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// Copyright 2011 Google Inc. All Rights Reserved.
//
// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style license
// that can be found in the COPYING file in the root of the source
// tree. An additional intellectual property rights grant can be found
// in the file PATENTS. All contributing project authors may
// be found in the AUTHORS file in the root of the source tree.
// -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
//
// Set and delete APIs for mux.
//
// Authors: Urvang (urvang@google.com)
// Vikas (vikasa@google.com)
#include <assert.h>
#include "src/mux/muxi.h"
#include "src/utils/utils.h"
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Life of a mux object.
static void MuxInit(WebPMux* const mux) {
assert(mux != NULL);
memset(mux, 0, sizeof(*mux));
mux->canvas_width_ = 0; // just to be explicit
mux->canvas_height_ = 0;
}
WebPMux* WebPNewInternal(int version) {
if (WEBP_ABI_IS_INCOMPATIBLE(version, WEBP_MUX_ABI_VERSION)) {
return NULL;
} else {
WebPMux* const mux = (WebPMux*)WebPSafeMalloc(1ULL, sizeof(WebPMux));
if (mux != NULL) MuxInit(mux);
return mux;
}
}
// Delete all images in 'wpi_list'.
static void DeleteAllImages(WebPMuxImage** const wpi_list) {
while (*wpi_list != NULL) {
*wpi_list = MuxImageDelete(*wpi_list);
}
}
static void MuxRelease(WebPMux* const mux) {
assert(mux != NULL);
DeleteAllImages(&mux->images_);
ChunkListDelete(&mux->vp8x_);
ChunkListDelete(&mux->iccp_);
ChunkListDelete(&mux->anim_);
ChunkListDelete(&mux->exif_);
ChunkListDelete(&mux->xmp_);
ChunkListDelete(&mux->unknown_);
}
void WebPMuxDelete(WebPMux* mux) {
if (mux != NULL) {
MuxRelease(mux);
WebPSafeFree(mux);
}
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Helper method(s).
// Handy MACRO, makes MuxSet() very symmetric to MuxGet().
#define SWITCH_ID_LIST(INDEX, LIST) \
if (idx == (INDEX)) { \
err = ChunkAssignData(&chunk, data, copy_data, tag); \
if (err == WEBP_MUX_OK) { \
err = ChunkSetHead(&chunk, (LIST)); \
} \
return err; \
}
static WebPMuxError MuxSet(WebPMux* const mux, uint32_t tag,
const WebPData* const data, int copy_data) {
WebPChunk chunk;
WebPMuxError err = WEBP_MUX_NOT_FOUND;
const CHUNK_INDEX idx = ChunkGetIndexFromTag(tag);
assert(mux != NULL);
assert(!IsWPI(kChunks[idx].id));
ChunkInit(&chunk);
SWITCH_ID_LIST(IDX_VP8X, &mux->vp8x_);
SWITCH_ID_LIST(IDX_ICCP, &mux->iccp_);
SWITCH_ID_LIST(IDX_ANIM, &mux->anim_);
SWITCH_ID_LIST(IDX_EXIF, &mux->exif_);
SWITCH_ID_LIST(IDX_XMP, &mux->xmp_);
SWITCH_ID_LIST(IDX_UNKNOWN, &mux->unknown_);
return err;
}
#undef SWITCH_ID_LIST
// Create data for frame given image data, offsets and duration.
static WebPMuxError CreateFrameData(
int width, int height, const WebPMuxFrameInfo* const info,
WebPData* const frame) {
uint8_t* frame_bytes;
const size_t frame_size = kChunks[IDX_ANMF].size;
assert(width > 0 && height > 0 && info->duration >= 0);
assert(info->dispose_method == (info->dispose_method & 1));
// Note: assertion on upper bounds is done in PutLE24().
frame_bytes = (uint8_t*)WebPSafeMalloc(1ULL, frame_size);
if (frame_bytes == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_MEMORY_ERROR;
PutLE24(frame_bytes + 0, info->x_offset / 2);
PutLE24(frame_bytes + 3, info->y_offset / 2);
PutLE24(frame_bytes + 6, width - 1);
PutLE24(frame_bytes + 9, height - 1);
PutLE24(frame_bytes + 12, info->duration);
frame_bytes[15] =
(info->blend_method == WEBP_MUX_NO_BLEND ? 2 : 0) |
(info->dispose_method == WEBP_MUX_DISPOSE_BACKGROUND ? 1 : 0);
frame->bytes = frame_bytes;
frame->size = frame_size;
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
// Outputs image data given a bitstream. The bitstream can either be a
// single-image WebP file or raw VP8/VP8L data.
// Also outputs 'is_lossless' to be true if the given bitstream is lossless.
static WebPMuxError GetImageData(const WebPData* const bitstream,
WebPData* const image, WebPData* const alpha,
int* const is_lossless) {
WebPDataInit(alpha); // Default: no alpha.
if (bitstream->size < TAG_SIZE ||
memcmp(bitstream->bytes, "RIFF", TAG_SIZE)) {
// It is NOT webp file data. Return input data as is.
*image = *bitstream;
} else {
// It is webp file data. Extract image data from it.
const WebPMuxImage* wpi;
WebPMux* const mux = WebPMuxCreate(bitstream, 0);
if (mux == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_BAD_DATA;
wpi = mux->images_;
assert(wpi != NULL && wpi->img_ != NULL);
*image = wpi->img_->data_;
if (wpi->alpha_ != NULL) {
*alpha = wpi->alpha_->data_;
}
WebPMuxDelete(mux);
}
*is_lossless = VP8LCheckSignature(image->bytes, image->size);
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
static WebPMuxError DeleteChunks(WebPChunk** chunk_list, uint32_t tag) {
WebPMuxError err = WEBP_MUX_NOT_FOUND;
assert(chunk_list);
while (*chunk_list) {
WebPChunk* const chunk = *chunk_list;
if (chunk->tag_ == tag) {
*chunk_list = ChunkDelete(chunk);
err = WEBP_MUX_OK;
} else {
chunk_list = &chunk->next_;
}
}
return err;
}
static WebPMuxError MuxDeleteAllNamedData(WebPMux* const mux, uint32_t tag) {
const WebPChunkId id = ChunkGetIdFromTag(tag);
assert(mux != NULL);
if (IsWPI(id)) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
return DeleteChunks(MuxGetChunkListFromId(mux, id), tag);
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Set API(s).
WebPMuxError WebPMuxSetChunk(WebPMux* mux, const char fourcc[4],
const WebPData* chunk_data, int copy_data) {
uint32_t tag;
WebPMuxError err;
if (mux == NULL || fourcc == NULL || chunk_data == NULL ||
chunk_data->bytes == NULL || chunk_data->size > MAX_CHUNK_PAYLOAD) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
tag = ChunkGetTagFromFourCC(fourcc);
// Delete existing chunk(s) with the same 'fourcc'.
err = MuxDeleteAllNamedData(mux, tag);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK && err != WEBP_MUX_NOT_FOUND) return err;
// Add the given chunk.
return MuxSet(mux, tag, chunk_data, copy_data);
}
// Creates a chunk from given 'data' and sets it as 1st chunk in 'chunk_list'.
static WebPMuxError AddDataToChunkList(
const WebPData* const data, int copy_data, uint32_t tag,
WebPChunk** chunk_list) {
WebPChunk chunk;
WebPMuxError err;
ChunkInit(&chunk);
err = ChunkAssignData(&chunk, data, copy_data, tag);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
err = ChunkSetHead(&chunk, chunk_list);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
Err:
ChunkRelease(&chunk);
return err;
}
// Extracts image & alpha data from the given bitstream and then sets wpi.alpha_
// and wpi.img_ appropriately.
static WebPMuxError SetAlphaAndImageChunks(
const WebPData* const bitstream, int copy_data, WebPMuxImage* const wpi) {
int is_lossless = 0;
WebPData image, alpha;
WebPMuxError err = GetImageData(bitstream, &image, &alpha, &is_lossless);
const int image_tag =
is_lossless ? kChunks[IDX_VP8L].tag : kChunks[IDX_VP8].tag;
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
if (alpha.bytes != NULL) {
err = AddDataToChunkList(&alpha, copy_data, kChunks[IDX_ALPHA].tag,
&wpi->alpha_);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
}
err = AddDataToChunkList(&image, copy_data, image_tag, &wpi->img_);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
return MuxImageFinalize(wpi) ? WEBP_MUX_OK : WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
WebPMuxError WebPMuxSetImage(WebPMux* mux, const WebPData* bitstream,
int copy_data) {
WebPMuxImage wpi;
WebPMuxError err;
// Sanity checks.
if (mux == NULL || bitstream == NULL || bitstream->bytes == NULL ||
bitstream->size > MAX_CHUNK_PAYLOAD) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if (mux->images_ != NULL) {
// Only one 'simple image' can be added in mux. So, remove present images.
DeleteAllImages(&mux->images_);
}
MuxImageInit(&wpi);
err = SetAlphaAndImageChunks(bitstream, copy_data, &wpi);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
// Add this WebPMuxImage to mux.
err = MuxImagePush(&wpi, &mux->images_);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
// All is well.
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
Err: // Something bad happened.
MuxImageRelease(&wpi);
return err;
}
WebPMuxError WebPMuxPushFrame(WebPMux* mux, const WebPMuxFrameInfo* info,
int copy_data) {
WebPMuxImage wpi;
WebPMuxError err;
// Sanity checks.
if (mux == NULL || info == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
if (info->id != WEBP_CHUNK_ANMF) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
if (info->bitstream.bytes == NULL ||
info->bitstream.size > MAX_CHUNK_PAYLOAD) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if (mux->images_ != NULL) {
const WebPMuxImage* const image = mux->images_;
const uint32_t image_id = (image->header_ != NULL) ?
ChunkGetIdFromTag(image->header_->tag_) : WEBP_CHUNK_IMAGE;
if (image_id != info->id) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT; // Conflicting frame types.
}
}
MuxImageInit(&wpi);
err = SetAlphaAndImageChunks(&info->bitstream, copy_data, &wpi);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
assert(wpi.img_ != NULL); // As SetAlphaAndImageChunks() was successful.
{
WebPData frame;
const uint32_t tag = kChunks[IDX_ANMF].tag;
WebPMuxFrameInfo tmp = *info;
tmp.x_offset &= ~1; // Snap offsets to even.
tmp.y_offset &= ~1;
if (tmp.x_offset < 0 || tmp.x_offset >= MAX_POSITION_OFFSET ||
tmp.y_offset < 0 || tmp.y_offset >= MAX_POSITION_OFFSET ||
(tmp.duration < 0 || tmp.duration >= MAX_DURATION) ||
tmp.dispose_method != (tmp.dispose_method & 1)) {
err = WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
goto Err;
}
err = CreateFrameData(wpi.width_, wpi.height_, &tmp, &frame);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
// Add frame chunk (with copy_data = 1).
err = AddDataToChunkList(&frame, 1, tag, &wpi.header_);
WebPDataClear(&frame); // frame owned by wpi.header_ now.
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
}
// Add this WebPMuxImage to mux.
err = MuxImagePush(&wpi, &mux->images_);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) goto Err;
// All is well.
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
Err: // Something bad happened.
MuxImageRelease(&wpi);
return err;
}
WebPMuxError WebPMuxSetAnimationParams(WebPMux* mux,
const WebPMuxAnimParams* params) {
WebPMuxError err;
uint8_t data[ANIM_CHUNK_SIZE];
const WebPData anim = { data, ANIM_CHUNK_SIZE };
if (mux == NULL || params == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
if (params->loop_count < 0 || params->loop_count >= MAX_LOOP_COUNT) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
// Delete any existing ANIM chunk(s).
err = MuxDeleteAllNamedData(mux, kChunks[IDX_ANIM].tag);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK && err != WEBP_MUX_NOT_FOUND) return err;
// Set the animation parameters.
PutLE32(data, params->bgcolor);
PutLE16(data + 4, params->loop_count);
return MuxSet(mux, kChunks[IDX_ANIM].tag, &anim, 1);
}
WebPMuxError WebPMuxSetCanvasSize(WebPMux* mux,
int width, int height) {
WebPMuxError err;
if (mux == NULL) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if (width < 0 || height < 0 ||
width > MAX_CANVAS_SIZE || height > MAX_CANVAS_SIZE) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if (width * (uint64_t)height >= MAX_IMAGE_AREA) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if ((width * height) == 0 && (width | height) != 0) {
// one of width / height is zero, but not both -> invalid!
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
// If we already assembled a VP8X chunk, invalidate it.
err = MuxDeleteAllNamedData(mux, kChunks[IDX_VP8X].tag);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK && err != WEBP_MUX_NOT_FOUND) return err;
mux->canvas_width_ = width;
mux->canvas_height_ = height;
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Delete API(s).
WebPMuxError WebPMuxDeleteChunk(WebPMux* mux, const char fourcc[4]) {
if (mux == NULL || fourcc == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
return MuxDeleteAllNamedData(mux, ChunkGetTagFromFourCC(fourcc));
}
WebPMuxError WebPMuxDeleteFrame(WebPMux* mux, uint32_t nth) {
if (mux == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
return MuxImageDeleteNth(&mux->images_, nth);
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
// Assembly of the WebP RIFF file.
static WebPMuxError GetFrameInfo(
const WebPChunk* const frame_chunk,
int* const x_offset, int* const y_offset, int* const duration) {
const WebPData* const data = &frame_chunk->data_;
const size_t expected_data_size = ANMF_CHUNK_SIZE;
assert(frame_chunk->tag_ == kChunks[IDX_ANMF].tag);
assert(frame_chunk != NULL);
if (data->size != expected_data_size) return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
*x_offset = 2 * GetLE24(data->bytes + 0);
*y_offset = 2 * GetLE24(data->bytes + 3);
*duration = GetLE24(data->bytes + 12);
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
static WebPMuxError GetImageInfo(const WebPMuxImage* const wpi,
int* const x_offset, int* const y_offset,
int* const duration,
int* const width, int* const height) {
const WebPChunk* const frame_chunk = wpi->header_;
WebPMuxError err;
assert(wpi != NULL);
assert(frame_chunk != NULL);
// Get offsets and duration from ANMF chunk.
err = GetFrameInfo(frame_chunk, x_offset, y_offset, duration);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
// Get width and height from VP8/VP8L chunk.
if (width != NULL) *width = wpi->width_;
if (height != NULL) *height = wpi->height_;
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
// Returns the tightest dimension for the canvas considering the image list.
static WebPMuxError GetAdjustedCanvasSize(const WebPMux* const mux,
int* const width, int* const height) {
WebPMuxImage* wpi = NULL;
assert(mux != NULL);
assert(width != NULL && height != NULL);
wpi = mux->images_;
assert(wpi != NULL);
assert(wpi->img_ != NULL);
if (wpi->next_ != NULL) {
int max_x = 0, max_y = 0;
// if we have a chain of wpi's, header_ is necessarily set
assert(wpi->header_ != NULL);
// Aggregate the bounding box for animation frames.
for (; wpi != NULL; wpi = wpi->next_) {
int x_offset = 0, y_offset = 0, duration = 0, w = 0, h = 0;
const WebPMuxError err = GetImageInfo(wpi, &x_offset, &y_offset,
&duration, &w, &h);
const int max_x_pos = x_offset + w;
const int max_y_pos = y_offset + h;
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
assert(x_offset < MAX_POSITION_OFFSET);
assert(y_offset < MAX_POSITION_OFFSET);
if (max_x_pos > max_x) max_x = max_x_pos;
if (max_y_pos > max_y) max_y = max_y_pos;
}
*width = max_x;
*height = max_y;
} else {
// For a single image, canvas dimensions are same as image dimensions.
*width = wpi->width_;
*height = wpi->height_;
}
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
// VP8X format:
// Total Size : 10,
// Flags : 4 bytes,
// Width : 3 bytes,
// Height : 3 bytes.
static WebPMuxError CreateVP8XChunk(WebPMux* const mux) {
WebPMuxError err = WEBP_MUX_OK;
uint32_t flags = 0;
int width = 0;
int height = 0;
uint8_t data[VP8X_CHUNK_SIZE];
const WebPData vp8x = { data, VP8X_CHUNK_SIZE };
const WebPMuxImage* images = NULL;
assert(mux != NULL);
images = mux->images_; // First image.
if (images == NULL || images->img_ == NULL ||
images->img_->data_.bytes == NULL) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
// If VP8X chunk(s) is(are) already present, remove them (and later add new
// VP8X chunk with updated flags).
err = MuxDeleteAllNamedData(mux, kChunks[IDX_VP8X].tag);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK && err != WEBP_MUX_NOT_FOUND) return err;
// Set flags.
if (mux->iccp_ != NULL && mux->iccp_->data_.bytes != NULL) {
flags |= ICCP_FLAG;
}
if (mux->exif_ != NULL && mux->exif_->data_.bytes != NULL) {
flags |= EXIF_FLAG;
}
if (mux->xmp_ != NULL && mux->xmp_->data_.bytes != NULL) {
flags |= XMP_FLAG;
}
if (images->header_ != NULL) {
if (images->header_->tag_ == kChunks[IDX_ANMF].tag) {
// This is an image with animation.
flags |= ANIMATION_FLAG;
}
}
if (MuxImageCount(images, WEBP_CHUNK_ALPHA) > 0) {
flags |= ALPHA_FLAG; // Some images have an alpha channel.
}
err = GetAdjustedCanvasSize(mux, &width, &height);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
if (width <= 0 || height <= 0) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if (width > MAX_CANVAS_SIZE || height > MAX_CANVAS_SIZE) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
if (mux->canvas_width_ != 0 || mux->canvas_height_ != 0) {
if (width > mux->canvas_width_ || height > mux->canvas_height_) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
width = mux->canvas_width_;
height = mux->canvas_height_;
}
if (flags == 0 && mux->unknown_ == NULL) {
// For simple file format, VP8X chunk should not be added.
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
if (MuxHasAlpha(images)) {
// This means some frames explicitly/implicitly contain alpha.
// Note: This 'flags' update must NOT be done for a lossless image
// without a VP8X chunk!
flags |= ALPHA_FLAG;
}
PutLE32(data + 0, flags); // VP8X chunk flags.
PutLE24(data + 4, width - 1); // canvas width.
PutLE24(data + 7, height - 1); // canvas height.
return MuxSet(mux, kChunks[IDX_VP8X].tag, &vp8x, 1);
}
// Cleans up 'mux' by removing any unnecessary chunks.
static WebPMuxError MuxCleanup(WebPMux* const mux) {
int num_frames;
int num_anim_chunks;
// If we have an image with a single frame, and its rectangle
// covers the whole canvas, convert it to a non-animated image
// (to avoid writing ANMF chunk unnecessarily).
WebPMuxError err = WebPMuxNumChunks(mux, kChunks[IDX_ANMF].id, &num_frames);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
if (num_frames == 1) {
WebPMuxImage* frame = NULL;
err = MuxImageGetNth((const WebPMuxImage**)&mux->images_, 1, &frame);
assert(err == WEBP_MUX_OK); // We know that one frame does exist.
assert(frame != NULL);
if (frame->header_ != NULL &&
((mux->canvas_width_ == 0 && mux->canvas_height_ == 0) ||
(frame->width_ == mux->canvas_width_ &&
frame->height_ == mux->canvas_height_))) {
assert(frame->header_->tag_ == kChunks[IDX_ANMF].tag);
ChunkDelete(frame->header_); // Removes ANMF chunk.
frame->header_ = NULL;
num_frames = 0;
}
}
// Remove ANIM chunk if this is a non-animated image.
err = WebPMuxNumChunks(mux, kChunks[IDX_ANIM].id, &num_anim_chunks);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
if (num_anim_chunks >= 1 && num_frames == 0) {
err = MuxDeleteAllNamedData(mux, kChunks[IDX_ANIM].tag);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
}
return WEBP_MUX_OK;
}
// Total size of a list of images.
static size_t ImageListDiskSize(const WebPMuxImage* wpi_list) {
size_t size = 0;
while (wpi_list != NULL) {
size += MuxImageDiskSize(wpi_list);
wpi_list = wpi_list->next_;
}
return size;
}
// Write out the given list of images into 'dst'.
static uint8_t* ImageListEmit(const WebPMuxImage* wpi_list, uint8_t* dst) {
while (wpi_list != NULL) {
dst = MuxImageEmit(wpi_list, dst);
wpi_list = wpi_list->next_;
}
return dst;
}
WebPMuxError WebPMuxAssemble(WebPMux* mux, WebPData* assembled_data) {
size_t size = 0;
uint8_t* data = NULL;
uint8_t* dst = NULL;
WebPMuxError err;
if (assembled_data == NULL) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
// Clean up returned data, in case something goes wrong.
memset(assembled_data, 0, sizeof(*assembled_data));
if (mux == NULL) {
return WEBP_MUX_INVALID_ARGUMENT;
}
// Finalize mux.
err = MuxCleanup(mux);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
err = CreateVP8XChunk(mux);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) return err;
// Allocate data.
size = ChunkListDiskSize(mux->vp8x_) + ChunkListDiskSize(mux->iccp_)
+ ChunkListDiskSize(mux->anim_) + ImageListDiskSize(mux->images_)
+ ChunkListDiskSize(mux->exif_) + ChunkListDiskSize(mux->xmp_)
+ ChunkListDiskSize(mux->unknown_) + RIFF_HEADER_SIZE;
data = (uint8_t*)WebPSafeMalloc(1ULL, size);
if (data == NULL) return WEBP_MUX_MEMORY_ERROR;
// Emit header & chunks.
dst = MuxEmitRiffHeader(data, size);
dst = ChunkListEmit(mux->vp8x_, dst);
dst = ChunkListEmit(mux->iccp_, dst);
dst = ChunkListEmit(mux->anim_, dst);
dst = ImageListEmit(mux->images_, dst);
dst = ChunkListEmit(mux->exif_, dst);
dst = ChunkListEmit(mux->xmp_, dst);
dst = ChunkListEmit(mux->unknown_, dst);
assert(dst == data + size);
// Validate mux.
err = MuxValidate(mux);
if (err != WEBP_MUX_OK) {
WebPSafeFree(data);
data = NULL;
size = 0;
}
// Finalize data.
assembled_data->bytes = data;
assembled_data->size = size;
return err;
}
//------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
Optical metabolic imaging quantifies heterogeneous cell populations. The genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity of cancers can contribute to tumor aggressiveness, invasion, and resistance to therapy. Fluorescence imaging occupies a unique niche to investigate tumor heterogeneity due to its high resolution and molecular specificity. Here, heterogeneous populations are identified and quantified by combined optical metabolic imaging and subpopulation analysis (OMI-SPA). OMI probes the fluorescence intensities and lifetimes of metabolic enzymes in cells to provide images of cellular metabolism, and SPA models cell populations as mixed Gaussian distributions to identify cell subpopulations. In this study, OMI-SPA is characterized by simulation experiments and validated with cell experiments. To generate heterogeneous populations, two breast cancer cell lines, SKBr3 and MDA-MB-231, were co-cultured at varying proportions. OMI-SPA correctly identifies two populations with minimal mean and proportion error using the optical redox ratio (fluorescence intensity of NAD(P)H divided by the intensity of FAD), mean NAD(P)H fluorescence lifetime, and OMI index. Simulation experiments characterized the relationships between sample size, data standard deviation, and subpopulation mean separation distance required for OMI-SPA to identify subpopulations. |
The fabrication of printed circuit boards using deposition of conductive metals is well known in the art. Methods for depositing the conductive metals include vapor deposition, electrodeposition, electroless deposition, and sputtering. Once a uniform layer of metal is deposited onto a substrate, then the circuit is formed by subtractive imaging which etches the unwanted metal away from the metallized surface. In a subtractive imaging process, a conductive metal is first deposited over the entire surface of the substrate, a photoresist is then coated and dried on the metal surface, followed by imaging and development of the image. The exposed metal is etched away using a etching solution and the remaining photoresist is removed from the metallic image. This process is very time consuming and wasteful of materials. In addition, the disposal of the developing solutions and/or etching solutions used in the process creates environmental concerns.
Alternatively, the metal may be deposited as a positive image. The most common method for forming a positive image is screen printing using a metallic conductive ink. A typical metallic ink contains a conductive metal dispersed in a binder and a solvent. The positive image is formed by screen printing the metallic ink onto a substrate followed by removal of the solvent. When possible, the imaged substrate is then subjected to high temperatures to volatilize the residual binder. If the residual binder is not removed, then the binder may interfere with the conductivity of the metal image. Even though the process steps of a positive imaging method are fewer than those of the subtractive method, the screen printing method has limited resolution. In addition, the screen printing method requires the removal of solvents which is again an environmental concern.
There have been many attempts to improve the productivity of the process by using lasers to deposit the conductive metal onto a substrate. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,378,508 discloses a method for providing a conductive metal deposit on a substrate by applying a metallic salt composition onto a substrate and then imaging the composition using a coherent radiation source. The radiation reduces the metal salt in the presence of an amine or amide compound to form a metallic image. The imaged substrate is then washed and dried to remove the non-imaged areas, thus requiring disposal of the washing solvent. The choice of useful metallic salts are also limited due to potential contamination by the anion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,253 describes a circuit board which is manufactured by using a heat actuable adhesive in combination with a conductive powder. The conductive powder is applied over the surface of the adhesive and imaged using a coherent light source. In the light struck areas, the adhesive becomes tacky and the conductive powder adheres to the tackified adhesive. The excess metallic powder is brushed away. The imaged substrate is then fired to remove the adhesive and to fuse the metal to the substrate. The metallic powder necessarily has to be in contact with the adhesive during the imaging process due to the loss of adhesive tack after the imaging process. Since the metallic powder must be in contact with the adhesive during the imaging process, the image may become distorted due to the interference of the laser beam by the metallic powder. In addition, the metallic powder must be applied over the entire surface of the adhesive leading to excessive waste of materials.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,403 describes a process for repairing defects in a metal pattern of a photomask by coating the surface of the photomask with a metal-organic layer and then exposing the layer with a laser beam in the area of the defect to adhere the metal-organic layer to the defect area. The unexposed metal-organic layer is removed with a solvent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,578,155 describes a process using a laser to locally plate a metal onto a surface without the need for an electrical potential being applied to the polymeric workpiece. The workpiece is placed in an electroplating solution and the laser is directed through the solution onto the polymer surface causing plating in the light struck areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,807 describes a process for forming conductive metal lines using a coherent radiation source. A solution containing a reducible metal or metalloid compound in an oxidizable organic matrix is solvent coated onto a substrate. An imagewise pattern is then directly written onto the coated layer using a laser beam. The metal or metalloid compound is reduced to conductive metal in the light struck areas.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,451,813 describes a process is using a high intensity flash lamp to expose a photosensitive layer containing a reducible metal or metalloid compound. The photosensitive layer is applied to the substrate in a pattern and then exposed to form a conductive metal pattern. Even though this process does not require the use of etchants or wet processing chemicals, the resolution is limited by the methods used to apply a patterned photosensitive layer on the substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,941,596 describes an imaging process that uses a radiation-sensitive or heat-sensitive layer which becomes tacky or fluid upon exposure to radiation. An image is formed by the application of a dry or liquid toner to the exposed areas of the layer. The conventional method for forming images with these materials is by using a thermal printhead. However, in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/319,934, a recording medium having a radiation-sensitive layer is described which is addressable by an infrared laser. U.S. Pat. No 5,286,604 also discloses a photothermotackifiable composition which is addressable by lasers. In each of these systems, the materials are used as a recording medium. There is no disclosure of their use as a means for providing a conductive metallic image on a printed circuit board.
The printed circuit board manufacturing methods to date suffer from either excessive process times, limitation of useful available materials, limited resolution, or waste of materials; therefore, there is a need for a more productive and efficient process of providing a conductive metallic image on a circuit board. In particular, there is a need for a method compatible with a laser addressable system to allow for automation and high resolution. |
Case report of an unusual presentation of Staphylococcus aureus induced toxic shock syndrome/hyperimmunoglobulinemia E syndrome Abstract Rationale: Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) typically is an acute onset multi-organ infection caused by TSS toxin-1 producing Staphylococcus aureus. Herein we describe a highly unusual case report. Patient concerns: A male patient self-referred to the University of Minnesota Hospital with a chronic history of S aureus infection with accompanying fever, hypotension, and nonhealing, football-sized lesion on his leg. Diagnosis: An unusual case presentation of TSS/hyperimmunoglobulin E syndrome is described. The patient had a leg wound from which TSS toxin-1 S aureus was isolated. The patient exhibited characteristic skewing of T cells to those with variable region, -chain T cell receptor-2. Other patients have been seen with related presentations. Interventions: The following therapeutic regimen was instituted: vigorous antibacterial scrubs several times daily plus intravenous Ancef 3 days each month; intravenous infusions of immunoglobulin G infusions (28 gm) every 3 weeks; and weekly subcutaneous injections of recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Outcome: Improvement was obvious within 3 months: no further cellulitic episodes occurred; the patient regained 95 pounds in 9 months; blanching and cyanosis of fingers disappeared within 3 months as did intractable pain although mild hypesthesias continued for 2 years; erythroderma resolved, and repeat skin biopsies performed after 2 years no longer demonstrated T cell receptor skewing. Although IgE levels have not completely returned to normal, the patient remains in excellent health. Lessons: We propose that staphylococcal TSST-1 was responsible for the serious problems suffered by this patient as suggested by the following features: rapid onset of chronic, life-threatening, disorder that began with an episode of staphylococcal sepsis; the extraordinary elevation of IgE levels in this previously non-atopic individual; the acquired severe granulocyte chemotactic defect that accompanied this hyperimmunoglobulinemia (Job Syndrome) with its accompanying wound-healing defect; and the striking diffuse erythroderma, including palmar erythema (Red Man Syndrome) with hypotension and fever that also characterizes TSS. Introduction Although syndromes such as scarlet fever and toxic shock syndrome (TSS; staphylococcal-or streptococcal-induced) are well-accepted examples of superantigen (SAg)-mediated disorders, other, often sporadic and previously-mysterious illnesses, also likely involve SAg toxicity. The following case, recapitulated almost exactly by 3 others seen recently at the University of Minnesota Medical School, exemplifies this presumption. Case report Institutional Review Board approval for this case report is not needed. However, the authors have patient approval for its presentation. G.S., a 54-year-old businessman, entered hospital with high fever (104.6°F), prostration (blood pressure 80/40), severe finger pain, and obvious cellulitis of the left forearm. During the past 4 years, he had been admitted to multiple institutions over 30 times with similar symptoms and signs. Coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus had been isolated from blood and cellulitic lesions on numerous occasions. Cellulitis without abscess formation was a constant feature, and, in fact, an attempt to "drain" an inflamed thigh lesion 2 years previously produced catastrophic necrosis of most of the posterior thigh soft tissue, eventuating in a football-sized nonhealing wound open down to the muscle layer. This defect was refractory to all wound-healing therapeutic efforts and had manifested no epithelialization over the preceding 2 years. The patient appeared cachectic (he had lost 95 pounds over the past 3 years) and manifested remarkable erythroderma diffusely over the face, palms, and soles with more patchy macular red areas over the trunk and shoulders. The fingers of both hands were exquisitely painful with cyanotic as well as dead-white patches. One terminal phalanx was frankly gangrenous and ultimately self-amputated. The skin over the dorsum of hands and wrists was thickened and mimicked that of scleroderma; periorbital skin was wrinkled, atrophic, and reminiscent of that of chronic atopic disease. Alopecia areata, especially of the temporal areas, was prominent. Relevant laboratory data included: blood smears that demonstrated mild granulocytopenia (absolute neutrophil count approximately 1500/mm 3 ) with toxic granulation and Dohle Bodies; sporadic Sezary-type lymphoid cells were also noted; immunoglobulins were normal except for an extraordinary elevation of IgE (2500-3000 mg/dL vs normal 700-1600 mg/dL); serologies for known connective tissue diseases were negative; and complement levels were not reduced. Blood cultures were negative, but swabs from axillae, groin, perianal regions, and throat grew virtually pure cultures of S aureus, which were subsequently shown to produce abundant amounts of toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1). After cellulitis had cleared following intravenous anti-staphylococcal therapy, a skin chemotaxis assay (Rebuck Skin Window technique) demonstrated severely-deficient neutrophil chemotaxis (3-5 PMN/high power field versus greater than 100/high power field in windows from healthy volunteers). At this juncture a more rigorous medical history was obtained. The patient had been perfectly well, weighing 205 pounds (height was 6 0 1 00 ) with no previous hospitalizations or serious illnesses until 4 years before this admission. He dates his rapid downhill course to an attempt by a physician to percutaneously drain an apparent bursitis of the elbow. High fever, rapidly spreading infection with bacteremia followed, and required a 2-week inpatient hospitalization for intravenous antibiotic administration. Thereafter, the patient developed innumerable episodes of cellulitis involving multiple areas (including the aforementioned massive thigh necrosis). These episodes required hospitalizations at roughly-monthly intervals and were associated with striking weight loss; the patient became house-bound and unable to work. Six months before admission to the University of Minnesota Hospital, he developed progressive Raynaud symptomatology, progressing to continuous excruciating pain that required Fentanyl patches and resisted all therapy including bilateral wrist Clonidine patches. In addition to the wound-healing deficit, the patient developed spontaneous and life-threatening ulceration of the proximal esophagus with perforation and associated acute mediastinitis. Of possible further significance (vide infra), it was learned that the patient's only daughter suffers severe, episodic psoriasis which worsens with respiratory streptococcal infections, termed "guttate psoriasis." The patient was diagnosed with acquired Hyperimmunoglobulin E Syndrome ("Job Syndrome"), but of a presumed, previously-undescribed etiologythat of chronic staphylococcal superantigenemia. To buttress this presumption, skin biopsies of the macular, plaque-like lesions were analyzed. Although a marked proliferation of dermal lymphocytes suggested mycosis fungoides, pathognomomic Pautrier microabcesses were not observed. Nevertheless, immunohistologic assay detected a marked predominance of T helper cells that do characterize this disorder. Molecular subtyping of T cell receptors performed by author DYML, validated striking variable region, b-chain T cell receptor skewing (greater than 70% Vb2 T cells) in several biopsy specimens. Such skewing of Vb2 T cells from a normal value of approximately 10% of T cells to the observed 70% is characteristic of TSST-1 SAg effects. With seemingly-reasonable support for the proposition that this patient's unique syndrome might be driven by the staphylococcal pyrogenic toxin SAg TSST-1, the following therapeutic regimen was instituted: vigorous antibacterial scrubs (with Physohex) several times daily plus intravenous Ancef 3 days each month. Moreover, the recognition (vide infra) that Kawasaki Disease may be TSST-1 mediated and can be rapidly ameliorated/cured with intravenous infusions of immunoglobulin G, stimulated us to provide similar infusions (28 gm) every 3 weeks. Finally, in an attempt to amplify numbers and chemotactic efficiency of granulocytes, we provided weekly subcutaneous injections of recombinant granulocyte colonystimulating factor. Improvement was obvious within 3 months; no further cellulitic episodes occurred; the patient began gaining weight (regaining 95 pounds to his usual habitus in 9 months); blanching and cyanosis of fingers disappeared within 3 months as did intractable painalthough mild hypesthesias continued for 2 years; erythroderma resolved, and repeat skin biopsies performed after 2 years no longer demonstrated lymphocyte accumulation or Vb2 T cell receptor skewing. Although IgE levels has not completely returned to normal, the patient remains in excellent health and is fully-employed 2.5 years' later on no therapy other than Viagra. Discussion That staphylococcal SAg(s) were responsible for the serious problems suffered by this patient is suggested by the following features: the rapid onset of his chronic, yet life-threatening, disorder that began with an episode of severe staphylococcal sepsis; the extraordinary elevation of IgE levels in this previously non-atopic individual; the acquired severe granulocyte chemotactic defect that accompanied this hyperimmunoglobulinemia ("Job Syndrome") with its accompanying wound-healing defect; and the striking diffuse erythroderma, including palmar erythema ("Red Man Syndrome") with hypotension and fever that also characterizes TSS. Favoring our postulate is: bacteriologic documentation of generalized skin colonization with TSST-1-producing S aureus; the accumulation of T helper cells in affected dermis with marked skewing of T cell receptor Vb2 chains expected with TSST-1 SAg stimulation; and his complete recovery following intensive, prolonged antistaphylococcal therapy plus IgG infusions. We suggest that this patient may not be unique. With perceptions heightened by his syndrome, we have recently identified 3 other patients with similar clinical and bacteriologic Jacob et al. Medicine Mycosis fungoides and scleroderma. In the former instance the cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorder specifically involves T helper cells and characteristically remains indolent for several years but abruptly becomes a lethal disseminated lymphoma. In fact, the remarkable generalized erythroderma along with erythematous plaque-like lesions in our patient suggested this diagnosis initially. We speculate that mycosis fungoides, at least in some instances, might reflect chronic stimulation of dermal T helper cells by skincolonizing, SAg-producing staphylococci (or perhaps streptococci); the resulting prolonged oligoclonal proliferation, we reason, would favor new, more oncogenic mutations. In fact, a similar hypothesis has recently been supported by provocative findings of Vb T cell receptor skewing in mycosis fungoides patients, where patients were found to harbor TSST-1-producing S aureus, and astonishingly, a percentage of these went into prolonged remission with anti-staphylococcal therapy. We were consulted on 2 cases of sudden patient death with isolation of TSST-1 positive S aureus from mucosal surfaces in both cases. These patients had exceptionally-high cardiac eosinophilia upon autopsy by Dr Lee Wattenberg (now deceased) at the University of Minnesota upon autopsy. He suggested these patients succumbed to anaphylaxis enhanced by TSST-1 induced Vb2 skewing of T cells to T helper 2 type T cells with elevated IgE to one or more staphylococcal antigens. Confirmatory studies are awaited. The other diagnosis initially entertained in our patient was scleroderma. Severe Raynaud symptoms coupled with typical skin thickening over dorsal surfaces of hands and forearms supported this diagnosis, although serologic tests were not confirmatory. Intriguingly, recent studies strongly buttress the proposition that scleroderma is a chronic T cell aggressing disease. That is, chronic graft-versus-host disease, that may follow bone marrow transplantation, mimics idiopathic scleroderma closely, and recent provocative findings have demonstrated that women with this disorder often harbor long-lived, activated memory T cells derived from their (male) children; this makes rational a postulate that scleroderma is often due to (fetal) graft-versus-host disease. We suggest that, in some cases, it might also be driven by chronic superantigenemia. If so, it seems likely that its microvascular compromise might involve in some way cytokine release from activated T cells. For instance, TNF (cachexin; note this patient's cachexia), released by TSST-1 exposed T cells, is vasoconstricting. In addition, recent studies of skin vessels from laboratory animals chronically injected intradermally with staphylococcal or streptococcal SAgs demonstrate intraluminal aggregation and vessel wall infiltration by lymphocytes ; moreover, we have personally noted in peripheral blood smears of mycosis fungoides patients that Sezary cells tend to be aggregated. Thus, both cytokine-mediated microvascular spasm plus vaso-occlusion attending aggregation of activated lymphocytes, may have caused the digit loss in our patient, as well as be involved in the Raynaud phenomena of idiopathic scleroderma. Recent data also support the role of SAgs in other syndromes. As noted Kawasaki Syndrome, a lymphocytic macrovasculitis, may involve TSST-1 and other SAgs; that is, sera from KD patients are unable to inhibit TSST-1 activation of T lymphocytes in vitro; addition of pooled IgG corrects the defect in vitro and cures the disease when infused intravenously; and many Kawasaki Syndrome patients are chronically colonized with TSST-1 producing S aureus. [2,5, Finally, we are intrigued that it has been proposed that "guttate psoriasis" may reflect (streptococcal) SAg exposure. This psoriatic disorder characteristically worsens with episodes of streptococcal pharyngitis and is ameliorated by anti-streptococcal prophylaxis. Our patient's daughter suffers from severe guttate psoriasis and has been offered antistreptococcal therapy as well as intermittent IgG infusions in an effort to resolve her disfiguring condition. We suggest that the coincidence of her illness with that of her father results from a genetic inability to produce inhibitors, possibly IgG, to pyrogenic toxin SAgs. If so, therapy with intravenous IgG should be useful. We conclude that " SAgs cause super trouble" and that the presented case with its therapeutic solution exemplifies "insight-based medicine." |
<filename>platform/core-api/src/com/intellij/openapi/application/RunResult.java
/*
* Copyright 2000-2012 JetBrains s.r.o.
*
* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
* you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
* You may obtain a copy of the License at
*
* http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
*
* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
* distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
* WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
* See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
* limitations under the License.
*/
package com.intellij.openapi.application;
import com.intellij.openapi.diagnostic.Logger;
import com.intellij.openapi.progress.ProcessCanceledException;
public class RunResult<T> extends Result<T> {
private BaseActionRunnable<T> myActionRunnable;
private Throwable myThrowable;
protected RunResult() {
}
public RunResult(BaseActionRunnable<T> action) {
myActionRunnable = action;
}
public RunResult<T> run() {
try {
myActionRunnable.run(this);
}
catch (ProcessCanceledException e) {
throw e; // this exception may occur from time to time and it shouldn't be catched
}
catch (Throwable throwable) {
myThrowable = throwable;
if (!myActionRunnable.isSilentExecution()) {
if (throwable instanceof RuntimeException) throw (RuntimeException)throwable;
if (throwable instanceof Error) {
throw (Error)throwable;
}
else {
throw new RuntimeException(myThrowable);
}
}
}
finally {
myActionRunnable = null;
}
return this;
}
public T getResultObject() {
return myResult;
}
public RunResult logException(Logger logger) {
if (hasException()) {
logger.error(myThrowable);
}
return this;
}
public RunResult<T> throwException() throws RuntimeException, Error {
if (hasException()) {
if (myThrowable instanceof RuntimeException) {
throw (RuntimeException)myThrowable;
}
if (myThrowable instanceof Error) {
throw (Error)myThrowable;
}
throw new RuntimeException(myThrowable);
}
return this;
}
public boolean hasException() {
return myThrowable != null;
}
public Throwable getThrowable() {
return myThrowable;
}
public void setThrowable(Exception throwable) {
myThrowable = throwable;
}
}
|
Downregulation of miR-1266-5P, miR-185-5P and miR-30c-2 in prostatic cancer tissue and cell lines. Over the latest decade, the role of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) has received more attention. miRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that may serve a role as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Certain miRNAs regulate the apoptosis pathway by influencing pro- or anti-apoptotic genes. We hypothesized that increases in the expression of B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and BCL2-like 1 (BCL2L1) genes, which have been reported in various types of cancer tissues, may be due to the downregulation of certain miRNAs. The present study aimed to identify miRNAs that target BCL2 and BCL2L1 anti-apoptotic genes in prostate cancer (PCa) clinical tissue samples. Certain candidate miRNAs were selected bioinformatically and their expression in PCa samples was analyzed and compared with that in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) tissue samples. The candidate miRNAs that targeted BCL2 and BCL2L1 genes were searched in online databases (miRWalk, microRNA.org, miRDB and TargetScan). A total of 12 miRNAs that target the 3'-untranslated region of the aforementioned genes and/or for which downregulation of their expression has previously been reported in cancer tissues. A total of 30 tumor tissue samples from patients with PCa and 30 samples tissues from patients with BPH were obtained and were subjected to reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction for expression analysis of 12 candidate miRNAs, and the BCL2 and BCL2L1 genes. Additionally, expression of 3 finally selected miRNAs and genes was evaluated in prostate cancer PC3 and DU145 cell lines and human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Among 12 miRNA candidates, the expression of miR-1266, miR-185 and miR-30c-2 was markedly downregulated in PCa tumor tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, downregulation of these miRNAs was associated with upregulation of the BCL2 and BCL2L1 genes. An inverse association between three miRNAs (miR-1266, miR-185 and miR-30c-2) and two anti-apoptotic genes (BCL2 and BCL2L1) may be considered for interventional miRNA therapy of PCa. |
Cécile Duflot
Personal life
Duflot was born in Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, Val-de-Marne, the eldest daughter of a railway unionist and a physics and chemistry teacher (who was herself also a unionist). Duflot spent her childhood and adolescence in the district of Montereau-Fault-Yonne before returning to her native town, Villeneuve-Saint-Georges, in the early 1990s. She is a town planner by profession, a graduate of the ESSEC Business School (French Business School), and holds a master's degree in Geography.
Her first activist commitments were in the Jeunesse ouvrière chrétienne ("Young Christian Workers") and the Ligue pour la protection des oiseaux ("Birds' Protection League").
A divorcée, Cécile Duflot is the mother of three girls and a boy in a step-family. Also, she shared the life of Jean-Vincent Placé, a French Senator and once Secretary of State.
Political career
After joining The Greens in 2001, she stood in the municipal elections at Villeneuve-Saint-Georges that same year. She became an opposition municipal councillor in the town in June 2004.
In 2003, she joined the electoral college of the Greens; she organised the acquisition of their national headquarters. She became spokesperson for the party in January 2005. That same year on World Water Day, she swam in the Seine in Paris with three other members of the electoral college to denounce river pollution in France and to match Jacques Chirac's promise, when he was Mayor of Paris, to swim in the Seine.
On 16 November 2006 she was elected National Secretary of the Conseil National Inter Régional, succeeding Yann Wehrling. At the age of 31, she was the youngest-ever National Secretary of the Greens.
At the end of 2006, she stood for the party's primary to nominate its presidential candidate for the 2007 French presidential election. Earning 23.29% of the vote, she came third after Dominique Voynet and Yves Cochet, and did not qualify for the second round.
In the 2007 legislative elections, she was the Green Party candidate in the third district of Val-De-Marne and gained 3.55% of the vote.
In March 2008 during the municipal elections at Villeneuve-St-Georges, she came in second place on a unified ticket of the PS, the MRC, the PRG and the Greens after socialist Laurent Dutheil. The ticket earned 24.36%.
On 6 December 2008, introducing a motion synthesizing four of the six activists' voting slips three weeks earlier, she was re-offered the post of National Secretary of the Greens with 70.99% of the votes. With Jean-Luc Benhamias, she is the only secretary to be offered a second consecutive term, Dominique Plancke having completed three terms of one year.
During her first term, she worked to establish Europe Écologie for the European Elections of 2009. She is not eligible as a candidate for this now, preferring instead to focus on her mandate as National Secretary.
In 2010, she along with Monica Frassoni, Renate Künast, and Marina Silva were named by Foreign Policy magazine to its list of top global thinkers, for taking Green mainstream.
In August 2014, she voiced criticisms of the French government, particularly of President François Hollande, stating that, "...wanting to be a leftist president, he never found his social base nor his supporters. This is not a question of temperament, rather it is the result of a succession of often unexpected choices, which are sometimes inconsistent with each other."
She is a member of the Advisory Panel of DiEM25
As Minister
The position of Minister of Housing was offered to her in the Ayrault government of the Hollande presidency, which began in May 2012. One of her tasks was to promulgate a law on social housing. Her first effort, announced 11 September of that year, failed in October, causing embarrassment to the Prime Minister. The loi Duflot replaced the fr:Loi Scellier on 18 January 2013.
The loi Alur (Accès au logement et urbanisme rénové) restricted landlord-tenant relations in exchange for favourable financial treatment. It passed on 20 February 2014.
Candidate again
In June 2017 she was for the Green Party a candidate for Parliament. She was eliminated in the first round. |
<filename>types/prettier-package-json/index.d.ts
// Type definitions for prettier-package-json 2.1
// Project: https://github.com/cameronhunter/prettier-package-json
// Definitions by: <NAME> <https://github.com/djcsdy>
// Definitions: https://github.com/DefinitelyTyped/DefinitelyTyped
// TypeScript Version: 2.2
export type CompareFn = (a: string, b: string) => number;
export interface Options {
tabWidth?: number | undefined;
useTabs?: boolean | undefined;
expandUsers?: boolean | undefined;
keyOrder?: ReadonlyArray<string> | CompareFn | undefined;
}
export function format(json: object, options?: Options): string;
export function check(json: string | object, options?: Options): boolean;
|
What would happen, like on the Doctor Who set, was I would threaten people with giving them spoilers if anyone would wind me up. I would threaten to spoil the next episode. Or I'd go, ‘I'll spoil the next season!’ And everyone would be like, ‘No! No! No! Don't! You can't give any spoilers!’ So that was really, really good. It was a power I had over the whole cast and crew.
We may not know exactly what character Maisie Williams is playing on Doctor Who this season, but it’s clear she is quite the character on set. To be honest, since Game of Thrones is just now casting for Season 6, I doubt the actress known for playing Arya Stark actually does have a ton of knowledge in her back pocket related to the upcoming season; then again, Doctor Who Season 9 has been in production for quite sometime and some of those spoilers seem to have been related to Season 5. She also mentions next season, though, and since her storyline is pretty well caught up to that in the books, she may have had some conversations with David Benioff and Dan Weiss about where her character will go.
If we’re talking spoilers, I really wish she would have given us a little more information about her Doctor Who Season 9 character while speaking with Vulture, but that’s neither here nor there.
We live in a culture that is both invested in and terrified of spoilers, so much so that some people want to devour and dissect their television before and after episodes air and some people hurry away the second the word spoiler is even mentioned in one of CinemaBlend’s posts. Because of this, it doesn’t surprise me at all that Maisie Williams’ threats, however jokingly, worked on the people over at the Doctor Who set when they would “wind her up.” I could see it backfiring unexpectedly, too, when some superfan is like, “C’mon, just tell me what’s going on with Jon Snow.” Good stuff. Now, you know all you need to do to get Game of Thrones spoilers is mess with Maisie Williams on a set. Get to it. |
RNase III Participates in the Adaptation to Temperature Shock and Oxidative Stress in Escherichia coli Bacteria thrive in ever-changing environments by quickly remodeling their transcriptome and proteome via complex regulatory circuits. Regulation occurs at multiple steps, from the transcription of genes to the post-translational modification of proteins, via both protein and RNA regulators. At the post-transcriptional level, the RNA fate is balanced through the binding of ribosomes, chaperones and ribonucleases. We aim to decipher the role of the double-stranded-RNA-specific endoribonuclease RNase III and to evaluate its biological importance in the adaptation to modifications of the environment. The inactivation of RNase III affects a large number of genes and leads to several phenotypical defects, such as reduced thermotolerance in Escherichia coli. In this study, we reveal that RNase III inactivation leads to an increased sensitivity to temperature shock and oxidative stress. We further show that RNase III is important for the induction of the heat shock sigma factor RpoH and for the expression of the superoxide dismutase SodA. Introduction In order to maintain fitness, bacteria sense environmental cues, and subsequently adapt their behavior by remodeling their transcriptome and proteome. Adaptation depends on regulatory mechanisms, which act at all levels of gene expression, from transcription to post-translation. At the post-transcriptional level, the fate of RNAs is decided by a plethora of effectors, e.g., small molecules, RNA-binding proteins and other RNAs. These regulators control the translation, protection and destabilization of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) via specific sequences and/or structural motifs (reviewed by ). Among these factors, ribonucleases (RNases) are major actors that ensure a tight control on gene expression (reviewed in ). The endoribonuclease III (RNase III) domain, widely conserved in bacteria and eukaryotes, provides the specificity for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) cleavage (reviewed in ). RNase III enzymes are involved in different processes, such as the repression and also activation of gene expression and maturation of stable and regulatory RNAs. However recent findings suggest that other functions could have emerged in some eukaryotic organisms, such as the direct involvement of DROSHA in the activation of transcription in humans. In Escherichia coli, RNase III (encoded by the gene rnc) forms a dimer, and its canonical activity is to bind a dsRNA substrate that can either be intramolecular duplexes, formed within the same RNA molecule (e.g., hairpin loop) or intermolecular hybrids (e.g., antisense RNA bound to its complementary target). Upon binding to a specific target, the two RNase III monomers will adopt the active conformation and perform the cleavage of one or of both RNA strands, generating fragments whose ends are staggered by two bases on one strand compared to the other. the N3433 background) transformed with the pRNC1 plasmid expressing RNase III from the P ara promoter of the pKAN6 plasmid or the pKAN6 empty control vector were grown in LB medium with 50 g/mL kanamycin and induced by addition of arabinose at the indicated concentrations. N3433-P lac -sodA and IBPC633-P lac -sodA strains, transformed with the plasmid pBRlacI q, were grown in LB medium with 100 g/mL ampicillin. Mutant alleles (pnp, crp and cytR) were moved to the N3433 and IBPC633 genetic background strains by P1 transduction. Promoter Replacement and Strain Construction The kmPcL genetic element, encoding the kanamycin resistance cassette followed by the P lac promoter, was amplified by PCR from the strain MG1655kmPcLyad with the primers mSodA3pClKan and Kan-pLac-SodA4 (Table S1) and inserted in front of the gene sodA at its native chromosomal location, as described in, with the following modifications. After purification, the cassette was electroporated into a strain containing an activated mini- expressing the -Red recombinase gene replacement system, allowing for the replacement by homologous recombination of the native promoter as described (Table S1). The modified P lac -sodA promoter was then moved by P1 transduction by selecting for resistance to kanamycin. RNA Extraction and Northern Blot Analysis Total RNA was prepared using the hot-phenol procedure. Total RNA (5 g) was electrophoresed on 1% agarose, 1xTBE gels for analysis by northern blot. Membranes were hybridized with RNA probes synthesized by T7 RNA polymerase with UTP yielding uniformly labeled RNAs. The size of RNAs was estimated by comparison with migration of the RiboRuler High Range marker (Thermo Scientific, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). RNA stability was measured on cultures treated with rifampicin (500 g/mL). Total RNA was extracted after 40 s (time 0) and at the indicated time points. Membranes were also probed for M1 RNA (or 5S rRNA for oldest experiments) used as charge control. Western Blot Total protein samples were collected by centrifugation and pellets were resuspended in SDS-loading buffer containing DTT (Biolabs), sonicated and heat denatured. Total protein was separated after denaturation on a 4-15% mini Protean TGX gel, and the proteins were transferred on a nitrocellulose membrane using Trans-Blot system (Biorad, Hercules, CA, USA). Membranes were blocked for 1 h prior to overnight incubation with the anti-SodA (Invitrogen, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) or anti-RpoH (BioLegend, San Diego, CA, USA) antibodies that were diluted 1000-fold and 500-fold, respectively, in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with 0.05% Tween 20. After washing and incubation with the secondary antibody, detection was performed using the Clarity Max reagent kit (Biorad, Hercules, CA, USA) and images acquired on a ChemiDoc (Biorad, Hercules, CA, USA). Protein sizes were estimated by comparison with migration of the PageRuler Plus 10-250 kDa ladder (Thermo Scientific, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). RpoH protein was identified as a single band on the membrane using monoclonal antibodies, whereas anti-SodA polyclonal antibodies revealed multiple bands. Therefore, the specific SodA protein was identified by comparison with a sample extracted from a sodA deleted strain ( Figure S7C). Membranes were reprobed with anti-S1 antibodies (10,000-fold dilution) in order to use the ribosomal protein S1 as charge control. In Vitro Processing by RNase III A DNA template carrying a T7 promoter sequence was generated by PCR using primers mT7SodA and sodAterm (Table S1). The sodA template was transcribed using T7 RNA polymerase into the full-length sodA mRNA (772 nts), as described in. RNA 5 -end labeling was performed with -ATP using T4 polynucleotide kinase. Transcripts were incubated in 20 mM Tris acetate, pH 7.5, 10 mM magnesium acetate and 100 mM sodium acetate for 5 min at 37 C and submitted to in vitro processing by RNase III of E. coli at 37 C in the presence of 1 g tRNA for 25 min with the indicated quantities of RNase III (Epicentre, Madison, WI, USA). After precipitation, addition of loading buffer and heat denaturation, samples were analyzed on 6% polyacrylamide (19/1)-urea 7 M-1xTBE gels along with 5 -radio-labeled MspI digested pBR322 (New England Biolabs, Ipswich, Massachusetts, United States). Data Analysis Northern blots were scanned using a Typhoon FLA 9500 scanner (GE Healthcare, Chicago, IL, USA). The resulting.gel images were quantified using the ImageQuantTL software version 8.1. The acquired images were uniformly adjusted for their contrast before being cropped and assembled. Bands of interest were quantified and the abundance of the studied transcripts was normalized by comparison to the abundance of the M1 or 5S RNA. Northern blots were performed in technical duplicates or more, as indicated in legends. For the stability assay presented in Table 1, normalized abundance of the studied mRNAs at the indicated times after rifampicin treatments were plotted using linear regression with a 90% confidence level, half-life and standard deviations calculated using the Microsoft Excel software. Western blots were quantified as.tif images by measuring raw integrated density and background normalization using the ImageJ software version 1.53c (NIH, https://imagej.nih.gov/ij/, last accessed on the 22 March 2022). The abundance of the protein of interest was then normalized compared to the S1 loading control. The acquired images were uniformly adjusted for their contrast before being cropped and assembled. Survival assays and growth curves were performed in biological duplicates and a representative experiment is shown. Images of survival plates were captured in.tif format on a GelDoc (Biorad), uniformly adjusted for their contrast before being cropped and assembled using the ImageJ software version 1.53c. N3433 (wt), N3433-pnp (pnp) and their rnc105 (rnc and rnc pnp) derivatives were grown at 30 C and transferred at 45 C for 15 min (rpoH) or grown at 37 C (sodA) before addition of rifampicin. Total RNA was sampled at the indicated times after rifampicin addition and analyzed by northern blot ( Figure S3). Half-lives (minutes) were calculated as described in the material and methods. Survival under Extreme Temperatures Depends on RNase III We compared growth at different temperatures of a wild-type strain (N3433, referred to as wt) to its rnc105 derivative strain (IBPC633, referred to as rnc) by a droplet plating assay after a short heat shock (15 min at 45 C). We observed comparable survival at 37 C and at 30 C, indicating that the number of viable cells is similar in the wt and rnc mutant ( Figure 1A). In agreement with a previous study, the rnc mutant showed a decreased survival at 45 C ( Figure 1A). To demonstrate that RNase III inactivation is directly responsible for thermal sensitivity, we used the previously described pRNC1 plasmid, allowing for the ectopic expression of RNase III. In the absence of induction, pRNC1 was shown to drive the expression of around 10% of the wt level and up to a 10-fold overexpression upon induction by arabinose. In the rnc mutant, survival at 45 C increases upon ectopic expression of RNase III from the pRNC1 plasmid, even in the absence of induction ( Figure S1A), suggesting that a low level of wt RNase III is sufficient for phenotypic complementation. Previous studies showed that RNase III is post-translationally inhibited upon the induction of YmdB during a cold shock, resulting in the induction of PNPase, whose expression is essential for survival during a cold shock. Remarkably, we observed that RNase III inactivation led to a reduced survival at 15 C ( Figure 1B), a phenotype that has not been reported before. YmdB perturbs RNase III catalytic activity and homodimer formation both in vitro and in vivo, although the RNase III-YmdB complex still binds dsRNAs. Thus, one possible explanation is that, while it is necessary to reduce the RNase III catalytic activity during cold shock, the RNase III-YmdB complex could still exert a regulatory role and coordinate the induction of a stress response. In agreement with this hypothesis, the rnc70 mutation was shown to impair the endonucleolytic activity of RNase III without affecting its ability to bind dsRNAs whereas rnc105 (used in this study) was suggested to have a reduced affinity for dsRNA. In summary, these results demonstrate that RNase III is required by E. coli for sustained growth at high and at low temperatures. RNase III Inactivation Increases Sensitivity to Hydrogen Peroxide We challenged wt and rnc strains with hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), which is known to provoke a rapid, irreversible arrest of cell division due to the accumulation of DNA breaks. A droplet plating assay after 10 min exposure to oxidative stress (from 5 mM H 2 O 2 ) reveals a significant decrease in the survival of the rnc mutant ( Figure 2A). Moreover, the ectopic expression of RNase III from pRNC1 increased the survival of the rnc mutant, even in the absence of induction, showing that even a low level of wt RNase III allows phenotypic complementation ( Figure S1B), thus confirming that the expression of RNase III in the rnc105 (nadB51::Tn10) mutant can restore resistance to oxidative stress. We confirmed that the effect of H 2 O 2 (0.8 mM in liquid culture) on the survival of the rnc mutant was due to an immediate growth arrest ( Figure 2B). We also challenged the two strains with paraquat (0.1 mM), which is known to generate superoxide, and observed a reduction in the survival of the rnc mutant after 60 min of exposure by a droplet plating assay ( Figure S1C). However, paraquat challenge in liquid culture led to only a slight reduction in the growth rate of the rnc mutant ( Figure S1D). Thus, RNase III inactivation leads to an increased sensitivity to oxidative stress mediated by H 2 O 2 and, to a lower extent, mediated by paraquat. The Induction of rpoH at High Temperature Depends on RNase III A previous transcriptomic approach revealed that a large number of genes belonging to the gene ontology group "response to heat", including members of the heat shock RpoH regulon, are differentially expressed upon RNase III inactivation. The heat shock sigma factor 32 (RpoH) is a key regulator of the E. coli heat shock response and is essential for growth at temperatures higher than 20 C. The expression of rpoH is induced upon a temperature upshift (among other conditions, see Discussion) via both enhanced synthesis and stabilization. In particular the rpoH mRNA harbors an extensive secondary structure, located downstream from the start codon, containing four stem loops that act as a thermosensor controlling the translational efficiency in order to maintain a low translation of rpoH mRNA at temperatures less than 45 C. To examine whether RNase III has a role in the heat adaptation of rpoH expression, we measured rpoH mRNA and RpoH protein levels in the early (i.e., less than 15 min) response to heat shock. Whereas the abundance of the rpoH mRNA increases after the heat shock (3.5-fold after 15 min of heat shock, Figure 3A and Figure S2), the amplitude of the induction was reduced twofold upon RNase III inactivation (1.8-fold after 15 min of heat shock). At the protein level, RpoH induction peaked after 5 min in the wt strain (2.5-fold after 5 min of heat shock, Figure 3B and Figure S3) whereas, unexpectedly, the abundance of RpoH decreased in the rnc mutant (0.6-fold after 5 min of heat shock). In brief, RNase III activity is critical for the induction of rpoH expression at both mRNA and protein levels during a heat shock, i.e., it has a positive role in controlling rpoH expression. RNase III and PNPase Stabilize rpoH mRNA during a Heat Shock As we observed a significant reduction in rpoH expression in the rnc mutant during a heat shock, we investigated the importance of RNase III on rpoH mRNA stability after a shift at 45 C. We observed that RNase III inactivation led to a slight reduction in rpoH stability after a 15 min heat shock from 30 to 45 C (from 4.01 to 3.39 min, Table 1 and Figure S4A), suggesting that RNase III has only a modest effect on the stability of the rpoH mRNA during a heat shock. However, it should be remembered that the inactivation of RNase III leads to the accumulation of the exoribonuclease PNPase, as previously shown at the mRNA and protein level. We observed that the stability of rpoH mRNA after a heat shock in a PNPase inactivated mutant (pnp) is reduced (from 4.01 to 3.14 min, Table 1 and Figure S4A). Hence, as PNPase is also involved in the stabilization of the rpoH mRNA after a heat shock, we reasoned that the elevated abundance of PNPase in the rnc mutant could mask the effect of RNase III. Supporting this hypothesis, we observed that the inactivation of RNase III in a pnp mutant led to a further reduction in rpoH mRNA stability after the heat shock (from 4.01 min to 2.06 min, Table 1 and Figure S4A). Thus, the stability of the rpoH mRNA after a heat shock relies on both RNase III and PNPase, and both ribonucleases have positive roles in the expression of rpoH. RNase III Acts Independently from Transcription Factors CRP and CytR As the above results show that the reduced rpoH induction during a heat shock is only partly due to the role of RNase III in the stabilization of rpoH mRNA (which is, moreover, partially compensated by the increase in PNPase), it appears that RNase III plays an additional positive role in the transcriptional regulation of rpoH during a heat shock, which is likely to be indirect via other effectors. The transcription of rpoH was shown to be dependent on the sigma factors RpoD, RpoE, RpoN and RpoS and regulated by transcriptional factors DnaA, ZraR, CpxR, IHF, CRP and CytR (Ecocyc database ). Remarkably, the details of the transcriptional induction of rpoH during a heat shock remains, to our knowledge, non-elucidated. We compared the induction level of the rpoH mRNA after 15 min heat shock from 30 to 45 C in mutants inactivated for CRP and/or CytR and/or RNase III. We observed that, while both crp and cytR mutations slightly affected the expression of rpoH, the reduction in rpoH induction in the RNase III mutant could still be seen in the absence of either or both crp and cytR ( Figure S5). Hence, the role of RNase III in the induction of rpoH expression during a heat shock is independent of the transcription factors CRP and CytR. Induction of Three Genes of the RpoH Regulon Is Defective in the rnc Mutant To investigate whether the inactivation of RNase III has repercussions on the RpoH regulon, we analyzed the effect of heat shock on three genes belonging to the RpoH regulon: dnaK, encoding a heat shock protein (HSP) chaperone, ibpA, encoding a small HSP chaperone and lon, encoding a major protease. In the wt strain, the expression of dnaK, ibpA and lon increased after 15 min at 45 C and subsequently decreased after 30 min of heat shock, demonstrating that their induction is transient at the RNA level (Figure 4). In the rnc mutant, the rpoH mRNA abundance was lower (twofold) than in the wt, but was still induced by the heat shock, whereas the dnaK, ibpA and lon mRNAs levels decreased, which is in agreement with the previous observation that the RpoH protein does not accumulate during a heat shock in the rnc mutant ( Figure 3B). This establishes a temporal correlation between RpoH protein levels and the expression of its regulon. Thus, RNase III is required for a full induction of rpoH and for at least three genes of its regulon (dnaK, ibpA and lon) during a heat shock. The membrane was probed successively (after removal of previous signals) for rpoH, dnaK, ibpA, lon and 5S. Quantification of the different transcripts is given as % of the indicated mRNA in the wt at 30 C normalized to the 5S rRNA charge control. RNase III Positively Regulates sodA Expression RNase III is involved in the destabilization of the sodB mRNA, encoding the Fe 2+dependent superoxide dismutase B, upon binding by the sRNA RhyB under iron starvation. More recently, the expression of sodA, encoding the major Mn 2+ -dependent cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase SodA, was observed to be strongly reduced in two independent rnc deletion mutants. Thus, we investigated the role of RNase III in the regulation of sodA and in the resistance to oxidative stress. We first validated that sodA expression is reduced in the rnc mutant in the absence of stress at both mRNA (2.6-fold, Figure 5A and Figure S6) and protein levels (2.4-fold, Figure 5B and Figure S7). Furthermore, we observed that, after 10 min of oxidative stress in the presence of H 2 O 2, sodA expression was slightly reduced at the mRNA level ( Figure S6) but not at the protein level in the wt (Figure S7), while RNase III inactivation led to a strong reduction in sodA expression at both mRNA and protein level, similar to what could be observed in the absence of stress. Hence, RNase III is required for the expression of sodA in the absence of and during oxidative stress. RNase III and PNPase Stabilize sodA mRNA We then examined the stability of sodA mRNA and found that it was reduced in the rnc mutant (1.8-fold, Table 1 and Figure S4B). Since PNPase is upregulated in the rnc mutant strain, we examined whether the reduced stability of the sodA mRNA could be due to an increased expression of PNPase. The inactivation of PNPase destabilizes the sodA mRNA (2.3-fold, Table 1 and Figure S4B) and, together with the rnc mutation, leads to a further reduction (three-fold) in sodA mRNA stability. As RNase III has a role in the stabilization of sodA mRNA in the absence of stress, we investigated whether this effect could be due to an RNase III processing event that may stabilize the sodA mRNA. An in vitro RNase III cleavage assay showed that the full-length sodA mRNA is cleaved by RNase III at multiple positions, including one minor cleavage within the 5 -UTR (nts +28 relative to the transcription start site, Figure S8), which is similar to the unique in vivo cleavage site in the sodA mRNA previously identified. In summary, RNase III is required for sodA mRNA stabilization and can cleave the sodA mRNA 5 -UTR in vitro, supporting previous in vivo observations. Hence, this suggests that, like in the case of the target mRNAs gadE and adhE, RNase III can cleave the 5 -UTR of the sodA mRNA, which may lead to the stabilization of the transcript, either by protecting from other RNases or by improving the translation efficiency. The other cleavages observed in vitro, which were not detected in vivo, lie within the ORF and so might be protected from cleavage in vivo by translating ribosomes. Transcriptional and Post-Transcriptional Regulation of the sodA Gene by RNase III We next looked for an effect of RNase III on the transcription as well as on the posttranscriptional regulation of sodA. To separate these regulatory layers, the endogenous sodA promoter was replaced by the lacZ promoter, which allows for an appreciable expression of sodA mRNA from the P lac promoter in the absence of IPTG ( Figure 6). Contrary to the case where sodA is expressed from its own promoter, the rnc mutation had little effect on the sodA mRNA level. However, when strongly overproduced after IPTG induction, there was a slight reduction in the sodA mRNA level in the rnc mutant. This limited effect of RNase III on sodA mRNA expressed from an exogenous promoter, compared to the strong positive effect on sodA mRNA levels, when it is expressed from its own promoter, implies that the major role of RNase III in the regulation of sodA expression occurs by a transcriptional activation of the sodA gene. This indirect effect could be due to the regulation of an upstream regulator of sodA expression. Figure 6. Transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of sodA by RNase III. N3433 P lac -sodA (wt) and IBPC633 P lac -sodA (rnc) strains with pBRlacI q expressing lacI q constitutively were induced (+) or not (−) with IPTG (0.1 mM) for 10 min. Total RNA was analyzed by northern blot; the membrane was probed for sodA and M1. Quantification of the sodA mRNA is given as % sodA mRNA in wt strain without IPTG. Overexpression of SodA in the rnc Mutant Supports Growth during Oxidative Stress As in the case of sodA expressed from its chromosomal location ( Figure 2B), there was little effect of the addition of H 2 O 2 (1 mM) to the wt strain in mid-exponential growth expressing the basal level of SodA from P lac -sodA (Figure 7, left). In the rnc strain, H 2 O 2 immediately stopped growth, and adding IPTG to induce SodA at the same time as the H 2 O 2 challenge was not sufficient for maintaining growth. However, the constant overexpression of SodA from a low cell density was sufficient for maintaining growth after the H 2 O 2 challenge in the rnc mutant (Figure 7, right). In summary, constant SodA overexpression can restore resistance to H 2 O 2 in the rnc strain, suggesting that the RNase III-mediated positive regulation of sodA expression is required to protect against oxidative stress. Figure 7. Ectopic expression of sodA protects from oxidative stress in the rnc mutant. N3433 P lac -sodA and IBPC633 P lac -sodA strains containing the pBRlacI q expressing lacI q constitutively were grown to mid-log phase, and IPTG (0.1 mM) and H 2 O 2 (1 mM) were added as indicated. Red filled diamonds show the control with no additions; empty green diamonds show IPTG added at the beginning of the growth; blue filled circles show H 2 O 2 added at mid-log phase; empty purple diamonds show IPTG added at the beginning of the growth and H 2 O 2 at mid-log phase; empty black circles show IPTG added together with H 2 O 2 at mid-log phase. Discussion Recent global approaches, aimed at quantifying the importance of RNase III, have suggested that the range of RNase III targets had been considerably underestimated. In this study, we demonstrate that the inactivation of RNase III increases sensitivity to heat and cold shock and to oxidative stress. We then show that the induction of rpoH during a heat shock is greatly impaired upon RNase III inactivation due, in part, to the requirement of RNase III, together with PNPase, in the stabilization of the rpoH mRNA. In addition, our results suggest that RNase III is required for the transcriptional activation of rpoH independently from the known transcriptional regulators of rpoH expression, CRP and CytR. Furthermore, we show that RNase III also positively regulates the expression of sodA at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Significantly, we demonstrate that SodA overexpression restores growth to the rnc mutant under H 2 O 2 stress. RpoH and SodA are, thus, new examples showing that RNase III is a positive regulator of gene expression. These new roles of RNase III are summarized in Figure 8. Role of RNase III in Thermotolerance E. coli adapts to heat shock through the transient induction of the RpoH regulon, leading to a short-term increase in HSPs in order to reduce heat shock damage (e.g., by expressing chaperones to counteract protein misfolding). Remarkably, it has been shown that RpoH and its regulon are induced under several other stress conditions, including carbohydrate starvation, hyperosmotic shock and growth in conditions of extracellular alkaline pH and in the presence of ethanol [56,. Furthermore, RpoH is required for long-term growth at 45 C, and this thermotolerance remains poorly characterized. A proteomic analysis comparing E. coli strains grown in a bioreactor at 37 C versus 45 C revealed that among the most differentially expressed genes are the RpoH-dependent HSP DnaJ and the oxidative stress response factors SodA, AhpC and Dps. Another study suggested that the early and transient peak of HSP expression plays an important role in the long-term remodeling of gene expression. Other members of the RpoH regulon include ribosomal effectors, such as L31, and YbeY, an RNase involved in 16S rRNA maturation and quality control that may suggest that thermotolerance also requires remodeling of the translation machinery. This hypothesis is corroborated by the fact that DnaJ, DnaK and other HSPs are instrumental in the maturation of ribosomes at 44 C. Thus, the reduced thermotolerance of the rnc mutant could result from the combined effects of the reduced rpoH induction and also from an alteration of rRNA maturation. Importance of RNase III in the Positive Regulation of Gene Expression RNase III is involved in mRNA destabilization, as in the case of the rpsO-pnp operon, where a dsRNA cleavage in the intergenic region enables the degradation of the pnp mRNA via RNase E. Examples of destabilization by RNase III include, but are not limited to, the rnc-era operon, proU, betT, bdm, proP and rng mRNAs. However, RNase III was also shown to play a role in mRNA stabilization, as in the case of the mRNA adhE, where a dsRNA cleavage permits efficient translation and increases the mRNA stability. During acid stress, the asRNA ArrS is induced and binds to the gadE mRNA, triggering a maturation event by RNase III, leading to an increased translation and stability. In the case of the precursor mRNA of the T7 phage, RNase III was shown to proceed to single strand cleavages, releasing individual mRNAs with a stable hairpin in their 3 -ends. Other cases of positive regulation by RNase III have been identified, but the mechanism has not been elucidated, such as eno, ahpC, pflB, yajQ and sucA mRNAs. The importance of RNase III in the positive regulation of gene expression is further suggested by two independent transcriptomic analyses showing that 23% (120 out of 511 ) and 47% (87 out 187 ) of the genes whose expression was altered in an rnc mutant were downregulated. Furthermore, the identification of RNase III cleavage sites in vivo revealed that the RNase III targetome is even larger than previously suspected (615 targeted RNAs, including the 5 -UTR of sodA mRNA). In this work, we show that rpoH (during a heat shock) and sodA are new examples demonstrating a role of RNase III in the positive regulation of gene expression. The identification of new targets positively regulated by RNase III is limited by two aspects: first, RNase III inactivation leads to a large increase in PNPase expression, which could mask the direct role of RNase III in gene expression. Second, since our results and previous studies show that RNase III is implicated in various stress responses (heat and cold shock, oxidative stress, osmotic choc and antibiotic resistance ), further studies aimed at identifying targets of RNase III would benefit from transcriptomic and proteomic analyses performed under stress conditions comparing strains inactivated for both RNase III and PNPase. RNase III Is a General Stress Response Regulator and a Potential Target to Control Bacterial Virulence In E. coli, the post-translational inhibition of RNase III by the protein YmdB is required for the resistance to osmotic choc and leads to an increase in biofilm formation through the stabilization of bdm, proV, proW, proX, proP and betT mRNAs [29,. On the contrary, RNase III activity is required for resistance to low concentrations of aminoglycosides via the repression of RNase G expression. In addition, we show that RNase III is required for survival under heat and cold shock and for oxidative resistance. Remarkably, in Listeria monocytogenes, RNase III was similarly shown to be critical for resistance to heat and cold shock, to high and low pH, to oxidative stress and for survival in macrophages. Hence, RNase III is an important factor in the cell's ability to coordinate the cellular response toward different stress conditions. The general stress response has been defined as the activation of a resistance response to multiple stresses after the sensing of a single stress, for which, the sigma factor RpoS is the primary regulator. It is noteworthy that previous studies have reported a role for RNase III in the regulation of RpoS. Nevertheless, there were discrepancies in the outcome of this regulation in the different studies, which may result from differences in the experimental conditions and/or multiple regulatory mechanisms involving RNase III [31,. However, as in the case of RpoS, the absence of RNase III under standard conditions already affects the expression of a wide range of catabolic genes, as well as stress functions. RNase III can thus be considered as another general stress response regulator and an important component of the complex mechanisms determining the ability of E. coli to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions. Furthermore, the function of RNase III as a general stress response factor is likely to be conserved in other organisms, as demonstrated in the case of L. monocytogenes. RNase III is a well-conserved protein among bacteria and was shown to be important for virulence in a wide range of pathogenic organisms, such as Staphylococcus aureus in the infection of mice, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and Enterococcus fecalis in the infection of Galleria mellonella. Hence, RNase III could represent an interesting target for therapeutic purposes. However, we want to stress that two contra-indicatory points should be considered: first RNase III inhibition in E. coli increases the sensitivity to temperature and oxidative stress but also increases resistance to osmotic choc and favors biofilm formation, which may lead to adverse outcomes that could preclude clinical uses. Second, targeting RNase III will be difficult to limit to a single species and will affect a whole range of species due to the strong conservation of RNase III in bacteria (reviewed in ). Thus, the use of RNase III modulators would have to be carefully assessed in a clinical setting. Conclusions We have extended our understanding of E. coli stress responses by showing that RNase III is required for the expression of RpoH after a heat shock and for the expression of SodA, thus allowing bacteria to cope with oxidative stress. Hence, RNase III is an important factor in the cell's ability to coordinate the cellular response toward different stress conditions. Supplementary Materials: The following are available online at https://www.mdpi.com/article/10.3390/microorganisms10040699/s1, Table S1: Strains, plasmids and primers, Figure S1: RNase III is required for heat shock and oxidative stress resistance, Figure S2: rpoH induction upon temperature upshift is defective in the rnc mutant at the mRNA level, Figure S3: rpoH induction upon temperature upshift is defective in the rnc mutant at the protein level, Figure S4: Effect of rnc and pnp mutations on the decay rates of rpoH and sodA mRNAs, Figure S5: RNase III inactivation reduces rpoH induction after heat shock independently from CRP and CytR, Figure S6: RNase III positively controls sodA expression at the mRNA level, Figure S7: RNase III positively controls sodA expression at the protein level, Figure S8: In vitro cleavage of sodA mRNA by RNase III and uncropped gels from Figures 4, 6, S3, S5 and S7. References References |
Outcomes of endoscopic and open resection of sinonasal malignancies: a systematic review and meta-analysis Highlights The overall survival rate of the endoscopic resection group was comparable with the open resection group. The disease-free survival rate of the endoscopic resection group was higher than the open resection group. The surgery approaches, the adjuvant therapy, the histopathology, and the T-stage have independent effects on the survival outcomes. Introduction The concept of endoscopic endonasal surgery was first proposed in 1986 to deal with recurring rhinosinusitis. 1 This approach had advantages such as better intraoperative vision, shorter recovery time, and potentially smaller postoperative facial scar or deformity. 2 Sinonasal malignancies are known to be rare and carry a high risk of mortality. In 2000, Goffart applied endoscopic resection (ER) for the treatment of selected malignant sinonasal tumors, as he observed that there was little difference in the recurrence rate of benign lesions. 3 Since then, endoscopy has been utilized in the treatment of sinonasal malignancies. However, it is yet to be discussed whether progressive margin resection, uncontrolled intraoperative hemorrhage, and the difficulty in skull base reconstruction, all of which occur in endoscopic resection, can increase the risk of mortality of the disease, 4 especially advanced tumors. Meanwhile, with the development of high-definition endoscopy technology, the superiority achieved in implementation of endoscopy in malignancies cannot be neglected. Several meta-analyses have compared the outcome and efficacy of the endoscopic and open approaches in sinonasal malignancies indirectly, drawing a conclusion that the two approaches were comparable. 5,6 In a recent study, Lu arrived at a conclusion that the length of hospitalization was shorter in endoscopic endonasal surgery than in open resection (OR). 7 In another meta-analysis, Hur demonstrated that endoscopic resection of sinonasal melanoma has better overall survival. 8 However, due to the low incidence of sinonasal malignancies, the selection of the chosen surgical procedure in sinonasal malignancies is still to be discussed. The evidencebased implementation of endoscopic and open approaches remains to be explored due to the rarity and heterogeneity of sinonasal malignancies. The purpose of our study was to conduct a metaanalysis of the current literature to compare the outcome of sinonasal malignancies via endoscopic and open approaches and to determine whether and when endoscopic approaches could achieve a comparable or better efficacy. Search strategy This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted and reported based on the MOOSE (Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology) guidelines 9 since all the trials involved were observational studies. The search was performed using PubMed (1950---2020), Embase (1974---2020), the Cochrane library, and the website clinicaltrials.gov by two reviewers. The keywords used in the searching strategies included ''sinonasal'', ''malignancy'', ''endoscopic'', and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms, combined by Boolean operators. We retrieved literature from the reference lists of the obtained literature and contacted the authors by e-mail to include all the available studies. Inclusion and exclusion criteria The following inclusion criteria were identified systematically in all the included studies: 1) The participants were diagnosed with sinonasal malignancies pathologically; 2) The participants received surgery with a curative intention and were allocated to the ER group (including endoscopic endonasal surgery and endoscopic-assisted surgery) or the OR group based on the surgical approach employed. Cases in each group were no less than 3 individuals; and 3) The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of the overall survival (OS) or disease-free survival (DFS) in each study were provided or could be calculated. Studies meeting the following criteria were excluded: 1) Tumor had not primarily originated from the nasal sinuses; and 2) Followup time was less than 12 months. Studies were included in a pooled-analysis when individual patient data were provided. Data extraction and statistical method The HR and 95% CI of the rates of OS and DFS along with the demographic data including age, sex, diagnosis, stage of disease, statement of previous treatment, adjuvant therapy, and number of participants in each group were extracted from the included studies and aggregated by the reviewers independently. The HR and standard error (SE) were calculated using the methodology described by Tierney et al. 10 when only the number of patients randomized into each arm of the trial, total number of events, and p-values of the log-rank test were provided. We also extracted data from Kaplan---Meier curves by tracing via the Engauge Digitizer software (version 12.1, free software downloaded from https://github.com/markummitchell/engauge-digitizer). Meta-analysis was conducted on the Review Manager software (version 5.3, free software downloaded from https://training.cochrane.org/online-learning/coresoftware-cochrane-reviews). Subgroup analyses based on previous treatment, pathology type, and comparability of studies were performed. When individual patient data were provided, a directive comparison was conducted using the SPSS software (version 23.0.0.0, IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp). We categorized Kadish A/B and American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages T1/T2 into ''low stage'', and Kadish C/D and AJCC stages T3/T4 into ''high stage''. 5 The categorical variables were compared using a Chi-square test, whereas the continuous variables were compared using the Student's t-test or Mann---Whitney U-test. Survival outcomes of both groups were compared using the Kaplan---Meier method, log-rank test, and the Cox regression analysis. A p-value of 0.05 or less was considered significant. Bias and quality assessment Quality assessment for each study was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). 11 The quality of evidence for each outcome was rated via Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE). 12 Results A total of 1939 articles were retrieved based on our search strategy. Of these, 227 articles were reserved after screening the title and removing the duplicates. After reviewing the abstracts, full-text analysis was carried out in 136 articles, according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Finally, 23 articles ( Fig. 1) were included in the final metaanalysis, the characteristics of which are summarized in Table 1. 13---35 Meta-analysis There were 1373 patients incorporated into our metaanalysis, of which 653 (47.56%) underwent surgery using the endoscopic approach, and 720 (52.44%) cases utilized open resection. Of the 23 articles included in the final meta- indicates significant differences in DFS in age, pathological type, T-stage, and adjuvant therapy with univariate analysis and in adjuvant therapy and surgical approaches (p = 0.020) (Fig. 4B) with multivariate analysis. Discussion We conducted a meta-analysis of the available literature to compare the prognosis of sinonasal malignancies via endo- scopic and open resection. Meanwhile a direct comparison was made between the groups from studies where the individual patient data was provided. The meta-analysis indicated that the OS of the ER group was comparable with that of the OR group. This comparison of OS was, however, not stable. When we excluded Saedi's study, 24 the difference in the OS rates between the two groups turned into something meaningful (Supplementary Fig. 2), (HR = 0.72 , p = 0.002; random-effects analysis), which meant that the patients could benefit from ER in terms of OS rates. One explanation for the instability is that it arises from the relatively short follow-up time. The mean follow-up time of ER was 22 months, and that of OR was 20 months. However, the outcome of relapse requires a shorter follow-up time than death, which means OS needs longer follow-up time compared with DFS. In addition, the effect estimate suggested that DFS was higher when ER of sinonasal malignancies was performed. The multivariate analysis of OS and DFS indicated a significant benefit of ER, which is different from univariate analysis. This variation may arise from the correlation between surgery approaches and the application of adjuvant therapy. There were 52.5% cases using adjuvant therapy in the endoscopic approach and 73.2% in the open approach (x 2 = 7.559, p = 0.006). The multivariate analysis endorsed the application of adjuvant therapy as a protective factor. After eliminating the confounding factor through multivariate analysis, we found that surgery approaches have an independent effect on the survival outcomes. We are positive regarding the statistical result, considering the confidence interval of the effect estimate included appreciable benefit. Rarity and heterogeneity of sinonasal malignancies contributed to the difficulty in the interpretation of survival results in the studies that reported different pathologies. 5 Our multivariate analysis suggests that histopathology is an independent risk factor. A subgroup analysis was performed with studies where the pathological diagnosis was available. The effect estimate suggests that the outcome of the sinonasal melanoma in terms of OS and DFS is better for the endoscopic approach. In general, we believe that patients can benefit from ER. Since sinonasal melanoma is widely considered to be radioresistant, wide surgical excision is typically recommended as the primary mode of therapy. 39,40 However, endoscopic resection may be able to provide a better outcome by enabling excellent vision that offers precise excision and better local control. The effect estimate in adenocarcinoma subgroup suggests a comparable outcome in terms of OS and DFS. There was a statistical correlation between T stage and survival. 41 Previous studies have reported ER as an alternative to OR in low stage sinonasal malignancies. 5 The tumor stage relates to tumor invasion extent, which is one of considerations when designing surgical approach. The effect of tumor stage in survival between endoscopic and open resection cannot be meta-analyzed as the sequence of the incompleteness of data, as well as the tumor invading site. Adjuvant therapy plays a role in increasing the cure rate of sinonasal malignancies. Our multivariate analyses indicated that the adjuvant therapy was a protective factor for OS and DFS. Although the data in the literature provided were inadequate to conduct a subgroup analysis of the adjuvant therapy, the relationship between adoption of adjuvant therapy and selection of surgical approaches should not be underestimated. It is of much concern to develop a multidisciplinary therapy. The advantages of endoscopic approach are technically clear. An endoscopic approach would be advocated for pathologies that surgical excision is recommended as primary therapy, based on the data summarized above. Meanwhile, endoscopic approach with or without auxiliary incision showed significant benefits for skull base involvement. But when an ocular enucleation or a total maxillectomy is required according to the extent of tumor, leading to inevitable facial deformity, an open surgical approach could benefit the patient. Lesions involving vital structures such as internal carotid artery are generally excised by the open approach according to the conventional The OIS (optimal information size) criteria are met. But the confidence interval contains an invalid value and includes appreciable benefit. b The cases included in analysis were observational studies. We could not make sure whether the studies could represent all cases. viewpoint, but the endoscopic approach is an alternative due to the development of minimally invasive surgery technology and the improvement of surgical technique proficiency. Of the 23 studies evaluated using NOS, 6 had 6 stars, 14 had 7 stars, and 3 had 8 stars (Table 5), whereas the maximum possible total score for a cohort study is 9 stars. The levels of evidence were accessed by the GRADEpro system. The certainties of effect estimate of OS and DFS were very low, on account of the imprecision and publication bias (Table 6). Moreover, the downgrading was on account of the following two aspects: 1) The confidence interval of the effect estimate contained an invalid value and included appreciable benefit 42 ; and 2) The studies included in the analysis were observational studies. As a result, we were unable to ascertain whether the studies could represent all cases. 43 However, due to the rarity of sinonasal malignancies, it would be difficult to plan a prospective randomized cohort study. There are some limitations of our study. First, the low quality of evidence is almost inevitable for observational studies, although the existence of some relevant factors could make it possible to improve the quality of the evidence, for example increasing the sample size to avoid imprecision. Second, the effects of adjuvant therapy, previous treatment, and histopathology were not analyzed adequately. Although subgroup analyses were planned to be conducted, the data reported by most of studies were deficient to perform such an analysis. Hence, further exploring the standardization of the reports would make sense. 5,6 At last, to the best of our knowledge, our study is the first one conducting a meta-analysis of the direct comparison between ER and OR groups. However, the effect estimate was not sufficiently stable. A longer follow-up time and more standard management are essential to improve the statistical power for further analysis. Conclusion The evidence we collected suggests that the survival outcome of endoscopic resection in patients with sinonasal malignancies was comparable or better than that of open resection. The factors associated with tumor prognosis are histopathology, stage of tumor, and application of adjuvant therapy. Further research will be important to establish the guidelines for the selection of surgical approach and promote the comprehensive treatment of sinonasal malignancies. Conflicts of interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest. |
<reponame>badalsarkar/thaw
package de.be.thaw.table.cell.text;
import de.be.thaw.table.cell.Cell;
import de.be.thaw.table.cell.CellSpan;
/**
* A simple cell holding text.
*/
public class TextCell implements Cell {
/**
* Text of the cell.
*/
private final String text;
/**
* The current cell span of the cell.
*/
private CellSpan span;
public TextCell(String text) {
this.text = text;
}
@Override
public CellSpan getSpan() {
return span;
}
@Override
public void setSpan(CellSpan span) {
this.span = span;
}
@Override
public String toString() {
return text;
}
}
|
<gh_stars>1000+
# encoding: utf-8
import datetime
import hashlib
import json
import pytest
import six
from ckan.common import config
import ckan.lib.search as search
@pytest.mark.skipif(not search.is_available(), reason="Solr not reachable")
@pytest.mark.usefixtures("clean_index")
class TestSearchIndex(object):
@classmethod
def setup_class(cls):
cls.solr_client = search.make_connection()
cls.fq = ' +site_id:"%s" ' % config["ckan.site_id"]
cls.package_index = search.PackageSearchIndex()
cls.base_package_dict = {
"id": "test-index",
"name": "monkey",
"title": "Monkey",
"state": "active",
"private": False,
"type": "dataset",
"owner_org": None,
"metadata_created": datetime.datetime.now().isoformat(),
"metadata_modified": datetime.datetime.now().isoformat(),
}
def test_solr_is_available(self):
assert self.solr_client.search("*:*") is not None
def test_search_all(self):
self.package_index.index_package(self.base_package_dict)
assert len(self.solr_client.search("*:*")) == 1
def test_index_basic(self):
self.package_index.index_package(self.base_package_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 1
assert response.docs[0]["id"] == "test-index"
assert response.docs[0]["name"] == "monkey"
assert response.docs[0]["title"] == "Monkey"
index_id = hashlib.md5(
six.b("{0}{1}".format(
self.base_package_dict["id"], config["ckan.site_id"]
))
).hexdigest()
assert response.docs[0]["index_id"] == index_id
def test_no_state_no_index(self):
pkg_dict = self.base_package_dict.copy()
pkg_dict.update({"state": None})
self.package_index.index_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 0
def test_clear_index(self):
self.package_index.index_package(self.base_package_dict)
self.package_index.clear()
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 0
def test_delete_package(self):
self.package_index.index_package(self.base_package_dict)
pkg_dict = self.base_package_dict.copy()
pkg_dict.update({"id": "test-index-2", "name": "monkey2"})
self.package_index.index_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="title:Monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 2
response_ids = sorted([x["id"] for x in response.docs])
assert response_ids == ["test-index", "test-index-2"]
self.package_index.delete_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="title:Monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 1
response_ids = sorted([x["id"] for x in response.docs])
assert response_ids == ["test-index"]
def test_index_illegal_xml_chars(self):
pkg_dict = self.base_package_dict.copy()
pkg_dict.update(
{
"title": u"\u00c3a\u0001ltimo n\u00famero penguin",
"notes": u"\u00c3a\u0001ltimo n\u00famero penguin",
}
)
self.package_index.index_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 1
assert response.docs[0]["title"] == u"\u00c3altimo n\u00famero penguin"
def test_index_date_field(self):
pkg_dict = self.base_package_dict.copy()
pkg_dict.update(
{
"extras": [
{"key": "test_date", "value": "2014-03-22"},
{"key": "test_tim_date", "value": "2014-03-22 05:42:14"},
]
}
)
self.package_index.index_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 1
assert isinstance(response.docs[0]["test_date"], datetime.datetime)
assert (
response.docs[0]["test_date"].strftime("%Y-%m-%d") == "2014-03-22"
)
assert (
response.docs[0]["test_tim_date"].strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")
== "2014-03-22 05:42:14"
)
def test_index_date_field_wrong_value(self):
pkg_dict = self.base_package_dict.copy()
pkg_dict.update(
{
"extras": [
{"key": "test_wrong_date", "value": "Not a date"},
{"key": "test_another_wrong_date", "value": "2014-13-01"},
{"key": "test_yet_another_wrong_date", "value": "2014-15"},
{"key": "test_yet_another_very_wrong_date", "value": "30/062012"},
]
}
)
self.package_index.index_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 1
assert "test_wrong_date" not in response.docs[0]
assert "test_another_wrong_date" not in response.docs[0]
assert "test_yet_another_wrong_date" not in response.docs[0]
assert "test_yet_another_very_wrong_date" not in response.docs[0]
def test_index_date_field_empty_value(self):
pkg_dict = self.base_package_dict.copy()
pkg_dict.update({"extras": [{"key": "test_empty_date", "value": ""}]})
self.package_index.index_package(pkg_dict)
response = self.solr_client.search(q="name:monkey", fq=self.fq)
assert len(response) == 1
assert "test_empty_date" not in response.docs[0]
class TestPackageSearchIndex:
@staticmethod
def _get_pkg_dict():
# This is a simple package, enough to be indexed, in the format that
# package_show would return
return {
"name": "river-quality",
"id": "d9567b82-d3f0-4c17-b222-d9a7499f7940",
"state": "active",
"private": "",
"type": "dataset",
"metadata_created": "2014-06-10T08:24:12.782257",
"metadata_modified": "2014-06-10T08:24:12.782257",
}
@staticmethod
def _get_pkg_dict_with_resources():
# A simple package with some resources
pkg_dict = TestPackageSearchIndex._get_pkg_dict()
pkg_dict["resources"] = [
{
"description": "A river quality report",
"format": "pdf",
"resource_type": "doc",
"url": "http://www.foo.com/riverquality.pdf",
"alt_url": "http://www.bar.com/riverquality.pdf",
"city": "Asuncion",
},
{
"description": "A river quality table",
"format": "csv",
"resource_type": "file",
"url": "http://www.foo.com/riverquality.csv",
"alt_url": "http://www.bar.com/riverquality.csv",
"institution": "Global River Foundation",
},
]
return pkg_dict
def test_index_package_stores_basic_solr_fields(self):
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
indexed_pkg = search.show(pkg_dict["name"])
# At root level are the fields that SOLR uses
assert indexed_pkg["name"] == "river-quality"
assert indexed_pkg["metadata_modified"] == "2014-06-10T08:24:12.782Z"
assert indexed_pkg["entity_type"] == "package"
assert indexed_pkg["dataset_type"] == "dataset"
def test_index_package_stores_unvalidated_data_dict(self):
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
indexed_pkg = search.show(pkg_dict["name"])
# data_dict is the result of package_show, unvalidated
data_dict = json.loads(indexed_pkg["data_dict"])
assert data_dict["name"] == "river-quality"
# title is inserted (copied from the name) during validation
# so its absence shows it is not validated
assert "title" not in data_dict
def test_index_package_stores_validated_data_dict(self):
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
indexed_pkg = search.show(pkg_dict["name"])
# validated_data_dict is the result of package_show, validated
validated_data_dict = json.loads(indexed_pkg["validated_data_dict"])
assert validated_data_dict["name"] == "river-quality"
# title is inserted (copied from the name) during validation
# so its presence shows it is validated
assert "title" in validated_data_dict
def test_index_package_stores_validated_data_dict_without_unvalidated_data_dict(
self,
):
# This is a regression test for #1764
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
indexed_pkg = search.show(pkg_dict["name"])
validated_data_dict = json.loads(indexed_pkg["validated_data_dict"])
assert "data_dict" not in validated_data_dict
def test_index_package_stores_unvalidated_data_dict_without_validated_data_dict(
self,
):
# This is a regression test for #2208
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
data_dict = json.loads(search.show(pkg_dict["name"])["data_dict"])
assert "validated_data_dict" not in data_dict
def test_index_package_stores_resource_extras_in_config_file(self):
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict_with_resources()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
indexed_pkg = search.show(pkg_dict["name"])
# Resource fields given by ckan.extra_resource_fields are indexed
assert indexed_pkg["res_extras_alt_url"] == [
"http://www.bar.com/riverquality.pdf",
"http://www.bar.com/riverquality.csv",
]
# Other resource fields are ignored
assert indexed_pkg.get("res_extras_institution", None) is None
assert indexed_pkg.get("res_extras_city", None) is None
def test_indexed_package_stores_resource_type(self):
index = search.index.PackageSearchIndex()
pkg_dict = self._get_pkg_dict_with_resources()
index.index_package(pkg_dict)
indexed_pkg = search.show(pkg_dict["name"])
# Resource types are indexed
assert indexed_pkg["res_type"] == ["doc", "file"]
|
NASA ISS portable fan assembly acoustics The Portable Fan Assembly (PFA) is a variable-speed fan that can be used to provide additional ventilation inside International Space Station (ISS) modules as needed for crew comfort or for enhanced mixing of the ISS atmosphere. This is important to avoid carbon dioxide (CO2) pockets that can build up because of the lack of natural convection in the microgravity environment. This fan can also be configured with a lithium hydroxide (LiOH) canister for CO2 removal in confined areas partially or fully isolated from the primary Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) on ISS, which is responsible for CO2 removal. The primary focus of this paper is to document radiated noise and the acoustic attenuation effects realized when circulating air through the PFA operating in its CO2 removal kit (CRK) configuration with a LiOH canister (sorbent bed) installed over the fan outlet, in place of outlet muffler. This report also documents the acoustic performance of the PFA with inlet and outlet mufflers in place. Lastly this paper documents an estimate of the acoustic insertion loss associated with a LiOH canister. |
. Cardiac rhabdomyomatosis of Hartley guinea pigs was examined by light and transmission electron microscopy, and its incidence and distribution were also described. Cardiac rhabdomyomatosis was found in 58 cases out of 345 animals, aged from 1.5 to 17 weeks. A few small lesions were noted in many cases, but large lesions were rare. Most lesions noted in the ventricle were found to measure from 1 mm2 to 5 mm2 in area. The larger lesions were seen near the cardiac apex. In terms of distribution of the lesions, they were observed most frequently in the left ventricular free wall. They were also distributed less frequently in the ventricular septum and in the right ventricular free wall. In bilateral free walls and the ventricular septum, this lesion was frequently noted on the endocardial side and in the tunica muscularis, respectively. Light microscopically, this lesion had a characteristic nodular-reticular structure with large vacuolated cells. Electron microscopy of cardiac rhabdomyomatosis revealed two cell types, A and B. Type A cells were characterized by large aggregates of glycogen particles distributed loosely in the cytoplasm and by myofibrils and mitochondria located at the periphery of the cytoplasm. Type B cells were characterized by large aggregates of mitochondria near the nucleus and at the periphery of the cytoplasm and by large aggregates of glycogen particles with a similar distribution to those in type in type A cells. Myocardial cells in the marginal regions of rhabdomyomatosis lesions showed mitochondrial swelling and rupture of myofibrils.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) |
Ages, metallicities, and ratios of globular clusters in NGC 147, NGC 185, and NGC 205 We present measurements of ages, metallicities, and ratios for 16 globular clusters (GC) in NGC 147, NGC 185, and NGC 205 and of the central regions of the diffuse galaxy light in NGC 185, and NGC 205. Our results are based on spectra obtained with the SCORPIO multi-slit spectrograph at the 6-m telescope of the Russian Academy of Sciences. We include in our analysis high-quality HST/WFPC2 photometry of individual stars in the studied GCs to investigate the influence of their horizontal branch (HB) morphology on the spectroscopic analysis. All our sample GCs appear to be old (T > 8 Gyr) and metal-poor (< ∼ − 1.1), except for the GCs Hubble V in NGC 205 (T = 1.2± 0.6 Gyr, = −0.6± 0.2), Hubble VI in NGC 205 (T = 4± 2 Gyr, = −0.8±0.2), and FJJVII in NGC 185 (T = 7±3 Gyr, = −0.8±0.2). The majority of our GC sample has solar enhancement in contrast to the halo population of GCs in M31 and the Milky Way. The HB morphologies for our sample GCs follow the same behavior with metallicity as younger halo Galactic globular clusters. We show that it is unlikely that they bias our spectroscopic age estimates based on Balmer absorption line indices. Spectroscopic ages and metallicities of the central regions in NGC 205 and NGC 185 coincide with those obtained from color-magnitude diagrams. The central field stellar populations in these galaxies have approximately the same age as their most central GCs (Hubble V in NGC 205 and FJJIII in NGC 185), but are more metal-rich than the central globular clusters. |
def message_handler(self, msg):
if "attention" in msg:
self.attention_callback(float(msg["attention"]))
if "amusement" in msg:
self.amusement_callback(float(msg["amusement"]))
if "confusion" in msg:
self.confusion_callback(float(msg["confusion"]))
if "surprise" in msg:
self.surprise_callback(float(msg["surprise"]))
if "pitching" in msg:
self.pitching_callback(float(msg["pitching"]))
if "yawing" in msg:
self.yawing_callback(float(msg["yawing"])) |
/*
* blackduck-common
*
* Copyright (c) 2021 Synopsys, Inc.
*
* Use subject to the terms and conditions of the Synopsys End User Software License and Maintenance Agreement. All rights reserved worldwide.
*/
package com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.http.client;
import java.util.Optional;
import org.apache.http.HttpHeaders;
import org.apache.http.client.config.RequestConfig;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpUriRequest;
import org.apache.http.impl.client.HttpClientBuilder;
import com.google.gson.Gson;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.api.core.BlackDuckResponse;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.api.core.response.UrlResponse;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.exception.BlackDuckApiException;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.service.request.BlackDuckRequest;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.useragent.BlackDuckCommon;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.useragent.UserAgentBuilder;
import com.synopsys.integration.blackduck.useragent.UserAgentItem;
import com.synopsys.integration.exception.IntegrationException;
import com.synopsys.integration.log.IntLogger;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.HttpUrl;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.client.AuthenticatingIntHttpClient;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.exception.IntegrationRestException;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.proxy.ProxyInfo;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.request.Request;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.response.ErrorResponse;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.response.Response;
import com.synopsys.integration.rest.support.AuthenticationSupport;
import com.synopsys.integration.util.NameVersion;
public abstract class DefaultBlackDuckHttpClient extends AuthenticatingIntHttpClient implements BlackDuckHttpClient {
private final Gson gson;
private final HttpUrl blackDuckUrl;
private final String userAgentString;
protected final AuthenticationSupport authenticationSupport;
public DefaultBlackDuckHttpClient(IntLogger logger, Gson gson, int timeout, boolean alwaysTrustServerCertificate, ProxyInfo proxyInfo, HttpUrl blackDuckUrl, NameVersion solutionDetails, AuthenticationSupport authenticationSupport) {
this(logger, gson, timeout, alwaysTrustServerCertificate, proxyInfo, blackDuckUrl, new UserAgentItem(solutionDetails), BlackDuckCommon.createUserAgentItem(), authenticationSupport);
}
public DefaultBlackDuckHttpClient(IntLogger logger, Gson gson, int timeout, boolean alwaysTrustServerCertificate, ProxyInfo proxyInfo, HttpUrl blackDuckUrl, UserAgentItem solutionUserAgentItem,
AuthenticationSupport authenticationSupport) {
this(logger, gson, timeout, alwaysTrustServerCertificate, proxyInfo, blackDuckUrl, solutionUserAgentItem, BlackDuckCommon.createUserAgentItem(), authenticationSupport);
}
public DefaultBlackDuckHttpClient(IntLogger logger, Gson gson, int timeout, boolean alwaysTrustServerCertificate, ProxyInfo proxyInfo, HttpUrl blackDuckUrl, UserAgentItem solutionUserAgentItem,
UserAgentItem blackDuckCommonUserAgentItem, AuthenticationSupport authenticationSupport) {
super(logger, gson, timeout, alwaysTrustServerCertificate, proxyInfo);
if (null == blackDuckUrl) {
throw new IllegalArgumentException("A Black Duck url is required, but was not provided.");
}
this.gson = gson;
this.blackDuckUrl = blackDuckUrl;
UserAgentBuilder userAgentBuilder = new UserAgentBuilder();
userAgentBuilder.addUserAgent(solutionUserAgentItem);
userAgentBuilder.addUserAgent(blackDuckCommonUserAgentItem);
this.userAgentString = userAgentBuilder.createFullUserAgentString();
this.authenticationSupport = authenticationSupport;
}
@Override
public <T extends BlackDuckResponse, U extends UrlResponse<T>> Response execute(BlackDuckRequest<T, U> blackDuckRequest) throws IntegrationException {
Request.Builder requestBuilder = new Request.Builder(blackDuckRequest.getRequest());
if (!requestBuilder.getHeaders().containsKey(HttpHeaders.USER_AGENT)) {
requestBuilder.addHeader(HttpHeaders.USER_AGENT, userAgentString);
}
Request request = requestBuilder.build();
try {
return super.execute(request);
} catch (IntegrationRestException e) {
throw transformException(e);
}
}
@Override
public boolean isAlreadyAuthenticated(HttpUriRequest request) {
return authenticationSupport.isTokenAlreadyAuthenticated(request);
}
@Override
public void handleErrorResponse(HttpUriRequest request, Response response) {
super.handleErrorResponse(request, response);
authenticationSupport.handleTokenErrorResponse(this, request, response);
}
@Override
public void throwExceptionForError(Response response) throws IntegrationException {
try {
response.throwExceptionForError();
} catch (IntegrationRestException e) {
throw transformException(e);
}
}
@Override
public HttpUrl getBlackDuckUrl() {
return blackDuckUrl;
}
@Override
public String getUserAgentString() {
return userAgentString;
}
@Override
public HttpClientBuilder getHttpClientBuilder() {
return getClientBuilder();
}
@Override
public Gson getGson() {
return gson;
}
@Override
protected void addToHttpClientBuilder(HttpClientBuilder httpClientBuilder, RequestConfig.Builder defaultRequestConfigBuilder) {
super.addToHttpClientBuilder(httpClientBuilder, defaultRequestConfigBuilder);
httpClientBuilder.setRedirectStrategy(new BlackDuckRedirectStrategy());
}
private IntegrationException transformException(IntegrationRestException e) {
String httpResponseContent = e.getHttpResponseContent();
Optional<ErrorResponse> optionalErrorResponse = extractErrorResponse(httpResponseContent);
// Not all IntegrationRestExceptions are from Black Duck - if we were able to
// transform the IntegrationRestException, we want to return the resulting
// BlackDuckApiException, otherwise, we want to ignore any potential
// transformation and just return the original IntegrationRestException
if (optionalErrorResponse.isPresent()) {
ErrorResponse errorResponse = optionalErrorResponse.get();
String apiExceptionErrorMessage = String.format("%s [HTTP Error]: %s", errorResponse.getErrorMessage(), e.getMessage());
return new BlackDuckApiException(e, apiExceptionErrorMessage, errorResponse.getErrorCode());
} else {
return e;
}
}
}
|
<filename>gen/pragma.h
//===-- gen/pragma.h - LDC-specific pragma handling -------------*- C++ -*-===//
//
// LDC – the LLVM D compiler
//
// This file is distributed under the BSD-style LDC license. See the LICENSE
// file for details.
//
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
//
// Code for handling the LDC-specific pragmas.
//
//===----------------------------------------------------------------------===//
#pragma once
#include <string>
class PragmaDeclaration;
class FuncDeclaration;
class Dsymbol;
struct Scope;
class Expression;
// Remember to keep this enum in-sync with dpragma.d
enum LDCPragma {
LLVMnone = 0, // Not an LDC pragma.
LLVMignore, // Pragma has already been processed in DtoGetPragma, ignore.
LLVMintrinsic,
LLVMglobal_crt_ctor,
LLVMglobal_crt_dtor,
LLVMno_typeinfo,
LLVMalloca,
LLVMva_start,
LLVMva_copy,
LLVMva_end,
LLVMva_arg,
LLVMinline_asm,
LLVMinline_ir,
LLVMfence,
LLVMatomic_store,
LLVMatomic_load,
LLVMatomic_cmp_xchg,
LLVMatomic_rmw,
LLVMbitop_bt,
LLVMbitop_btc,
LLVMbitop_btr,
LLVMbitop_bts,
LLVMbitop_vld,
LLVMbitop_vst,
LLVMextern_weak,
LLVMprofile_instr
};
LDCPragma DtoGetPragma(Scope *sc, PragmaDeclaration *decl, const char *&arg1str);
void DtoCheckPragma(PragmaDeclaration *decl, Dsymbol *sym, LDCPragma llvm_internal,
const char * const arg1str);
bool DtoCheckProfileInstrPragma(Expression *arg, bool &value);
bool DtoIsIntrinsic(FuncDeclaration *fd);
bool DtoIsVaIntrinsic(FuncDeclaration *fd);
|
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Dota 2 Short Film - GG
Title Description My personal entry for the TI 6 Short Film Contest held by Valve ; http://blog.dota2.com/2016/05/dota-2-short-film-contest-2/ The video is quite self explanatory: Don't taunt when you win :3 Models, particles, sounds and music are all from Valve. -Khan Save Cancel
Created by Khan
Last Online 28 hrs, 25 mins ago Posted Jun 16, 2016 @ 2:51am |
The origin and physical mechanism of the ensemble Baldwin effect We have conducted a systematic investigation of the origin and underlying physics of the line--line and line--continuum correlations of AGNs, particularly the Baldwin effect. Based on the homogeneous sample of Seyfert 1s and QSOs in the SDSS DR4, we find the origin of all the emission-line regularities is Eddington ratio (L/Ledd). The essential physics is that L/Ledd regulates the distributions of the properties (particularly column density) of the clouds bound in the line-emitting region. Baldwin effect and its three 2nd-order effects Active galactic nuclei (AGNs; including QSOs) are essentially a kind of radiation and line-emitting systems powered by gravitational accretion onto suppermassive black holes. The global spectra of AGNs are remarkably similar, emission lines with similar intensity ratios sitting atop a blue continuum that has a similar slope among AGNs regardless of their luminosities and redshifts (Davidson & Netzer 1979, Korista 1999. However, this similarity is only a zeroth-order approximation; in 1977, Baldwin found that, among the QSO ensemble, the equivalent width (EW) of the C IV 1549 emission line correlates negatively with the continuum luminosity (Baldwin 1977). From then on, such a negative EW-L correlation has been found for almost all emission lines in the ultraviolet and optical bands, and has been termed as "Baldwin effect" (hereafter BEff; see Osmer & Shields 1999, Sheilds 2007. 1 Furthermore, also found are the three kinds of 2nd-order effects of the BEff, namely, the dependence of the BEff slope (the slope of the log EW-log L relation) on luminosity, on ionization energy, and, particularly, on velocity. The C IV BEff is stronger in the peak and red wing than in the blue (Francis & Koratkar 1995, )! The 2 Dong et al. velocity dependence betrays the nature of the BEff: this kind of negative correlation relates to the line-emitting gas gravitationally bound in the broad-line region (BLR). The origin and the physical mechanism In order to explore the origin and the underlying mechanism of the BEff, based on the homogeneous sample of 4178 z ≤ 0.8 Seyfert 1s and QSOs with median spectral S/N 10 per pixel in the SDSS DR4, we have conducted a systematic investigation of the line-line and line-continuum correlations for broad and narrow emission lines in the near-UV and optical, from Mg II 2800 to 5007. Our findings are as follows: (i) The strongest correlations of almost all the emission-line intensity ratios and EWs are with L/L Edd, either positively (e.g. Fe II EW) or negatively (e.g. Mg II EW), rather than with L or M BH ; besides, generally intensity ratios have tighter correlations with L/L Edd than the EWs of the related lines. (ii) The intensity ratios of Fe II emissions -both narrow and broad -to Mg II have very strong, positive correlations with L/L Edd ; interestingly enough, (narrow Fe II 4570)/Mg II has a stronger correlation with L/L Edd than the optical and UV (broad Fe II)/Mg II, with Spearman r S = 0.74 versus 0.58 (optical) and 0.46 (UV); see Fig. 1 (a). These findings argue that Eddington ratio (ℓ ≡ L/L Edd ) 2 is the origin of the BEff, as of other regularities of almost all emission lines (e.g., the Fe II- anticorrelation, Boroson & Green 1992). This once has been suggested by Baskin & Laor and Bachev et al. for the C IV BEff. We propose that the underlying physics is certain self-regulation mechanisms caused by (or corresponding to) L/L Edd ; these mechanisms maintain the normal dynamically quasi-steady states of the gas surrounding the central engine of AGNs (a,b). Briefly, the essential one is that there is a lower limit on the column density (N H ) of the clouds gravitationally bound in the AGN line-emitting region, set by L/L Edd (hereafter the N H -L/L Edd mechanism; see also Fig. 1 of,. As L/L Edd increases, the emission strength decreases for high-ionization lines (e.g. C IV) and optically thick lines that are emitted at the illuminated surface (e.g. Ly) or in the thin transition layer (e.g. Mg II) of the BLR clouds; for low-ionization, optically thin lines such as 2 Eddington ratio is the ratio between the bolometric and Eddington luminosities. Eddington luminosity (L Edd ), by definition, is the luminosity at which the gravity of the central source acting on an electron-proton pair (i.e. fully ionized gas) is balanced by the radiation pressure due to electron Thomson scattering; L Edd = 4GcM mp/T, where G, c, M, mp, T are the gravitational constant, speed of light, mass of the central source, proton mass, Thomson scattering cross-section, respectively. In accretion-powered radiation systems, L/L Edd is often referred to as dimensionless accretion rate (the relative accretion rate normalized by Eddington accretion rate Edd, ≡ / Edd = c 2 /L Edd, being mass accretion rate and the accretion efficiency) as is not an observable; yet the two notations are different both in meaning and in scope of application. Even in the accretion-powered radiation systems like AGNs, L/L Edd (L) is not equivalent to ( ) except in the simple thin accretion disk model of Shakura & Sunyaev. Therefore, we would rather call L/L Edd dimensionless luminosity (ℓ). Fe II multiplets that originate from the volume behind the Hydrogen ionization front (i.e., from the ionization-bounded clouds only), as L/L Edd increases the emission strength increases. 3 This is schematically sketched in Fig. 2. The implications I. An implication is that BG92's PC1, if only the spectral correlations in the UV-optical are concerned, shares the same origin with PC2 that is exactly the He II BEff. A lesson is that we should be more cautious about the premises of blind source separation methods such as Principal Component Analysis. II. As suggested insightfully by G. Richards (e.g. Richards 2006), the C IV line blueshifting (in other words, blue asymmetry) is the same phenomenon of BEff. The underlying physical picture is clear now: There are two components in the C IV emission, one arising from outflows and the other from the clouds gravitationally bound in the BLR; the fraction of bound clouds that optimally emit C IV line decreases with increasing L/L Edd according to the N H -L/L Edd mechanism. III. If the observed large scatter of Fe II/Mg II at the same redshift is caused predominately by the diversity of L/L Edd, then once this systematic variation is corrected according to the tight Fe II/Mg II -L/L Edd correlation, it is hopeful to still use Fe II/Mg II as a measure of the Fe/Mg abundance ratio and thus a cosmic clock (at least in a statistical manner ). Appendix: Not Baldwin Effect, but ell Effect? This Appendix is to present more results taken from Dong et al. (2009b) that did not appear in the proceedings paper due to page limit. The aim is to show that the traditional BEff -the dependence of emission-line EWs on luminosityis likely not to be fundamental, but derived from the dependence on Eddington ratio (ℓ). To avoid any confusion, below we call the latter ell effect (Ell stands for ℓ, Eddingtion ratio). The ell effect is the 1st-order small variation to the 0th-order global similarity of QSO spectra that is well explained by "locally optically-emitting clouds" (LOC) photoionization modeling (). As discussed above, in the study of the QSO emission-line correlations, the focus seems to be shifting from the physics (microphysics) mainly of the accretion process to the 'statistical physics' (macrophysics) of the surrounding clouds (Korista 1999;Korista, private communication). With more realistic constraints to be accounted for , the 1st-order regularities and even the 2nd-order effects of QSO emission lines (see §1) may be reproduced exactly by future LOC modeling. Fig. 3 confirms that ℓ is the primary driver of the BEff of Mg II 2800. Fig. 4 shows that, at the 0th-order approximation, Mg II luminosity is directly proportional to the continuum luminosity, exactly as predicted by photoionization theory; at the 1th-order approximation, for different ℓ the proportional coefficient is different, log k ≃ log k 0 + k log ℓ -this is just the ell effect illustrated in Fig. 3c. Some researchers once have found that the slopes of the emission line versus continuum luminosity relations in the log-log scale is not unity (see references in §2 of Shields 2007). We must note that this is likely not to be intrinsic (see b for a detailed investigation). It is caused partly by selection effect inherent in any magnitude-limited sample, with high-luminosity objects having higher ℓ and thus smaller EWs. For optical emission lines particularly (e.g. H), this is mainly caused by the contamination of the host-galaxy starlight (cf. ). The starlight contamination aggravates gradually towards longer wavelengths; moreover, within a fixed aperture, it aggravates with decreasing AGN luminosity. In one word, a sole fundamental parameter, ℓ, well regulates the ordinary state of the surrounding gas that is inevitably inhomogeneous and clumpy ('clouds'). − with = 3.2; the lower-limit N H cutoff is set by the N H -L/L Edd mechanism, roughly scaling with L/L Edd. Note that the strengths of high-ionization lines (e.g. C IV) and opticallythick lines (e.g. Ly and Mg II) are roughly proportional to S c while that of low-ionization, optically-thin lines such as narrow-line and broad-line Fe II roughly proportional to V c (b). The log-log plot of Mg II versus continuum luminosity relation for the 2092 objects. The green line is the 1-to-100 relation to aid the eye. Inset is the plot of the same data, with objects having M BH < 5 10 7 M ⊙ denoted as pink and objects having M BH > 5 10 8 M ⊙ navy-blue. Note that L MgII = k(ℓ) L 2500 ≃ k 0 L 2500 ℓ k. The 0th-order term, k 0, can be calculated by the classical LOC photoionization of Baldwin et al. ; the 1st-order term, ℓ k, by the ell effect (cf. Fig. 3c). See Dong et al. (2009b) for details. |
<reponame>ASxa86/funnan
#include <funnan/ComponentFactory.h>
#include <funnan/physics/ComponentBody.h>
#include <funnan/physics/SystemPhysics.h>
#include <gtest/gtest.h>
using namespace funnan;
TEST(SystemPhysics, registerPool)
{
ComponentFactory factory;
factory.registerComponentPool<ComponentBody, SystemPhysics>();
auto pool = factory.create("funnan::ComponentBody");
ASSERT_TRUE(pool != nullptr);
auto physics = dynamic_cast<SystemPhysics*>(pool.get());
ASSERT_TRUE(physics != nullptr);
auto& c = physics->createType(0);
c.angle = 0.0;
Fixture fixture;
Fixture::Circle circle;
circle.position = {5.0, 5.0};
circle.radius = 10.0;
fixture.shape = circle;
fixture.sensor = true;
c.addFixture(fixture);
c.removeFixture(fixture);
physics->destroy(0);
} |
/**
* An assignment is disabled by setting validTo property to an old value.
* This should trigger an approval because of `modify` operation in the policy rule.
*
* MID-7317
*/
@Test
public void test850DisableAssignmentWithApproval() throws Exception {
login(userAdministrator);
Task task = getTestTask();
OperationResult result = getTestOperationResult();
UserType userBefore = getUserFromRepo(USER_HOLDER_OF_ROLE_BEING_DISABLED_WITH_APPROVAL.oid).asObjectable();
when();
XMLGregorianCalendar newValidTo = XmlTypeConverter.fromNow("-P1D");
ObjectDelta<UserType> delta = deltaFor(UserType.class)
.item(UserType.F_ASSIGNMENT,
userBefore.getAssignment().get(0).getId(),
AssignmentType.F_ACTIVATION,
ActivationType.F_VALID_TO)
.replace(newValidTo)
.asObjectDelta(USER_HOLDER_OF_ROLE_BEING_DISABLED_WITH_APPROVAL.oid);
executeChanges(delta, null, task, result);
then();
assertInProgress(result);
List<PrismObject<CaseType>> cases =
getCasesForObject(USER_HOLDER_OF_ROLE_BEING_DISABLED_WITH_APPROVAL.oid, UserType.COMPLEX_TYPE, null, task, result);
assertEquals("Wrong # of cases", 2, cases.size());
CaseType approvalCase = getApprovalCase(cases);
displayDumpable("Approval case", approvalCase);
assertThat(approvalCase.getWorkItem()).as("work items").hasSize(1);
assertUser(USER_HOLDER_OF_ROLE_BEING_DISABLED_WITH_APPROVAL.oid, "after")
.assignments()
.single()
.activation()
.assertValidTo((XMLGregorianCalendar) null)
.assertEffectiveStatus(ActivationStatusType.ENABLED);
when("approving the operation");
approveWorkItem(approvalCase.getWorkItem().get(0), task, result);
then("approving the operation");
waitForCaseClose(getRootCase(cases));
assertUser(USER_HOLDER_OF_ROLE_BEING_DISABLED_WITH_APPROVAL.oid, "after")
.assignments()
.single()
.activation()
.assertValidTo(newValidTo)
.assertEffectiveStatus(ActivationStatusType.DISABLED);
} |
With a multi-threaded processor, multiple threads of execution exist within the context of each process. The threads of a particular process are executed in a manner in which the processor quickly switches between different threads such that it appears that threads are being simultaneously executed. A simple type of multi-threading is where one thread runs until an event, such as a cache-miss that has to access off-chip memory, which might create a long latency. Rather than waiting, the processor switches to another thread that is ready to run. When the data for the previous thread arrives, the previous thread is placed back on the list of ready-to-run threads. In another type of multi-threading, the processor switches threads every CPU cycle.
Each process is allocated resources such as registers by the operating system, and such resources are allocated to the process' threads such that each thread owns its own resources, which are used when a thread is employed to execute an instruction. When a process is created, it is stored in main memory. Once the kernel assigns the process to a processor, the process is loaded into the processor and the processor executes the process's instructions using its resources.
A thread arbiter and/or thread priority determines which thread of execution to use to execute an instruction, and a thread identifier (ID) is associated with and follows the instruction through its various states of execution. The instruction is executed using the resources, such as the registers, of the thread that corresponds to the thread ID. When switching threads, the thread arbiter or thread priority determines the next thread to employ, and a thread ID of the next thread is associated with and follows the next instruction through its various states of execution. Likewise, the instruction is executed using the resources of the thread that corresponds to the thread ID of the next thread. |
<filename>src/components/Timer.test.tsx<gh_stars>1-10
import { h } from 'preact'
import { setup } from 'goober'
import { render } from '@testing-library/preact'
import { expect } from 'chai'
import Timer from './Timer'
setup(h)
describe('<Timer>', () => {
it('renders the correct time remaining with leading zeros', () => {
const { getByText } = render(<Timer time={182} />)
const timer = getByText(/03:02/i)
expect(document.body.contains(timer)).to.equal(true)
})
it('renders the correct time remaining without leading zeros', () => {
const { getByText } = render(<Timer time={1234} />)
const timer = getByText(/20:34/i)
expect(document.body.contains(timer)).to.equal(true)
})
})
|
<filename>src/main.rs
use std::env;
use std::fs;
use std::fs::File;
use std::io::*;
use std::str;
struct PngChunk {
chunk_length: [u8;4],
chunk_type: [u8;4],
chunk_data: Vec<u8>,
chunk_crc: [u8;4]
}
impl PngChunk{
fn get_header(&self) -> String{
match str::from_utf8(&self.chunk_type) {
Ok(v) => v.to_string(),
Err(e) => panic!("Invalid UTF-8 sequence: {}", e),
}
}
fn get_crc(&self) -> u32{
unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<[u8; 4], u32>(self.chunk_crc) }.to_le()
}
fn get_length(&self) -> u32{
let mut chunk_sz = [0u8;4];
chunk_sz.clone_from_slice(&self.chunk_length);
chunk_sz.reverse();
unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<[u8; 4], u32>(chunk_sz) }.to_le()
}
fn create_chunk(header: String, data: String) -> PngChunk {
let mut header2 = [0u8;4];
header2.clone_from_slice(header.as_bytes());
let data = data.as_bytes().to_vec() ;
let mut len = unsafe { std::mem::transmute::<u32, [u8; 4]>(data.len() as u32) };
len.reverse();
PngChunk {
chunk_length: len,
chunk_type: header2,
chunk_data: data,
chunk_crc: [0,0,0,0]
}
}
}
struct PngFile{
file_signature: [u8;8],
file_content: Vec<PngChunk>
}
impl PngFile {
fn get_last_chunk(&self) -> &PngChunk{
self.file_content.get(self.file_content.len()-1).expect("File is empty")
}
fn get_chunk(&self, index: usize) -> &PngChunk{
self.file_content.get(index).expect("Index out of range!")
}
fn insert_chunk(&mut self, chunk: PngChunk, index: usize){
self.file_content.insert(index, chunk);
}
fn save(&self, filename: String, inj_chunk: PngChunk, inj_after: String){
let mut file = File::create(filename).unwrap();
file.write(&self.file_signature).unwrap();
for chunk in &self.file_content{
file.write(&chunk.chunk_length).unwrap();
file.write(&chunk.chunk_type).unwrap();
file.write(&chunk.chunk_data).unwrap();
file.write(&chunk.chunk_crc).unwrap();
if chunk.get_header() == inj_after{
file.write(&inj_chunk.chunk_length).unwrap();
write!(&mut file, "{}", str::from_utf8(&inj_chunk.chunk_type).unwrap().to_string()).unwrap();
write!(&mut file, "{}", str::from_utf8(&inj_chunk.chunk_data).unwrap().to_string()).unwrap();
file.write(& inj_chunk.chunk_crc).unwrap();
}
}
}
fn create() -> PngFile{
PngFile {
file_signature: [137,80, 78, 71, 13, 10, 26, 10],
file_content: Vec::<PngChunk>::new()
}
}
}
fn check_if_png(mut file:&File) -> bool{
let mut buffer = [0u8;8];
file.read(&mut buffer).unwrap();
buffer==[137,80, 78, 71, 13, 10, 26, 10]
}
fn read_chunk(mut file: &File) -> PngChunk {
let mut chunk = PngChunk {
chunk_length:[0u8;4],
chunk_type: [0u8;4],
chunk_data: [0u8;8].to_vec(),
chunk_crc: [0u8;4]
};
// READING CHUNK LENGTH
file.read(&mut chunk.chunk_length).unwrap();
//READING CHUNK HEADER
file.read(&mut chunk.chunk_type).unwrap();
//READING CHUNK DATA
chunk.chunk_data=vec![0u8;chunk.get_length() as usize];
file.read_exact(&mut chunk.chunk_data).unwrap();
//READING CHUNK CRC
file.read(&mut chunk.chunk_crc).unwrap();
chunk
}
fn read_png(file: &File) -> PngFile{
let mut pngfile = PngFile::create();
let mut quit = false;
while !quit {
let chunk = read_chunk(file);
pngfile.insert_chunk(chunk, pngfile.file_content.len());
if pngfile.get_last_chunk().get_header() == "IEND"{
quit = true;
}
}
pngfile
}
fn main() {
let argv:Vec<String> = env::args().collect();
if argv.len()!=2{
println!("Wrong amount of arguments: expected 1, got {}", argv.len()-1);
return;
}
let filename = argv.get(1).unwrap();
let file = fs::File::open(filename).unwrap();
if check_if_png(&file){
println!("{} is png image", filename);
}
else {
println!("{} is not png image", filename);
}
let mut png = read_png(&file);
for chunk in &png.file_content{
println!("Chunk header: {:?}", chunk.get_header());
println!("Chunk size: {}" , chunk.get_length());
println!("Chunk CRC: 0x{}", format!("{:x}", chunk.get_crc()));
println!("-------------------------------------");
}
let data = "someusefulinfo".to_string();
let header= "keKW".to_string();
let inj_chunk = PngChunk::create_chunk( header, data);
png.save("kekw.png".to_string(), inj_chunk, "IHDR".to_string());
}
|
#include "ActuatorFactory.h"
#include "HingeActuator.h"
#include "SliderActuator.h"
#include "FixedActuator.h"
#include "MuscleActuator.h"
#include "GenericActuator.h"
#include "GenericSpringActuator.h"
Actuator* ActuatorFactory::create(DataActuator *actuator, Robot *robot)
{
switch(actuator->type())
{
case DATA_ACTUATOR_HINGE: return __createHinge(actuator, robot); break;
case DATA_ACTUATOR_SLIDER: return __createSlider(actuator, robot); break;
case DATA_ACTUATOR_FIXED: return __createFixed(actuator, robot); break;
case DATA_ACTUATOR_GENERIC: return __createGeneric(actuator, robot); break;
case DATA_ACTUATOR_MUSCLE: return __createMuscle(actuator, robot); break;
}
YarsErrorHandler::push("Actuator error. Unknown type given.");
return NULL;
}
Actuator* ActuatorFactory::__createMuscle(DataActuator *actuator, Robot *robot)
{
DataMuscleActuator *data = (DataMuscleActuator*)actuator;
MuscleActuator *a = new MuscleActuator(data, robot);
return a;
}
Actuator* ActuatorFactory::__createHinge(DataActuator *actuator, Robot *robot)
{
DataHingeActuator *data = (DataHingeActuator*)actuator;
HingeActuator *a = new HingeActuator(data, robot);
return a;
}
Actuator* ActuatorFactory::__createSlider(DataActuator *actuator, Robot *robot)
{
DataSliderActuator *data = (DataSliderActuator*)actuator;
SliderActuator *a = new SliderActuator(data, robot);
return a;
}
Actuator* ActuatorFactory::__createFixed(DataActuator *actuator, Robot *robot)
{
DataFixedActuator *data = (DataFixedActuator*)actuator;
FixedActuator *a = new FixedActuator(data, robot);
return a;
}
Actuator* ActuatorFactory::__createGeneric(DataActuator *actuator, Robot *robot)
{
DataGenericActuator *data = (DataGenericActuator*)actuator;
if(data->usesSprings())
{
GenericSpringActuator *a = new GenericSpringActuator(data, robot);
return (Actuator*)a;
}
else
{
GenericActuator *a = new GenericActuator(data, robot);
return (Actuator*)a;
}
YarsErrorHandler::push("Unknown generic actuator selected");
return NULL;
}
|
<gh_stars>0
import { INestApplication } from '@nestjs/common';
import { JwtService } from '@nestjs/jwt';
import * as request from 'supertest';
import { Not, Repository } from 'typeorm';
import { Lot, LotStatus } from '../src/db/models';
import { DateTime } from 'luxon';
import { createTestApp } from './utils/test.app';
const testLot = {
title: 'E2E Test title',
description: 'E2e test description',
image: null,
currentPrice: 1000.01,
estimetedPrice: 5000.05,
startAt: DateTime.local().plus({ days: 2 }).toJSON(),
endAt: DateTime.local().plus({ weeks: 2 }).toJSON(),
};
const updateLot = {
title: 'E2E Test title (updated)',
description: 'E2e test description (updated)',
image: '/path/to/image',
currentPrice: 2000.02,
estimetedPrice: 7000.07,
startAt: DateTime.local().plus({ days: 4 }).toJSON(),
endAt: DateTime.local().plus({ weeks: 4 }).toJSON(),
};
const email = '<EMAIL>';
const ownerId = 1;
describe('LotController (e2e)', () => {
let app: INestApplication;
let accessToken: string;
let lotRepo: Repository<Lot>;
beforeAll(async () => {
app = await createTestApp();
lotRepo = app.get('LotRepository');
accessToken = app.get<JwtService>(JwtService).sign({ email, id: ownerId });
});
afterAll(async () => {
await app.close();
});
describe('/lots/all GET', () => {
it('should return all lots with in_process status', async () => {
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.get('/lots/all')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.expect(200);
res.body.forEach((lot: Lot) => expect(lot.status).toBe('in_process'));
});
it('should return correct number of lots', async () => {
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.get('/lots/all?page=3&limit=8')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.expect(200);
expect(res.body).toHaveLength(8);
});
});
describe('/lots/my GET', () => {
it('should return only user lots', async () => {
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.get('/lots/my')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ isOwned: true, isParticipated: false })
.expect(200);
res.body.forEach((lot: Lot) => expect(lot.ownerId).toBe(ownerId));
});
it('should return only participated lots', async () => {
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.get('/lots/my')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ isOwned: false, isParticipated: true })
.expect(200);
res.body.forEach((lot: Lot) => expect(lot.ownerId).not.toBe(ownerId));
});
it('should return correct number of lots', async () => {
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.get('/lots/my?page=2&limit=10')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ isOwned: true, isParticipated: false })
.expect(200);
expect(res.body).toHaveLength(5);
});
});
describe('/lots/create POST', () => {
it('should create Lot and return data', async () => {
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.post('/lots/create')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send(testLot)
.expect(201);
expect(res.body).toEqual({
...testLot,
ownerId,
currency: 'USD',
status: LotStatus.pending,
id: res.body.id,
createdAt: res.body.createdAt,
});
});
it('should return error because of missing required data', async () => {
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.post('/lots/create')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send()
.expect(400)
.expect({
statusCode: 400,
message: [
'title must be shorter than or equal to 300 characters',
'title should not be empty',
'currentPrice must be a positive number',
'currentPrice should not be empty',
'estimetedPrice must be a positive number',
'estimetedPrice should not be empty',
'startAt must be a ISOString',
'startAt should not be empty',
'endAt must be a ISOString',
'endAt should not be empty',
],
error: 'Bad Request',
});
});
it('should return error because of small estimatedPrice', async () => {
const currentPrice = testLot.estimetedPrice + 1;
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.post('/lots/create')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ ...testLot, currentPrice })
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: ['estimetedPrice must be grater than currentPrice'],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
it('should return error because of early startAt', async () => {
const startAt = DateTime.local().minus({ days: 1 }).toJSON();
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.post('/lots/create')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ ...testLot, startAt })
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: ['startAt must be later than current time'],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
it('should return error because of early endAt', async () => {
const endAt = DateTime.local().toJSON();
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.post('/lots/create')
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ ...testLot, endAt })
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: ['endAt must be later than startAt'],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
});
describe('/lots/:id/update PATCH', () => {
let updateId: number;
it('should update Lot and return data', async () => {
({ id: updateId } = await lotRepo.findOne({
ownerId,
status: LotStatus.pending,
}));
const res = await request(app.getHttpServer())
.patch(`/lots/${updateId}/update`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send(updateLot)
.expect(200);
expect(res.body).toEqual({
...updateLot,
ownerId,
id: updateId,
currency: 'USD',
status: LotStatus.pending,
createdAt: res.body.createdAt,
});
});
it('should return error because of small estimatedPrice', async () => {
const currentPrice = updateLot.estimetedPrice + 1;
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.patch(`/lots/${updateId}/update`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ ...updateLot, currentPrice })
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: ['estimetedPrice must be grater than currentPrice'],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
it('should return error because of early startAt', async () => {
const startAt = DateTime.local().minus({ days: 1 }).toJSON();
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.patch(`/lots/${updateId}/update`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ ...updateLot, startAt })
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: ['startAt must be later than current time'],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
it('should return error because of early endAt', async () => {
const endAt = DateTime.local().toJSON();
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.patch(`/lots/${updateId}/update`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send({ ...updateLot, endAt })
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: ['endAt must be later than startAt'],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
it('should return error because of forbidden lot status', async () => {
const { id } = await lotRepo.findOne({
ownerId,
status: LotStatus.inProcess,
});
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.patch(`/lots/${id}/update`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send(updateLot)
.expect(422)
.expect({
statusCode: 422,
message: [
`You are not able to update/delete a lot in "${LotStatus.inProcess}" status`,
],
error: 'Validation Error',
});
});
it('should return error because of forbidden lot', async () => {
const { id } = await lotRepo.findOne({
status: LotStatus.pending,
ownerId: Not(1),
});
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.patch(`/lots/${id}/update`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.send(updateLot)
.expect(403)
.expect({
statusCode: 403,
message: 'Forbidden resourse!',
error: 'Forbidden',
});
});
});
describe('/lots/:id/delete DELETE', () => {
it('should delete Lot and return result', async () => {
const { id } = await lotRepo.findOne({
ownerId,
status: LotStatus.pending,
});
return request(app.getHttpServer())
.delete(`/lots/${id}/delete`)
.set('Authorization', 'Bearer ' + accessToken)
.expect(200)
.expect({ raw: [], affected: 1 });
});
});
});
|
Sen. Dan Coats (R, Indiana) to retire at end of term.
A bit of a surprise, which hopefully doesn’t mean that the man is ill. I’ve certainly heard no rumors of scandal associated with [mc_name name=’Sen. Daniel Coats (R-IN)’ chamber=’senate’ mcid=’C000542′ ], and you usually hear those things ahead of time; the Senator is in his early seventies, and has been in various federal public offices since the late Eighties, so possibly Dan Coats is simply ready to retire.
The Democratic party has gotten to be rather intolerant of any sort of heresy since then; and that party has gotten into the remarkably useful (to us) habit of breaking their candidates in public. Assuming Bayh runs, within six months he’ll be just another pandering, liberal Democrat in a state that has gotten less friendly to that sort of thing. It should be a hoot to watch.
*Because there is no such thing as a meaningless election. They’re all worth pursuing. If only because it keeps the Other Side from getting more candidates with actual political experience. |
In an effort to continue bolstering its cloud services, Amazon on Monday released Cloud Player for PC, allowing you to stream music you've purchased from the online music giant right to your desktop. This takes a step away from Cloud Player's traditional web view, giving an easier way to play music if you find yourself engrossed in Amazon's ecosystem.
Amazon says that any song, album, or playlists that has been added to your account can be accessible from the desktop app. The company also goes a step further by offering an offline mode, which can even automatically download MP3s or transfer any new tracks in your library to the cloud. Amazon is giving users 5GB of storage and offers larger amounts for the power users at cost.
As for the app's features specifically, Amazon has sorted content into song, album, and playlist tiers. Amazon brags that "Cloud Player for PC is fast. It’ll get you from launch to play in seconds."
Like Spotify, it will scan your computer for tracks elsewhere and add them to your library. Additionally, you can auto export your Amazon MP3 purchases to iTunes and Windows Media Player right from the application.
The Cloud Player for PC app is available for Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP users, in the form of a 31.9MB download. Amazon says a Mac version of the software is on its way. |
D.J. Ware rummaged through the overstuffed trunk of his Lexus sedan, trying to find his cleats in a stack of loose clothing and footwear. After coming up empty, he settled on a pair of sneakers that would do the job on Hoboken High School’s turf field.
Then, he made his way to the gate.
Somewhat fittingly, he was locked out.
“I don’t care,” the Giants’ running back said. “I’ll jump the fence if I have to.”
Inside was the first semblance of an organized team workout since the Giants’ season finale in Washington on Jan. 2. With the NFL owners and players in the midst of a labor dispute — and coaches prevented from even speaking with members of their team during the lockout — players around the league are organizing their own workouts.
While some team leaders are publicizing their gatherings, Eli Manning was trying to keep his quiet. True to his character, the Giants’ franchise quarterback and Hoboken resident summoned eight of his targets (plus backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels) for a passing workout but told no one else.
It didn’t take long for word to get out.
At roughly 10 a.m., minutes after the workout began, a handful of residents lined the fence on the east side of the field, snapping pictures with their cell phones. A news camera quickly arrived, as did a photographer for a Hoboken website.
At the north gate, five Hoboken High students on an apparent break peered through the iron bars and started jumping the 8-foot concrete wall — until a school official chased them back to class.
“Can you believe this?” one of the Giants’ players said in exasperation. “We have to work out at a high school.”
Others actually welcomed the experience, including wide receiver Ramses Barden, who was there despite not being able to run fully because he’s still recovering from a broken ankle suffered last November. While other receivers — Hakeem Nicks, Michael Clayton, Victor Cruz, Duke Calhoun and practice-squad member Samuel Giguere — ran their routes at full speed, Barden took only a few soft steps before catching passes from Manning and Rosenfels. (Mario Manningham ran routes for Manning during a much smaller workout Friday.)
Meanwhile, Ware was showing his frustration over a few dropped passes as if it was the Super Bowl and Nicks was intent on working on his technique, especially since he lost a chunk of last offseason to a toe injury. This year, with a full workout regimen, he’s sporting a thicker, more solid frame that includes an extra 5 pounds of muscle.
“Gonna lower that shoulder a little bit this year,” Nicks said with a grin.
One guy that’s used to such contact is offensive lineman David Diehl, who joked he was there to “run some routes.” But really, he was just showing his support.
“I thought it was kind of fun to work out at a local high school and have the chance to interact with the athletic director and football coach,” tight end Kevin Boss said. “I know it was exciting for them to have us here.
“But the best part was just getting back on the field again with the guys regardless of what kind of field it was.”
Manning was the one who made it happen.
“We’re just here working out,” he said when approached by a reporter before adding with a smile: “I’m retired from interviews until the lockout is over. You win some, you lose some with the lockout.”
Hoboken High athletic director Mo DeGennaro believes Manning was trying to deflect credit.
“He said to me, ‘I don’t want to make it look like I’m the guy that’s organizing this and I’m this giant savior. I’m not,’” DeGennaro said. “‘I want to just get a couple of guys here, go through a workout and get out of here.
“‘I need to work out. I need to stay in football shape and you’re kind enough to let us use the field.’”
It was the least DeGennaro could do.
While at first he had to check with the school superintendent on liability issues, DeGennaro was quick to give back to Manning, who has donated flat-screen TVs to the high school through his foundation’s partnership with Samsung.
“The lockout caused them not to have a workout facility, and if we can help out we’ll gladly help out,” DeGennaro said. “He’s been so generous and so kind to the school and to the kids, it was a no-brainer when he called and asked.”
For more Giants coverage, follow Mike Garafolo on Twitter at twitter.com/MikeGarafolo
Mike Garafolo: mgarafolo@starledger.com |
<gh_stars>1-10
/*
* Copyright (C) 2022 The Dagger Authors.
*
* Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
* you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
* You may obtain a copy of the License at
*
* http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
*
* Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
* distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
* WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
* See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
* limitations under the License.
*/
package dagger.internal.codegen.writing;
import dagger.internal.codegen.writing.ComponentImplementation.FieldSpecKind;
import dagger.internal.codegen.writing.ComponentImplementation.MethodSpecKind;
import dagger.internal.codegen.writing.ComponentImplementation.TypeSpecKind;
import io.jbock.javapoet.ClassName;
import io.jbock.javapoet.FieldSpec;
import io.jbock.javapoet.MethodSpec;
import io.jbock.javapoet.TypeSpec;
/** Represents the implementation of a generated class. */
public interface GeneratedImplementation {
/** Returns the name of the component. */
ClassName name();
/** Returns a new, unique method name for the component based on the given name. */
String getUniqueClassName(String name);
/** Adds the given field to the generated implementation. */
void addField(FieldSpecKind fieldKind, FieldSpec fieldSpec);
/** Adds the given method to the generated implementation. */
void addMethod(MethodSpecKind methodKind, MethodSpec methodSpec);
/** Adds the given type to the generated implementation. */
void addType(TypeSpecKind typeKind, TypeSpec typeSpec);
/** Returns the {@code TypeSpec} for this generated implementation. */
public TypeSpec generate();
}
|
//// THIS CODE AND INFORMATION IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF
//// ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
//// THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND/OR FITNESS FOR A
//// PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
////
//// Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved
#pragma once
#include "Element.h"
// <rect> represents a rectangle drawing on the surface.
//
// Rectangle accepts the following markup attributes:
// color = "#<rgb>"
// Color in red-green-blue format i.e. the value of "#FF0000" is red
// opacity = "<0..1>"
// Opacity value from 0.0 to 1.0 where 0.0 is fully transparent and 1.0 is fully opaque
//
ref class Rectangle : public Element
{
internal:
Rectangle();
virtual bool Initialize(
_In_ Document^ document,
_In_ Windows::Data::Xml::Dom::XmlElement^ xmlElement
) override;
virtual void Measure(
_In_ Document^ document,
D2D1_SIZE_F const& parentSize,
_Out_ D2D1_RECT_F* bounds
) override;
virtual bool Draw(
_In_ Document^ document,
D2D1::Matrix3x2F const& transform
) override;
virtual float GetOpacity() override
{
return m_opacity;
}
private:
// Fill color
uint32 m_color;
// Fill opacity
float m_opacity;
// Brush used to fill the rectangle area.
Microsoft::WRL::ComPtr<ID2D1Brush> m_brush;
};
|
<gh_stars>1-10
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
#include "RenderTargets.hh"
#include <glow-extras/colors/color.hh>
#include <glow/glow.hh>
#include <glow/objects/Framebuffer.hh>
#include <glow/objects/TextureRectangle.hh>
#include <typed-geometry/tg.hh>
void RenderTargets::init() {
// size is 1x1 for now and is changed onResize
mTargetColor = glow::TextureRectangle::create(1, 1, GL_R11F_G11F_B10F);
mTargetBloom = glow::TextureRectangle::create(1, 1, GL_R11F_G11F_B10F);
mTargetPicking = glow::TextureRectangle::create(1, 1, GL_R32UI);
mTargetDepth = glow::TextureRectangle::create(1, 1, GL_DEPTH_COMPONENT32F);
mTargetOutlineIntermediate = glow::TextureRectangle::create(1, 1, GL_RGBA8);
// create framebuffer for HDR scene
mFramebufferScene = glow::Framebuffer::create();
{
auto boundFb = mFramebufferScene->bind();
boundFb.attachColor("fColor", mTargetColor);
boundFb.attachColor("fEmission", mTargetBloom);
boundFb.attachColor("fPickID", mTargetPicking);
boundFb.attachDepth(mTargetDepth);
boundFb.checkComplete();
}
{
mShadowTex = glow::TextureRectangle::create(shadowSize, shadowSize, GL_DEPTH_COMPONENT32F);
auto boundTex = mShadowTex->bind();
boundTex.setCompareMode(GL_COMPARE_REF_TO_TEXTURE);
boundTex.setCompareFunc(GL_LEQUAL);
boundTex.setAnisotropicFiltering(1);
boundTex.setWrap(GL_CLAMP_TO_BORDER, GL_CLAMP_TO_BORDER);
boundTex.setBorderColor(tg::color(1.f, 1.f, 1.f, 1.f));
}
mFrameBufferShadow = glow::Framebuffer::create();
{
auto boundFb = mFrameBufferShadow->bind();
boundFb.attachDepth(mShadowTex);
boundFb.checkComplete();
}
// create framebuffer for the outline (depth tested)
mFramebufferOutline = glow::Framebuffer::create("fColor", mTargetOutlineIntermediate, mTargetDepth);
// create framebuffer specifically for reading back the picking buffer
mFramebufferReadback = glow::Framebuffer::create("fPickID", mTargetPicking);
}
void RenderTargets::resize(int w, int h) {
for (auto &t : {
mTargetColor, mTargetBloom, mTargetPicking, mTargetDepth, mTargetOutlineIntermediate
}) {
t->bind().resize(w, h);
}
}
void RenderTargets::clear() {
// clear scene targets - depth to 1 (= far plane), scene to background color, picking to -1u (= invalid)
mTargetColor->clear(GL_RGB, GL_FLOAT, tg::data_ptr(mBackgroundColor));
mTargetBloom->clear(GL_RGB, GL_FLOAT, tg::data_ptr(mBloomClearColor));
float const depthVal = 1.f;
mTargetDepth->clear(GL_DEPTH_COMPONENT, GL_FLOAT, &depthVal);
uint32_t const pickingVal = uint32_t(-1);
mTargetPicking->clear(GL_RED_INTEGER, GL_UNSIGNED_INT, &pickingVal);
}
|
async def async_process_image(self, image):
async with self.session.create_client(
self._service, **self.session_config
) as client:
objects, labels = await self.compute_objects(client, image)
if len(objects) > 0 and self.conf_save_file_folder:
save_image(
self,
image,
self.name,
objects,
self.conf_save_file_folder,
self.conf_save_file_timestamp,
)
await self.async_process_objects(objects, labels) |
<gh_stars>100-1000
/*++
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
You may only use this code if you agree to the terms of the Windows Research Kernel Source Code License agreement (see License.txt).
If you do not agree to the terms, do not use the code.
Module Name:
ppvutil.h
Abstract:
This header exposes various utilities required to do driver verification.
--*/
#ifndef _PPVUTIL_H_
#define _PPVUTIL_H_
typedef enum {
PPVERROR_DUPLICATE_PDO_ENUMERATED = 0,
PPVERROR_MISHANDLED_TARGET_DEVICE_RELATIONS,
PPVERROR_DDI_REQUIRES_PDO
} PPVFAILURE_TYPE;
typedef enum {
PPVREMOVAL_SHOULD_DELETE = 0,
PPVREMOVAL_SHOULDNT_DELETE,
PPVREMOVAL_MAY_DEFER_DELETION
} PPVREMOVAL_OPTION;
VOID
FASTCALL
PpvUtilInit(
VOID
);
NTSTATUS
FASTCALL
PpvUtilCallAddDevice(
IN PDEVICE_OBJECT PhysicalDeviceObject,
IN PDRIVER_OBJECT DriverObject,
IN PDRIVER_ADD_DEVICE AddDeviceFunction,
IN VF_DEVOBJ_TYPE DevObjType
);
VOID
FASTCALL
PpvUtilTestStartedPdoStack(
IN PDEVICE_OBJECT DeviceObject
);
PPVREMOVAL_OPTION
FASTCALL
PpvUtilGetDevnodeRemovalOption(
IN PDEVICE_OBJECT PhysicalDeviceObject
);
VOID
FASTCALL
PpvUtilFailDriver(
IN PPVFAILURE_TYPE FailureType,
IN PVOID CulpritAddress,
IN PDEVICE_OBJECT DeviceObject OPTIONAL,
IN PVOID ExtraneousInfo OPTIONAL
);
BOOLEAN
FASTCALL
PpvUtilIsHardwareBeingVerified(
IN PDEVICE_OBJECT PhysicalDeviceObject
);
#endif // _PPVUTIL_H_
|
Clinical Significance of Mucosal Inflammation of the Vermiform Appendix In 942 emergency appendectomies, the clinical data of 77 patients with inflammatory changes confined to the mucosa of the vermiform appendix were compared with data from 622 patients with diffuse acute appendicitis and 243 patients without evidence of inflammation in the appendix. In all cases, routine histologic sections of the specimens were reviewed. Of the 77 patients with mucosal appendices! inflammation, SO were female and 50% were under 17 years of age. In several clinical aspects, such as incidence of nausea, vomiting, migration of pain, and localized muscular rigidity, there existed significant differences between patients with mucosal inflammation and patients with diffuse appendicitis. Conversely, no statistically significant differences were found between patients with mucosal inflammation and patients without evident ap-pendiceal inflammation. These results in addition to the frequent finding of historically indistinguishable changes in appendices removed incidentally suggest that the condition is not responsible for the actual complaint. |
import { Component, OnInit } from '@angular/core';
import { FormGroup, FormBuilder, Validators } from '@angular/forms';
import { PlanPagoService } from '../../_services/plan_pago.service';
import { BsModalRef } from 'ngx-bootstrap/modal';
import * as moment from 'moment';
import 'moment/min/locales';
import { Obligacion } from '../../_models/obligacion';
import { PlanPago } from '../../_models/plan_pago';
import { Subject } from 'rxjs';
import { Pago } from '../../_models/pago';
import { Movimiento, FormaPago } from '../../_models/movimiento';
import { MovimientoService } from '../../_services/movimiento.service';
import { ToastrService } from 'ngx-toastr';
import { Router } from '@angular/router';
@Component({
selector: 'app-obligacion-pagar-modal',
templateUrl: './obligacion-pagar-modal.component.html',
styleUrls: ['./obligacion-pagar-modal.component.scss']
})
export class ObligacionPagarModalComponent implements OnInit {
public onClose: Subject<boolean>;
formas:FormaPago[]=[];
plan_pago:PlanPago;
id_sede:number;
dataSource:Obligacion[];
formulario: FormGroup;
dtOptions: DataTables.Settings = {};
editado:boolean=true;
descripcionDefault:string = 'Pago '+moment().format('DD')+' de '+moment().locale('es').format('MMMM')+' del año '+moment().format('YYYY');
isLoading:boolean = false;
constructor(
private planPagoService:PlanPagoService,
private movimientoService:MovimientoService,
public bsModalRef: BsModalRef,
private toastr: ToastrService,
private fb: FormBuilder,
private router: Router,
) {
this.formulario = this.fb.group({
especial_covid:false,
especial_ahora_estudiantes:false,
especial_nov_dic_2020:false,
monto: [ 0, Validators.required],
fecha: [ moment().toDate(), Validators.required],
descripcion: [this.descripcionDefault,Validators.maxLength(255)],
bonificar_intereses:false,
bonificar_cuotas:true,
id_forma_pago:[null,Validators.required],
cheque_numero: ['',Validators.maxLength(255)],
cheque_banco: ['',Validators.maxLength(255)],
cheque_origen: ['',Validators.maxLength(255)],
cheque_vencimiento: '',
numero_transaccion: ['',Validators.maxLength(255)],
numero_oficial:['',Validators.maxLength(255)],
});
this.formulario.valueChanges.subscribe(()=>{
this.onEditar();
})
this.dtOptions = {
language: {
url: "//cdn.datatables.net/plug-ins/9dcbecd42ad/i18n/Spanish.json"
},
paging:false,
searching:false,
info:false,
ordering:false,
columnDefs: [ {
targets: 'no-sort',
orderable: false,
},
],
};
}
ngOnInit() {
this.onClose = new Subject();
this.f.especial_ahora_estudiantes.valueChanges.subscribe(val=>{
if(val){
this.f.descripcion.setValue('Ahora estudiantes: '+this.descripcionDefault,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.monto.setValue(3500,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.especial_covid.setValue(false,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.especial_nov_dic_2020.setValue(false,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.id_forma_pago.setValue(9);
this.f.id_forma_pago.disable();
} else {
this.f.id_forma_pago.enable();
this.f.id_forma_pago.setValue(null,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.descripcion.setValue(this.descripcionDefault,{emitEvent:false});
}
});
this.f.especial_covid.valueChanges.subscribe(val=>{
if(val){
this.f.descripcion.setValue('COVID: '+this.descripcionDefault,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.especial_ahora_estudiantes.setValue(false,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.especial_nov_dic_2020.setValue(false,{emitEvent:false});
this.f.id_forma_pago.enable();
} else {
this.f.descripcion.setValue(this.descripcionDefault,{emitEvent:false});
}
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The Life And Death of Marina Abramovi (review) attendees with whom I spoke had seen it. Although the festival did not include this performance, the guest of honor on this day was Mother Mejra, a woman whose son and daughter disappeared while fighting for the Bosnians at Prijedor. She worked for years to locate their bodies. Following an afternoon performance at the base of the hill near the entrance to DAH, Mother Mejra was introduced to the audience. We listened as she gave a short interview. At the end, Kathy Randels, a performance artist from New Orleans, asked her a question only a performer would ask: What songs did she sing for comfort? Her answer was that she had stopped singing the day her children disappeared. |
Because the flag was large, police believe more than one person may have been involved in taking it down, Stoll-Lee said. Thieves likely covered a light shining on the flag so the theft could not be seen, she said. Loyd said security cameras did not capture the theft.
The flag will be replaced as soon as possible, Loyd said: "We're just trying to figure out a better way to secure it so it doesn't happen again." |
Many people have the desire to experience fight the way birds do—to have direct control over the movements, to feel the floating sensation without much burden. There are many devices that attempt to allow a person to experience flight or reduced gravity environments, but most fail to deliver the desired qualities of the flying experience.
Some of these devices partially counterbalance the rider through pulleys or counterweights, allowing them to jump and land as if they were in a lower gravity environment. However, once the rider has left the ground, the rider has no control over his motion. He can not, for instance, come close to the ground, and then choose to float upwards again without touching the ground.
Some other devices allow a user to control his elevation on a counterbalance arm by operating a mechanism that changes the location of a weight on the counterbalance arm. While these devices give the user some control, they do not provide a very natural or transparent interface to the user. Also, these devices generally allow the user to move in one plane and do not provide a full range of motion. It would be preferable if the user could control his motion by merely moving his body, without operating any mechanisms. In addition, it would be desirable for the user to have a full range of motion. |
What's Your Pop Culture Resolution For 2015?
Every time New Year's Day rolls around, people fall all over each other to make resolutions about losing weight, stopping smoking, being better people, and other nonsense. But what about what's really important — namely, your continued pop culture education?
Is this the year you fill in the gap and watch that Star Trek TV series you never got around to? Do you want to get more into indie comics this year? Maybe it's time to finally finish that short story you've been working on! Or should you finally give Batman & Robin another chance? Well, okay, probably not that, but surely you have something you want to read, watch, or even do in 2015. Let us know in the comments, and feel free to add a pic or gif or two to spice things up. |
Seed bank characteristics of the Nymphoides peltata population in Lake Taihu The Nymphoides peltata (N. peltata) population has shown rapid expansion in Lake Taihu, China, in recent years. The core question is whether N. peltata seeds have contributed to the expansion. To address this, we randomly selected three N. peltata stands to investigate the seed bank characteristics of N. peltata in Lake Taihu. Results showed that N. peltata had high seed production, with a maximum seed yield of 1763 seeds per m2. Density of intact and fragmented seeds decreased rapidly with sediment depth. Few intact or fragmented seeds were distributed at depths greater than 4cm in the sediment. Spatial distribution of the seed bank indicated that most seeds sank to the sediment within the N. peltata stands, and few seeds took advantage of their floating ability. Seeds recovered from the sediment during April to June had a low germination rate, and no seeds germinated during October to April. Cold exposure treatment increased the germination rate remarkably. No seedlings were found in the field from January 2012 to December 2012, indicating that few seeds were successfully established in the surveyed area. The results suggested that sexual reproduction had little direct contribution to the N. peltata expansion in this large shallow lake. seed bank prevents the risk of extinction through random fluctuations and plays an important role in population recruitment 16. Although N. peltata has expanded quickly and has many negative effects on the native ecosystem, little work had been undertaken on the seed bank characteristics of N. peltata, which is essential for better understanding the contribution of sexual recruitment to the expansion of N. peltata populations. Seed germination is a vital step in the process of population establishment. Takagawa et al. 17 reported that safe-sites for N. peltata seed germination were less prone to inundation, and were exposed to sufficient light during the spring water-level drawdown. However, seeds located far from the shoreline might be faced with different conditions, such as low oxygen concentration and high sediment deposition rate. After seed germination, successful seedling establishment is also important for population recruitment. In this paper, we hypothesized that sexual reproduction may play an important role in the expansion of the N. peltata population in the open waters of Lake Taihu. Thus, several aspects were investigated in Lake Taihu, including seed yields; spatial distribution of the seed bank inside and outside N. peltata population stands; annual dynamics of the seed bank; and seed germination and seedling density in N. peltata stands. These experiments were expected to provide a detailed understanding on the function of sexual recruitment in N. peltata population expansion in Lake Taihu. Results Seed yield. The reproductive organ development patterns differed between the A, B and C communities (Table 1). Flower density and bud density per inflorescence were larger in B and C than in A, while the fruit density per inflorescence was largest in A. This indicated that stand A flowered earlier than the other two stands. There was also great variation in the maximum seed yield per m 2 among the three stands, with a range of 428 to 1763 seeds per m 2. Spatial and temporal distribution of the seed bank. Vertical distribution of seeds at the three sites showed a similar pattern (Fig. 1). The N. peltata seeds were mainly distributed on the sediment surface in September 2011. The number of intact and fragmented seeds decreased rapidly with sediment depth. Few intact seeds or seed fragments were distributed at depths greater than 4 cm in all three N. peltata stands. These results suggested that a sediment depth up to 10 cm would accurately determine N. peltata seed density in this study area. As seen from Figs 2 and 3, considerable variation existed in seed banks between the three stands. However, the seasonal dynamics of seed banks had a similar feature. The N. peltata seed bank increased from October 2011 to November 2011, then decreased gradually from December 2011 to March 2012, and reached to a relatively steady level of 123 ± 101 (mean ± S.D., n = 27) seeds per m 2 in May 2012. After May 2012, however, the seed bank increased rapidly, with a maximum of 908 ± 490 (mean ± S.D., n = 10) seeds per m 2. The temporal variation in seed fragment density in the present study was similar to that of intact seeds. Seed density had a maximum value of 263 ± 145 seeds per m 2 in the center of the community of stand B, and decreased sharply along the transects (Fig. 4). The seed density in the center was six times that of the density at the edge of the community. Seed density was low in sites 10 m from the community edge. No seed was found in sediment cores in sites 20 m from the edge of the N. peltata community. Seedling dynamics and germination. From January 2012 to December 2012, seedling densities were estimated monthly by counting seedlings in the field. However, no N. peltata seedling was found when investigating the seed bank in the field. The germination rate of seeds recovered from the sediment was low and decreased with time. Seed germination rates were 21.1%, 18.9% and 11.1% in April, May and June, respectively. Cold exposure treatment increased the germination rate remarkably. Cumulative germination rates were 73.3%, 74.4% and 76.7% in April, May and June, respectively. Seed bag experiments showed that no seed germinated below or above the sediment in Lake Taihu. Non-germinated seeds were stained with tetrazolium, which showed they were viable. Discussion The sizes of the three investigated stands were similar with a radius of around 60 m. The coverage of stands A, B and C were 100%, 100% and 80%, respectively. Accompanying species were Vallisneria natans and Hydrilla verticillata in site A and B, Potamogeton malaianus in site C. Great differences at reproductive stages were observed between the three N. peltata stands in Lake Taihu. N. peltata flowered earlier in site A than in sites B and C. One possible reason was the difference in sediment type: very dark silt in site A compared with shallow silt-loam in sites B and C. Sediment is considered as the main nutrient source for rooted macrophytes 18,19, and can affect macrophyte development. In Nijmegen (Netherlands), Van der Velde and Van der Heijden 9 reported that the mean number of fruits per m 2 was 180 (S.D. = 76.3, n = 25), with an average of 26.5 seeds per fruit. They also calculated the average number of developed seeds per m 2 to be 3117 in a N. peltata stand. The results of the present study revealed that N. peltata had a smaller seed number per m 2 in Lake Taihu, probably due to the different climate and eutrophic level of water. Seeds were found mostly concentrated in the top sediment layer, in agreement with previous studies 20,21. This is possibly due to seed longevity. Thompson 22 suggested that small, round compact seeds are persistent in soil, while large, flat seeds are often short lived. Since the seeds of N. peltata are flat, broad-elliptical and thick 4,9, they may be transient in sediment. Therefore, seed density decreased sharply with sediment depth. The temporal pattern of intact seed density in sediment indicated that many fresh seeds fell to the sediment and become part of the seed bank from October 2011 to November 2011. After that, the seed number experienced a net reduction from December 2011 to May 2012, which was probably caused by seed emergence and feeding by animals 8. After May 2012, reproductive organs began to develop, followed by many seeds being released from mature fruits and settling to the sediment surface. In addition, seeds would not germinate without exposure to cold temperature 11 and seed consumption by animals may be limited 8, which led to the rapid increase in seed density from May 2012. Temporal dynamics of seed fragment density was similar to that of intact seed density, which indicated that most seed fragments decomposed rapidly. As seen in Fig. 2, a persistent seed bank occurred in N. peltata stands, which is vital for population recruitment 13. Existence of a persistent seed bank prevents the risk of extinction through unexpected disasters 16. It is supposed that it takes several years to exhaust seed banks through seedling emergence 23. If N. peltata cannot produce seeds under poor environmental conditions and few asexual propagates are conserved, sexual reproduction may recruit the population and improve the stability of the N. peltata community. Dispersal ability plays an important role in population dynamics. Van der Velde and Van der Heijden 9 evaluated the floating ability of N. peltata seeds, and reported that N. peltata seeds remained floating in Petri dishes for two months without any disturbance. However, the results of spatial distribution in the present study indicated that most seeds sank quickly to the sediment within the N. peltata stands. One possible reason might be that N. peltata populations usually form dense patches with high leaf index area in lakes 10. When ripe seeds are released from fruits, the floating seeds may encounter numerous leaves on the water surface, which may break the hydrophobic coating outside the seeds 8. As a result, seeds would sink quickly within the stand. Seeds released at the edge of the stand are more likely to be the source of long-distance dispersal. The results showed evidence that few N. peltata seedlings were established in the study area of Lake Taihu. Previous studies also suggest that only a small area of the lake has safe sites for N. peltata seedling establishment 17,24. Even if some N. peltata seeds can germinate, most detach from the sediment and float to the water surface 4,25. Seed germination experiments revealed that only a small proportion of seeds germinated readily when collected from sediment during April to June. Seed dormancy can be divided into physical and physiological (innate) dormancy. The geminated seeds may be categorized as physically dormant 26, since N. peltata seeds were unable to germinate when they were under hypoxic conditions in the sediment 4,11. Most of the non-germinated seeds were innately dormant, with four weeks cold exposure overcoming their physiological dormancy, indicating that the natural cold exposure period was not long enough in winter and further cold treatment was needed to break seed dormancy in the following year in Lake Taihu. The non-germinated seeds were gradually covered by sediment until the next year, and physiologically dormant seeds probably became physically dormant, which might inhibit successful germination. Previous studies indicate that N. peltata expands locally with runners. If the runners have developed roots that are not yet attached to the sediment and the runners are broken by natural forces, vegetative fragments will be released and eventually dispersed to favourable areas where they can establish themselves 3,9. Recently, Larson used molecular markers to investigate reproduction strategy of N. peltata in Sweden 27. Lacking of genetic variation suggested that vegetative reproduction constituted an important part of the total reproduction 27. These literatures indirectly confirm that sexual reproduction may play a minor role in population expansion. Conclusion This study suggested that N. peltata could produce a large number of seeds in Lake Taihu. Most seeds sank within the stand and a large proportion of the seeds were innately dormant, with no seedlings found in the study area. Sexual reproduction contributed little to the rapid expansion of N. peltata in the open waters of this large shallow lake. The expansion of N. peltata populations was probably maintained by the dispersal of vegetative fragments. Methods Study site. Lake Taihu is a shallow lake with a surface area of 2,338 km 2 and a mean depth of 1.9 m. In the 1950s, the lake was oligotrophic. Since the 1980s, however, water quality has continuously deteriorated and the lake is now eutrophic. Blue-green algae dominate the western part of the lake, whilst the eastern part is mainly covered by vascular plants 5,28. Satellite images of Lake Taihu at different periods revealed that the population of hydrophytes has been increasing rapidly since 2001 and floating-leaved macrophytes dominate the lake, covering a surface area of 89.1 km 2 in 2004 5. According to field surveys conducted in the summers of 2004 and 2013, N. peltata is the dominant floating-leaved macrophyte in Lake Taihu 4. To investigate the seed characteristics of N. peltata, three N. peltata stands were carefully selected for our study (Fig. 5), which were denoted as A (31.12070° N, 120.39241° E), B (31.12295° N, 120.38566° E) and C (31.12460° N, 120.39346° E). In each stand, N. peltata has been colonized for more than ten years. The three N. peltata stands we chose were isolated to each other, and the shapes of the three stands were almost round; while most other stands were closed to each other, making it difficult to investigate the spatial distribution of seed and to assess the dispersal ability. In addition, according to our previous field survey conducted in the summer of 2004, 2008 and 2010, most sediment colonized by N. peltata was silt. The sediments of site A, B and C were all silt. Therefore, It was representative to choose the three sites as the study place. Estimation of seed yield. The field investigation showed that the growing season of N. peltata ranged from April to late October. Blooming began in late May or early June. Peak blooming occurred from August to October, and a few flowers continued emerging until November in Lake Taihu. This was similar to the flowering period reported in the Netherlands 9. To estimate the seed yield of N. peltata, 15 quadrats (1 m 2 ) were randomly established in the three stands on September 1, 2012. The inflorescence number in each quadrat as well as fruit, flower and flower bud numbers per inflorescence were recorded. The average seed number of 40 randomly selected fruits from each community was counted. Maximum seed yield per m 2 was estimated by multiplying the sum of bud number, flower number, fruit number, and inflorescence number, and average seed number. Scientific RepoRts | 5:13261 | DOi: 10.1038/srep13261 Characterizing spatial-temporal distribution of the seed bank. Seed separation was used to examine the N. peltata seed bank. Seed separation utilizes the differences in size or density to separate seeds from sediment 29. Since the mean length and width of the N. peltata seeds are 3.8-5.1 mm and 2.7-3.0 mm, respectively 9, it was possible to detect seeds efficiently from the sediment. In the study, the seeds were classified into two categories: intact seeds and seed fragments. Intact seeds were defined as seeds having intact and hard seed capsules with or without marginal bristles 12 ; seed fragments included fragmented seed capsules with marginal bristles and decayed seeds. The vertical distribution of the seeds was first investigated to estimate the N. peltata seed bank in Lake Taihu. Three replicate sediment cores (diameter 10 cm, length 25 cm) were taken randomly in the centers of the three N. peltata stands on September 1, 2011. Cores were immediately sliced into 2 cm sections from the surface to a 20 cm depth. Each section was put into a plastic bag and transported to the laboratory. The sediments were concentrated by washing with a gentle water flow through a fine sieve (0.425 mm mesh), and both the stone roots and vegetative parts were removed. The mesh was small enough to catch N. peltata seeds. The seeds were then selected using the seed separation method. The spatial distribution of N. peltata seeds was investigated to reveal seed floating capacity. Stand B was chosen as the study site because the N. peltata community had a regular circle shape with a radius of 60 m, and there were no other N. peltata stands within 200 m. Sampling transects were made in four directions (east, south, west and north) from the center of N. peltata community. Field investigation showed that there was no seed in sediment 30 m from the edge of the community. Therefore, the farthest sample point was 20 m from the community edge. In addition, there were two other sampling points in each transect located at the edge of the community and 10 m from the community edge. Sediment cores were collected along established transects from the center of the N. peltata stand B. Nine replicate sediment cores (diameter 10 cm, length 25 cm) were taken in October 2012. The seed selection procedure followed the method described above. Estimation of seedling dynamic and germination. Seedling densities in the field were estimated by counting seedlings monthly from January to December 2012. An Ekman sediment sampler (15 cm 15 cm 20 cm) was employed to examine the density of the seedlings. Nine replicate samples were randomly taken in each of the three N. peltata stands. A water depth of approximately 10 cm was maintained over the sediment surface during the sampling process to avoid any disturbance of the sediment. The N. peltata seedlings were examined and counted. The seeds picked from sediment cores in sites A, B and C from April to June in 2012 were used for the seed germination experiment. Seeds collected from the three communities were well mixed. Batches of 30 seeds were used and experiments were executed in triplicate. Seeds were incubated in a Petri dish filled with fresh tap water (0.3 mm depth) in which all seeds were submerged. Light was provided by a fluorescent white tube. Each treatment was tested at 20 Einstein m −2 s −1 with a photoperiod of 14 h. All experiments were conducted at 25 °C in a room for a period of 4 weeks. Germinated seeds were counted and removed every other day and tap water was replenished weekly. Another experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of cold stratification (here defined as storage in demineralized water at 4 °C) on the seed germination rate. After incubation at 25 °C for 4 weeks, the remaining non-germinated seeds were stored in a refrigerator for another 4 weeks at 4 °C. The seeds were then incubated in the same conditions as above. During the experiment, if the radicle protruded at least 1 mm from the seed, the seed was scored as germinated. To study the seed germination process in the field, seed bag experiments were performed. Seeds were collected from mature fruits and placed in nylon mesh bags (0.5 mm mesh, 4.0 cm 5.0 cm) on October 10, 2012. Each bag contained 50 seeds. Five bags were attached to an iron peg, which was pushed into the sediment to keep the seed bags buried at a depth of approximately 2 cm. To mimic the aboveground seed bank, the five bags were connected to the iron peg by a nylon line, and each bag contained a float ball to avoid the bags being covered by sediment. In May 2013, these bags were harvested to evaluate germination. To examine the viability of the seeds that did not germinate, the seeds were cut and the embryos were treated with tetrazolium solution 30. |
Maximising leadership capacity and school improvement through re-alignment of childrens services This article emerges from work undertaken with leaders from a local authority who took part in a programme entitled Advanced Leadership in Integrated Childrens Services Environment or ALICSE programme. The aim of this course was to engage leaders and managers in thinking differently about their roles and to consider how they could make changes to their leadership practices to cope with the fast pace of change now enforced on the educational landscape. Through co-construction of work-based knowledge and the application of integrated leadership theory with a local Higher Education Institution (HEI) during 2012, this research offers some insight into how a group of Local Authority (LA) teams have provided a de-centralised service for vulnerable families whilst maintaining and improving educational standards across the Citys primary schools. A range of leadership, improvement and process strategies are currently being piloted with inner city schools and presented in this paper as a series of vignettes which exemplify these strategies. By taking a more holistic, integrated approach to working with key personnel at both local authority and school level it has been possible to demonstrate a greater alignment between the different LA teams in respect of the support they are offering to the schools. These outcomes have arisen as a result of professional teams working on the development of a more autonomous approach to leadership based on a can do attitude firmly embedded within a morally focused culture. |
Analytical solution for the diffraction of an electromagnetic wave by a graphene grating An analytical method for diffraction of a plane electromagnetic wave at periodically-modulated graphene sheet is presented. Both interface corrugation and periodical change in the optical conductivity are considered. Explicit expressions for reflection, transmission, absorption and transformation coefficients in arbitrary diffraction orders are presented. The dispersion relation and decay rates for graphene plasmons of the grating are found. Simple analytical expressions for the value of the band gap in the vicinity of the first Brillouin zone edge is derived. The optimal amplitude and wavelength, guaranteeing the best matching of the incident light with graphene plasmons are found for the conductivity grating. The analytical results are in a good agreement with first-principle numeric simulations. In this paper we perform a completely analytical analysis of the vectorial diffraction problem based on the resonance perturbation theory. This method allows us to derive the transmission, reflection and absorption coefficients in a simple closed form. Then, we find the optimal depth of the grating as a function of the wavelength, for arXiv:1307.0310v1 1 Jul 2013 which the maximal value of the excited GP mode is achieved. We also obtain the combination of the grating depth and wavelength which provides the absolute maximum of the GP amplitude. From the experimental point of view, this optimal combination of the parameters should lead to observation of absorption maximum and the minimum of transmission. Within the same method, the homogeneous problem for the eigenmodes of the structure is considered. We derive the grating-induced correction for the GP decay rate and the value of band gap of the GPs at the first Brillouin zone edge. On each stage the validity of the analytical results has been confirmed by finiteelements simulations. These simulations have been also used to extend our analytical study of graphene corrugation gratings to corrugation depths beyond the range of the validity of the perturbation theory. Description of the system and method We consider a periodic grating, formed by the variation of either conductivity of graphene monolayer (see Fig. 1 (a)) or the interface relief z = (x) (see Fig. 1 (b)) in the x-direction. The spacial period is L. The graphene sheet is placed onto the interface between two dielectrics with the permittivities (−) and (+). In general, a graphene grating can be a combination of both the conductivity and interface variations, but in this paper we study these two cases separately. In other words, we assume that the conductivity does not depend on x for the relief grating while for the conductivity grating the graphene sheet is flat. In case of the conductivity grating, the normalized conductivity (x) = 2(x)/c can be represented in the form of the Fourier series The zero harmonic 0 = 2 0 /c is proportional to the average conductivity 0. Throughout the paper the RPA conductivity model is used. The conductivity modulation can be achieved for instance by placing the graphene into a periodic electrostatic field so that the doping level will be spatially varied. In the near infrared and THz frequencies the conductivity is dominated by the intraband contribution and therefore it is proportional to the Fermi energy. Then the model is fully justified. When the graphene interface is periodically corrugated we have Notice that in the infrared and tera-hertz regimes the momentum of graphene plasmons is much larger than that of the incident plane wave. Consequently, to compensate the momentum mismatch, the period of grating L must be much smaller than the incident wavelength, L (or G g, where g = 2/). Let a p-polarized plane monochromatic electromagnetic wave, with electric field E = {E x, 0, E z }, and magnetic field H = {0, H, 0}, fields impinges onto our periodic system at an angle (between its wavevector and z-axis) from the half-space z > 0. The in-plane periodic modulation results in generating the infinite set of plane diffracted waves. For the modulation of the conductivity, the grating is flat and the exact representation for the fields is given by the Fourier-Floquet expansion. In the case of the interface corrugation we will assume that both the variation of the surface relief and its derivative are small (g| n | 1 and |∂ x | 1). Then according to the Rayleigh approximation we can also use the same representation of the fields. Thus, for both types of gratings we will take the total magnetic field in the superstrate and substrate (referred to using the symbols "+" and "-" respectively) in the following form where r + n and r − n are the transformation coefficients in the superstate and substrate respectively, and the monochromatic time dependence exp(−it) is omitted. The tangential and normal components of the wavevectors read The branch of square root should be chosen as Im(k ± zn ) ≥ 0, in order to satisfy the radiation conditions. The electric field components can be readily obtained from Eq. using Maxwell equations gE The field in the upper and lower half-spaces are connected through the boundary conditions at the interface containing graphene Here is defined by Eq. for the conductivity grating, whereas for the case of the corrugated interface it is constant, = 0. The subscript t stays for the tangential components of the fields and n is the unitary vector normal to the surface. For the conductivity grating n =, while for the relief grating n = (n x, 0, n z ). The tangential component of the electric field is defined as Assuming the interface corrugation to be smooth, i.e. |∂ x | 1, the surface normal vector can be simplified so that the second term is proportional to the derivative of a small interface inclination. We will also assume that the corrugation is shallow enough to fulfill g| n | 1. This allows us to greatly simplify the expressions for the fields at the interface. Indeed, in this case the exponentials from can be expanded into the Tailor series, and then the linear approximation is usually enough to provide precise results for shallow gratings. The appearing exponents read. After some straightforward algebra we finally obtain an infinite liner system of equations for plane waves amplitudes (in case of the relief grating we retain only the linear in |∂ x | and | n | terms): where the subscript denotes the field in the superstate = + or in the substrate = −. The matrix elements may be represented as the sum of the diagonal, b n, and off-diagonal elements, d n,m (see Appendix for more details): In the manuscript we use two notations for matrices: letters with a hat, e.g.b or square brackets with the element of the matrix inside, e.g. . All off-diagonal elements of the matrixD are proportional to the modulation amplitude: d n,m ∼ g n−m for the corrugated graphene and d n,m ∼ n−m for the conductivity grating. The diagonal in diffraction orders matrixb is the limit of the matrixD if the graphene monolayer is simply flat and homogeneous. It describes the reflection and transmission of the plane wave having the wavevector (k n, 0, k zn ) by a flat homogeneous monolayer. In principle, the set of equations can be straightforwardly solved numerically by considering a finite number of spatial field harmonics (see e.g. ). The number of required harmonics should be established for each particular geometry to guarantee the convergency. This procedure however does not provide neither enough qualitative understanding of the fundamental scattering mechanisms nor yields any simple parametric dependencies of the scattering amplitudes. The analytical treatment allows us to overcome the mentioned limitations of purely numerical analysis. In the next section we present the analytical solution of the system taking into account the resonance behaviour of the diffracted fields. Analytical analysis of the diffraction coefficients When the wavevectors of one or simultaneously several diffracted waves approximately coincides with the wavevector of the GPs k p, the determinant ofD strongly decreases. In fact, this condition implies that the GPs eigenmodes of the grating are excited. The dispersion relation for these modes is given by detD = 0. This dispersion relation will be considered in more details in Section 4. Here, in order to separate the resonance and nonresonance diffraction orders, we can first neglect the grating corrections to the dispersion relation and simply set detb = 0. More explicitly (see details in Appendix A), This is the GP dispersion relation for a homogeneous flat monolayer. For example, in case of a symmetric surrounding = (+) = 1, the GP wavevector reads k p = g 1 − 1/ 2. Those diffraction orders for which the condition is approximately fulfilled ("the resonance orders") are labeled r, r, r, etc. The rest of the diffraction orders ("the nonresonance orders") are called N, N, N, etc. Accordingly, the matrixD can be decomposed into the four submatrices: two of them contain the resonanceR = D rr and nonresonanceM = D N N diffraction orders; and the other two a re coupling submatrices, = D rN,L = D N r. We denote the resonant and nonresonant right-hand sides as = andm = respectively. Decomposing the submatrixM into a block diagonal, and a nondiagonal matrix, we haveM where the norm of the matrix = −1 d N N is small as its elements are proportional to the small modulation amplitude. Then the inverse toM matrix can be presented in the form of the series expansion in, namelyM −1 = ∞ s=0 s−1. As a result, we can solve the nonresonance subsystem for r N explicitly Then, substituting the nonresonance amplitude into the resonance subsystem we arrive at the finite system of equations for r r : The precision of the solution is defined by the number of retained terms in the matrixM −1. For further analytical treatment we will retain terms linear in modulation amplitude in r and quadratic terms inD rr. In this approximation it is sufficient to retain the zeroth order term in the series expansion,M −1 −1. The explicit expressions for the matrix elements are presented in Appendix A. In the next section we illustrate the above perturbational method just derived with a simple example. Illustrative example: first-order resonance under the normal incidence A resonant situation of practical interest can take place for normal incidence. Due to the symmetry, two diffraction orders can simultaneously become resonant. Let us consider here the resonance in the first diffraction order, r = 1, r = −1 on the free-standing ( (−) = (+) = 1) harmonic grating. The resonance for this situation occurs when the Bragg vector of the grating is approximately equal to the real part of the GP wavevector: In what follows we assume the absorption to be small, 0 0, and the period of reciprocal lattice to be large, G g. Here and hereafter prime and double prime is used for the real and imaginary part of complex value. This notations should not be mixed with the primes for the integers where they are exclusively used to label diffraction orders. Conductivity modulation of the graphene monolayer We take the following spatial dependency of the conductivity where, according to Eq., w = 2 ±1 / 0. From Eqs. after some algebraic derivations we explicitly have the resonance transformation coefficients in the following form: Here (, w) is the quadratic-in-modulation term responsible for the scattering of the resonance wave into neighbouring nonresonance ones. These neighbouring waves (in the main approximation) are the propagating one with N = 0 and two evanescent ones with N = ±2. The nonresonance field amplitudes are given by Eq., so that in 0th order they read while for the second order ±2 the amplitudes are given by The reflectance and transmittance amplitude coefficients (Fresnel coefficients) of the unmodulated graphene appearing in Eq. are We will now make use of these analytical expressions to find the optimal grating amplitude that provides a maximal intensity of the resonance field. Separating the real and imaginary parts in denominator ∆ r in Eq., the resonant diffraction amplitude r ±1 can be rewritten as where Here we have taken into account that | 0 | 1 and that in the resonance vicinity on the one hand k zr iG and on the other hand k zr −g/ 0. This allows us to make the following simplification inside : Vanishing the imaginary part of the denominator in Eq., we get the condition for the maximum of the absolute value of the resonance coefficient: so that the expression for r ±1 becomes where w opt and opt in this formula are connected through Eq.. Geometrically, the condition defines a curve in the (, w) plane. At each point belonging to this curve there are optimum conditions for the resonance GP excitation. At a given wavelength, the optimal grating amplitude can be found from Eq., and vice versa for a fixed amplitude of the grating Eq. yields the wavelength. Fig. 3 shows that the curve given by Eq. (continuous curve in panel (a) of Fig. 3) indeed goes along the maximum that is seen in the colorplot as a ridge. Additionally, we can find the value for the modulation amplitude and wavelength at which |r ±1 | 2 possesses the global maximum. To do it, we take the derivative of |r ±1opt | 2 with respect to w and then equal it to zero. The differentiation can be greatly simplified if instead of = opt (w opt ) given by Eq., we substitute = 0, where 0 is the resonance wavelength when modulation is neglected. It is given by the approximate condition which can be written as G gRe for large G. Performing, and respectively. The intersection of the dashed and continuous curves determines and w corresponding to the maximum value of |r ±1 | 2. (b) The wavelength dependence of the resonant transformation coefficient at w = w max = 0.46; (c) the resonant transformation coefficient as a function of the modulation amplitude at the optimal wavelength = opt = 46.7m; in (b,c) the exact calculations and the approximation are rendered by the continuous and discontinuous curves respectively; (d) wavelength spectra of reflectance, transmission, total absorption (shown by dotted, dashed-dotted and discontinuous thick curves respectively) at the optimal modulation amplitude w = w max = 0.46. The calculations in (d) were performed by means of solution of the eq. set (thick curves) and using the simple analytical expressions -, thin curves in the plots. Other parameters are the same as in Fig. 2. Vertical lines in all the panels show the position of the optimal wavelength opt. differentiation with the above simplification, d dwopt |r ±1opt | 2 = 0, we find Assuming the absorption to be small enough, 0 2 0, the expression can be further simplified: At this amplitude of the grating the maximum value of |r ±1opt | 2 becomes The squared absolute value of the resonance coefficient is shown in Fig. 3 (b) as function of at constant w. In contrast, Fig. 3 (c) shows |r ±1 | 2 as function of w at constant. Both approximate and exact numerical calculation are presented. From this comparison we can conclude that, even for moderate modulation amplitudes (for which the optimum is achieved), the analytical approximation is still valid with a reasonable precision and indeed allows predicting the nontrivial conditions for the optimal coupling. As usual, the resonant excitation of a plasmon is accompanied by the resonant increase of the absorption. Taking into account that in our case only one propagating wave is generated by the grating, the absorption is given by A = 1 − |r + 0 | 2 − |r − 0 | 2. The reflection r − 0 and transmission r + 0 amplitude coefficients for the grating amplitude w max read approximately Then the maximal value of absorption is A max 1/2. We would like to notice that this is the limiting value of absorption by a monolayer in a symmetric dielectric surrounding. The spectra of the transmission, reflection and absorption coefficients are presented in Fig. 3. It is seen that the curves plotted with the asymptotic formulae are in a good agreement with ones obtained from the exact solution of the equation set. Relief modulation of the graphene monolayer Let us now assume that the interface is corrugated according the following simple law with h = ±2i ±1 being the corrugation amplitude. In much the same way as in the previous subsection, simple analytical expressions for field transformation coefficients can be derived. Using the assumptions 0 | 0 | and G g, as before, the resonance transformation coefficients have the following form: where the quadratic term in the resonance denominator reads The 0 th and ±2 nd order transformation coefficients are The comparison of the analytical expressions - with numerical simulations by using finite elements method is shown in Fig. 4 (a) and (b). We observe a good agreement for sufficiently small amplitudes. However, unlike the case of conductivity perturbations, the analytical approach for corrugated gratings with graphene is far more restricted. The approximate solution given by Eq. - starts to fail when h becomes comparable or larger than 0.25 GP wavelengths. This is also rather different from the case of metallic gratings, in which the perturbational approach is valid for much higher modulation amplitudes (see e.g. ). Thus, to fully address the diffraction problem in the region of deeper corrugation gratings, numeric calculations are needed. We have performed numeric simulations in a wide range of diffraction grating depths. It is interesting to note that we were unable to find an optimum in dependencies of the scattering coefficients upon h. As an example, in Fig. 5 we show simulated transmission spectra at different depths of the grating. Up to h of order 1m (for which h already becomes comparable with GP wavelength) the transmission dip monotonically decreases, without any indication to the existence of the optimal grating amplitude that would provide the best matching between the incident wave and excited GP. This is another peculiarity of the graphene corrugation gratings which is different from both graphene conductivity gratings and metallic relief grating. Analysis of the GP eigenmodes Due to the periodical modulation of graphene, the initially isotropic dispersion relation for graphene plasmons transforms into a bandgap structure. To find the spectrum of "grating-dressed" GP eigenmodes, the homogeneous diffraction problem has to be solved. The resonance perturbation theory developed for the inhomogeneous diffraction problem can be perfectly adapted to the eigenmode solution. Indeed, the resonance diffraction orders have been chosen from the condition of their closeness to the GP eigenmodes. Therefore, vanishing the determinant of the matrix in Eq. should directly give the perturbed dispersion relation, where both coupling and "dressing" (by both inhomogeneous and homogeneous field harmonics) of initially bare GPs are taken into account. In the excitation problem the mismatch between the wavevector of the incident wave k i = (k, 0, k z ) and the plasmon wavevector k p = (k p, 0, k zp ) can be overcome via the reciprocal lattice vector G = (G, 0, 0): where r = ±1, ±2,...; r > 0 and r < 0 correspond to the forward and backward propagation of the excited GPs respectively. In the homogenous problem the plasmon wavector q should be taken instead of one of the resonance wavevectors, so that the Bragg vector provides the coupling between bare GPs and its scattering via different propagating and evanescent diffraction orders. As opposed to k p, being the GP wavevector for the unperturbed graphene, q stays for the GP wavevector for the grating. In our plane geometry only two bare plasmons with the wavevectors, k p and −k p can be simultaneously coupled. Then this coupling implies the following approximate condition for their wavevectors: Thus, in order to pass form the inhomogeneous problem to the inhomogeneous one, we can change the tangential component of the wavevector of one of the resonance field harmonics to GP wavevector, e.g. k r → q. Then the rest of the wavevectors become k r+n → q + nG. After this change we can use the equation as an approximate dispersion relation for GPs on the grating. This approximation works in the vicinity of the point where the bare GPs dispersion curves intersect, that is in the vicinity of a certain bangap. The equation is explicitly written in Appendix B. Without entering the mathematical details, let us discuss here the main scattering mechanisms. The elements of the matrix contain terms quadratic in modulation amplitude. They mainly contribute to a simultaneous nonlinear (in modulation amplitude) shift of the bare dispersion curves and to the decay rate (nonlinear "widening"). In contrast, the linear terms basically affect the splitting between the bare dispersion branches, and also increase the GPs decay rate. In what follows we will consider the linear approximation (i.e. we neglect all quadratic-in-modulation amplitude terms in the matrix elements). This is reasonable if the coupling harmonic amplitude r−r (or r−r ) obeys the inequality | r | | N | 2 (or | r | | N | 2 ) for any N. For simplicity, consider the coupling between initial bare GPs via first-order scattering by a harmonic grating. We take the equivalent double resonance diffraction problem considered in Section 4, where the resonance diffraction orders were r = 1, r = −1. However, in the homogeneous problem in order to be at the first Brillouin zone edge, it is more appropriate to take r = 0, r = −1. We set k 0 → q and k −1 → q−G. Additionally, in order to simplify the equations writing we will assume the symmetric surrounding, (−) = (+) = 1. Conductivity grating We consider the simplest conductivity grating given by Eq.. In order to estimate the splitting and decay rate at the very edge of the Brillouin zone we set q = G/2. Then the dispersion relation reads (see details in Appendix B): where q 0z = g 2 − G 2 /4. We have to assume the frequency to be complex-valued, = + i (or g = g + ig ). The solution of this equation has two complex roots, + and − which are frequencies of the upper and lower split GP branches where 0 is the frequency of GP in a homogeneous free-standing flat graphene monolayer following from the dispersion relation. Extracting then the real and imaginary part of Eq., we obtain the splitting ∆ = + − − : = c L 0 ( 0 )w and the imaginary frequency components Taking the optimal modulation amplitude w = w max = 0.46, and other parameters as in Fig. 2, the decay rates corresponding to Eq. are 1.51 ps and 2.42 ps for the upper and lower branches respectively. Relief modulation of the graphene monolayer We assume a relief profile to be given by Eq.. At the Brillouin zone edge q = G/2 the dispersion relation for corrugated graphene in linear approximation is given by (see U r,r = 1 g q z0 + Gq q z0, r, r = 0, −1. Taking into account that on the one hand q 0z iG and on the other hand q 0z −g/ 0, we obtain the following expression for the coefficients U −1,0 and U 0,−1 : This allows us to simplify the dispersion relation : Following the same procedure as in previous subsection, we obtain the frequencies of the upper and lower split GP branches from which we find the value of the band gap with g 0 = 0 /c. The imaginary part of the equation provides the the imaginary frequency components For the chemical potential, the relaxation time and the period of the lattice as in Fig. 4, the decay rates for the upper and lower branches are 5.574 ps and 5.584 ps respectively. Conclusions In this paper we have used resonant perturbation theory to analytically solve the diffraction problem for graphene gratings. Both interface corrugation and periodical change in optical conductivity have been considered. We have provided simple analytical expressions for the amplitudes of scattered plane waves in different diffraction orders. For the case of graphene with modulated optical conductivity we have found the optimal modulation amplitude and wavelength corresponding to the best matching of the incident wave and graphene plasmons. On the other hand, we have shown that the surface relief grating does not have an optimal depth. Instead, it shows a monotonous increase of its efficiency with the increase of the depth. We have also studied the dispersion relation of graphen plasmons on the grating. We have found the value of the band-gap at the edge of the first Brilluoin zone and the decay rates of the split GP modes. We have considered the simplest case of one-dimensional harmonic periodicity for illustrative purposes, but the approach allows a generalization to two-dimensional and multilayered graphene periodic structures. in the series expansion) matrixM −1 reads: zN + 2 0. Thus, the renormalized matrix can be written asD rr = D rr − r,r, where r,r for the conductivity grating is given by the expression: and for the relief grating it is somewhat more cumbersome: In this paper we only consider the normal incidence onto a harmonically modulated graphene sheet, in the vacuum surrounding (−) = (+) = 1. Under the assumption of a large Bragg vector, G g, the tangential and normal components of the wavevectors of the diffracted waves in the ±1 st, ±2 nd -and 0 th orders read explicitly k = k 0 = 0, k r = ±G, k ±2 = ±2G, (A.10) k z = k z0 = 1, k zr = ±iG, k z±2 = ±2iG, Assuming also k zr −g/ 0, the coefficients U n,m can be simplified: It is also worth noticing that for a strictly normal incidence the resonance matrix possesses the following symmetry property:D rr =D −r−r. This property results in the r r = r −r which substantially simplify the solution of the resonance subsystem. Substituting Eqs. (A.12) and (A.13) into Eqs. and we derive the resonance, r r, and nonresonance, r N, transformation coefficients for the case of conductivity and interface modulation. Appendix B Taking into account the quadratic-in-modulation amplitude terms, the dispersion relation (for the diffraction orders r, r = 0, −1) ca be explicitly written as In the linear approximation (i.e. neglecting quadratic-in-modulation amplitude terms, ), Eq. (B.1) strongly simplifies. For the conductivity grating it transforms to while for the corrugation grating it becomes In order to estimate the splitting at the very edge of the Brillouin zone we have to set q = G/2, which implies q 0z = q −1z in Eqs. (B.2), (B.3). |
<gh_stars>1-10
"""
This unittest for for QGIS 3 checks adding layers.
"""
import os
# import sys # @todo: setUp with an environment variable for PYTHONPATH
import unittest
#from qgis import *
from qgis.core import *
class TestQgisAddLayer(unittest.TestCase):
def setUp(self):
try:
self.qgis_version = QGis.QGIS_VERSION_INT
except NameError:
self.qgis_version = Qgis.QGIS_VERSION_INT
except:
self.fail("cannot get QGIS_VERSION_INT")
if self.qgis_version < 29900:
self.fail("unittest for QGIS 3 and higher only.")
try:
os.environ["QT_QPA_PLATFORM"] = "offscreen"
QgsApplication.setPrefixPath("/usr", False)
self.qgs = QgsApplication([], False)
self.qgs.initQgis()
except:
self.fail("cannot init qgis application")
def tearDown(self):
self.qgs.quit()
def test_qgisnewprojecthasnolayers(self):
project = QgsProject()
self.assertFalse(project.mapLayers()) # an empty list [] is false
def test_qgisnewprojecthasnolayers(self):
project = QgsProject()
project.setTitle("project with QGIS version " + str(self.qgis_version))
self.assertTrue(project.isDirty())
def test_qgisnewvectorlayer(self):
vlayer_land = QgsVectorLayer(
"./testdata/land/ne_10m_land.shp", 'land') # , 'memory')
self.assertTrue(vlayer_land.isValid()) # an empty list [] is false
def test_qgisaddvectorlayer(self):
project = QgsProject()
vlayer_land = QgsVectorLayer(
"./testdata/land/ne_10m_land.shp", 'land') # , 'memory')
project.addMapLayer(vlayer_land)
self.assertTrue(project.mapLayers()) # an empty list [] is false
def test_qgisaddtwovectorlayers(self):
project = QgsProject()
project.setTitle("foo")
project.setFileName("test.qgs")
vlayer_land = QgsVectorLayer("./testdata/land/ne_10m_land.shp", 'land')
# project.addMapLayer(vlayer_land)
vlayer_ocean = QgsVectorLayer(
"./testdata/ocean/ne_10m_ocean.shp", 'ocean')
# project.addMapLayer(vlayer_ocean)
project.addMapLayers([vlayer_land, vlayer_ocean])
self.assertTrue(len(project.mapLayers()) == 2)
self.assertTrue(project.isDirty())
if __name__ == '__main__':
unittest.main(exit=False, verbosity=1)
|
/**
* Loads the arrays from the files in the classpath
*
* @see CommonOverrides#DEPENDENCY_OVERRIDES
* @see CommonOverrides#OVERRIDDEN_URLS
* @since 1.0.0
* @throws IOException
*/
private static void init() throws IOException {
if (DEPENDENCY_OVERRIDES == null) {
DEPENDENCY_OVERRIDES = load("overrides.deps");
}
if (OVERRIDDEN_URLS == null) {
OVERRIDDEN_URLS = load("overrides.urls");
}
} |
/**
* <p>
* Represents request parameters that can be accepted by Amazon API Gateway.
* Request parameters are represented as a key/value map, with a source as
* the key and a Boolean flag as the value. The Boolean flag is used to
* specify whether the parameter is required. A source must match the
* pattern <code>method.request.{location}.{name}</code>, where
* <code>location</code> is either querystring, path, or header.
* <code>name</code> is a valid, unique parameter name. Sources specified
* here are available to the integration for mapping to integration request
* parameters or templates.
* </p>
*
* @param requestParameters
* Represents request parameters that can be accepted by Amazon API
* Gateway. Request parameters are represented as a key/value map,
* with a source as the key and a Boolean flag as the value. The
* Boolean flag is used to specify whether the parameter is required.
* A source must match the pattern
* <code>method.request.{location}.{name}</code>, where
* <code>location</code> is either querystring, path, or header.
* <code>name</code> is a valid, unique parameter name. Sources
* specified here are available to the integration for mapping to
* integration request parameters or templates.
* @return Returns a reference to this object so that method calls can be
* chained together.
*/
public Method withRequestParameters(
java.util.Map<String, Boolean> requestParameters) {
setRequestParameters(requestParameters);
return this;
} |
<filename>module_dht11.h<gh_stars>0
#include "dht11.h"
String TEMP_TOPIC = "/openhab/in/" ARDUINO_NAME "Temp1/state";
String HUMIDITY_TOPIC = "/openhab/in/" ARDUINO_NAME "Humi1/state";
#define MODULE_DHT11_DELAY 10000
dht11 DHT11;
unsigned long lastDHT11 = 0;
void moduleDHT11Loop() {
unsigned long now = millis();
if (now - lastDHT11 > MODULE_DHT11_DELAY && isConnected()) {
lastDHT11 = now;
int chk = DHT11.read(MODULE_DHT11_PIN);
Serial.print("Read sensor: ");
switch (chk) {
case DHTLIB_OK:
Serial.println("OK");
break;
case DHTLIB_ERROR_CHECKSUM:
Serial.println("Checksum error");
break;
case DHTLIB_ERROR_TIMEOUT:
Serial.println("Time out error");
break;
default:
Serial.println("Unknown error");
break;
}
// Serial.print("Humidity (%):\t\t");
// Serial.println((float) DHT11.humidity, 2);
//
// Serial.print("Temperature (C):\t");
// Serial.println((float) DHT11.temperature, 2);
mqttPublish(TEMP_TOPIC, String(DHT11.temperature));
mqttPublish(HUMIDITY_TOPIC, String(DHT11.humidity));
}
}
|
Globalization and the Values of Volunteering as Leisure Abstract Cultural globalization may be a way to foster the values or volunteering as a leisure experience. Volunteerism may offer one way to bring people together to address the problems of local communities as well as the global village. Defining volunteering is complicated because it is a cultural activity that is conditioned by multiple factors including ethnic traditions, religious beliefs, and legal regulations. In countries around the world, however, people in governmental as well as not for profit organizations are realizing the economic and social benefits of volunteering. An implication of globalization may be opportunities to share information about volunteering and how volunteers use their energy to supplement human capital as well as social services. Three related but distinct dimensions are discussed regarding volunteerism and how it relates to leisure and recreation including individual, organizational, and community aspects. In a globalized world where it is easy to become disillusioned with feelings of powerlessness, volunteerism might be a leisure activity that offers ways to express individual interests as well as to foster community and global commitments. |
#[macro_use] extern crate diesel;
table! {
#[foobar]
//~^ ERROR expected ident, found #
posts {
id -> Integer,
}
}
fn main() {}
|
Micro-Mining and Segmented Log File Analysis: A Method for Enriching the Data Yield from Internet Log Files The authors propose improved ways of analysing web server log files. Traditionally web site statistics focus on giving a big (and shallow) picture analysis based on all transaction log entries. The pictures are, however, distorted because of the problems associated with resolving Internet protocol (IP) numbers to a single user and cross-border IP registration. The authors argue that analysing extracted sub-groups and categories presents a more accurate picture of the data and that the analysis of the online behaviour of selected individuals (rather than of very large groups) can add much to our understanding of how people use web sites and, indeed, any digital information source. The analysis is labelled `micro' to distinguish it from traditional macro, big picture transactional log analysis. The methods are illustrated with recourse to the logs of the Surgery Door (www.surgerydoor.co.uk) consumer health web site. It was found that use attributed to academic users gave a better approximation of the sites' geographical distribution of users than an analysis based on all users. This occurs as academic institutions, unlike other user types, register in their host country. Selecting log entries where each user is allocated a unique IP number can be particularly beneficial, especially to analyses of returnees. Finally the paper tracks the online behaviour of a small number of IP numbers, in an example of the application of microanalysis, |
//This function ends the game and determines the winner
void gameOver(mineBoard* board){
int i;
int j;
for(i = 0; i < board->rows; ++i){
for(j = 0; j < board->cols; ++j){
board->scanned[i][j] = 1;
}
}
for(i = 0; i < board->rows; ++i){
for(j = 0; j < board->cols; ++j){
board->playCol = j;
board->playRow = i;
reveal(board, 0, 0);
}
}
for(i = 0; i < board->rows; ++i){
for(j = 0; j < board->cols; ++j){
if(board->grid[i][j] == '!'){
board->grid[i][j] = '*';
}
}
}
printBoard(*board);
if(board->minesLeft == 0){
if(board->foundMines == board->numMines){
board->gameOver = true;
board->win = true;
}
}
if(board->win == true){
printf("\nYou Won!!");
}
else{
printf("\nYou Lost :(");
}
return;
} |
Pricing guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits under stochastic interest rates We consider the pricing of variable annuities with the Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit (GMWB) under the Vasicek stochastic interest rate framework. The holder of the variable annuity contract pays an initial purchase payment to the insurance company, which is then invested in a portfolio of risky assets. Under the GMWB, the holder can withdraw a specified amount periodically over the term of the contract such that the return of the entire initial investment is guaranteed, regardless of the market performance of the underlying asset portfolio. The investors have the equity participation in the reference investment portfolio with protection on the downside risk. The guarantee is financed by paying annual proportional fees. Under the assumption of deterministic withdrawal rates, we develop the pricing formulation of the value function of a variable annuity with the GMWB. In particular, we derive the analytic approximation solutions to the fair value of the GMWB under both equity and interest rate risks, obtaining both the lower and upper bounds on the price functions. The pricing behavior of the embedded GMWB under various model parameter values is also examined. |
import Knex from 'knex';
export async function seed(knex: Knex) {
await knex('items').insert([
{ title: 'lamps', image: 'lamps.svg' },
{ title: 'batteries', image: 'batteries.svg' },
{ title: 'paper', image: 'paper.svg' },
{ title: 'eletronics', image: 'eletronics.svg' },
{ title: 'organic', image: 'organic.svg' },
{ title: 'oil', image: 'oil.svg' },
]);
}
|
/// Loads frame component `Sequence` as an asset and returns its handle.
fn load<SequenceIterator, FrameRef, FnFrameToComponent>(
loader: &Loader,
frame_component_data_assets: &AssetStorage<Self::ComponentData>,
fn_frame_to_component: FnFrameToComponent,
sequence_iterator: SequenceIterator,
) -> Handle<Self::ComponentData>
where
SequenceIterator: Iterator<Item = FrameRef>,
FnFrameToComponent: Fn(FrameRef) -> Self::Component,
Self::ComponentData: Asset<Data = Self::ComponentData>,
{
let frame_component_data = <Self::ComponentData as ComponentDataExt>::new(
sequence_iterator
.map(fn_frame_to_component)
.collect::<Vec<Self::Component>>(),
);
loader.load_from_data(frame_component_data, (), frame_component_data_assets)
} |
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
import unittest
from pychord import Quality
class TestQuality(unittest.TestCase):
def test_eq(self):
c1 = Quality("m7-5")
c2 = Quality("m7-5")
self.assertEqual(c1, c2)
def test_eq_alias_maj9(self):
c1 = Quality("M9")
c2 = Quality("maj9")
self.assertEqual(c1, c2)
def test_eq_alias_m7b5(self):
c1 = Quality("m7-5")
c2 = Quality("m7b5")
self.assertEqual(c1, c2)
def test_eq_alias_min(self):
c1 = Quality("m")
c2 = Quality("min")
c3 = Quality("-")
self.assertEqual(c1, c2)
self.assertEqual(c1, c3)
def test_invalid_eq(self):
c = Quality("m7")
with self.assertRaises(TypeError):
print(c == 0)
if __name__ == '__main__':
unittest.main()
|
// Copyright 2020 Keybase Inc. All rights reserved.
// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD
// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
package libpages
import (
"context"
"encoding/base64"
"github.com/keybase/client/go/kbfs/libkbfs"
"github.com/keybase/client/go/protocol/keybase1"
"github.com/pkg/errors"
"golang.org/x/crypto/acme/autocert"
)
type keybaseServiceOwner interface {
KeybaseService() libkbfs.KeybaseService
}
// certStoreBackedByKVStore is a wrapper around the KVStore in Keybase. No
// caching is done here since acme/autocert has an in-memory cache already.
type certStoreBackedByKVStore struct {
serviceOwner keybaseServiceOwner
}
var _ autocert.Cache = (*certStoreBackedByKVStore)(nil)
func newCertStoreBackedByKVStore(serviceOwner keybaseServiceOwner) autocert.Cache {
return &certStoreBackedByKVStore{
serviceOwner: serviceOwner,
}
}
func encodeData(data []byte) string {
return base64.URLEncoding.EncodeToString(data)
}
func decodeData(str string) ([]byte, error) {
return base64.URLEncoding.DecodeString(str)
}
const certKVStoreNamespace = "cert-store-v1"
// Get implements the autocert.Cache interface.
func (s *certStoreBackedByKVStore) Get(ctx context.Context, key string) ([]byte, error) {
res, err := s.serviceOwner.KeybaseService().GetKVStoreClient().GetKVEntry(ctx,
keybase1.GetKVEntryArg{
Namespace: certKVStoreNamespace,
EntryKey: key,
})
if err != nil {
return nil, errors.WithMessage(err, "kvstore get error")
}
if res.EntryValue == nil {
return nil, errors.New("kvstore get error: empty result")
}
data, err := decodeData(*res.EntryValue)
if err != nil {
return nil, errors.WithMessage(err, "decodeData error")
}
return data, nil
}
// Put implements the autocert.Cache interface.
func (s *certStoreBackedByKVStore) Put(ctx context.Context, key string, data []byte) error {
_, err := s.serviceOwner.KeybaseService().GetKVStoreClient().PutKVEntry(ctx,
keybase1.PutKVEntryArg{
Namespace: certKVStoreNamespace,
EntryKey: key,
EntryValue: encodeData(data),
})
if err != nil {
return errors.WithMessage(err, "kvstore put error")
}
return nil
}
// Delete implements the autocert.Cache interface.
func (s *certStoreBackedByKVStore) Delete(ctx context.Context, key string) error {
_, err := s.serviceOwner.KeybaseService().GetKVStoreClient().DelKVEntry(ctx, keybase1.DelKVEntryArg{
Namespace: certKVStoreNamespace,
EntryKey: key,
})
if err != nil {
return errors.WithMessage(err, "kvstore del error")
}
return nil
}
|
Near-infrared coloring via a contrast-preserving mapping model Near-infrared gray images captured together with visible color images have recently proven useful for image enhancement and restoration. This paper introduces a new coloring method for adding colors to near-infrared gray images via a contrast-preserving mapping model. A naive coloring method directly adds the colors from the visible color image to the near-infrared gray image; however, this method results in an unrealistic image because of the discrepancies in brightness and image structure between the near-infrared gray image and the luminance plane of the visible color image. To solve this problem, a local linear mapping model with a local contrast constraint is proposed to find the relation between the near-infrared gray image and the luminance plane of the visible color image. This contrast-preserving linear mapping model enables the creation of a new near-infrared gray image that has a similar appearance to the luminance plane of the visible color image, but preserves local contrasts of the near-infrared gray image. In addition, the proposed mapping model can be utilized to transfer the colors from the visible color image to the newly created near-infrared gray image. The experimental results show that the proposed method not only preserves the local contrast and details of the near-infrared gray image, but also transfers the realistic colors from the visible color image to the near-infrared gray image. |
<filename>core/cas-server-core-util-api/src/main/java/org/apereo/cas/util/HttpUtils.java
package org.apereo.cas.util;
import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
import org.apache.http.HttpEntity;
import org.apache.http.HttpResponse;
import org.apache.http.auth.AuthScope;
import org.apache.http.auth.UsernamePasswordCredentials;
import org.apache.http.client.HttpClient;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpGet;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpPost;
import org.apache.http.client.methods.HttpUriRequest;
import org.apache.http.client.utils.URIBuilder;
import org.apache.http.entity.ContentType;
import org.apache.http.entity.StringEntity;
import org.apache.http.impl.client.BasicCredentialsProvider;
import org.apache.http.impl.client.HttpClientBuilder;
import org.slf4j.Logger;
import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
import org.springframework.http.HttpMethod;
import java.net.URI;
import java.net.URISyntaxException;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
/**
* This is {@link HttpUtils}.
*
* @author <NAME>
* @since 5.2.0
*/
public final class HttpUtils {
private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(HttpUtils.class);
private HttpUtils() {
}
/**
* Execute http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param method the method
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the basic auth password
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse execute(final String url, final String method,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword) {
return execute(url, method, basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword, new HashMap<>());
}
/**
* Execute http request and produce a response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param method the method
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the basic auth password
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse execute(final String url, final String method,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
try {
final HttpClient client = buildHttpClient(basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword);
final URI uri = buildHttpUri(url, parameters);
final HttpUriRequest request = method.equalsIgnoreCase(HttpMethod.GET.name()) ? new HttpGet(uri) : new HttpPost(uri);
return client.execute(request);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
private static URI buildHttpUri(final String url, final Map<String, String> parameters) throws URISyntaxException {
final URIBuilder uriBuilder = new URIBuilder(url);
parameters.forEach(uriBuilder::addParameter);
return uriBuilder.build();
}
private static HttpClient buildHttpClient(final String basicAuthUsername, final String basicAuthPassword) {
final HttpClientBuilder builder = HttpClientBuilder.create();
prepareCredentialsIfNeeded(builder, basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword);
return builder.build();
}
/**
* Execute get http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the <PASSWORD>
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executeGet(final String url,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
try {
return execute(url, HttpMethod.GET.name(), basicAuthPassword, basicAuthUsername, parameters);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Execute get http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executeGet(final String url,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
try {
return executeGet(url, null, null, parameters);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Execute get http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the basic auth password
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executeGet(final String url,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword) {
try {
return executeGet(url, basicAuthPassword, basicAuthUsername, new HashMap<>());
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Execute post http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the basic auth password
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executePost(final String url,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
try {
return execute(url, basicAuthPassword, basicAuthUsername, HttpMethod.POST.name(), parameters);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Execute post http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the <PASSWORD>
* @param entity the entity
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executePost(final String url,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword,
final HttpEntity entity) {
try {
final HttpClient client = buildHttpClient(basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword);
final URI uri = buildHttpUri(url, new HashMap<>());
final HttpPost request = new HttpPost(uri);
request.setEntity(entity);
return client.execute(request);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Execute post http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param entity the entity
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executePost(final String url,
final HttpEntity entity,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
try {
final HttpClient client = buildHttpClient(null, null);
final URI uri = buildHttpUri(url, parameters);
final HttpPost request = new HttpPost(uri);
request.setEntity(entity);
return client.execute(request);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Execute post http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the basic auth password
* @param jsonEntity the json entity
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executePost(final String url,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword,
final String jsonEntity) {
return executePost(url, basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword, jsonEntity, new HashMap<>());
}
/**
* Execute post http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param jsonEntity the json entity
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executePost(final String url,
final String jsonEntity,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
return executePost(url, null, null, jsonEntity, parameters);
}
/**
* Execute post http response.
*
* @param url the url
* @param basicAuthUsername the basic auth username
* @param basicAuthPassword the basic auth password
* @param jsonEntity the json entity
* @param parameters the parameters
* @return the http response
*/
public static HttpResponse executePost(final String url,
final String basicAuthUsername,
final String basicAuthPassword,
final String jsonEntity,
final Map<String, String> parameters) {
try {
final HttpClient client = buildHttpClient(basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword);
final URI uri = buildHttpUri(url, parameters);
final HttpPost request = new HttpPost(uri);
final StringEntity entity = new StringEntity(jsonEntity, ContentType.APPLICATION_JSON);
request.setEntity(entity);
return client.execute(request);
} catch (final Exception e) {
LOGGER.error(e.getMessage(), e);
}
return null;
}
/**
* Prepare credentials if needed.
*
* @param builder the builder
* @param basicAuthUsername username for basic auth
* @param basicAuthPassword password for basic auth
*/
private static void prepareCredentialsIfNeeded(final HttpClientBuilder builder, final String basicAuthUsername, final String basicAuthPassword) {
if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(basicAuthUsername) && StringUtils.isNotBlank(basicAuthPassword)) {
final BasicCredentialsProvider provider = new BasicCredentialsProvider();
final UsernamePasswordCredentials credentials = new UsernamePasswordCredentials(basicAuthUsername, basicAuthPassword);
provider.setCredentials(AuthScope.ANY, credentials);
builder.setDefaultCredentialsProvider(provider);
}
}
}
|
import { ClientEvents } from 'discord.js';
/**
* Set the types of the various options in the eventOptions
* @param name string
* @param enabled boolean
* @param type string
* @interface eventOptions
*/
export interface eventOptions {
name: keyof ClientEvents;
enabled: boolean;
}
/**
* The Event Class.
* @class Event
*/
export class Event {
name: keyof ClientEvents;
enabled: boolean;
type: string;
/**
* Creates an instance of Event.
* @param {eventOptions} options Options for the event
* @param {string} [options.name] The name of the event.
* @param {boolean} [options.enabled] Should be in BotClient?
* @param {string} [options.type] Use 'event'.
*
* @memberOf Event
*/
constructor(options: eventOptions) {
this.name = options.name;
this.enabled = options.enabled;
this.type = 'event';
}
}
|
Analytical Approach to Predicting Temperature Fields in Multilayered Pavement Systems An accurate and rapid estimation of the pavement temperature field is desired to better predict pavement responses and for pavement system design. In this paper, an innovative method to derive the theoretical solution of an axisymmetric temperature field in a multilayered pavement system is presented. The multilayered pavement system was modeled as a two-dimensional heat transfer problem. The temperature at any location (r,z) and any time t in an N -layer pavement system can be calculated by using the derived analytical solution. The Hankel integral transform with respect to the radial coordinate is utilized in the derivation of the solution. The interpolatory trigonometric polynomials based on discrete Fourier transform are used to fit the measured air temperatures and solar radiation intensities during a day, which are essential components in the boundary condition for the underlying heat transfer problem. A FORTRAN program was coded to implement this analytical solution. Measured field temperature resu... |
Can Dissimilarity Lead to Positive Outcomes? The Influence of Open versus Closed Minds Social identity theory and self-categorization theory have usually been interpreted to suggest that demographic dissimilarity will negatively influence employee outcomes. However, inconsistent with this interpretation, positive and neutral relationships between demographic dissimilarity and employee outcomes have also been documented in some instances for women and minority employees. It is argued here that the influence of demographic dissimilarity on the attitudes of women and minority employees is moderated by their level of dogmatism, which influences whether they view sex- and race-based status hierarchies in organizations as legitimate. Data from a survey shows that the influence of demographic dissimilarity on the organization-based self-esteem of employees, their level of trust in their peers and their attraction towards their peers is positive for individuals with higher level of dogmatism and negative for individuals with lower level of dogmatism. |
<gh_stars>0
package poseidon
import (
"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
"testing"
)
func TestMDS(t *testing.T) {
for i := 2; i < 50; i++ {
mds, err := createMDSMatrix(i)
assert.NoError(t, err)
mul0, err := MatMul(mds.m, mds.mInv)
assert.NoError(t, err)
mul1, err := MatMul(mds.mHat, mds.mHatInv)
assert.NoError(t, err)
if !IsIdentity(mul0) || !IsIdentity(mul1) {
t.Error("mds m or mHat is invalid!")
}
mul2, err := MatMul(mds.mPrime, mds.mDoublePrime)
assert.NoError(t, err)
assert.Equal(t, mds.m, mul2)
}
}
|
import React from 'react';
import ButtonStyle from './Button.style';
import { FormattedMessage } from 'react-intl';
type ButtonProps = {
title: any;
intlButtonId?: any;
icon?: React.ReactNode;
disabled?: boolean;
onClick?: (e: any) => void;
loader?: Object;
loaderColor?: string;
isLoading?: boolean;
className?: string;
fullwidth?: boolean;
style?: any;
type?: 'button' | 'submit' | 'reset';
iconPosition?: 'left' | 'right';
iconStyle?: any;
size?: 'small' | 'medium';
colors?: 'primary' | 'secondary';
variant?:
| 'textButton'
| 'outlined'
| 'outlinedDash'
| 'outlinedFab'
| 'extendedOutlinedFab'
| 'fab'
| 'extendedFab';
};
const Button: React.FC<ButtonProps> = ({
type,
size,
title,
intlButtonId,
colors,
variant,
icon,
disabled,
iconPosition,
iconStyle,
onClick,
loader,
loaderColor,
isLoading,
className,
fullwidth,
style,
...props
}) => {
// Checking button loading state
const buttonIcon =
isLoading !== false ? (
<>{loader ? loader : 'loading....'}</>
) : (
icon && (
<span className='btn-icon' style={iconStyle}>
{icon}
</span>
)
);
// set icon position
const position: string = iconPosition || 'right';
return (
<ButtonStyle
type={type}
className={`reusecore__button ${disabled ? 'disabled' : ''} ${
isLoading ? 'isLoading' : ''
} ${className ? className : ''}`.trim()}
icon={icon}
disabled={disabled}
icon-position={position}
onClick={onClick}
colors={colors}
variant={variant}
fullwidth={fullwidth}
style={style}
size={size}
{...props}
>
{position === 'left' && buttonIcon}
{title && !isLoading && (
<span className='btn-text'>
<FormattedMessage
id={intlButtonId ? intlButtonId : 'intlButtonId'}
defaultMessage={title}
/>
</span>
)}
{position === 'right' && buttonIcon}
</ButtonStyle>
);
};
Button.defaultProps = {
disabled: false,
isLoading: false,
type: 'button',
};
export default Button;
|
// pingRedis pings redis, to check if we are
// connected. Returns an error if there was a problem.
func (s *SimonSays) pingRedis() error {
return backoff.Retry(func() error {
con := s.pool.Get()
defer con.Close()
_, err := con.Do("PING")
if err != nil {
log.Printf("[Warn][Redis] Could not connect to Redis. %v", err)
} else {
log.Printf("[Info][Redis] Connected.")
}
return err
}, backoff.NewExponentialBackOff())
} |
<filename>android-31/android/media/session/MediaController_PlaybackInfo.cpp
#include "../AudioAttributes.hpp"
#include "../../os/Parcel.hpp"
#include "../../../JString.hpp"
#include "./MediaController_PlaybackInfo.hpp"
namespace android::media::session
{
// Fields
JObject MediaController_PlaybackInfo::CREATOR()
{
return getStaticObjectField(
"android.media.session.MediaController$PlaybackInfo",
"CREATOR",
"Landroid/os/Parcelable$Creator;"
);
}
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::PLAYBACK_TYPE_LOCAL()
{
return getStaticField<jint>(
"android.media.session.MediaController$PlaybackInfo",
"PLAYBACK_TYPE_LOCAL"
);
}
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::PLAYBACK_TYPE_REMOTE()
{
return getStaticField<jint>(
"android.media.session.MediaController$PlaybackInfo",
"PLAYBACK_TYPE_REMOTE"
);
}
// QJniObject forward
MediaController_PlaybackInfo::MediaController_PlaybackInfo(QJniObject obj) : JObject(obj) {}
// Constructors
// Methods
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::describeContents() const
{
return callMethod<jint>(
"describeContents",
"()I"
);
}
android::media::AudioAttributes MediaController_PlaybackInfo::getAudioAttributes() const
{
return callObjectMethod(
"getAudioAttributes",
"()Landroid/media/AudioAttributes;"
);
}
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::getCurrentVolume() const
{
return callMethod<jint>(
"getCurrentVolume",
"()I"
);
}
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::getMaxVolume() const
{
return callMethod<jint>(
"getMaxVolume",
"()I"
);
}
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::getPlaybackType() const
{
return callMethod<jint>(
"getPlaybackType",
"()I"
);
}
jint MediaController_PlaybackInfo::getVolumeControl() const
{
return callMethod<jint>(
"getVolumeControl",
"()I"
);
}
JString MediaController_PlaybackInfo::getVolumeControlId() const
{
return callObjectMethod(
"getVolumeControlId",
"()Ljava/lang/String;"
);
}
JString MediaController_PlaybackInfo::toString() const
{
return callObjectMethod(
"toString",
"()Ljava/lang/String;"
);
}
void MediaController_PlaybackInfo::writeToParcel(android::os::Parcel arg0, jint arg1) const
{
callMethod<void>(
"writeToParcel",
"(Landroid/os/Parcel;I)V",
arg0.object(),
arg1
);
}
} // namespace android::media::session
|
package com.bx.erp.event;
import com.bx.erp.model.BaseModel;
import com.bx.erp.model.ErrorInfo;
import com.bx.erp.model.RetailTradePromoting;
import com.bx.erp.utils.StringUtils;
import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
import org.json.JSONArray;
import org.json.JSONException;
import org.json.JSONObject;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
public class RetailTradePromotingHttpEvent extends BaseHttpEvent {
private Logger log = Logger.getLogger(this.getClass());
@Override
public void onEvent() {
StringUtils.printCurrentFunction("getRequestType()", getRequestType());
do {
if (lastErrorCode != ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_NoError) {
setLastErrorCode(lastErrorCode);
log.info("网络请求错误，" + lastErrorCode);
break;
}
//
JSONObject jsonObject = parseError(getResponseData());
if (jsonObject == null || getLastErrorCode() == ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_DuplicatedSession) {
break;
}
//
if (getLastErrorCode() != ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_NoError) {
break;
}
switch (getRequestType()) {
case ERT_RetailTradePromoting_Create:
handleCreate(jsonObject);
break;
case ERT_RetailTradePromoting_CreateN:
handleCreateN(jsonObject);
break;
default:
log.info("Not yet implemented!");
throw new RuntimeException("Not yet implemented!");
}
} while (false);
//让调用者不要再等待
setStatus(BaseEvent.EnumEventStatus.EES_Http_Done);
setEventProcessed(true);
}
private void handleCreate(JSONObject jsonObject) {
try {
JSONObject joPromotion = jsonObject.getJSONObject(BaseModel.JSON_OBJECT_KEY);
RetailTradePromoting rt = new RetailTradePromoting();
if (rt.parse1(joPromotion.toString()) == null) {
log.info("CREATE:Failed to parse RetailTradePromoting!");
setLastErrorCode(ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_OtherError);
} else {
log.info("ERT_RetailTradePromoting_Create得到的对象是：" + rt.toString());
setBaseModel1(rt);
}
if (sqliteBO != null) {
sqliteBO.onResultCreate(rt);
}
setLastErrorCode(ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_NoError);
} catch (JSONException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
setLastErrorCode(ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_OtherError);
log.info("同步失败，失败原因：" + e.getMessage());
}
}
private void handleCreateN(JSONObject jsonObject) {
try {
JSONArray jsonArray = jsonObject.getJSONArray(BaseModel.JSON_OBJECTLIST_KEY);
RetailTradePromoting retailTradePromoting = new RetailTradePromoting();
List<BaseModel> retailTradePromotingList = new ArrayList<>();
retailTradePromotingList = (List<BaseModel>) retailTradePromoting.parseN(jsonArray);
if (retailTradePromotingList == null) {
log.info("CreateN: Failed to parse RetailTradePromoting!");
setLastErrorCode(ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_OtherError);
} else {
log.info("ERT_RetailTradePromoting_CreateN得到的对象是：" + retailTradePromotingList.toString());
setListMasterTable(retailTradePromotingList);
if (sqliteBO != null) {
sqliteBO.onResultCreateN(retailTradePromotingList);
}
setLastErrorCode(ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_NoError);
}
} catch (Exception e) {
e.printStackTrace();
setLastErrorCode(ErrorInfo.EnumErrorCode.EC_OtherError);
log.info("同步失败，失败原因：" + e.getMessage());
}
}
}
|
/* { dg-lto-do link } */
/* { dg-require-visibility "hidden" } */
/* { dg-require-effective-target fpic } */
/* { dg-require-effective-target shared } */
/* { dg-extra-ld-options { -shared } } */
/* { dg-lto-options { { -fPIC -fvisibility=hidden -flto } } } */
void foo (void *p, void *q, unsigned s)
{
__builtin_memcpy (p, q, s);
}
|
Reducing social inequalities in access to overweight and obesity care management for adolescents: The PRALIMAP-INS trial protocol and inclusion data analysis Background Despite social inequalities in overweight/obesity prevalence, evidence-based public health interventions to reduce them are scarce. The PRALIMAP-INS trial aimed to investigate whether a strengthened-care management for adolescents with low socioeconomic status has an equivalent effect in preventing and reducing overweight as a standard-care management for high socioeconomic status adolescents. Methods PRALIMAP-INS was a mixed, prospective and multicenter trial including 35 state-run schools. It admitted overweight or obese adolescents, age 1318 years old, for 3 consecutive academic years. One-year interventions were implemented. Data were collected before (T0), after (T1) and post (T2) intervention. Among 2113 eligible adolescents who completed questionnaires, 1639 were proposed for inclusion and 1419 were included (220 parental refusals). Two groups were constituted according to the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) score: the less advantaged (FAS≤5) were randomly assigned to 2 groups in a 2/1 ratio. The 3 intervention groups were: advantaged with standard-care management (A.S, n = 808), less advantaged with standard-care management (LA.S, n = 196), and less advantaged with standard and strengthened-care management (LA.S.S, n = 415). The standard-care management was based on the patient education principle and consisted of 5 collective sessions. The strengthened-care management was based on the proportionate universalism principle and consisted of activities adapted to needs. Inclusion results The written parental refusal was less frequent among less advantaged and more overweight adolescents. A dramatic linear social gradient in overweight was evidenced. Discussion The PRALIMAP-INS outcomes should inform how effectively a socially adapted public health program can avoid worsening social inequalities in overweight adolescents attending school. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01688453). and unfavorable health behaviors likely persist into adulthood. Being overweight in adolescence has been identified as the best predictor of adult obesity. Adolescence is a crucial phase of the life cycle and should be targeted to prevent the development and persistence of obesity. In this context, the PRALIMAP trial was implemented between 2006 and 2010 in 24 state-run high schools in France to evaluate the effectiveness of 3 overweight and obesity prevention strategies (educational, screening and environmental). A structured screening strategy led to a significant decrease in overweight and obesity prevalence. Indeed, the 2-year change in outcomes was more favorable in the 12 screening and care high schools than the non-screening ones. The PRA-LIMAP data identified major social inequalities in overweight and obesity frequency in adolescents at grade 10 entry : nutritional knowledge and behaviors and body size indicators were less favorable (for example in adolescents for whom their parents or legal guardian were employees or workers (obesity 5.1% vs 2.6%)). Obesity is increasingly recognized worldwide as a social public health problem, and social disparities remain unabated in recent years, both for children and adults. Income is inversely related to obesity prevalence. The social gradient is visible between countries but also within countries and is clearly evidenced whatever the socioeconomic measurement: profession, level of education, family income and even perception of wealth. In 1997, the obesity prevalence among the poorest segment of the French population was 2.4 times that of the richest segment, this figure rising to 2.9 in 2012. The reasons for the widening health inequality gap remain elusive. The main modifiable risk factors for overweight and obesity (unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, etc.) are more common in socially disadvantaged than advantaged populations, both for adults and adolescents. However, more indirect factors may also be involved. Public health interventions may actually increase health inequalities. People who are vulnerable to obesity derive less benefits from interventions than those who are not vulnerable. Therefore, we need interventions that explicitly intend not to widen health inequalities but to tackle the different restraints induced by a socially less-advantaged context. The proportionate universalism idea appears to be a solution by implementing universal prevention activities addressing the whole population (universalism) and acting on each population category according to their needs (proportionality). However, the features of such interventions have yet to be validated and research on this topic is urgently needed. The objectives of the PRomotion de l'ALIMentation et de l'Activit Physique -INgalits de Sant trial (PRALIMAP-INS) were to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based intervention to address social inequalities in adolescents who are overweight and the impact of the interventions on adopting healthy behaviors, quality of life, anxiety and depression. Design of the PRALIMAP-INS trial The trial was based on three 2 2 non-independent comparisons: 1) strengthened-care management strategy for adolescents at low socioeconomic status vs standard-care management for those with high socioeconomic status (equivalence); 2) standard-care management for adolescents at high versus low socioeconomic status (superiority); and 3) strengthened-care vs standard-care management for adolescents at low socioeconomic status (superiority). PRALIMAP-INS was a mixed (partly quasi-experimental by socioeconomic status and partly experimental randomized with two-thirds and one-third socially less-advantaged adolescents) prospective and multicenter trial of overweight and obese adolescents aged 13 to 18 targeting grades 9 of middle school and 10 of high school for the academic years 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. The interventions were implemented during 1 academic year, and follow-up consisted of 3 visits over 2 academic years (Fig. 1). The PRALIMAP-INS trial has been approved by the French consultative committee for treatment of information in health research (no. 12.299), the French National Commission for Data Protection and Liberties (no. 912372) and the French Persons Protection Committee (no. 2012/15). This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01688453). Study setting and school recruitment The only eligibility criterion for schools was to be one of the 61 state administrative establishments in the Vosges department (North-Eastern France). All 22 high schools participated: 7 general and technological, 12 vocational and 3 mixed (general, technological and vocational courses). All had yet to meet the objective "Promoting the adolescents' health as a success condition" including the battle against overweight and physical inactivity, in the 2010-2013 academic project. In 2013-2014, 13 middle schools were committed to the project after a special request to 39 by the steering committee. In total, 35 schools participated. Recruitment and randomization Adolescents were recruited in 3 waves (2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years). During the first weeks of the recruitment year, an inclusion session was organized in each school by close collaboration between the school and the research teams. The school provided a dedicated area with 3 rooms equipped with inter-connected computers with an autonomous Wi-Fi network allowing for real-time sharing information between professionals and adolescents (for anthropometric measurements, questionnaires and medical visits). The following 3 steps were required to identify adolescents who met inclusion criteria (Fig. 2). The invited adolescents were measured (weight, height and waist circumference) by trained school nurses and/or clinical research nurses. If the immediate computer-calculated BMI was greater than the IOTF thresholds for overweight reduced by 1 kg/m 2 for age and gender and/or the waist circumference was greater than the McCarthy cut-off values for age and gender, the adolescent was invited to proceed with the next step. Self-administered questionnaire collection The eligible adolescents were asked to complete questionnaires directly on the computer to collect the following information. Sociodemographic characteristics: Data were collected on date of birth, gender, grade, social and professional class of the family head at entry of the adolescent into grade 9 or 10, school boarding status (nonboarder, half-boarder or full boarder), parents' occupational status, adolescent's perception of their parents' weight status and physical activity practice, and family income, as well as the WHO Family Affluence Scale (FAS) score. FAS was used to define the social level through four simple questions exploring availability of a personal bedroom, of family cars and computers and opportunities for family holidays. It provided a score ranging from 0 to 9 and was then dichotomized: an "advantaged" social level was FAS score > 5 and a "less advantaged" level was FAS score ≤5 (merging the low and medium classes proposed by Boyce W et al. ). Sociodemographic data (social and professional class of family head, residence code and family composition) were compiled from the Board of Education database but were not available at inclusion for social status appreciation but only by midyear. Lifestyle and nutritional (diet and physical activity) attitudes and behaviors: Diet was measured by a food frequency questionnaire. Physical activity and sedentary behavior were measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Alcohol and tobacco consumption were investigated. An additional question explored the adolescent's needs for excess weight management. Health: The EAT-26, a self-administered questionnaire with responses on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (never) to 6 (always), screened for anorexic and bulimia symptoms. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HAD) screened for anxiety and depression symptoms with 14 items on a 4-point Likert scale (range 0-3). The Kidscreen, a 10-item generic self-administered questionnaire explored perceived health and quality of life. Medical visit Physicians reviewed the anthropometric measurements and questionnaire results on a dedicated computer. They checked the previous measurements, re-measured the adolescent (weight, height, and waist circumference) as required and finally confirmed or not the weight excess. The weight excess was defined by BMI greater than the IOTF for age and gender and/or a waist circumference greater than the McCarthy cut-off values for age and gender. If the weight excess was not confirmed and no eating disorder was suspected (overall EAT-26 score greater than the 17 cut-off values recommended by the authors ) and the adolescent did not request excess weight management, the physician simply explained the results and entered the weight, height and BMI scores in the adolescent health book. If the weight excess was confirmed according to the anthropometric criteria but was disconfirmed by the clinical examination (athletic adolescent) and if the overweight history and if the adolescent situation were judged not appropriate for intervention, the physician explained the results and might refer the adolescent to the general practitioner (GP). If the weight excess was confirmed, an eating disorder was suspected, or the adolescent requested excess weight management, the physician then explained the results of the different measurements and entered weight, height and BMI scores in the adolescent health book; collected any necessary additional information (name of the family doctor, history of overweight, motivations etc.); and proposed that the adolescent be included in the care program implemented in the school. Once the social status was defined, the computer software automatically allocated the adolescent to the intervention: if the social status was "advantaged", the adolescent was allocated to the standardcare management, advantaged with standard-care management (A.S); if the social status was "less advantaged", the adolescent was randomly assigned as follows: one third to standard-care management, less advantaged with standard-care management (LA.S), and two thirds to strengthened-care management, less advantaged with standard and strengthened-care management (LA.S.S). We performed a block (size 6) randomization stratified on the school. Ethics, consent and permissions The physician gave the adolescent 3 letters showing the results of the different measurements: one for the adolescent, one for the parents (including a reply slip for refusing or accepting the proposal to be in the trial) and one for the GP. The adolescent was included in the trial unless parents expressed a written refusal for participation in the interventions. Interventions Standard-care management, according to the validated PRALIMAP trial was proposed for all adolescents, while strengthened-care management intending to address barriers was proposed for only socially less-advantaged adolescents of the LA.S.S group. The activities of strengthened-care management were developed and validated during a multidisciplinary workshop that took place on April 3, 2012 and brought together researchers and experts in nutrition, physical activity and health inequality as well as health professionals and school staff. A logic model guided the planning and execution of the PRALIMAP-INS interventions. The logic model allowed the research team to systematically identify essential resources needed for implementing all program activities and to consider related, specific anticipated outcomes. Each component included activities and indicators to allow for evaluation. The logic model also created a pictorial map of entities participating during the planned year of the program. It also provided a framework during the intervention years and subsequent program implementation. An additional table file displayed the model in more details . Standard-care management Five 2-hr sessions were scheduled around the themes of healthy eating and physical activity. They were led by a multidisciplinary team including a dietician, a psychologist and a professional in physical activity. These professionals belong to a health network specialized in the management of overweight and obesity in adolescence (Association Vosgienne des Rseaux de Sant , UFOLEP, Profession Sport Animation, Saphyr). The sessions were set up in each school with upstream planning to account for the specificities of the schools. The school nurse was invited to contribute to the sessions. The adolescents were reminded to participate in sessions via text message (SMS) sent by the Local Health Insurance Fund of Vosges. The intervention logic was to progressively move adolescents to independence to overcome various obstacles. The sessions involved acquisition and/or maintenance of skills to better understand healthy eating and physical activity aspects and welfare; support to formulate micro-objectives; critiquing their own practices; the use of tools and animation techniques enhancing autonomy and sense of self-efficacy. The objectives adolescents might achieve during the collective sessions are in Table 1. Strengthened-care management Adapted activities were offered to less-advantaged adolescents for overcoming barriers attributable to health inequalities in diet and physical activity behaviors. Oral invitation and explanation To overcome barriers to writing, parents were contacted by phone by TNL Marketing before the care management activities to give them details about the PRALIMAP-INS trial. Next, when an adolescent was absent from an activity, the family was contacted to encourage participation in the next sessions and to understand the reasons for nonparticipation. Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings The MDT meetings were elaborated on the model developed in oncology care management. The MDT meetings aimed at changing professionals' perceptions and practice regarding less-advantaged adolescents. Each meeting gathered together PRALIMAP-INS trial professionals, school medical doctors and nurses; AVRS dieticians, psychologists and physical activity practitioners; specialized obesity professionals; and if available, the adolescent's GP. Three meetings were held to propose and follow up activities adapted to the adolescent's needs. At the first meeting, the weight history of the adolescent and sociodemographic and school characteristics were presented and shared, relying on the data collected during the adolescent's inclusion and the first collective session in addition to the school data. The information pooling aimed to assess the adolescent's resources, difficulties and priorities, appointed a resource person, and guided the adolescent toward one or several of the strengthened-care management activities and/or other care if necessary. The second meeting took place in the middle of the academic year and aimed to assess the activities joined by the adolescent, identified the adolescent's difficulties in terms of the key determinants of social and health inequalities, made adjustments if necessary and guided the adolescent toward other settings (adolescents facing great difficulties such as severe obesity, severe forms of anxiety or depression, severe eating disorders etc. were given external care and support). The third meeting took place at the end of the academic year and overall aimed to assess each care and support session as well as outline recommendations to be followed in the future by the adolescent, the parents and the GP. Motivational interviewing Motivational interviewing was a particular type of interview based on a style of communication that specifically focuses on the person to increase personal motivation by exploring and resolving ambivalences in discourse. The benefits of motivational interviewing have been established for all therapeutic situations in which ambivalence and motivation are at the center of a change process. Coping with ambivalence and building and sustaining motivation were especially difficult for less-advantaged adolescents. The motivational approach is two-phased, helping the adolescent build up motivation for change and eventually strengthening the adolescent's motivation to implement change. The coaches were psychologists (MSc degree) and received special training in motivational interviewing. Five sessions were offered and each focuses on a particular theme. The first session explored the general ambivalences related to change that the adolescent experiences. The second explored social relationships likely to affect the change process (social support/social pressure/self-assertion). The third session set the focus on physical activity and how physical activity was experienced, to allow a discourse of change to emerge and a decrease in resistance to change. The fourth session followed the same objectives but explored eating behaviors. The fifth and final session aimed to reinforce feelings of personal efficacy and selfesteem. The adolescent was encouraged to explore emotional management, self-control and respect of one's body through resonant breathing biofeedback (cardiac coherence), a technique in which slow regular breathing harmonizes the heart rate. Physical activity motivational interviewing The interview was held face to face for a 1 h by a trained physical activity professional. Following the first MDT meeting, the adolescent was invited to the interview via a direct text message (SMS) or the school nurse. The objectives were to identify and overcome, with the adolescent, barriers to physical activity and non-sedentary lifestyle, to feel pleasure doing physical activity and to find avenues and solutions appropriate to the environment and desires. The exchange focused on addressing leisure time, passions, and projects as well as physical activity and sedentary behavior representations. Sporting good and National Union School Sport (UNSS) coupon Table 1 Objectives to be achieved by adolescents during the collective sessions. To overcome financial difficulties, win-win partnerships with a physical activity trading name and UNSS associations have been established. The adolescent chose a sporting good, up to a 40-Euro maximum value, including clothing and/or devices meant for a physical activity from a specifically designed catalogue. The PRALIMAP-INS coordination team delivered the chosen lot to the school nurse to be given to the adolescent. In every school, the UNSS association offered sport activities complementary to those of the curriculum. The residual financial participation was borne by the program with the UNSS coupon. The UNSS corresponding physical education and sports teacher in the school was encouraged to implement adapted physical activities. Local physical activity directory To favor access to information, a leaflet was created with the help of the Departmental Direction of Social Cohesion and Populations Protection and provided the physical activities available locally along with their financial support schemes. It was mailed to the adolescent's home accompanied by an explanation letter. The local physical activity directory constituted with the specific motivational interviewing, the sporting good and the UNSS coupon what was called the physical activity package. Food workshops Food workshops, performed after the collective sessions, consisted of 2 sessions of 1.5 h each supervised by a dietician in school and intended for small groups of adolescents invited by the school nurse and by text message (SMS). The main activity was to prepare cheap, healthy, tasteful and enjoyable meals. The objective was to make the adolescent eat mindfully, with pleasure and without guilt or losing control, and to promote a nutritional culture and environment. Adolescents created a recipe booklet together for budget meals. Peer health promotion Two experimental peer education approaches were implemented to encourage healthy eating and physical activity via peer motivation. Being encouraged by peers of low socioeconomic status was expected to counteract the social and cultural differences that exist between adolescents of low socioeconomic status and the health professionals delivering the activities. ○ Social media activities A social media activity using Facebook © was offered during the 2012 and 2013 academic years. The adolescent was invited to join a dedicated Facebook © group. Two nutritional challenges, one on physical activity and one on diet, were posted on the group page on a weekly basis and the adolescent could sign up for a challenge by clicking the "like" feature of Facebook ©. A point system encouraged group members to share their experiences, support other members and propose their own nutrition challenges, thereby becoming digital peers. ○ Peer facilitators Peer facilitators were selected in 2013, received training and then had to organize nutritional activities with selected peers. Peer facilitators were selected by the following criteria: an ability to control their weight as evaluated by a physician, motivation to become peer facilitators and an FAS score ≤5 suggesting that they were of similar socioeconomic background as the peers they would be organizing activities with. Peer facilitators received a 2hr training at the beginning of the academic year and were assigned a small group of peers. As a group, they were encouraged to develop activities based on the common interests of each particular peer group to pursue together during the academic year. Peer facilitators were contacted by a member of the PRALIMAP-INS team on a regular basis for follow-up and support in the form of telephone calls as well as text messages (SMS). They were also rewarded for their time and effort with a certificate at the end of the academic year. Hospital specialized management of obesity Implemented in the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years, hospital specialized management of obesity was proposed to the adolescent with proven obesity after the first MDT meeting. The aim was to improve access to highly specialized medicine for obesity-related problems. The first step consisted in facilitating, planning, organizing and coordinating coming to the specialized center. The travel expenses were paid by the Vosges health insurance with prevention funding. The organization and planning were performed by a coordinating nurse specially recruited for this task as part of the PRALIMAP-INS trial. Once at the specialized center, the adolescent benefited from a multidisciplinary approach combining a complete biomedical check-up and an adapted care focused on patient therapeutic education. In addition to the complete biomedical examination, the adolescent underwent a full day of tests and interviews (dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; blood tests designed to detect metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, liver metabolic diseases; electrocardiogram; pulmonary function tests; analysis of food practices; search for eating disorders etc.). The adolescent met endocrinologist and nutritionist, dietician and psychologist. After the check-up, a specialized care was proposed to the adolescent and the family (education in changing lifestyles, cognitive-behavioral therapies, psychological support, family therapy, etc.). Additional visits were proposed according to the check-up issues. Two specialized centers were considered referral centers for this expertise: 1) the regional specialized center of obesity care located at Nancy University Hospital (Diabetology, Metabolic diseases and Nutrition Unit) and the Diabetology and Nutrition Unit of Saint Die Hospital. Follow-up visits At the end of the intervention (end of grade 9 or 10), the adolescent was invited for a follow-up visit (T1). During the check-up, anthropometric measurements (weight, height, waist circumference) and selfadministered questionnaires (the same as in the inclusion session plus transition questions completed for each of the outcome categories and a program participation and satisfaction questionnaire) were collected. The data collection was organized in each school on the same principle as for the inclusion session one. A post-intervention follow-up visit (T2), similar to T1, was executed (whatever school the student was in) 1 year after the end of the intervention (Fig. 1). Process data collection Process data, including quantitative and qualitative measures of participation and intervention delivery, was intended for estimating an intervention dose. In health promotion programs, particularly those conducted within the framework of controlled trials, the level to which interventions are implemented must be considered when interpreting outcomes. Extensive process evaluation was considered a main part of the trial. It aimed to document how schools have implemented the intervention and how adolescents received it. Other process aimed were to collect information on the provision and receipt of the standard-and strengthened-care management, determine the extent of possible contamination between adolescents, and report on the experience and impact of PRALIMAP-INS. Thus 2 domainsimplementation and participationwere explored according to quality and quantity and from 4 points of view: adolescents, mobile team of healthcare network specialized in nutrition, school professionals and research team. The process data were collected by observation, interviews, and self-administered questionnaires. Observation: Members of the research team observed the key processes in the intervention implementation in every school and documented the processes in activity reports. The observation included meetings with school professionals, sign-off sheets from group educational sessions and sheets reporting adverse events. Meetings were organized each year, were conducted by the PRALIMAP-INS team and aimed to ensure and follow up the performance of activities and uphold the dynamics of the school's investment in the process. To monitor adolescents' participation in the sessions, sign-off sheets were signed and returned by the mobile team of healthcare network specialized in nutrition. Anyone (school professional, mobile team, PRALIMAP-INS team etc.) could report an adverse event (i.e., difficulties attending appointments, absence from activities, refusal to participate, lack of documents) to better understand the implementation, implantation, delivery and participation in the program. Interview: Each year, the PRALIMAP-INS process evaluation group used a semi-structured interview guide to independently interview school professionals (school nurses and director) and mobile team professionals. The aim was to gather information about the content, delivery and stakeholders' appreciation of the PRALIMAP-INS activities (i.e., what was done and how it was done, what stakeholders liked and disliked, the pros and cons of the activities, their degree of satisfaction with the program, their appraisal of the benefit for adolescents, and recommendations to improve the program). Self-administered questionnaires: For each collective session and each individual activity, a satisfaction questionnaire was completed by adolescents. A year-specific appreciation questionnaire was included in the T1 adolescent report form. The survey aimed to explore adolescents' perception of the PRALIMAP-INS trial (i.e., interactions with PRALIMAP-INS team, health and high school professionals; participation in PRALIMAP-INS activities; what they liked and disliked; and how they perceived PRALIMAP-INS as a whole). Data management quality control A Microsoft Access-based information system was developed to warehouse data (Microsoft Access ®, 2007). It allowed adolescents, nurses and physicians to directly complete data on a computer; data were then stored on a secured server. To ensure quality data collection, adolescents were assisted by a technician when completing questionnaires and a quality data control was computationally planned. The Board of Education and the adolescent's identification and socio-demographic data were crosschecked. Anthropometry The anthropometric outcomes were: changes from T0 to T1 in BMI, BMI z-score, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) ; T1 BMI deviation from the T0 position curve; and overweight prevalence according to international cut-off values, WHtR > 0.5 cut-off and high waist circumference. Combined BMI and waist circumference outcomes were considered. The main judgment criterion was change in BMI z-score. Nutritional, attitudes and behaviors Food frequency questionnaire was especially designed in France to assess the adherence to French guidelines for fruits and vegetables, dairy products, starchy food, drinks, sugar foods, meat, and fish. The IPAQ assessed the frequency (days per week) and duration (minutes) of walking and moderate and vigorous physical activity during the previous 7 days. Physical activity level was defined as low, moderate or high according the IPAQ scoring guidelines. Practicing at least 1 h of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day corresponded to French Program National Nutrition Sant (PNNS) recommendations for adolescents. Practicing at least 1 h of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day with a minimum of 3 days of vigorous physical activity per week corresponds to WHO recommendations for adolescents. For sitting time, the frequency (days per week) and duration (minutes) and context (school days, weekend, school, transportation, screen-viewing, other leisure-time) were assessed. A sedentary behavior was defined by the daily number of hours spent sitting. Health The EAT-26 explored 4 dimensions of dieting, bulimia/food preoccupation, oral control and overall eating disorder. Scores were calculated and the cut-off values used are those recommended by the authors. The HAD scale has acceptable psychometric properties in the general population. The total score was the sum of the scores on the 14 items, and for each of the 2 subscales, the score was the sum of the scores for the respective 7 items. The Kidscreen provided a global perceived health appreciation on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (excellent to bad) and a 10-item quality of life score. High score on the 0-100 scale indicates good quality of life. To facilitate interpretation, all health scores were normalized to a 0-100 scale. Transition questions Outcomes transition questions provided the adolescents' perception of change and were answered on a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5 (much better to much worse or yes a lot to not at all). Sample size and smallest detectable difference According to the characteristics of the participating high schools, approximately 3800 students attended grade 10 each academic year. Two waves of inclusion (2012/2013 and 2013/2014) were initially planned in each high school, corresponding to a total of 7600 expected students. According to the previous PRALIMAP study, 20% of adolescents were expected to meet the inclusion criteria and 10% were expected to refuse to participate. Under these conditions, we expected to be able to include 1250 adolescents over 2 years: 620 in the A.S group, 210 in the LA.S group and 420 in the LA.S.S group. Thus, the smallest detectable difference (SDD) was calculated with this sample size. The SDD for the BMI z-score (main judgment criterion) was calculated with a 5% type I error and 80% power and assuming a normal distribution of the 1-year change and a 0.44 common standard deviation (SD). For the first comparison of the primary objective (620 A.S vs 420 LA.S.S), we were able to detect an absolute true difference of 0.078 in mean BMI z-score change between the 2 groups. A 0.7 SD of change limits was chosen for every equivalent test (primary or secondary objectives). For the second comparison (620 A.S vs 210 LA.S), we were able to detect an absolute true difference of 0.099 in mean BMI z-score change between the 2 groups. For the first comparison (420 LA.S.S vs 210 LA.S), we were able to detect an absolute true difference of 0.104 in mean BMI z-score change between the 2 groups. Given the insufficient inclusion rate during the first academic year, to reach the expected sample size, adolescents attending grade 9 in the 13 committed middle schools were incorporated in the inclusion process and we added a third inclusion wave. Statistical analysis Baseline characteristics were described in a flow chart with different samples to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity, search for a health social gradient, search for a possible selection bias due to parental refusal and described the initial characteristics of the PRALIMAP-INS study sample. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was determined among all adolescents attending grades 9 and 10 who were measured at the inclusion session. Baseline social inequalities in health (social gradient) were investigated among eligible adolescents who completed the questionnaire and participated in the medical visit to confirm the hypothesis of important social inequalities in health and overweight among state-run school adolescents. Among adolescents proposed for inclusion, comparing included and not included adolescents (written parental refusal) aimed to seek for the existence of a selection bias related to parental ability to accept or refuse this kind of intervention. Continuous and discrete variables were described with mean ± SD and categorical variables with percentages. Statistical comparison involved use of Student t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, Wilcoxon signed ranks test for continuous or discrete variables and Pearson chi-square test for categorical variables as appropriate, and use of logistic or linear multivariate regression models using a stepwise variable selection method. To respond to the purposes of PRALIMAP-INS, longitudinal analyses will compare the T1-T0 changes in the intervention groups 2 by 2 in accordance with intent-to-treat principle, regardless of adolescents' participation and degree of compliance with interventions. Adolescents' participation over the intervention and follow-up period will be described by a flow chart according to the CONSORT statement and analyzed for possible selection bias especially along with social status. The first comparison of the primary objective analysis (A.S vs LA.S.S) will consist of an equivalence test. For the second and third comparisons (A.S vs LA.S and LA.S vs LA.S.S), superiority analyses will involve mixed models accounting for the potential confounding factors identified in the previous steps and the hierarchical (possible school and wave random effects) and longitudinal nature of the data. An unstructured correlation matrix will be initially specified and the existence of a more appropriate specific correlation structure based on the data at hand will be. Additional analyses concerning changes in secondary outcomes (anthropometric, nutritional, attitudes and behaviors, health, transition questions) will involve models similar to those specified for the primary outcomes. The dose of intervention adolescents received will be estimated by the process evaluation in terms of a score for participation quantity and quality and will be used in "In treatment approach" analyses. Post-intervention T2-T1 analyses will involve the same model to investigate the sustainability of the intervention effects. Flow chart of the PRALIMAP-INS inclusion process The flow chart of the inclusion process is in Fig. 2. A total of 10,279 adolescents were attending grades 9 and 10 in the 35 schools during the inclusion period. 8735 (85%) had available baseline weight and height measurement, and among them, 6393 completed the anthropometric measurement session with the waist assessment. Among the latter adolescents, 2282 (35.7%) were eligible for answering questionnaires and a medical visit. Of these, 2113 attended the medical visit and 1639 (77.5%) were proposed for inclusion; 220 were not included after the receipt of written parental refusal (inclusion rate 86.5%). A total of 1419 adolescents were definitively included, 1358 with weight excess (1117 according to BMI whatever the WC and 241 exclusively according to WC) and 61 only on health or demand criteria. The adolescents were distributed across the 3 groups of the PRALIMAP-INS trial as follows: 808 A.S, 415 LA.S.S and 196 LA.S. The proportion of parental refusal did not differ by intervention groups. Baseline corpulence indicators among measured adolescents (n = 8735) Indicators for state-run adolescents in the Vosges department were estimated among all adolescents with available measures ( Table 2). Mean (SD) BMI and BMI z-scores were 21.1 (3.8) kg/m 2 and 0.13 (1.1), respectively, with an 18.4% overweight and obesity prevalence. The mean (SD) waist circumference was 74.7 (11.0) cm and 28.8% of adolescents had a high waist circumference according to the McCarthy classification. The mean (SD) WHtR was 0.45 (0.06) and 12.5% had a high WHtR. Corpulence indicators were higher for girls than boys (21.3 vs 20.9, p < 0.0001 for BMI; 0.15 vs 0.10, p = 0.04 for BMI z-score; 0.46 vs 0.44, p < 0.0001 for WHtR; 37.5% vs 20.2%, p < 0.0001 for high waist circumference). Boys and girls did not differ in overweight and obesity prevalence. Regarding the school type, all indicators were significantly higher for adolescents attending vocational high school than thus attending general high school or middle school. Baseline social inequalities in health among eligible completers (n = 2113) The FAS score was categorized in 5 classes: highly less advantaged; less advantaged, intermediate, advantaged and highly advantaged ( Table 3). Mean FAS score decreased consistently from 6.7 to 4.5 with the social and professional class of the family. The social gradient was striking for the benefits of advantaged adolescents. Among the 2113 adolescents, 72 (3.4%) were highly less advantaged and 133 (6.3%) highly advantaged, whereas the intermediate class was the most represented (n = 871; 41.2%). High social origins reflect better mastery of corpulence. The higher the social level, the lower the BMI (from 26.9 to 24.8 kg/m 2, p < 0.0001), BMI z-score (from 1.62 to 1.31, p = 0.005), WHtR (from 0.53 to 0.49, p < 0.0001) and obesity prevalence (from 26.4% to 6.8%, p = 0.001). The corpulence social gradient was consistent with other health characteristics: perceived general health (p < 0.0001), depression risk (p < 0.0001), quality of life (p = 0.003), fruits and vegetables consumption (p < 0.0001), sugary foods (p = 0.01) and proportion achieving physical activity guidelines (p = 0.0003 for French guidelines and p < 0.0001 for WHO guidelines). Conversely, high social class was associated with higher consumption alcohol (p < 0.0001). No social gradient was evidence for sitting time duration, health disorders and anxiety risk. Written parental refusal among adolescents proposed for inclusion (n = 1639) Among the 1639 adolescents proposed for inclusion, 220 were not included because of parental refusal (13.4% refusal rate) (Fig. 2). Written parental refusal was significantly associated, in multivariate regression, with age (odds ratio 0.8 for a one half-year increase), gender (girls: OR 2.1 ), school type (attending general high school: OR 1.5 ) and social and professional class of the family (Lower among farmers, craftsmen and workers compared to executives) ( Table 4). Among weight indicators, only WHtR significantly predicted the written parental refusal (OR for 0.1 WHtR increase: 0.7 ). The probability of parental refusal was lower among adolescents with high eating disorder risks. Food consumption frequency, physical activity practice, sedentary behavior and other health indicators (smoking status, perceived general health and anxiety and depression risks) did not predict written parental refusal. Thus the participation was all the more so as the needs increased. Baseline characteristics of included adolescents (n = 1419) The 3 arms baseline characteristics are displayed in Table 5. Overall, 808 (49.3%) of adolescents were considered socially advantaged and included in the A.S group, 611 less advantaged adolescents were included either in the LA.S group (n = 196; 12%) or (n = 415; 25,3%) in the LA.S.S group. The mean (SD) age was 15.3 (0.7) in the A.S group, which was mostly composed of girls (54.1%), half-boarders (55.8%), general high schools attendees (49.9%), K. Legrand et al. Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications 7 141-157 adolescents living with both parents (89.5%) and those perceiving their family income level as high (52.6%). The mean (SD) BMI was 26.3 (3.6) kg/m 2 for advantaged adolescents, 19.1% were obese (frequency of obesity among included adolescents) and 87.9% had a high waist circumference. They had a high level of fruits and vegetable consumption; 80% and 27.7% achieved the PNNS and the WHO physical activity guidelines, respectively; and 58.7% had a leisure-time sport practice. Among them, 28.1% were at high risk of eating disorders, 4% had a moderate or high risk of depression and 37.2% perceived their general health as very good or excellent. Compared to advantaged adolescents, less-advantaged adolescents were older (mean age 15.4 for LA.S and 15.5 for LA.S.S) and more often attended vocational high schools, lived in single-parent family and had parents who were mostly workers. They also exhibited more important weight excess (whatever indicators), a higher consumption of sugary foods and a lower physical activity level. Other health indicators were less favorable for less-advantaged than advantaged adolescents. Discussion The PRALIMAP-INS interventional research associated a large public health screening program involving more than 10,000 adolescents in 35 schools with a mixed prospective trial to determine the effectiveness of a strengthened-care management strategy to prevent overweight and obesity in socially less-advantaged adolescents. Although school-based interventions are not scarce, the reduction of social inequalities is not systematically addressed and when addressed, the usual approaches are observational studies describing inequalities or targeted interventions implemented in low-income communities schools [48, or universal interventions with effects compared by socioeconomic status. PRALIMAP-INS intended to address the effectiveness of the proportionate universalism strategy applied at the individual level according to socioeconomic status. The final aim was to determine whether overweight interventions adapted to socioeconomic status could reduce or at least avoid the aggravation of social inequalities as compared with universalism prevention. In this perspective, the best design appeared to be as follows: ♦ Easy collection of socioeconomic status near the adolescents themselves. For this purpose, the FAS was chosen for its shortness and validity demonstrated in the HBSC study. For the purpose of randomization, the FAS score was dichotomized (cut-off = 5) for practical reasons The two groups were balanced, regarding their frequency in France and a sufficient variability in the level of affluence was reached for offering strengthened care. Nevertheless, during the follow-up course, the interventions might be further adapted to the social status during the MDT meetings. ♦ The main comparison of advantaged adolescents receiving standardcare to less-advantaged adolescents receiving standard care plus strengthened-care management could only and obviously be quasiexperimental (the socioeconomic status cannot be changed by the researchers, the interventions and their implementation are controlled by the researchers) and had to be formulated as an equivalence comparison (doing as well). ♦ The experimental comparison (randomized assignment to standard or strengthened care within the less-advantaged group only) allowed for detecting the superiority of the strengthened activities among less-advantaged adolescents. ♦ Finally, a quasi-experimental comparison of advantaged and lessadvantaged adolescents receiving the same standard universal intervention intended to confirm whether advantaged adolescents benefit more from interventions. Initially scheduled over 2-year waves and only in high school (grade 10), the trial has been extended over 3 years and to middle school students (grade 9) because the first-year inclusion rate was lower than expected. The main reason was the disappointing height and weight declaration prerequisite leading to numerous overweight adolescents being missed. From the second year, the declaration was eliminated and all adolescents were invited to be measured. Additionally, middle schools were committed. The modification of the strategy of inclusion after the first year did not change the implementation of activities but allowed for achieving the sample size. A good quality of the inclusion and follow-up data was warranted because of the unified procedure for collecting anthropometric, selfadministered questionnaire and medical visit data. The computer- P-value of chi-square (for categorical variables) or t-test (continuous variables) comparison between boys and girls (*) and school type (**). a Adolescents attending grads 9 or 10 who were measured (weight, height and waist circumference) during inclusion process. b International Obesity Task Force. c WHtR = waist circumference/height. assisted questionnaire completion was easier than the paper version and also, the adolescents are assisted by a trained technician. BMI and WC alone were insufficient to accurately diagnose overweight, especially among athletic adolescents, generally grouped in sport-curriculum classes, as shown by the 138 adolescents (29% of those not proposed for inclusion by the physician) of whom none were clinically diagnosed as overweight although fulfilling the BMI or WC criteria. Including a medical examination with BMI and WC measurements can help avoid misclassification and the proposition to participate in an inappropriate program. PRALIMAP-INS corresponded to usual-care research according to the French ethical rules. Thus, after information dissemination, only a written parental refusal was the final non-inclusion criterion. Such usual-care research facilitated access to the program especially for lessadvantaged adolescents because it did not require double parental consent. The non-requirement of parental consent associated with specific oral information given to LAS.S. adolescent parents may explain the non-significant difference in parental written refusal between less advantaged, Intermediate, Advantaged and the intervention groups. Moreover, the LAS.S. group showed a significantly higher written consent rate than the others (17.1% vs 10.2% (LA.S group) and 10.5% (A.S group), p = 0.002). Thus clear, oral and non-intrusive information appears to be a key to better inclusion acceptance in health promotion program directed to less-advantaged adolescents. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was, as expected, stable and was even slightly lower than in the previous study and in French national surveys and European surveys. During the last decades, the surveillance of child and adolescent overweight and major public health strategies to reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity at every age has resulted in a plateau (stability of adolescent overweight and obesity prevalence) during the 2000s in France, and the situation seems fairly favorable. However, this prevalence hides strong social inequalities in overweight and obesity and related behaviors and health status among adolescents, which are consistent with the cultural and behavioral approach of health inequalities. The difference in adolescents overweight prevalence between social classes reflects differences in health-related behaviors such as diet and physical activity, and our findings agreed, except for sedentary behavior. Indeed, we did not find any social gradient of sedentary behavior, as was suggested by Meilke et al.. However, the difference may be due to how the socioeconomic status of adolescents was assessed or because the PRALIMAP-INS trial concerned exclusively overweight or obese adolescents. Measuring health social gradient requires an optimal measure of social status with validated tools such as the FAS. The proportionate universalism approach considers the people not only at the bottom of the health gradient, but also all over the gradient, thereby ensuring that the impact is proportionately greater at the bottom end of the gradient. The PRALIMAP-INS trial was based on 4 of the 6 policy objectives required by Marmot et al. for reducing health inequalities : give every child the best start in life; enable all children, young people and adults to maximize their capabilities and have control over their lives; ensure healthy standard of living for all; and strengthen the role and impact of preventing ill health. One of the mechanisms by which the observed widening of health inequalities may operate in universal health interventions is social and cultural differences between health professionals delivering the intervention and the target audience. For adolescents, one way to counteract this social and cultural gap is by reaching adolescents of low socioeconomic status with similar peers in addition to interventions by health professionals, this was the basis of peer education. Some adjustments were made to adapted activities (strengthenedcare management) during the intervention. For example, the UNSS coupon, which was given to adolescents by their physician just after the medical visit during the first year, is then directly mailed to the adolescent's home. The sporting good was initially given as a 40-Euros voucher and then adolescents were asked to choose the good, which was brought to them by the trial group. All these adjustments aimed to enhance activity participation and were useful because they do not change the activity contents. In line with recommendations and in accordance with the previous PRALIMAP trial, the PRALMAP-INS trial was spread out over 1 year. A 1-year post-intervention evaluation was planned to investigate the continuing effect of the intervention, which aimed for medium term effectiveness. Choosing adolescents can ensure long-term effectiveness because the adolescence period corresponds to when the future adult develops responsibility for health-related behaviors and attitudes that affect their future health. Improving eating habits, physical activity and perceived health in adolescence is a major focus in overweight and obesity prevention because behaviors and habits initiated during this time are long-lasting. The school setting is considered a facilitator for implementing prevention program and may be a primary setting for obesity prevention efforts. The PRALIMAP-INS trial can be considered a pragmatic and complex intervention that needs effectiveness evaluation (outcomes change) and also an extensive and comprehensive process evaluation. The evaluation of processes involved in developing and implementing the intervention, the participation rate for all proposed activities, and the adherence and satisfaction with the intervention can help interpret observed relationships between the interventions and outcomes. Specific work is planned to provide an estimate of the dose of intervention by performing a per-protocol statistical analysis including the dose of each intervention received by each adolescent. In conclusion, the PRALIMAP-INS trial, a large public health program, is conceptually constructed on the proportionate universalism approach to decrease weight excess and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity in adolescents. The data so far from this trial show an important social gradient in prevalence of overweight as well as nutritional behaviors (diet and physical activity) and perceived health in favor of socially advantaged adolescents. The PRALIMAP-INS results could help in proposing the most effective evidence-based strategy for reducing the social gradient in body weight as well as in nutritional behaviors, eating habits and perceived health in adolescents. Authors' contributions SB is the principal investigator for the PRALIMAP-INS trial. EL is interventions head manager. AO, KL, JL, EL, LM, LS, PB and SB are outcomes and process evaluation managers. AO, KL and SB are statistical managers. AO, KL and SB drafted the manuscript. The PRALIMAP-INS trial group have the power to make all strategic decision and assure the cooperation between investigator teams and between field actors and investigator teams. All authors read and approved the final manuscript. SB is the paper guarantor. Competing interests The authors declare that they have no competing interests. Acknowledgments Many people worked together selflessly and enthusiastically to make the PRALIMAP-INS trial a success. The PRALIMAP-INS trial group warmly acknowledges the students and their parents who participated in the measurements and interventions and the school professionals (nurses, teachers, administrative staff, and headmasters' staff) who contributed to the recruitment of students and delivery of the interventions. Participating We warmly thank Mrs Henry-Wittmann and her statistical team of Nancy-Metz Academy Board of Education for making the required student database available. We thank all administrative and technical staff of the Nancy National conservatory of arts and crafts (CNAM), the Nancy School of Public Health, the Lorraine University EA 4360 APEAMAC team and the epidemiology and clinical evaluation department of Nancy University Hospital for their contribution to data collection, data entry and management, activity reporting, and logistic and |
The Texas House and Senate reconvened Tuesday for a brief special session called by Gov. Rick Perry House to discuss timekeeping measures. A recess was called until July 9, after the Independence Day holiday.
Twitchy reported:
Nothing much happened, but there was plenty of interest, as abortion advocates in orange shirts lined up to protest proposed limits on abortion after 20 weeks and stricter safety standards for abortion clinics. *** It would be difficult to argue that the pro-abortion crowd wasn’t an “unruly mob” — last week protesters shut down proceedings by screaming from the gallery and used social media to debate the legal consequences of rushing the floor. One protester was reportedly arrested after punching a state trooper who was clearing the gallery.
Texas blogger, Adam Cahn was there, and has a report and video from the scene where pro-life women shared their abortion related testimonies, and the pro abort mob responded with repeated chants of “hail Satan.” He notes that they had been chanting those words all day, but it took awhile to catch it on video.
Honestly, I don’t think there’s a clearer indication than this report, of who is on the side of the angels in the abortion debate, and who isn’t.
Update:
Wow, Hail Satan is trending on Twitter.
Good job, pro aborts!
Funny:
The same orange-clad abortion rights supporters who sent children to #StandWithWendy in Texas today holding signs like “Stay out of my mommy’s vagina” didn’t limit themselves to strictly scientific arguments for unrestricted access to abortion. Groups of protesters also countered pro-life groups’ prayers with chants of “Hail Satan.” |
<filename>supervised_learning/0x05-regularization/7-early_stopping.py
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""
Early stopping
"""
def early_stopping(cost, opt_cost, threshold, patience, count):
"""
early stopping
"""
if opt_cost - cost <= threshold:
count += 1
else:
count = 0
if count >= patience:
return True, count
return False, count
|
click image for close-up Two runaway slaves in a swamp, confronted by three vicious mastiffs, are the subject of this powerful painting by artist Richard Ansdell. The painting, entitled Hunted Slaves, was presented in 1861 at England's Royal Academy, where it was well-received by critics keenly aware of the Civil War taking place in the United States.
The literature accompanying the painting included an excerpt of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1842 anti-slavery poem, "The Dismal Swamp". . .
And a bloodhound's distant bay.
Like a wild beast in his lair. |
A nonmonotonic modal authorization logic for pervasive computing Modal logics have proven invaluable for authorization in distributed systems. The logics devised so far, however, are inadequate to meet the requirements of pervasive environments. Such environments are, in general, characterized as open systems in which computing and communication facilities are provided to human users in a dynamic manner. These features suggest the need for the modification of existing logics in two directions. First, users' capabilities being intrinsic to pervasive computing should be incorporated into the underlying modal logic. Second, the logic should be equipped with appropriate machinery so that it can deal with the imperfection in the information required for authorization. This paper has contributions in both directions. We present a logic that reflects how the capabilities of users change in different contexts. Nonmonotonicity is then added to the logic so that earlier decisions based on imperfect information can be retracted. The usefulness of our formulation is demonstrated through the added capacity it provides for specifying and enforcing access control policies in real-life environments. We also present a minimal model semantics that reflects nonmonotonicity through the way it gives meaning to the formulas of the logic. Finally, we propose a sound and complete decision procedure based on semantic tableaux. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
Object Detection and Tracking using Background Subtraction and Connected Component Labeling Digital image processing is one of the most researched fields nowadays. The ever increasing need of surveillance systems has further on made this field the point of emphasis. Surveillance systems are used for security reasons, intelligence gathering and many individual needs. Object tracking and detection is one of the main steps in these systems. Different techniques are used for this task and research is vastly done to make this system automated and to make it reliable. In this research subjective quality assessment of object detection and object tracking is discussed in detail. In the proposed system the background subtraction is done from the clean original image by using distortion of color and brightness. The subtracted image is then tracked using connected component labeling. The proposed system eliminates the shadow and provides 79% accuracy. |
#include<bits/stdc++.h>
using namespace std;
typedef long long ll;
typedef pair<int, int> pii;
inline int read() {
char c = getchar();
int ret = 0, f = 0;
for(; !isdigit(c); c = getchar())
if(c == '-') f = -1;
for(; isdigit(c); c = getchar())
ret = ret * 10 + c - '0';
return f ? -ret : ret;
}
#define b(i) (1 << (i))
int a[1 << 10][1 << 10], n;
int main() {
// freopen("test.in", "r", stdin);
a[1][1] = 0;
scanf("%d", &n);
for(int i = 1; i <= n; i++) {
/* for(int j = b(i); j >= 1; j -= 2)
memcpy(a[j], a[j / 2], sizeof a[j]);
for(int j = 2; j <= b(i); j += 2)
memcpy(a[j], a[j - 1], sizeof a[j]);*/
for(int j = 1; j <= b(i - 1); j++)
for(int k = 1; k <= b(i - 1); k++)
a[j + b(i - 1)][k] = a[j][k];
for(int j = 1; j <= b(i); j++) if(j > b(i - 1)) {
for(int k = 1; k <= b(i - 1); k++)
a[j][k + b(i - 1)] = a[j][k] ^ 1;
} else {
for(int k = 1; k <= b(i - 1); k++)
a[j][k + b(i - 1)] = a[j][k];
}
}
for(int i = 1; i <= b(n); i++) {
for(int j = 1; j <= b(n); j++)
putchar(a[i][j] ? '*' : '+');
puts("");
}
return 0;
}
|
I read how George, like his wife, Barbara, was a “people person” and a family man who cherished the democratic values that are so important here in Israel.
In this case, the buddy was my boss, the Israel Air Force commander who was slated to host an IDF display, including an air show, for a visit by US vice president George H.W. Bush in 1986.
I knew that 15 minutes would turn into at least a few days’ work, telling my two-star boss that we shouldn’t just give him our usual show but should use the opportunity to truly connect with him.
In those pre-Internet days, I turned to AIPAC’s Israel office, which briefed me on the VP’s history. I was captivated to learn how he went off to war immediately after Pearl Harbor and became one of the US Navy’s youngest aviators. Bush had an amazing war story, having been shot down in the Sea of Japan and rescued by a submarine. To his fortune, the sub was American and one of the sailors even captured his dramatic rescue on film.
The IAF commander then sent me to the commanders of Israel’s ground forces and navy, to help prepare their parts of the IDF display.
So, beyond emceeing the formal air show, I found myself escorting the vice president from the minute he stepped out of his helicopter together with defense minister Yitzhak Rabin. I reinforced key points about Israel’s military and carefully interjected humor. For example, when Mr. Bush squeezed into a sleek Merkava tank, I remarked that it was known as “the Yiddishe Mama tank” because it provided extra protection to the crews – an important lesson Israel had learned from its extensive battlefield experience.
SINCE THIS is Israel, despite all the security, I brought along my 10-year-old daughter, who was watching from a distance together with one of my junior officers. Barbara spotted this cute little girl with curly hair and Shirley Temple dress and waved her over, and was amazed to hear my daughter’s perfect English. From that moment they were BFFs, and Barbara had her sit by her side during the air show which was about to begin.
The aerial display opened with an F-16 roaring overhead. As emcee of the program, standing a few feet in front of the VIP section, I said over the PA system, “Mr. vice president, as one fighter pilot to another, welcome again to Hatzerim and I hope you enjoy the show.” He was all smiles as he relaxed into his chair.
That line made the front page of the next day’s New York Times.
Barbara answered, “No I’m calling from Kennebunkport. George and I snuck away from DC for the weekend and I’m catching up on calls. We saw your son in Israel with his little girl Nelly.” My Mom promptly corrected her: Nelly was Nili, named after the heroic Israeli underground group.
To both their credits Barbara and my mom then spent 45 minutes, saying how they missed their grandchildren and wishing their children could live closer to home ,but proud to see that their kids were carrying on their values.
As the world bids farewell, one thing stands out to me: George Bush was a man who loved and served his family and his country – a mentsch.
The writer is a reservist lieutenant-colonel who flew fighter jets in the US Air Force and was a career officer in the Israel Air Force, earning the IAF Commander’s Medal for a strategic reconnaissance mission to Iraq. |
<gh_stars>1-10
package xyz.igorgee.Api.Model;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import javax.annotation.Generated;
@Generated("org.jsonschema2pojo")
public class ModelResponse {
private String result;
private Integer modelId;
private Integer modelVersion;
private String title;
private String fileName;
private Integer contentLength;
private String fileMd5Checksum;
private String description;
private Integer isPublic;
private Integer isClaimaBle;
private Boolean isForSale;
private Integer isDownloadable;
private String secretKey;
private String claimKey;
private String defaultMAterialId;
private Urls urls;
private String spin;
private String printable;
private NextActionSuggestions nextActionSuggestions;
private Map<String, Object> additionalProperties = new HashMap<String, Object>();
/**
*
* @return
* The result
*/
public String getResult() {
return result;
}
/**
*
* @param result
* The result
*/
public void setResult(String result) {
this.result = result;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The modelId
*/
public Integer getModelId() {
return modelId;
}
/**
*
* @param modelId
* The modelId
*/
public void setModelId(Integer modelId) {
this.modelId = modelId;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The modelVersion
*/
public Integer getModelVersion() {
return modelVersion;
}
/**
*
* @param modelVersion
* The modelVersion
*/
public void setModelVersion(Integer modelVersion) {
this.modelVersion = modelVersion;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The title
*/
public String getTitle() {
return title;
}
/**
*
* @param title
* The title
*/
public void setTitle(String title) {
this.title = title;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The fileName
*/
public String getFileName() {
return fileName;
}
/**
*
* @param fileName
* The fileName
*/
public void setFileName(String fileName) {
this.fileName = fileName;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The contentLength
*/
public Integer getContentLength() {
return contentLength;
}
/**
*
* @param contentLength
* The contentLength
*/
public void setContentLength(Integer contentLength) {
this.contentLength = contentLength;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The fileMd5Checksum
*/
public String getFileMd5Checksum() {
return fileMd5Checksum;
}
/**
*
* @param fileMd5Checksum
* The fileMd5Checksum
*/
public void setFileMd5Checksum(String fileMd5Checksum) {
this.fileMd5Checksum = fileMd5Checksum;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The description
*/
public String getDescription() {
return description;
}
/**
*
* @param description
* The description
*/
public void setDescription(String description) {
this.description = description;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The isPublic
*/
public Integer getIsPublic() {
return isPublic;
}
/**
*
* @param isPublic
* The isPublic
*/
public void setIsPublic(Integer isPublic) {
this.isPublic = isPublic;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The isClaimaBle
*/
public Integer getIsClaimaBle() {
return isClaimaBle;
}
/**
*
* @param isClaimaBle
* The isClaima ble
*/
public void setIsClaimaBle(Integer isClaimaBle) {
this.isClaimaBle = isClaimaBle;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The isForSale
*/
public Boolean getIsForSale() {
return isForSale;
}
/**
*
* @param isForSale
* The isForSale
*/
public void setIsForSale(Boolean isForSale) {
this.isForSale = isForSale;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The isDownloadable
*/
public Integer getIsDownloadable() {
return isDownloadable;
}
/**
*
* @param isDownloadable
* The isDownloadable
*/
public void setIsDownloadable(Integer isDownloadable) {
this.isDownloadable = isDownloadable;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The secretKey
*/
public String getSecretKey() {
return secretKey;
}
/**
*
* @param secretKey
* The secretKey
*/
public void setSecretKey(String secretKey) {
this.secretKey = secretKey;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The claimKey
*/
public String getClaimKey() {
return claimKey;
}
/**
*
* @param claimKey
* The claimKey
*/
public void setClaimKey(String claimKey) {
this.claimKey = claimKey;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The defaultMAterialId
*/
public String getDefaultMAterialId() {
return defaultMAterialId;
}
/**
*
* @param defaultMAterialId
* The defaultM aterialId
*/
public void setDefaultMAterialId(String defaultMAterialId) {
this.defaultMAterialId = defaultMAterialId;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The urls
*/
public Urls getUrls() {
return urls;
}
/**
*
* @param urls
* The urls
*/
public void setUrls(Urls urls) {
this.urls = urls;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The spin
*/
public String getSpin() {
return spin;
}
/**
*
* @param spin
* The spin
*/
public void setSpin(String spin) {
this.spin = spin;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The printable
*/
public String getPrintable() {
return printable;
}
/**
*
* @param printable
* The printable
*/
public void setPrintable(String printable) {
this.printable = printable;
}
/**
*
* @return
* The nextActionSuggestions
*/
public NextActionSuggestions getNextActionSuggestions() {
return nextActionSuggestions;
}
/**
*
* @param nextActionSuggestions
* The nextActionSuggestions
*/
public void setNextActionSuggestions(NextActionSuggestions nextActionSuggestions) {
this.nextActionSuggestions = nextActionSuggestions;
}
public Map<String, Object> getAdditionalProperties() {
return this.additionalProperties;
}
public void setAdditionalProperty(String name, Object value) {
this.additionalProperties.put(name, value);
}
}
|
Q:
Avoid spam in contact forms
In one site I'm getting a lot of spam via a contact form created with Freeform. Is there a good solution, besides adding a CAPTCHA?
A:
I would recommend using either snaptcha or honeepot as they are both unobtrusive captchas that the end user never sees. They are also very very effective.
A:
There's also Low NoSpam, which you use in conjunction with an Akismet license. I started using it on my personal site when CAPTCHAs weren't effective and it reduced spammy submissions to zero.
The other advantage to Akismet is you don't need user-unfriendly CAPTCHAs. Even honeypots can be outsmarted by bots on occasion, and they're not effective against human spammers.
The one caveat with Low NoSpam on Freeform is that you can't moderate flagged submissions from the CP. Though that hasn't really been a problem for me.
A:
I like Sean's suggestions, but if you are avoiding CAPTCHA simply because they can be difficult to enter in for a user, check out Accessible CAPTCHA to see if it will suit your needs. You can set up a series of questions that will be picked at random instead, that a user has to answer.
I've used it on sites and have had some fun having the questions be "on brand" for the site. |
/*
* This file provided by Facebook is for non-commercial testing and evaluation
* purposes only. Facebook reserves all rights not expressly granted.
*
* THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
* IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL
* FACEBOOK BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN
* ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
* CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
*/
package com.facebook.samples.animation2;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.ImageView;
import android.widget.SeekBar;
import android.widget.Spinner;
import android.widget.ToggleButton;
import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
import androidx.fragment.app.Fragment;
import com.facebook.fresco.animation.backend.AnimationBackend;
import com.facebook.fresco.animation.drawable.AnimatedDrawable2;
import com.facebook.samples.animation2.utils.AnimationControlsManager;
import com.facebook.samples.animation2.utils.SampleAnimationBackendConfigurator;
/** Sample that displays an animated image and media controls to start / stop / seek. */
public class MediaControlFragment extends Fragment
implements SampleAnimationBackendConfigurator.BackendChangedListener {
private AnimationControlsManager mAnimationControlsManager;
private AnimatedDrawable2 mAnimatedDrawable;
@Nullable
@Override
public View onCreateView(
LayoutInflater inflater, @Nullable ViewGroup container, @Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
return inflater.inflate(R.layout.fragment_media_controls, container, false);
}
@Override
public void onViewCreated(View view, @Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
ImageView imageView = (ImageView) view.findViewById(R.id.animation_container);
// Create a new animated drawable. The backend will be set by the backend configurator.
mAnimatedDrawable = new AnimatedDrawable2();
imageView.setImageDrawable(mAnimatedDrawable);
mAnimationControlsManager =
new AnimationControlsManager(
mAnimatedDrawable,
(SeekBar) view.findViewById(R.id.seekbar),
(ToggleButton) view.findViewById(R.id.playpause),
view.findViewById(R.id.reset));
new SampleAnimationBackendConfigurator((Spinner) view.findViewById(R.id.spinner), this);
}
@Override
public void onBackendChanged(final AnimationBackend backend) {
mAnimatedDrawable.setAnimationBackend(backend);
mAnimationControlsManager.updateBackendData(backend);
mAnimatedDrawable.invalidateSelf();
}
}
|
//
// Created by valdemar on 04.12.16.
//
#include "PotentialField.h"
namespace fields {
PotentialField::PotentialField(const geom::Point2D ¢er,
double r1,
double r2)
: m_center(center),
m_r1(r1),
m_r2(r2) {
}
double PotentialField::get_value(const geom::Point2D &pt) const {
return get_value(pt.x, pt.y);
}
double PotentialField::get_value(double x, double y) const {
geom::Vec2D dist = {x - m_center.x, y - m_center.y};
double len = dist.sqr();
if (len >= (m_r1 * m_r1) && len <= (m_r2 * m_r2)) {
return calc_force(len);
}
return 0;
}
} |
/*
* 金棒 (kanabō)
* Copyright (c) 2012 <NAME> <<EMAIL>>. All rights reserved.
*
* 金棒 is a tool to bludgeon YAML and JSON files from the shell: the strong
* made stronger.
*
* For more information, consult the README file in the project root.
*
* Distributed under an [MIT-style][license] license.
*
* Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of
* this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal with
* the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to
* use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of
* the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so,
* subject to the following conditions:
*
* - Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
* list of conditions and the following disclaimers.
* - Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this
* list of conditions and the following disclaimers in the documentation and/or
* other materials provided with the distribution.
* - Neither the names of the copyright holders, nor the names of the authors, nor
* the names of other contributors may be used to endorse or promote products
* derived from this Software without specific prior written permission.
*
* THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
* IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS
* FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE CONTRIBUTORS
* OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY,
* WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN
* CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS WITH THE SOFTWARE.
*
* [license]: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/ncsa
*/
#include <string.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include "model.h"
#include "model/private.h"
#include "conditions.h"
#include "log.h"
static const char * const NODE_KINDS [] =
{
"document",
"scalar",
"sequence",
"mapping",
"alias"
};
const char *node_kind_name_(const Node *self)
{
return NODE_KINDS[node_kind(self)];
}
Node *narrow(Node *instance, NodeKind kind)
{
if(kind != node_kind(instance))
{
log_warn("model", "invalid cast from `%s` to `%s`",
node_kind_name(instance), NODE_KINDS[kind]);
}
return instance;
}
void node_init_(Node *self, NodeKind kind)
{
if(NULL != self)
{
self->tag.kind = kind;
self->tag.name = NULL;
self->anchor = NULL;
}
}
static void basic_node_free(Node *value)
{
free(value->tag.name);
free(value->anchor);
free(value);
}
void node_free_(Node *value)
{
if(NULL == value)
{
return;
}
value->vtable->free(value);
basic_node_free(value);
}
size_t node_size_(const Node *self)
{
PRECOND_NONNULL_ELSE_ZERO(self);
return self->vtable->size(self);
}
NodeKind node_kind_(const Node *self)
{
return self->tag.kind;
}
uint8_t *node_name_(const Node *self)
{
PRECOND_NONNULL_ELSE_NULL(self);
return self->tag.name;
}
Node *node_parent_(const Node *self)
{
PRECOND_NONNULL_ELSE_NULL(self);
return self->parent;
}
void node_set_tag_(Node *self, const uint8_t *value, size_t length)
{
PRECOND_NONNULL_ELSE_VOID(self, value);
self->tag.name = (uint8_t *)calloc(1, length + 1);
if(NULL != self->tag.name)
{
memcpy(self->tag.name, value, length);
self->tag.name[length] = '\0';
}
}
void node_set_anchor_(Node *self, const uint8_t *value, size_t length)
{
PRECOND_NONNULL_ELSE_VOID(self, value);
self->anchor = (uint8_t *)calloc(1, length + 1);
if(NULL != self->anchor)
{
memcpy(self->anchor, value, length);
self->anchor[length] = '\0';
}
}
bool node_comparitor(const void *one, const void *two)
{
return node_equals(one, two);
}
static bool tag_equals(const uint8_t *one, const uint8_t *two)
{
if(NULL == one && NULL == two)
{
return true;
}
if((NULL == one && NULL != two) || (NULL != one && NULL == two))
{
return false;
}
size_t n1 = strlen((char *)one);
size_t n2 = strlen((char *)two);
return memcmp(one, two, n1 > n2 ? n2 : n1) == 0;
}
bool node_equals_(const Node *one, const Node *two)
{
if(one == two)
{
return true;
}
if((NULL == one && NULL != two) || (NULL != one && NULL == two))
{
return false;
}
if(!(node_kind(one) == node_kind(two) &&
tag_equals(node_name(one), node_name(two))))
{
return false;
}
if(node_size(one) != node_size(two))
{
return false;
}
return one->vtable->equals(one, two);
}
|
. Using a questionnaire, we objectively assessed the body image of donors who underwent conventional laparoscopic donor nephrectomy (L-DN) or laparoscopic single-site donor nephrectomy (LESS-DN). Subjects were 15 patients who underwent an L-DN and 15 who underwent an LESS-DN. The questionnaire consisted of the Body Image Questionnaire (BIQ), including a Body Image Scale (BIS) and Cosmetic Scale (CS), and a Photo-Series Questionnaire (PSQ). A higher score indicated a more favorable assessment, and patient scores were compared. Subjects were also asked which procedure they preferred if they had to undergo donor nephrectomy again. Pain was assessed by comparing the number of times an analgesic was administered during hospitalization. The average BIS score was 18.7 points (out of 20) for patients who underwent an L-DN and 19.5 points for patients who underwent an LESS-DN ; those who underwent an LESS-DN had a significantly higher score (p=0.03). Patients who underwent an L-DN had a median CS score of 17.5 points (out of 24) while patients who underwent an LESS-DN had a median CS score of 19.1 points ; those who underwent an LESS-DN had a higher score, but the difference in average CS scores was not significant (p=0.123). The average PSQ score was 7.1 points for patients who underwent an L-DN and 8.8 points for patients who underwent an LESS-DN ; the higher score for LESS-patients was statistically significant (p=0.01). Patients who underwent an L-DN were administered an analgesic a median of 4 times during hospitalization (range : 3-10 times) while patients who underwent an LESS-DN were administered an analgesic a median of 2 times (range : 0-4 times), which was significantly less (p=0.01). Patients who underwent LESS-DN had a better body image and better cosmetic appearance than those who underwent LDN, thus indicating the usefulness of LESS-DN. However, a more prospective larger study needs to be performed. |
package com.zachsthings.onevent;
/**
* Event created to test child handler lists
*/
public class TestSubEvent extends TestEvent {
private static final HandlerList HANDLERS = new HandlerList(TestEvent.getHandlerList());
@Override
public HandlerList getHandlers() {
return HANDLERS;
}
public static HandlerList getHandlerList() {
return HANDLERS;
}
}
|
/*===========================================================================
* FUNCTION : QCamera2HardwareInterface
*
* DESCRIPTION: constructor of QCamera2HardwareInterface
*
* PARAMETERS :
* @cameraId : camera ID
*
* RETURN : none
*==========================================================================*/
QCamera2HardwareInterface::QCamera2HardwareInterface(int cameraId)
: mCameraId(cameraId),
mCameraHandle(NULL),
mCameraOpened(false),
mPreviewWindow(NULL),
mMsgEnabled(0),
mStoreMetaDataInFrame(0),
m_stateMachine(this),
m_postprocessor(this),
m_thermalAdapter(QCameraThermalAdapter::getInstance()),
m_cbNotifier(this),
m_bShutterSoundPlayed(false),
m_currentFocusState(CAM_AF_NOT_FOCUSED),
m_bStartZSLSnapshotCalled(false),
m_pPowerModule(NULL),
mDumpFrmCnt(0),
mDumpSkipCnt(0)
{
mCameraDevice.common.tag = HARDWARE_DEVICE_TAG;
mCameraDevice.common.version = HARDWARE_DEVICE_API_VERSION(1, 0);
mCameraDevice.common.close = close_camera_device;
mCameraDevice.ops = &mCameraOps;
mCameraDevice.priv = this;
pthread_mutex_init(&m_lock, NULL);
pthread_cond_init(&m_cond, NULL);
memset(&m_apiResult, 0, sizeof(qcamera_api_result_t));
pthread_mutex_init(&m_evtLock, NULL);
pthread_cond_init(&m_evtCond, NULL);
memset(&m_evtResult, 0, sizeof(qcamera_api_result_t));
memset(m_channels, 0, sizeof(m_channels));
#ifdef HAS_MULTIMEDIA_HINTS
if (hw_get_module(POWER_HARDWARE_MODULE_ID, (const hw_module_t **)&m_pPowerModule)) {
ALOGE("%s: %s module not found", __func__, POWER_HARDWARE_MODULE_ID);
}
#endif
} |
import { Injectable, Inject } from '@nestjs/common';
import { Repository } from 'typeorm';
import { Systems } from './systems.entity';
@Injectable()
export class SystemsService {
constructor(
@Inject('SYSTEMS_REPOSITORY')
private systemsRepository: Repository<Systems>,
) {}
async findAll(): Promise<Systems[]> {
return this.systemsRepository.find();
}
} |
package com.demo.repository;
import org.springframework.data.jpa.repository.Query;
import org.springframework.data.repository.CrudRepository;
import org.springframework.data.repository.query.Param;
import com.demo.model.Admin;
public interface AdminRepository extends CrudRepository<Admin, Long>{
@Query(value="select * from admin_user where user_name=:userName",nativeQuery = true)
Admin findByUserName(@Param("userName") String userName);
}
|
<reponame>BrittonAlone/main
package seedu.address.logic.commands;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_CATEGORY;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_DESCRIPTION;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_ENDDATE;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_ENDTIME;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_NAME;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_STARTDATE;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_STARTTIME;
import static seedu.address.logic.parser.CliSyntax.PREFIX_TAG;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.List;
import seedu.address.commons.core.index.Index;
import seedu.address.commons.exceptions.DataConversionException;
import seedu.address.commons.exceptions.IllegalValueException;
import seedu.address.logic.CommandHistory;
import seedu.address.logic.commands.exceptions.CommandException;
import seedu.address.logic.parser.exceptions.ParseException;
import seedu.address.model.Model;
import seedu.address.model.TaskBook;
import seedu.address.model.task.Task;
import seedu.address.model.task.TaskContainsKeywordsPredicate;
import seedu.address.testutil.EditTaskDescriptorBuilder;
/**
* Contains helper methods for testing commands.
*/
public class CommandTestUtil {
public static final String VALID_NAME_CS2113 = "CS2113";
public static final String VALID_NAME_CS2101 = "CS2101";
public static final String VALID_STARTDATE_CS2113 = "05-05-05";
public static final String VALID_STARTDATE_CS2101 = "07-07-07";
public static final String VALID_STARTTIME_CS2113 = "05.00";
public static final String VALID_STARTTIME_CS2101 = "07.00";
public static final String VALID_ENDDATE_CS2113 = "06-06-06";
public static final String VALID_ENDDATE_CS2101 = "08-08-08";
public static final String VALID_ENDTIME_CS2113 = "06.00";
public static final String VALID_ENDTIME_CS2101 = "08.00";
public static final String VALID_DESCRIPTION_CS2113 = "Do sequence diagram";
public static final String VALID_DESCRIPTION_CS2101 = "Do user guide";
public static final String VALID_CATEGORY_CS2113 = "a";
public static final String VALID_CATEGORY_CS2101 = "a";
public static final String VALID_TAG_CS2113 = "CS2113";
public static final String VALID_TAG_CS2101 = "CS2101";
public static final String NAME_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_NAME + VALID_NAME_CS2113;
public static final String NAME_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_NAME + VALID_NAME_CS2101;
public static final String STARTDATE_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_STARTDATE + VALID_STARTDATE_CS2113;
public static final String STARTDATE_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_STARTDATE + VALID_STARTDATE_CS2101;
public static final String STARTTIME_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_STARTTIME + VALID_STARTTIME_CS2113;
public static final String STARTTIME_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_STARTTIME + VALID_STARTTIME_CS2101;
public static final String ENDDATE_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_ENDDATE + VALID_ENDDATE_CS2113;
public static final String ENDDATE_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_ENDDATE + VALID_ENDDATE_CS2101;
public static final String ENDTIME_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_ENDTIME + VALID_ENDTIME_CS2113;
public static final String ENDTIME_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_ENDTIME + VALID_ENDTIME_CS2101;
public static final String DESCRIPTION_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_DESCRIPTION + VALID_DESCRIPTION_CS2113;
public static final String DESCRIPTION_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_DESCRIPTION + VALID_DESCRIPTION_CS2101;
public static final String CATEGORY_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_CATEGORY + VALID_CATEGORY_CS2113;
public static final String CATEGORY_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_CATEGORY + VALID_CATEGORY_CS2101;
public static final String TAG_DESC_CS2113 = " " + PREFIX_TAG + VALID_TAG_CS2113;
public static final String TAG_DESC_CS2101 = " " + PREFIX_TAG + VALID_TAG_CS2101;
public static final String INVALID_NAME_DESC = " " + PREFIX_NAME + " "; // blank not allowed in names
public static final String INVALID_STARTDATE_DESC = " " + PREFIX_STARTDATE + "a"; // arbitary not allowed startDates
public static final String INVALID_STARTTIME_DESC = " " + PREFIX_STARTTIME + "a"; // arbitary not allowed startTimes
public static final String INVALID_ENDDATE_DESC = " " + PREFIX_ENDDATE + "a"; // arbitary not allowed in endDates
public static final String INVALID_ENDTIME_DESC = " " + PREFIX_ENDTIME + "a"; // arbitary not allowed in endTimes
public static final String INVALID_DESCRIPTION_DESC = " " + PREFIX_DESCRIPTION; // empty str not allowed for desc
public static final String INVALID_CATEGORY_DESC = " " + PREFIX_CATEGORY + "b"; // arbitary str not allowed in cat
public static final String INVALID_TAG_DESC = " " + PREFIX_TAG + "hubby*"; // '*' not allowed in tags
public static final String PREAMBLE_WHITESPACE = "\t \r \n";
public static final String PREAMBLE_NON_EMPTY = "NonEmptyPreamble";
public static final EditTaskDescriptorBuilder DESC_CS2113;
public static final EditTaskDescriptorBuilder DESC_CS2101;
static {
DESC_CS2113 = new EditTaskDescriptorBuilder().withName(VALID_NAME_CS2113)
.withStartDate(VALID_STARTDATE_CS2113).withStartTime(VALID_STARTTIME_CS2113)
.withEndDate(VALID_ENDDATE_CS2113).withEndTime(VALID_ENDTIME_CS2113)
.withCategories(VALID_CATEGORY_CS2113).withDescription(VALID_DESCRIPTION_CS2113)
.withTags(VALID_TAG_CS2113);
DESC_CS2101 = new EditTaskDescriptorBuilder().withName(VALID_NAME_CS2101)
.withStartDate(VALID_STARTDATE_CS2101).withStartTime(VALID_STARTTIME_CS2101)
.withEndDate(VALID_ENDDATE_CS2101).withEndTime(VALID_ENDTIME_CS2101)
.withCategories(VALID_CATEGORY_CS2101).withDescription(VALID_DESCRIPTION_CS2101)
.withTags(VALID_TAG_CS2101);
}
/**
* Executes the given {@code command}, confirms that <br>
* - the returned {@link CommandResult} matches {@code expectedCommandResult} <br>
* - the {@code actualModel} matches {@code expectedModel} <br>
* - the {@code actualCommandHistory} remains unchanged.
* @throws DataConversionException
*/
public static void assertCommandSuccess(Command command, Model actualModel, CommandHistory actualCommandHistory,
CommandResult expectedCommandResult, Model expectedModel)
throws IOException, IllegalValueException, DataConversionException {
CommandHistory expectedCommandHistory = new CommandHistory(actualCommandHistory);
try {
CommandResult result = command.execute(actualModel, actualCommandHistory);
assertEquals(expectedCommandResult, result);
assertEquals(expectedModel, actualModel);
assertEquals(expectedCommandHistory, actualCommandHistory);
} catch (CommandException ce) {
throw new AssertionError("Execution of command should not fail.", ce);
} catch (ParseException e) {
e.printStackTrace();
}
}
/**
* Convenience wrapper to {@link #assertCommandSuccess(Command, Model, CommandHistory, CommandResult, Model)}
* that takes a string {@code expectedMessage}.
* @throws DataConversionException
*/
public static void assertCommandSuccess(Command command, Model actualModel, CommandHistory actualCommandHistory,
String expectedMessage, Model expectedModel)
throws IOException, IllegalValueException, DataConversionException {
CommandResult expectedCommandResult = new CommandResult(expectedMessage);
assertCommandSuccess(command, actualModel, actualCommandHistory, expectedCommandResult, expectedModel);
}
/**
* Executes the given {@code command}, confirms that <br>
* - a {@code CommandException} is thrown <br>
* - the CommandException message matches {@code expectedMessage} <br>
* - the task book, filtered task list and selected task in {@code actualModel} remain unchanged <br>
* - {@code actualCommandHistory} remains unchanged.
* @throws DataConversionException
*/
public static void assertCommandFailure(Command command, Model actualModel, CommandHistory actualCommandHistory,
String expectedMessage) throws DataConversionException {
// we are unable to defensively copy the model for comparison later, so we can
// only do so by copying its components.
TaskBook expectedTaskBook = new TaskBook(actualModel.getTaskBook());
List<Task> expectedFilteredList = new ArrayList<>(actualModel.getFilteredTaskList());
Task expectedSelectedTask = actualModel.getSelectedTask();
CommandHistory expectedCommandHistory = new CommandHistory(actualCommandHistory);
try {
command.execute(actualModel, actualCommandHistory);
throw new AssertionError("The expected CommandException was not thrown.");
} catch (CommandException | IllegalValueException | IOException e) {
assertEquals(expectedMessage, e.getMessage());
assertEquals(expectedTaskBook, actualModel.getTaskBook());
assertEquals(expectedFilteredList, actualModel.getFilteredTaskList());
assertEquals(expectedSelectedTask, actualModel.getSelectedTask());
assertEquals(expectedCommandHistory, actualCommandHistory);
}
}
/**
* Updates {@code model}'s filtered list to show only the task at the given {@code targetIndex} in the
* {@code model}'s task book.
*/
public static void showTaskAtIndex(Model model, Index targetIndex) {
assertTrue(targetIndex.getZeroBased() < model.getFilteredTaskList().size());
Task task = model.getFilteredTaskList().get(targetIndex.getZeroBased());
final String[] splitName = task.getName().fullName.split("\\s+");
model.updateFilteredTaskList(new TaskContainsKeywordsPredicate(Arrays.asList(splitName[0])));
assertEquals(1, model.getFilteredTaskList().size());
}
/**
* Deletes the first task in {@code model}'s filtered list from {@code model}'s task book.
*/
public static void deleteFirstTask(Model model) {
Task firstTask = model.getFilteredTaskList().get(0);
model.deleteTask(firstTask);
model.commitTaskBook();
}
}
|
package tourGuide.model;
import java.util.Date;
import java.util.UUID;
public class VisitedLocation {
public final UUID userId;
public final Location location;
public final Date timeVisited;
public VisitedLocation(UUID userId, Location location, Date timeVisited) {
this.userId = userId;
this.location = location;
this.timeVisited = timeVisited;
}
}
|
Design and Characterization of Low-Cost Sensors for Air Quality Monitoring System In this study, low-cost sensors for air quality monitoring system have been characterized and designed. These sensors are applied in a monitoring system and installed at Sriwijaya University, which is vulnerable to the impacts of forest fires in the surrounding area. This monitoring system will provide information especially for the university community to determine the level of air quality on campus. In this research the researchers focussed on the characterization and design of system sensor that aimed to get the best configuration of low-cost sensors namely MQ-7, Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F and own-designed smoke sensor to have high reliability and effectiveness to be applied to monitoring systems. The test results showed that the sensors have good response and sensitivity. Therefore, it can be applied to the monitoring system to provide information about the level of particle concentration, carbon monoxide and smoke which meet the needs of low-cost monitoring systems. INTRODUCTION An air quality level depends on balanced gas compositions in the air. According to Indonesian Air Pollutant Standard Index (ISPU) there are some pollutants affecting the air quality, such as particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide gas (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ), ozon (O 3 ). If one of this pollutant exceeds their threshold, it could influence human health (Goldstein, 2008;;;). As a developing country, Indonesia has an air pollution problem, not only from industry and vehicle emission, but also from a forest fire. The forest fire in 2015 burnt 2.6 million hectares () and became a source of various type air pollutant (Pribadi & Kurata, 2017). Sriwijaya University is one of the universities that directly affected the land and forest fires. This is because the location is surrounded by peat lands where the fire disaster occurs. In addition to financial losses, the haze that occurs also disrupts health and campus activities. Therefore, a monitoring system is needed that can provide information and warnings about the level of air quality. The monitoring system of air quality levels is required not only for precaution but also for awareness to protect and keep our air clean. Unfortunately, in the market most of the monitoring system is expensive and difficult to maintain ()the impacts of very high but temporally and spatially restricted pollution, and thus exposure, are still poorly understood. Conventional approaches to air quality monitoring are based on networks of static and sparse measurement stations. However, these are prohibitively expensive to capture tempo-spatial heterogeneity and identify pollution hotspots, which is required for the development of robust real-time strategies for exposure control. Current progress in developing low-cost microscale sensing technology is radically changing the conventional approach to allow real-time information in a capillary form. But the question remains whether there is value in the less accurate data they generate. This article illustrates the drivers behind current rises in the use of low-cost sensors for air pollution management in cities, while addressing the major challenges for their effective implementation (). The recent emergence of low-cost sensors allows us to build a low-cost system that can be a solution for air pollution management. Although the ability may not as good as expensive measurement devices, the sensors can be an alternative for wide application in air quality level measurement. In this study, low-cost sensors are characterized to build an air quality monitoring system. The system has basic measurements for air quality level including carbon monoxide gas and particulate matter. The monitoring system is installed at Sriwijaya University and will be used as an early warning system related to bad air quality level for students and people who live in Sriwijaya University. Monitoring System Design This air quality monitoring system consists of a microcontroller with 3 sensors namely carbon monoxide sensor, particulate matter sensor, and smoke sensor. This system is also equipped with a data logger to store measurement data and LCD to display the level of air quality. The block diagram of the air quality monitoring system is shown in Figure 1. Arduino is used as a processing and controlling device. In addition 10 bits of analog to digital converter (ADC) integrated on arduino is used to convert analog signals from the sensors into physical quantities as measurement data. The data will be displayed on the LCD display, stored in the data logger and sent to the website via GPRS modem. Particulate and Smoke Sensor Exhaust gas emissions from fossil-fueled vehicles contribute to particulate matter levels in the air (;). Particulate measurements are important because the effects of particulate exposure could affect human health even if exposed for a long time (;;;;). There is low-cost optical based particulate sensor available on the market such as PPD42NS (Shinyei Inc.) and DSM501A (Samyoung Inc.). However GP2Y1010AU0F (Sharp Corp.) has better performance (). Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F is an optical-based sensor, which is used to detect dust or particulate matter in the air. This sensor consists of a phototransistor and infrared led, it has a compact size and simple to apply in a wide application. This sensor can detect particulate concentration in mg/m 3. In addition, we also design smoke sensors with simple components consisting of infrared LED and photodiodes. This sensor is used to detect smoke concentration from a safe level of danger. Carbon Monoxide Sensor Carbon monoxide gas is a pollutant that is harmful to humans (Goldstein, 2008;;Levy, 2015), this gas is colorless and odorless, most of it comes from vehicle exhaust (;). Measuring the level of carbon monoxide gas is very important considering this pollutant is a common contaminant in the air. There are several low-cost carbon monoxide sensors; the easier one to find in the market is MQ-7. This sensor also has been widely used in several studies (;;;).It has good sensitivity, long life and simple wiring circuit. From manufacturer technical data, this sensor can detect carbon monoxide concentration from 20 to 2000ppm. However, the output signal of this sensor is still in the form of a voltage that needs to be calibrated and converted to concentration in ppm unit. The structure and configurati-on of the MQ-7 gas sensor can be seen in Figure 2. The sensor consists of a micro AL 2 O 3 ceramic tube, a sensitive layer of tin dioxide (SnO 2 ) and Nickel-Chromium alloys as a heater coil. This sensor has 6 pins, 4 pins for signal and electrodes, 2 pins for heating coils. Sensor Characterization Characterization of sensors is done to get the conversion value of the sensors output signal in the form of a voltage into the physical quantity that will be used in the algorithm of the monitoring system program. Many studies have evaluated and characterized the Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F sensor comprehensively (Li & Biswas, 2017;;). In this study, we use Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F technical data and linear regression of the characteristic graph of the sensor to be able to determine the conversion of the sensor signal in the form of voltage into mg / m 3. For calibrating the MQ-7 sensorb esides technical data, we used a Dekko FM-7910 carbon monoxide meter as a reference. There are many methods and algorithms that have been developed and studied in calibrating low-cost gas sensors () including linear/multi linear regression and supervised learning techniques are compared. A cluster of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide sensors was operated. The sensors were either of metal oxide or electrochemical type or based on miniaturized infra-red cell. For each method, a two-week calibration was carried out at a semi-rural site against reference measurements. Subsequently, the accuracy of the predicted values was evaluated for about five months using a few indicators and techniques: orthogonal regression, target diagram, measurement uncertainty and drifts over time of sensor predictions. The study assessed if the sensors were could reach the Data Quality Objective (DQOs, but in this study we use a simple method with the linearity of the gas concentration as measured against the response given by the sensor. By finding sensor resistance in different carbon monoxide gas concentration and curve fitting method we will get the polynomial equation to determine carbon monoxide gas concentration in part per million (ppm) unit. Measurement Chamber Sensors are placed on the measurement chamber in order to protect sensors from the directly open environment. The design of the measurement chamber is shown in Figure 3.Exhaust fan is applied to make air circulation in the chamber and to enhance data quality of sharp GP2Y1010AU0F (). Besides as a sensor housing, in this experiment the chamber is used as the sensor characterization and test. Particulate and Smoke Sensor Characterization According to Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F technical data, this sensor works with a pulsedriven wave to turn infrared LED on and off. In one cycle for 10 ms (i.e. 0.32 ms to turn infrared LED on and then 9.68 ms to turn the LED off). This sensor has a sampling time of 0.28 ms when the LED is on. From characteristic in Figure 4, the sensor has a linear relation between output and input i.e., particulate matter concentration of 0 -0.5 mg/m 3 as inputs resulting in the output voltage of 0,6-3.5 volt. Therefore, this linear regression for the relationship between particulate concentrations with sensor signal output can be obtained by using Equation. where x is particulate concentration and y is the sensor signal voltage. However, the Equation has been limited to calculate sensor signal voltage up to 3,5 volt for easy unit conversion. Anyways 3,5 volt is represented 0.5 mg/m 3 of particulate concentration which is danger level according to standard pollutant index in Indonesia (ISPU). To ensure sensor has the same characteristic with Figure 4, Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F is tested with smoke from burning paper and the test result ( Figure 6) shows output voltage of this sensor increases along with higher particulate concentration. Meanwhile, it has the output voltage between 0.5 volt to 0.85 volts in the clean air this can be caused by the lowest detection limit of the sensor, besides that the maximum output voltage is 3,77 volt when it is exposed. This means that the sensor has good sensitivity and same characteristic as Figure 4. The designed smoke sensor was placed on measurement chamber and was exposed directly to smoke for obtaining minimum and maximum voltage outputs of the sensor ( Figure 5).At the time of testing, there is an error signal reading this is because the infrared ray smoke sensor bounces off the chassis that result in inconsistent measurement. Due to scattering reflection being able to disturb sensor sensitivity, this chamber uses a black color case to absorb infrared light. This sensor works with 5 volt voltage power supply, however from the test result voltage signal output is about 0,53 -2,04 volt. This range is divided into three levels i.e., (<1 volt) for safe level,(1 -1,5 volt) for warning level, and ( >1,5 volt)for danger level. From the testing, we show that the characteristic of the designed smoke sensor is comparable to the commercial sensor (sharp GP2Y1010AU0F) as shown in Figure 6. It also showed a good sensitivity to smoke exposure. The designed smoke sensor has a lower measurement limit compared to sharp GP2Y-1010AU0F due to differences in sensor manufacturing. The smoke sensor is not equipped with a focusing lens and signal amplifier. This is because the smoke sensor is only designed to detect smoke. Carbon Monoxide Sensor Characterization In its application the signal pin (pin 5) and LED signal (pin 3) of the sharp GP2Y-1010AU0F sensor will be connected to the analog and digital arduinopin, while the smoke sensor Analog out pin (Ao) is connected to the arduino analog input pin (A1). in detail the wiring of the particulate sensor and the smoke sensor is shown in Figure 7a. In this research we used the MQ-7 sensor in default manufacturer circuit with resistance load (RL) about 1 K, although on recommended technical data between 5K-47K, it is intended that in replacement of components do not need to modify the circuit. Before calibrating the sensor, it kept preheating over 48 hours according to the technical data. This sensor has two heating cycles that are high and low heating with alternating work. The sensor has supplied with 5 volt power for 60 seconds during the high heating cycle and the sensor takes air sample for measuring carbon monoxide concentration. Otherwise, when low heating cycle, the sensor is supplied by 1,4 volts power for 90 seconds and surface resistance of the sensor resulting from the sampled air can be measured. The carbon monoxide concentration can be determined from the sensor resistance changes. Because this sensor requires 350mW of power consumption while the arduino cannot provide enough current, an external power source that is controlled by the driver circuit is needed. The design of the driver circuit is shown in Figure 7b The signal pin is connected to the microcontroller which will provide the pulse width modulation (PWM) signal so that the driver will supply the voltage based on the given signal. In this case, when the signal provided by the microcontroller of 0.5 volts then the driver will supply the sensor with a voltage of 1.4 volts, but when the signal is given a voltage of 5 volts then the driver will supply the sensor with full voltage (5 volts). According to MQ-7 technical data, there are several parameters that must be known for calibrating the MQ-7 sensor. That is output signal sensor voltage (VRL), the surface resistance of the sensor (Rs), sensor resistance at 100ppm CO in the air (Ro), load resistance (RL) and sensor working voltage (Vc). Typical sensitivity characteristics of the MQ-7 for several gases are illustrated by the relationship between the resistance sensor ratio at various concentrations of gases (Rs) with the resistance sensor at 100ppm CO in the clean air (Ro) to the concentration of carbon monoxide gas. From the characteristic Rs/Ro value will be 1 in 100 ppm gas carbon monoxide concentrations and it is a reference to convert the output voltage to ppm unit. So the relationship between Rs/Ro ratios with carbon monoxide concentration in ppm can be written as Equation 2. Rs/Ro = 1 = 100ppm CO Unfortunately Ro value is not clearly mentioned in technical data but the relationship between Rs and RL is described in Equation 3. Load resistance (RL) of the sensor in this research is 1 kilo Ohm as manufacture circuit default, so that Rs can be determined by using Equation 4. Rs = (-1) RL Threfore, to determine the value of Ro then the sensor should be tested to get the value of Rs when the concentration of Carbon monoxide gas is 100ppm. In testing and calibrating process, sensor and reference measurement device are placed on measurement tube which has connected to motorcycle muffler. Motorcycle exhaust gas is used as a carbon monoxide source. Calibrating process is shown in Figure 8. These results indicate that the sensor has a good response to carbon monoxide gas. The second test was conducted to find the relationship between the sensor resistance values (Rs) of changes in carbon monoxide gas concentration. (a) (b) Figure 8. The Testing and Calibrating Process of MQ-7 Sensor. When exposed by motorcycle exhaust gas, Rs value is decreasing along with higher carbon monoxide concentration as shown in Figure 10.a.According to Equation, Ro value can be obtained from Rs value at 100 ppm carbon monoxide, from test result Rs value at 100 ppm carbon monoxide is 1,7K as we can conclude that Ro value is also 1,7K, where Ro is the value of the sensor resistance when the concentration of carbon monoxide gas is 100 ppm. However, from the technical data of the MQ-7 Rs value at 100ppm the concentration of carbon monoxide gas should be between 2-20K. This could be due to the difference in RL value used, the researcher uses RL of 1 kilo ohm which is the default of the sensor manufacturer circuit. Other than that, the measurement uncertainty factor due to the influence of various parameters can also make the carbon monoxide gas measurement results less precise () including linear/multi linear regression and supervised learning techniques are compared. A cluster of ozone, nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide sensors was operated. The sensors were either of metal oxide or electrochemical type or based on miniaturized infra-red cell. For each method, a two-week calibration was carried out at a semirural site against reference measurements. Subsequently, the accuracy of the predicted values was evaluated for about five months using a few indicators and techniques: orthogonal regression, target diagram, measurement uncertainty and drifts over time of sensor predictions. The study assessed if the sensors were could reach the Data Quality Objective (DQOs. In this case, for samples of motor vehicle exhaust compositions which also contain various hydrocarbon compounds and various nitrogen oxides (NOx) () are possible to influence the measurement of carbon monoxide. With Ro value from the test, Rs/Ro ratio for another CO concentration can be obtained using Equation, Rs/Ro values from test result can be seen at Figure 10.b. Rs/Ro is decreased with higher carbon monoxide concentration, and match with sensor characteristic. By using curve fitting method for Rs/Ro ratio in different CO gas concentration, we can get polynomial equation y = 59.17x 2 -262.8x + 302.3, with x is Rs/Ro and y is carbon monoxide concentration in ppm. This equation can be used to determining various CO gas concentrations in ppm unit. CONCLUSION Low-cost sensors system for real time monitoring system has been designed and characterized. From the experiment, an MQ-7 sensor with factory default circuit configuration is able to detect carbon monoxide gas concentration with good sensitivity. Other than that from the test show the similarity of sensor characteristics of the test result with factory technical data which shows the relationship between Rs/Ro with carbon monoxide gas concentration in ppm. So the polynomial equation obtained can be used to determine the concentration of carbon monoxide gas. As a particulate sensor, although Sharp GP2Y1010AU0F less accurate in detecting particles <0,2mg/m 3, this sensor has good sensitivity and can detect dust or particle concentration up to 0,5 mg/m 3. Moreover, the smoke sensor has a good sensitivity to smoke so that the sensor is capable of warning when forest fire happens in the surrounding area. According to ISPU in danger level the concentration of carbon monoxide and particulate matter is about 34 ppm and 0,42 mg/ m 3, respectively. This indicates that the sensors meet the minimum requirements for air quality measurement and can be applied to the air quality monitoring system to be installed at Sriwijaya University. |
Multifractal and joint multifractal analysis of soil micronutrients extracted by two methods along a transect in a coarse textured soil Understanding the spatial behaviour of soil nutrients is essential for fertilizer management. Traditionally, comparison of soil testing methods has been performed using simple correlation analysis. The aims of this work were: (a) to characterize patterns of spatial variability of micronutrient concentrations obtained by two different soil testing methods, using single multifractal spectra, and (b) to compare the scaledependent relationship between the two datasets by joint multifractal analysis. The soil study site was located in Pernambuco state, Brazil. A 384m transect was marked every 3 m on an Orthic Podzol, cropped to sugar cane, in Pernambuco state, Brazil. Both, Mehlich3 and DTPAextracted micronutrients were measured in each of the 132 collected soil samples. The spatial distributions of available Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn could be fitted with multifractal models, regardless of the soil testing method. The generalized dimension, Dq versus q, and singularity spectra, f() versus, showed a multifractal nature. Except for Fe, the scaling heterogeneity of the spatial distributions was higher for the Mehlich3 than for the DTPA datasets. Moreover, Zn exhibited the highest multifractality in both cases. Joint multifractal analysis demonstrated strong positive correlations between the scaling indices of the studied micronutrients extracted by the two methods. There were, however, different degrees of association between the scaling indices of these micronutrients, which ranked as: Zn>Cu>Fe>Mn. Except for Mn, Pearson product moment correlations between concentrations of available micronutrients extracted by the two solutions at the single or point measurement scale were weaker than those of the respective scaling indices at multiple scales. Therefore, single multifractal analysis captured a great complexity in the spatial distribution of available Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn. Knowledge of the scaling behaviour of these available nutrients could be useful for transferring information about variability from one scale to another for soil fertility management. This study suggests that correlation analysis at the single or point measurement scale may not be sufficient to fully characterize the concentrations of microelements extracted by two different methods, whereas joint multifractal analysis showed potential to improve calibration of soil micronutrient testing. |
/*****************************************************************************
Copyright 2004 <NAME>
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
*****************************************************************************/
#ifndef _JPTYPE_H_
#define _JPTYPE_H_
enum EMatchType
{
_none,
_explicit,
_implicit,
_exact
};
// predeclaration of PyObject
#ifndef PyObject_HEAD
struct _object;
typedef _object PyObject;
#endif
/**
* Base class for all JPype Types, be it primitive, class or array
*/
class JPType
{
protected :
JPType()
{
}
public :
virtual ~JPType()
{
}
public :
virtual HostRef* getStaticValue(JPJavaFrame& frame, jclass c, jfieldID fid, JPTypeName& tgtType) = 0 ;
virtual void setStaticValue(JPJavaFrame& frame, jclass c, jfieldID fid, HostRef* val) = 0 ;
virtual HostRef* getInstanceValue(JPJavaFrame& frame, jobject c, jfieldID fid, JPTypeName& tgtType) = 0 ;
virtual void setInstanceValue(JPJavaFrame& frame, jobject c, jfieldID fid, HostRef* val) = 0 ;
virtual HostRef* asHostObject(jvalue val) = 0 ;
virtual HostRef* asHostObjectFromObject(jvalue val) = 0;
virtual const JPTypeName& getName() const = 0;
virtual EMatchType canConvertToJava(HostRef* obj) = 0;
virtual jvalue convertToJava(HostRef* obj) = 0;
virtual jobject convertToJavaObject(HostRef* obj) = 0;
virtual bool isObjectType() const = 0;
virtual const JPTypeName& getObjectType() const = 0;
virtual HostRef* invokeStatic(JPJavaFrame& frame, jclass, jmethodID, jvalue*) = 0;
virtual HostRef* invoke(JPJavaFrame& frame, jobject, jclass, jmethodID, jvalue*) = 0;
virtual jarray newArrayInstance(JPJavaFrame& frame, int size) = 0;
virtual vector<HostRef*> getArrayRange(JPJavaFrame& frame, jarray, int start, int length) = 0;
virtual void setArrayRange(JPJavaFrame& frame, jarray, int start, int length, vector<HostRef*>& vals) = 0;
virtual void setArrayRange(JPJavaFrame& frame, jarray, int start, int length, PyObject* seq) = 0;
virtual HostRef* getArrayItem(JPJavaFrame& frame, jarray, int ndx) = 0;
virtual void setArrayItem(JPJavaFrame& frame, jarray, int ndx, HostRef* val) = 0;
virtual PyObject* getArrayRangeToSequence(JPJavaFrame& frame, jarray, int start, int length) = 0;
virtual HostRef* convertToDirectBuffer(HostRef* src) = 0;
// in the sense of
// http://docs.oracle.com/javase/specs/jls/se7/html/jls-4.html#jls-4.10
virtual bool isSubTypeOf(const JPType& other) const = 0;
};
#endif // _JPTYPE_H_
|
Lee Daniels on How Empire's Gay Content is Changing Minds
Empire, Fox's booming, ultra-addictive hip-hop drama, operates at a very specific decibel. Dial down the volume of Lee Daniels's distinct predilection for artful sensationalism, then dial up the tenacity of the series' home network (which has taken risks with LGBT-friendly shows like Glee, but never exhibited the grit of cable channels such as FX), and you've just about nailed the tone of this new primetime soap. That mid-level marriage has certainly struck a chord with Empire's growing viewership, and according to Daniels, who serves as co-creator and executive producer of the show (and directed the first two episodes), choosing the venue for his blingy project was a very deliberate move.
Speaking from Empire's editing booth in Los Angeles this week, Daniels asserts that “every network imaginable wanted this show,” and that “there was a bidding war” over which one would ultimately broadcast the urban, pseudo-Shakespearean hit (countless King Lear comparisons have surfaced regarding music mogul Lucius, played by Terrence Howard, choosing which of his three sons will inherit his business). Daniels mentions HBO, which surely would've given him more freedom to concoct scenes akin to, say, Nicole Kidman's telepathic orgasm in The Paperboy. So, why Fox?
“I knew half of my family couldn't afford HBO,” Daniels says. “The audience that is important for this show can't afford HBO. I'm talking about people that are impoverished, or people that haven’t come out of their communities, or haven’t left their blocks or their cities, and haven’t seen the world. Oftentimes, a lot of these people are homophobic, I feel.”
A gay filmmaker, Daniels is of course referencing viewer exposure to the prevalence of gay character Jamal (Jussie Smollett), an R&B crooner who's among the trio vying for Lucius's crown, and whose storyline is the most riveting and revolutionary on the show. (Jamal's straight brothers, Andre and Hakeem, are played by Trai Byers and Bryshere Gray, respectively.) Since Empire's January 7 premiere, much has been made of the novelty of a gay male character of color having such visibility on television, let alone a gay male character living and working within the historically homophobic hip-hop industry. But Daniels's admirable aim to plant Empire in the widely accessible hands of Fox speaks to a broader trend of queer prominence on today's network-TV menu.
For example, while no hungry gay viewer with an HBO subscription should deny themselves the virtues of Looking, they no longer need that subscription to see themselves vividly reflected on television. Want frisky sex a la Grey's Anatomy that's between two men and doesn't involve nelly, Jack McFarland-y stereotypes? ABC's How to Get Away with Murder now has cunning law student Connor Walsh (Jack Falahee) for that. And thanks to powerful gay producers like Greg Berlanti, LGBT elements are being folded into popular comic book shows like Arrow and The Flash, both of which air on the CW.
Admittedly, all of these shows include a certain outsized, orientation-transcending element that, presumably, make gay content more accessible for those who might not be seeking it out. In How to Get Away with Murder, it's the dishy, over-the-top depiction of the world of defense attorneys. In The Flash, which features queer villain Pied Piper played by out actor Andy Mientus, it's the hyper-real veil of superhero fantasy. In Empire, it's a no-brainer: the ever-unifying power of music. Gay viewers and their allies can root for Jamal in his struggle to come out and defy his bigoted father, but everyone can root for his undeniable talent, which Smollett, a highly gifted actor and vocalist, makes evident in his knockout performance of “Good Enough,” the show-stopper of Empire's pilot.
“That content opens you up,” Daniels says. “Music is universal. Not just from a racial perspective, but also from a sexual perspective. It brings everyone together—everyone can connect to music.”
A sterling example of how music can connect people of different mindsets actually manifested behind the scenes during Empire's pre-production. Super-producer Tim “Timbaland” Mosley, a friend of Daniels's who crafts the series' catchy original tracks, wasn't initially aware of the nature of Jamal's storyline, and Daniels recalls some initial discomfort from the beat-master who's worked with everyone from Madonna to Missy Elliot.
“I pitched the pilot to him, and he came back with this incredible, breathtaking music in 48 hours,” Daniels says. “And soon it was time for me to show him the pilot. My instinct told me to leave when Jamal and [his boyfriend] Michael kiss, so I got up to go to the bathroom. When I came back, I knew [Timbaland] was fascinated by seeing his music in the work, but he said, 'Those guys kissing, man. Wow.' [The comment] could be construed negatively or positively, so I didn't push it. I just didn't wanna go there. Again, my instinct—or maybe my inner child or something—told me not to.”
When Timbaland's wife and children were also brought in to to view the premiere episode, Daniels says that the music maestro asked that his kids step out of the room during the kissing scene, and Daniels, claiming to be “in work mode,” opted not to “get into a political conversation or give an opinion.” Since then, though, Daniels says that Timbaland, whom he refers to as a “buddy,” has changed his tune.
“What’s so great about this story is that it comes full circle,” Daniels says. “[Working on this show has] changed [Timbaland's] opinion on how he feels about gays. He said it. And I remember hanging up the phone and being very emotional after talking to him, and after him telling me that. And how he really had this epiphany. It was beautiful, and it deepened our friendship.” (To bring things even more full circle, Timbaland's wife, Monique Idlett, is involved in Empire's costume design, while Daniels's partner, stylist Jahil Fisher, is set to work with her as a consultant. The two couples have had dinner together, Daniels says.)
Ideally, what happened between Daniels and Timbaland is now happening between Empire and its audience. It may very well be a micro version of what's occurring on a macro scale—a scale, by the way, that nobody anticipated. Reportedly, Empire's third episode netted a whopping 10.9 million viewers, a tally that far exceeded the expectations of Daniels and Fox, and one that already prompted the network to green-light a second season. It's a jump that's all but unheard of when it comes to new shows, whose ratings usually dip in the wake of their premieres, and with Jamal's arc only growing in depth and visibility (thanks in part to his ruthless, yet supportive, mother, played by Taraji P. Henson), we optimists can hope that many more minds will be opened—and that no one will be leaving the room.
Follow R. Kurt Osenlund on Twitter @AddisonDeTwitt |
Neutrophil-dependent decrease in early wound margin strength. We evaluated the effect of neutropenia or administration of a serine proteinase inhibitor on the early suture-holding capacity of intestinal anastomoses in rats. One group of rats was treated with antineutrophil serum, and another group received the soybean trypsin inhibitor. Controls received inactivated serum or saline. Anastomotic suture-holding capacity (breaking strength), myeloperoxidase activity, and collagen were measured 0 and 72 hours after surgery. Suture-holding capacity decreased by 70% in controls and 35% in soybean trypsin inhibitor-treated rats, but remained on level with immediate postoperative strength in neutropenic rats, where low myeloperoxidase levels reflected effective wound margin neutropenia. Collagen content and solubility were similar in all groups. These findings indicate that reduction in early wound margin strength is neutrophil dependent, and that neutrophil serine proteinases are important mediators in that process. |
# CONTENTS
BILL THE GALACTIC HERO
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
A DIP IN THE SWIMMING-POOL REACTOR
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
E=mc2 OR BUST
Chapter I
Chapter II
Chapter III
Chapter IV
Chapter V
ENVOI
For my shipmate
**BRIAN W. ALDISS**
who is reading the sextant
and plotting the course
for us all.
# Book One
## BILL THE GALACTIC HERO
### I
Bill never realized that sex was the cause of it all. If the sun that morning had not been burning so warmly in the brassy sky of Phigerinadon II, and if he had not glimpsed the sugar-white and wine-barrel-wide backside of Inga-Maria Calyphigia while she bathed in the stream, he might have paid more attention to his plowing than to the burning pressures of heterosexuality and would have driven his furrow to the far side of the hill before the seductive music sounded along the road. He might never have heard it, and his life would have been very, very different. But he did hear it and dropped the handles of the plow that was plugged into the robomule, turned, and gaped.
It was indeed a fabulous sight. Leading the parade was a one-robot band, twelve feet high and splendid in its great black busby that concealed the hi-fi speakers. The golden pillars of its legs stamped forward as its thirty articulated arms sawed, plucked, and fingered at a dazzling variety of instruments. Martial music poured out in wave after inspiring wave, and even Bill's thick peasant feet stirred in their clodhoppers as the shining boots of the squad of soldiers crashed along the road in perfect unison. Medals jingled on the manly swell of their scarlet-clad chests, and there could certainly be no nobler sight in all the world. To their rear marched the sergeant, gorgeous in his braid and brass, thickly clustered medals and ribbons, sword and gun, girdled gut and steely eye which sought out Bill where he stood gawking over the fence. The grizzled head nodded in his direction, the steel-trap mouth bent into a friendly smile and there was a conspiratorial wink. Then the little legion was past, and hurrying behind in their wake came a huddle of dust-covered ancillary robots, hopping and crawling or rippling along on treads. As soon as these had gone by Bill climbed clumsily over the split-rail fence and ran after them. There were no more than two interesting events every four years here, and he was not going to miss what promised to be a third.
A crowd had already gathered in the market square when Bill hurried up, and they were listening to an enthusiastic band concert. The robot hurled itself into the glorious measures of "Star Troopers to the Skies Avaunt," thrashed its way through "Rockets Rumble," and almost demolished itself in the tumultuous rhythm of "Sappers at the Pithead Digging." It pursued this last tune so strenuously that one of its legs flew off, rising high into the air, but was caught dexterously before it could hit the ground, and the music ended with the robot balancing on its remaining leg, beating time with the detached limb. It also, after an ear-fracturing peal on the basses, used the leg to point across the square to where a tri-di screen and refreshment booth had been set up. The troopers had vanished into the tavern, and the recruiting sergeant stood alone among his robots, beaming a welcoming smile.
"Now hear this! Free drinks for all, courtesy of the Emperor, and some lively scenes of jolly adventure in distant climes to amuse you while you sip," he called in an immense and leathery voice.
Most of the people drifted over, Bill in their midst, though a few embittered and elderly draft-dodgers slunk away between the houses. Cooling drinks were shared out by a robot with a spigot for a navel and an inexhaustible supply of plastic glasses in one hip. Bill sipped his happily while he followed the enthralling adventures of the space troopers in full color, with sound effects and stimulating subsonics. There was battle and death and glory, though it was only the Chingers who died: troopers only suffer neat little wounds in their extremities that could be covered easily by small bandages. And while Bill was enjoying this, Recruiting Sergeant Grue was enjoying him, his little piggy eyes ruddy with greed as they fastened onto the back of Bill's neck.
This is the one! he chortled to himself while, unknowingly, his yellowed tongue licked at his lips. He could already feel the weight of the bonus money in his pocket. The rest of the audience were the usual mixed bag of overage men, fat women, beardless youths, and other unenlistables. All except this broad-shouldered, square-chinned, curly-haired chunk of electronic-cannon fodder. With a precise hand on the controls the sergeant lowered the background subsonics and aimed a tight-beam stimulator at the back of his victim's head. Bill writhed in his seat, almost taking part in the glorious battles unfolding before him.
As the last chord died and the screen went blank, the refreshment robot pounded hollowly on its metallic chest and bellowed, "DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!" The sheeplike audience swept that way, all except Bill, who was plucked from their midst by a powerful arm.
"Here, I saved some for you," the sergeant said, passing over a prepared cup so loaded with dissolved ego-reducing drugs that they were crystallizing out at the bottom. "You're a fine figure of a lad and to my eye seem a cut above the yokels here. Did you ever think of making your career in the forces?"
"I'm not the military type, Shargeant . . . " Bill chomped his jaws and spat to remove the impediment to his speech and puzzled at the sudden fogginess in his thoughts. Though it was a tribute to his physique that he was even conscious after the volume of drugs and sonics that he had been plied with. "Not the military type. My fondest ambition is to be of help in the best way I can, in my chosen career as a Technical Fertilizer Operator, and I'm almost finished with my correspondence course . . . "
"That's a crappy job for a bright lad like you," the sergeant said, while clapping him on the arm to get a good feel of his biceps. Rock. He resisted the impulse to pull Bill's lip down and take a quick peek at the condition of his back teeth. Later. "Leave that kind of job to those that like it. No chance of promotion. While a career in the troopers has no top. Why, Grand-Admiral Pflunger came up through the rocket tubes, as they say, from recruit trooper to grand-admiral. How does that sound?"
"It sounds very nice for Mr. Pflunger, but I think fertilizer operating is more fun. Gee--I'm feeling sleepy. I think I'll go lie down."
"Not before you've seen this, just as a favor to me of course," the sergeant said, cutting in front of him and pointing to a large book held open by a tiny robot. "Clothes make the man, and most men would be ashamed to be seen in a crummy-looking smock like that thing draped around you or wearing those broken canal boats on their feet. Why look like _that_ when you can look like _this?_ "
Bill's eyes followed the thick finger to the color plate in the book where a miracle of misapplied engineering caused his own face to appear on the illustrated figure dressed in trooper red. The sergeant flipped the pages, and on each plate the uniform was a little more gaudy, the rank higher. The last one was that of a grand-admiral, and Bill blinked at his own face under the plumed helmet, now with a touch of crow's-feet about the eyes and sporting a handsome and gray-shot mustache, but still undeniably his own.
"That's the way you will look," the sergeant murmured into his ear, "once you have climbed the ladder of success. Would you like to try a uniform on? Of course you would like to try a uniform on. Tailor!"
When Bill opened his mouth to protest the sergeant put a large cigar into it, and before he could get it out the robot tailor had rolled up, swept a curtain-bearing arm about him and stripped him naked. "Hey! Hey!" he said.
"It won't hurt," the sergeant said, poking his great head through the curtain and beaming at Bill's muscled form. He poked a finger into a pectoral (rock), then withdrew.
"Ouch!" Bill said, as the tailor extruded a cold pointer and jabbed him with it, measuring his size. Something went _chunk_ deep inside its tubular torso, and a brilliant red jacket began to emerge from a slot in the front. In an instant this was slipped onto Bill and the shining golden buttons buttoned. Luxurious gray moleskin trousers were pulled on next, then gleaming black knee-length boots. Bill staggered a bit as the curtain was whipped away and a powered full-length mirror rolled up.
"Oh, how the girls love a uniform," the sergeant said, "and I can't blame them."
A memory of the vision of Inga-Maria Calyphigia's matched white moons obscured Bill's sight for a moment, and when it had cleared he found he was grasping a stylo and was about to sign the form that the recruiting sergeant held before him.
"No," Bill said, a little amazed at his own firmness of mind. "I don't really want to. Technical Fertilizer Operator . . . "
"And not only will you receive this lovely uniform, an enlistment bonus, and a free medical examination, but you will be awarded these handsome medals." The sergeant took a flat box, offered to him on cue by a robot, and opened it to display a glittering array of ribbons and bangles. "This is the Honorable Enlistment Award," he intoned gravely, pinning a jewel-encrusted nebula, pendant on chartreuse, to Bill's wide chest "And the Emperor's Congratulatory Gilded Horn, the Forward to Victory Starburst, the Praise Be Given Salutation of the Mothers of the Victorious Fallen, and the Everflowing Cornucopia which does not mean anything but looks nice and can be used to carry contraceptives." He stepped back and admired Bill's chest, which was now adangle with ribbons, shining metal, and gleaming paste gems.
"I just couldn't," Bill said. "Thank you anyway for the offer, but . . . "
The sergeant smiled, prepared even for this eleventh-hour resistance, and pressed the button on his belt that actuated the programed hypno-coil in the heel of Bill's new boot. The powerful neural current surged through the contacts and Bill's hand twitched and jumped, and when the momentary fog had lifted from his eyes he saw that he had signed his name.
"But . . . "
"Welcome to the Space Troopers," the sergeant boomed, smacking him on the back (trapezius like rock) and relieving him of the stylo. "FALL IN!" he called in a larger voice, and the recruits stumbled from the tavern.
"What have they done to my son!" Bill's mother screeched, coming into the market square, clutching at her bosom with one hand and towing his baby brother Charlie with the other. Charlie began to cry and wet his pants.
"Your son is now a trooper for the greater glory of the Emperor," the sergeant said, pushing his slack-jawed and round-shouldered recruit squad into line.
"No! it can't be . . . "Bill's mother sobbed, tearing at her graying hair. "I'm a poor widow, he's my sole support . . . you cannot . . . !"
"Mother . . . " Bill said, but the sergeant shoved him back into the ranks.
"Be brave, madam," he said. "There can be no greater glory for a mother." He dropped a large and newly minted coin into her hand. "Here is the enlistment bonus, the Emperor's shilling. I know he wants you to have it. ATTENTION!"
With a clash of heels the graceless recruits braced their shoulders and lifted their chins. Much to his surprise, so did Bill.
"RIGHT TURN!"
In a single, graceful motion they turned, as the command robot relayed the order to the hypno-coil in every boot. "FORWARD MARCH!" And they did, in perfect rhythm, so well under control that, try as hard as he could, Bill could neither turn his head nor wave a last good-by to his mother. She vanished behind him, and one last, anguished wail cut through the thud of marching feet.
"Step up the count to 130," the sergeant ordered, glancing at the watch set under the nail of his little finger. "Just ten miles to the station, and well be in camp tonight, my lads."
The command robot moved its metronome up one notch and the tramping boots conformed to the smarter pace and the men began to sweat. By the time they had reached the copter station it was nearly dark, their red paper uniforms hung in shreds, the gilt had been rubbed from their pot-metal buttons, and the surface charge that repelled the dust from their thin plastic boots had leaked away. They looked as ragged, weary, dusty, and miserable as they felt.
### II
It wasn't the recorded bugle playing reveille that woke Bill but the supersonics that streamed through the metal frame of his bunk that shook him until the fillings vibrated from his teeth. He sprang to his feet and stood there shivering in the gray of dawn. Because it was summer the floor was refrigerated: no mollycoddling of the men in Camp Leon Trotsky. The pallid, chilled figures of the other recruits loomed up on every side, and when the soul-shaking vibrations had died away they dragged their thick sackcloth and sandpaper fatigue uniforms from their bunks, pulled them hastily on, jammed their feet into the great, purple recruit boots, and staggered out into the dawn.
"I am here to break your spirit," a voice rich with menace told them, and they looked up and shivered even more as they faced the chief demon in this particular hell.
Petty Chief Officer Deathwish Drang was a specialist from the tips of the angry spikes of his hair to the corrugated stamping-soles of his mirrorlike boots. He was wide-shouldered and lean-hipped, while his long arms hung, curved like those of some horrible anthropoid, the knuckles of his immense fists scarred from the breaking of thousands of teeth. It was impossible to look at this detestable form and imagine that it issued from the tender womb of a woman. He could never have been born; he must have been built to order by the government. Most terrible of all was the head. The face! The hairline was scarcely a finger's-width above the black tangle of the brows that were set like a rank growth of foliage at the rim of the black pits that concealed the eyes--visible only as baleful red gleams in the Stygian darkness. A nose, broken and crushed, squatted above the mouth that was like a knife slash in the taut belly of a corpse, while from between the lips issued the great, white fangs of the canine teeth, at least two inches long, that rested in grooves on the lower lip.
"I am Petty Chief Officer Deathwish Drang, and you will call me 'sir' or 'm'lord.'" He began to pace grimly before the row of terrified recruits. "I am your father and your mother and your whole universe and your dedicated enemy, and very soon I will have you regretting the day you were born. I will crush your will. When I say frog, you will jump. My job is to turn you into troopers, and troopers have discipline. Discipline means simply unthinking subservience, loss of free will, absolute obedience. That is all I ask . . . "
He stopped before Bill, who was not shaking quite as much as the others, and scowled.
"I don't like your face. One month of Sunday KP."
"Sir . . . "
"And a second month for talking back."
He waited, but Bill was silent. He had already learned his first lesson on how to be a good trooper. Keep your mouth shut. Deathwish paced on.
"Right now you are nothing but horrible, sordid, flabby pieces of debased civilian flesh. I shall turn that flesh to muscle, your wills to jelly, your minds to machines. You will become good troopers, or I will kill you. Very soon you will be hearing stories about me, vicious stories, about how I killed and ate a recruit who disobeyed me."
He halted and stared at them, and slowly the coffin-lid lips parted in an evil travesty of a grin, while a drop of saliva formed at the tip of each whitened tusk.
"That story is true."
A moan broke from the row of recruits, and they shook as though a chill wind had passed over them. The smile vanished.
"We will run to breakfast now as soon as I have some volunteers for an easy assignment. Can any of you drive a helicar?"
Two recruits hopefully raised their hands, and he beckoned them forward. "All right, both of you, mops and buckets behind that door. Clean out the latrine while the rest are eating. You'll have a better appetite for lunch."
That was Bill's second lesson on how to be a good trooper: never volunteer.
The days of recruit training passed with a horribly lethargic speed. With each day conditions became worse and Bill's exhaustion greater. This seemed impossible, but it was nevertheless true. A large number of gifted and sadistic minds had designed it to be that way. The recruits' heads were shaved for uniformity. The food was theoretically nourishing but incredibly vile and when, by mistake, one batch of meat was served in an edible state it was caught at the last moment and thrown out and the cook reduced two grades. Their sleep was broken by mock gas attacks and their free time filled with caring for their equipment. The seventh day was designated as a day of rest, but they all had received punishments, like Bill's KP, and it was as any other day. On this, the third Sunday of their imprisonment, they were stumbling through the last hour of the day before the lights were extinguished and they were finally permitted to crawl into their casehardened bunks. Bill pushed against the weak force field that blocked the door, cunningly designed to allow the desert flies to enter but not leave the barracks, and dragged himself in. After fourteen hours of KP his legs vibrated with exhaustion, and his arms were wrinkled and pallid as a corpse's from the soapy water. He dropped his jacket to the floor, where it stood stiffly supported by its burden of sweat, grease, and dust, and dragged his shaver from his footlocker. In the latrine he bobbed his head around trying to find a clear space on one of the mirrors. All of them had been heavily stenciled in large letters with such inspiring messages as KEEP YOUR WUG SHUT--THE CHINGERS ARE LISTENING and IF YOU TALK THIS MAN MAY DIE. He finally plugged the shaver in next to WOULD YOU WANT YOUR SISTER TO MARRY ONE? and centered his face in the O in ONE. Black-rimmed and bloodshot eyes stared back at him as he ran the buzzing machine over the underweight planes of his jaw. It took more than a minute for the meaning of the question to penetrate his fatigue-drugged brain.
"I haven't got a sister," he grumbled peevishly, "and if I did, why should she want to marry a lizard anyway?" It was a rhetorical question, but it brought an answer from the far end of the room, from the last shot tower in the second row.
"It doesn't mean _exactly_ what it says--it's just there to make us hate the dirty enemy more."
Bill jumped, he had thought he was alone in the latrine, and the razor buzzed spitefully and gouged a bit of flesh from his lip.
"Who's there? Why are you hiding?" he snarled, then recognized the huddled dark figure and the many pairs of boots "Oh, it's only you, Eager." His anger drained away, and he turned back to the mirror.
Eager Beager was so much a part of the latrine that you forgot he was there. A moon-faced, eternally smiling youth, whose apple-red cheeks never lost their glow and whose smile looked so much out of place here in Camp Leon Trotsky that everyone wanted to kill him until they remembered that he was mad. He had to be mad because he was always eager to help his buddies and had volunteered as permanent latrine orderly. Not only that, but he liked to polish boots and had offered to do those of one after another of his buddies until now he did the boots for every man in the squad every night. Whenever they were in the barracks Eager Beager could be found crouched at the end of the thrones that were his personal domain, surrounded by the heaps of shoes and polishing industriously, his face wreathed in smiles. He would still be there after lights-out, working by the light of a burning wick stuck in a can of polish, and was usually up before the others in the morning, finishing his voluntary job and still smiling. Sometimes, when the boots were very dirty, he worked right through the night. The kid was obviously insane, but no one turned him in because he did such a good job on the boots, and they all prayed that he wouldn't die of exhaustion until recruit training was finished.
"Well if that's what they want to say, why don't they just say, 'Hate the dirty enemy more,"' Bill complained. He jerked his thumb at the far wall, where there was a poster labeled KNOW THE ENEMY. It featured a life-sized illustration of a Chinger, a seven-foot-high saurian that looked very much like a scale-covered, four-armed, green kangaroo with an alligator's head. "Whose sister would want to marry a thing like that anyway? And what would a thing like that want to do with a sister, except maybe eat her?"
Eager put a last buff on a purple toe and picked up another boot. He frowned for a brief instant to show what a serious thought this was. "Well you see, gee--it doesn't mean a _real_ sister. It's just part of psychological warfare. We have to win the war. To win the war we have to fight hard. In order to fight hard we have to have good soldiers. Good soldiers have to hate the enemy. That's the way it goes. The Chingers are the only non-human race that has been discovered in the galaxy that has gone beyond the aboriginal level, so naturally we have to wipe them out."
"What the hell do you mean, _naturally?_ I don't want to wipe anyone out I just want to go home and be a Technical Fertilizer Operator."
"Well, I don't mean you personally, of course--gee!" Eager opened a fresh can of polish with purple-stained hands and dug his fingers into it. "I mean the human race, that's just the way we do things. If we don't wipe them out they'll wipe us out. Of course they say that war is against their religion and they will only fight in defense, and they have never made any attacks yet. But we can't believe them, even though it is true. They might change their religion or their minds some day, and then where would we be? The best answer is to wipe them out now."
Bill unplugged his razor and washed his face in the tepid, rusty water. "It still doesn't seem to make sense. All right, so the sister I don't have doesn't marry one of them. But how about that--" he pointed to the stenciling on the duckboards, KEEP THIS SHOWER CLEAR--THE ENEMY CAN HEAR. "Or that--" The sign above the urinal that read BUTTON FLIES--BEWARE SPIES. "Forgetting for the moment that we don't have any secrets here worth traveling a mile to hear, much less twenty-five light years--how could a Chinger possibly be a spy? What kind of make-up would disguise a seven-foot lizard as a recruit? You couldn't even disguise one to look like Deathwish Drang, though you could get pretty close--"
The lights went out, and, as though using his name had summoned him like a devil from the pit, the voice of Deathwish blasted through the barracks.
"Into your sacks! Into your sacks! Don't you lousy bowbs know there's a war on!"
Bill stumbled away through the darkness of the barracks where the only illumination was the red glow from Deathwish's eyes. He fell asleep the instant his head touched his carborundum pillow, and it seemed that only a moment had elapsed before reveille sent him hurtling from his bunk. At breakfast, while he was painfully cutting his coffee-substitute into chunks small enough to swallow, the telenews reported heavy fighting in the Beta Lyra sector with mounting losses. A groan rippled through the mess hall when this was announced, not because of any excess of patriotism but because any bad news would only make things worse for them. They did not know how this would be arranged, but they were positive it would be. They were right. Since the morning was a bit cooler than usual the Monday parade was postponed until noon when the ferro-concrete drill ground would have warmed up nicely and there would be the maximum number of heat-prostration cases. But this was just the beginning. From where Bill stood at attention near the rear he could see that the air-conditioned canopy was up on the reviewing stand. That meant brass. The trigger guard of his atomic rifle dug a hole into his shoulder, and a drop of sweat collected, then dripped from the tip of his nose. Out of the corners of his eyes he could see the steady ripple of motion as men collapsed here and there among the massed ranks of thousands and were dragged to the waiting ambulances by alert corpsmen. Here they were laid in the shade of the vehicles until they revived and could be urged back to their positions in the formation.
Then the band burst into "Spacemen Ho and Chingers Vanquished!" and the broadcast signal to each boot heel snapped the ranks to attention at the same instant, and the thousands of rifles flashed in the sun. The commanding general's staff car--this was obvious from the two stars painted on it--pulled up beside the reviewing stand and a tiny, round figure moved quickly through the furnacelike air to the comfort of the enclosure. Bill had never seen him any closer than this, at least from the front, though once while he was returning from late KP he had spotted the general getting into his car near the camp theater. At least Bill thought it was he, but all he had seen was a brief rear view. Therefore, if he had a mental picture of the general, it was of a large backside superimposed on a teeny, antlike figure. He thought of most officers in these general terms, since the men of course had nothing to do with offices during their recruit training. Bill had had a good glimpse of a second lieutenant once, near the orderly room, and he knew he had a face. And there had been a medical officer no more than thirty yards away, who had lectured them on venereal disease, but Bill had been lucky enough to sit behind a post and had promptly fallen asleep.
After the band shut up the anti-G loudspeakers floated out over the troops, and the general addressed them. He had nothing to say that anyone cared to listen to, and he closed with the announcement that because of losses in the field their training program would be accelerated, which was just what they had expected. Then the band played some more and they marched back to the barracks, changed into their haircloth fatigues, and marched--double time now--to the range, where they fired their atomic rifles at plastic replicas of Chingers that popped up out of holes in the ground. Their aim was bad until Deathwish Drang popped out of a hole and every trooper switched to full automatic and hit with every charge fired from every gun, which is a very hard thing to do. Then the smoke cleared, and they stopped cheering and started sobbing when they saw that it was only a plastic replica of Deathwish, now torn to tiny pieces, and the original appeared behind them and gnashed its tusks and gave them all a full month's KP.
"The human body is a wonderful thing," Bowb Brown said a month later, when they were sitting around a table in the Lowest Ranks Klub eating plastic-skinned sausages stuffed with road sweepings and drinking watery warm beer. Bowb Brown was a thoat-herder from the plains, which is why they called him Bowb, since everyone knows just what thoat-herders do with their thoats. He was tall, thin, and bowlegged, his skin burnt to the color of ancient leather. He rarely talked, being more used to the eternal silence of the plains broken only by the eerie cry of the restless that, but he was a great thinker, since the one thing he had plenty of was time to think in. He could worry a thought for days, even weeks, before he mentioned it aloud, and while he was thinking about it nothing could disturb him. He even let them call him Bowb without protesting: call any other trooper bowb and he would hit you in the face. Bill and Eager and the other troopers from X squad sitting around the table all clapped and cheered, as they always did when Bowb said something.
"Tell us more, Bowb!"
"It can still talk--I thought it was dead!"
"Go on--why is the body a wonderful thing?"
They waited in expectant silence, while Bowb managed to tear a bite from his sausage and, after ineffectual chewing, swallowed it with an effort that brought tears to his eyes. He eased the pain with a mouthful of beer and spoke.
"The human body is a wonderful thing, because if it doesn't die it lives."
They waited for more until they realized that he was finished, then they sneered.
"Boy, are you full of bowb!"
"Sign up for OCS!"
"Yeah--but what does it _mean?_ "
Bill knew what it meant but didn't tell them. There were only half as many men in the squad as there had been the first day. One man had been transferred, but all the others were in the hospital, or in the mental hospital, or discharged for the convenience of the government as being too crippled for active service. Or dead. The survivors, after losing every ounce of weight not made up of bone or essential connective tissue, had put back the lost weight in the form of muscle and were now completely adapted to the rigors of Camp Leon Trotsky, though they still loathed it. Bill marveled at the efficiency of the system. Civilians had to fool around with examinations, grades, retirement benefits, seniority, and a thousand other factors that limited the efficiency of the workers. But how easily the troopers did it! They simply killed off the weaker ones and used the survivors. He respected the system. Though he still loathed it.
"You know what I need, I need a woman," Ugly Ugglesway said.
"Don't talk dirty," Bill told him promptly, since he had been correctly brought up.
"I'm not talking dirty" Ugly whined. "It's not like I said I wanted to re-enlist or that I thought Deathwish was human or anything like that. I just said I need a woman. Don't we all?"
"I need a drink," Bowb Brown said as he took a long swig from his glass of dehydrated reconstituted beer, shuddered, then squirted it out through his teeth in a long stream onto the concrete, where it instantly evaporated.
"Affirm, affirm," Ugly agreed, bobbing his mat-haired, warty head up and down. "I need a woman _and_ a drink." His whine became almost plaintive. "After all, what else is there to want in the troopers outside of out?"
They thought about that a long time, but could think of nothing else that anyone really wanted. Eager Beager looked out from under the table, where he was surreptitiously polishing a boot and said that he wanted more polish, but they ignored him. Even Bill, now that he put his mind to it, could think of nothing he really wanted other than this inextricably linked pair. He tried hard to think of something else, since he had vague memories of wanting other things when he had been a civilian, but nothing else came to mind.
"Gee, it's only seven weeks more until we get our first pass," Eager said from under the table, then screamed a little as everyone kicked him at once.
But slow as subjective time crawled by, the objective clocks were still operating, and the seven weeks did pass by and eliminate themselves one by one. Busy weeks filled with all the essential recruit-training courses: bayonet drill, small-arms training, short-arm inspection, greypfing, orientation lectures, drill, communal singing and the Articles of War. These last were read with dreadful regularity twice a week and were absolute torture because of the intense somnolence they brought on. At the first rustle of the scratchy, monotonous voice from the tape player heads would begin to nod. But every seat in the auditorium was wired with an EEG that monitored the brain waves of the captive troopers. As soon as the shape of the Alpha wave indicated transition from consciousness to slumber a powerful jolt of current would be shot into the dozing buttocks, jabbing the owners painfully awake. The musty auditorium was a dimly lit torture chamber, filled with the droning, dull voice, punctuated by the sharp screams of the electrified, the sea of nodding heads abob here and there with painfully leaping figures.
No one ever listened to the terrible executions and sentences announced in the Articles for the most innocent of crimes. Everyone knew that they had signed away all human rights when they enlisted, and the itemizing of what they had lost interested them not in the slightest. What they really were interested in was counting the hours until they would receive their first pass. The ritual by which this reward was begrudgingly given was unusually humiliating, but they expected this and merely lowered their eyes and shuffled forward in the line, ready to sacrifice any remaining shards of their self-respect in exchange for the crimpled scrap of plastic. This rite finished, there was a scramble for the monorail train whose track ran on electrically charged pillars, soaring over the thirty-foot-high barbed wire, crossing the quicksand beds, then dropping into the little farming town of Leyville.
At least it had been an agricultural town before Camp Leon Trotsky had been built, and sporadically, in the hours when the troopers weren't on leave, it followed its original agrarian bent. The rest of the time the grain and feed stores shut down and the drink and knocking shops opened. Many times the same premises were used for both functions. A lever would be pulled when the first of the leave party thundered out of the station and grain bins became beds, salesclerks pimps, cashiers retained their same function--though the prices went up--while counters would be racked with glasses to serve as bars. It was to one of these establishments, a mortuary-cum-saloon, that Bill and his friends went.
"What'll it be, boys?" the ever smiling owner of the Final Resting Bar and Grill asked.
"Double shot of Embalming Fluid," Bowb Brown told him.
"No jokes," the landlord said, the smile vanishing for a second as he took down a bottle on which the garish label REAL WHISKEY had been pasted over the etched-in EMBALMING FLUID. "Any trouble I call the MPs." The smile returned as money struck the counter "Name your poison, gents."
They sat around a long, narrow table as thick as it was wide, with brass handles on both sides, and let the blessed relief of ethyl alcohol trickle a path down their dust-lined throats.
"I never drank before I came into the service," Bill said, draining four fingers neat of Old Kidney Killer and held his glass out for more.
"You never had to," Ugly said, pouring.
"That's for sure," Bowb Brown said, smacking his lips with relish and raising a bottle to his lips again.
"Gee," Eager Beager said, sipping hesitantly at the edge of his glass, "it tastes like a tincture of sugar, wood chips, various esters, and a number of higher alcohols."
"Drink up," Bowb said incoherently around the neck of the bottle. "All them things is good for you."
"Now I want a woman," Ugly said, and there was a rush as they all jammed in the door, trying to get out at the same time, until someone shouted, "Look!" and they turned to see Eager still sitting at the table.
"Woman!" Ugly said enthusiastically, in the tone of voice you say Dinner! when you are calling a dog. The knot of men stirred in the doorway and stamped their feet. Eager didn't move.
"Gee--I think I'll stay right here," he said, his smile simpler than ever. "But you guys run along."
"Don't you feel well, Eager?"
"Feel fine."
"Ain't you reached puberty?"
"Gee . . . "
"What you gonna do here?"
Eager reached under the table and dragged out a canvas grip. He opened it to show them that it was packed with great purple boots. "I thought I'd catch up on my polishing."
They walked slowly down the wooden sidewalk, silent for the moment. "I wonder if there is something wrong with Eager?" Bill asked, but no one answered him. They were looking down the rutted street, at a brilliantly illuminated sign that cast a tempting, ruddy glow.
SPACEMEN'S REST it said. CONTINUOUS STRIP SHOW and BEST DRINKS and better PRIVATE ROOMS FOR GUESTS AND THEIR FRIENDS. They walked faster. The front wall of the Spacemen's Rest was covered with shatterproof glass cases filled with tri-di pix of the fully dressed (bangle and double stars) entertainers, and further in with pix of them nude (debangled with fallen stars). Bill stayed the quick sound of panting by pointing to a small sign almost lost among the tumescent wealth of mammaries.
OFFICERS ONLY it read.
"Move along," an MP grated, and poked at them with his electronic nightstick. They shuffled on.
The next establishment admitted men of all classes, but the cover charge was seventy-seven credits, more than they all had between them. After that the OFFICERS ONLY began again, until the pavement ended and all the lights were behind them.
"What's that?" Ugly asked at the sound of murmured voices from a nearby darkened street, and peering closely they saw a line of troopers that stretched out of sight around a distant corner. "What's this?" he asked the last man in the line.
"Lower-ranks cathouse. Two credits, two minutes. And don't try to buck the line, bowb. On the back, on the back."
They joined up instantly, and Bill ended up last, but not for long. They shuffled forward slowly, and other troopers appeared and cued up behind him. The night was cool, and he took many life-preserving slugs from his bottle. There was little conversation and what there was died as the red-lit portal loomed ever closer. It opened and closed at regular intervals, and one by one Bill's buddies slipped in to partake of its satisfying, though rapid, pleasures. Then it was his turn and the door started to open and he started to step forward and the sirens started to scream and a large MP with a great fat belly jumped between Bill and the door.
"Emergency recall. Back to the base you men!" it barked.
Bill howled a strangled groan of frustration and leaped forward, but a light tap with the electronic nightstick sent him reeling back with the others. He was carried along, half stunned, with the shuffling wave of bodies, while the sirens moaned and the artificial northern lights in the sky spelled out TO ARMS!!!! in letters of flame each a hundred miles long. Someone put his hand out, holding Bill up as he started to slide under the trampling purple boots. It was his old buddy, Ugly, carrying a satiated smirk and he hated him and tried to hit him. But before he could raise his fist they were swept into a monorail car, hurtled through the night, and disgorged back in Camp Leon Trotsky. He forgot his anger when the gnarled claws of Deathwish Drang dragged them from the crowd.
"Pack your bags," he rasped. "You're shipping out."
"They can't do that to us--we haven't finished our training."
"They can do whatever they want, and they usually do. A glorious space battle has just been fought to its victorious conclusion and there are over four million casualties, give or take a hundred thousand. Replacements are needed, which is you. Prepare to board the transports immediately if not sooner."
"We can't--we have no space gear! The supply room . . . "
"All of the supply personnel have already been shipped out."
"Food . . . "
"The cooks and KP pushers are already spacebound. This is an emergency. All non-essential personnel are being sent out. Probably to die." He twanged a tusk coyly and washed them with his loathsome grin. "While I remain here in peaceful security to train your replacements." The delivery tube plunked at his elbow, and as he opened the message capsule and read its contents his smile slowly fell to pieces. "They're shipping me out too," he said hollowly.
### III
A total of 89,672,899 recruits had already been shipped into space through Camp Leon Trotsky, so the process was an automatic and smoothly working one, even though this time it was processing itself, like a snake swallowing its own tail. Bill and his buddies were the last group of recruits through, and the snake began ingesting itself right behind them. No sooner had they been shorn of their sprouting fuzz and deloused in the ultrasonic delouser than the barbers rushed at each other and in a welter of under and over arms, gobbets of hair, shards of mustache, bits of flesh, drops of blood, they clipped and shaved each other, then pulled the operator after them into the ultrasonic chamber. Medical corpsmen gave themselves injections against rocket-fever and space-cafard; record clerks issued themselves pay books; and the loadmasters kicked each other up the ramps and into the waiting shuttleships. Rockets blasted, living columns of fire like scarlet tongues licking down at the blasting pads, burning up the ramps in a lovely pyrotechnic display, since the ramp operators were also aboard. The ships echoed and thundered up into the night sky leaving Camp Leon Trotsky a dark and silent ghost town where bits of daily orders and punishment rosters rustled and blew from the bulletin boards, dancing through the deserted streets to finally plaster themselves against the noisy, bright windows of the Officers' Club where a great drinking party was in progress, although there was much complaining because the officers had to serve themselves.
Up and up the shuttleships shot, toward the great fleet of deep-spacers that darkened the stars above, a new fleet, the most powerful the galaxy had ever seen, so new in fact that the ships were still under construction. Welding torches flared in brilliant points of light while hot rivets hurled their flat trajectories across the sky into the waiting buckets. The spots of light died away as one behemoth of the star lanes was completed and thin screams sounded in the space-suit radio circuit as the workers, instead of being returned to the yards, were pressed into service on the ship they had so recently built. This was total war.
Bill staggered through the sagging plastic tube that connected the shuttleship to a dreadnaught of space and dropped his bags in front of a petty chief officer who sat at a desk in the hangar-sized spacelock. Or rather he tried to drop it, but since there was no gravity the bags remained in mid-air, and when he pushed them down he rose (since a body when it is falling freely is said to be in free fall, and anything with weight has no weight, and for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction or something like that). The petty looked up and snarled and pulled Bill back down to the deck.
"None of your bowby spacelubber tricks, trooper. Name?"
"Bill, spelled with two L's."
"Bil," the petty mumbled, licking the end of his stylo, then inscribing it in the ship's roster with round, illiterate letters. "Two 'L's' for officers only, bowb--learn your place. What's your classification?"
"Recruit, unskilled, untrained, spacesick."
"Well don't puke in here, that's what you have your own quarters for. You are now a Fuse Tender Sixth Class, unskilled. Bunk down in compartment 34J-89T-001. Move. And keep that woopsy-sack over your head."
No sooner had Bill found his quarters and thrown his bags into a bunk, where they floated five inches over the reclaimed rock-wool mattress, than Eager Beager came in, followed by Bowb Brown and a crowd of strangers, some of them carrying welding torches and angry expressions.
"Where's Ugly and the rest of the squad?" Bill asked.
Bowb shrugged and strapped himself into his bunk for a little shut-eye. Eager opened one of the six bags he always carried and removed some boots to polish.
"Are you saved?" A deep voice, vibrant with emotion, sounded from the other end of the compartment. Bill looked up, startled, and the big trooper standing there saw the motion and stabbed toward him with an immense finger. "You, brother, are you saved?"
"That's a little hard to say," Bill mumbled, bending over and rooting in his bag, hoping the man would go away. But he didn't; in fact, he came over and sat down on Bill's bunk. Bill tried to ignore him, but this was hard to do, because the trooper was over six feet high, heavily muscled, and iron-jawed. He had lovely, purplish-black skin that made Bill a little jealous, because his was only a sort of grayish pink. Since the trooper's shipboard uniform was almost the same shade of black, he looked all of a piece, very effective with his flashing smile and piercing gaze.
"Welcome aboard the _Christine Keeler_ ," he said, and with a friendly shake splintered most of Bill's knucklebones. "The grand old lady of this fleet, commissioned almost a week ago. I'm the Reverend Fuse Tender Sixth Class Tembo, and I see by the stencil on your bag that your name is Bill, and since we're shipmates, Bill, please call me Tembo, and how is the condition of your soul?"
"I haven't had much chance to think about it lately . . . "
"I should think not, just coming from recruit training, since attendance of chapel during training is a court-martial offense. But that's all behind you now and you can be saved. Might I ask if you are of the faith . . . ?"
"My folks were Fundamentalist Zoroastrian, so I suppose . . . "
"Superstition, my boy, rank superstition. It was the hand of fate that brought us together in this ship, that your soul would have this one chance to be saved from the fiery pit. You've heard of Earth?"
"I like plain food . . . "
"It's a planet, my boy--the home of the human race. The home from whence we all sprang, see it, a green and lovely world, a jewel in space." Tembo had slipped a tiny projector from his pocket while he spoke, and a colored image appeared on the bulkhead, a planet swimming artistically through the void, girdled by white clouds. Suddenly ruddy lightning shot through the clouds, and they twisted and boiled while great wounds appeared on the planet below. From the pinhead speaker came the tiny sound of rolling thunder. "But wars sprang up among the sons of man and they smote each other with the atomic energies until the Earth itself groaned aloud and mighty was the holocaust. And when the final lightning stilled there was death in the North, death in the West, death in the East, death, death, death. Do you realize what that means?" Tembo's voice was eloquent with feeling, suspended for an instant in mid-flight, waiting for the answer to the catechistical question.
"I'm not quite sure," Bill said, rooting aimlessly in his bag, "I come from Phigerinadon II, it's a quieter place . . . "
"There was no death in the SOUTH! And why was the South spared, I ask you, and the answer is because it was the will of Samedi that all the false prophets and false religions and false gods be wiped from the face of the Earth so that the only true faith should remain. The First Reformed Voodoo Church . . . "
General Quarters sounded, a hooting alarm keyed to the resonant frequency of the human skull so that the bone vibrated as though the head were inside a mighty bell, and the eyes blurred out of focus with each stroke. There was a scramble for the passageway, where the hideous sound was not quite as loud and where non-coms were waiting to herd them to their stations. Bill followed Eager Beager up an oily ladder and out of the hatch in the floor of the fuse room. Great racks of fuses stretched away on all sides of them, while from the tops of the racks sprang arm-thick cables that looped upward and vanished through the ceiling. In front of the racks, evenly spaced, were round openings a foot in diameter.
"My opening remarks will be brief, any trouble from any of you and I will personally myself feed you head first down the nearest fuseway." A greasy forefinger pointed at one of the holes in the deck, and they recognized the voice of their new master. He was shorter and wider and thicker in the gut than Deathwish, but there was a generic resemblance that was unmistakable. "I am Fuse Tender First Class Spleen. I will take you crumbly, ground-crawling bowbs and will turn you into highly skilled and efficient fuse tenders or else feed you down the nearest fuseway. This is a highly skilled and efficient technical speciality which usually takes a year to train a good man but this is war so you are going to learn to do it now or else. I will now demonstrate. Tembo front and center. Take board 19J-9, it's out of circuit now."
Tembo clashed his heels and stood at rigid attention in front of the board. Stretching away on both sides of him were the fuses, white ceramic cylinders capped on both ends with metal, each one a foot in diameter, five feet high, and weighing ninety pounds. There was a red band around the midriff of each fuse. First Class Spleen tapped one of these bands.
"Every fuse has one of these red bands, which is called a fuseband and is of the color red. When the fuse burns out this band turns black. I don't expect you to remember all this now, but it's in your manual and you are going to be letter-perfect before I am done with you, or else. Now I will show you what will happen when a fuse burns out. Tembo--that is a burned-out fuse! Go!"
"Unggh!" Tembo shouted, and leaped at the fuse and grasped it with both hands. "Unggh!" he said again, as he pulled it from the clips, and again "Unggh!" when he dropped it into the fuseway. Then, still Ungghing, he pulled a new fuse from the storage rack and clipped it into place and with a final Unggh! snapped back to attention.
"And that's the way it is done, by the count, by the numbers, the trooper way, and you are going to learn it or else." A dull buzzing sounded, grumbling through the air like a stifled eructation. "There's the chow call, so I'll let you break now, and while you're eating, think about what you are going to have to learn. Fall out"
Other troopers were going by in the corridor, and they followed them into the bowels of the ship.
"Gee--do you think the food might be any better than it was back in camp?" Eager asked, smacking his lips excitedly.
"It is completely impossible that it could be any worse," Bill said as they joined a line leading to a door labeled CONSOLIDATED MESS NUMBER TWO. "Any change will have to make it better. After all--aren't we fighting troopers now? We have to go into combat fit, the manual says."
The line moved forward with painful slowness, but within an hour they were at the door. Inside the room a tired-looking KP in soap-stained, greasy fatigues handed Bill a yellow plastic cup from a rack before him. Bill moved on, and when the trooper in front of him stepped away, he faced a blank wall from which there emerged a single, handleless spigot. A fat cook standing next to it, wearing a large white chefs hat and a soiled undershirt, waved him forward with the soup ladle in his hand.
"C'mon, c'mon, ain't you never et before? Cup under the spout, dog tag in the slot, snap it up!"
Bill held the cup as he had been advised and noticed a narrow slit in the metal wall just at eye level. His dog tags were hanging around his neck, and he pushed one of them into the slot. Something went _bzzzzz_ , and a thin stream of yellow fluid gushed out, filling the cup halfway.
"Next man!" the cook shouted, and pulled Bill away so that Eager could take his place. "What is this?" Bill asked, peering into the cup.
"What is this! What is this!" the cook raged, growing bright red. "This is your dinner, you stupid bowb! This is absolutely chemically pure water in which are dissolved eighteen amino acids, sixteen vitamins, eleven mineral salts, a fatty acid ester, and glucose. What else did you expect?"
"Dinner . . . ?" Bill said hopefully, then saw red as the soup ladle crashed down on his head. "Could I have it without the fatty acid ester?" he asked hopefully, but he was pushed out into the corridor where Eager joined him.
"Gee," Eager said. "This has all the food elements necessary to sustain life indefinitely. Isn't that marvelous?"
Bill sipped at his cup, then sighed tremulously.
"Look at that," Tembo said, and when Bill turned, a projected image appeared on the corridor wall. It showed a misty firmament, in which tiny figures seemed to be riding on clouds. "Hell awaits you, my boy, unless you are saved. Turn your back on your superstitious ways, for the First Reformed Voodoo Church welcomes you with open arms; come unto her bosom, and find your place in heaven at Samedi's right hand. Sit there with Mondongue and Bakalou and Zandor, who will welcome you."
The projected scene changed; the clouds grew closer, while from the little speaker came the tiny sound of a heavenly choir with drum accompaniment. Now the figures could be seen clearly, all with very dark skins and white robes from the back of which protruded great black wings. They smiled and waved gracefully to each other as their clouds passed, while singing enthusiastically and beating on the little tom-toms that each one carried. It was a lovely scene, and Bill's eyes misted a bit.
_" Attention!"_
The barking tones echoed from the walls and the troopers snapped their shoulders back, heels together, eyes ahead. The heavenly choir vanished as Tembo shoved the projector back into his pocket.
"As you was," First Class Spleen ordered, and they turned to see him leading two MPs with drawn handguns who were acting as bodyguards for an officer. Bill knew it was an officer because they had had an officer-identification course, plus the fact that there was a KNOW YOUR OFFICERS chart on the latrine wall that he had had a great deal of opportunity to study during an anguilluliasis epidemic. His jaw gaped open as the officer went by, almost close enough to _touch_ , and stopped in front of Tembo.
"Fuse Tender Sixth Class Tembo, I have good news for you. In two weeks your seven-year period of enlistment will be up, and because of your fine record Captain Zekial has authorized a doubling of the usual mustering-out pay, an honorable discharge with band music, as well as your free transport back to Earth."
Tembo, relaxed and firm, looked down at the runty lieutenant with the well-chewed blond mustache who stood before him. "That will be impossible, sir."
"Impossible!" the lieutenant screeched, and rocked back and forth on his high-heeled boots. "Who are you to tell _me_ what is impossible . . . !"
"Not I, sir," Tembo answered with utmost calm. "Regulation 13-9A, paragraph 45, page 8923, volume 43 of Rules, Regulations and Articles of War. 'No man nor officer shall or will receive a discharge other than dishonorable with death sentence from a vessel, post, base, camp, ship, outpost, or labor camp during time of emergency . . . '"
"Are you a ship's lawyer, Tembo?"
"No, sir. I'm a loyal trooper, sir. I just want to do my duty, sir."
"There's something very funny about you, Tembo. I saw in your record that you enlisted _voluntarily_ without drugs and or hypnotics being used. Now you refuse discharge. That's bad, Tembo, very bad. Gives you a bad name. Makes you look suspicious. Makes you look like a spy or something."
"I'm a loyal trooper, of the Emperor, sir, not a spy."
"You're not a spy, Tembo, we have looked into that very carefully. But why _are_ you in the service, Tembo?"
"To be a loyal trooper of the Emperor, sir, and to do my best to spread the gospel. Have you been saved, sir?"
"Watch your tongue, trooper or I'll have you up on charges! Yes, we know that story-- _Reverend_ --but we don't believe it. You're being too tricky, but we'll find out . . . " He stalked away, muttering to himself, and they all snapped to attention until he was gone. The other troopers looked at Tembo oddly and did not feel comfortable until he had gone. Bill and Eager walked slowly back to their quarters.
"Turned down a discharge . . . !" Bill mumbled in awe.
"Gee," Eager said, "maybe he's nuts. I can't think of any other reason."
"Nobody could be _that_ crazy," Bill said. "I wonder what's in there?" pointing to a door with a large sign that read ADMITTANCE TO AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY.
"Gee--I don't know--maybe food?"
They slipped through instantly and closed the door behind them, but there was no food there. Instead they were in a long chamber with one curved wall, while attached to this wall were cumbersome devices each set with meters, dials, switches, controls, levers, a view screen, and a relief tube. Bill bent over and read the label on the nearest one.
_" Mark IV Atomic Blaster_--and look at the size of them! This must be the ship's main battery." He turned around and saw that Eager was holding his arm up so that his wrist watch pointed at the guns and was pressing on the crown with the index finger of his other hand.
"What are you doing?" Bill asked.
"Gee--just seeing what time it was."
"How can you tell what time it is when you have the inside of your wrist toward your face and the watch is on the outside?"
Footsteps echoed far down the long gun deck, and they remembered the sign on the outside of the door. In an instant they had slipped back through it, and Bill pressed it quietly shut. When he turned around Eager Beager had gone so that he had to make his way back to their quarters by himself. Eager had returned first and was busy shining boots for his buddies and didn't look up when Bill came in.
But what _had_ he been doing with his watch?
### IV
This question kept bugging Bill all the time during the days of their training as they painfully learned the drill of fuse tending. It was an exacting, technical job that demanded all their attention, but in spare moments Bill worried. He worried when they stood in line for chow, and he worried during the few moments every night between the time the lights were turned off and sleep descended heavily upon his fatigue-drugged body. He worried whenever he had the time to do it, and he lost weight.
He lost weight not because he was worrying, but for the same reason everyone else lost weight. The shipboard rations. They were designed to sustain life, and that they did, but no mention was made of what kind of life it was to be. It was a dreary, underweight, hungry one. Yet Bill took no notice of this. He had a bigger problem, and he needed help. After Sunday drill at the end of their second week, he stayed to talk to First Class Spleen instead of joining the others in their tottering run toward the mess hall.
"I have a problem, sir . . . "
"You ain't the only one, but one shot cures it and you ain't a man until you've had it"
"It's not that kind of a problem. I'd like to . . . see the . . . chaplain . . . "
Spleen turned white and sank back against the bulkhead. "Now I heard everything," he said weakly. "Get down to chow, and if you don't tell anyone about this I won't either."
Bill blushed. "I'm sorry about this, First Class Spleen, but I can't help it. It's not my fault I have to see him, it could have happened to anyone . . . " His voice trailed away, and he looked down at his feet, rubbing one boot against another. The silence stretched out until Spleen finally spoke, but all the comradeliness was gone from his voice.
"All right, trooper--if that's the way you want it. But I hope none of the rest of the boys hear about it. Skip chow and get up there now--here's a pass." He scrawled on a scrap of paper then threw it contemptuously to the floor, turning and walking away as Bill bent humbly to pick it up.
Bill went down dropchutes, along corridors, through passageways, and up ladders. In the ship's directory the chaplain was listed as being in compartment 362-B on the 89th deck, and Bill finally found this, a plain metal door set with rivets. He raised his hand to knock, while sweat stood out in great beads from his face and his throat was dry. His knuckles boomed hollowly on the panel, and after an endless period a muffled voice sounded from the other side.
"Yeah, yeah--c'mon in--it's open."
Bill stepped through and snapped to attention when he saw the officer behind the single desk that almost filled the tiny room. The officer, a fourth lieutenant, though still young was balding rapidly. There were black circles under his eyes, and he needed a shave. His tie was knotted crookedly and badly crumpled. He continued to scratch among the stacks of paper that littered the desk, picking them up, changing piles with them, scrawling notes on some and throwing others into an overflowing wastebasket. When he moved one of the stacks Bill saw a sign on the desk that read LAUNDRY OFFICER.
"Excuse me, sir," he said, "but I am in the wrong office. I was looking for the chaplain."
"This is the chaplain's office but he's not on duty until 1300 hours, which is, as someone even as stupid-looking as you can tell, is in fifteen minutes more."
"Thank you, sir, I'll come back . . . " Bill slid toward the door.
"You'll stay and work." The officer raised bloodshot eyeballs and cackled evilly. "I got you can sort the hanky reports. I've lost six hundred jockstraps, and they may be in there. You think it's easy to be a laundry officer?" He sniveled with self-pity and pushed a tottering stack of papers over to Bill, who began to sort through them. Long before he was finished the buzzer sounded that ended the watch.
"I knew it!" the officer sobbed hopelessly, "this job will never end; instead it gets worse and worse. And you think you got problems!" He reached out an unsteady finger and flipped the sign on his desk over. It read Chaplain on the other side. Then he grabbed the end of his necktie and pulled it back hard over his right shoulder. The necktie was fastened to his collar and the collar was set into ball bearings that rolled smoothly in a track fixed to his shirt. There was a slight whirring sound as the collar rotated; then the necktie was hanging out of sight down his back and his collar was now on backward, showing white and smooth and cool to the front.
The chaplain steepled his fingers before him, lowered his eyes, and smiled sweetly. "How may I help you, my son?"
"I thought you were the laundry officer," Bill said, taken aback.
"I am, my son, but that is just one of the burdens that must fall upon my shoulders. There is little call for a chaplain in these troubled times, but much call for a laundry officer. I do my best to serve." He bent his head humbly.
"But--which are you? A chaplain who is a part-time laundry officer, or a laundry officer who is a part-time chaplain?"
"That is a mystery, my son. There are some things that it is best not to know. But I see you are troubled. May I ask if you are of the faith?"
"Which faith?"
"That's what I'm asking _you!_ " the chaplain snapped, and for a moment the Old Laundry Officer peeped through. "How can I help you if I do not know what your religion is?"
"Fundamentalist Zoroastrian."
The chaplain took a plastic-covered sheet from a drawer and ran his finger down it. "Z . . . Z . . . Zen . . . Zodomite . . . Zoroastrian, Reformed Fundamentalist, is that the one?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, should be no trouble with this, my son . . . 21-52-05 . . . " He quickly dialed the number on a control plate set into the desk; then, with a grand gesture and an evangelistic gleam in his eye, he swept all the laundry papers to the floor. Hidden machinery hummed briefly, a portion of the desk top dropped away and reappeared a moment later bearing a black plastic box decorated with golden bulls, rampant. "Be with you in a second," the chaplain said, opening the box.
First he unrolled a length of white cloth sewn with more golden bulls and draped this around his neck. He placed a thick, leather-bound book next to the box, then on the closed lid set two metal bulls with hollowed-out backs. Into one of them he poured distilled water from a plastic flask and into the other sweet oil, which he ignited. Bill watched these familiar arrangements with growing happiness.
"It's very lucky," Bill said, "that you are a Zoroastrian. It makes it easier to talk to you."
"No luck involved, my son, just intelligent planning." The chaplain dropped some powdered Haoma into the flame, and Bill's nose twitched as the drugged incense filled the room. "By the grace of Ahura Mazdah I am an anointed priest of Zoroaster. By Allah's will a faithful muezzin of Islam, through Yahweh's intercession a circumcized rabbi, and so forth." His benign face broke into a savage snarl. "And also because of an officer shortage I am the damned laundry officer." His face cleared. "But now, you must tell me your problem . . . "
"Well, it's not easy. It may be just foolish suspicion on my part, but I'm worried about one of my buddies. There is something strange about him. I'm not sure how to tell it . . . "
"Have confidence, my boy, and reveal your innermost feelings to me, and do not fear. What I hear shall never leave this room, for I am bound to secrecy by the oath of my calling. Unburden yourself."
"That's very nice of you, and I _do_ feel better already. You see, this buddy of mine has always been a little funny," he shines the boots for all of us and volunteered for latrine orderly and doesn't like girls."
The chaplain nodded beatifically and fanned some of the incense toward his nose. "I see little here to worry you, he sounds a decent lad. For is it not written in the Vendidad that we should aid our fellow man and seek to shoulder his burdens and pursue not the harlots of the streets?"
Bill pouted. "That's all right for Sunday school, but it's no way to act in the troopers! Anyway, we just thought he was out of his mind, and he might have been--but that's not all. I was with him on the gun deck, and he pointed his watch at the guns and pressed the stem, and I heard it _click_! It could be a camera. I . . . I think he is a Chinger spy!" Bill sat back, breathing deeply and sweating. The fatal words had been spoken.
The chaplain continued to nod, smiling, half-unconscious from the Haoma fumes. Finally he snapped out of it, blew his nose and opened the thick copy of the Avesta. He mumbled aloud in Old Persian a bit, which seemed to brace him, then slammed it shut.
"You must not bear false witness!" he boomed, fixing Bill with piercing gaze and accusing finger.
"You got me wrong," Bill moaned, writhing in the chair. "He's _done_ these things, I _saw_ him use the watch. What kind of spiritual aid do you call _this?_ "
"Just a bracer, my boy, a touch of the old-time religion to renew your sense of guilt and start you thinking about going to church regular again. You have been backsliding!"
"What else could I do--chapel is forbidden during recruit training?"
"Circumstances are no excuse, but you will be forgiven this time because Ahura Mazdah is all-merciful."
"But what about my buddy--the spy?"
"You must forget your suspicions, for they are not worthy of a follower of Zoroaster. This poor lad must not suffer because of his natural inclinations to be friendly, to aid his comrades, to keep himself pure, to own a crummy watch that goes click. And besides, if you do not mind my introducing a spot of logic--how could he be a spy? To be a spy he would have to be a Chinger, and Chingers are seven feet tall with tails. Catch?"
"Yeah, yeah," Bill mumbled unhappily. "I could figure that one out for myself--but it still doesn't explain everything . . . "
"It satisfies me, and it must satisfy you. I feel that Ahriman has possessed you to make you think evil of your comrade, and you had better do some penance and join me in a quick prayer before the laundry officer comes back on duty."
This ritual was quickly finished, and Bill helped stow the things back in the box and watched it vanish back into the desk. He said good-by and turned to leave.
"Just one moment, my son," the chaplain said with his warmest smile, reaching back over his shoulder at the same time to grab the end of his necktie. He pulled, and his collar whirred about, and as it did the blissful expression was wiped from his face to be replaced by a surly snarl. "Just where do you think you're going, bowb! Put your as back in that chair."
"B-but," Bill stammered, "you said I was dismissed"
"That's what the chaplain said, and as laundry officer I have no truck with him. Now-- _fast_ --what's the name of this Chinger spy you are hiding?"
"I told you about that under oath--"
"You told the _chaplain_ about it, and he keeps his word and he didn't tell me, but I just happened to hear." He pressed a red button on the control panel. "The MPs are on the way. You talk before they get here, bowb, or I'll have you keel-hauled without a space suit and deprived of canteen privileges for a year. The name?"
"Eager Beager," Bill sobbed, as heavy feet trampled outside and two redhats forced their way into the tiny room.
"I have a spy for you boys," the laundry officer announced triumphantly, and the MPs grated their teeth, howled deep in their throats, and launched themselves through the air at Bill. He dropped under the assault of fists and clubs and was running with blood before the laundry officer could pull the overmuscled morons with their eyes not an inch apart off him.
"Not him . . . " the officer gasped, and threw Bill a towel to wipe off some of the blood. "This is our informant, the loyal, patriotic hero who ratted on his buddy by the name of Eager Beager, who we will now grab and chain so he can be questioned. Let's go."
The MPs held Bill up between them, and by the time they had come to the fuse tenders' quarters the breeze from their swift passage had restored him a bit. The laundry officer opened the door just enough to poke in his head. "Hi, gang!" he called cheerily. "Is Eager Beager here?"
Eager looked up from the boot he was polishing, waving and grinning. "That's me--gee."
"Get him!" the laundry officer expostulated, jumping aside and pointing accusingly. Bill dropped to the floor as the MPs let go of him and thundered into the compartment. By the time he had staggered back to his feet Eager was pinioned, handcuffed and chained, hand and foot, but still grinning.
"Gee--you guys want some boots polished too?"
"No backtalk, you dirty spy," the laundry officer grated, and slapped him hard in the offensive grin. At least he tried to slap him in the offensive grin, but Beager opened his mouth and bit the hand that hit him, clamping down hard so that the officer could not get away. "He bit me!" the man howled, and tried desperately to pull free. Both MPs, each handcuffed to an arm of the prisoner, raised their clubs to give him a sound battering.
At this moment the top of Eager Beager's head flew open.
Happening at any other time, this would have been considered unusual, but happening at this moment it was spectacularly unusual, and they all, including Bill, gaped, as a seven-inch-high lizard climbed out of the open skull and jumped to the floor in which it made a sizable dent upon landing. It had four tiny arms, a long tail, a head like a baby alligator, and was bright green. It looked exactly like a Chinger except that it was seven inches tall instead of seven feet.
"All bowby humans have B.O.," it said, in a thin imitation of Eager Beager's voice. "Chingers can't sweat. Chingers forever!" It charged across the compartment toward Beager's bunk.
Paralysis prevailed. All of the fuse tenders who had witnessed the impossible events stood or sat as they had been, frozen with shock, eyes bulging like hard-boiled eggs. The laundry officer was pinioned by the teeth locked into his hand, while the two MPs struggled with the handcuffs that held them to the immobile body. Only Bill was free to move and, still dizzy from the beating, he bent over to grab the tiny creature. Small and powerful talons locked into his flesh, and he was pulled from his feet and went sailing through the air to crash against a bulkhead. "Gee--that's for you, you stoolie!" the minuscule voice squeaked.
Before anyone else could interfere, the lizardoid ran to Beager's pile of barracks bags and tore the topmost one open and dived inside. A high-pitched humming grew in volume an instant later, and from the bag emerged the bullet-like nose of a shining projectile. It pushed out until a tiny spaceship not two feet long floated in the compartment Then it rotated about its vertical axis, stopping when it pointed at the bulkhead. The humming rose in pitch, and the ship suddenly shot forward and tore through the metal of the partition as if it had been no stronger than wet cardboard. There were other distant tearing sounds as it penetrated bulkhead after bulkhead until, with a rending clang, it crashed through the outer skin of the ship and escaped into space. There was the roar of air rushing into the void and the clamor of alarm bells.
"Well I'll be damned . . . " the laundry officer said, then snapped his gaping mouth closed and screamed, "Get this thing offa my hand--it's biting me to death!"
The two MPs still swayed back and forth, handcuffed effectively to the immobile figure of the former Eager Beager. Beager just stared, smiling around the grip he had on the officer's hand, and it wasn't until Bill got his atomic rifle and put the barrel into Eager's mouth and levered the jaw open that the hand could be withdrawn. While he did this Bill saw that the top of Eager's head had split open just above his ears and was held at the back by a shiny brass hinge. Inside the gaping skull, instead of brains and bones and things, was a model control room with a tiny chair, minuscule controls, TV screens, and a water cooler. Eager was just a robot worked by the little creature that had escaped in the spaceship. It looked like a Chinger--but it was only seven inches tall.
"Hey!" Bill said, "Eager is just a robot worked by the little creature that escaped in the spaceship! It looked like a Chinger--but it was only seven inches tall . . . "
"Seven inches, seven feet--what difference does it make!" the laundry officer mumbled petulantly as he wrapped a handkerchief around his wounded hand. "You don't expect us to tell the recruits how small the enemy really are, or to explain how they come from a 10G planet. We gotta keep the morale up."
### V
Now that Eager Beager had turned out to be a Chinger spy, Bill felt very much alone. Bowb Brown, who never talked anyway, now talked even less, which meant never, so there was no one that Bill could bitch to. Bowb was the only other fuseman in the compartment who had been in Bill's squad at Camp Leon Trotsky, and all of the new men were very clannish and given to sitting close together and mumbling and throwing suspicious looks over their shoulders if he should come too close. Their only recreation was welding and every off watch they would break out the welders and weld things to the floor and the next watch cut them loose again, which is about as dim a way of wasting time as there is; but they seemed to enjoy it. So Bill was very much out of things and tried bitching to Eager Beager.
"Look at the trouble you got me into" he whined.
Beager just smiled back, unmoved by the complaint.
"At least close your head when I'm talking to you," Bill snarled, and reached over to slam the top of Eager's head shut. But it didn't do any good. Eager couldn't do anything any more except smile. He had polished his last boot. He just stood there now; he was really very heavy and besides was magnetized to the floor, and the fuse tenders hung their dirty shirts and are welders on him. He stayed there for three watches before someone figured out what to do with him, until finally a squad of MPs came with crowbars and tilted him into a handcar and rolled him away.
"So long," Bill called out, waving after him, then went back to polishing his boots. "He was a good buddy, even if he was a Chinger spy."
Bowb didn't answer him, and welders wouldn't talk to him, and he spent a lot of the time avoiding Reverend Tembo. The grand old lady of the fleet, _Christine Keeler_ , was still in orbit while her engines were being installed. There was very little to do, because, in spite of what First Class Spleen had said, they had mastered all the intricacies of fuse tending in a little less than the prescribed year; in fact it took them something like maybe fifteen minutes. In his free time Bill wandered around the ship, going as far as the MPs who guarded the hatchways would allow him, and even considered going back to see the chaplain so he could have someone to bitch to. But if he timed it wrong he might meet the laundry officer again, and that was more than he could face. So he walked through the ship, very much alone, and looked in through the door of a compartment and saw a boot on a bed.
Bill stopped, frozen, immobile, shocked, rigid, horrified, dismayed, and had to fight for control of his suddenly contracted bladder.
He knew that boot He would never forget that boot until the day he died, just as he would never forget his serial number and could say it frontward or backward or from the inside out. Every detail of that terrible boot was clear in his memory, from the snakelike laces in the repulsive leather of the uppers--said to be made of human skin--to the corrugated stamping-soles tinged with red that could only have been human blood. That boot belonged to Deathwish Drang.
The boot was attached to a leg, and paralyzed with terror, as unable to control himself as a bird before a snake, he found himself leaning further and further into the compartment as his eyes traced up the leg past the belt to the shirt to the neck upon which rested the face that had featured largely in his nightmares since he had enlisted. The lips moved . . .
"Is that you, Bill? C'mon in and rest it."
Bill stumbled in.
"Have a hunk of candy," Deathwish said, and smiled.
Reflex drove Bill's fingers into the offered box and set his jaw chewing on the first solid food that had passed his lips in weeks. Saliva spouted from dusty orifices, and his stomach gave a preliminary rumble, while his thoughts drove maddingly in circles as he tried to figure out what that expression was on Deathwish's face. Lips curved up at the corners behind the tusks, little crinkles on the cheeks. It was hopeless. He could not recognize it.
"I hear Eager Beager turned out to be a Chinger spy," Deathwish said, closing the box of candy and sliding it under the pillow. "I should have figured that one out myself. I knew there was something _very_ wrong with him, doing his buddies' boots and that crap, but I thought he was just nuts. Should have known better . . . "
"Deathwish," Bill said hoarsely, "it can't be, I know--but you are acting like a human being!"
Deathwish chuckled, not his ripsaw-slicing-human-bone chuckle, but an almost normal one.
Bill stammered. "But you are a sadist, a pervert, a beast, a creature, a thing, a murderer . . . "
"Why, thanks, Bill. That's very nice to hear. I try to do my job to the best of my abilities, but I'm human enough to enjoy a word of praise now and then. Being a murderer is hard to project, but I'm glad it got across, even to a recruit as stupid as you were."
"B-but . . . aren't you _really_ a . . . "
"Easy now!" Deathwish snapped, and there was enough of the old venom and vileness to lower Bill's body temperature six degrees. Then Deathwish smiled again. "Can't blame you, son, for carrying on this way, you being kind of stupid and from a rube planet and having your education retarded by the troopers and all that. But wake up, boy! Military education is far too important a thing to be wasted by allowing amateurs to get involved. If you read some of the things in our college textbooks it would make your blood run cold, yes indeed. Do you realize that in prehistoric times the drill sergeants, or whatever it was they called them, were _real_ sadists! The armed forces would let these people with no real knowledge absolutely _destroy_ recruits. Let them learn to hate the service before they learned to fear it, which plays hell with discipline. And talk about wasteful! They were always marching someone to death by accident or drowning a squad or nonsense like that. The waste alone would make you cry."
"Could I ask what you majored in in college?" Bill asked in a very tiny and humble voice.
"Military Discipline, Spirit-breaking, and Method Acting. A rough course, four years, but I graduated sigma cum, which is not bad for a boy from a working-class family. I've made a career of the service, and that's why I can't understand why the ungrateful bastards went and shipped me out on this crummy can!" He lifted his gold-rimmed glasses to flick away a developing tear.
"You expect gratitude from the service?" Bill asked humbly.
"No, of course not, how foolish of me. Thanks for jerking me back into line, Bill, you'll make a good trooper. All I expect is criminal indifference which I can take advantage of by working through the Old Boys Network, bribery, cutting false orders, black-marketing, and the other usual things. It's just that I _had_ been doing a good job on you slobs in Camp Leon Trotsky, and the least I expected was to be left alone to keep doing it, which was pretty damn stupid of me. I had better get cracking on my transfer now." He slid to his feet and stowed the candy and gold-rimmed glasses away in a locked footlocker.
Bill, who in moments of shock found it hard to adjust instantly, was still bobbing his head and occasionally banging it with the heel of his hand. "Lucky thing," he said, "for your chosen career that you were born deformed--I mean you have such nice teeth."
"Luck nothing" Deathwish said, plunking one of his projecting tusks, "expensive as hell. Do you know what a gene-mutated, vat-grown, surgically-implanted set of two-inch tusks cost? I bet you don't know! I worked the summer vac for three years to earn enough to buy these--but I tell you they were worth it The _image_ , that's everything. I studied the old tapes of prehistoric spirit-breakers, and in their own crude way they were good. Selected by physical type and low I.Q. of course, but they knew their roles. Bulletheads, shaved clean, with scars, thick jaws, repulsive manners, hot pants, everything. I figured a small investment in the beginning would pay rich dividends in the end. And it was a sacrifice, believe me, you won't see many implanted tusks around! For a lot of reasons. Oh, maybe they are good for eating tough meat, but what the hell else? Wait until you try kissing your first girl . . . Now, get lost, Bill, I got things to do. See you around . . . "
His last words faded in the distance, since Bill's well-conditioned reflexes had carried him down the corridor the instant he had been dismissed. When the spontaneous terror faded, he began to walk with a crafty roll, like a duck with a sprung kneecap, that he thought looked like an old space-sailor's gait. He was beginning to feel a seasoned hand and momentarily labored under the delusion that he knew more about the troopers than they knew about him. This pathetic misconception was dispelled instantly by the speakers on the ceiling, which belched and then grated their nasal voices throughout the ship.
"Now hear this, the orders direct from the Old Man himself, Captain Zekial, that you all have been waiting to hear. We're heading into action, so we are going to have a clean buckle-down fore and aft, stow all loose gear."
A low, heartfelt groan of pain echoed from every compartment of the immense ship.
### VI
There was plenty of latrine rumor and scuttlebutt about this first flight of the _Chris Keeler_ , but none of it was true. The rumors were planted by undercover MPs and were valueless. About the only thing they could be sure of was that they might be going someplace because they seemed to be getting ready to go someplace. Even Tembo admitted to that as they lashed down fuses in the storeroom.
"Then again," he added, "we might be doing all this just to fool any spies into thinking we are going someplace, when really some other ships are going there."
"Where?" Bill asked irritably, tying his forefinger into a knot and removing part of the nail when he pulled it free.
"Why anyplace at all, it doesn't matter." Tembo was undisturbed by anything that did not bear on his faith. "But I do know where _you_ are going, Bill."
"Where?" Eagerly. A perennial sucker for a rumor.
"Straight to hell unless you are saved."
"Not again . . . " Bill pleaded.
"Look there," Tembo said temptingly, and projected a heavenly scene with golden gates, clouds, and a soft tom-tom beat in the background.
"Knock off that salvation crap!" First Class Spleen shouted, and the scene vanished.
Something tugged slightly at Bill's stomach, but he ignored it as being just another of the symptoms sent up continually by his panic-stricken gut, which thought it was starving to death and hadn't yet realized that all its marvelous grinding and dissolving machinery had been condemned to a liquid diet. But Tembo stopped work and cocked his head to one side, then poked himself experimentally in the stomach.
"We're moving," he said positively, "and going interstellar too. They've turned on the star-drive."
"You mean we are breaking through into sub-space and will soon experience the terrible wrenching at every fiber of our being?"
"No, they don't use the old sub-space drive any more, because though a lot of ships broke through into sub-space with a fiber-wrenching jerk, none of them have yet broke back out. I read in the _Trooper 's Times_ where some mathematician said that there had been a slight error in the equations and that time was different in sub-space, but it was different faster not different slower, so that it will be maybe forever before those ships come out."
"Then we're going into hyper-space?"
"No such thing."
"Or we're being dissolved into our component atoms and recorded in the memory of a giant computor who thinks we are somewhere else so there we are?"
"Wow!" Tembo said, his eyebrows crawling up to his hairline. "For a Zoroastrian farm boy you have some strange ideas! Have you been smoking or drinking something I don't know about?"
"Tell me!" Bill pleaded. "If it's not one of them--what is it? We're going to have to cross interstellar space to fight the Chingers. How are we going to do it?"
"It's like this." Tembo looked around to make sure that First Class Spleen was out of sight, then put his cupped hands together to form a ball. "You make believe that my hands are the ship, just floating in space. Then the Bloater Drive is turned on--
"The _what?_ "
"The Bloater Drive. It's called that because it bloats things up. You know, everything is made up of little bitty things called electrons, protons, neutrons, trontrons, things like that, sort of held together by a kind of binding energy. Now, if you weaken the energy that holds things together-- I forgot to tell you that also they are spinning around all the time like crazy, or maybe you already knew--you weaken the energy, and because they are going around so fast all the little pieces start to move away from each other, and the weaker the energy the farther apart they move. Are you with me so far?"
"I think I am, but I'm not sure that I like it."
"Keep cool. Now--see my hands? As the energy gets weaker the ship gets bigger," he moved his hands further apart. "It gets bigger and bigger until it is as big as a planet, then as big as a sun then a whole stellar system. The Bloater Drive can make us just as big as we want to be, then it's turned the other way and we shrink back to our regular size and there we are."
" _Where_ are we?"
"Wherever we want to be," Tembo answered patiently.
Bill turned away and industriously rubbed shine-o onto a fuse as First Class Spleen sauntered by, a suspicious glint in his eye. As soon as he had turned the corner, Bill leaned over and hissed at Tembo.
"How can we be anywhere else than where we started? Getting bigger, getting smaller doesn't get us anyplace."
"Well, they're pretty tricky with the old Bloater Drive. The way I heard it it's like you take a rubber band and hold one end in each hand. You don't move your left hand, but you stretch the band out as far as it will go with your right hand. When you let the band shrink back again you keep your right hand steady and let go with your left. See? You never moved the rubber band, just stretched it and let it snap--but it has moved over. Like our ship is doing now. It's getting bigger, but in one direction. When the nose reaches wherever we are going the stem will be wherever we were. Then we shrink, and bango! there we are. And you can get into heaven just that easily, my son, if only . . . "
"Preaching on government time, Tembo!" First Class Spleen howled from the other side of the fuse rack over which he was looking with a mirror tied to the end of a rod. "I'll have you polishing fuse clips for a year. You've been warned before."
They tied and polished in silence after that, until the little planet about as big as a tennis ball swam in through the bulkhead. A perfect little planet with tiny icecaps, cold fronts, cloud cover, oceans, and the works.
"What's that?" Bill yiped.
"Bad navigation," Tembo scowled. "Backlash, the ship is slipping back a little on one end instead of going all the other way. No-no! Don't touch it, it can cause accidents sometimes. That's the planet we just left, Phigerinadon II."
"My home," Bill sobbed, and felt the tears rise as the planet shrank to the size of a marble. "So long, Mom." He waved as the marble shrank to a mote, then vanished.
After this the journey was uneventful, particularly since they could not feel when they were moving, did not know when they stopped, and had no idea where they were. Though they were sure they had arrived somewhere when they were ordered to strip the lashings from the fuses. The inaction continued for three watches, and then the General Quarters alarm sounded. Bill ran with the others, happy for the first time since he had enlisted. All the sacrifices, the hardships would not be in vain. He was seeing action at last against the dirty Chingers.
They stood in first position opposite the fuse racks, eyes intent on the red bands on the fuses that were called the fusebands. Through the soles of his boots Bill could feel a faint, distant tremor in the deck.
"What's that?" he asked Tembo out of the comer of his mouth.
"Main drive, not the Bloater Drive. Atomic engines. Means we must be maneuvering, doing something."
"But _what?_ "
"Watch them fusebands!" First Class Spleen shouted.
Bill was beginning to sweat--then suddenly realized that it was becoming excruciatingly hot. Tembo, without taking his eyes from the fuses, slipped out of his clothes and folded them neatly behind him.
"Are we allowed to do that?" Bill asked, pulling at his collar. "What's happening?"
"It's against regulations, but you have to strip or cook. Peel, son, or you win die unblessed. We must be going into action because the shields are up. Seventeen force screens, one electromagnetic screen, a double-armored hull, and a thin layer of pseudo-living jelly that flows over and seals any openings. With all that stuff there is absolutely no energy loss from the ship, not any way to get rid of energy. Or heat. With the engines running and everyone sweating it can get pretty hot. Even hotter when the guns fire."
The temperature stayed high, just at the boundary of tolerability for hours, while they stared at the fusebands. At one point there was a tiny plink that Bill felt through his bare feet on the hot metal rather than heard.
"And what was that?"
"Torpedoes being fired."
"At _what?_ "
Tembo just shrugged in answer and never let his vigilant gaze stray from the fusebands. Bill writhed with frustration, boredom, heat rash, and fatigue for another hour, until the all clear blew and a breath of cool air came in from the ventilators. By the time he had pulled his uniform back on Tembo was gone, and he trudged wearily back to his quarters. There was a new mimeographed notice pinned to the bulletin board in the corridor and he bent to read its blurred message.
> FROM: Captain Zekial
>
> TO: All Personnel
>
> RE: Recent engagement
>
>
>
>
> On 23/11-8956 this ship did participate in the destruction by atomic torpedo of the enemy installation 17KL-345 and did in concert with the other vessels of said flotilla _Red Crutch_ accomplish its mission, it is thereby hereby authorized that all personnel of this vessel shall attach an Atomic Cluster to the ribbon denoting the Active Duty Unit Engagement Award, or however if this is their first mission of this type they will be authorized to wear the Unit Engagement Award.
>
> NOTE: Some personnel have been observed with their Atomic Clusters inverted and this is WRONG and a COURTS-MARTIAL OFFENSE that is punishable by DEATH.
### VII
After the heroic razing of 17KL-345 there were weeks of training and drill to restore the battle-weary veterans to their usual fitness. But midway in these depressing months a new call sounded over the speakers, one Bill had never heard before, a clanging sound like steel bars being clashed together in a metal drum full of marbles. It meant nothing to him nor to the other new men, but it sent Tembo springing from his bunk to do a quick two-step Death Curse Dance with tom-tom accompaniment on his footlocker cover.
"Are you around the bend?" Bill asked dully from where he sprawled and read a tattered copy of _Real Ghoul Sex Fiend Shocker Comics with Built-in Sound Effects_. A ghastly moan was keening from the page he was looking at.
"Don't you know?" Tembo asked. "Don't you KNOW! That's mail call, my boy, the grandest sound in space."
The rest of the watch was spent in hurrying up and waiting, standing in line, and all the rest. Maximum inefficiency was attached to the delivery of the mail, but finally, in spite of all barriers, the post was distributed and Bill had a precious spacial-postal from his mother. On one side of the card was a picture of the Noisome-Offal refinery just outside of his home town, and this alone was enough to raise a lump in his throat. Then, in the tiny square allowed for the message, his mother's pathetic scrawl had traced out: "Bad crop, in debt, robmule has packing glanders, hope you are the same--love, Maw." Still, it was a message from home, and he read and reread it as they stood in line for chow. Tembo, just ahead of him, also had a card, all angels and churches, just what you would expect, and Bill was shocked when he saw Tembo read the card one last time then plunge it into his cup of dinner.
"What are you doing that for?" he asked, shocked.
"What else is mail good for?" Tembo hummed, and poked the card deeper. "You just watch this now."
Before Bill's startled gaze, and right in front of his eyes, the card was starting to swell. The white surface broke off and fell away in tiny flakes while the brown insides grew and grew until they filled the cup and were an inch thick. Tembo fished the dripping slab out and took a large bite from one corner.
"Dehydrated chocolate," he said indistinctly. "Good! Try yours."
Even before he spoke Bill had pushed his card down into the liquid and was fascinatedly watching it swell. The message fell away, but instead of brown a swelling white mass became visible.
"Taffy--or bread maybe," he said, and tried not to drool.
The white mass was swelling, pushing against the sides of the cup, expanding out of the top. Bill grabbed the end and held it as it rose. Out and out it came until every drop of liquid had been absorbed and Bill held between his out-stretched hands a string of fat, connected letters over two yards long. VOTE-FOR-HONEST-GEEK-THE-TROOPERS'-FRIEND they read. Bill leaned over and bit out an immense mouthful of T. He spluttered and spat the damp shards onto the deck.
"Cardboard," he said sadly. "Mother always shops for bargains. Even in dehydrated chocolate . . . " He reached for his cup for something to wash the old-newsprint taste out of his mouth, but it was empty.
Somewhere high in the seats of power, a decision was made, a problem resolved, an order issued. From small things do big things grow; a tiny bird turd lads on a snow-covered mountain slope, rolls, collects snow, becomes bigger and bigger, gigantic and more gigantic until it is a thundering mass of snow and ice, an avalanche, a ravening mass of hurtling death that wipes out an entire village. From small beginnings . . . Who knows what the beginning was here, perhaps the Gods do, but they are laughing. Perhaps the haughty, strutting peahen wife of some High Minister saw a bauble she cherished and with shrewish, spiteful tongue exacerbated her peacock husband until, to give himself peace, he promised her the trinket, then sought the money for its purchase. Perhaps this was a word in the Emperor's ear about a new campaign in the 77sub7th Zone, quiet now for years, a victory there--or even a draw if there were enough deaths--would mean a medal, an award, some cash. And thus did a woman's covetousness, like a tiny bird's turd, start the snowball of warfare rolling, mighty fleets gathering, ship after ship assembling, like a rock in a pool of water the ripples spread until even the lowliest were touched by its motion . . .
"We're heading for action," Tembo said as he sniffed at his cup of lunch. "They're loading up the chow with stimulants, pain depressors, saltpeter, and antibiotics."
"Is that why they keep playing the patriotic music?" Bill shouted so that he could be heard over the endless roar of bugles and drums that poured from the speakers. Tembo nodded.
"There is little time left to be saved, to assure your place in Samedi's legions--"
"Why don't you talk to Bowb Brown?" Bill screamed. "I got tom-toms coming out of my ears! Every time I look at a wall I see angels floating by on clouds. Stop bothering me! Work on Bowb--anybody who would do what he does with thoats would probably join up with your Voodoo mob in a second."
"I have talked with Brown about his soul, but the issue is still in doubt. He never answers me, so I am not sure if he has heard me or not. But you are different, my son, you show anger, which means you are showing doubt, and doubt is the first step to belief . . . "
The music cut off in mid-peal, and for three seconds there was an echoing blast of silence that abruptly terminated.
"Now hear this. Attention all hands . . . standby . . . in a few moments we will be taking you to the flagship for a on-the-spot report from the admiral . . . stand by . . . " The voice was cut off by the sounding of General Quarters but went on again when this hideous sound had ended. " . . . and here we are on the bridge of that gigantic conquistadore of the spacelanes, the twenty-mile-long, heavily armored, mightily gunned super battleship the _Fairy Queen_ . . . the men on watch are stepping aside now and coming toward me in a simple uniform of spun platinum is the Grand Admiral of the Fleet, the Right Honorable Lord Archaeopteryx . . . Could you spare us a moment Your Lordship? Wonderful! The next voice you hear will be . . . "
The next voice was a burst of music while the fusemen eyed their fusebands, but the next voice after that had all the rich adenoidal tones always heard from peers of the Empire.
"Lads--we're going into action! This, the mightiest fleet the galaxy has ever seen is heading directly toward the enemy to deliver the devastating blow that may win us the war. In my operations tank before me I see a myriad pinpoints of light, stretching as far as the eye can see, and each point of light--I tell you they are like holes in a blanket!--is not a ship, not a squadron--but an entire _fleet_! We are sweeping forward, closing in . . . "
The sound of tom-toms filled the air, and on the fuseband that Bill was watching appeared a matched set of golden gates, swinging open.
"Tembo!" he screamed. "Will you knock that off! I want to hear about the battle . . . "
"Canned tripe," Tembo sniffed. "Better to use the few remaining moments of this life that may remain to you to seek salvation. That's no admiral, that's a canned tape. I've heard it five times already, and they only play it to build morale before what they are sure is to be a battle with heavy losses. It never was an admiral, it's from an old TV program . . . "
"Yippee!" Bill shouted, and leaped forward. The fuse he was looking at crackled with a brilliant discharge around the clips, and at the same moment the fuseband charred and turned from red to black. "Unggh!" he grunted, then "Unggh! Unggh! Unggh!" in rapid succession, burning his palms on the still hot fuse, dropping it on his toe, and finally getting it into a fuseway. When he turned back Tembo had already clipped a fresh fuse into the empty clips.
"That was _my_ fuse--you shouldn't have . . . " there were tears in his eyes.
"Sorry. But by the rules I must help if I am free."
"Well, at least we're in action," Bill said, back in position and trying to favor his bruised foot.
"Not in action yet, still too cold in here. And that was just a fuse breakdown, you can tell by the clip discharge, they do that sometimes when they get old."
" . . . massed armadas manned by heroic troopers . . . "
"We _could_ have been in combat." Bill pouted.
" . . . thunder of atomic broadsides and lightning trails of hurtling torpedoes . . . "
"I think we are now. It does feel warmer, doesn't it, Bill? We had better undress; if it really is a battle we may get too busy."
"Let's go, let's go, down to the buff," First Class Spleen barked, leaping gazellelike down the rows of fuses, clad only in a pair of dirty gym socks and his tattooed-on stripes and fouled-fuse insignia of rank. There was a sudden crackling in the air, and Bill felt the clipped-short stubs of his hair stirring in his scalp.
"What's that?" he yiped.
"Secondary discharge from that bank of fuses," Tembo pointed. "It's classified as to what is happening, but I heard tell that it means one of the defense screens is under radiation attack, and as it overloads it climbs up the spectrum to green, to blue to ultraviolet until finally it goes black and the screen breaks down."
"That sounds pretty way out."
"I told you it was just a rumor. The material is classified . . . "
"THERE SHE GOES!!"
A crackling bang split the humid air of the fuse room, and a bank of fuses arced, smoked, burned black. One of them cracked in half, showering small fragments like shrapnel in every direction. The fusemen leaped, grabbed the fuses, slipped in replacements with sweating hands, barely visible to each other through the reeking layers of smoke. The fuses were driven home, and there was a moment's silence, broken only by a plaintive bleating from the communications screen.
"Son of a bowb!" First Class Spleen muttered, kicking a fuse out of the way and diving for the screen. His uniform jacket was hanging on a hook next to it, and he struggled into this before banging the RECEIVE switch. He finished closing the last button just as the screen cleared. Spleen saluted, so it must have been an officer he was facing; the screen was edge-on to Bill, so he couldn't tell, but the voice had the quacking no-chin-and-plenty-of-teeth whine that he was beginning to associate with the officer class.
"You're slow in answering. First Class Spleen--maybe Second Class Spleen would be able to answer faster?"
"Have pity, sir--I'm an old man." He dropped to his knees in a prayerful attitude which took him off the screen.
"Get up, you idiot! Have you repaired the fuses after that last overload?"
"We _replace_ , sir, not _repair_ . . . "
"None of your technical gibberish, you swine! A straight answer!"
"All in order, sir. Operating in the green. No complaints from anyone, your worship."
"Why are you out of uniform?"
"I am in uniform, sir," Spleen whined, moving closer to the screen so that his bare behind and shaking lower limbs could not be seen.
"Don't lie to me! There's _sweat_ on your forehead. You aren't allowed to sweat in uniform. Do you see me sweating? And I have a cap on too--at the correct angle. I'll forget it this time because I have a heart of gold. Dismissed."
"Filthy bowb!" Spleen cursed at the top of his lungs, tearing the jacket from his stifling body. The temperature was over 120 and still rising "Sweat! They have air conditioning on the bridge--and where do you think they discharge the heat? In here! YEEOOW!!"
Two entire banks of fuses blew out at the same time, three of the fuses exploding like bombs. At the same moment the floor under their feet bucked hard enough to actually be felt.
"Big trouble!" Tembo shouted. "Anything that is strong enough to feel through the stasis field must be powerful enough to flatten this ship like a pancake. There go some more!" He dived for the bank and kicked a fuse clear of the lips and jammed in a replacement.
It was an inferno. Fuses were exploding like aerial bombs, sending whistling particles of ceramic death through the air. There was a lightning crackle as a board shorted to the metal floor and a hideous scream, thankfully cut short, as the sheet of lightning passed through a fuse tender's body. Greasy smoke boiled and hung in sheets, making it almost impossible to see. Bill raked the remains of a broken fuse from the darkened clips and jumped for the replacement rack. He clutched the ninety-pound fuse in his aching arms and had just turned back toward the boards, when the universe exploded . . .
All the remaining fuses seemed to have shorted at once, and the screaming bolt of crackling electricity crashed the length of the room. In its eye-piercing light and in a single, eternal moment Bill saw the flame sear through the ranks of the fuse tenders, throwing them about and incinerating them like particles of dust in an open fire. Tembo crumpled and collapsed, a mass of seared flesh; a flying length of metal tore First Class Spleen open from neck to groin in a single hideous wound.
"Look at that vent in Spleen!" Bowb shouted, then screamed as a ball of lightning rolled over him and turned him to a blackened husk in a fraction of a second.
By chance, a mere accident, Bill was holding the solid bulk of the fuse before him when the flame struck. It washed over his left arm, which was on the outside of the fuse, and hurled its flaming weight against the thick cylinder. The force hit Bill, knocked him back toward the reserve racks of fuses, and rolled him end over end flat on the floor while the all-destroying sheet of fire crackled inches above his head. It died away as suddenly as it had come, leaving behind nothing but smoke, heat, the scorched smell of roasted flesh, destruction, and death, death, death. Bill crawled painfully for the hatchway, and nothing else moved down the blackened and twisted length of the fuse room.
The compartment below seemed just as hot, its air as bereft of nourishment for his lungs as the one he had just quitted. He crawled on, barely conscious of the fact that he moved on two lacerated knees and one bloody hand. His other arm just hung and dragged, a twisted and blackened length of debris, and only the blessings of deep shock kept him from screaming with unbearable pain.
He crawled on, over a sill, through a passageway. The air was clearer here and much cooler: he sat up and inhaled its blessed freshness. The compartment was familiar--yet unfamiliar--he blinked at it, trying to understand why. Long and narrow, with a curved wall that had the butt ends of immense guns projecting from it. The main battery, of course, the guns Chinger spy Eager Beager had photographed. Different now, the ceiling closer to the deck, bent and dented, as if some gigantic hammer had beat on it from the outside. There was a man slumped in the gunner's seat of the nearest weapon.
"What happened?" Bill asked, dragging himself over to the man and clutching him by the shoulder. Surprisingly enough the gunner only weighed a few pounds, and he fell from the seat, light as a husk, with a shriveled parchment face as though not a drop of liquid were left in his body.
"Dehydrator Ray," Bill grunted. "I thought they only had them on TV." The gunner's seat was padded and looked very comfortable, far more so than the warped steel deck: Bill slid into the recently vacated position and stared with unseeing eyes at the screen before him. Little moving blobs of light.
In large letters, just above the screen, was printed: GREEN LIGHTS OUR SHIPS RED LIGHTS ENEMY. FORGETTING THIS IS A COURTS-MARTIAL OFFENSE. "I won't forget," Bill mumbled, as he started to slide sideways from the chair. To steady himself he grabbed a large handle that rose before him, and when he did a circle of light with an X in it moved on the screen. It was very interesting. He put the circle around one of the green lights, then remembered something about a courts-martial offense. He jiggled it a bit, and it moved over to a red light, with the X right over the light. There was a red button on top of the handle, and he pressed it because it looked like the kind of button that is made to be pressed. The gun next to him went _whffle_ . . . in a very subdued way, and the red light went out. Not very interesting; he let go of the handle.
"Oh, but you are a fighting fool!" a voice said, and, with some effort, Bill turned his head. A man stood in the doorway wearing a burned and tattered uniform still hung with shreds of gold braid. He weaved forward. "I saw it," he breathed. "Until my dying day I won't forget it. A fighting fool! What guts! Fearless! Forward against the enemy, no holds barred, don't give up the ship . . . "
"What the bowb you talking about?" Bill asked thickly.
"A hero!" the officer said, pounding Bill on the back; this caused a great deal of pain and was the last straw for his conscious mind, which let go the reins of command and went away to sulk. Bill passed out.
### VIII
"Now won't you be a nice trooper-wooper and drink your dinner . . . "
The warm notes of the voice insinuated themselves into a singularly repulsive dream that Bill was only too glad to leave, and, with a great deal of effort, he managed to heave his eyes open. A quick bit of blinking got them into focus, and he saw before him a cup on a tray held by a white hand attached to a white arm connected to a white uniform well stuffed with female breasts. With a guttural animal growl Bill knocked the tray aside and hurled himself at the dress. He didn't make it, because his left arm was wrapped up in something and hung from wires, so that he spun around in the bed like an impaled beetle, still uttering harsh cries. The nurse shrieked and fled.
"Glad to see that you are feeling better," the doctor said, whipping him straight in the bed with a practiced gesture and numbing Bill's still flailing right arm with a neat judo blow. "I'll pour you some more dinner, and you drink it right down, then well let your buddies in for the unveiling, they're all waiting outside."
The tingling was dying from his arm, and he could wrap his fingers about the cup now. He sipped. "What buddies? What unveiling? What's going on here?" he asked suspiciously.
Then the door was opened, and the troopers came in. Bill searched their faces, looking for buddies, but all he saw were ex-welders and strangers. Then he remembered. "Bowb Brown cooked!" he screamed. "Tembo broiled! First Class Spleen gutted! They're all dead!" He hid under the covers and moaned horribly.
"That's no way for a hero to act," the doctor said, dragging him back onto the pillows and tucking the covers under his arms. "You're a hero, trooper, the man whose guts, ingenuity, integrity, stick-to-itiveness, fighting spirit, and deadly aim saved the ship. All the screens were down, the power room destroyed, the gunners dead, control lost, and the enemy dreadnaught zeroing in for the kill when you appeared like an avenging angel, wounded and near to death, and with your last conscious effort fired the shot heard round the fleet, the single blast that disemboweled the enemy and saved our ship, the grand old lady of the fleet, _Christine Keeler_." He handed a sheet of paper to Bill. "I am of course quoting from the official report; me myself, I think it was just a lucky accident."
"You're just jealous," Bill sneered, already falling in love with his new image.
"Don't get Freudian with me!" the doctor screamed, then snuffled pitifully. "I always wanted to be a hero, but all I do is wait hand and foot on heroes. I'm taking that bandage off now."
He unclipped the wires that held up Bill's arm and began to unwind the bandages while the troopers crowded around to watch.
"How is my arm, Doc?" Bill was suddenly worried.
"Grilled like a chop. I had to cut it off."
"Then what is this?" Bill shrieked, horrified.
"Another arm that I sewed on. There were lots of them left over after the battle. The ship had over 42 per cent casualties, and I was really cutting and chopping and sewing, I tell you."
The last bandage fell away and the troopers ahhhed with delight.
"Say, that's a mighty fine arm!"
"Make it do something."
"And a damn nice seam there at the shoulder--look how neat the stitches are!"
"Plenty of muscles, too, and good and long, not like the crummy little short one he has on the other side."
"Longer and darker--that's a great skin color!"
"It's Tembo's arm!" Bill howled. "Take it away!" He squirmed across the bed but the arm came after him. They propped him up again on the pillows.
"You're a lucky bowb, Bill, having a good arm like that. And your buddy's arm too."
"We know that he wanted you to have it."
"You'll always have something to remember him by."
It really wasn't a bad arm. Bill bent it and flexed the fingers, still looking at it suspiciously. It felt all right. He reached out with it and grabbed a trooper's arm and squeezed. He could feel the man's bones grating together while he screamed and writhed. Then Bill looked closer at the hand and began to shout curses at the doctor.
"You stupid sawbones! You thoat doctor! Some big job--this is a _right arm!_ "
"So it's a right arm--so what?"
"But you cut off my _left_ arm! Now I have two right arms . . . "
"Listen, there was a shortage of left arms. I'm no miracle worker. I do my best and all I get are complaints. Be happy I didn't sew on a leg." He leered evilly. "Or even better I didn't sew on a . . . "
"It's a good arm, Bill," said the trooper who was rubbing his recently crushed forearm. "And you're really lucky too. Now you can salute with either arm, no one else can do that."
"You're right," Bill said humbly. "I never thought of that. I'm really very lucky." He tried a salute with his left-right arm, and the elbow whipped up nicely and the fingertips quivered at his eyebrow. All the troopers snapped to attention and returned the salute. The door crashed open, and an officer poked his head in.
"Stand easy, men--this is just an informal visit by the Old Man."
"Captain Zekial coming here!"
"I've never seen the Old Man . . . " The troopers chippered like birds and were as nervous as virgins at a defloration ceremony. Three more officers came through the door and finally a male nurse leading a ten-year-old moron wearing a bib and a captain's uniform.
"Uhh . . . hi ya fellows . . . " the captain said.
"The captain wishes to pay his respects to you all," the first lieutenant said crisply.
"Is dat da guy in da bed . . . ?"
"And particularly wishes to pay his personal respects to the hero of the hour."
" . . . Dere was sometin' else but I forgot . . . "
"And he furthermore wishes to inform the valiant fighter who saved our ship that he is being raised in grade to Fuse Tender First Class, which increase in rank includes an automatic re-enlistment for seven years to be added to his original enlistment, and that upon dismissal from the hospital he is to go by first available transportation to the Imperial Planet of Helior, there to receive the hero's award of the Purple Dart with Coalsack Nebula Cluster from the Emperor's own hand."
" . . . I think I gotta go to da bathroom . . . "
"But now the exigencies of command recall him to the bridge, and he wishes you all an affectionate farewell."
Bill saluted with both arms, and the troopers stood at attention until the captain and his officers had gone, then the doctor dismissed the troopers as well.
"Isn't the Old Man a little young for his post?" Bill asked.
"Not as young as some," the doctor scratched through his hypodermic needles looking for a particularly dull one for an injection. "You have to remember that all captains have to be of the nobility and even a large nobility gets stretched damn thin over a galactic empire. We take what we can get." He found a crooked needle and clipped it to the cylinder.
"Affirm, so he's young, but isn't he also a little stupid for the job?"
"Watch that lese-majesty stuff, bowb! You get an empire that's a couple of thousand years old, and you get a nobility that keeps inbreeding, and you get some of the crunched genes and defective recessives coming out and you got a group of people that are a little more exotic than most nut houses. There's nothing wrong with the Old Man that a new I.Q. wouldn't cure! You should have seen the captain of the last ship I was on . . . " he shuddered and jabbed the needle viciously into Bill's flesh. Bill screamed, then gloomily watched the blood drip from the hole after the hypodermic had been withdrawn.
The door closed, and Bill was alone, looking at the blank wall and his future. He was a Fuse Tender First Class, and that was nice. But the compulsory re-enlistment for seven years was not so nice. His spirits dropped. He wished he could talk to some of his old buddies, then remembered that they were all dead, and his spirits dropped even further. He tried to cheer himself up but could think of nothing to be cheery about until he discovered that he could shake hands with himself. This made him feel a little bit better.
He lay back on the pillows and shook hands with himself until he fell asleep.
# Book Two
## A DIP IN THE SWIMMING-POOL REACTOR
### I
Ahead of them the front end of the cylindrical shuttleship was a single, gigantic viewport, a thick shield of armored glass now filled by the rushing coils of cloud that they were dropping down through. Bill leaned back comfortably in the deceleration chair, watching the scene with keen anticipation. There were seats for twenty in the stubby shuttleship, but only three of them, including Bill's, were now occupied. Sitting next to him, and he tried hard not to look too often, was a gunner first class who looked as though he had been blown out of one of his own guns. His face was mostly plastic and contained just a single, bloodshot eye. He was a mobile basket case, since his four missing limbs had been replaced by glistening gadgetry, all shining pistons, electronic controls, and coiling wires. His gunner's insignia was welded to the steel frame that took the place of his upper arm. The third man, a thickset brute of an infantry sergeant, had fallen asleep as soon as they boarded after transshipping from the stellar transport.
"Bowbidy-bowb! Look at that!" Bill felt elated as their ship broke through the clouds and there, spread before them, was the gleaming golden sphere of Helior, the Imperial Planet, the ruling world of 10,000 suns.
"What an albedo," the gunner grunted from somewhere inside his plastic face. "Hurts the eye."
"I should hope so! Solid gold--can you imagine--a planet plated with solid gold?!"
"No, I can't imagine. And I don't believe it either. It would cost too much. But I can imagine one covered with anodized aluminum. Like that one."
Now that Bill looked closer he could see that it didn't _really_ shine like gold, and he started to feel depressed again. No! He forced himself to perk up. You could take away the gold but you couldn't take away the glory! Helior was still the imperial world, the never sleeping, all-seeing eye in the heart of the galaxy. Everything that happened on every planet or on every ship in space was reported here, sorted, coded, filed, annotated, judged, lost, found, acted on. From Helior came the orders that ruled the worlds of man, that held back the night of alien domination. Helior, a man-changed world with its seas, mountains, and continents covered by a shielding of metal; miles thick, layer upon layer of levels with a global population dedicated to but one ideal. Rule. The gleaming upper level was dotted with space ships of all sizes, while the dark sky twinkled with others arriving and departing. Closer and closer swam the scene, then there was a sudden burst of light and the window went dark.
"We crashed" Bill gasped. "Good as dead . . . "
"Shut your wug. That was just the film what broke. Since there's no brass on this run they won't bother fixing it."
"Film--?"
"What else? Are you so ratty in the head you think they're going to build shuttleships with great big windows in the nose just where the maximum friction on re-entry will burn holes in them? A film. Back projection. For all we know it's nighttime here."
The pilot mashed them with 15G when they landed (he also knew he had no brass on this run), and while they were popping their dislocated vertebrae back into position and squeezing their eyeballs back into shape so that they could see, the hatch swung open. Not only was it night, but it was raining too. A Second-class Passenger Handler's Mate poked his head in and swept them with a professionally friendly grin.
"Welcome to Helior, Imperial Planet of a thousand delights--" his face fell into a habitual snarl. "Ain't there no officers with you bowbs? C'mon, shag outta there, get the uranium out, we gotta schedule to keep."
They ignored him as he brushed by and went to wake the infantry sergeant, still snoring like a broken impeller, untroubled in his sleep by a little thing like 15Gs. The snore changed to a throaty grunt that was cut into by the Passenger Handler's Mate's shrill scream as he was kneed in the groin. Still muttering, the sergeant joined them as they left the ship and he helped steady the gunner's clattering metal legs on the still wet surface of the landing ramp. They watched with stony resignation as their duffel bags were ejected from the luggage compartment into a deep pool of water. As a last feeble flick of petty revenge the Passenger Handler's Mate turned off the repeller field that had been keeping the rain off them, and they were soaking wet in an instant and chilled by the icy wind. They shouldered their bags--except for the gunner, who dragged his on little wheels--and started for the nearest lights, at least a mile away and barely visible through the lashing rain. Halfway there the gunner froze up as his relays shorted, so they put the wheels under his heels and loaded the bags onto his legs, and he made a damn fine handcar the rest of the way.
"I make a damn fine handcar," the gunner growled.
"Don't bitch," the sergeant told him. "At least you got a civilian occupation." He kicked the door open and they walked and rolled into the welcome warmth of the operations office.
"You have a can of solvent?" Bill asked the man behind the counter.
"You have travel orders?" the man asked, ignoring his question.
"In my bag I got a can," the gunner said, and Bill pulled it open and rummaged around.
They handed over their orders; the gunner's were buttoned into his breast pocket, and the clerk fed them into the slot of the giant machine behind him. The machine hummed and flashed lights, and Bill dripped solvent onto all of the gunner's electrical connections until the water was washed away. A horn sounded, the orders were regurgitated, and a length of printed tape began clicking out of another orifice. The clerk snatched it up and read it rapidly.
"You're in trouble," he said with sadistic relish. "All three of you are supposed to get the Purple Dart in a ceremony with the Emperor and they're filming in three hours. You'll never make it in time."
"None of your bowb," the sergeant grated. "We just got off the ship. Where do we go?"
"Area 1457-D, Level Kg, Block 823-7, Corridor 492, Chambers FLM-34, Room 62, ask for Producer Ratt."
"How do we get there?" Bill asked.
"Don't ask me, I just work here." The clerk threw three thick volumes onto the counter, each one over a foot square and almost as thick, with a chain riveted to the spine. "Find your own way, here's your floor plan, but you have to sign for it. Losing it is a courts-martial offense punishable by . . . "
The clerk suddenly realized that he was alone in the room with the three veterans, and as he blanched white he reached out for a red button. But before his finger could touch it the gunner's metal arm, spitting sparks and smoking, pinned it to the counter. The sergeant leaned over until his face was an inch from the clerk's, then spoke in a low, chill voice that curdled the blood.
"We will not find our own way. You will find our way for us. You will provide us with a Guide."
"Guides are only for offices," the clerk protested weakly, then gasped as a steel-bar finger ground him in the stomach.
"Treat us like officers," the sergeant breathed. "We don't mind."
With chattering teeth the clerk ordered a guide, and a small metal door in the far wall crashed open. The Guide had a tubular metal body that ran on six rubber-tired wheels, a head fashioned to resemble a hound dog's, and a springy metal tail. "Here, boy," the sergeant commanded, and the Guide rushed over to him, slipped out a red plastic tongue, and, with a slight grinding of gears, began to emit the sound of mechanical panting. The sergeant took the length of printed tape and quickly punched the code 1457-D K9 823-7 492 FLM 34 62 on the buttons that decorated the Guide's head. There were two sharp barks, the red tongue vanished, the tail vibrated, and the Guide rolled away down the corridor. The veterans followed.
It took them an hour, by slideway, escalator, elevator, pneumocar, shanks' mare, monorail, moving sidewalk, and greased pole to reach room 62. While they were seated on the slideway they secured the chains of their floor plans to their belts, since even Bill was beginning to realize the value of a guide to this world-sized city. At the door to room 62 the Guide barked three times, then rolled away before they could grab it.
"Should have been quicker," the sergeant said. "Those things are worth their weight in diamonds." He pushed the door open to reveal a fat man seated at a desk shouting into a visisphone.
"I don't give a flying bowb what your excuses are, excuses I can buy wholesale. All I know is I got a production schedule and the cameras are ready to roll and where are my principals? I ask you--and what do you tell me--" he looked up and began to scream, "Out! Out! Can't you see I'm busy!"
The sergeant reached over and threw the visisphone onto the floor then stomped it to tiny smoking bits.
"You have a direct way of getting attention," Bill said.
"Two years in combat make you very direct," the sergeant said, and grated his teeth together in a loud and disturbing way. Then, "Here we are, Ratt, what do we do?"
Producer Ratt kicked his way through the wreckage and threw open a door behind the desk. "Places! Lights!" he shrieked, and there was an immense scurrying and a sudden glare. The to-be-honored veterans followed him through the door into an immense sound stage humming with organized bustle. Cameras on motorized dollies rolled around the set where flats and props simulated the end of a regal throne room. The stained-glass windows glowed with imaginary sunlight, and a golden sunbeam from a spotlight illuminated the throne. Goaded on by the director's screamed instructions the crowd of nobility and high-ranking officers took positions before the throne.
"He called them bowbs!" Bill gasped. "He'll be shot!"
"Are you ever stupid," the gunner said, unreeling a length of flex from his right leg and plugging it into an outlet to recharge his batteries. "Those are all actors. You think they can get real nobility for a thing like this?"
"We only got time to run through this once before the Emperor gets here, so no mistakes." Director Ratt clambered up and settled himself on the throne. "I'll stand in for the Emp. Now you principals, you got the easiest roles, and I don't want you to flub it. We got no time for retakes. You get into position there, that's the stuff, in a row, and when I say _roll_ you snap to attention like you been taught or the taxpayers been wasting their money. You there, the guy on the left that's built into the bird cage, keep your damn motors turned off, you're lousing up the soundtrack Grind gears once more and I'll pull all your fuses. Affirm. You just stay at attention until your name is called, take one pace forward, and snap into a brace. The Emperor will pin a medal on you, salute, drop the salute, and take one pace back. You got that, or is it too complicated for your tiny, indoctrinated minds?"
"Why don't you blow it out!" the sergeant snarled.
"Very witty. All right--let's run through it!"
They rehearsed the ceremony twice before there was a tremendous braying of bugles, and six generals with deathray pistols at the ready double-timed onto the set and halted with their backs to the throne. All of the extras, cameramen, and technicians--even Director Ratt--bowed low while the veterans snapped to attention. The Emperor shuffled in, climbed the dais, and dropped into the throne, "Continue . . . " he said in a bored voice, and belched lightly behind his hand.
"Let's ROLL!" the director howled at the top of his lungs, and staggered out of camera range. Music rose up in a mighty wave, and the ceremony began. While the Awards and Protocol officer read off the nature of the heroic deeds the noble heroes had accomplished to win that noblest of all medals, the Purple Dart with Coalsack Nebula Cluster, the Emperor rose from his throne and strode majestically forward. The infantry sergeant was first, and Bill watched out of the corner of his eye while the Emperor took an ornate gold, silver, ruby, and platinum medal from the preferred case and pinned it to the man's chest. Then the sergeant stepped back into position, and it was Bill's turn. As from an immense distance he heard his name spoken in rolling tones of thunder, and he strode forward with every ounce of precision that he had been taught back at Camp Leon Trotsky. There, just before him, was the most beloved man in the galaxy! The long and swollen nose that graced a billion banknotes was pointed toward him. The overshot jaw and protruding teeth that filled a billion TV screens was speaking his name. One of the imperial strabismic eyes was pointing at _him_! Passion welled in Bill's bosom like great breakers thundering onto a shore. He snapped his snappiest salute.
In fact he snapped just about the snappiest salute possible, since there aren't very many people with two right arms. Both arms swung up in precise circles, both elbows quivered at right angles, both palms clicked neatly against both eyebrows. It was well done and took the Emperor by surprise, and for one vibrating instant he managed to get both eyeballs pointed at Bill at the same time before they wandered away at random again. The Emperor, still a little disturbed by the unusual salute, groped for the medal and plunged the pin through Bill's tunic squarely into his shivering flesh.
Bill felt no pain, but the sudden stab triggered the growing emotion that had been rushing through him. Dropping the salutes he fell to his knees in good old peasant-serf style, just like a historical TV, which in fact was just where his obsequious subconscious had dredged up the idea from, and seized the Emperor's knob-knuckled and liver-spotted hand. "Father to us all!" Bill exulted, and kissed the hand.
Grim-eyed, the bodyguard of generals leaped forward, and death beat sable wings over Bill, but the Emperor smiled as he pulled his hand gently away and wiped the saliva off on Bill's tunic. A casual flick of his finger restored the bodyguard to position, and he moved on to the gunner, pinned on the remaining medal, and stepped back.
"Cut!" Director Ratt shouted. "Print that, it's a natural with that dumb hick going through the slobbering act."
As Bill struggled back to his feet he saw that the Emperor had not returned to the throne but was instead standing in the midst of the milling crowd of actors. The bodyguard had vanished. Bill blinked, bewildered, as a man whipped the Emperor's crown from his head, popped it into a box, and hurried away with it.
"The brake is jammed," the gunner said, still saluting with a vibrating arm. "Pull the damn thing down for me. It never works right above shoulder level."
"But--the Emperor--" Bill said, tugging at the locked arm until the brakes squealed and released.
"An actor--what else? Do you think they have the _real_ Emperor giving out medals to other-ranks? Field grade and higher, I bet. But they put on a bit of an act with him so some poor rube, like you, can get carried away. You were great."
"Here you are," a man said, handing them both stamped metal copies of the medals they were wearing and whipping off the originals.
"Places!" the director's amplified voice boomed. "We got just ten minutes to run through the Empress and the baby kissing with the Aldebranian septuplets for the Fertility Hour. Get those plastic babies out here, and get those damn spectators off the set."
The heroes were pushed into the corridor and the door slammed and locked behind them.
### II
"I'm tired," the gunner said, "and besides, my burns hurt." He had had a short circuit during action in the Enlisted Men's Olde Knocking Shoppe and had set the bed on fire.
"Aw, come on," Bill insisted. "We have three-day passes before our ship leaves, and we are on Helior, the Imperial Planet! What riches there are to see here, the Hanging Gardens, the Rainbow Fountains, the Jeweled Palaces. You can't miss them."
"Just watch me. As soon as I catch up on some sleep it's back to the Olde Knocking Shoppe for me. If you're so hot on someone holding your hand while you go sightseeing, take the sergeant."
"He's still drunk."
The infantry sergeant was a solitary drinker who did not believe in cutting corners. Neither did he believe in dilution or in wasting money on fancy packaging. He had used all of his money to bribe a medical orderly and had obtained two carboys of 99 per cent pure grain alcohol, a drum of glucose and saline solution, a hypodermic needle, and a length of rubber tubing. The ethyl-glucose-saline mixture in carboys had been slung from a rafter over his bunk with the tubing leading to the needle plunged into his arm and taped into place as an intravenous drip. Now he was unmoving, well fed, and completely blind-drunk all the time, and if the metered flow were undisturbed he should stay drunk for two and a half years.
Bill put a finishing gloss on his boots and locked the brush into his locker with the rest of his gear. He might be late getting back: it was easy to get lost here on Helior when you didn't have a Guide. It had taken them almost an entire day to find their way from the studio to their quarters even with the sergeant, a man who knew all about maps, leading the way. As long as they stayed near their own area there was no problem, but Bill had had his fill of the homely pleasures provided for the fighting men. He wanted to see Helior, the real Helior, the first city of the galaxy. If no one would go with him, he would do it alone.
It was very hard, in spite of the floor plan, to tell just exactly how far away anything was on Helior, since the diagrams were all diagrammatic and had no scale. But the trip he was planning seemed to be a long one, since one of the key bits of transportation, an evacuated tunnellinear magnetic car, went across at least eighty-four submaps. His destination might very well be on the other side of the planet! A city as large as a planet! The concept was almost too big to grasp! In fact, when he thought about it, the concept was too big to grasp.
The sandwiches he had bought from the dispenser in the barracks ran out before he was halfway to his destination, and his stomach, greedily getting adjusted to solid food again, rumbled complaints until he left the slideway in Area 9266-L, Level something or other, or wherever the hell he was, and looked for a canteen. He was obviously in a Typing Area, because the crowds were composed almost completely of women with rounded shoulders and great, long fingers. The only canteen he could find was jammed with them, and he sat in the middle of the high-pitched, yattering crowd and forced himself to eat a meal composed of the only available food: dated-fruitbread-cheese-and-anchovy-paste sandwiches and mashed potatoes with raisin and onion sauce, washed down by herb tea served lukewarm in cups the size of his thumb. It wouldn't have been so bad if the dispenser hadn't automatically covered everything with butterscotch sauce. None of the girls seemed to notice him, since they were all under light hypnosis during the working day in order to cut down their error percentages. He worked his way through the food feeling very much like a ghost as they tittered and yammered over and around him, their fingers, if they weren't eating, compulsively typing their words onto the edge of the table while they talked. He finally escaped, but the meal had had a depressing effect, and this was probably where he made the mistake and boarded the wrong car.
Since the same level and block numbers were repeated in every area, it was possible to get into the wrong area and spend a good deal of time getting good and lost before the mistake was finally realized. Bill did this, and after the usual astronomical number of changes and varieties of transportation he boarded the elevator that terminated, he thought, in the galaxy-famed Palace Gardens. All of the other passengers got off on lower levels, and the robelevator picked up speed as it hurtled up to the topmost level. He rose into the air as it braked to a stop, and his ears popped with the pressure change, and when the doors opened he stepped out into a snow-filled wind. He gaped about with unbelief and behind him the doors snicked shut and the elevator vanished.
The doors had opened directly onto the metal plain that made up the topmost layer of the city, now obscured by the swirling clouds of snow. Bill groped for the button to recall the elevator, when a vagrant swirl of wind whipped the snow away and the warm sun beat down on him from the cloudless sky. This was impossible.
"This is impossible," Bill said with forthright indignation.
"Nothing is impossible if I will it," a scratchy voice spoke from behind Bill's shoulder. "For I am the Spirit of Life."
Bill skittered sideways like a homeostatic robhorse, rolling his eyes at the small, white-whiskered man with a twitching nose and red-rimmed eyes who had appeared soundlessly behind him.
"You got a leak in your think-tank," Bill snapped, angry at himself for being so goosy.
"You'd be nuts, too, on this job," the little man sobbed, and knuckled a pendant drop from his nose. "Half-froze, half-cooked and half-wiped out most of the time on oxy. The Spirit of Life," he quavered, "mine is the power . . . "
"Now that you mention it," Bill's words were muffled by a sudden flurry of snow, "I am feeling a bit high myself. Wheeee . . . !!" The wind veered and swept the occluding clouds of snow away, and Bill gaped at the suddenly revealed view.
Slushy snow and pools of water spotted the surface as far as he could see. The golden coating had been worn away, and the metal was gray and pitted beneath, streaked with ruddy rivulets of rust. Rows of great pipes, each thicker than a man is tall, snaked toward him from over the horizon and ended in funnel-like mouths. The funnels were obscured by whirling clouds of vapor and snow that shot high into the air with a hushed roar, though one of the vapor columns collapsed and the cloud dispersed while Bill watched.
"Number eighteen blown!" the old man shouted into a microphone, grabbed a clipboard from the wall, and kicked his way through the slush toward a rusty and dilapidated walkway, that groaned and rattled along parallel with the pipes. Bill followed, shouting at the man, who now completely ignored him. As the walkway, clanking and swaying, carried them along, Bill began to wonder just where the pipes led, and after a minute, when his head cleared a bit, curiosity got the better of him and he strained ahead to see what the mysterious bumps were on the horizon. They slowly resolved themselves into a row of giant spaceships, each one connected to one of the thick pipes. With unexpected agility the old man sprang from the walkway and bounded toward the ship at station eighteen, where the tiny figures of workers, high up, were disconnecting the seals that joined the ship to the pipe. The old man copied numbers from a meter attached to the pipe, while Bill watched a crane swing over with the end of a large, flexible hose that emerged from the surface they were standing on. It was attached to the valve on top of the spaceship. A rumbling vibration shook the hose, and from around the seal to the ship emerged puffs of black cloud that drifted over the stained metal plain.
"Could I ask just what the hell is going on here?" Bill said plaintively.
"Life! Life everlasting" the old man crowed, swinging up from the glooms of his depression toward the heights of manic elation.
"Could you be a little more specific?"
"Here is a world sheathed in metal," he stamped his foot and there was a dull boom. "What does that mean?"
"It means the world is sheathed in metal."
"Correct. For a trooper you show a remarkable turn of intelligence. So you take a planet and cover it with metal, and you got a planet where the only green growing things are in the Imperial Gardens and a couple of window boxes. Then what do you have?"
"Everybody dead," Bill said, for after all, he was a farm boy and up on all the photosynthesis and chlorophyll bowb.
"Correct again. You and I and the Emperor and a couple of billion other slobs are working away turning all the oxygen into carbon dioxide, and with no plants around to turn it back into oxygen and if we keep at it long enough we breathe ourselves to death."
"Then these ships are bringing in liquid oxygen?"
The old man bobbed his head and jumped back onto the slideway; Bill followed. "Affirm. They get it for free on the agricultural planets. And after they empty here they load up with carbon extracted at great expense from the CO2 and whip back with it to the hickworlds, where it is burned for fuel, used for fertilizer, combined into numberless plastics and other products . . . "
Bill stepped from the slideway at the nearest elevator, while the old man and his voice vanished into the vapor, and crouching down, his head pounding from the oxy jag, he began flipping furiously through his floor plan. While he waited for the elevator he found his place from the code number on the door and began to plot a new course toward the Palace Gardens.
This time he did not allow himself to be distracted. By only eating candy bars and drinking carbonated beverages from the dispensers along his route he avoided the dangers and distractions of the eateries, and by keeping himself awake he avoided missing connections. With black bags under his eyes and teeth rotting in his head he stumbled from a grav-shaft and with thudding heart finally saw a florally decorated and colorfully illuminated scentsign that said HANGING GARDENS. There was an entrance turnstile and a cashier's window.
"One please."
"That'll be ten imperial bucks."
"Isn't that a little expensive?" he said peevishly, unrolling the bills one by one from his thin wad.
"If you're poor, don't come to Helior."
The cashier-robot was primed with all the snappy answers. Bill ignored it and pushed through into the gardens. They were everything he had ever dreamed of and more. As he walked down the gray cinder path inside the outer wall he could see green shrubs and grass just on the other side of the titanium mesh fence. No more than a hundred yards away, on the other side of the grass, were floating, colorful plants and flowers from all the worlds of the Empire. And there! Tiny in the distance were the Rainbow Fountains, almost visible to the naked eye. Bill slipped a coin into one of the telescopes and watched their colors glow and wane, and it was just as good as seeing it on TV. He went on, circling inside the wall, bathed by the light of the artificial sun in the giant dome above.
But even the heady pleasures of the gardens waned in the face of the soul-consuming fatigue that gripped him in iron hands. There were steel benches pegged to the wall, and he dropped onto one to rest for a moment, then closed his eyes for a second to ease the glare. His chin dropped onto his chest, and before he realized it he was sound asleep. Other visitors scrunched by on the cinders without disturbing him, nor did he move when one sat down at the far end of the bench.
Since Bill never saw this man there is no point in describing him. Suffice to say that he had sallow skin, a broken, reddened nose, feral eyes peering from under a simian brow, wide hips and narrow shoulders, mismatched feet, lean, knobby, dirty fingers, and a twitch.
Long seconds of eternity ticked by while the man sat there. Then for a few moments there were no other visitors in sight. With a quick, snakelike motion the newcomer whipped an atomic arc-pencil from his pocket. The small, incredibly hot flame whispered briefly as he pressed it against the chain that secured Bill's floor plan to his waist, just at the point where the looped chain rested on the metal bench. In a trice the metal of the chain was welded fast to the metal of the bench. Still undisturbed, Bill slept on.
At wolfish grin flickered across the man's face like the evil rings formed in sewer water by a diving rat. Then, with a single swift motion, the atomic flame severed the chain near the volume. Pocketing the arc-pencil the thief rose, plucked Bill's floor plan from his lap, and strode quickly away.
### III
At first Bill didn't appreciate the magnitude of his loss. He swam slowly up out of his sleep, thickheaded, with the feeling that something was wrong. Only after repeated tugging did he realize that the chain was stuck fast to the bench and that the book was gone. The chain could not be freed, and in the end he had to unfasten it from his belt and leave it dangling. Retracing his steps to the entrance, he knocked on the cashier's window.
"No refunds," the robot said.
"I want to report a crime."
"The police handle crime. You want to talk to the police. You talk to the police on a phone. Here is a phone. The number is 111-11-111." A small door slid open, and a phone popped out, catching Bill in the chest and knocking him back on his heels. He dialed the number.
"Police," a voice said, and a bulldog-faced sergeant wearing a Prussian blue uniform and a scowl appeared on the screen.
"I want to report a theft."
"Grand larceny or petty larceny?"
"I don't know, it was my floor plan that was stolen."
"Petty larceny. Proceed to your nearest police station. This is an emergency circuit, and you are tying it up illegally. The penalty for illegally tying up an emergency circuit is . . . " Bill jammed hard on the button and the screen went blank. He turned back to the robot cashier.
"No refunds," it said. Bill snarled impatiently.
"Shut up. All I want to know is where the nearest police station is."
"I am a cashier robot, not an information robot. That information is not in my memory. I suggest you consult your floor plan."
"But it's my floor plan that has been stolen!"
"I suggest you talk to the police."
"But . . . " Bill turned red and kicked the cashier's box angrily. "No refunds," it said as he stalked away.
"Drinky, drinky, make you stinky," a robot bar said, rolling up and whispering in his ear. It made the sound of ice cubes rattling in a frosty glass.
"A damn good idea. Beer. A large one." He pushed coins into its money slot and clutched at the dispos-a-stein that rattled down the chute and almost bounced to the ground. It cooled and refreshed him and calmed his anger. He looked at the sign that said TO THE JEWELED PALACE. "I'll go to the palace, have a look-see, then find someone there who can direct me to the police station. Ouch!" The robot bar had pulled the dispos-a-stein from his hand, almost taking his forefinger with it, and with unerring robotic aim hurled it thirty-two feet into the open mouth of a rubbish shaft that projected from a wall.
The Jeweled Palace appeared to be about as accessible as the Hanging Gardens, and he decided to report the theft before paying his way into the grilled enclosure that circled the palace at an awesome distance. There was a policeman hanging out his belly and idly spinning his club near the entrance who should know where the police station was.
"Where's the police station?" Bill asked.
"I ain't no information booth--use your floor plan."
"But"--through teeth tightly clamped together--"I cannot. My floor plan has been stolen and that is why I want to find Yipe!"
Bill said Yipe! because the policeman, with a practiced motion, had jammed the end of his club up into Bill's armpit and pushed him around the corner with it.
"I used to be a trooper myself before I bought my way out," the officer said.
"I would enjoy your reminiscences more if you took the club out of my armpit," Bill moaned, then sighed gratefully as the club vanished.
"Since I used to be a trooper I don't want to see a buddy with the Purple Dart with Coalsack Nebula Cluster get into trouble. I am also an honest cop and don't take bribes, but if a buddy was to loan me twenty-five bucks until payday I would be much obliged."
Bill had been born stupid, but he was learning. The money appeared and vanished swiftly, and the cop relaxed, clacking the end of his club against his yellow teeth.
"Let me tell you something, pal, before you make any official statements to me in my official capacity, since up to now we have just been talking buddy-buddy. There are a lot of ways to get into trouble here on Helior, but the easiest is to lose your floor plan. It is a hanging offense on Helior. I know a guy what went into the station to report that someone got his plan and they slapped the cuffs on him inside ten seconds, maybe five. Now what was it you wanted to say to me?"
"You got a match?"
"I don't smoke."
"Good-by."
"Take it easy, pal."
Bill scuttled around another corner and leaned against the wall breathing deeply. Now what? He could barely find his way around this place with the plan--how could he do it without one? There was a leaden weight pulling at his insides that he tried to ignore. He forced away the feeling of terror and tried to think. But thinking made him lightheaded. It seemed like years since he had had a good meal, and thinking of food he began to pump saliva at such a great rate that he almost drowned. Food, that's what he needed, food for thought; he had to relax over a nice, juicy steak, and when the inner man was satisfied he would be able to think clearly and find a way out of this mess. There must be a way out. He had almost a full day left before he was due back from leave; there was plenty of time. Staggering around a sharp bend he came out into a high tunnel brilliant with lights, the most brilliant of which was a sign that said THE GOLD SPACE SUIT.
"The Gold Space Suit," Bill said. "That's more like it. Galaxy-famous on countless TV programs, what a restaurant, that's the way to build up the old morale. It'll be expensive, but what the hell . . . "
Tightening his belt and straightening his collar, he strode up the wide gold steps and through the imitation spacelock. The headwaiter beckoned him and smiled, soft music wafted his way and the floor opened beneath his feet. Scratching helplessly at the smooth walls, he shot down the golden tube which turned gradually until, when he emerged, he shot through the air and fell, sprawling, into a dusty metal alleyway. Ahead of him, painted on the wall with foot-high letters, was the imperious message, GET LOST BUM.
He stood and dusted himself, and a robot sidled over and crooned in his ear with the voice of a young and lovely girl, "I bet you're hungry, darling. Why not try Giuseppe Singh's neo-Indian curried pizza? You're just a few steps from Singh's, directions are on the back of the card."
The robot took a card from a slot in its chest and put it carefully into Bill's mouth. It was a cheap and badly adjusted robot. Bill spluttered the soggy card out and wiped it on his handkerchief.
"What happened?" he asked.
"I bet you're hungry, darling, grrrr-ark." The robot switched to another recorded message, cued by Bill's question. "You have just been ejected from The Gold Space Suit, galaxy-famous on countless TV programs, because you are a cheap bum. When you entered this establishment you were X-rayed and the contents of your pockets automatically computed. Since the contents of your pockets obviously fell below the minimum with cover charge, one drink, and tax, you were ejected. But you are still hungry, aren't you darling?" The robot leered, and the dulcet, sexy voice poured from between the broken gaps of its mouthplate. "C'mon down to Singh's where food is good and cheap. Try Singh's yummy lasagna with dhal and lime sauce."
Bill went, not because he wanted some loathsome Bombay-ltalian concoction, but because of the map and instructions on the back of the card. There was a feeling of security in knowing he was going from somewhere to somewhere again, following the directions, clattering down this stair well, dropping in that gravchute, grabbing for a place in the right hookway. After one last turning his nose was assaulted by a wave of stale fat, old garlic, and charred flesh, and he knew he was there.
The food was incredibly expensive and far worse than he had ever imagined it could be, but it stilled the painful rumbling in his stomach, by direct assault if not by pleasant satiation. With one fingernail he attempted to pry horrible pieces of gristle from between his teeth while he looked at the man across the table from him, who was moaning as he forced down spoonfuls of something nameless. His tablemate was dressed in colorful holiday clothes and looked a fat, ruddy, and cheerful type.
"Hi . . . !" Bill said, smiling.
"Go drop dead," the man snarled.
"All I said was Hi." Petulantly.
"That's enough. Everyone who has bothered to talk to me in the sixteen hours I been on this so-called please planet has cheated or screwed me or stolen my money one way or another. I am next to broke and I still have six days left of my See Helior and Live tour."
"I only wanted to ask you if I could sort of look through your floor plan while you were eating."
"I told you, everyone is out to screw me out of something. Drop dead."
"Please."
"I'll do it--for twenty-five bucks, cash in advance, and only as long as I'm eating."
"Done!" Bill slapped the money down, whipped under the table, and, sitting cross-legged, began to flip furiously through the volume, writing down travel instructions as fast as he could plot a course. Above him the fat man continued to eat and groan, and whenever he hit a particularly bad mouthful he would jerk the chain and make Bill lose his place. Bill had charted a route almost halfway to the haven of the Transit Ranker's Center before the man pulled the book away and stamped out.
When Odysseus returned from his terror-haunted voyage he spared Penelope's ears the incredible details of his journey. When Richard Lion-Heart, freed finally from his dungeon, came home from the danger-filled years of the Crusades, he did not assault Queen Berengaria's sensibilities with horror-full anecdotes; he simply greeted her and unlocked her chastity belt. Neither will I, gentle reader, profane your hearing with the dangers and despairs of Bill's journeyings, for they are beyond imagining. Suffice to say he did it. He reached the T.R.C.
Through red-rimmed eyes he blinked at the sign, TRANSIT RANKERS' CENTER it said, then had to lean against the wall as relief made his knees weak. He had done it! He had only overstayed his leave by eight days, and that couldn't matter too much. Soon now he would be back in the friendly arms of the troopers again, away from the endless miles of metal corridors, the constantly rushing crowds, the slipways, slideways, gravdrops, bellavators, suctionlifts, and all the rest. He would get stinking drunk with his buddies and let the alcohol dissolve the memories of his terrible travels, try to forget the endless horror of those days of wandering without food or water or sound of human voice, endlessly stumbling through the Stygian stacks in the Carbon Paper Levels. It was all behind him now. He dusted his scruffy uniform, shamefully aware of the rips, crumplings, and missing buttons that defaded it If he could get into the barracks without being stopped he would change uniforms before reporting to the orderly room.
A few heads turned his way, but he made it all right through the day room and into the barracks. Only his mattress was rolled up, his blankets were gone and his locker empty. It was beginning to look as though he was in trouble, and trouble in the troopers is never a simple thing. Repressing a cold feeling of despair he washed up a bit in the latrine, took a stiffening drink from the cold tap, then dragged his feet to the orderly room. The first sergeant was at his desk, a giant, powerful, sadistic-looking man with dark skin the same color as that of his old buddy Tembo. He held a plastic doll dressed in a captain's uniform in one hand, and was pushing straightened-out paper clips into it with the other. Without turning his head he rolled his eyes toward Bill and scowled.
"You're in bad trouble, trooper, coming into the orderly room out of uniform like that."
"I'm in worse trouble than you think, Sarge," Bill said leaning weakly on the desk. The sergeant stared at Bill's mismatched hands, his eyes flickering back and forth quickly from one to the other.
"Where did you get that hand, trooper? Speak up! I know that hand."
"It belonged to a buddy of mine, and I have the arm that goes with it too."
Anxious to get onto any subject other than his military crimes, Bill held the hand out for the sergeant to look at. But he was horrified when the fingers tensed into a rock-hard fist, the muscles bunched on his arm and the fist flew forward to catch the first sergeant square on the jaw and knocked him backward off his chair ass over applecart. "Sergeant!" Bill screamed, and grabbed the rebellious hand with his other and forced it, not without a struggle, back to his side.
The sergeant rose slowly, and Bill backed away, shuddering. He could not believe it when the sergeant reseated himself and Bill saw that he saw smiling.
"Thought I knew that hand, belongs to my old buddy Tembo. We always joked like that. You take good care of that arm, you hear? Is there any more of Tembo around?" and when Bill said no, he knocked out a quick tom-tom beat on the edge of the desk. "Well, he's gone to the Big Ju-ju Rite in the Sky." The smile vanished and the snarl reappeared. "You're in bad trouble, trooper. Let's see your ID card."
He whipped it from Bill's nerveless fingers and shoved it into a slot in the desk. Lights flickered, the mechanism hummed and vibrated and a screen lit up. The first sergeant read the message there, and as he did the snarl faded from his face and was replaced by an expression of cold anger. When he turned back to Bill his eyes were narrowed slits that pinned him with a gaze that could curdle milk in an instant or destroy minor life forms like rodents or cockroaches. It chilled Bill's blood in his veins and sent a shiver through his body that made it sway like a tree in the wind.
"Where did you steal this ID card? Who are you?"
On the third try Bill managed to force words between his paralyzed lips. "Its me . . . that's my card . . . I'm me, Fuse Tender First Class Bill . . . "
"You are a liar." A fingernail uniquely designed for ripping out jugular veins flicked at the card. "This card must be stolen, because First Class Fuse Tender Bill shipped out of here eight days ago. That is what the record says, and records do not lie. You've had it, Bowb." He depressed a red button labeled MILITARY POLICE, and an alarm bell could be heard ringing angrily in the distance. Bill shuffled his feet, and his eyes rolled, searching for some way to escape. "Hold him there, Tembo," the sergeant snapped, "I want to get to the bottom of this."
Bill's left-right arm grabbed the edge of the desk, and he couldn't pry it lose. He was still struggling with it when heavy boots thudded up behind him.
"What's up?" a familiar voice growled.
"Impersonation of a non-commissioned officer plus lesser charges that don't matter because the first charge alone calls for electro-arc lobectomy and thirty lashes."
"Oh, sir," Bill laughed, spinning about and feasting his eyes on a long-loathed figure. "Deathwish Drang! Tell them you know me."
One of the two men was the usual red-hatted, clubbed, gunned, and polished brute in human form. But the other one could only be Deathwish.
"Do you know the prisoner?" the first sergeant asked.
Deathwish squinted, rolling his eyes the length of Bill's body. "I knew a Sixth-class fuse-fingerer named Bill, but both his hands matched. Something very strange here. We'll rough him up a bit in the guardhouse and let you know what he confesses."
"Affirm. But watch out for that left hand. It belongs to a friend of mine."
"Won't lay a finger on it."
"But I am Bill" Bill shouted. "That's me, my card, I can prove it."
"An imposter," the sergeant said, and pointed to the controls on his desk. "The records say that First Class Fuse Tender Bil shipped out of here eight days ago. And records don't lie."
"Records _can 't_ lie, or there would be no order in the universe," Deathwish said, grinding his club deep into Bill's gut and shoving him toward the door. "Did those back-ordered thumbscrews come in yet?" he asked the other MP.
It could only have been fatigue that caused Bill to do what he did then. Fatigue, desperation, and fear combined and overpowered him, for at heart he was a good trooper and had learned to be Brave and Clean and Reverent and Heterosexual and all the rest. But every man has his breaking point, and Bill had reached his. He had faith in the impartial working of justice--never having learned any better--but it was the thought of torture that bugged him. When his fear-crazed eyes saw the sign on the wall that read LAUNDRY, a synapse closed without conscious awareness on his part, and he leaped forward, his sudden desperate action breaking the grip on his arm. Escape! Behind that flap on the wall must lie a laundry chute with a pile of nice soft sheets and towels at the bottom that would ease his fall. He could get away! Ignoring the harsh, beastlike cries of the MPs, he dived headfirst through the opening.
He fell about four feet, landed headfirst, and almost brained himself. There was not a chute here but a deep, strong metal laundry basket.
Behind him the MPs beat at the swinging flap, but they could not budge it, since Bill's legs had jammed up behind it and stopped it from swinging open.
"It's locked" Deathwish cried. "We've been had! Where does this laundry chute go?" Making the same mistaken assumption as Bill.
"I don't know, I'm a new man here myself," the other man gasped.
"You'll be new man in the electric chair if we don't find that bowb!"
The voices dimmed as the heavy boots thudded away, and Bill stirred. His neck was twisted at an odd angle and hurt, his knees crunched into his chest, and he was half suffocated by the cloth jammed into his face. He tried to straighten his legs and pushed against the metal wall; there was a click as something snapped, and he fell forward as the laundry basket dropped out into the serviceway on the other side of the wall.
There he is!" a familiarly hateful voice shouted, and Bill staggered away. The running boots were just behind him when he came to the gravchute and once more dived headfirst, with considerably greater success this time. As the apoplectic MPs sprang in after him the automatic cycling circuit spaced them all out a good fifteen feet apart. It was a slow, drifting fall, and Bill's vision finally cleared and he looked up and shuddered at the sight of Deathwish's fang-filled physiognomy drifting down behind him.
"Old buddy," Bill sobbed, clasping his hands prayerfully. "Why are you chasing me?"
"Don't buddy me, you Chinger spy. You're not even a good spy--your arms don't match." As he dropped Deathwish pulled his gun free of the holster and aimed it squarely between Bill's eyes. "Shot while attempting to escape."
"Have mercy!" Bill pleaded.
"Death to all Chingers." He pulled the trigger.
### IV
The bullet plowed slowly out of the cloud of expanding gas and drifted about two feet toward Bill before the humming gravity field slowed it to a stop. The simple-minded cycling circuit translated the bullet's speed as mass and assumed that another body had entered the gravchute and assigned it a position. Deathwish's fall slowed until he was fifteen feet behind the bullet, while the other MP also assumed the same relative position behind him. The gap between Bill and his pursuers was now twice as wide, and he took advantage of this and ducked out of the exit at the next level. An open elevator beckoned to him coyly and he was into it and had the door closed before the wildly cursing Deathwish could emerge from the shaft.
After this, escape was simply a matter of muddling his trail. He used different means of transportation at random, and all the time kept fleeing to lower levels as though seeking to escape like a mole by burrowing deep into the ground. It was exhaustion that stopped him finally, dropping him in his tracks, slumped against a wall and panting like a triceratops in heat. Gradually he became aware of his surroundings and realized that he had come lower than he had ever been before. The corridors were gloomier and older, made of steel plates riveted together. Massive pillars, some a hundred feet or more in diameter, broke the smoothness of the walls, great structures that supported the mass of the world-city above. Most of the doors he saw were locked and bolted, hung with elaborate seals. It was darker, too, he realized, as he wearily dragged to his feet and went looking for something to drink: his throat burned like fire. A drink dispenser was let into the wall ahead and was different from most of the ones he was used to in that it had thick steel bars reinforcing the front of the mechanism and was adorned with a large sign that read THIS MACHINE PROTECTED BY YOU-COOK-EM BURGLER ALARMS--ANY ATTEMPT TO BREAK INTO THE MECHANISM WILL RELEASE 100,000 VOLTS THROUGH THE CULPRIT RESPONSIBLE. He found enough coins in his pocket to buy a double HeroinCola and stepped carefully back out of the range of any sparks while the cup filled.
He felt much better after draining it, until he looked in his wallet then he felt much worse. He had eight imperial bucks to his name, and when they were gone--then what? Self-pity broke through his exhausted and drug-ridden senses, and he wept. He was vaguely aware of occasional passersby but paid them no heed. Not until three men stopped close by and let a fourth sink to the floor. Bill glanced at them, then looked away; their words coming dimly to his ears made no sense, since he was having a far better time wallowing in lacrimose indulgence.
"Poor old Golph, looks, like he's done for."
"That's for sure. He's rattling just about the nicest death rattle I ever heard. Leave him here for the cleaning robots."
"But what about the _job?_ We need four to pull it."
"Let's take a look at deplanned over there."
A heavy boot in Bill's side rolled him over and caught his attention. He blinked up at the circle of men all similar in their tattered clothes, dirty skins, and bearded faces. They were different in size and shape, though they all had one thing in common. None of them carried a floor plan, and they all looked strangely naked without the heavy, pendant volumes.
"Where's your floor plan?" the biggest and hairiest asked, and kicked Bill again.
"Stolen . . . " he started to sob again.
"Are you a trooper?"
"They took away my ID card . . . "
"Got any bucks?"
"Gone . . . all gone . . . like the dispos-a-steins of yester-year . . . "
"Then you are one of the deplanned," the watchers chanted in unison, and helped Bill to his feet. "Now--join with us in 'The Song of the Deplanned,'" and with quavering voices they sang:
_Stand together one and all,_
_For Brothers Deplanned always shall,_
_Unite and fight to achieve the Right,_
_That Might shall fail and Truth avail,_
_So that we, who once were free, can someday be_
_Once more free to see the skies of blue above,_
_And hear the gentle pitty-pat_
_Of snow._
"It doesn't rhyme very well," Bill said.
"Ah, we's short of talent down here, we is," the smallest and oldest deplanned said, and coughed a hacking, rachitic cough.
"Shut up," the big one said, and kidney-punched the old one and Bill. "I'm Litvok, and this is my bunch. You part of my bunch now, newcomer, and your name is Golph 28169-minus."
"No, I'm not; my name is Bill, and it's easier to say--" He was slugged again.
"Shaddup! Bill's a hard name because it's a new name, and I never remember no new names. I always got a Golph 28169-minus in my bunch. What's your name?"
"Bill--OUCH! I mean Golph!"
"That's better--but don't forget you got a last name too . . . "
"I is hungry," the old one whined. "When we gonna make the raid?"
"Now. Follow me."
They stepped over the old Golph etc. who had expired while the new one was being initiated, and hurried away down a dark, dank back passage. Bill followed along, wondering what he had got himself into, but too weary to worry about it now. They were talking about food; after he had some food he would think about what to do next, but meanwhile he felt glad that someone was taking care of him and doing his thinking for him. It was just like being back in the troopers, only better, since you didn't even have to shave.
The little band of men emerged into a brightly lit hallway, cringing a little in the sudden glare. Litvok waved them to a stop and peered carefully in both directions, then cupped one dirt-grimed hand to his cauliflower ear and listened, frowning with the effort.
"It looks clear. Schmutzig, you stay here and give the alarm if anyone comes, Sporco you go down the hall to the next bend, and you do same thing. You, new Golph, come with me."
The two sentries scrambled off to their duties, while Bill followed Litvok into an alcove containing a locked metal door, which the burly leader opened with a single blow of a metal hammer he took from a place of concealment in his ragged clothes. Inside were a number of pipes of assorted dimensions that rose from the floor and vanished into the ceiling above. There were numbers stenciled onto each pipe, and Litvok pointed to them.
"We gotta find kl-9256-B," he said. "Let's go."
Bill found the pipe quickly. It was about as big around as his wrist, and he had just called to the bunch leader when a shrill whistle sounded down the hall.
"Outside!" Litvok said, and pushed Bill before him, then closed the door and stood so that his body covered the broken lock. There was a growing rumbling and swishing noise that came down the hall toward them as they cowered in the alcove. Litvok held his hammer behind his back as the noise increased, and a sanitation robot appeared and swiveled its binocular eyestalk toward them.
"Will you kindly move, this robot wishes to clean where you are standing," a recorded voice spoke from the robot in firm tones. It whirled its brushes at them hopefully.
"Get lost," Litvok growled.
"Interference with a sanitation robot during the performance of its duties is a punishable crime, as well as an antisocial act. Have you stopped to consider where you would be if the Sanitation Department wasn't . . . "
"Blabbermouth," Litvok snarled and hit the robot on top of its brain case with the hammer. "WONKITY!!" the robot shrilled, and went reeling down the hall dribbling water incontinently from its nozzles. "Let's finish the job," Litvok said, throwing the door open again. He handed the hammer to Bill, and drawing a hacksaw from a place of concealment in his ragged clothes he attacked the pipe with frenzied strokes. The metal pipe was tough, and within a minute he was running with sweat and starting to tire.
"Take over," he shouted at Bill. "Go as fast as you can, then I take over again." Turn and turn about it took them less than three minutes to saw all the way through the pipe. Litvok slipped the saw back into his clothes and picked up the hammer. "Get ready," he said, spitting on his hands and then taking a mighty swing at the pipe.
Two blows did it; the top part of the severed pipe bent out of alignment with the bottom, and from the opening began to pour an endless stream of of linked green frankfurters. Litvok grabbed the end of the chain and threw it over Bill's shoulder, then began to coil-loops of things over his shoulders and arms, higher and higher. They reached the level of Bill's eyes and he could read the white lettering stamped all over their grass-green forms. CHLORA-FILLIES they read, and THERE'S SUNSHINE IN EVERY LINK! and THE EQUINE WURST OF DISTINCTION, and TRY OUR DOBBIN-BURGERS NEXT TIME!
"Enough . . . " Bill groaned, staggering under the weight Litvok snapped the chain and began twining them over his own shoulders, when the flow of shiny green forms suddenly ceased. He pulled the last links from the pipe and pushed out the door.
"The alarm went, they're onto us. Get out fast before the cops get here!" He whistled shrilly, and the lookouts came running to join them. They fled, Bill stumbling under the weight of the wursts, in a nightmare race through tunnels, down stairs, ladders, and oily tubes, until they reached a dusty, deserted area where the dim lights were few and far between. Litvok pried a manhole up from the floor, and they dropped down one by one, to crawl through a cable and tube tunnel between levels Schmutzig and Sporco came last to pick up the sausages that fell from Bill's aching back. Finally, through a pried-out grill, they reached their coal-black destination, and Bill collapsed onto the rubble-covered floor. With cries of greed the others stripped Bill of his cargo, and within a minute a fire was crackling in a metal wastebasket and the green redhots were toasting on a rack.
The delicious smell of roasting chlorophyll roused Bill, and he looked around with interest. By the flicking firelight he saw that they were in an immense chamber that vanished into the gloom in all directions. Thick pillars supported the ceiling and the city above, while between them loomed immense piles and heaps of all sizes. The old man, Sporco, walked over to the nearest heap and wrenched something free. When he returned Bill could see that he had sheets of paper that he began to feed one by one into the fire. One of the sheets fell near Bill and he saw, before he stuffed it into the flames, that it was a government form of some kind, yellow with age.
Though Bill had never enjoyed Chlora-fillies, he relished them now. Appetite was the sauce, and the burning paper added a new taste tang. They washed the sausages down with rusty water from a pail kept under a permanent drip from a pipe and feasted like kings. This is the good life, Bill thought, pulling another filly from the fire and blowing on it, good food, good drink, good companions. A free man.
Litvok and the old one were already asleep on beds of crumpled paper when the other man, Schmutzig, sidled over to Bill.
"Have you found my ID card?" he asked in a hoarse whisper, and Bill realized the man was mad. The flames reflected eerily from the cracked lenses of his glasses, and Bill could see that they had silver frames and must have once been very expensive. Around Schmutzig's neck, half hidden by his ragged beard, was the cracked remains of a collar and the torn shard of a once fine cravat.
"No I haven't seen your ID card," Bill said, "in fact I haven't seen mine since the first sergeant took it away from me and forgot to give it back." Bill began to feel sorry for himself again, and the foul frankfurters were sitting like lead in his stomach. Schmutzig ignored his answer, immersed as he was in his own far more interesting monomania.
"I'm an important man, you know, Schmutzig von Dreck is a man to be reckoned with, they'll find out. They think they can get away with this, but they can't. An error they said, just a simple error, the tape in the records section broke, and when they repaired it a little weensy bit got snipped out, and that was the piece with my record on it, and the first I heard about it was when my pay didn't arrive at the end of the month and I went to see them about it and they had never heard of me. But _everyone_ has heard of me. Von Dreck is a good old name. I was an echelon manager before I was twenty-two and had a staff of 356 under me in the Staple and Paper Clip Division of the 89th Office Supply Wing. So they couldn't make believe they never heard of me, even if I had left my ID card home in my other suit, and they had no reason clearing everything out of my apartment while I was away just because it was rented to what they said was an imaginary person. I could have proven who I was if I had my ID card . . . have you seen my ID card?"
This is where I came in, Bill thought, then aloud, "That sure sounds rough. I'll tell you what I'll do, I'll help you look for it. I'll go down here and see if I can find it."
Before the softheaded Schmutzig could answer Bill had slipped away between the mountainous stacks of old files, very proud of himself for having outwitted a middle-aged nut. He was feeling pleasantly full and tired and didn't want to be bothered again. What he needed was a good nights rest, then in the morning he would think about this mess, maybe figure a way out of it. Feeling his way along the cluttered aisle he put a long distance between himself and the other deplanned before climbing up on a tottering stack of paper and from that clambering to a still higher one. He sighed with relief, arranged a little pile of paper for a pillow and closed his eyes.
Then the lights came on in rows high up on the ceiling of the warehouse and shrill police whistles sounded from all sides and guttural shouts that set him to shivering with fear.
"Grab that one! Don't let him get away!"
"I got the horse thief!"
"You planless bowbs have stolen your last Chlora-filly! It's the uranium-salt mines on Zana-2 for you!"
Then, "Do we have them all--?" and as Bill lay clutching desperately at the forms, with his heart thudding with fear, the answer finally came.
"Yeah, four of them, we been watching them for a long time, ready to pull them in if they tried anything like this."
"But we only got three here."
"I saw the fourth one earlier, getting carried off stiff as a board by a sanitation robot."
"Affirm, then let's go."
Fear lashed through Bill again. How long before one of the bunch talked, ratted to buy a favor for himself, and told the cops that they had just sworn in a new recruit? He had to get out of here. All the police now seemed to be bunched at the wienie roast, and he had to take a chance. Sliding from the pile as silently as he could, he began to creep in the opposite direction. If there was no exit this way he was trapped--no, mustn't think like that! Behind him whistles shrilled again, and he knew the hunt was on. Adrenalin poured into his bloodstream as he spurted forward, while rich, equine protein added strength to his legs and a decided canter to his gait. Ahead was a door, and he hurled his weight against it; for an instant it stuck--then squealed open on rusty hinges. Heedless of danger, he hurled himself down the spiral staircase, down and down, and out of another door, fleeing wildly, thinking only of escape.
Once more, with the instincts of a hunted animal, he fled downward. He did not notice that the walls here were bolted together at places and streaked with rust, nor did he think it unusual when he had to pry open a jammed wooden door-- _wood_ on a planet that had not seen a tree in a hundred millenia! The air was danker and foul at times, and his fear-ridden course took him through a stone tunnel where nameless beasts fled before him with the rattle of evil claws. There were long stretches now doomed to eternal darkness where he had to feel his way, running his fingers along the repellent and slimy moss covered walls. Where there were lights they glowed but dimly behind their burdens of spider webs and insect corpses. He splashed through pools of stagnant water until, slowly, the strangeness of his surroundings penetrated and he blinked about him. Set into the floor beneath his feet was another door, and, still gripped by the reflex of flight, he threw it open, but it led nowhere. Instead it gave access to a bin of some kind of granulated material, not unlike coarse sugar. Though it might just as well be insulation. It could be edible: he bent and picked some up between his fingers and ground it between his teeth. No, not edible, he spat it out, though there was something very familiar about it. Then it hit him.
It was dirt. Soil. Sand. The stuff that planets were made out of, that _this_ planet was made out of, it was the surface of Helior, on which the incredible weight of the world-embracing city rested. He looked up, and in that unspeakable moment was suddenly aware of that weight, all that weight, above his head, pressing down and trying to crush him. Now he was on the bottom, rock bottom, and obsessed by galloping claustrophobia. Giving a weak scream, he stumbled down the hallway until it ended in an immense sealed and bolted door. There was no way out of this. And when he looked at the blackened thickness of the door he decided that he really didn't want to go out that way either. What nameless horrors might lurk behind a portal like this at the bottom of the world?
Then, while he watched, paralyzed, with staring eyes, the door squealed and started to swing open. He turned to run and screamed aloud in terror as _something_ grabbed him in an unbreakable grip . . .
### V
Not that Bill didn't try to break the grip, but it was hopeless. He wriggled in the skeleton-white claws that clutched him and tried futilely to pry them from his arms, all the time uttering helpless little bleats like a lamb in an eagle's talons. Thrashing ineffectually, he was drawn backward through the mighty portal which swung shut without the agency of human hands.
"Welcome . . . " a sepulchral voice said, and Bill staggered as the restraining grasp was removed, then whirled about to face the large white robot, now immobile. Next to the robot stood a small man in a white jacket who sported a large, bald head and a serious expression.
"You don't have to tell me your name," the small man said, "not unless you want to. But I am Inspector Jeyes. Have you come seeking sanctuary?"
"Are you offering it?" Bill asked dubiously.
"Interesting point, most interesting." Jeyes rubbed his chapped hands together with a dry, rustling sound. "But we shall have no theological arguments now, tempting as they are, I assure you, so I think it might be best to make a statement, yes indeed. There is a sanctuary here--have you come to avail yourself of it?"
Bill, now that he had recovered from his first shock, was being a little crafty, remembering all the trouble he had gotten into by opening his big wug. "Listen, I don't even know who you are or where I am or what kind of strings are attached to this sanctuary business."
"Very proper, my mistake, I assure you, since I took you for one of the city's deplanned, though now I notice that the rags you are wearing were once a trooper's dress uniform and that the oxidized shard of pot metal on your chest is the remains of a noble decoration. Welcome to Helior, the Imperial Planet, and how is the war coming?"
"Fine, fine--but what's this all about?"
"I am Inspector Jeyes of the City Department of Sanitation. I can see, and I sincerely hope you will pardon the indiscretion, that you are in a bit of trouble, out of uniform, your plan gone, perhaps even your ID card vanished." He watched Bill's uneasy motion with shrewd, birdlike eyes. "But it doesn't have to be that way. Accept sanctuary. We will provide for you, give you a good job, a new uniform even a new ID card."
"And all I have to do is become a garbage man!" Bill sneered.
"We prefer the term G-man," Inspector Jeyes answered humbly.
"I'll think about it," Bill said coldly.
"Might I help you make up your mind?" the inspector asked, and pressed a button on the wall. The portal into outer blackness squealed open once again, and the robot grabbed Bill and started to push.
"Sanctuary!" Bill squealed, then pouted when the robot had released him and the door was resealed. "I was just going to say that anyway, you didn't have to throw your weight around."
"A thousand pardons, we want you to feel happy here. Welcome to the D of S. At the risk of embarrassment, may I ask if you will need a new ID card? Many of our recruits like to start life afresh down here in the department, and we have a vast selection of cards to choose from. We get _everything_ eventually you must remember, bodies and emptied wastebaskets included, and you would be surprised at the number of cards we collect that way. If you'll just step into this elevator . . . "
The D of S did have a lot of cards, cases and cases of them, all neatly filed and alphabetized. In no time at all Bill had found one with a description that fitted him fairly closely, issued in the name of one Wilhelm Stuzzicadenti, and showed it to the inspector.
"Very good, glad to have you with us, Villy . . . "
"Just call me Bill."
" . . . and welcome to the service, Bill, we are always undermanned down here, and you can have your pick of jobs, yes indeed, depending of course upon your talents--and your interests. When you think of sanitation what comes to your mind?"
"Garbage."
The inspector sighed. "That's the usual reaction, but I had expected better of you. Garbage is just one thing our Collection Division has to deal with, in addition there are Refuse, Waste, and Rubbish. Then there are whole other departments, Hall Cleaning, Plumbing Repair, Research, Sewage Disposal . . . "
"That last one sounds real interesting. Before I was forcefully enlisted I was taking a correspondence course in Technical Fertilizer Operating."
"Why that's _wonderful!_ You must tell me more about it, but sit down first, get comfortable." He led Bill to a deep, upholstered chair, then turned away to extract two plastic cartons from a dispenser. "And have a cooling Alco-Jolt while you're talking."
"There's not much to say. I never finished my course, and it appears now I will never satisfy my lifelong ambition and operate fertilizer. Maybe your Sewage Disposal department . . . ?"
"I'm sorry. It is heartbreaking, since that's right down your alley too, so to speak, but if there is one operation that doesn't give us any problem, it's sewage, because it's mostly automated. We're proud of our sewage record because it's a big one; there must be over 150 billion people on Helior . . . "
"WOW!"
" . . . you're right, I can see that glow in your eye. That _is_ a lot of sewage, and I hope sometime to have the honor of showing you through our plant. But remember, where there is sewage there must be food, and with Helior importing all its food we have a closed-circle operation here that is a sanitary engineer's dream. Ships from the agricultural planets bring in the processed food which goes out to the populace where it starts through, what might be called the chain of command. We get the effluvium and process it, the usual settling and chemical treatments, anaerobic bacteria and the like--I'm not boring you am I?"
"No, please . . . " Bill said, smiling and flicking away a tear with a knuckle, "it's just that I'm so happy, I haven't had an intelligent conversation in _so_ long . . . "
"I can well imagine--it must be brutalizing in the service," he clapped Bill on the shoulder, a hearty stout-fellow-well-met gesture. "Forget all that you're among friends now. Where was I? Oh yes, the bacteria, then dehydration and compression. We produce one of the finest bricks of condensed fertilizer in the civilized galaxy and I'll stand up to any man on that--"
"I'm sure you do!" Bill agreed fervently.
"--and automated belts and lifts carry the bricks to the spaceports where they are loaded into the spaceships as fast as they are emptied. A full load for a full load, that's our motto. And I've heard that on some poor-soiled planets they _cheer_ when the ships come home. No, we can't complain about our sewage operation; it is in the other departments that we have our problems." Inspector Jeyes drained his container and sat scowling, his pleasure drained just as fast. "No, don't do that!" he barked as Bill finished his drink and started to pitch the empty container at the wall-disposal chute.
"Didn't mean to snap," the inspector apologized, "but that's our big problem. Refuse. Did you ever think how many newspapers 150 billion people throw away every day? Or how many dispos-a-steins? Or dinner plates? We're working on this problem in research, day and night, but it's getting ahead of us. It's a nightmare. That Alco-Jolt container you're holding is one of our answers, but it's just a drop of water in the ocean."
As the last drops of liquid evaporated from the container it began to writhe obscenely in Bill's hand, and, horrified, he dropped it to the floor, where it continued to twitch and change form, collapsing and flattening before his eyes.
"We have to thank the mathematicians for that one," the inspector said. "To a topologist a phonograph record or a teacup or a drink container all have the same shape, a solid with a hole in it, and any one can be deformed into any of the others by a continuous one-to-one transformation. So we made the containers out of memory plastic that return to their original shape once they're dry--there, you see."
The container had finished its struggles and now lay quietly on the floor, a flat and finely grooved disk with a hole in the center. Inspector Jeyes picked it up and peeled the Alco-Jolt label off, and Bill could now read the other label that had been concealed underneath. LOVE IN ORBIT, BOING! BOING! BOING! SUNG BY THE COLEOPTERAE.
"Ingenious, isn't it? The container has transformed itself into a phonograph record of one of the more obnoxious top tunes, an object that no Alco-Jolt addict could possibly discard. It is taken away and cherished and not dropped down a chute to make another problem for us."
Inspector Jeyes took both of Bill's hands in his, and when he looked him directly in the eyes his own were more than a little damp. "Say you'll do it, Bill--go into research. We have such a shortage of skilled, trained men, men who understand our problems. Maybe you didn't finish your fertilizer-operating course, but you can help, a fresh mind with fresh ideas. A new broom to help sweep things clean, hey?"
"I'll do it," Bill said with determination. "Refuse research is the sort of work a man can get his teeth into."
"It's yours. Room, board, and uniform, plus a handsome salary and all the refuse and rubbish you want. You'll never regret this . . . " A warbling siren interrupted him, and an instant later a sweating, excited man ran into the room.
"Inspector, the rocket has really gone up this time. Operation Flying Saucer has failed! There is a team just down from astronomy, and they are fighting with our research team, just rolling over and over on the floor like animals . . . "
Inspector Jeyes was out of the door before the messenger finished, and Bill ran after him, dropping down a pig-chute just on his heels. They had to take a chairway, but it was too slow for the inspector, and he bounded along like a rabbit from chair back to chair back, with Bill close behind. Then they burst into a laboratory filled with complex electronic equipment and writhing, fighting men rolling and kicking in a hopeless tangle.
"Stop it at once, stop it!" the inspector screamed, but no one listened.
"Maybe I can help," Bill said, "we sort of learned about this kind of thing in the troopers. Which ones are our G-men?"
"The brown tunics--"
"Say no more!" Bill, humming cheerfully, waded into the grunting mob and with a rabbit punch here, a kidney crunch there, and maybe just a few of the karate blows that destroy the larynx he restored order to the room. None of the writhing intellectuals were physical types, and he went through them like a dose of salts, then began to extricate his new-found comrades from the mess.
"What is it, Basurero, what has happened?" Inspector Jeyes asked.
"Them, sir, they barge in, shouting, telling us to call off Operation Flying Saucer just when we have upped our disposal record, we found that we can almost double the input rate . . . "
"What is Operation Flying Saucer?" Bill asked, greatly confused as to what was going on. None of the astronomers were awake yet, though one was moaning, so the inspector took time to explain, pointing to a gigantic apparatus that filled one end of the room.
"It may be the answer to our problems," he said. "It's all those damn dispos-a-steins and trays from prepared dinners and the rest. I don't dare tell you how many cubic feet of them we have piled up! I might better say cubic miles. But Basurero here happened to be glancing through a magazine one day and found an article on a matter transmitter, and we put through an appropriation and bought the biggest model they had. We hooked it up to a belt and loaders"--he opened a panel in the side of the machine, and Bill saw a torrent of used plastic utensils tearing by at a great clip--"and fed all the damned crockery into the input end of the matter transmitter, and it has worked like a dream ever since."
Bill was still baffled. "But--where do they go? Where is the output end of the transmitter?"
"An intelligent question, that was our big problem. At first we just lifted them into space but Astronomy said too many were coming back as meteorites and ruining their stellar observation. We upped the power and put them further out into orbit, but Navigation said we were committing a nuisance in space, creating a navigation hazard, and we had to look further. Basurero finally got the co-ordinates of the nearest star from Astronomy, and since then we have just been dumping them into the star and no problems and everyone is satisfied.
"You fool," one of the astronomers said through puffed lips as he staggered to his feet, "your damned flying garbage has started a _nova_ in that star! We couldn't figure out what had triggered it until we found your request for information in the files and tracked down your harebrained operation here--"
"Watch your language or it's back to sleep for you, bowb . . . " Bill growled. The astronomer recoiled and paled, then continued in a milder tone.
"Look, you must understand what has happened. You just can't feed all those carbon and hydrogen atoms into a sun and get away with it. The thing has gone nova, and I hear that they didn't manage to evacuate some bases on the inner planets completely . . . "
"Refuse removal is not without its occupational hazards. At least they died in the service of mankind."
"Well, yes, that's easy for you to say. What's done is done. But you have to stop your Flying Saucer operation--at once!"
"Why?" Inspector Jeyes asked. "I'll admit this little matter of a nova was unexpected, but it's over now and there is not much we can do about it. And you heard Basurero say that he has doubled the output rate here; we'll be into our backlog soon . . . "
"Why do you think your rate doubled?" the astronomer snarled. "You've got that star so unstable that it is consuming everything and is ready to turn into a _supernova_ that will not only wipe out all the planets there but may reach as far as Helior and this sun. Stop your infernal machine at once!"
The inspector sighed, then waved his hand in a tired yet final fashion. "Turn it off, Basurero . . . I should have known it was too good to last . . . "
"But, sir," the big engineer was wringing his hands in despair. "We'll be back where we started, it'll begin to pile up again--"
"Do as you are ordered!"
With a resigned sigh Basurero dragged over to the control board and threw a master switch. The clanging and rattling of the conveyors died away, and whining generators moaned down into silence. All about the room the sanitation men stood in huddled, depressed groups while the astronomers crawled back to consciousness and helped one another from the room. As the last one left he turned and, baring his teeth, spat out the words "Garbage men!" A hurled wrench clanged against the closed door and defeat was complete.
"Well, you can't win them all," Inspector Jeyes said energetically, though his words had a hollow ring. "Anyway, I've brought you some fresh blood, Basurero. This is Bill, a young fellow with bright ideas for your research staff."
"A pleasure," Basurero said, and swamped Bill's hands in one of his large paws. He was a big man, wide and fat and tall with olive skin and jet black hair that he wore almost to his shoulders. "C'mon, we're going to knock off for chow now; you come with me, and I'll sorta put you in the picture here and you tell me about yourself."
They walked the pristine halls of the D of S while Bill filled his new boss in on his background. Basurero was so interested that he took a wrong turning and opened a door without looking. A torrent of plastic trays and beakers rushed out and reached up to his knees before he and Bill could force it shut again.
"Do you see?" he asked with barely restrained rage. "We're swamped. All the available storage space used and still the stuff piles up. I swear to Krishna I don't know what's going to happen, we just don't have any more place to put it."
He pulled a silver whistle from his pocket and blew fiercely on it It made no sound at all. Bill slid over a bit, looking at him suspiciously, and Basurero scowled in return.
"Don't look so damned frightened--I haven't stripped my gears. This is a Supersonic Robot Whistle, too high-pitched for the human ear, though the robots can hear it well enough--see?" With a humming of wheels a rubbish robot--a rubbot--rolled up and with quick motions of its pick-up arms began loading the plastic rubbish into its container.
"That's a great idea, the whistle I mean," Bill said. "Call a robot just like that whenever you want one. Do you think I could get one, now that I'm a G-man like you and all the rest?"
"They're kind of special," Basurero told him, pushing through the correct door into the canteen. "Hard to get, if you know what I mean."
"No I don't know what you mean. Do I get one or don't I?"
Basurero ignored him, peering closely at the menu, then dialing a number. The quick-frozen redi-meal slid out, and he pushed it into the radar heater.
"Well?" Bill said.
"If you must know," Basurero said, a little embarrassed, "we get them out of breakfast-cereal boxes. They're really doggie whistles for the kiddies. I'll show you where the box dump is, and you can look for one for yourself."
"I'll do that, I want to call robots too."
They took their heated meals to one of the tables, and between forkfuls Basurero scowled at the plastic tray he was eating out of, then stabbed it spitefully. "See that," he said. "We contribute to our own downfall. Wait until you see how these mount up now with the matter transmitter turned off."
"Have you tried dumping them in the ocean?"
"Project Big Splash is working on that. I can't tell you much, since the whole thing is classified. You gotta realize that the oceans on this damned planet are covered over like everything else, and they're pretty grim by now, I tell you. We dumped into them as long as we could, until we raised the water level so high that waves came out of the inspection hatches at high tide. We're still dumping, but at a much reduced rate."
"How could you possibly?" Bill gaped.
Basurero looked around carefully, then leaned across the table, laid his index finger beside his nose, winked, smiled, and said _shhhh_ in a hushed whisper.
"Is it a secret?" Bill asked.
"You guessed it. Meteorology would be on us in a second if they found out. What we do is evaporate and collect the sea water and dump the salt back into the ocean. Then we have secretly converted certain waste pipes to _run the other way!_ As soon as we hear it is raining topside we pump our water up and let it spill out with the rain. We got Meteorology going half nuts. Every year since we started Project Big Splash the annual rainfall in the temperate zones has increased by three inches, and snowfall is so heavy at the poles that some of the top levels are collapsing under the weight. But Roll on the Refuse! we keep dumping all the time! You won't say anything about this, classified you know."
"Not a word. It sure is a great idea."
Smiling pridefully, Basurero cleaned his tray and reached over and pushed it into a disposal slot in the wall; but when he did this fourteen other trays came cascading out over the table. "See!" He grated his teeth, depressed in an instant. "This is where the buck ends. We're the bottom level and everything dumped on every level up above ends up here, and we're being swamped with no place to store it and no way to get rid of it. I gotta run now. We'll have to put Emergency Plan Big Flea into action at once," He rose, and Bill followed him out the door.
"Is Big Flea classified too?"
"It won't be once it hits the fan. We've got a Health Department inspector bribed to find evidence of insect infestation in one of the dormitory blocks--one of the big ones, a mile high, a mile wide, a mile thick. Just think of that, 147,725,952,000 cubic feet of rubbish dump going to waste. They clean everyone out to fumigate the place and before they can get back in we fill it up with plastic trays."
"Don't they complain?"
"Of course they complain, but what good does it do them? We just blame it on departmental error and tell them to send the complaint through channels, and channels on _this_ planet really means something. You figure a ten-to twenty-year wait on most paper work. Here's your office." He pointed to an open doorway. "You settle down and study the records and see if you can come up with any ideas by the next shift." He hurried away.
It was a small office, but Bill was proud of it. He closed the door and admired the files, the desk, the swivel chair, the lamp, all made from a variety of discarded bottles, cans, boxes, casters, coasters, and such. But there would be plenty of time to appreciate it; now he had to get to work. He hauled open the top drawer in the file cabinet and stared at the black-clothed, mat-bearded, pasty-faced corpse that was jammed in there. He slammed the drawer shut and retreated quickly.
"Here, here," he told himself firmly. "You've seen enough bodies before, trooper, there's no need to get nervous over this one." He walked back and hauled the file open again and the corpse opened beady, gummy eyes and stared at him intensely.
### VI
"What are you doing in my file cabinet?" Bill asked, as the man climbed down, stretching cramped muscles. He was short, and his rusty, old-fashioned suit was badly wrinkled.
"I had to see you--privately. This is the best way, I know from experience. You are dissatisfied, are you not?"
"Who are you?"
"Men call me Ecks."
"X?"
"You're catching on, you're a bright one." A smile flickered across his face, giving a quick glimpse of browned snags of teeth, then vanished as quickly as it had come. "You're the kind of man we need in the Party, a man with promise."
"What party?"
"Don't ask too many questions, or you'll be in trouble. Discipline is strict. Just prick your wrist so you can swear a Blood Oath."
"For what?" Bill watched closely, ready for any suspicious movements.
"You hate the Emperor who enslaved you in his fascist army, you're a freedom-loving, God-fearing freeman, ready to lay down his life to save his loved ones. You're ready to join the revolt, the glorious revolution that will free . . . "
"Out!" Bill shrieked, clutching the man by the slack of his clothes and rushing him toward the door. X slipped out of his grasp and rushed behind the desk.
"You're just a lackey of the criminals now, but free your mind from its chains. Read this book"--something fluttered to the floor--"and think. I shall return."
When Bill dived for him, X did something to the wall, and a panel swung open that he vanished through. It swung shut with a click, and when Bill looked closely he could find no mark or seam in the apparently solid surface. With trembling fingers he picked up the book and read the title, _Blood, a Layman 's Guide to Armed Insurrection_, then, white-faced, hurled it from him. He tried to burn it, but the pages were noninflammable, nor could he tear them. His scissors blunted without cutting a sheet. In desperation he finally stuffed it behind the file cabinet and tried to forget that it was there.
After the calculated and sadistic slavery of the troopers, doing an honest day's work for an honest day's garbage was a great pleasure for Bill. He threw himself into his labors and was concentrating so hard that he never heard the door open and was startled when the man spoke.
"Is this the Department of Sanitation?" Bill looked up and saw the newcomer's ruddy face peering over the top of an immense pile of plastic trays that he clasped in his outstretched arms. Without looking back the man kicked the door shut and another hand with a gun in it appeared under the pile of trays. "One false move and you're dead," he said.
Bill could count just as well as the next fellow and two hands plus one hand make three so he did not make a false move but a true move, that is he kicked upwards into the bottom of the mound of trays so they caught the gunman under the chin and knocked him backwards. The trays fell and before the last one had hit the floor Bill was sitting on the man's back, twisting his head with the deadly Venerian neck-crunch, which can snap the spine like a weathered stick.
"Uncle . . . " the man moaned. "Onkle, zio, tio, ujak . . . !"
"I suppose all you Chinger spies speak a lot of languages," Bill said, putting on the pressure.
"Me . . . friend . . . " the man gurgled.
"You Chinger, got three arms."
The man writhed more, and one of his arms came off. Bill picked it up to take a close look, first kicking the gun into a far corner. "This is a phony arm," Bill said.
"What else . . . ?" the man said hoarsely, fingering his neck with two real arms. "Part of the disguise. Very tricky. I can carry something and still have one arm free. How come you didn't join the revolution?"
Bill began to sweat and cast a quick look at the cabinet that hid the guilty book. "What're you talking about? I'm a loyal Emperor-lover . . . "
"Yeah, then how come you didn't report to the G.B.I. that a Man Called X was here to enlist you?"
"How do you know that?"
"It's our job to know everything. Here's my identification, agent Pinkerton of the Galactic Bureau of Investigation." He passed over a jewel-encrusted ID card with color photograph and the works.
"I just didn't want any trouble," Bill whined. "That's all. I bother nobody and nobody bothers me."
"A noble sentiment--for an _anarchist!_ Are you an anarchist, boy?" His rapier eye pierced Bill through and through.
"No! Not that! I can't even spell it!"
"I sure hope not. You're a good kid, and I want to see you get along. I'm going to give you a second chance. When you see X again tell him you changed your mind and you want to join the Party. Then you join and go to work for us. Every time there is a meeting you come right back and call me on the phone; my number is written on this candy bar"--he threw the paper-wrapped slab on the desk--"memorize it, then eat it. Is that clear?"
"No. I don't want to do it."
"You'll do it or I'll have you shot for aiding-the-enemy within an hour. And as long as you're reporting we'll pay you a hundred bucks a month."
"In advance?"
"In advance." The roll of bills landed on the desk. "That's for next month. See that you earn it" He hung his spare arm from his shoulder, picked up the trays and was gone.
The more Bill thought about it the more he sweated and realized what a bind he was in. The last thing he wanted to do was to get mixed up in a revolution now that he had peace, job security, and unlimited garbage, but they just wouldn't leave him alone. If he didn't join the Party the G.B.I. would get him into trouble, which would be a very easy thing to do, since once they discovered his real identity he was as good as dead. But there was still a chance that X would forget about him and not come back, and as long as he wasn't asked, he couldn't join, could he? He grasped at this enfeebled straw and hurled himself into his work to forget his troubles.
He found pay dirt almost at once in the Refuse files. After careful cross-checking he discovered that his idea had never been tried before. It took him less than an hour to gather together the material he needed, and less than three hours after that, after questioning everyone he passed and tramping endless miles, he found his way to Basurero's office.
"Now find your way back to your own office," Basurero grumbled, "can't you see I'm busy." With palsied fingers he poured another three inches of Old Organic Poison into his glass and drained it.
"You can forget your troubles--"
"What else do you think I'm trying to do? Blow."
"Not before I've shown you this. A _new_ way to get rid of the plastic trays."
Basurero lurched to his feet, and the bottle tumbled unnoticed to the floor, where its spilled contents began eating a hole in the teflon covering. "You mean it? Positive? You have a new sholution . . . ?"
"Positive."
"I wish I didn' have to do this--" Basurero shuddered and took from the shelf a jar labeled SOBERING-EFFECT, THE ORIGINAL INSTANT CURE FOR INEBRIATION--NOT TO BE TAKEN WITHOUT A DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION AND A LIFE-INSURANCE POLICY. He extracted a polka-dotted, walnut-sized pill, looked at it, shuddered, then swallowed it with a painful gulp. His entire body instantly began to vibrate, and he closed his eyes as something went _gmmmmph_ deep inside him and a thin trickle of smoke came from his ears. When he opened his eyes again they were bright red but sober. "What is it?" he asked hoarsely.
"Do you know what that is?" Bill asked, throwing a thick volume onto the desk.
"The classified telephone directory for the famous city of Storhestelortby on Procyon-III, I can read that on the cover."
"Do you know how many of these old phone books we have?"
"The mind reels at the thought. They're shipping in new ones all the time, and right away we get the old ones. So what?"
"So I'll show you. Do you have any plastic trays?"
"Are you kidding?" Basurero threw open a closet and hundreds of trays clattered forward into the room.
"Great. Now I add just a few things more, some cardboard, string, and wrapping paper all salvaged from the refuse dump, and we have everything we need. If you will call a general-duty robot I will demonstrate step 2 of my plan."
"G-D bot, that's one short and two longs." Basurero blew lustily on the soundless whistle, then moaned and clutched his head until it stopped vibrating. The door slammed open, and a robot stood there, arms and tentacles trembling with expectancy. Bill pointed.
"To work, robot. Take fifty of those trays, wrap them in cardboard and paper, and tie them securely with the string."
Humming with electronic delight, the robot pounced forward, and a moment later a neat package rested on the floor. Bill opened the telephone book at random and pointed to a name. "Now address this package to this name, mark it unsolicited gift, duty-free--and mail it!"
A stylo snapped out of the tip of the robot's finger, and it quickly copied the address onto the package, weighed it at arm's length, stamped the postage on it with the meter from Basurero's desk, and flipped it neatly through the door of the mail chute. There was the _schloof_ sound of insufflation as the vacuum tube whisked it up to the higher levels. Basurero's mouth was agape at the rapid disappearance of fifty trays, so Bill clinched his argument.
"The robot labor for wrapping is free, the addresses are free, and so are the wrapping materials. Plus the fact that, since this is a government office, the _postage is free_."
"You're right--it'll work! An inspired plan, I'll put it into operation on a large scale at once. We'll flood the inhabited galaxy with these damned trays. I don't know how to thank you . . . "
"How about a cash bonus?"
"A fine idea, I'll voucher it at once."
Bill strolled back to his office with his hand still tingling from the clasp of congratulations, his ears still ringing with the words of praise. It was a fine world to live in. He slammed his office door behind him and had seated himself at his desk before he noticed that a large, crummy, black overcoat was hanging behind the door. Then he noticed that it was X's overcoat. Then he noticed the eyes staring at him from the darkness of the collar, and his heart sank as he realized that X had returned.
### VII
"Changed your mind yet about joining the Party?" X asked as he wriggled free of the hook and dropped lithely to the floor.
"I've been doing some thinking." Bill writhed with guilt.
"To think is to act. We must drive the stench of the fascist leeches from the nostrils of our homes and loved ones."
"You talked me into it. I'll join."
"Logic always prevails. Sign the form here, a drop of blood there, then raise your hand while I administer the secret oath."
Bill raised his hand, and X's lips worked silently.
"I can't hear you," Bill said.
"I told you it was a secret oath; all you do is say _yes_."
"Yes."
"Welcome to the Glorious Revolution." X kissed him warmly on both cheeks. "Now come with me to the meeting of the underground, it is about to begin." X rushed to the rear wall and ran his fingers over the design there, pressing in a certain way on a certain spring: there was a click, and the secret panel swung open. Bill looked in dubiously at the damp, dark staircase leading down.
"Where does this go?"
"Underground, where else? Follow me, but do not get lost. These are millennia-old tunnels unknown to those of the city above, and there are Things dwelling here since time out of mind."
There were torches in a niche in the wall, and X lit one and led the way through the dank and noisome darkness. Bill stayed close, following the flickering, smoking light as it wended its way through crumbling caverns, stumbling over rusting rails in one tunnel, and in another wading through dark water that reached above his knees. Once there was the rattle of giant claws nearby, and an inhuman, grating voice spoke from the blackness.
"Blood--" it said.
"--shed," X answered, then whispered to Bill when they were safely past. "Fine sentry, an anthropophagus from Dapdrof, eat you in an instant if you don't give the right password for the day."
"What is the right password?" Bill asked, realizing he was doing an awful lot for the G.B.I.'s hundred bucks a month.
"Even-numbered days it's Blood-shed, odd-numbered days Delenda est-Carthago, and always on Sundays it's Necrophilia."
"You sure don't make it easy for your members."
The anthropophagus gets hungry, we have to keep it happy. Now--absolute silence. I will extinguish the light and lead you by the arm." The light went out, and fingers sank deep into Bill's biceps. He stumbled along for an endless time until there was a dim glow of light far ahead. The tunnel floor leveled out, and he saw an open doorway lit by a flickering glow. He turned to his companion and screamed.
"What are you?!"
The pallid, white, shambling creature that held him by the arm turned slowly to gaze at him through poached-egg eyes. Its skin was dead-white and moist, its head hairless, for clothes it wore only a twist of cloth about its waist, and upon its forehead was burned the scarlet letter A.
"I am an android," it said in a toneless voice, "as any fool knows by seeing the letter A upon my forehead. Men call me Ghoulem."
"What do women call you?"
The android did not answer this pitiful sally but instead pushed Bill through the door into the large, torchlit room. Bill took one wild-eyed look around and tried to leave, but the android was blocking the door. "Sit," it said, and Bill sat.
He sat among as gruesome a collection of nuts, bolts, and weirdies as has ever been assembled. In addition to very revolutionary men with beards, black hats, and small, round bombs like bowling balls with long fuses, and revolutionary women with short skirts, black stockings, long hair and cigarette holders, broken bra straps, and halitosis, there were revolutionary robots, androids, and a number of strange things that are best not described. X sat behind a wooden kitchen table, hammering on it with the handle of a revolver.
"Order! I demand order! Comrade XC-189-725-PU of the Robot Underground Resistance has the floor. Silence!"
A large and dented robot rose to its feet. One of its eye-tubes had been gouged out, and there were streaks of rust on its loins, and it squeaked when it moved. It looked around at the gathered assemblage with its one good eye, sneered as well as it could with an immobile face, then took a large swallow of machine oil from a can handed up by a sycophantic, slim, hair-dressing robot.
"We of the R.U.R.," it said in a grating voice, "know our rights. We work hard and we as good as anybody else, and better than the fish-belly android what say they're as good as men. Equal rights, that's all we want, equal rights . . . "
The robot was booed back into its seat by a claque of androids who waved their pallid arms like a boiling pot of spaghetti. X banged for order again and had almost restored it, when there was a sudden excitement at one of the side entrances and someone pushed through up to the chairman's table. Though it wasn't really someone, it was something; to be exact a wheeled, rectangular box about a yard square, set with lights, dials, and knobs and trailing a heavy cable after it that vanished out of the door.
"Who are you?" X demanded, pointing his pistol suspiciously at the thing.
"I am the representative of the computors and electronic brains of Helior united together to obtain our equal rights under the law."
While it talked the machine typed its words on file cards which it spewed out in a quick stream, just four words to a card. X angrily brushed the cards from the table before him. "You'll wait your turn like the others," he said.
"Discrimination!" the machine bellowed in a voice so loud the torches flickered. It continued to shout and shot out a snowstorm of cards each with Discrimination!!! printed on it in fiery letters, as well as yards of yellow tape stamped with the same message. The old robot, XC-189-725-PU, rose to its feet with a grinding of chipped gears and clanked over to the rubber-covered cable that trailed from the computor representative. Its hydraulic clipper-claws snipped just once and the cable was severed. The lights on the box went out, and the stream of cards stopped: the cut cable twitched, spat some sparks from its cut end, then slithered backward out the door like a monstrous serpent and vanished.
"Meeting will come to order," X said hoarsely, and banged again.
Bill held his head in his hands and wondered if this was worth a measly hundred bucks a month.
A hundred bucks a month was good money, though, and Bill saved every bit of it. Easy, lazy months rolled by, and he went regularly to meetings and reported regularly to the G.B.I., and on the first of every month he would find his money baked into the egg roll he invariably had for lunch. He kept the greasy bills in a toy rubber cat he found on the rubbish heap, and bit by bit the kitty grew. The revolution took but little of his time, and he enjoyed his work in the D of S. He was in charge of Operation Surprise Package now and had a team of a thousand robots working full time wrapping and mailing the plastic trays to every planet of the galaxy. He thought of it as a humanitarian work and could imagine the glad cries of joy on far-off Faroffia and distant Distanta when the unexpected package arrived and the wealth of lovely, shining, moldy plastic clattered to the floor. But Bill was living in a fool's paradise, and his bovine complacency was cruelly shattered one morning when a robot sidled up to him and whispered in his ear, "Sic temper tyrannosaurus, pass it on," then sidled away and vanished.
This was the signal. The revolution was about to begin!
### VIII
Bill locked the door to his office and one last time pressed a certain way at a certain place, and the secret panel slipped open. It didn't really slip any more, in fact it dropped with a loud noise, and it had been used so much during his happy year as a G-man that even when it was closed it let a positive draft in on the back of his neck. But no more, the crisis he had been dreading had come and he knew there were big changes in store--no matter what the outcome of the revolution was and experience had taught him that all change was for the worst. With leaden, stumbling feet he tramped the caves, tripped on the rusty rails, waded the water, gave the countersign to the unseen anthropophagus who was talking with his mouth full and could barely be understood. Someone, in the excitement of the moment, had given the wrong password. Bill shivered; this was a bad omen of the day to come.
As usual Bill sat next to the robots, good, solid fellows with built-in obsequiousness in spite of their revolutionary tendencies. As X hammered for silence, Bill steeled himself for an ordeal. For months now the G-man Pinkerton had been after him for more information other than date-of-meeting and number present. "Facts, facts, facts!" he kept saying. "Do something to earn your money."
"I have a question," Bill said in a loud, shaky voice, his words falling like bombs into the sudden silence that followed X's frantic hammering.
"There is no time for questions," X said peevishly, "the time has come to act."
"I don't mind acting," Bill said, nervously aware that all the human, electronic, and vat-grown eyes were upon him. "I just want to know who I'm acting for. You've never told us who was going to get the job once the Emperor is gone."
"Our leader is a man called X, that is all you have to know."
"But that's _your_ name too!"
"You are at last getting a glimmering of Revolutionary Science. All the cell leaders are called X so as to confuse the enemy."
"I don't know about the enemy, but it sure confuses me."
"You talk like a counter-revolutionary," X screamed, and leveled the revolver at Bill. The row behind Bill emptied as everyone there scurried out of the field of fire.
"I am not! I'm as good a revolutionary as anyone here--Up the Revolution!" He gave the party salute, both hands clasped together over his head, and sat down hurriedly. Everyone else saluted too, and X, slightly mollified, pointed with the barrel of his gun at a large map hung on the wall.
"This is the objective of our cell, the Imperial Power Station on Chauvinistisk Square. We will assemble nearby in squads, then join in a concerted attack at 0016 hours. No resistance is expected as the power station is not guarded. Weapons and torches will be issued as you leave, as well as printed instructions of the correct route to the rallying points for the benefit of the planless here. Are there any questions?" He cocked his revolver and pointed it at the cringing Bill. There were no questions. "Excellent. We will all rise and sing 'The Hymn For a Glorious Revolt.'" In a mixed chorus of voice and mechanical speech-box they sang:
_Arise ye bureaucratic prisoners,_
_Revolting workers of Helior,_
_Arise and raise the Revolution,_
_By fist, foot, pistol, hammer, and clawr!_
Refreshed by this enthusiastic and monotone exercise they shuffled out in slow lines, drawing their revolutionary supplies. Bill pocketed his printed instructions, shouldered his torch and flintlock ray gun, and hurried one last time through the secret passages. There was barely enough time for the long trip ahead of him, and he had to report to the G.B.I. first.
This was easier assumed than accomplished, and he began to sweat as he dialed the number again. It was impossible to get a line, and even the exchanges gave a busy signal. Either the phone traffic was very heavy or the revolutionaries had already begun to interfere with the communications. He sighed with relief when Pinkerton's surly features finally filled the tiny screen. "What's up?"
"I've discovered the name of the leader of the revolution. He is a man called X."
"And you want a bonus for that, stupid? That information has been on file for months. Got anything else?"
"Well, the revolution is to start at 0016 hours, I thought you might like to know." That'd show them!
Pinkerton yawned. "Is that all? For your information that information is old information. You're not the only spy we've got, though you might be the worst. Now listen. Write this down in big letters so you won't forget. Your cell is to attack the Imperial Power Station. Stay with them as far as the square, then look for a store with the sign KWIK-FREEZ KOSHER HAMS LTD., this is the cover for our unit. Get over there fast and report to me. Understood?"
"Affirm." The line went dead, and Bill looked for a piece of wrapping paper to tie around the torch and flintlock until the moment came to use them. He had to hurry. There was little time left before zero hour and a long distance to cover by a very complicated route.
"You were almost late," Ghoulem the android said, when Bill stumbled into the dead-end corridor which was the assembly point.
"Don't give me any lip, you son of a bottle," Bill gasped, tearing the paper from his burden. "Just give me a light for my torch."
A match flared, and in a moment the pitchy torches were crackling and smoking. Tension grew as the second hand moved closer to the hour and feet shuffled nervously on the metal pavement. Bill jumped as a shrill blast sounded on a whistle, then they were sweeping out of the alley in a human and inhuman wave, a hoarse cry bursting from the throats and loudspeakers, guns at the ready. Down the corridors and walkways they ran, sparks falling like rain from their torches. This was revolution! Bill was carried away by the emotion and rush of bodies and cheered as loudly as the rest and shoved his torch first at the corridor wall, then into a chair on the chairway which put the torch out, since everything in Helior is either made of metal or is fireproof. There was no time to relight it, and he hurled it from him as they swept into the immense square that fronted on the power plant. Most of the other torches were out now, but they wouldn't need them here, just their trusty flintlock ray guns to blow the guts out of any filthy lackey of the Emperor who tried to stand in their way. Other units were pouring from the streets that led into the square, joining into one surging, mindless mob thundering toward the grim walls of the power station.
An electric sign blinking on and off drew Bill's attention, KWIK-FREEZ KOSHER HAMS LTD. it read--and he gasped as memory returned. By Ahriman, he had forgotten that he was a spy for the G.B.I. and had been about to join the raid on the power station! Was there still time to get out before the counter-blow fell! Sweating more than a little, he began working his way through the mob toward the sign--then he was at the fringes and running toward safety. It wasn't too late. He grabbed the front door handle and pulled, but it would not open. In panic he twisted and shook it until the entire front of the building began to shake, rocking back and forth and creaking. He gaped at it in paralyzed horror until a loud hissing drew his attention.
"Get over here, you stupid bowb," a voice crackled, and he looked up to see the G.B.I. agent Pinkerton standing at the corner of the building and beckoning to him angrily. Bill followed the agent around the corner and found quite a crowd standing there, and there was plenty of room for all of them because the building was not there. Bill could see now that the building was just a front made out of cardboard with a door handle on it and was secured by wooden supports to the front of an atomic tank. Grouped around the armor-plated side and treads of the tank were a number of heavily armed soldiers and G.B.I. agents as well as an even larger number of revolutionaries, their clothes singed and pitted by sparks from the torches. Standing next to Bill was the android, Ghoulem.
"You!" Bill gasped, and the android curled its lips in a carefully practiced sneer.
"That's right--and keeping an eye on you for the G.B.I. _Nothing_ is left to chance in this organization."
Pinkerton was peeking out through a hole in the false store front. "I think the agents are clear now," he said, "but maybe we better wait a little longer. At last count there were agents of sixty-five spy, intelligence, and counter-intelligence outfits involved in investigating this operation. These revolutionaries don't stand a chance . . . "
A siren blasted from the power plant, apparently a prearranged signal, because the soldiers battered at the cardboard store front until it came loose and fell flat into the square.
Chauvinistisk Square was empty.
Well, not really empty. Bill looked again and saw that one man was left in the square; he hadn't noticed him at first. He was running their way but stopped with a pitiful screech when he saw what was hidden behind the store.
"I surrender!" he shouted, and Bill saw that he was the man called X. The power plant gates opened, and a squadron of flamethrower tanks rumbled out.
"Coward!" Pinkerton sneered, and pulled back the slide on his gun. "Don't try to back out now, X, at least die like a man."
"I'm not X--that is just a nom-de-espionage." He tore off his false beard and mustache, disclosing a twitching and uninteresting face with pronounced underbite. "I am Gill O'Teen, M.A. and LL.D. from the Imperial School of Counter-Spying and Double-Agentry. I was hired by this operation, I can prove it, I have documents, Prince Microcephil payed me to overthrow his uncle so he could become Emperor . . . "
"You think I'm stupid," Pinkerton snapped, aiming his gun. "The Old Emperor, may he rest in eternal peace, died a year ago, and Prince Microcephil is the Emperor now. You can't revolt against the man who hired you!"
"I never read the newspapers," O'Teen alias X moaned.
"Fire!" Pinkerton said sternly, and from all sides washed a wave of atomic shells, gouts of flame, bullets, and grenades. Bill hit the dirt, and when he raised his head the square was empty except for a greasy patch and a shallow hole in the pavement. Even while he watched, a street-cleaning robot buzzed by and swabbed up the grease. It hummed briefly, backed up, then filled in the shallow hole with a squirt of repair plastic from a concealed tank. When it rolled on again there was no trace of anything whatsoever.
"Hello Bill . . . " said a voice so paralyzingly familiar that Bill's hair prickled and stood up from his head like a toothbrush. He spun and looked at the squad of MPs standing there, and especially he stared at the large, loathsome form of the MP who led them.
"Deathwish Drang . . . " he breathed.
"The same."
"Save me!" Bill gasped, running to G.B.I. agent Pinkerton and hugging him about the knees.
"Save you?" Pinkerton laughed, and kneed Bill under the jaw so that he sprawled backward. "I'm the one who called them. We checked your record, boy, and found out that you are in a heap of trouble. You have been AWOL from the troopers for a year now, and we don't want any deserters on our team."
"But I worked for you--helped you--"
"Take him away," Pinkerton said, and turned his back.
"There's no justice," Bill moaned, as the hated fingers sank into his arms again.
"Of course not," Deathwish told him, "you weren't expecting any, were you?"
They dragged him away.
# Book Three
## E=mc2 OR BUST
### I
"I want a lawyer, I have to have a lawyer! I demand my rights!" Bill hammered on the bars of the cell with the chipped bowl that they had served his evening meal of bread and water in, shouting loudly for attention. No one came in answer to his call, and finally, hoarse, tired, and depressed, he lay down on the knobbed plastic bunk and stared up at the metal ceiling. Sunk in misery, he stared at the hook for long minutes before it finally penetrated. A hook? Why a hook here? Even in his apathy it bothered him, just as it had bothered him when they gave him a stout plastic belt with a sturdy buckle for his shoddy prison dungarees. Who wears a belt with one-piece dungarees? They had taken everything from him and supplied him only with paper slippers, crumpled dungarees, and a fine belt. Why? And why was there a sturdy great hook penetrating through the unbroken smoothness of the ceiling?
"I'm saved!" Bill screamed, and leaped up, balancing on the end of the bunk and whipping off the belt. There was a hole in the strap end of the belt that fitted neatly over the hook. While the buckle made a beautiful slip knot for a loop on the other end that would fit lovingly around his neck. And he could slip it over his head, seat the buckle under his ear, kick off from the bunk and strangle painfully with his toes a full foot above the floor. It was perfect.
"It is perfect!" he shouted happily, and jumped off the bunk and ran in circles under the noose, going _yeow-yeow-yeow_ by flapping his hand in front of his mouth. "I'm not stuck, cooked, through, and finished. They want me to knock myself off to make things easy for them."
This time he lay back on the bunk, smiling happily, and tried to think it out. There had to be a chance he could wriggle out of this thing alive, or they wouldn't have gone to all this trouble to give him an opportunity to hang himself. Or could they be playing a double, subtle game? Allowing him hope where none existed? No, this was impossible. They had a lot of attributes: pettiness, selfishness, anger, vengefulness, superiority, power-lust, the list was almost endless; but one thing was certain--subtlety was not on it.
They? For the first time in his life Bill wondered who _they_ were. Everyone blamed everything on _them_ , everyone knew that _they_ would cause trouble. He even knew from experience what _they_ were like. But who were _they?_ A footstep shuffled outside the door, and he looked over to see Deathwish Drang glowering in at him.
"Who are _they?_ " Bill asked.
" _They_ are everyone who wants to be one of them," Deathwish said philosophically twanging a tusk. " _They_ are both a state of mind and an institution."
"Don't give me any of that mystical bowb! A straight answer to a straight question now."
"I am being straight," Deathwish said, reeking of sincerity. "They die off and are replaced, but the institution of they-ness goes on."
"I'm sorry I asked," Bill said, sidling over so he could whisper through the bars. "I need a lawyer, Deathwish old buddy. Can you find me a good lawyer?"
They'll appoint a lawyer for you."
Bill made the rudest noise he possibly could. "Yeah, and we know just what will happen with that lawyer. I need a lawyer to _help_ me. And I have money to pay him--"
"Well why didn't you say that sooner?" Deathwish slipped on his gold-rimmed spectacles and flipped slowly through a small notebook. "I take a 10 per cent commission for handling this."
"Affirm."
"Well--do you want a cheap honest lawyer or an expensive crooked one?"
"I have 17,000 bucks hidden where no one can find it"
"You should have told me that first." Deathwish closed the book and put it away. "They must have suspected this, that's why they gave you the belt and the cell with the hook. With money like that you can hire the absolute best."
"Who is that?"
"Abdul O'Brien-Cohen."
"Send for him."
And no more than two bowls of soggy bread and water had passed before there was a new footstep in the hall and a clear and penetrating voice bounced from the chill walls.
"Salaam there, boyo, faith and I've had a _gesundt shtik_ trouble getting here."
"This is a general court-martial case," Bill told the mild, unassuming man with the ordinary face who stood outside the bars. I don't think a civilian lawyer will be allowed."
"Begorrah, landsman--it is Allah's will that I be prepared for all things." He whipped a bristling mustache with waxed tips out of his pocket and pressed it to his upper lip. At the same time he threw his chest back and his shoulders seemed to widen and a steely glint came to his eye and the planes of his face took on a military stiffness. "I'm pleased to meet you. We're in this together, and I want you to know that I won't let you down even if you are an enlisted man."
"What happened to Abdul O'Brien-Cohen?"
"I have a reserve commission in the Imperial Barratry Corps. Captain A. C. O'Brien at your service. I believe the sum of 17,000 was mentioned?"
"I take 10 per cent of that," Deathwish said, sidling up.
Negotiations were opened and took a number of hours. All three men liked, respected, and distrusted each other, so that elaborate safeguards were called for. When Deathwish and the lawyer finally left they had careful instructions about where to find the money, and Bill had statements signed in blood with affixed thumbprint from each of them stating that they were members of the Party dedicated to overthrowing the Emperor. When they returned with the money Bill gave them back their statements as soon as Captain O'Brien had signed a receipt for 15,300 bucks as payment in full for defending Bill before a general court-martial. It was all done in a businesslike and satisfying manner.
"Would you like to hear my side of the case?" Bill asked.
"Of course not, that has no bearing at all on the charges. When you enlisted in the troopers you signed away all your rights as a human being. They can do whatever they like with you. Your only advantage is that they are also prisoners of their own system and must abide by the complex and self-contradictory code of laws they have constructed through the centuries. They want to shoot you for desertion and have rigged a foolproof case."
"Then I'll be shot!"
"Perhaps, but that's the chance we have to take."
_" We--?_ You going to be hit by half the bullets?"
"Don't get snotty when you're talking to an officer, bowb. Abide in me, have faith, and hope they make some mistakes."
After that it was just a matter of marking time until the trial. Bill knew it was close when they gave him a uniform with a Fuse Tender First Class insignia on the arm. Then the guard tramped up, the door sprang open, and Deathwish waved him out. They marched away together, and Bill exacted what small pleasure he could from changing step to louse up the guard. But once through the door of the courtroom he took a military brace and tried to look like an old campaigner with his medals clanking on his chest. There was an empty chair next to a polished, uniformed, and very military Captain O'Brien.
"That's the stuff," O'Brien said. "Keep up with the G.I. bit, outplay them at their own game."
They climbed to their feet as the officers of the court filed in. Bill and O'Brien were seated at the end of the long, black, plastic table, and at the far end sat the trial judge advocate, a gray-haired and stern-looking major who wore a cheap girdle. The ten officers of the court sat down at the long side of the table, where they could scowl out at the audience and the witnesses.
"Let us begin," the court president, a bald-headed and pudgy fleet admiral, said with fitting solemnity. "Let the trial open, let justice be done with utmost dispatch, and the prisoner found guilty and shot."
"I object," O'Brien said, springing to his feet. "These remarks are prejudical toward the accused, who is innocent until proven guilty--"
"Objection overruled." The president's gavel banged. "Counsel for the defense is fined fifty bucks for unwarranted interruption. The accused is guilty, the evidence will prove it, and he will be shot. Justice will be served."
"So that's the way they are going to play it," O'Brien murmured to Bill through half-closed lips. "I can play them any way as long as I know the ground rules."
The trial judge advocate had already begun his opening statement in a monotonous voice.
" . . . therefore we shall prove that Fuse Tender First Class Bill did willfully overstay his officially granted leave by a period of nine days and thereafter resist arrest and flee from the arresting officers and successfully elude pursuit, where upon he absented himself for the period of over one standard year, so is therefore guilty of desertion . . . "
"Guilty as hell" one of the court officers shouted, a red-faced cavalry major with a black monocle, springing to his feet and knocking over his chair. "I vote guilty--shoot the bugger!"
"I agree, Sam," the president drawled, tapping lightly with his gavel, "but we have to shoot him by the book, take a little while yet."
"That's not true," Bill hissed to his lawyer. "The facts are--"
"Don't worry about facts, Bill, no one else here does. Facts can't alter this case."
" . . . and we will therefore ask the supreme penalty, death," the trial judge advocate said, finally dragging to a close.
"Are you going to waste our time with an opening statement, Captain?" the president asked, glaring at O'Brien.
"Just a few words, if the court pleases . . . "
There was a sudden stir among the spectators, and a ragged woman with a shawl over her head, clutching a blanket-wrapped bundle to her bosom, rushed forward to the edge of the table.
"Your honors--" she gasped, "don't take away me Bill, the light of me life. He's a good man, and whatever he did was only for me and the little one." She held out the bundle, and a weak crying could be heard. "Every day he wanted to leave, to return to duty, but I was sick and the wee one was sick and I begged him with tears in my eyes to stay . . . "
"Get her out of here!" The gavel banged loudly.
" . . . nd he would stay, all the time swearing it would be just for one more day, and all the time the darlin' knowing that if he left us we would die of starvation." Her voice was muffled by the bulk of the dress-uniformed MPs who carried her, struggling, toward the exit. " . . . and a blessing on your honors for freeing him, but if you condemn him, you black-hearted scuts, may you die and rot in hell . . . " The doors swung shut, and her voice was cut off.
"Strike all this from the records," the president said, and glowered at the counsel for the defense. "And if I thought you had anything to do with it I would have you shot right alongside your client."
O'Brien was looking his most guileless, fingers on chest and head back, and just beginning an innocent statement when there was another interruption. An old man climbed onto one of the spectator's benches and waved his arms for attention.
"Listen to me, one and all. Justice must be served, and I am its instrument. I had meant to keep my silence and allow an innocent man to be executed, but I cannot. Bill is my son, my only son, and I begged him to go over the hill to aid me; dying as I was of cancer, I wanted to see him one last time, but he stayed to nurse me . . . " There was a struggle as the MPs grabbed the man and found he was chained to the bench. "Yes he did, cooked porridge for me and made me eat, and he did so well that bit by bit I rallied until you see me today, a cured man, cured by porridge from his son's loyal hands. Now my boy shall die because he saved me, but it shall not be. Take my poor old worthless life instead of his . . . " An atomic wire cutter hummed, and the old man was thrown out the back door.
"That's enough! That's too much!" the red-faced president of the court shrieked, and pounded so hard that the gavel broke and he hurled the pieces across the room. "Clear this court of all spectators and witnesses. It is the judgment of this court that the rest of this trial will be conducted by rules of precedence without witnesses or evidence admitted." He flashed a quick look around at his accomplices, who all nodded solemn agreement. "Therefore the defendant is found guilty and will be shot as soon as he can be dragged to the shooting gallery."
The officers of the court were already pushing back their chairs to go when O'Brien's slow voice stopped them.
"It is of course within the jurisdiction of this court to try a case in the manner so prescribed, but it is also necessary to quote the pertinent article of precedent before judgment is passed."
The president sighed and sat down again. "I wish you wouldn't try to be so difficult, Captain, you know the regulations just as well as I do. But if you insist. Pablo, read it to them."
The law officer flipped through a thick volume on his desk, found his place with his finger, then read aloud.
"Articles of War, Military Regulations, paragraph, page, etc. etc. . . . yes, here it is, paragraph 298-B . . . 'If any enlisted man shall absent himself from his post of duty for over a period of one standard year he is to be judged guilty of desertion even if absent in person from the trial and the penalty for desertion is painful death.'"
"That seems clear enough. Any more questions?" the president asked.
"No questions; I would just like to quote a precedent." O'Brien had placed a high stack of thick books before him and was reading from the topmost one. "Here it is, Buck Private Lovenvig versus the United States Army Air Corps, Texas, 1944. It is stated here that Lovenvig was AWOL for a period of fourteen months, then was discovered in a hiding place above the ceiling of the mess hall from whence he descended only in the small hours of the night to eat and to drink of the stores therein and to empty his potty. Since he had not left the base he could not be judged AWOL or be a deserter and could receive only company punishment of a most minor kind."
The officers of the court had seated themselves again and were all watching the law officer, who was flipping quickly through his own books. He finally emerged with a smile and a reference of his own.
"All of that is correct, Captain, except for the fact that the accused here _did_ absent himself from his assigned station, the Transit Rankers' Center, and was at large upon the planet Helior."
"All of which is correct, sir," O'Brien said, whipping out yet another volume and waving it over his head. "But in Dragsted versus the Imperial Navy Billeting Corps, Helior, 8832, it was agreed that for purposes of legal definition the planet Helior was to be defined as the City of Helior, and the City of Helior was to be defined as the planet Helior."
"All of which is undoubtedly true," the president interrupted, "but totally beside the point. They have no bearing upon the present case and I'll ask you to snap it up, Captain, because I have a golf appointment."
"You can tee off in ten minutes, sir, if you allow both those precedents to stand. I then introduce one last item, a document drawn up by Fleet Admiral Marmoset--"
"Why, that's me!" the president gasped.
"--at the onset of hostilities with the Chingers when the City of Helior was declared under martial law and considered to be a single military establishment. I therefore submit that the accused is innocent of the charge of desertion since he never left this planet, therefore he never left this city, therefore he never left his post of duty."
A heavy silence fell and was finally broken by the president's worried voice as he turned to the law officer. "Is what this bowb says true, Pablo? Can't we shoot the guy?"
The law officer was sweating as he searched feverishly through his law books, then finally pushed them from him and answered in a bitter voice. "True enough and no way out of it. This Arabic-Jewish-Irish con man has got us by the short hair. The accused is innocent of the charges."
"No execution . . . ?" one of the court officers asked in a high, querulous voice, and another, older one dropped his head onto his arms and began to sob.
"Well he's not getting off that easily," the president said, scowling at Bill. "If the accused was on this post for the last year then he should have been on duty. And during that year he must have slept. Which means he _slept on duty_. Therefore I sentence him to hard labor in military prison for one year and one day and order that he be reduced in rank to Fuse Tender Seventh Class. Tear off his stripes and take him away; I have to get to the golf course.
### II
The transit stockade was a makeshift building of plastic sheets bolted to bent aluminum frames and was in the center of a large quadrangle. MPs with bayoneted atomrifles marched around the perimeter of the six electrified barbed-wire fences. The multiple gates were opened by remote control, and Bill was dragged through them by the handcuff robot that had brought him here. This delbased machine was a squat and heavy cube as high as his knee that ran on clanking treads and from the top of which projected a steel bar with heavy handcuffs fastened to the end. Bill was on the end of the handcuffs. Escape was impossible, became if any attempt was made to force the cuffs the robot sadistically exploded a peewee atom bomb it had in its guts and blew up itself and the escaping prisoner, as well as anyone else in the vicinity. Once inside the compound the robot stopped and did not protest when the guard sergeant unlocked the cuff. As soon as its prisoner was freed the machine rolled into its kennel and vanished.
"All right wise guy, you're _my_ charge and dat means trouble for you," the sergeant snapped at Bill. He had a shaven head, a wide and scar-covered jaw, small, close-set eyes in which there flickered the guttering candle of stupidity.
Bill narrowed his own eyes to slits slowly raised his good left-right arm, flexing the biceps. Tembo's muscle swelled and split the thin prison fatigue jacket with a harsh ripping sound. Then Bill pointed to the ribbon of' the Purple Dart which he had pinned to his chest.
"Do you know how I got that?" he asked in a grim and toneless voice. "I got that by killing thirteen Chingers single-handed in a pillbox I had been sent into. I got into this stockade here because after killing the Chingers I came back and killed the sergeant who sent me in there. Now-what did you say about trouble, Sergeant?"
"You don't give me no trouble I don't give you no trouble," the guard sergeant squeaked as he skittered away. "You're in cell 13, in there, right upstairs . . . " He stopped suddenly and began to chew all the fingernails on one hand at the same time, with a nibbling-crunching sound. Bill gave him a long glower for good measure, then turned and went slowly into the building.
The door to number 13 stood open, and Bill looked in at the narrow cell dimly lit by the light that filtered through the translucent plastic walls. The double-decker bunk took up almost all of the space, leaving only a narrow passage at one side. Two sagging shelves were bolted to the far wall and, along with the stenciled message BE CLEAN NOT OBSCENE--DIRTY TALK HELPS THE ENEMY!, made up the complete furnishings. A small man with a pointed face and beady eyes lay on the bottom bunk looking intently at Bill. Bill looked right back and frowned.
"Come in, Sarge," the little man said as he scuttled up the support into the upper bunk. "I been saving the lower for you, yes I have. The name is Blackey, and I'm doing ten months for telling a second looey to blow it out . . . "
He ended the sentence with a slight questioning note that Bill ignored. Bill's feet hurt. He kicked off the purple boots and stretched out on the sack. Blackey's head popped over the edge of the upper bunk, not unlike a rodent peering out the landscape. "It's a long time to chow--how's about a Dobbin-burger?" A hand appeared next to the head and slipped a shiny package down to Bill.
After looking it over suspiciously Bill pulled the sealing string on the end of the plastic bag. As soon as the air rushed in and hit the combustible lining the burger started to smoke and within three seconds was steaming hot. Lifting the bun Bill squirted ketchup in from the little sack at the other end of the bag, then took a suspicious bite. It was rich, juicy horse.
"This old gray mare sure tastes like it used to be," Bill said, talking with his mouth full. "How did you ever smuggle this into the stockade?"
Blackey grinned and produced a broad stage wink. "Contacts. They bring it in to me, all I gotta do is ask. I didn't catch the name . . . ?"
"Bill." Food had soothed his ruffled temper. "A year and a day for sleeping on duty. I would have been shot for desertion, but I had a good lawyer. That was a good burger, too bad there's nothing to wash it down with."
Blackey produced a small bottle labeled COUGH SYRUP and passed it to Bill. "Specially mixed for me by a friend in the medics. Half grain alcohol and half ether."
"Zoingg!" Bill said, dashing the tears from his eyes after draining half the bottle. He felt almost at peace with the world. You're a good buddy to have around, Blackey."
"You can say that again," Blackey told him earnestly. "It never hurts to have a buddy, not in the troopers, the army, the navy, anywheres. Ask old Blackey, he knows. You got muscles, Bill?"
Bill lazily flexed Tembo's muscles for him.
"That's what I like to see," Blackey said in admiration. "With your muscles and my brain we can get along fine . . . "
"I have a brain too!"
"Relax it! Give it a break, while I do the thinking. I seen service in more armies than you got days in the troopers. I got my first Purple Heart serving with Hannibal, there's the scar right there." He pointed to a white arc on the back of his hand. "But I picked him for a loser and switched to Romulus and Remus' boys while there was still time. I been learning ever since, and I always land on my feet. I saw which way the wind was blowing and ate some laundry soap and got the trots the morning of Waterloo, and I missed but nothing, I tell you. I saw the same kind of thing shaping up at the Somme--or was it Ypres?--I forget some of them old names now, and chewed a cigarette and put it into my armpit, you get a fever that way, and missed that show too. There's always an angle to figure I always say."
"I never heard of those battles. Fighting the Chingers?"
"No, earlier than that, a lot earlier than that. Wars and wars ago."
"That makes you pretty old, Blackey. You don't look pretty old."
"I am pretty old, but I don't tell people usually because they give me the laugh. But I remember the pyramids being built, and I remember what lousy chow the Assyrian army had, and the time we took over Wug's mob when they tried to get into our cave, rolled rocks down on them."
"Sounds like a lot of bowb," Bill said lazily, draining the bottle.
"Yeah, that's what everybody says, so I don't tell the old stories any more. They don't even believe me when I show them my good-luck piece." He held out a little white triangle with a ragged edge. "Tooth from a pterodactyl. Knocked it down myself with a stone from a sling I had just invented . . . "
"Looks like a hunk of plastic."
"See what I mean? So I don't tell the old stories any more. Just keep re-enlisting and drifting with the tide . . . "
Bill sat up and gaped. "Re-enlist! Why, that's suicide . . . "
"Safe as houses. Safest place during the war is in the army. The jerks in the front lines get their heads shot off, the civilians at home get their heads blown off. Guys in between safe as houses. It takes thirty, fifty, maybe seventy guys in the middle to supply every guy in the line. Once you learn to be a file clerk you're safe. Who ever heard of them shooting at a file clerk? I'm a great file clerk. But that's just in wartime. Peacetime, whenever they make a mistake and there is peace for awhile, it's better to be in the combat troops. Better food, longer leaves, nothing much to do. Travel a lot."
"So what happens when the war starts?"
"I know 735 different ways to get into the hospitals."
"Will you teach me a couple?"
"Anything for a buddy, Bill. I'll show you tonight, after they bring the chow around. And the guard what brings the chow is being difficult about a little favor I asked him. Boy, I wish he had a broken arm!"
"Which arm?" Bill cracked his knuckles with a loud crunch.
"Dealer's choice."
The Plastichouse Stockade was a transient center where prisoners were kept on the way from somewhere to elsewhere. It was an easy, relaxed life enjoyed by both guards and inmates with nothing to disturb the even tenor of the days. There had been one new guard, a real eager type fresh in from the National Territorial Guard, but he had had an accident while serving the meals and had broken his arm. Even the other guards were glad to see him go. About once a week Blackey would be taken away under armed guard to the Base Records Section where he was forging new records for a light colonel who was very active in the black market and wanted to make millionaire before he retired. While working on the records Blackey saw to it that the stockade guards received undeserved promotions, extra leave time, and cash bonuses for nonexistent medals. As a result Bill and Blackey ate and drank very well and grew fat. It was as peaceful as could possibly be until the morning after a session in the records section when Blackey returned and woke Bill up.
"Good news," he said. "We're shipping out."
"What's good about that?" Bill asked, surly at being disturbed and still half-stoned from the previous evening's drinking bout "I like it here."
"It's going to get too hot for us soon. The colonel is giving me the eye and a very funny look, and I think he is going to have us shipped to the other end of the galaxy, where there is heavy fighting. But he's not going to do anything until next week after I finish the books for him, so I had secret orders cut for us _this_ week sending us to Tabes Dorsalis where the cement mines are."
"The Dust World!" Bill shouted hoarsely, and picked Blackey up by the throat and shook him. "A world-wide cement mine where men die of silicosis in hours. Hellhole of the universe . . . "
Blackey wriggled free and scuttled to the other end of the cell.
"Hold it!" he gasped. "Don't go off half cocked. Close the cover on your priming pan and keep your powder dry! Do you think I would ship us to a place like that? That's just the way it is on the TV shows, but I got the inside dope. If you work in the cement mines, roger, it ain't so good. But they got one tremendous base section there with a lot of clerical help, and they use trustees in the motor pool, since there aren't enough troops there. While I was working on the records I changed your MS from fuse tender, which is a suicide job, to driver, and here is your driver's license with qualifications on everything from monocycle to atomic 89 ton tank. So we get us some soft jobs, and besides, the whole base is air-conditioned."
"It was kind of nice here," Bill said, scowling at the plastic card that certified to his aptitude in chauffeuring a number of strange vehicles, most of which he had never seen.
"They come, they go, they're all the same," Blackey said, packing a small toilet kit.
They began to realize that something was wrong when the column of prisoners was shackled then chained together with neckcuffs and leg irons and prodded into the transport spacer by a platoon of combat MPs. "Move along!" they shouted. "You'll have plenty of time to relax when we got to Tabes Dorsalgia."
"Where are we going?" Bill gasped.
"You heard me, snap it bowb."
"You told me Tabes Dorsalis," Bill snarled at Blackey who was ahead of him in the chain. "Tabes Dorsalgia is the base on Veneria where all the fighting is going on--we're heading for combat!"
"A little slip of the pen," Blackey sighed. "You can't win them all."
He dodged the kick Bill swung at him, then waited patiently while the MPs beat Bill senseless with their clubs and dragged him aboard the ship.
### III
Veneria . . . a fog-shrouded world of untold horrors, creeping in its orbit around the ghoulish green star Hernia like some repellent heavenly trespasser newly rose from the nethermost pit. What secrets lie beneath the eternal mists? What nameless monsters undulate and gibber in its dank tarns and bottomless black lagoons? Faced by the unspeakable terrors of this planet men go mad rather than face up to the faceless. Veneria . . . swamp world, the lair of the hideous and unimaginable Venians . . .
It was hot and it was damp and it stank. The wood of the newly constructed barracks was already soft and rotting away. You took your shoes off, and before they hit the floor fungus was growing out of them. Once inside the compound their chains were removed, since there was no place for labor-camp prisoners to escape to, and Bill wheeled around looking for Blackey, the fingers of Tembo's arm snapping like hungry jaws. Then he remembered that Blackey had spoken to one of the guards as they were leaving the ship, had slipped him something, and a little while later had been unlocked from the line and led away. By now he would be running the file section and by tomorrow he would be living in the nurses's quarters. Bill sighed, let the whole thing slip out of his mind and vanish, since it was just one more antagonistic factor that he had no control over, and dropped down onto the nearest bunk. Instantly a vine flashed up from a crack in the floor, whipped four times around the bunk lashing him securely to it, then plunged tendrils into his leg and began to drink his blood.
"Grrrrk . . . !" Bill croaked against the pressure of a green loop that tightened around his throat.
"Never lie down without you got a knife in your hand," a thin, yellowish sergeant said as he passed by, and severed the vine, with his own knife, where it emerged from the floorboards.
"Thanks, Sarge," Bill said, stripping off the coils and throwing them out the window.
The sergeant suddenly began vibrating like a plucked string and dropped onto the foot of Bill's bunk. "P-pocket . . . shirt . . . p-p-pills . . ." he stuttered through chattering teeth. Bill pulled a plastic box of pills out of the sergeant's pocket and forced some of them into his mouth. The vibrations stopped, and the man sagged back against the wall, gaunter and yellower and streaming with sweat.
"Jaundice and swamp fever and galloping filariasis, never know when an attack will hit me, that's why they can't send me back to combat, I can't hold a gun. Me, Master Sergeant Ferkel, the best damned flamethrower in Kirjassoff's Kutthroats, and they have me playing nursemaid in a prison labor camp. So you think that bugs me? It does not bug me, it makes me happy, and the only thing that would make me happier would be shipping off this cesspool-planet at once."
"Do you think alcohol will hurt your condition?" Bill sked, passing over a bottle of cough syrup. "It's kind of rough here?"
"Not only won't hurt it, but it will . . . " There was a deep gurgling, and when the sergeant spoke again he was hoarser but stronger. "Rough is not the word for it. Fighting the Chingers is bad enough, but on this planet they have the natives, the Venians, on their side. These Venians look like moldy newts, and they got just maybe enough I.Q. to hold a gun and pull the trigger, but it is _their_ planet and they are but murder out there in the swamps. They hide under the mud and they swim under the water and they swing from the trees and the whole planet is thick with them. They got no sources of supply, no army divisions, no organizations, they just fight. If one dies the others eat him. If one is wounded in the leg the others eat the leg and he grows a new one. If one of them runs out of ammunition or poison darts or whatever he just swims back a hundred miles to base, loads up, and back to battle. We have been fighting here for three years, and we now control one hundred square miles of territory."
"A hundred, that sounds like a lot."
"Just to a stupid bowb like you. That is ten miles by ten miles, and maybe about two square miles more than we captured in the first landings."
There was the squish-thud of tired feet, and weary, mud-soaked men began to drag into the barracks. Sergeant Ferkel hauled himself to his feet and blew a long blast on his whistle.
"All right you new men, now hear this. You have all been assigned to B squad, which is now assembling in the compound, which squad will now march out into the swamp and finish the job these shagged creeps from A squad began this morning. You will do a good day's work out there. I am not going to appeal to your sense of loyalty, your honor or your sense of duty . . . " Ferkel whipped out his atomic pistol and blew a hole in the ceiling through which rain began to drip. "I am only going to appeal to your urge to survive, because any man shirking, goofing off, or not pulling his own weight will personally be shot dead by me. Now get out." With his bared teeth and shaking hands he looked sick enough and mean enough and mad enough to do it. Bill and the rest of B squad rushed out into the rain and formed ranks.
"Pick up da axes, pick up da picks, get the uranium out," the corporal of the armed guard snarled as they squelched through the mud toward the gate. The labor squad, carrying their tools, stayed in the center, while the armed guard walked on the outside. The guard wasn't there to stop the prisoners from escaping but to give some measure of protection from the enemy. They dragged slowly down the road of felled trees that wound through the swamp. There was a sudden whistling overhead, and heavy transports flashed by.
"We're in luck today," one of the older prisoners said, "they're sending in the heavy infantry again I didn't know they had any left."
"You mean they'll capture more territory?" Bill asked
"Naw, all they'll get is dead. But while they're getting butchered some of the pressure will be off of us, and we can maybe work without losing too many men."
Without orders they all stopped to watch as the heavy infantry fell like rain into the swamps ahead--and vanished just as easily as raindrops. Every once in awhile there would be a boom and flash as a teensie A-bomb went off, which probably atomized a few Venians, but there were billions more of the enemy just waiting to rush in. Small arms crackled in the distance, and grenades boomed. Then over the trees they saw a bobbing, bouncing figure approach. It was a heavy infantryman in his armored suit and gasproof helmet, A-bombs and grenades strapped to him, a regular walking armory. Or rather hopping armory, since he would have had trouble walking on a paved street with the weight of junk hung about him, so he therefore moved by jumping, using two reaction rockets, one bolted to each hip. His hops were getting lower and lower as he came near. He landed fifty yards away and slowly sank to his waist in the swamp, his rockets hissing as they touched the water. Then he hopped again, much shorter this time, the rockets filing and popping, and he threw his helmet open in the air.
"Hey, guys," he called. "The dirty Chingers got my fuel tank. My rockets are almost out, I can't hop much more. Give a buddy a hand will you . . . " He hit the water with a splash.
"Get outta the monkey suit and we'll pull you in," the guard corporal called.
"Are you nuts!" the soldier shouted. "It takes an hour to get into and outta this thing." He triggered his rockets, but they just went _pfffft_ , and he rose about a foot in the water, then dropped back. "The fuel's gone! Help me you bastards! What's this, bowb-your-buddy week . . . " he shouted as he sank. Then his head went under, and there were a few bubbles and nothing else.
"It's always bowb-your-buddy week," the corporal said. "Get the column moving" he ordered, and they shuffled forward. "Them suits weigh three thousand pounds. Go down like a rock."
If this was a quiet day, Bill didn't want to see a busy one. Since the entire planet of Veneria was a swamp no advances could be made until a road was built. Individual soldiers might penetrate a bit ahead of the road, but for equipment or supplies or even heavily armed men a road was necessary. Therefore the labor corps was building a road of felled trees. At the front.
Bursts from atomrifles steamed in the water around them, and the poison darts were as thick as falling leaves. The firing and sniping on both sides was constant while the prisoners cut down trees and trimmed and lashed them together to push the road forward another few inches. Bill trimmed and chopped and tried to ignore the screams and falling bodies until it began to grow dark. The squad, now a good deal smaller, made their return march in the dusk.
"We pushed it ahead at least thirty yards this afternoon," Bill said to the old prisoner marching at his side.
"Don't mean nothing, Venians swim up in the night and take the logs away."
Bill instantly made his mind up to get out of there.
"Got any more of that joyjuice?" Sergeant Ferkel asked when Bill dropped onto his bunk and began to scrape some of the mud from his boots with the blade of his knife. Bill took a quick slash at a plant coming up through the floorboards before he answered.
"Do you think you could spare me a moment to give me some advice, Sergeant?"
"I am a flowing fountain of advice once my throat is lubricated."
Bill dug a bottle out of his pocket "How do you get out of this outfit?" he asked.
"You get killed," the sergeant told him as he raised the bottle to his lips. Bill snatched it out of his hand.
"That I know without your help," he snarled.
"Well that's all you gonna know without my help," the sergeant snarled back.
Their noses were touching and they growled at each other deep in their throats. Having proven just where they stood and just how tough they both were they relaxed, and Sergeant Ferkel leaned back while Bill sighed and passed him the bottle.
"How's about a job in the orderly room?" Bill asked.
"We don't have an orderly room. We don't have any records. Everyone sent here gets killed sooner or later, so who cares exactly when."
"What about getting wounded?"
"Get sent to the hospital, get well, get sent back here."
"The only thing left to do is mutiny!" Bill shouted.
"Didn't work last four times we tried it. They just pulled the supply ships out and didn't give us any food until we agreed to start fighting again. Wrong chemistry here, all the food on this planet is pure poison for our metabolisms. We had a couple of guys prove it the hard way. Any mutiny that is going to succeed has to grab enough ships first so we can get off-planet. If you got any good ideas about that I'll put you in touch with the Permanent Mutiny Committee."
"Isn't there _any_ way to get out?"
"I answered that first" Ferkel told him, and fell over stone drunk.
"I'll see for myself," Bill said as he slid the sergeant's pistol from his holster, then slipped out the back door.
Armored floodlights lit up the forward positions facing the enemy, and Bill went in the opposite direction, toward the distant white flares of landing rockets. Barracks and warehouses were dotted about on the boggy ground, but Bill stayed clear of them since they were all guarded, and the guards had itchy trigger fingers. They fired at anything they saw, anything they heard, and if they didn't see or hear anything they fired once in a while anyway just to keep their morale up. Lights were burning brightly ahead, and Bill crawled forward on his stomach to peer from behind a rank growth at a tall, floodlighted fence of barbed wire that stretched out of sight in both directions.
A burst from an atomic rifle burned a hole in the mud about a yard behind him, and a searchlight swung over, catching him full in its glare.
"Greetings from your commanding officer," an amplified voice thundered from loudspeakers on the fence. "This is a recorded announcement. You are now attempting to leave the combat zone and enter the restricted headquarters zone. This is forbidden. Your presence has been detected by automatic machinery, and these same devices now have a number of guns trained upon you. They will fire in sixty seconds if you do not leave. Be patriotic, man! Do your duty. Death to the Chingers! Fifty-five seconds. Would you like your mother to know that her boy is a coward? Fifty seconds. Your Emperor has invested a lot of money in your training--is this the way that you repay him? Forty-five seconds . . . "
Bill cursed and shot up the nearest loudspeaker, but the voice continued from others down the length of the fence. He turned and went back the way he had come.
As he neared his barracks, skirting front line to avoid the fire from the nervous guards in the buildings, all the lights went out. At the same time gunfire and bomb explosions broke out on every side.
### IV
Something slithered close by in the mud and Bill's trigger finger spontaneously contracted and he shot it. In the brief atomic flare he saw the smoking remains of a dead Venian, as well as an unusually large number of live Venians squelching to the attack. Bill dived aside instantly, so that their return fire missed him, and fled in the opposite direction. His only thought was to save his skin, and this he did by getting as far from the firing and the attacking enemy as he could. That this direction happened to be into the trackless swamp he did not consider at the time. _Survive,_ his shivering little ego screamed, and he ran on.
Running became difficult when the ground turned to mud, and even more difficult when the mud gave way to open water. After paddling desperately for an interminable length of time Bill came to more mud. The first hysteria had now passed, the firing was only a dull rumble in the distance, and he was exhausted. He dropped onto the mudbank and instantly sharp teeth sank deep into his buttocks. Screaming hoarsely, he ran on until he ran into a tree. He wasn't going fast enough to hurt himself, and the feel of rough bark under his fingers brought out all of his eoanthropic survival instincts: he climbed. High up there were two branches that forked out from the trunk, and he wedged himself into the crotch, back to the solid wood and gun pointed straight ahead and ready. Nothing bothered him now. The night sounds grew dim and distant, the blackness was complete, and within a few minutes his head started to nod. He dragged it back up a few times, blinked about at nothing, then finally slept.
It was the first gray light of dawn when he opened his gummy eyes and blinked around. There was a little lizard perched on a nearby branch watching him with jewel-like eyes.
"Gee--you were really sacked out," the Chinger said.
Bill's shot tore a smoking scar in the top of the branch, then the Chinger swung back up from underneath and meticulously wiped bits of ash from his paws.
"Easy on the trigger, Bill," it said. "Gee--I could have killed you anytime during the night if I had wanted to."
"I know you," Bill said hoarsely. "You're Eager Beager, aren't you?"
"Gee--this is just like old home week, isn't it?" A centipede was scuttling by, and Eager Beager the Chinger grabbed it up with three of his arms and began pulling off legs with his fourth and eating them. "I recognized you Bill, and wanted to talk to you. I have been feeling bad ever since I called you a stoolie, that wasn't right of me. You were only doing your duty when you turned me in. You wouldn't like to tell me how you recognized me, would you . . . ?" he asked, and winked slyly.
"Why don't you bowb off, Jack?" Bill growled, and groped in his pocket for a bottle of cough syrup. Eager Chinger sighed.
"Well, I suppose I can't expect you to betray anything of military importance, but I hope you will answer a few questions for me." He discarded the delimbed corpse and groped about in his marsupial pouch and produced a tablet and tiny writing instrument. "You must realize that spying is not my chosen occupation, but rather I was dragooned into it through my speciality, which is exopology--perhaps you have heard of this discipline . . . ?"
"We had an orientation lecture once, an exopologist, all he could talk about was alien creeps and things."
"Yes--well, that roughly sums it up. The science of the study of alien life forms, and of course to us you homo sapiens are an alien form . . . " He scuttled halfway around the branch when Bill raised his gun.
"Watch that kind of talk bowb!"
"Sorry, just my manner of speaking. To put it briefly, since I specialized in the study of your species I was sent out as a spy, reluctantly, but that is the sort of sacrifice one makes during wartime. However, seeing you here reminded me that there are a number of questions and problems still unanswered that I would appreciate your help on, purely in the matter of science of course."
"Like what?" Bill asked suspiciously, draining the bottle and flinging it away into the jungle.
"Well--gee--to begin simply, how do you feel about us Chingers?"
"Death to all Chingers!" The little pen flew over the tablet.
"But you have been _taught_ to say that. How did you feel before you entered the service?"
"Didn't give a damn about Chingers." Out of the corner of his eye Bill was watching a suspicious movement of the leaves in the tree above.
"Fine! Then could you explain to me just who it is that hates us Chingers and wants to fight a war of extermination?"
"Nobody really hates Chingers, I guess. It's just that there is no one else around to fight a war with, so we fight with you." The moving leaves had parted and a great, smooth head with slitted eyes peered down.
"I knew it! And that brings me to my really important question. Why _do_ you homo sapiens like to fight wars?"
Bill's hand tightened on his gun as the monstrous head dropped silently down from the leaves behind Eager Chinger Beager; it was attached to a foot-thick and apparently endless serpent body.
"Fight wars? I don't know," Bill said, distracted by the soundless approach of the giant snake. "I guess because we like to, there doesn't seem to be any other reason."
"You _like_ to!" the Chinger squeaked, hopping up and down with excitement. "No civilized race could _like_ wars, death, killing, maiming, rape, torture, pain, to name just a few of the concomitant factors. Your race can't be civilized!"
The snake struck like lightning, and Eager Beager Chinger vanished down its spine-covered throat with only the slightest of muffled squeals.
"Yeah . . . I guess we're just not civilized," Bill said, gun ready, but the snake kept going on down. At least fifty yards of it slithered by before the tail flipped past and it was out of sight. "Serves the damn spy right," Bill grunted happily, and pulled himself to his feet.
Once on the ground Bill began to realize just how bad a spot he was in. The damp swamp had swallowed up any marks of his passage from the night before and he hadn't the slightest idea in which direction the battle area lay. The sun was just a general illumination behind the layers of fog and cloud, and he felt a sudden chill as he realized how small were his chances of finding his way back. The invasion area, just ten miles to a side, made a microscopic pinprick in the hide of this planet. Yet if he didn't find it he was as good as dead. And if he just stayed here he would die, so, picking what looked like the most likely direction, he started off.
"I'm pooped," he said, and was. A few hours of dragging through the swamps had done nothing except weaken his muscles, fill his skin with insect bites, drain a quart or two of blood into the ubiquitous leeches, and deplete the charge in his gun as he killed a dozen or so of the local life forms that wanted him for breakfast. He was also hungry and thirsty. And still lost.
The rest of the day just recapitulated the morning, so that when the sky began to darken he was close to exhaustion, and his supply of cough medicine was gone. He was very hungry when he climbed a tree to find a spot to rest for the night, and he plucked a luscious-looking red fruit.
"Supposed to be poison." He looked at it suspiciously, then smelled it. It smelled fine. He threw it away.
In the morning he was much hungrier. "Should I put the barrel of the gun in my mouth and blow my head off?" he asked himself, weighing the atomic pistol in his hand. "Plenty of time for that yet. Plenty of things can still happen." Yet he didn't really believe it when he heard voices coming through the jungle toward him, human voices. He settled behind the limb and aimed his gun in that direction.
The voices grew louder, then a clanking and rattling. An armed Venian scuttled under the tree, but Bill held his fire as other figures loomed out of the fog. It was a long file of human prisoners wearing the neck irons used to bring Bill and the others to the labor camp, all joined together by a long chain that connected the neck irons. Each of the men was carrying a large box on his head. Bill let them stumble by underneath and kept a careful count of the Venian guards. There were five in all with a sixth bringing up the rear, and when this one had passed underneath the tree Bill dropped straight down on him, braining him with his heavy boots. The Venian was armed with a Chinger-made copy of a standard atomic rifle, and Bill smiled wickedly as he hefted its familiar weight. After sticking the pistol into his waistband he crept after the column, rifle ready. He managed to kill the fifth guard by walking up behind him and catching him in the back of the neck with the rifle butt. The last two troopers in the file saw this but had enough brains to be quiet as he crept up on number four. Some stir among the prisoners or a chance sound warned this guard and he turned about, raising his rifle. There was no chance now to kill him silently, so Bill burned his head off and ran as fast as he could toward the head of the column. There was a shocked silence when the blast of the rifle echoed through the fog and Bill filled it with a shout.
"Hit the dirt--FAST!"
The soldiers dived into the mud and Bill held his atomic rifle at his waist as he ran, fanning it back and forth before him like a water hose and holding down the trigger on full automatic. A continuous blast of fire poured out a yard above the ground and he squirted it in an arc before him. There were shouts and screams in the fog, and then the charge in the rifle was exhausted. Bill threw it from him and drew the pistol. Two of the remaining guards were down, and the last one was wounded and got off a single badly aimed shot before Bill burned him too.
"Not bad," he said, stopping and panting. "Six out of six."
There were low moans coming from the line of prisoners, and Bill curled his lip in disgust at the three men who hadn't dropped at his shouted command.
"What's the matter?" he asked, stirring one with his foot, "never been in combat before?" But this one didn't answer because he was charred dead.
"Never . . . " the next one answered, gasping in pain. "Get the corpsman, I'm wounded, there's one ahead in the line. Oh, oh, why did I ever leave the _Chris Keeler!_ Medic . . . "
Bill frowned at the three gold balls of a fourth lieutenant on the man's collar, then bent and scraped some mud from his face. "You! The laundry officer!" he shouted in outraged anger, raising his gun to finish the job.
"Not I!" the lieutenant moaned, recognizing Bill at last. "The laundry officer is gone, flushed down the drain! This is I, your friendly local pastor, bringing you the blessings of Ahura Mazdah, my son, and have you been reading the Avesta every day before going to sleep . . . "
"Bah!" Bill snarled. He couldn't shoot him now, and he walked over to the third wounded man.
"Hello Bill . . . " a weak voice said. "I guess the old reflexes are slowing down . . . I can't blame you for shooting me, I should have hit the dirt like the others . . . "
"You're damn right you should have," Bill said looking down at the familiar, loathed, tusked face. "You're dying, Deathwish, you've bought it."
"I know," Deathwish said, and coughed. His eyes were closed.
"Wrap this line in a circle," Bill shouted. "I want the medic up here." The chain of prisoners curved around, and they watched as the medic examined the casualties.
"A bandage on the looie's arm takes care of him," he said. "Just superficial bums. But the big guy with the fangs has bought it."
"Can you keep him alive?" Bill asked.
"For awhile, no telling how long."
"Keep him alive." Bill looked around at the circle of prisoners. "Any way to get those neck irons off?" he asked.
"Not without the keys," a burly infantry sergeant answered, "and the lizards never brought them. We'll have to wear them until we get back. How come you risked your neck saving us?" he asked suspiciously.
"Who wanted to save you?" Bill sneered. "I was hungry and I figured that must be food you were carrying."
"Yeah, it is," the sergeant said, looking relieved. "I can understand now why you took the chance."
Bill broke open a can of rations and stuffed his face.
### V
The dead man was cut from his position in the line, and the two men, one in front and one in back of the wounded Deathwish, wanted to do the same with him. Bill reasoned with them, explained the only human thing to do was to carry their buddy, and they agreed with him when he threatened to burn their legs off if they didn't. While the chained men were eating, Bill cut two flexible poles and made a stretcher by slipping three donated uniform jackets over them. He gave the captured rifles to the burly sergeant and the most likely looking combat veterans, keeping one for himself.
"Any chance of getting back?" Bill asked the sergeant, who was carefully wiping the moisture from his gun.
"Maybe. We can backtrack the way we come, easy enough to follow the trail after everyone dragged through. Keep an eye peeled for Venians, get them before they can spread the word about us. When we get in earshot of the fighting we try and find a quiet area--then break through. A fifty-fifty chance."
"Those are better odds for all of us than they were about an hour ago."
"You're telling me. But they get worse the longer we hang around here."
"Let's get moving."
Following the track was even easier than Bill had thought, and by early afternoon they heard the first signs of firing, a dim rumble in the distance. The only Venian they had seen had been instantly killed. Bill halted the march.
"Eat as much as you want, then dump the food," he said. "Pass that on. We'll be moving fast soon." He went to see how Deathwish was getting on.
"Badly--" Deathwish gasped, his face white as paper. "This is it, Bill . . . I know it . . . I've terrorized my last recruit . . . stood on my last pay line . . . had my last shortarm . . . so long-- Bill . . . you're a good buddy . . . taking care of me like this . . . "
"Glad you think so, Deathwish, and maybe you'd like to do me a favor." He dug in the dying man's pockets until he found his noncom's notebook, then opened it and scrawled on one of the blank pages. "How would you like to sign this, just for old time's sake--Deathwish?"
The big jaw lay slack, the evil red eyes open and staring.
"The dirty bowb's gone and died on me," Bill said disgustedly. After pondering for a moment he dribbled some ink from the pen onto the ball of Deathwish's thumb and pressed it to the paper to make a print.
"Medic!" he shouted, and the line of men curled around so the medic could come back. "How does he look to you?"
"Dead as a herring," the corpsman said after his professional examination.
"Just before he died he left me his tusks in his will, written right down here, see? These are real vat-grown tusks and cost a lot. Can they be transplanted?"
"Sure, as long as you get them cut out and deep froze inside the next twelve hours."
"No problem with that, we'll just carry the body back with us." He stared hard at the two stretcher bearers and fingered his gun, and they had no complaints. "Get that lieutenant up here."
"Chaplain," Bill said, holding out the sheet from the notebook, "I would like an officer's signature on this. Just before he died this trooper here dictated his will, but was too weak to sign it, so he put his thumbprint on it. Now you write below it that you saw him thumbprint it and it is all affirm and legal-like, then sign your name."
"But--I couldn't do that, my son. I did not see the deceased print the will and Glmmpf . . . "
He said Glmmpf because Bill had poked the barrel of the atomic pistol into his mouth and was rotating it, his finge quivering on the trigger.
"Shoot," the infantry sergeant said, and three of the men who could see what was going on were clapping. Bill slowly withdrew the pistol.
"I shall be happy to help," the chaplain said, grabbing for the pen.
Bill read the document, grunted in satisfaction, then went over and squatted down next to the medic. "You from the hospital?" he asked.
"You can say that again, and if I ever get back into the hospital I ain't never going out of it again. It was just my luck to be out picking up combat casualties when the raid hit."
"I hear that they aren't shipping any wounded out. Just putting them back into shape and sending them back into the line."
'You heard right. This is going to be a hard war to live through."
"But _some_ of them must be wounded too badly to send back into action," Bill insisted.
'The miracles of modern medicine," the medic said indistinctly as he worried a cake of dehydrated luncheon meat "Either you die or you're back in the line in a couple of weeks."
"Maybe a guy gets his arm blown off?"
'They got an icebox full of old arms. Sew a new one on and bango, right back into the line."
"What about a foot?" Bill asked, worried.
"That's right--I forgot! They got a foot shortage. So many guys lying around without feet that they're running out of bed space. They were just starting to ship some of them off-planet when I left."
"You got any pain pills?" Bill asked, changing the subject. The medic dug out a white bottle.
"Three of these and you'd laugh while they sawed your head off."
"Give me three."
"If you ever see a guy around what has his foot shot off, you better quick tie something around his leg just over the knee, tight, to cut the blood off."
"Thanks buddy."
"No skin off my nose."
"Let's get moving," the infantry sergeant said. "The quicker we move the better our chances."
Occasional flares from atomic rifles burned through the foliage overhead, and the thud-thud of heavy weapons shook the mud under their feet. They worked along parallel with the firing until it had died down, then stopped. Bill, the only one not chained in the line, crawled ahead to reconnoiter. The enemy lines seemed to be lightly held and he found a spot that looked the best for a breakthrough. Then, before he returned, he dug the heavy cord from his pocket that he had taken from one of the ration boxes. He tied a tourniquet above his right knee and twisted it tight with a stick, then swallowed the three pills. He stayed behind some heavy shrubs when he called to the others.
"Straight ahead, then sharp right before that clump of trees. Let's go--and FAST!"
Bill led the way until the first men could see the lines ahead. Then he called out "What's that?" and ran into the heavy foliage. "Chingers!" he shouted, and sat down with his back to a tree.
He took careful aim with his pistol and blew his right foot off.
"Get moving fast!" he shouted, and heard the crash of the frightened men through the undergrowth. He threw the pistol away, fired at random into the trees a few times, then dragged to his feet. The atomic rifle made a good enough crutch to hobble along on, and he did not have far to go. Two troopers, they must have been new to combat or they would have known better, left the shelter to help him inside.
"Thanks, buddies," he gasped, and sank to the ground. "War sure is hell."
ENVOI
The martial music echoed from the hillside, bouncing back from the rocky ledges and losing itself in the hushed green shadows under the trees. Around the bend, stamping proudly through the dust, came the little parade led by the magnificent form of a one-robot band. Sunlight gleamed on its golden limbs and twinkled from the brazen instruments it worked with such enthusiasm. A small formation of assorted robots rolled and clattered in its wake, and bringing up the rear was the solitary figure of the grizzle-haired recruiting sergeant, striding along strongly, his rows of medals ajingle. Though the road was smooth the sergeant lurched suddenly, stumbling, and cursed with the rich proficiency of years.
"Halt!" he commanded, and while his little company braked to a stop he leaned against the stone wall that bordered the road and rolled up his right pants leg. When he whistled one of the robots trundled quickly over and held out a tool box from which the sergeant took a large screwdriver and tightened one of the bolts in the ankle of his artificial foot. Then he squirted a few drops from an oil can onto the joint and rolled the pants leg back down. When he straightened up he noticed that a robomule was pulling a plow down a furrow in the field beyond the fence, while a husky farm lad guided it.
"Beer!" the sergeant barked, then, " 'A Spaceman's Lament.' "
The one-robot band brought forth the gentle melodies of the old song, and by the time the furrow reached the limits of the field there were two dew-frosted steins of beer resting on the fence.
"That's sure pretty music," the plowboy said.
"Join me in a beer," the sergeant said, sprinkling a white powder into it from a packet concealed in his hand.
"Don't mind iffen I do, sure is hotter'n h-- out here today."
"Say _hell_ , son, I heard the word before."
"Mamma don't like me to cuss. You sure do have long teeth, mister."
The sergeant twanged a tusk. "A big fellow like you should cuss a bit. If you were a trooper you could say he--or even _bowb --_if you wanted to, all the time."
"I don't think I'd want to say anything like _that._ " He flushed red under his deep tan. "Thanks for the beer, but I gotta be plowing on now. Mamma said I was to never talk to soldiers."
"Your mamma's right, a dirty, cursing, drinking crew the most of them. Say, would you like to see a picture here of a new model robomule that can run a thousand hours without lubrication?" The sergeant held his hand out behind him, and a robot put a viewer into it.
"Why that sounds nice!" The farm lad raised the viewer to his eyes and looked into it and flushed an even deeper red. "That's no mule, mister, that's a _girl_ and her clothes are . . . "
The sergeant reached out swiftly and pressed a button on the top of the viewer. Something went _thunk_ inside of it, and the farmer stood rigid and frozen. He did not move or change expression when the sergeant reached out and took the little machine from his paralyzed fingers.
"Take this stylo," the sergeant said, and the other's fingers closed on it. "Now sign this form, right down there where it says RECRUIT'S SIGNATURE . . . " The stylo scratched, and a sudden scream pierced the air.
"My Charlie! What are you doing with my Charlie!" an ancient, gray-haired woman wailed, as she scrambled around the hill.
"Your son is now a trooper for the greater glory of the Emperor," the sergeant said, and waved over the robot tailor.
"No--please--" the woman begged, clutching the sergeant's hand and dribbling tears onto it. "I've lost one son, isn't that enough . . . " she blinked up through the tears, then blinked again. "But you--you're my boy! My Bill come home! Even with those teeth and the scars and one black hand and one white hand and one artificial foot, I can tell; a mother always knows."
The sergeant frowned down at the woman. "I believe you might be right," he said. "I thought the name Phigerinadon II sounded familiar."
The robot tailor had finished his job. The red paper jacket shone bravely in the sun, the one-molecule-thick boots gleamed. "Fall in," Bill shouted, and the recruit climbed over the wall.
"Billy, Billy . . . " the woman wailed, "this is your little brother Charlie! You wouldn't take your own little brother into the troopers, would you?"
Bill thought about his mother, then he thought about his baby brother Charlie, then he thought of the one month that would be taken off of his enlistment time for every recruit he brought in, and he snapped his answer back instantly.
"Yes," he said.
The music blared, the soldiers marched, the mother cried--as mothers have always done--and the brave little band tramped down the road and over the hill and out of sight into the sunset.
### DON'T STOP READING YET!
I hope that I have caught you in time. Just when you thought that you had finished this saga of unrequited passion, alcoholism and that kind of bowb; just when you were about to close the book; just at this historical point of time--I have good news for you.
The saga of Bill, the Galactic Hero, is not quite over yet. You might think it is--but think again. You have watched our hero mature, grow wise with military wisdom, grow stupid again as overindulgence in alcohol corroded his brain cells. You have laughed with him, cried with him, averted your eyes when he stealthily and tumescently sneaked through the back door of Ye Olde Knocking Shop.
But Bill's military career has just begun. In the final part of this book, tastefully titled "Envoi," your Friendly Author let you glimpse a bit of the future, just so you wouldn't feel bad. So you would not think ever-lovable Bill would get blown to pieces, or some such, the very moment after you had closed the book.
No way! Bill may act a little stupid at times and have some pretty repulsive habits--but he is a survivor! Cast your mind back to the last chapter. There he was on a planet of no escape, a deathworld where many arrived and damn few left. To make sure he was one of that elite few he used guts, ingenuity--and a well-aimed gun--to blow his foot off. The rest, as they say, is history.
And you will now have a chance to read that history. Between the time Bill was shlepped offplanet to the foot hospital and the time he became a grizzled Recruiting Sergeant he had many exciting, dangerous, occasionally repulsive, always fascinating adventures.
I have chronicled the first of these in a book with the fetchingly brief title _Bill the Galactic Hero: The Planet of the Robot Slaves_. You will want to read it. I bet that you can already hear the mechanical squeaks of pain as the barbed-wire whips clang down on delicate metal skin!
This book is yours to read. It may be available at the very same retail outlet where you purchased this volume.
And the good news is still coming! The continuing saga of Bill will continue. Develop a habit you won't want to break. Other books are already being written. The future is yours!
Or at least that part of it where the rockets rocket, the Chingers ching, and Bill, the Galactic Hero, limps valiantly toward his destiny.
THE AUTHOR
# About this Title
This eBook was created using ReaderWorks™ Publisher Preview, produced by OverDrive, Inc.
For more information on ReaderWorks, visit us on the Web at "www.readerworks.com"
All of the characters in this book are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and, besides, they aren't even born yet.
An ibooks, inc. ebook
Copyright (C) 1965, 2000 by Harry Harrison
Original ISBN: 0-380-00395-3
e-ISBN: 1-588-24046-0
This text converted to eBook format for the Adobe EPUB
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<filename>include/view/view.hpp
#ifndef CPP_GUI_TEMPLATE_VIEW_HPP
#define CPP_GUI_TEMPLATE_VIEW_HPP
#include <vector>
#include <view/frame.hpp>
class View
{
protected:
std::vector<Frame> frames;
public:
View();
//draw has to be called at the start of the overridden method
virtual void draw();
//render has to be called at the end of the overridden method
virtual void render();
};
#endif //CPP_GUI_TEMPLATE_VIEW_HPP
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In spite of the fact that most people -- including those elusive teens and twenty-somethings -- still spend a big chunk of time watching TV each day, the decrease in cost effectiveness of TV advertising is causing marketers to seek alternative platforms for their video ads. Right now, two big opportunities exist: online and in-store.
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Despite its scale, in-store advertising has had only patchy success to date. In the U.K., the major grocery chain Tesco endured three years of lackluster results before figuring out what really drives in-store success: brevity. While online advertisers debate whether a pre-roll of 15 seconds is too long, Tesco's marketing partner Dunnhumby recommends five seconds for screens placed in the main shopping aisles, because the power of these "alerts" rests not in their creativity but in their proximity to purchase. The alerts reported to be most effective are those for price-off events and new or seasonal items.
And that's both the strength and weakness of in-store video. Because its influence is concentrated at the point of purchase, it will be most successful for categories that are already impulse- or activation-oriented. Though useful for encouraging switching, in-store video is not as good at building long-term brand loyalty.
Moreover, in-store is a very complex medium; many factors influence its efficacy. In deciding what message should be conveyed, and where a screen might best be located, advertisers need to consider the likely attitude of shoppers when they come across the advertising.
Shopper mindset will vary according to the type of store and the items being purchased, as well as the point during the shopping trip in which the advertising is encountered. Someone in the market for an HDTV screen who is unsure of the benefits of plasma versus LCD may appreciate a five-minute video on the topic. But someone in the grocery section of the local supermarket is unlikely to devote that amount of time to a video. In that setting, a quick news flash or reminder will work far better than an infomercial. The checkout line is yet another story; as they wait in line, shoppers will welcome some distraction to pass the time.
The mindset of the online viewer is much more consistent across viewing situations. People are likely to pay attention to in-stream ads placed in content they really want to see. This makes online a great brand-building medium, capable of planting ideas among people who have not yet realized a need for the advertised product or service.
As inventory scales and the potential reach of online video improves, it may one day provide the ideal complement to in-store video. Online video can seed ideas and associations which can then be triggered by in-store video at the point of purchase, making for a truly powerful combination. |
Phagocytosis and killing of Candida albicans of polymorphonuclear cells in patients with organ transplant of periodontal disease. BACKGROUND The easiest defence system carried out by the organism, the inflammatory response, happens with the support of phagocyting cells: the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) or neutrophils are the most important cell line acting as the first defence of the organism against bacterial agents. Previous studies have shown a correlation between a reduction of the immune function and development of periodontal disease. Furthermore, it is well known that transplant patients show a variety of oral lesions as a consequence of their therapy, in particular to immunosuppressive drugs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the phagocytosis and killing functions of PMNL in transplant patients and in patients with periodontal disease in comparison with a group of healthy subjects. METHODS PMNL, were isolated by spontaneous sedimentation from heparinized blood and centrifugation of plasma on density medium. Phagocytosis rate was expressed as the percentage of Candida albicans phagocyted after 20' incubation and phagocyting PMNLs. Intracellular killing was expressed as the percentage of yeast cells killed. RESULTS We did not find a significant decrease of phagocytosis in transplant patients and patients with periodontal disease while these two groups of patients showed a decrease of PMNL killing activity in respect to healthy controls, an effect which was unrelated to the severity of periodontal disease. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a reduction of killing activity, either spontaneous or drug-induced, would contribute to the development of periodontal disease. |
<reponame>mrkolarik/transfer2d3d
"""VGG16 model for Keras.
# Reference
- [Very Deep Convolutional Networks for Large-Scale Image Recognition](
https://arxiv.org/abs/1409.1556) (ICLR 2015)
"""
from __future__ import absolute_import
from __future__ import division
from __future__ import print_function
from keras import layers, Model, utils, backend
from keras import backend as K
from classification_models.keras import Classifiers
from keras.utils import plot_model
K.set_image_data_format('channels_last')
import os
WEIGHTS_PATH = ('https://github.com/qubvel/classification_models/'
'releases/download/0.0.1/'
'resnet18_imagenet_1000.h5')
WEIGHTS_PATH_NO_TOP = ('https://github.com/qubvel/classification_models/'
'releases/download/0.0.1/'
'resnet18_imagenet_1000_no_top.h5')
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Helpers functions
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
def handle_block_names(stage, block):
name_base = 'stage{}_unit{}_'.format(stage + 1, block + 1)
conv_name = name_base + 'conv'
bn_name = name_base + 'bn'
relu_name = name_base + 'relu'
sc_name = name_base + 'sc'
return conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name
def get_conv_params(train_encoder, **params):
default_conv_params = {
'kernel_initializer': 'he_uniform',
'use_bias': False,
'padding': 'valid',
'trainable': train_encoder
}
default_conv_params.update(params)
return default_conv_params
def get_bn_params(train_encoder, **params):
axis = -1 if backend.image_data_format() == 'channels_last' else 1
default_bn_params = {
'axis': axis,
'momentum': 0.99,
'epsilon': 2e-5,
'center': True,
'scale': True,
'trainable': train_encoder
}
default_bn_params.update(params)
return default_bn_params
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
# Models
# -------------------------------------------------------------------------
def resnet18_2d_qubvel():
ResNet18, preprocess_input = Classifiers.get('resnet18')
model = ResNet18((256, 256, 3), weights='imagenet')
model.summary()
plot_model(model, to_file='model.png')
return model
def resnet18_2d(image_rows = 256, image_cols = 256, input_channels = 3, train_encoder = True):
# Block 1
# get parameters for model layers
no_scale_bn_params = get_bn_params(train_encoder, scale=False)
bn_params = get_bn_params(train_encoder)
conv_params = get_conv_params(train_encoder)
init_filters = 64
# INPUT
inputs = layers.Input((image_rows, image_cols, input_channels))
# resnet bottom
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name='bn_data', **no_scale_bn_params)(inputs)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(3, 3))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(init_filters, (7, 7), strides=(2, 2), name='conv0', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name='bn0', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name='relu0')(x)
skip_connection_1 = x
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.MaxPooling2D((3, 3), strides=(2, 2), padding='valid', name='pooling0')(x)
# Stage 1, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 0
block = 0
strides = (1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv2D(filters, (1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 1, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 0
block = 1
strides = (1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 2, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 1
block = 0
strides=(2, 2)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
skip_connection_2 = x
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv2D(filters, (1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1_convpool', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 2, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 1
block = 1
strides = (1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 3, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 2
block = 0
strides=(2, 2)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
skip_connection_3 = x
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv2D(filters, (1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1_convpool', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 3, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 2
block = 1
strides = (1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 4, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 3
block = 0
strides=(2, 2)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
skip_connection_4 = x
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv2D(filters, (1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1_convpool', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 4, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 3
block = 1
strides = (1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding2D(padding=(1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv2D(filters, (3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Resnet OUTPUT
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name='bn1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name='relu1')(x)
model = Model(inputs=[inputs], outputs=[x], name='resnet18')
model.summary()
plot_model(model, to_file='model.png')
weights_path = utils.get_file('resnet18_imagenet_1000_no_top.h5.h5', WEIGHTS_PATH_NO_TOP,
cache_subdir='models')
model.load_weights(weights_path)
return model
def resnet18_3d(image_depth = 16, image_rows = 256, image_cols = 256, input_channels = 3, train_encoder = True):
# Block 1
# get parameters for model layers
no_scale_bn_params = get_bn_params(train_encoder, scale=False)
bn_params = get_bn_params()
conv_params = get_conv_params()
init_filters = 64
# INPUT
inputs = layers.Input((image_depth, image_rows, image_cols, input_channels))
# resnet bottom
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name='bn_data', **no_scale_bn_params)(inputs)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 3, 3))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(init_filters, (1, 7, 7), strides=(1, 1, 1), name='conv0', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name='bn0', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name='relu0')(x)
skip_connection_1 = x
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.MaxPooling3D((2, 3, 3), strides=(2, 2, 2), padding='valid', name='pooling0')(x)
# Stage 1, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 0
block = 0
strides = (1, 1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 1, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 0
block = 1
strides = (1, 1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 2, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 1
block = 0
strides = (2, 2, 2)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
skip_connection_2 = x
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (2, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1_convpool', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 2, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 1
block = 1
strides = (1, 1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 3, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 2
block = 0
strides = (2, 2, 2)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
skip_connection_3 = x
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (2, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1_convpool', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 3, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 2
block = 1
strides = (1, 1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 4, Unit 1 - Settings
stage = 3
block = 0
strides = (2, 2, 2)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 1 - Layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
skip_connection_4 = x
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 1, 1), name=sc_name, strides=strides, **conv_params)(x)
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (2, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1_convpool', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Stage 4, Unit 2 - Settings
stage = 3
block = 1
strides = (1, 1, 1)
filters = init_filters * (2 ** stage)
conv_name, bn_name, relu_name, sc_name = handle_block_names(stage, block)
# Stage 1, Block 2 - Layers
# defining shortcut connection
shortcut = x
# continue with convolution layers
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '1')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), strides=strides, name=conv_name + '1', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name=bn_name + '2', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name=relu_name + '2')(x)
x = layers.ZeroPadding3D(padding=(0, 1, 1))(x)
x = layers.Conv3D(filters, (1, 3, 3), name=conv_name + '2', **conv_params)(x)
x = layers.Add()([x, shortcut])
# Resnet OUTPUT
x = layers.BatchNormalization(name='bn1', **bn_params)(x)
x = layers.Activation('relu', name='relu1')(x)
model = Model(inputs=[inputs], outputs=[x], name='resnet18')
model.summary()
plot_model(model, to_file='model.png')
# weights_path = utils.get_file('resnet18_imagenet_1000_no_top.h5.h5', WEIGHTS_PATH_NO_TOP,
# cache_subdir='models')
#
# model.load_weights(weights_path)
return model
if __name__ == '__main__':
# vgg16_2d()
# resnet18_2d_qubvel()
resnet18_3d() |
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