Antical #5).
History.
The first potentiometric titration was carried out in 1893 by Robert Behrend at Ostwald's Institute in Leipzig. He titrated mercurous solution with potassium chloride, potassium bromide, and potassium iodide. He used a mercury electrode along with a mercury/mercurous nitrate reference electrode. He found that in a cell composed of mercurous nitrate and mercurous nitrate/mercury, the initial voltage is 0. If potassium chloride is added to mercurous nitrate on one side, mercury (I) chloride is precipitated. This decreased the osmotic pressure of mercury (I) ions on the side and creates a potential difference. This potential difference increases slowly as additional potassium chloride is added, but then increases more rapidly. He found the greatest potential difference is achieved once all of the mercurous nitrate has been precipitated. This was used to discern end points of titrations.
Wilhelm Bottger then developed the tool of potentiometric titration while working at Ostwald's Institute. He used potentiometric titration to observe the differences in titration between strong and weak acids, as well as the behavior of polybasic acids. He introduced the idea of using potentiometric titrations for acids and bases that could not be titrated in conjunction with a colorimetric indicator
Potentiometric titrations were first used for redox titrations by Crotogino. He titrated halide ions using potassium permanganate using a shiny platinum electrode and a calomel electrode. He says that if an oxidizing agent is added to a reducing solution then the equilibrium between the reducing substance and reaction product
will shift towards the reaction product. The changes the potential very slowly until the amount of reducing substance becomes very small. A large change in potential will occur then once a small addition of the titrating solution is added, as the final amounts of reducing agent are removed and the potential corresponds solely to the oxidizing agent. This large increase in potential difference signifies the endpoint of the reaction.


Stilbestrol

Stilbestrol, or stilboestrol, also known as 4,4'-dihydroxystilbene or 4,4'-stilbenediol, is a stilbenoid nonsteroidal estrogen and the parent compound of a group of more potent nonsteroidal estrogen derivatives that includes, most notably, diethylstilbestrol (DES). The term "stilbestrol" is often used incorrectly to refer to DES, but they are not the same compound.
Stilbestrol itself is an active estrogen but is less potent than DES and other derivatives.
Stilbestrol derivatives.
The stilbestrol estrogenic drugs include the following:
Of the stilbestrol estrogens, diethylstilbestrol, hexestrol, and benzestrol are the most well-known.
Mechanism of action.
The stilbestrol estrogens bind with high affinity to both ERα and ERβ.
Closely related compounds.
Estrogens closely related to the stilbestrols include paroxypropione (a metabolite of diethylstilbestrol) and the anise and fennel-derived compounds anol, dianol, anethole, dianethole, and photoanethole (from which the stilbestrol estrogens were actually originally derived). The triphenylethylene group of estrogenic drugs that includes triphenylethylene itself, estrobin, chlorotrianisene, broparestrol, ethamoxytriphetol, clomifene, tamoxifen, and more recently developed derivatives is also very closely related structurally to the stilbestrols.
Resveratrol is a stilbenoid with estrogenic properties that is not technically a silbestrol derivative (it is 3,4',5-stilbenetriol).
Occupational exposure.
Occupational exposure to stilbestrol has resulted in gynaecomastia in workers.


Medial vestibular nucleus

The medial vestibular nucleus (Schwalbe nucleus) is one of the vestibular nuclei. It is located in the medulla oblongata.
Lateral vestibulo-spinal tract (lateral vestibular nucleus “Deiters”)- via ventrolateral medulla and spinal cord to ventral funiculus (lumbo-sacral segments). ..Ipsilaterally for posture
Medial vestibulo-spinal tract (medial, lateral, inferior, vestibular nuclei), bilateral projection via descending medial longitudinal fasciculus to cervical segments. DESCENDING MLF..Bilaterally for head/neck/eye movements
It is one of the nuclei that corresponds to CN VIII, corresponding to the vestibular nerve, which joins with the cochlear nerve.
It receives its blood supply from the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery, which is compromised in the lateral medullary syndrome.