Dinosaur egg study supports evolutionary link between birds and dinosaurs

Public release date: 18-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mark Lowey
mlowey@ucalgary.ca
403-210-8659
University of Calgary

Fossil eggs reveal how Troodon dinosaur likely hatched its young

A small, bird-like North American dinosaur incubated its eggs in a similar way to brooding birds bolstering the evolutionary link between birds and dinosaurs, researchers at the University of Calgary and Montana State University study have found.

Among the many mysteries paleontologists have tried to uncover is how dinosaurs hatched their young. Was it in eggs completely buried in nest materials, like crocodiles? Or was it in eggs in open or non-covered nests, like brooding birds?

Using egg clutches found in Alberta and Montana, researchers Darla Zelenitsky at the University of Calgary and David Varricchio at Montana State University closely examined the shells of fossil eggs from a small meat-eating dinosaur called Troodon.

In a finding published in the spring issue of Paleobiology, they concluded that this specific dinosaur species, which was known to lay its eggs almost vertically, would have only buried the egg bottoms in mud.

"Based on our calculations, the eggshells of Troodon were very similar to those of brooding birds, which tells us that this dinosaur did not completely bury its eggs in nesting materials like crocodiles do," says study co-author Zelenitsky, assistant professor of geoscience.

"Both the eggs and the surrounding sediments indicate only partial burial; thus an adult would have directly contacted the exposed parts of the eggs during incubation," says lead author Varricchio, associate professor of paleontology.

Varricchio says while the nesting style for Troodon is unusual, "there are similarities with a peculiar nester among birds called the Egyptian Plover that broods its eggs while they're partially buried in sandy substrate of the nest."

Paleontologists have always struggled to answer the question of how dinosaurs incubated their eggs, because of the scarcity of evidence for incubation behaviours.

As dinosaurs' closest living relatives, crocodiles and birds offer some insights.

Scientists know that crocodiles and birds that completely bury their eggs for hatching have eggs with many pores or holes in the eggshell, to allow for respiration.

This is unlike brooding birds which don't bury their eggs; consequently, their eggs have far fewer pores.

The researchers counted and measured the pores in the shells of Troodon eggs to assess how water vapour would have been conducted through the shell compared with eggs from contemporary crocodiles, mound-nesting birds and brooding birds.

They are optimistic their methods can be applied to other dinosaur species' fossil eggs to show how they may have been incubated.

"For now, this particular study helps substantiate that some bird-like nesting behaviors evolved in meat-eating dinosaurs prior to the origin of birds. It also adds to the growing body of evidence that shows a close evolutionary relationship between birds and dinosaurs," Zelenitsky says.

###

The study in Paleobiology is available at: http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1666/11042

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Public release date: 18-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Mark Lowey
mlowey@ucalgary.ca
403-210-8659
University of Calgary

Fossil eggs reveal how Troodon dinosaur likely hatched its young

A small, bird-like North American dinosaur incubated its eggs in a similar way to brooding birds bolstering the evolutionary link between birds and dinosaurs, researchers at the University of Calgary and Montana State University study have found.

Among the many mysteries paleontologists have tried to uncover is how dinosaurs hatched their young. Was it in eggs completely buried in nest materials, like crocodiles? Or was it in eggs in open or non-covered nests, like brooding birds?

Using egg clutches found in Alberta and Montana, researchers Darla Zelenitsky at the University of Calgary and David Varricchio at Montana State University closely examined the shells of fossil eggs from a small meat-eating dinosaur called Troodon.

In a finding published in the spring issue of Paleobiology, they concluded that this specific dinosaur species, which was known to lay its eggs almost vertically, would have only buried the egg bottoms in mud.

"Based on our calculations, the eggshells of Troodon were very similar to those of brooding birds, which tells us that this dinosaur did not completely bury its eggs in nesting materials like crocodiles do," says study co-author Zelenitsky, assistant professor of geoscience.

"Both the eggs and the surrounding sediments indicate only partial burial; thus an adult would have directly contacted the exposed parts of the eggs during incubation," says lead author Varricchio, associate professor of paleontology.

Varricchio says while the nesting style for Troodon is unusual, "there are similarities with a peculiar nester among birds called the Egyptian Plover that broods its eggs while they're partially buried in sandy substrate of the nest."

Paleontologists have always struggled to answer the question of how dinosaurs incubated their eggs, because of the scarcity of evidence for incubation behaviours.

As dinosaurs' closest living relatives, crocodiles and birds offer some insights.

Scientists know that crocodiles and birds that completely bury their eggs for hatching have eggs with many pores or holes in the eggshell, to allow for respiration.

This is unlike brooding birds which don't bury their eggs; consequently, their eggs have far fewer pores.

The researchers counted and measured the pores in the shells of Troodon eggs to assess how water vapour would have been conducted through the shell compared with eggs from contemporary crocodiles, mound-nesting birds and brooding birds.

They are optimistic their methods can be applied to other dinosaur species' fossil eggs to show how they may have been incubated.

"For now, this particular study helps substantiate that some bird-like nesting behaviors evolved in meat-eating dinosaurs prior to the origin of birds. It also adds to the growing body of evidence that shows a close evolutionary relationship between birds and dinosaurs," Zelenitsky says.

###

The study in Paleobiology is available at: http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.1666/11042

---

[ | E-mail | Share ]

?

AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-04/uoc-des041813.php

lil boosie bobbi kristina brown new edition austerity rihanna and chris brown back together pebble beach cause of whitney houston death

Scientists reverse memory loss in animal brain cells

Apr. 17, 2013 ? Neuroscientists at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) have taken a major step in their efforts to help people with memory loss tied to brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease.

Using sea snail nerve cells, the scientists reversed memory loss by determining when the cells were primed for learning. The scientists were able to help the cells compensate for memory loss by retraining them through the use of optimized training schedules. Findings of this proof-of-principle study appear in the April 17 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

"Although much works remains to be done, we have demonstrated the feasibility of our new strategy to help overcome memory deficits," said John "Jack" Byrne, Ph.D., the study's senior author, as well as director of the W.M. Keck Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and chairman of the Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy at the UTHealth Medical School.

This latest study builds on Byrne's 2012 investigation that pioneered this memory enhancement strategy. The 2012 study showed a significant increase in long-term memory in healthy sea snails called Aplysia californica, an animal that has a simple nervous system, but with cells having properties similar to other more advanced species including humans.

Yili Zhang, Ph.D., the study's co-lead author and a research scientist at the UTHealth Medical School, has developed a sophisticated mathematical model that can predict when the biochemical processes in the snail's brain are primed for learning.

Her model is based on five training sessions scheduled at different time intervals ranging from 5 to 50 minutes. It can generate 10,000 different schedules and identify the schedule most attuned to optimum learning.

"The logical follow-up question was whether you could use the same strategy to overcome a deficit in memory," Byrne said. "Memory is due to a change in the strength of the connections among neurons. In many diseases associated with memory deficits, the change is blocked."

To test whether their strategy would help with memory loss, Rong-Yu Liu, Ph.D., co-lead author and senior research scientist at the UTHealth Medical School, simulated a brain disorder in a cell culture by taking sensory cells from the sea snails and blocking the activity of a gene that produces a memory protein. This resulted in a significant impairment in the strength of the neurons' connections, which is responsible for long-term memory.

To mimic training sessions, cells were administered a chemical at intervals prescribed by the mathematical model. After five training sessions, which like the earlier study were at irregular intervals, the strength of the connections returned to near normal in the impaired cells.

"This methodology may apply to humans if we can identify the same biochemical processes in humans. Our results suggest a new strategy for treatments of cognitive impairment. Mathematical models might help design therapies that optimize the combination of training protocols with traditional drug treatments," Byrne said.

He added, "Combining these two could enhance the effectiveness of the latter while compensating at least in part for any limitations or undesirable side effects of drugs. These two approaches are likely to be more effective together than separately and may have broad generalities in treating individuals with learning and memory deficits."

Other co-authors from the UTHealth Medical School included: Douglas A. Baxter, Ph.D., professor; Paul Smolen, Ph.D., assistant professor; and Len Cleary, Ph.D., professor.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. R.-Y. Liu, Y. Zhang, D. A. Baxter, P. Smolen, L. J. Cleary, J. H. Byrne. Deficit in Long-Term Synaptic Plasticity Is Rescued by a Computationally Predicted Stimulus Protocol. Journal of Neuroscience, 2013; 33 (16): 6944 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0643-13.2013

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/ehxTz4xzIJQ/130417164451.htm

josh powell madonna halftime show linsanity the alamo anencephaly tesla model x lou gehrig

Unfunded, Aging Water Infrastructure Needs a Dynamic Program to ...

Such a program is known as ?asset management,? and it?s a necessary step to reduce government costs.

Water systems are similar to our bodies. They age over time, and the way to keep in shape and avoid costly troubles is to identify and practice continuous, healthy behaviors as early as possible. This becomes even more critical after reaching forty years old, which is the case for much of the nation?s water and wastewater infrastructure, built following a boom in development after the 1972 Clean Water Act.

We?re four years into a very tough economy and almost every city and town has been checking spending levels.? Today?s municipalities are trying to do more with less, and smart cities know that it?s better to maintain the expensive infrastructure they already own than to pay for double or triple the expense for emergency repairs and replacement caused by neglect. Again, the challenge is similar to keeping a healthy body: Maintaining healthy lifestyles and keeping to a dynamic wellness program is an essential part of staying healthy. And when it comes to infrastructure, this dynamic wellness program is known as ?asset management.?

Water and wastewater infrastructure is one of a city?s most expensive infrastructure assets, including the miles and miles of underground pipes that move water and wastewater every day. This underground system is unseen and often politically forgotten, but it represents more than seventy percent of the asset value of a municipal water system. Because this infrastructure is so costly, cities that are serious about maximizing taxpayer investment should start formal maintenance programs for their water and wastewater assets now.

In the water and wastewater industry, these asset management programs can save ratepayers money. Asset management programs start with rigorous analysis of all the assets owned by a city, like pumps, pipes and electrical equipment. Armed with this information, operators can then prioritize repairs and funding to where they?re most needed. In a typical utility, 20 percent of the assets might be critical to operations, yet they might account for 80 percent of the total costs and risks associated with facility operations and maintenance. A solid asset management program would identify this 20 percent and make sure repairs were prioritized, ensuring that ratepayer money is spent wisely.

For example, Veolia Water manages a wastewater facility in Gresham, Ore. ?After implementing an asset management program, the facility has now moved to longer-term planning, and conducts analyses to identify assets that require additional attention. This type of planning identified additional maintenance activities and spare parts that were needed for one of the plant?s cogenerators. This improved reliability and uptime efficiency, which resulted in energy savings of roughly $210,000 per year. The savings from long-term planning add up. This is just one reason why the EPA is touting asset management as a way to help cities manage public works infrastructure.

Cities need to implement these programs early on, because the longer they wait, the more likely that damage is done to their ratepayer-funded infrastructure ? damage that could have been avoided with an asset management program. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers? annual scorecard of US infrastructure, the quality of US drinking water infrastructure ranks as a ?D-? and the quality of wastewater infrastructure ranks as a ?D-.? ?Regardless of whether one is bothered going home with a ?D-? on their report card, the fact is that drinking water and wastewater systems in the United States are aging.? Some cities have parts that are more than 100 years old. In the absence of funding for replacement, smart cities are realizing that improving their maintenance programs is the only way to run these systems effectively in the near future. It?s an important point because the federal government is not going to come to the rescue with ?free money.? It?s time for creative, efficient solutions.

Regardless of how enthusiastic water professionals are about water and wastewater infrastructure and regardless of how critical they are to the health and wellbeing of our society, sewers will never be a sexy topic to the general public. ?Water and wastewater services are too often taken for granted ? until they don?t work.

A study by Deloitte Research found that ?the effect of reducing spending on maintenance is rarely immediate; politicians who opt to cut back such spending may have left office long before society begins to complain loudly.? Smart utility managers are finding that if they can effectively make the case for asset management programs, they save considerable headache in the long-term. ?To those entrusted with fiduciary responsibility for these systems, asset management does look fairly sexy.

When it comes to asset management, late is better than never ? and the sooner cities start, the sooner they can address problems in the system that ultimately reduce ratepayer cost. Taunton, Mass. is one such example; the city implemented an asset management program when faced with a consent order for long-standing issues in their system. In the process, almost 61 miles of unidentified sewer was identified and nearly 1,000 tons of debris stuck in the system was located and removed. ?Removing this debris regained the hydraulic capacity of 1.9 million gallons/day, resulting in greater throughput and huge energy savings. The city no longer wastes resources treating rainwater and groundwater that slips into the collection system due to poorly maintained pipes. It also has more space in its sewer system to accommodate heavy rainfall, helping prevent overflows, saving taxpayers on treatment costs and reducing pipe corrosion.

Damage also comes in the form of unnecessary maintenance that occurs when assets aren?t analyzed. Many utilities fall victim to manufacturers, who build 10-year obsolescence cycles into their parts as a way to increase revenues. Some old parts ? even parts from World War II ? can still operate in good working condition if properly maintained. When utilities track the maintenance and repair of equipment, they increase the longevity of taxpayer assets.

These solutions make good business sense for the utility and for the taxpayer. For example, water main breaks occur because of aging pipes and drought, and they waste water ? an effect that?s magnified in water-scarce areas like the American Southwest. It also wastes ratepayer money and causes considerable headache for the operators charged with fixing the problem. That?s why smart cities are dealing with these problems now.

We can?t hide from the fact that America?s infrastructure is aging, and that the federal government is unlikely to provide any substantial financial relief. However, utilities are not powerless. Asset management is an established analytical methodology derived from commonsense ? taking care of assets that have already been purchased makes them last longer.

These programs can?t be implemented overnight, and they take political will to make happen, but once in place, they can produce tremendous taxpayer savings without cutting corners.

Water and wastewater utilities are typically a municipality?s single biggest expenditure, and they should be treated with the care and respect they deserve.

Laurent Auguste is president and CEO of Veolia Water Americas, leading Veolia Water?s municipal and industrial business activities in both North and South America. He is an active board member of the US Water Alliance, The Water Council and the innovator behind www.growingblue.com. You can follow Veolia Water North America on Twitter here, and can read more asset management success stories here.

Stay Up-to-Date On Environmental Management, Energy & Sustainability News with EL's Free Daily Newsletter

Advertisers

Source: http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/04/16/unfunded-aging-water-infrastructure-needs-a-dynamic-program-to-stay-healthy/

michigan state michigan state andrew luck pro day josh johnson kim kardashian flour matt forte jeremy shockey

Referee Josh Rosenthal pleads guilty to charges for owning $6 million worth of marijuana

Well-known MMA referee Josh Rosenthal has been a part of some of the UFC's most famous bouts, including Brock Lesnar's championship win over Shane Carwin and Dan Henderson's Fight of the Year win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. Now, it turns out he was also part of an illegal drug operation.

In a story that could have been the plot of the show "Weeds," Rosenthal plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana. He and an associate owned a warehouse that kept 1,356 marijuana plants with a street value of $6 million. According to MMA Junkie, he could spend more than three years in prison:

The government is recommending 37 months in jail, fines and five years of probation, during which he would be subject to random searches, according to the agreement. Without a deal, he faced 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine and a minimum of five years' probation.

The court will ultimately decide Rosenthal's fate. He is scheduled to appear on May 17.

Rosenthal was once a mainstay on the UFC refereeing rotation, but hasn't been in the cage recently. His license lapsed in California as he dealt with his legal troubles and healed from a staph infection. Though referees are assigned by state commissions, not the UFC, Rosenthal had earned the praise of UFC president Dana White for his role in the Lesnar-Carwin bout.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/referee-josh-rosenthal-pleads-guilty-charges-owning-6-222133049--mma.html

Anne Smedinghoff jana kramer carrie underwood garth brooks miranda lambert george strait Trey Burke

Strange new bursts of gamma rays point to a new way to destroy a star

Apr. 16, 2013 ? A team led by the University of Warwick has pinpointed a new type of exceptionally powerful and long-lived cosmic explosion, prompting a theory that they arise in the violent death throes of a supergiant star.

These explosions create powerful blasts of high energy gamma-rays, known as gamma-ray bursts, but while most bursts are over in about a minute, this new type can last for several hours.

The first example was found by astronomers on Christmas Day 2010, but it lacked a measurement of distance and so remained shrouded in mystery with two competing theories put forward for its origin.

The first model suggested it was down to an asteroid, shredded by the gravity of a dense neutron star in our own galaxy, the second that it was a supernova in a galaxy 3.5 billion light years away, or in the more common language of astronomers at a redshift of 0.33.

A new study by a team of scientists led by Dr Andrew Levan at the University of Warwick finds several more examples of these unusual cosmic explosions and shows that the Christmas Day burst took place in a galaxy much further away than the two theories suggested.

This research is to be presented at the GRB 2013 Symposium in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday 16 April.

Using data from the Gemini Telescope in Hawaii, the scientists calculated that this ultra-long gamma-ray burst had a redshift of 0.847. This gives it a location of approximately half-way to the edge of the observable universe, or 7 billion light years away.

Armed with its location, Dr Levan's team, which included scientists from an international collaboration, has developed a new theory to explain how it occurred.

They suggest this kind of burst is caused by a supergiant, a star 20 times more massive than the sun, which evolves to become among the biggest and brightest stars in the universe with a radius of up to 1 billion miles -- up to 1,000 times that of the sun.

They believe the ultra-long durations of the Christmas gamma-ray burst and two other similar bursts are simply down to the sheer size of the supergiants exploding in a supernova.

Most stars that create gamma-ray bursts are thought to be relatively small and dense, and the explosion that destroys them punches through the star in a matter of seconds. In the case of these new ultra-long bursts the explosion takes much longer to propagate through the star, and so the gamma-ray burst lasts for a much longer time..

Dr Levan said: "These events are amongst the biggest explosions in nature, yet we're only just beginning to find them.

"It really shows us that the Universe is a much more violent and varied place than we'd imagined.

"Previously we've found lots of gamma-ray events with short durations, but in the past couple of years we've started to see the full picture."

Nial Tanvir, a professor at the University of Leicester, and second author of the study added: "We believe that powering the explosion is a newly formed black hole in the heart of the star.

"Predicting the detailed behaviour of matter falling into a black hole in these circumstances turns out to be very difficult, and from a theoretical point of view we didn't initially expect explosions at all.

"The amazing thing is that nature seems to have found ways of blowing up a wide range of stars in the most dramatic and violent way."

The more common type of gamma-ray burst is thought to be caused when a Wolf-Rayet star in the final phase of its evolution collapses into a black hole at its own core.

Matter is drawn into the black hole, but some of its energy escapes and is focussed into a jet of material which blasts out in two directions forming copious gamma-rays in the process.

These jets are ejected extremely quickly (close to the speed of light), otherwise the material would fall into the black hole from which it can't escape. For this reason they last only a few seconds.

However, a gamma-ray burst in a bigger star the size of a supergiant needs to power through a larger reservoir of material, hence its longer duration.

Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:

Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:

---

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Warwick.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/Ou5l0EfmiJI/130416144743.htm

melissa mccarthy Andy Dick Tim Hardaway Anne Smedinghoff jana kramer carrie underwood garth brooks

George W. Bush Becomes a Grandfather

Apr 15 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $4,139,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $3,137,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,442,389 4. Adam Scott (Australia) $2,100,469 5. Steve Stricker $1,935,340 6. Phil Mickelson $1,764,680 7. Dustin Johnson $1,748,907 8. Jason Day $1,659,565 9. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 10. Keegan Bradley $1,430,347 11. Charles Howell III $1,393,806 12. John Merrick $1,375,757 13. Russell Henley $1,331,434 14. Michael Thompson $1,310,709 15. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 16. Bill Haas $1,271,553 17. Billy Horschel $1,254,224 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/george-w-bush-becomes-grandfather-204701979--abc-news-politics.html

Columbus Day 2012 carlina white Sam Champion Engaged Infield fly rule Taken 2 Venezuela Elections Skyfall

Boston Marathon Explosion Injures Over 100. Live Updates

An explosion rocked the Boston Marathon, causing widespread injuries. The earliest reports and images began flowing in from social media. According to a Boston Globe tweet, "dozens of people have seriously injured". Below are first-hand reports and images as they come in. WARNING: images are graphic.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/3bct3dJk7YA/

elizabeth smart south dakota state long beach state beasley trailblazers michael beasley jermaine jones

Russia says US signals desire to ease tensions

Apr 15 (Reuters) - Leading money winners on the 2013 PGATour on Monday (U.S. unless stated): 1. Tiger Woods $4,139,600 2. Brandt Snedeker $3,137,920 3. Matt Kuchar $2,442,389 4. Adam Scott (Australia) $2,100,469 5. Steve Stricker $1,935,340 6. Phil Mickelson $1,764,680 7. Dustin Johnson $1,748,907 8. Jason Day $1,659,565 9. Hunter Mahan $1,553,965 10. Keegan Bradley $1,430,347 11. Charles Howell III $1,393,806 12. John Merrick $1,375,757 13. Russell Henley $1,331,434 14. Michael Thompson $1,310,709 15. Kevin Streelman $1,310,343 16. Bill Haas $1,271,553 17. Billy Horschel $1,254,224 18. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/russia-says-us-signals-desire-ease-tensions-125526332.html

catamount mike dantoni bulls heat goldman sachs brandon carr knicks coach encyclopedia britannica

Caroline Shaw wins 2013 Pulitzer for music

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) ? Caroline Shaw isn't your typical Pulitzer Prize for music winner.

The violinist and vocalist is just 30, a freelance musician in New York, a grad student at Princeton University and an all-around music lover who is combining new ideas with old to make something the Pulitzer foundation found enchanting.

"I think up to now people have known me as a violinist and then more so as a singer," Shaw said in a phone interview from New York where she lives. "I guess now people are going to know me as a composer ? I guess more than I'm used to."

She won a Pulitzer often given to older composers and musicians for her composition "Partita for 8 Voices," an a cappella piece written for her vocal octet Roomful of Teeth that's both modern and steeped in the Baroque tradition. It was released on Roomful of Teeth's self-titled debut album last October on New Amsterdam Records.

The Pulitzer committee wrote of Shaw's work: "a highly polished and inventive a cappella work uniquely embracing speech, whispers, sighs, murmurs, wordless melodies and novel vocal effects."

Shaw writes of the four-part suite on her website: "Partita is a simple piece. Born of a love of surface and structure, of the human voice, of dancing and tired ligaments, of music, and of our basic desire to draw a line from one point to another." She says the piece was inspired by Sol LeWitt's "Wall Drawing 305," an installation piece she saw at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, where Roomful of Teeth sets up shop for a few weeks every summer.

Shaw will receive $10,000 for the prize, and plenty of attention. The category's other finalists included previous winner Aaron Jay Kernis for classical composition "Pieces of Winter Sky" and jazz musician Wadada Leo Smith for "Ten Freedom Summers," a 10-part examination of the civil rights movement.

The North Carolina-born Shaw was on the way Monday evening for rehearsal with the American Contemporary Music Ensemble, another group that inspires the composer in her.

"There's a bit of a new guard of contemporary classical musicians in New York and we play a lot of different kinds of music together," Shaw said. "We do pop studio sessions and we'll also play John Cage and more avant-garde work. We're developing a language of music that comes with a lot of different styles, different kinds of work."

___

Online:

http://pulitzer.org

___

Follow AP Music Writer Chris Talbott: http://twitter.com/Chris_Talbott

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/caroline-shaw-wins-2013-pulitzer-music-191459918.html

courtney stodden Ncaa Football Scores Plaquemines Parish michigan football michigan football askew blue moon

Assad's forces break rebel blockade in north Syria

By Erika Solomon

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrian government troops have broken through a six-month rebel blockade in northern Syria and are now fighting to recapture a vital highway, opposition and state media said on Monday.

Rebels had kept the army bottled up in the Wadi al-Deif and Hamidiya military bases in Idlib province. But on Sunday, President Bashar al-Assad's forces outflanked the rebels and broke through, the pro-government al-Baath newspaper said.

The insurgents counter-attacked on Monday but their front has been weakened in recent weeks due to infighting and the deployment of forces to other battles, activists said.

The break-out from the bases, located outside Maarat al-Nuaman town, may enable the army to recapture the main route into Aleppo, Syria's largest city, and bolster their fragile supply lines in the heart of the rebel-held north.

Two years into the uprising against Assad, government forces are fighting hard to maintain control of cities. Many rural areas and provincial towns have fallen to the rebels. Aleppo, formerly a business hub, is locked in a stalemate between the rival forces.

Rebels had advanced in northern Syria, near Turkey, and southern Deraa province near Jordan. But government forces have kept the rebels out of central Damascus and hold more than half of Homs city, which links the capital to Assad's Alawite heartlands near the Mediterranean coast.

March was the bloodiest month yet in a conflict which began as a protest movement against four decades of Assad family rule but has descended into an increasingly sectarian civil war in which at least 70,000 people have been killed.

Sunni Muslim rebels are the backbone of the insurgency, while minorities like the Alawites, from an offshoot of Shi'ite Islam, have largely fought with Assad, who can count on outside support from Russia and Iran.

Western powers, who want to see the end of Assad but do not want to intervene militarily, have been alarmed by the advance of Islamist groups like the Nusra Front in a conflict which has deepened the Middle East's sectarian divide.

Diplomatic efforts to find a political solution have gone nowhere.

BREAK THE BLOCKADE

Rebel attacks had forced the army to relinquish many bases in northern Syria and most roads around Aleppo and Idlib province, leaving the remaining government-controlled areas in the north to rely on airlifts for food and weapons.

"The break of the blockade yesterday allowed the army to drive six lorries full of weapons to get into the bases of Wadi Deif and Hamidiya," Rami Abdelrahman, head of the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told Reuters.

The pro-opposition observatory said that despite the army gains, neither side had a clear advantage.

Abdelrahman counted more than 50 fighters dead or missing from the battle on Sunday. The army advance was not yet a decisive victory but could reopen battlefields in the north where rebels had the advantage, he said.

"We will see now what happens but if the rebels can push back the regime, they can avoid a major setback. If the regime is able to hold this opening it could take back the whole road and that will have major strategic consequences," he said.

Activists in Maarat al-Nuaman, which has faced daily air strikes due to the blockade, accused rebels of causing their own defeat by depleting their forces in the area.

Islamist units that moved in over the weekend accused forces on the ground, lead by the Martyrs of Syria brigade, of failing to secure the base and sending away too many fighters.

The Martyrs of Syria brigade said they were pushing their campaign and the Islamist groups had hurt their blockade by interfering.

According to Abdelrahamn, many of the main fighting units previously based in the area had moved to Raqqa, Ras al-Ain, and Hassakah, towns in the northeast which rebels recently seized.

Government forces have pushed hard near the cities of Aleppo, Idlib and Damascus in recent weeks.

An air strike killed 13 people, including 10 children, in the Damascus district of Qaboun on Sunday, the Observatory said.

Activists showed video footage of a boy, his face and arms blackened and bloodied and his leg bandaged, and a photograph of the bodies of three children in blue plastic body bags.

The fighting in Syria has also spilled over with increasing frequency into neighboring Lebanon.

Two people, one of them a 13-year-old boy, were killed in the Lebanese border village of Qasr on Sunday by rocket fire from rebel-held positions in Syria, a Lebanese security source said. Six people were wounded.

Lebanese President Michel Suleiman condemned the bombardment, which he said "killed innocent Lebanese who have no connection to the conflict taking place outside their country".

(Additional reporting by Dominic Evans; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/assads-forces-break-rebel-blockade-north-syria-104925711.html

UT Austin Lizzie Velasquez NFL Network att libya engadget twin towers

News in Brief: Questions raised about lithium-ion cell?s claim to fame

A user?s charging habits may affect battery after all

By Andrew Grant

Web edition: April 14, 2013

Inaccurate estimates of a lithium-ion battery?s remaining juice can come from failing to fully charge and discharge the battery, a new study reports. The surprising finding, published April 14 in Nature Materials, could affect the up-and-coming electric vehicle industry, given the need for accurate estimates of how far a car owner can drive before needing to recharge.

Some rechargeable batteries, such as nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal-hydride batteries, lose capacity over time when a user repeatedly recharges them without allowing them to fully discharge. But lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in laptops, smartphones and electric cars, were thought to be unaffected by a user?s charging habits.

Physicist Tsuyoshi Sasaki of Toyota Central R&D Labs in Japan and colleagues at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland measured the voltage across one of the electrodes as a battery repeatedly charged and discharged. After a charge that wasn?t complete, the next charge produced a surprising voltage spike. A sensor might measure that voltage blip and overestimate how much juice is left in the battery.

Fortunately this effect is manageable, says Paul Braun, a materials scientist at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign who was not involved in the study. There is no long-term impact on the battery?s capacity, Sasaki?s team found, and fully charging the battery eliminates the anomalous voltage readings. Braun says understanding this phenomenon will allow car battery manufacturers to design better battery packs and sensors that accurately measure miles until empty.

---

Suggested Reading

D. Castelvecchi. Energy forest. Science News. Vol. 173, January 12, 2008, p. 30. [Go to]

A. Cunningham. Wired viruses: New electrodes could make better batteries. Science News. Vol. 169, April 8, 2006, p. 212. [Go to]

Source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/349648/title/News_in_Brief_Questions_raised_about_lithium-ion_cells_claim_to_fame

Remember Remember The 5th Of November African painted dogs What Time Do Polls Open Krysten Ritter v for vendetta Voting Locations atlanta falcons

Italy's Wind to invest 1 billion euros in 4G network with Huawei

BERLIN, April 11 (Reuters) - Bayern Munich have received more than 200,000 ticket requests for their Champions League semi-final game in Munich, thousands of which were made before they advanced against Juventus, the club said on Thursday. "We have been updating the figure constantly and at the moment it stands at 200,000 ticket requests for the semi-final home leg," a Bayern Munich official told Reuters. Bayern's stadium fits only 69,000 and that includes the 39,500 ticket holders and any fans travelling with their opponents. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/italys-wind-invest-1-billion-euros-4g-network-111408432--sector.html

breaking dawn part 2 breaking dawn part 2 Jennifer Lacy Honey Baked Ham hostess israel AMA

Severe US flu season helped Roche's Q1 sales

GENEVA (AP) ? Strong sales of new cancer drugs and a severe U.S. flu season helped lift Swiss drug maker Roche Holding AG's revenue by 6 percent in the first quarter.

The world's biggest manufacturer of cancer drugs said Thursday that sales rose to 11.56 billion Swiss francs ($12.4 billion) during the first three months of the year, up from 11.03 billion francs in the same period last year.

Severin Schwan, the chief executive of Basel, Switzerland-based pharmaceutical company, described it as "a very good start in 2013" and attributed much of the advance to an 84 percent increase in Tamiflu sales during the U.S. flu season. Also helping were two new cancer drugs that the company hopes will mirror the performance of its three top-selling cancer medicines MabThera/Rituxan, Herceptin and Avastin.

"The launch of two new cancer drugs, Kadcyla in the United States and Perjeta in Europe, will help to further improve our leading market position in oncology," Schwan said in a statement.

The company also said there was strong demand for its ovarian cancer drug Avastin in Europe.

Roche, which reports its earnings only every six months, said group sales for 2013 are expected to grow in line with last year's 4 percent increase. Unlike many of its major competitors, the company benefits from having strong sellers whose patents are not expiring soon.

But like many other major Swiss companies it has battled against the strength of the franc in recent years, a situation that somewhat reversed in 2012. Roche said the rise of the franc against the yen by 13 percent impacted its group sales in francs by 1 percent.

Shares in Roche were trading up 0.2 percent Thursday morning at 226 francs on the Zurich exchange.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/severe-us-flu-season-helped-roches-q1-sales-084939590--finance.html

office max jcp Sports Authority Hollister old navy walmart black friday walmart black friday

Gina McCarthy: How would she change EPA?

Gina McCarthy's Senate nomination hearing was as much about the role of the Environmental Protection Agency as her ability to direct it. How should Gina McCarthy enforce regulations on oil, gas, and coal, and do those regulations hurt or help the economy?

By David J. Unger,?Correspondent / April 11, 2013

Gina McCarthy testifies before a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing on her nomination to be administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency on Capitol Hill in Washington.

Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Enlarge

On paper, the goal of Thursday's Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works meeting?was to consider the nomination of Gina McCarthy to head the US Environmental Protection Agency. In practice, it was equally a referendum on the agency's considerable regulatory powers.

Skip to next paragraph

Recent posts

' + google_ads[0].line2 + '
' + google_ads[0].line3 + '

'; } else if (google_ads.length > 1) { ad_unit += ''; } } document.getElementById("ad_unit").innerHTML += ad_unit; google_adnum += google_ads.length; return; } var google_adnum = 0; google_ad_client = "pub-6743622525202572"; google_ad_output = 'js'; google_max_num_ads = '1'; google_feedback = "on"; google_ad_type = "text"; google_adtest = "on"; google_image_size = '230x105'; google_skip = '0'; // -->

Subscribe Today to the Monitor

Click Here for your FREE 30 DAYS of
The Christian Science Monitor
Weekly Digital Edition

What are the costs and benefits of regulating fossil-fuel energy production? Do savings on health and infrastructure outweigh losses in employment and production??

McCarthy has a reputation for being a tough regulator.?As head of EPA's Office of Air and Radiation, she helped draft new regulations curbing emissions of mercury and soot from power plants. Just last month the EPA passed stronger standards for car tailpipe emissions and sulphur levels in gasoline. ?

HBT: Rangers' Harrison to DL with back injury

Texas placed Matt Harrison on the disabled list after the left-hander gave up 11 runs his first two starts while pitching through lower back soreness.

To replace Harrison on the roster and in the rotation the Rangers called up Triple-A right-hander Justin Grimm, who?ll start tomorrow night against the Mariners. Grimm got knocked around in his 14-inning debut last season and also struggled some at Triple-A, but throws in the mid-90s and has a solid overall track record in the minors.

After back-to-back seasons with 30-plus starts and an ERA under 3.50 Harrison inked a five-year, $55 million extension in January and got the Opening Day assignment for the Rangers.

Source: http://hardballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/10/rangers-place-matt-harrison-on-dl-with-back-injury/related/

Jill Kelly McKayla Maroney gronkowski jeremy renner best buy black friday deals breaking dawn part 2 breaking dawn part 2

CEO touts benefits for employers who jump on the health and ...

The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce held its 2013 health symposium at Union Station in Kansas City, Mo.

Matthew Condon, CEO of ARC Physical Therapy, spoke to the crowd of business owners and human resource personnel about how wellness can affect a businesses' bottom line.?

"There are two types of businesses when it comes to concerns about health care costs," Condon said.? "There are the whiners who complain and do nothing and then there are the lions who see the problem and do something about it.?

He said companies that refuse to act and implement health and wellness programs will see their bottom line shrink and are at risk of going out of business.??

He showed data that indicates companies implementing health and wellness programs see a dramatic decrease in the number of sick days for workers, an increase in employee productivity and an overall better attitude.

"We have a long way to go to reverse the increase of obesity and the health problems and financial burden it places on businesses, but we can do it," Condon stated.

Danny O'Neill, Founder and CEO of the Roasterie, in Kansas City, Mo., is adding a wellness program for his 55 employees this spring.

"I used to think it was silly to believe a company has to offer a program to get employees to exercise," admitted O'Neill. "After doing a wellness program myself I realize its value."

The Roasterie CEO said the resulting health benefit to employees is great.

"I also think employees will feel better about themselves after exercising which will lead to improved positive attitudes," O'Neill concluded.

This year marks the Roasteries' 20th year in business.

Copyright 2013 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.kshb.com/dpp/news/health/ceo-touts-benefits-for-employers-who-jump-on-the-health-and-wellness-bandwagon

the rock vs john cena acm awards 2012 january jones ncaa final game reba mcentire acm awards the killing

Iterate 44: Mark Kawano and evangelizing experience

Mark Kawano, former user experience evangelist at Apple, talks to Marc and Rene about working at Adobe on Photoshop, at Frog on client work, at Apple on Aperture and iPhoto, on presenting your ideas, how best to beta test, and about the proper time and place for everything from hamburgers and basements to flats and textures.

• Subscribe via iTunes
• Subscribe via RSS
• Download Directly

Guests

• Mark Kawano

Hosts

• Marc Edwards of Bjango
• Rene Ritchie of iMore.com

Feedback

Yell at us on Twitter via the above accounts. Loudly.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/TFvsZXKncRg/story01.htm

guild wars 2 adrian gonzalez Jerry Nelson Foo Canoodle Isaac path Tropical Storm Isaac path

Halle Berry: Getting Pregnant at 46 Was a Huge Surprise!

Many people were surprised by Halle Berry's pregnancy -- including the actress herself!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/halle-berry-pregnant-46-was-biggest-surprise/1-a-532708?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ahalle-berry-pregnant-46-was-biggest-surprise-532708

Sequester Miami Heat Harlem Shake Harlem Shake Miami Heat stephen curry dr seuss mariah carey Macklemore

Red unveils the Motion mount with jello-killing global shutter for Epic, Scarlet

Red has just announced the Red Motion lens mounting system for Epic and Scarlet motion camera systems that'll eliminate one of their chief snags: the dreaded CMOS rolling shutter. Though details are scant, it seems it'll do that in a similar manner to the Tessive system (see More Coverage), where a second liquid crystal shutter is placed in front of the main sensor and timed to engage only when the camera's CMOS is fully "open." That'll help eliminate artifacts like skew / judder in pans, repeating motion artifacts (think distorted propellers) and flicker from lights or displays, among others. The mount also brings an 8x electronic ND filter adjustable to 1/100th of an f-stop, partially negating the need for a matte-box in bright lighting situations. The Red Motion's drawback is that it'll cost you a stop of speed even when the ND is off, meaning you may have to change to a classic mount in low-light situations. Red's showing it now at its NAB booth-cum-factory and it'll ship out this fall in PL-mount form (with a Canon mount arriving later) for $4,500. Check the source for more discussion.

Filed under: Cameras

Comments

Source: Red

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/04/08/red-unveils-the-motion-mount/

Real Madrid Vs Manchester United Real Madrid Duck Dynasty sequestration Van Cliburn Sequester Miami Heat Harlem Shake

Ashoka Computers & Communication (Computer Technology ...

Kalkules is an universal scientific freeware calculator with an amount of nontraditional functions, which can be used particularly by high school or university students. It also offers a wide range of tools, which make your calculations easier and faster

What can Kalkules do?

Some of the Kalkules key features:

• evaluating complex expressions with parenthesis, variables, constants and functions
• calculating with real, complex, and modulo numbers
• calculating in four number systems: binary, octal, decimal, hexadecimal
• wide range of arithmetic goniometric and hyperbolic functions
• function graphs
• function differentiation
• calculating with polynomials and fractions
• unit conversion
• basic statistical and combinatorial calculations
• expression libraries
• evaluation history
• and much more...

Using Kalkules is absolutely safe!

Softpedia guarantees that Kalkules is 100% Free, which means it does not contain any form of malware, including but not limited to: spyware, viruses, trojans and backdoors.
Kalkules was tested thoroughly and was found absolutely clean; therefore, it can be installed with no concern by any computer user.

Main window description & Kalkules Manual

1. Type the expression to evaluate here.
2. The result of the evaluation or the potential error will be displayed here.
3. Value saved in memory.
4. Selection of the set of numbers (R - real numbers, C - complex numbers, Z(n) - set of primitive residue classes modulo n ).
5. Selection of the angle unit (degrees, radians, gradians). Affects the evaluation of functions sin, cos, tan, cotan, arcsin, arccos, arctan, arccot, sinh, cosh, tanh, cotanh, arcsinh, arccosh, arctanh, arccoth.
6. Selection of the number system (Hex - hexadecimal, Dec - decimal, Oct - octal, Bin - binary)
7. Number of decimal places, the result will be rounded to ( 2 to 30 )
8. Buttons for inserting functions.
9. Buttons for inserting numbers.
10. Buttons for inserting operators.
11. Checkbox for inserting hyperbolic functions.
12. Checkbox for calculating with fractions.
13. Shrink-window button.
14. Button for drawing graphs of entered functions.
15. Button for calculating series summations or products.
16. Expression preview button.
17. Button for differentiating functions.

---

Program settings

The setting dialog is available from the main menu: Preferences/Show preferences...

Behaviour tab

Option	Meaning
Copy result to clipboard	If checked, the result will be automatically copied to clipboard after each calculation.
Check for updates at start	If checked, the program will automatically check if there is a later version available at start (connection to the internet is needed).
Run Kalkules just once	If checked, the program will enable running only one instance. This means that if you already have Kalkules running, and you try to launch it again, it will not start a new instance, but will show the window of the running instance instead.
Automatically close parentheses	If checked, the program will automatically close all unclosed parentheses in the entered expression before every calculation.
Remember at next start	Select which items should be saved when closing the program, and restored at next start.
When inserting an operator after calculation	Select what should be inserted as the expression, when you try to insert an operator (+, -, etc.) immediately after performing a calculation.

Number format tab

Option	Meaning
Decimal separator	Select which character should be used as a decimal separator. You can choose a dot, comma, or the default decimal separator which is set in your operating system.
Result notation	Choose how the calculation result will be displayed. You can choose between ordinary (0.25) and exponential (scientific: 2.5E-1) notation. Note that in some special cases, the exponential notation will be used regardless of this setting. (For instance, if the result is a very small number.)
Complex number format	Choose between mathematical (5+2i) and electrotechnical (5+j5) complex number format.

Default state tab

Settings on this tab define program state (selected number set, numeral system, etc.) right after start. If the "Remember last state" option is checked, these settings are ignored and the program will be in the exact state it was when last turned off.

---

Updates

Always try to be using the latest available version of Kalkules. If the "Check updates at start" option is checked, the program will announce that there is a later version. You can also check for updates manually from the main menu Help/Check for updates.
Download the latest version from the Kalkules homepage. You do not have to, uninstall nor delete the old version, just install the new version to same location as the old one. If you have downloaded the zip archive, just replace the old files. (Do not replace the settings.ini file if you want to keep your old settings).
Contents

---

Rules for writing expressions

The expression notation consists out of numerals( 0 to 9, possibly A to F ), single-character operators ( +, -, *, etc... ), multi-character operators ( div, mod, nad ), functions ( f.i. sin ), variables ( f.i. radius ) and constants ( f.i. $pi ).
You can use an unlimited number of brackets in the expression.
The expression is not case-sensitive.
For better lucidity you can type spaces in the expression. They are ignored when evaluating.

Meaning of the operators

Operator	Meaning	Example
%	percentage calculation	5 + 20 %
^	power f.i. 5?2	5^2
!	factorial	5 !
nad	combinatorial number	5 nad 2
div	integer division	5 div 2
mod	reminder from integer division	5 mod 2
*	multiplication	5 * 2
/	division	5 / 2
+	addition	5 + 2
-	subtraction	5 - 2

---

Expression browser

Expression browser is a handy tool for storing commonly used expressions and mathematical formulas. It can be accessed from the main menu: View/Expression browser... . The expressions are stored in special "libraries" - xml files stored in {?kalkules folder?}\lib\{?language code?}\ where the language code is the iso code of your selected program language. For instance: C:\Program files\Kalkules\lib\en\
To use en expression, simply select it and click the [Use] button. You can also add your own expressions, categories and even whole libraries. Also you can modify the standard libraries. All these tasks can be performed by right mouse click on the expression tree. For more information, visit the Kalkules wiki page about creating expression libraries.
If you create a library that could be used also by others, send the current xml file to support@kalkules.com and we will include it in the program (and you'll become famous :)).

---

Use of functions

Notation

Functions must be entered in the format: name(parameter) f.i.: sin(5)

Overview of all available functions

Notation:	Meaning:
abs(x)	Absolute value of x
arccos(x)	Arccosine of x
arccosh(x)	Argument of hyperbolic cosine of x
arccot(x)	Arc cotangent of x
arccoth(x)	Argument of hyperbolic cotangent of x
arcsin(x)	Arcsine of angle x
arcsinh(x)	Argument of hyperbolic arcsine of x
arctan(x)	Arctangent of x
arctanh(x)	Argument of hyperbolic tangent of x
cos(x)	Cosine of angle x *
cosh(x)	Hyperbolic cosine of x
cotan(x)	Cotangent of angle x *
cotanh(x)	Hyperbolic cotangent of x
csc(x)	Cosecant of angle x *
deg(x)	Conversion of angle x to tenths of degrees
dms(x)	Conversion of angle x to degrees, minutes, seconds
gamma(x)	Gamma function of x
ln(x)	Natural logarithm of x (base e)
log(x)	Decimal logarithm of x (base 10)
logy(x)	Logarithm base y of x (see Logarithm with variable base)
rnd(x)	Rounded x
sec(x)	Secant of angle x *
sign(x)	Sign of x
sin(x)	Sine of angle x *
sinh(x)	Hyperbolic sine of x
sqr(x)	Square of x ( = x^2 )
sqrt(x)	Square root of x ( = x^(1/2) )
tan(x)	Tangent of angle x *
tanh(x)	Hyperbolic tangent of x

* All angle input parameters are in units which are set by the "Angle mode" setting

Hyperbolic functions

If you want to insert a hyperbolic function, check the "hyp" checkbox and press the button of the relevant goniometric function.

Logarithm with variable base

Logarithm with variable base is a specific function, because it requires a parameter as input, and also the actual base. Enter the function as usual ( logy(parameter) ). When evaluating, a new variable named "y" will appear on the variable form. Enter the desiderative base of the logarithm as the value of this variable.

Angle conversion

To convert angles from decimal degrees to degrees, minutes and seconds, use the function dms(). For opposite conversion use the deg() function.

Percentage calculations

The program can perform several kinds of percentage calculations. The type of calculation is determined by a specific notation, as shown in the following table:

Calculation:	Notation:	Result:
Calculating 10% of 50	50 * 10 %	5
Adding 10% to 50	50 + 10 %	55
Subtracting 10% from 50	50 - 10 %	45

Other notation with the symbol % will be automatically converted to a real number f.i.:

Notation:	Is the same as:
10 %	0,1
5 / 10 %	5 / 0,1
5 + ( 10 % )	5 + ( 0,1 )

---

Use of constants

To view the constant window, select View/Constants... from the main menu.
Select the constant you want to use, and click on the Use button (you can also double-click on he constant). The selected constant will be inserted on the cursor position in the expression. Another way is to type the constant ID directly into the expression (f.i: $pi/2).
Note: The constant ID must always start with the character $.

---

Use of variables

It is possible to use self-named variables in the expression. 2( 3,14 * r^2 ) + 3,14*2*r*v

Rules for naming variables

• The variable name cannot be the same, as name of a function (sin, cos, etc.) or a multi-character operator (div, mod, nad).
• The variable name cannot start with a digit (f.i.: notation 6x will be automatically transformed to 6*x, so the actual variable name will be only x).
• Variable names are not case-sensitive ( "volume" is the same as "Volume" or "VOLUME").
• All spaces are ignored ("Tank volume" is the same as "Tankvolume").

Inserting variables into the expression

Simply type the variable into the expression (f.i.: 2+volume/4). Select View/Variables... from the main window, fill in the variable values. If the variable form does not contain all the variables, click on the Refresh button.

---

The way expressions are evaluated

The expression evaluation conforms to the basic mathematical rules.
The expression is evaluated by parts with this priority:

• Brackets
• Functions
• Percentage
• Power
• Factorial
• nad (combinatorial numbers)
• div, mod
• *, /
• +, -

If the expression contains more operators or functions with the same priority ( f.i. 5*2/3 ), they are evaluated in order from left to right. The only exception are the power operators, which are evaluated from right to left ( f.i. 2^3^2 ).
If you are not sure, if the expression will be evaluated in the right order, use brackets. To check the written expression for errors, it is advisable to use the Expression preview tool

---

Calculating with fractions

In the Real-number mode, it is possible to process calculations in the form of fractions - simply check the "Fractions" option? Type the expression as usually (?f.i.?5?/?2?+?1?/?3?). However, it does not make much sense to use this option on expressions, which contain functions (?f.i.?sin, ln, etc...?), because in that case, the expression is evaluated in real numbers and the final result is then converted to a fraction. Then the result will be probably something like: 107?494?545?841?760?867?/?2?500?000?000?000?000?.

---

Calculating with complex numbers

Switch the program to Complex-number mode
Enter the expression as usually. You can enter the complex numbers in algebraic ( 5+j2 ) or exponential (5,39 e^j21,8) shape.
The available functions are power ( the exponent can only be a natural number f.i.: (5+j2)^2 ), absolute and inverse value. After the evaluation, you can switch the result between algebraic and exponential shape with the AE button.

---

Calculating on the set of primitive residue classes

Switch the program to "set of primitive residue classes modulo n" mode - Z(n)(?4?) and set the desired base of the set ( f.i. n=7 ). The base can only be set to a prime number from 2 to 97.
Negative numbers, and numbers, that do not match the set will be automatically converted. F.i. if the base of the set is set to n=5, then expression 9-2 will be converted to 4+3, so the result will be 2.
Division will be converted to addition of the complement of the divisor, to one. F.i. when n=7, expression 5?/?2 will be converted to 5+6, and the result will be 4.

---

Calculating in various number systems

Every calculation can be processed in all of the available number systems (?Binary, Octal, Decimal, Hexadecimal?). To switch between the systems, use the buttons on the main window (?6?). To convert numbers ( or even whole expressions ) to a different number system, type it as usual, and switch to the desired number system. The conversion works also on decimal (1.2) numbers.
Note: When converting / evaluating in the hexadecimal system, all the variables containing only characters a,b,c,d,e and f will be treated as numbers.

---

Differentiating functions

Enter the function you wish to differentiate in the main window as usual and press the [f(x)'] button. The following window will appear:
If the entered function contains several variables, the function will be partially differentiated with respect to one variable, with other variables held constant. This variable can be chosen in the "Variable" combo box. You can also choose a higher order of the derivative (up to 10, default 1).To complete the differentiation press the [Calculate] button.

---

Tool description

Graph of function

A tool for drawing graphs of continuous functions. Enter the function as usually, and view the graph from the main menu (Tools/Graph of function...), or by pressing the button on the main window (?14?). The function must contain an independed variable x. (f.i.: sin(x), 1/x, ...). If the function contains other variables, it is necessary to enter them the usual way.
If you want to display graphs of multiple functions, display the first function, then go back to the main window, enter the second function and display it the same way as the first one. Both functions will now be displayed in the same coordinate system. This way you can add a virtually unlimited number of functions.
Description of the control components

1. Buttons for moving the displayed area of the graph (the "home" button will set the start of the coordinates to the center of the window).
2. Number of pixels the graph will move when the move button is pressed (min: 5, max: 80).
3. Scale buttons. Use the buttons [+] and [-] to zoom in and out. Buttons [+X], [-X], [+Y] and [-Y] zoom in/out in separate axis.
4. Grid density.
5. Goniometric scale. When turned on, the x scale and grid will be displayed in the multiples of pi.
6. Buttons for exporting the graph in a form of an image. The first button copies the graphs image into clipboard, while the second button can be used to save the graph as a bitmap file on disk.
7. Clearing button. This button removes all the displayed functions.

Unit converter

A tool for converting values between different units. Select the desired unit category (f.i. Length), then select base and target unit, and enter the base value. The result will appear automatically in the target value field.

Combinatorics

A tool for quick basic combinatorial calculation processing. Select the type of calculation, enter the input variables (n,k) and press the Calculate button.

Polynomials

This tool enables you to:

• Add polynomials ( P + Q )
• Subtract polynomials ( P - Q )
• Multiply polynomials ( P . Q )
• Divide polynomials ( P / Q )
• Rise polynomials to a natural base ( P^n )
• Draw Horner schemes of polynomials

The polynomial, which is currently being entered (P or Q), is shown in simplified shape in the result area for control purposes. That means, when you enter f.i. 5a3b+2-1, polynomial 15ab+1 will be shown. If you want to use the result of the previous operation, use the "Copy result" button.
The exponents must be whole numbers between -32?768 and 32?767. They are entered using the ^ character, f.i.: 5x^2+3 means 5x²+3.
Both polynomials together must have max 5 variables. F.i. polynomial 3a+5bc-4d+e is correct, while the polynomial 3a+5bc-4d+e-2f has too many variables(?a,b,c,d,e and f?).
To rise a polynomial to a natural base, you must enter the polynomial as P (in the P field), set the base (n) and press the [P^n] button. To draw the Horner scheme, you must enter the polynomial as Q, set the point of the scheme (m) and press the [HSch(m)] button.

Series summation / product

A tool for fast calculating of summations or products of finite real number series. Enter the expression as usually and press the button on the main window . The controlling variable ("n"?on?the?picture) can be entered optionally. The rules for naming it are the same as for normal variables.

Statistics

To calculate the sum, count, product, and the arithmetic mean, it is sufficient to enter only the values of the items (x), and leave the y values, which represent the weight of each item, set to their default value (1). To calculate other parameters however, it is necessary to enter also the weights of the items.

Quadratic equation

A tool for calculating the roots of a quadratic equation. Enter the input values (a, b, c) and press the Calculate button. The output fields (x1, x2) will contain roots of the entered equation. If the equation has no real roots (D

Rule of three

Enter all values, select direct or inverse proportion and click the "Calculate" button.

?Or

==========================================================================

Source: http://ashokrbhatia.blogspot.com/2013/04/kalkules-universal-scientific-freeware.html

roger goodell psychosis dianna agron million hoodie march tebow trade mike the situation jacksonville jaguars

Michael Bloomberg needs more thorough background check system for his ?Mayors Against Illegal Guns? (Michellemalkin)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS and RSS Feed via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/297298910?client_source=feed&format=rss

dodd frank Lark Voorhies Jennifer Livingston Orlando Cruz MLB Playoff Schedule arizona cardinals Big Bird