text:
Mycophenolate Mofetil
More in this Section... Dermatomyositis	Dermatologic Disease Database Eczema	Lichen Planus Linear IgA Bullous Dermatosis Pemphigus Psoriasis Subacute Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Systemic Sclerosis
Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF, brand name CellCept) is a lymphocytic selective immunosuppressive medication commonly used in patients receiving organ transplants. When administered orally or intravenously, MMF is immediately converted to its active form mycophenolic acid. Although immunosuppression may be necessary in certain medical conditions it also weakens the immune system and increases the risk of serious infections.
Mechanism: As an immunosuppressant agent, MMF selectively inhibits an enzyme known as inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPD). This complex is involved in the early stages of DNA and RNA building block synthesis. Since B and T lymphocytes rely almost exclusively on IMPD for the production of these precursors, they are preferentially affected while other cell lines remain unaltered. In doing so, B and T lymphocytes cannot manufacture sufficient quantities of DNA, RNA, and proteins to function normally. Furthermore, MMF prevents the recruitment of these white blood cells into areas of inflammation by blocking the expression of specific cellular signals. This too adds to a decreased ability to fight infections and thereby causes immune suppression.
Uses: The usage of MMF in dermatology is becoming more common especially in the area of inflammatory skin disorders. This is partly related to its steroid-sparing effect and lack of significant toxicity. Currently, MMF is highly utilized in two major clinical situations. First, it is used in patients who cannot tolerate side effects from other medications or drug interactions that worsen concomitant diseases. Patients who have been on chronic or long-term steroid use are excellent candidates. Secondly, MMF is used for patients who have refractory skin conditions not responsive to traditional therapy.
Specific dermatologic disorders that may be treated with MMF include but are not limited to:
Autoimmune blistering diseases like pemphigus vulgaris
Atopic dermatitis, moderate to severe cases
Connective tissue disorders like dermatomyositis and lupus erythematosus
Side effects: MMF is typically well tolerated with a low side effect profile compared to other immunosuppressants. MMF has a lower incidence of hepatotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and neurotoxicity. The most common reported side effects are gastrointestinal in nature -- diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Other frequent side effects include high blood sugars, high cholesterol and other electrolyte imbalances. Many of these side effects are dose related and are reversible with discontinuation. As mentioned earlier, since MMF is an immunosuppressant, the incident of serious opportunistic infections is higher than in the general public. Finally, as with all immune suppressants, there is a small but serious risk for developing cancer. Most cases of malignancy (usually lymphoma) associated with MMF were transplant patients on chronic immunosuppression with multiple agents. Therefore, the lymphoma-associated risk has not been directly linked to MMF but likely to combination immunosuppression. Overall MMF has an excellent safety record, is efficacious and is being used more frequently in the field of dermatology.


Pulse oximeter is a medical device used to measure the percentage of blood oxygen saturation level in your body. There I will briefly talk about the advantages and the difference of it.
Firstly, the size of it is not so large, they can fit in your pocket; it's perfect for kids; it's also more affordable than bringing your kid every now and then to the doctor to have his blood oxygen levels checked. parents can bring this small device to monitor their child's blood oxygen saturation wherever they may be. They can just put this on the kid's finger for a few seconds to determine the SpO2 levels and when if it is at normal rate, then they can stop worrying or they can immediately call the doctor's attention if he needs supplemental oxygen.
Secondly, the gap involving the pediatric pulse oximeter devices from your other devices is that this is especially manufactured for children. The opposite type may be the adult oximeter device that is definitely bigger than the pediatric finger pulse oximeter. A real difference could be that the size of the finger has a smaller footprint because to enable oximeters to function well, the finger has to be fitted perfectly to your device. In any other case, then it will have errors in the measurement.
If you would like pediatric pulse oximeters for the kid, you should buy online. There are lots of oximeters currently available in alandental. Seek out Approved by the Alandental oximeters and appearance the conditions and terms and locate user-friendly pediatric oximeters before selecting them.


1. Depending on the type of virus involved: I do a system restore to a system restore point to a time before the infection.
2. Run Hitman Pro. This uses a combination of Bitdefender and Kaspersky definitions from the cloud. Note that the free version will not remove the threat if the computer is domain joined, but it will usually show you where the file or registry entry is and you can remove it with another program manually.
3. Norton Power Eraser. This this another cloud based reputation scanner along with the Symantec virus definitions. You do need to be a careful with this one as it as a tendency of flagging uncommon/infrequently reported files.
4. ADWCleaner. Generally finds the same files as Hitman Pro, but is completely free and will offer to clean them without asking for money. Do note that it has a tendency to just restart Windows for the cleanup without warning you.
5. TDSSKiller. The "go-to" rootkit remover.
6. Stinger from Mcafee. Mcafee AV defs in a standalone program.
7. Sysinternals Suite – Specifically, the tools Process Explorer (with built-in Virustotal support) and Autoruns can help identify an infection and remove it.


They inched ahead in the dim light, frightened and confused, uncertain if they should trust their guide who upon their arrival assured them that they would find solace beyond the door that lay ahead. The low light prohibited them from gaining a sense of the width of the path. No one knew their numbers, no one knew the reason. But advance, they knew they must. Most of the men and women had faith that the answers would become revealed when the time was right. Some huddled together, others became belligerent should anyone even lightly brush against them. A few attempted to turn back, but found that the path behind them had somehow been swallowed, leaving only a ledge overhanging a terrifying abyss. These few always returned and struggled to seek safety and anonymity in the middle of the pack. But where were the children?


text:
Racist EDL plan for Cambridge reduced from march to static protest
Published Tue 5 Feb 2013
The fascist English Defence League (EDL) has cancelled a march planned for Cambridge on Saturday 23 February, saying it will now hold a static protest.
The retreat comes in the face of united opposition organised by Unite Against Fascism (UAF).
Richard Rose from Cambridge UAF told Socialist Worker, "The EDL is looking weak. But we still want to send a strong signal that they are not welcome in the town. That can help diminish them across the country."
Activists have been out leafleting with stalls in the town centre every week and the Labour Party is set to leaflet door to door.
Supporters from the three largest mosques—Omar Faruque Mosque, Abu Bakr Mosque, Masjid Al Ikhlas—and Cambridge Islamic Centre are all mobilising against the EDL.
When the EDL last tried to march in Cambridge in 2011 it was humiliated and outnumbered ten to one.
Some 2,000 people marched then in a fantastic display of unity from across Cambridge and the Fens to show their fascist hatred was not welcome.
Unite Against Fascism conference
Unite Against Fascism will hold its 2013 national conference in central London next month. It will be jointly hosted by UAF, One Society Many Cultures, and the PCS and NUT unions.
Campaigners will discuss how to challenge Islamophobia and racism, and to defend multiculturalism.
They will also look at a strategy for getting rid of the Nazi MEPs Nick Griffin and Andrew Brons.
Unite Against Fascism conference, Saturday 2 March, 10am to 4.30pm,
TUC Congress House, Great Russell Street, London WC1B 3LS
uaf.org.uk
Tue 5 Feb 2013, 17:08 GMT

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


PLEASE NOTE: Due to refrigeration requirements, natural casings cannot be shipped outside the U.S.
The 32-35mm pork casing is an edible casing generally used in the making of bratwurst, bockwurst and Italian sausages. One pound of meat fills approximately two feet of casing. The Sausage Maker carries 1¼"-1 3/8" hog casings for sale at unbeatable prices with unmatched quality.
Casings come packed in purified salt and have an indefinite shelf life when stored properly in the refrigerator. Unrefrigerated, these salted hog casings for 32-35mm sausages quickly begin to give off a strong odor even though they are not spoiled. Put them back under refrigeration and this odor for the most part subsides. Flush and soak in tap water before using.
Stuffing capacity per hank: approximately 125lbs.


OSTK has fallen off a cliff since the delayed GSR investment.
On Monday, Overstock announced that GSR Capital had sought out an extension on an investment they were slated to close over the weekend that would have printed a billion dollar valuation on tZERO and likely would have sent Overstock's equity price significantly higher.
Once again markets have opened up today before pulling back a bit. Though things look to be heading higher into the Fed announcement at 2PM. I exited a small AT&T position for a small gain, went long Overstock when it passed through flat on the day and sold it shortly later for a couple percent gain, and sold off a bit of Funko.
At least for the next 3 or 4 years I like Funko as a company in terms of seeing tons of growth ahead, but I also thought it was good at $20, at $18, at $15, at $14, & at $13, so I have been willing to take a few percent here or there on counter trend rallies. Funko has an awesome Pop! Ad Icons: Buzz Bee available today. As long as the prices keep going up on eBay buying those exclusives is printing money. Which will encourage more trade. The big things that separate such a fad collectible from the likes of Beanie Babies is they license third party IP to tie the format to cherished childhood memories & currently hot media, and they got the design so well done.
I bought a bit of Apple today thinking the risk vs reward is decent here with their stock priced for negative growth while their buyback puts a bid under the stock.


Rabat, Morocco. Kids everywhere are cute!
Using the tools of 700 years ago.
Now the long neck is NOT an advantage!
You are immediately back to the year 1300. This captured on Ektachrome film in the late 1970s. I do not know how it is today. 1300? 2000? 1650?
In the Medina, a most striking place. But wear a clothes-pin on your nose! Taken with Ektachrome film 40 years ago! [Stored in the dark that whole time].
I worked for USAID on a health care project in north central Mali, along side a Peace Corps physician. He was given the hut (seen to the right), but it was too hot. So, we slept outdoors at this spot, awakened at dawn by flies and a rooster.


text:
Bruce McGill Movies
Most Viewed Bruce McGill Watch amazing movies and TV shows for free. No subscription fees, and no credit cards. Just thousands of hours of streaming video content from studios like Paramount, Lionsgate, MGM and more.
Things don't go as expected when a disenchanted pastor wishes for a different life.
Cast: Ali Landry Monteverde
FDR: American Badass!
Chronicles the adventures of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, as he rides a "wheelchair of death" to stop the world from being taking over by...
Cast: Barry Bostwick
Inside The Osmonds
The story of the personal lives and professional careers of the show-business family The Osmonds, and how the stresses and strains of their careers...
Cast: Bruce McGill
Animal House: The Inside Story
Documentary about the making of Animal House
Murder She Purred: A Mrs. Murphy Mystery
A small-town cat-and-dog detective duo investigate a new neighbor who they believe may have committed a murder, but the snag is, locals are...
Cast: Ricki Lake
Linked by a rare psychological disorder, Noah Greene and Emily Gates must uncover the mystery of a tragic past in order to find hope for the future.
Cast: Olesya Rulin
Deep Core
A powerful laser machine rips the core of the earth causing earthquakes and tsunamis, and only one man and his team can save the planet from...
Cast: Craig Sheffer
Samantha Crawford is living a storybook life: she's happily married, she lives on a ranch where she keeps her beloved horse, and the stories...
Cast: Lynn Collins
A human story unfolds when detectives aggravated by a major bust gone wrong are forced to deal with a tormented man thrown into the cage after...
Cast: Jon Bernthal
The interlaced stories of several characters in a small town united by their use of CB (citizen's band) radio.
Cast: Paul Le Mat
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple
The adventures of a family who head west to the California gold fields in the 1850s.
Cast: Glenn Close
The Legend of Bagger Vance
World War I has left golfer Rannulph Junuh a poker-playing alcoholic, his perfect swing gone. Now, however, he needs to get it back to play in a...
Cast: Matt Damon
A frustrated man decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family's killers free. He targets not only the...
Cast: Jamie Foxx
Path to War
A powerful drama of soaring ambition and shattered dreams that takes a provocative insider's look at the way the USA goes to war—as seen from...
Genre: TV Movie
Cast: Michael Gambon
An officer for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician who has a tie to his past.
Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme
Spurred by a white woman's lie, vigilantes destroy a black Florida town and slay inhabitants in 1923.
Cast: Ving Rhames
Jon Lansdale is a comic book artist who loses his right hand in a car accident. The hand was not found at the scene of the accident, but it soon...
Cast: Michael Caine
Held Hostage
Michelle a single mother is kidnapped by three masked men and held hostage until she is forced to rob a bank which is the only option she has to...
Cast: Julie Benz
The Man Who Fell to Earth
In this made-for-TV movie, an alien lands on earth, and decides that he needs to take a job in order to raise money to build a spaceship so he can...
Cast: Lewis Smith
Mr. Payback: An Interactive Movie
Designed as an interactive movie, it is approximately 20 to 30 minutes long, depending on audience interaction. It requires the audience to vote for...
Cast: Billy Warlock
For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben has been trying to show decorated APD detective James that he's more than just a video-game...
Cast: Ice Cube
Sunny is married to the butcher, Ernie, and their marriage is about to end as both of them have affairs. Thus Sunny hires Lester Atlas as private...
Cast: John Lithgow
The Last Innocent Man
A retired criminal lawyer is persuaded to take on one more case and becomes involved with his client's wife.
Cast: Ed Harris
Desperate Choices: To Save My Child
Sixteen-year-old Cassie Robbins is a spirited teenage girl, who loves her father Richard and stepmother Mel and dotes on her six-year-old...
Cast: Jeremy Sisto
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Forced to run from the Texas Rangers after a heated misunderstanding leads to the death of a lawman, Mexican American farmer Gregorio Cortez sets off...
Cast: Edward James Olmos
To save their cash-strapped orphanage, a guardian and his kids partner with a washed-up boat captain for a chance to win a lucrative fishing...
Cast: Jimmy Gonzales
Behind Enemy Lines II: Axis of Evil
Navy SEALS, headed by Lt. Bobby James, are dispatched to North Korea on a covert mission, all in an effort to take out a missile site...
Cast: Matt Bushell
In 1961, Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle played for the New York Yankees. One, Mantle, was universally loved, while the other, Maris, was universally...
Cast: Barry Pepper
A phobic con artist and his protege are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist's teenage daughter arrives unexpectedly.
Cast: Nicolas Cage
Drew Baylor is fired after causing his shoe company to lose hundreds of millions of dollars. To make matters worse, he's also dumped by his...
Cast: Orlando Bloom
A Whale for the Killing
A conservationst tries to rescue a whale, which is trapped in a lagoon in New Foundland. Based upon the book by Farley Mowat.
Cast: Peter Strauss
Run All Night
Brooklyn mobster and prolific hit man Jimmy Conlon has seen better days. Longtime best friend of a mob boss, Jimmy is haunted by the sins of his...
Cast: Liam Neeson
A serial killer is on the loose, and a cop must track him (or her) down.
Cast: Ed O'Ross
The true story of boxer Jim Braddock who, in the 1920s following his retirement, makes a surprise comeback in order to get him and his family out of...
Cast: Russell Crowe
Cab driver Max picks up a man who offers him $600 to drive him around. But the promise of easy money sours when Max realizes his fare is an assassin.
Cast: Tom Cruise
A juror on the inside and a woman on the outside manipulate a court trial involving a major gun manufacturer.
Cast: John Cusack
Chris is a once promising high school athlete whose life is turned upside down following a tragic accident. As he tries to maintain a normal life, he...
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Shallow Hal
A shallow man falls in love with a 300 pound woman because of her "inner beauty".
Cast: Gwyneth Paltrow
Live from Baghdad
A group of CNN reporters wrestle with journalistic ethics and the life-and-death perils of reporting during the Gulf War.A Directors Guild...
Cast: Michael Keaton
Lawn Dogs
In the affluent, gated community of Camelot Gardens, bored wives indiscriminately sleep around while their unwitting husbands try desperately to...
Cast: Mischa Barton
When dignified Albert Donnelly runs for Governor, his team moves to keep his slow-witted and klutzy younger brother, Mike, out of the eye of the...
Cast: Chris Farley
Wife and mother Valerie Plame has a double life as a CIA operative, hiding her vocation from family and friends. Her husband, Joseph Wilson, writes a...
Cast: Naomi Watts
Tough Enough
An aspiring country singer, whose money is disappearing faster than his career opportunities, enters a "Tough Man" amateur boxing contest to earn...
Cast: Dennis Quaid
A Dog of Flanders
Poor but happy, young Nello and his grandfather live alone, delivering milk as a livelihood, in the outskirts of Antwerp, a city in Flanders (the...
Cast: Jack Warden
Baby M is a two-part TV movie predicated on a headline-making true event. In 1985, Mary Beth Whitehead accepted $10,000 to bear a child, which then...
Cast: JoBeth Williams
As Summers Die
Set in a sleepy Southern Louisiana town in 1959, a lawyer, searches for justice as he volunteers to help a black woman whose property is being...
Cast: Scott Glenn
An air-traffic controller quits after a plane crash but, years later, goes to help an airport that is in the path of a terrible storm.
Cast: Kiefer Sutherland
Running Mates
A governor running for President gets revealed to be a serial philanderer.
Cast: Tom Selleck
Black Widow Murders: The Blanche Taylor Moore Story
Elizabeth Montgomery plays serial killer, churchgoer, and grandmother Blanch Taylor Moore in this, one of her last films before her untimely passing....
Cast: Elizabeth Montgomery
In 2000, the election of the U.S. Presidential boiled down to a few precious votes in the state of Florida — and a recount that would add...
Cast: Kevin Spacey
Now a rising young lawyer, Elle Woods is about to make partner at her firm, but when she finds out her dog's relatives are being used as cosmetic...
Cast: Reese Witherspoon
The Best of Enemies
Centers on the unlikely relationship between Ann Atwater, an outspoken civil rights activist, and C.P. Ellis, a local Ku Klux Klan leader who...
Cast: Taraji P. Henson
Molly is a high school track coach who knows just as much about football as anyone else on the planet. When a football coach's position becomes...
Cast: Goldie Hawn
Everything That Rises
His son's critical injury forces a Montana man (Dennis Quaid) to reconsider priorities as he struggles to retain family land.
From Mexico With Love
A washed-up trainer takes a self-destructive young boxer under his wing.
Cast: Kuno Becker
A district attorney (Ray Liotta) is involved in a 24-hour showdown with a gang leader (LL Cool J) and is, at the same time, being manipulated by an...
Cast: Ray Liotta
My Cousin Vinny
Two carefree pals traveling through Alabama are mistakenly arrested, and charged with murder. Fortunately, one of them has a cousin who's a lawyer -...
Cast: Joe Pesci
A story about a mostly normal young man who makes the most out of fitting in when he obviously doesn't.
Cast: Mark Webber
Three Fugitives
On his first day after being released from jail for 14 armed bank robberies, Lucas finds himself caught up in someone else's robbery. Perry has...
Cast: Nick Nolte
The Last Boy Scout
When the girl that detective Joe Hallenback is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the...
Cast: Bruce Willis
An unconventional undercover Chicago cop and his partner are recruited to commit the murder of a New Orleans criminal kingpin.
Cast: Richard Gere
Troubled Waters
The story of a comedian, Ron Waters, who is a Richard Pryor-type of entertainer who makes commentary about the world rather than one-liners. After a...
Cast: Harry Lennix
Letters from a Killer
A man is falsely convicted of the murder of his wife. During his time in jail, he finds comfort from four women with whom he corresponds. After his...
Cast: Patrick Swayze
10 2007 HD
A comedy about the employees for the U.S. government, who work in a remote facility in the Nevada desert, which houses an alien creature.
Cast: Paul Reubens
A woman moves into a retirement community and starts a cheerleading squad with her fellow residents.
Cast: Diane Keaton
Melanie is married to Keith Bauers, she has two beautiful children and she is rich. She decides to engage a girl au pair, Janine, who arrives from...
Cast: Teri Garr
Exit Wounds
Maverick cop Orin Boyd always brings down the domestic terrorists he tracks, but he ruffles feathers with his unorthodox techniques -- and soon finds...
Cast: Steven Seagal
Little Vegas
Quirky serio-comedy about the unusual residents of a desert trailer park that mobsters want to turn into a gambling mecca.
Cast: Tony Denison
The Sum of All Fears
When the president of Russia suddenly dies, a man whose politics are virtually unknown succeeds him. The change in political leaders sparks paranoia...
Cast: Ben Affleck
Tells the true story of a 60 Minutes television series exposé of the tobacco industry, as seen through the eyes of a real tobacco executive,...
Cast: Al Pacino
When the closure of a railway is announced, employees commandeer a locomotive to get to corporate headquarters and confront the president.
Cast: Kevin Bacon
The revealing story of the 16th US President's tumultuous final months in office. In a nation divided by war and the strong winds of change, Lincoln...
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis
Waiting for the Moon
Fictionalized portrait of one of history's great literary couples: Stein & Toklas. Summer 1930s France, Alice tends to ailing Gertrude; they visit...
Cast: Linda Hunt
Crash Landing: The Rescue of Flight 232
Authentic drama of United Airlines flight 232 from Denver to Chicago. The DC-10 crashed during an emergency landing at Sioux City Gateway Airport on...
Cast: Charlton Heston
An aging cowboy must choose between his desire to remain free and the responsibilities of maintaining a family.
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones
The Big Ugly
Neeyln has always been the loyal enforcer for crime boss Harris back in London, taking care of problems and people that disrupt his illicit business....
Cast: Vinnie Jones
The story of the eventful life of George W. Bush—his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith—and the critical...
Cast: Josh Brolin
At a 1962 College, Dean Vernon Wormer is determined to expel the entire Delta Tau Chi Fraternity, but those troublemakers have other plans for him.
Cast: John Belushi
Brantley Foster, a well-educated kid from Kansas, has always dreamed of making it big in New York, but once in New York, he learns that jobs - and...
Cast: Michael J. Fox
The Perfect Tribute
A boy risks life and limb to travel across the war-torn southern states of America during the height of hostilities in the Civil War, hoping to visit...
Cast: Jason Robards
Where Are They Now?: A Delta Alumni Update
A follow up on the lives of the Faber students in Animal House.
Cast: Karen Allen
Things couldn't be better for Derek Charles. He's just received a big promotion at work, and has a wonderful marriage with his beautiful wife,...
Cast: Idris Elba
The attempted assassination of the American president is told and re-told from several different perspectives.
In 1964, a brash, new pro boxer, fresh from his Olympic gold medal victory, explodes onto the scene: Cassius Clay. Bold and outspoken, he cuts an...
Cast: Will Smith
The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and...
Cast: Meryl Streep
The Perfect Game
Based on a true story, a group of boys from Monterrey, Mexico who become the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series.
Cast: Clifton Collins Jr.
Ride Along 2
As his wedding day approaches, Ben heads to Miami with his soon-to-be brother-in-law James to bring down a drug dealer who's supplying the dealers of...
Cast: Kevin Hart
When Chicago firefighter Jack Moniker retires and moves to a small Caribbean island, he is befriended by the owner of a run-down resort. Together...
Cast: Robin Williams
For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada
A chronicle of the Cristeros War (1926-1929), which was touched off by a rebellion against the Mexican government's attempt to secularize the country.
Cast: Eva Longoria
Belushi
Using previously unheard audiotapes recorded shortly after John Belushi's death, director R.J. Cutler's documentary feature examines the...
A year after losing his friend in a tragic 4,000-foot fall, former ranger Gabe Walker and his partner, Hal, are called to return to the same peak to...
Cast: Sylvester Stallone
Ed Okin used to have a boring life. He used to have trouble getting to sleep. Then one night, he met Diana. Now, Ed's having trouble staying alive.
Cast: Jeff Goldblum
Family Guy Presents: It's a Trap!
With the Griffins stuck again at home during a blackout, Peter tells the story of "Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi."
Cast: Seth MacFarlane
A Perfect World
A kidnapped boy strikes up a friendship with his captor: an escaped convict on the run from the law, headed by an honorable U.S. Marshal.
Cast: Kevin Costner
Shoot First: A Cop's Vengeance
A San Antonio, Texas policeman must stop his best friend, a fellow officer turned vigilante.
Cast: Dan Bell
The Yearbook: An 'Animal House' Reunion
This documentary, created for the Animal House (1978) collector's edition DVD, is composed of a collection of new interviews with the cast and crew...
Cast: Matty Simmons
F.I.S.T.
Johnny Kovak joins the Teamsters trade-union in a local chapter in the 1930s and works his way up in the organization. As he climbs higher and higher...
Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge


text:
Ava Bright just wants to have fun . . . and change the world
The London girl has entered the modelling industry, despite a skin pigment condition
Joe Belanger
Don't tell Ava Bright she can't change the world. She's already doing it.
The 11-year-old daughter of Julie Brown and Joe Bright has embraced her own difference – vitiligo, a condition where the skin's pigment disappears leaving large patches of white skin – and is hoping the rest of the world will too.
The London girl has become a model to do her part inspiring other people to embrace their differences and convince the rest of the world to look beyond those differences to see the person.
"I hope one day to show other kids with vitiligo they should love who they are, including their skin," Ava said.
That quest began in May when her mother came across a social media post from Changing the Face of Beauty, a non-profit group "committed to equal representation of people with disabilities in advertising and media," according to its website.
The ad was a call for models for Matilda Jane Clothing, an online store that sells clothing and household items, such as blankets, crib and bed skirts, bathmats, towels, doll clothes sets and sleeping bags.
"I called the company directly and they called me back within an hour and they wanted Ava to be part of their back-to-school promotion," Brown said.
Mother and daughter spent three days in New York the first week of June, including a photo shoot at Rockefeller State Park Preserve in Mount Pleasant, N.Y.
Vitiligo is the same condition pop superstar
Ava Bright, 11, and her mother Julie Brown are trying to change the world's perception of beauty. Ava, who has the skin condition vitiligo, is a model with Anita Norris Models, wearing the Matilda Jane dress she modelled in June in New York. (Mike Hensen/The London Free Press)
Michael Jackson had, leading to rumours he was bleaching his skin, which Jackson denied, although he admitted using makeup to hide the white patches.
There is no cure for the condition, but there are treatments, including corticosteroid creams, light therapy and skin grafting that can be effective for small areas of skin.
That is not an option for Ava, Brown said.
"There are parents who spend the money on those, but from the beginning, we took the stand to raise her to be proud of who she is and to not want to change or fix her skin because there's nothing to fix," Brown said.
"I think people have every right to change their skin, added Ava. But you need to love who you are first."
The modelling industry has been changing in recent years, said Anita Norris, who founded Anita Norris Models in London and is now based in Toronto. She manages Ava, one of the new models that her London operation is focused on developing.
"I think the industry has changed and wants to be portrayed as diverse and make it look real," said Norris, noting the industry now includes plus-sized women and people with disabilities.
"I think people (consumers) are bored of seeing perfect bodies and perfect faces. For them, it has to be relatable. Today, the more interesting and different you are, the better."
She pointed to such success stories as Winnie Harlow, the African-Canadian modelling star whose vitiligo left her with a white patch of skin around her mouth, chin and other parts of her body.
"It certainly didn't hinder her career," Norris said. "It made her different, made her stand out, which is so important."
Norris said it's not uncommon for models, due to their height and thin appearance, to be the target of bullying as children.
"I'm sure it hasn't been easy being different, because when you stand out like that, kids like to bully," Norris said.
"But (modelling) gives them a sense of self, a sense of confidence. For Ava, this will give her a lot of confidence and support and make her feel special."
Katie Driscoll, founder and president of Changing the Face of Beauty, said her organization is committed to "representing children of all abilities in advertising and media." Her daughter Grace has Down syndrome, "You can't be what you can't see," said Driscoll, of children with disabilities and other differences.
"To see others like themselves is empowering. It can inspire them to be more independent and reach for bigger goals in life. We believe being seen (in advertising and media) leads to jobs, independence and being accepted. We just have to give the public the opportunity to be exposed to the differences so they are more accepting."
Ava's father said he's proud of his daughter for embracing her condition and choosing to model instead of hiding it. "I think it's just great," Bright said. "I've definitely seen Ava get a lot of self-confidence, and what's really good is she's making these choices for herself."
Like many children, Ava is active, enjoying a number of sports including snowboarding, gymnastics, swimming, track and field, cross-country running and also singing and acting in musical theatre. She loves her pets, a hedgehog named Hazel and an Eskipoo dog named Abby.
Ava said her condition made her the target of bullying by other children when she was younger, although she's well accepted and respected at Lord Roberts school where she's in Grade 7.
"Mostly, people will call us cows (referring to the two-toned breeds such as Holsteins)," Ava said.
"Or they think it's contagious and don't come around me because they don't want to catch it."
When the teasing and bullying began, Ava is quick to admit she wanted "to get rid of it . . . But now I meet so many other people with it, it's inspiring to me."
Ava's not sure what her future holds. She has a keen interest in marine life but, for now, wants to continue modelling.
"I really enjoy doing it," Ava said.
"There are models out there who are nice and friendly, but they also tend to be skinny and fit, with no physical flaws. I want to put it out there that everybody is different and people who are different can do great things too."
jbelanger@postmedia.com
Twitter.com/JoeBatLFPress
Start.ca takes over naming rights for Budweiser Gardens theatre Stratford Festival executive named one of Canada's 100 most powerful women
Most Read on LFP
More Arts
Joe Manganiello turned axe hero to tackle Independence Day snake drama
The Raconteurs playing surprise set at Vancouver's Neptoon Records
Batwoman Ruby Rose pulls out of Comic-Con
8 films to stream to celebrate the Apollo 11 anniversary


text:
Latest on Up in the Air
Decider Lists
The 50 Best Movies on HBO Max, Updated for January 2023
By Marshall Shaffer • Updated: Jan 21, 2023 127 Shares
Check out our list of the best movies on HBO Max right now in January 2023 to help you decide what to watch.
Stream It Or Skip It
Stream It Or Skip It: 'Love Life' On HBO Max, Where Anna Kendrick Plays A Woman Going Through Her Major Relationships In Her 20s
By Joel Keller • May 27, 2020
Kendrick stars alongside Zoë Chao, Peter Vack, and Sasha Compère as a woman whose love ups and downs will lead her to the mature relationship she wants.
'Up in the Air'
By Anna Menta • Jan 13, 2020
A warm, heartfelt comedy about the cold, heartless nature of corporate capitalism.
The 13 Best Movies & Shows Coming to Netflix: January 2020
By Claire Spellberg • Jan 2, 2020
The most critically-acclaimed titles hitting the platform this month.
New On Sundance Now January 2020
By Sarah Perrin • Jan 1, 2020
Sundance Now has films starring Reese Witherspoon and Leonardo DiCaprio? Sign us up!
'Noelle' Proves Anna Kendrick is Our Most Charming Comedy Queen
By Anna Menta • Nov 13, 2019 154 Shares
She's more than earned her crown.
Anna Kendrick Tells Stephen Colbert That She Once Called Obama 'An Asshole' To His Face
By Michael Nordine, IndieWire • Sep 16, 2018
"I got an email saying, 'Hey, do you want to meet the president?'" Kendrick said. "Naturally, I said, 'Of what?' and they were like, 'The country, you idiot.'"
What's New On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, And HBO This Weekend: 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets', 'The Looming Tower', 'Alien: Covenant', And More
By Jade Budowski • Mar 2, 2018
It's a new month, which means a ton of new titles are heading to your favorite platforms.
The 12 Best Movies & Shows Coming To Netflix: March 2018
We rounded up the most critically-acclaimed titles hitting the platform this month.
What's New On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, And HBO: March 2018's Top Shows And Movies
If you're feeling overwhelmed by all the great titles hitting your favorite platforms this month, we are here to help.
What's Streaming on Netflix Tonight: '42' + More
By Claire Spellberg • Nov 1, 2017
The first of the month brings tons of new releases on all your favorite platforms.
Spend Your Sunday Streaming 'Up in the Air' On Amazon Prime
By Cody Schmitz • Oct 8, 2017
The 2009 film was overshadowed when it first premiered. Now's our chance to redeem it.
What's New On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, And HBO: July 2017's Top Shows And Movies
By Jade Budowski • Jul 1, 2017
When hundreds of titles hitting your streaming services this month, it's hard to know where to start. That's where we come in.
What's New On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, And HBO This Weekend: 'Okja', 'Loving', '20th Century Women', And More
By Jade Budowski • Jun 30, 2017
Some of the best movies of the last year are finally available to stream.
Final Shots: Hulu Inks Multi-Year Streaming Deal With Indie Distributor NEON
By Michael Haskoor • Apr 21, 2017
The new deal grants Hulu first-window streaming rights to all past and future content from the new distribution company.
What's New On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, And HBO This Weekend: Mike Birbiglia, 'The Karate Kid', 'X-Men: Apocalypse', And More
The beginning of the month is the best time of the month. Why? Because all of your favorite streaming services have a TON of new titles.
What's New On Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, And HBO This Weekend: 'Iron Man,' 'E.T. The Extra Terrestrial,' 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' And More
By Kayla Cobb • Dec 30, 2016
The year is almost over, and you're probably in need of a break before you dive into the madness of the new year. If you're looking for a mini-streaming vacation, ...
Queue And A
Melanie Lynskey on Her New Film 'Rainbow Time' and Some Of Her Early Roles
By Joe Reid • Nov 14, 2016
The actress talks about her latest film, her early roles, and the time she was star-struck by Amy Schumer showing up for one line in a movie.
Woman Crush Wednesday: Melanie Lynskey Is The Super Talented Secret Weapon of Your Favorite Movie
By Lea Palmieri • Aug 24, 2016
She's so much more than just the lady that brought a baby to the bar.
By Olivia Armstrong • Sep 1, 2015
George Clooney, Anna Kendrick, and Vera Farmiga star in this sky high dramedy from Jason Reitman.


text:
Chris Simons - Bridging the Gap Between Scientific Rigor and Ecological Validity
Welcome to "AigoraCast", conversations with industry experts on how new technologies are transforming sensory and consumer science!
AigoraCast is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, PodCast Republic, Pandora, and Amazon Music. Remember to subscribe, and please leave a positive review if you like what you hear!
Dr. Chris Simons is a professor of Food Science and Technology at the Ohio State University. He received his PhD in Sensory Science at the University of California, Davis before conducting his post-doc in Sensory Neurobiology in France. From 2004 through 2012, Chris led the Sensory Research function at Givaudan Flavors Corp. and joined the faculty in the Department of Food Science and Technology at The Ohio State University in 2013. In 2017, Chris was awarded the Barry Jacobs Memorial Award for Research in the Psychophysics of Human Taste and Smell by the Association for Chemoreception Sciences. Chris' research interests use a multidisciplinary approach to understand perception of foods and how they are processed to influence reward and ultimately behavior.
Dr. Simons on LinkedIn
Dr. Simons faculty page
Transcript (Semi-automated, forgive typos!)
John: So, Chris, thanks a lot for being on the show.
Chris: Well, thanks so much for having me. I'm happy to be here.
John: Okay, great. Now, Chris, one of the things one of the reasons I was really excited to get you on the show is that I think we can both agree that historically one of the biggest problems that sensory scientists have had is matching up the research that we do with outcomes in the real world. That over time, I think we've gotten very good at doing things like optimizing liking scores. But then does that really correspond to increases in repeat-purchase behavior, for example? So I know that your research is really like a lot of it geared around building a bridge between the kind of sensory measurements that are made in laboratories and then outcomes that happen in the real world. So I'd like to just at the start to get kind of your thoughts on this topic on how you see your research is helping to bridge that gap.
Chris: Yeah, I think I totally align with you on that thought. I think when we look at sensory science sort of historically and the way even, you know, I have tea presented it in some of its media, you know, sensory sciences is used of humans as an instrument to understand foods. And I think we've done that really well for, you know, 50 plus years where we've been applying that. And I think what we do which is sort of different from other, you know, scientists who use instruments is that we don't really understand our instrument. And I think that that's where a lot of my research is sort of focusing. And I think a lot of the research that I'm really interested in and that others that are doing sort of in this space as well that I find really kind of exciting is sort of the flip side of that same coin where instead of using, you know, humans to understand foods. We're really using foods to understand humans and ultimately human behavior with the hope that if we can do that, we can build a better instrument, we can get more reliable data. We can use that data to make stronger correlations and predictions of human behavior, which I think ultimately will be beneficial to the food industry, especially as we move into these new spaces where, you know, we're looking to provide healthier foods and need them to be just as rewarding as, you know, the old food. So I think it's really an exciting time for sensory science.
John: Yeah, I completely agree. And maybe for our listeners who aren't as familiar with your research. Could you give an example of a project that you've been involved in over the last few years that you think really typifies that the kind of flipping perspective that you've just described this idea of using food to understand people?
Chris: Yeah, I think a couple of different spaces. So I think one of the areas that we're really active in right now is trying to understand the mechanisms that sort of underpin perceptions. So looking at how, you know, right now we have a big focus on texture, which I think is still the Wild West and looking really to see how texture is driven, not from a top-down perspective, which I think is how a lot of research has been done in the past where we manipulate some aspects of the food and then look to see how that changes. You know, use that instrument and look to see how that changes the human perception. But our approach is really sort of different, where we manipulate various aspects of the stimulus and really actually drill down to the mechanisms that underpin those. So what are the mechanoreceptors? What are the various aspects that actually are responsive to these different types of stimuli? Sort of this bottom up approach. I say, you know, another area where I think we're really starting to become active, which I find so fascinating, is this whole area of context. And I think, you know, companies have realized context is important, you know, and I think, you know, it's it's naive to think that companies have not sort of been in the position where they're considering these things. But it's been difficult in the past, and I think it's been expensive, you know, home use tests on premises tests tend to be expensive. You lose a lot of experimental control. Our approach has been to utilize immersive technologies and looked to see how we can manipulate context and sort of twofold. So one is to see can we develop more reliable methods that are more predictive of future choices? You know, consumer choices or liking. But also, it gives us an opportunity just to really to understand the interaction of context with eating behavior and how that changes people's perceptions of the foods. And, you know, when we stick somebody in a booth, we turn on a red light and we isolate them, that's just not how we typically eat. And so I understand why we do that. But if we can incorporate context in a meaningful way, especially in a way that we can actually control how people interact with that context. It really allows for some, I think powerful experimental designs. And I think, you know, for me, I'm not I think I'm not naive to think that immersive technologies is the panacea. You know, it's not going to answer all the questions. And I think, you know, actually, the further we get down into this rabbit hole, the more you know, the more questions we have. You know? I sort of put this in air quotes. We sort of see, you know, typically the similar sorts of responses where we see better product differentiation. We see more reliable data. So what people like today. They like again, you know, two weeks from now when we. Yeah, exactly. More stable. Exactly. But the effect sizes are different, right? Sometimes we see really really powerful effect sizes and sometimes we see, you know, very little, if any. And so I think, you know, trying to understand what scenarios, what products are sort of amenable to contextual influence is really important, because I don't think everything, you know, necessarily has to be tested in a contextually relevant environment. So I think there's just there's a lot of fascinating questions to still be addressed in this space. And for us, you know, it gives us really, I think, differentiating and interesting research directions to pursue.
John: Right. So you set the context properly. You have, generally speaking, more stable results over time. You see differences that you've more clearly than you were in a kind of, well, okay, there's different types of environment. One is just a kind of abstract, kind of anesthetic type environment. But I know some of your research actually is where you've got this lack of congruence. I thought that was very interesting. Your research on looking at manipulating the congruence between different, I think it was in different modalities, if I correctly. Right. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. That the more that the environment that someone is actually experiencing the product and or they giving you responses and the more that's congruent with everything to do with the product. The more stable and the more differentiating the responses are. Is that correct?
Chris: Exactly right. Exactly right. Yep. So when everything aligns, all of the contextual information sort of aligns with the product experience, that's when it really sort of hits with people and if there's some aspects that aren't aligned, then you start to see, you know, a lesser impact of that contextual information. And for me, this is so fascinating because, you know, everybody's experiences are different, right? And so right now, one of the things that we're really interested in is how we can actually personalize contacts. Right? So the way that we've approached it in the past is we record contextual information which we think is relevant. So a coffeehouse scenario for assessing coffees. Right? And so we'll go and we'll record coffee, video and contacts, you know, audio, video aromas and so forth that are consistent with that environment. But, you know, if that's not your coffeehouse or if that's not typically how you consume coffee. If you consume coffee more at home or in your car, then you know, that's probably not a personalized, contextually relevant scenario. And so I think now, you know, there's opportunities to actually collect really personalized contextual information for people as well, have them record their own sort of environments, bring that with them to the laboratory, and then test them in these, you know, scenarios that are very consistent with how they typically evaluate products. And it still allows us to it's almost like bringing the home use test into the laboratory where we still have experimental control.
John: Right. That's right. That's fascinating, Chris, because, I mean, I've seen like for me, when I started to really get into these kinds of new technologies, what I saw was that the technology could help bridge quantitative and qualitative research. That was kind of a there's always been a kind of divide there. But I think when you start to, well, I mean, you already see this already with, say open ends and online research. If you get enough open ends, you can start to sort of approximate what you might get from a focus group, at least kind of in broad-strokes. And you and I have talked about, for example, putting chat bots in the surveys that might be poser, you know, to a conversation. Something other research I've been involved in recently. I've started to talk to my clients about Alexa based surveys, and that's really just on the cutting edge. But the idea is that someone could be sitting at home evaluating product and Alexa's interviewing them. You know, Alexa's asking them questions. And that's as many many advantages to that sort of research because now you've got instead of quant call, which you kind of have is you have it's divide between, okay, you've got scientific rigor and scientific control on one side and then you have kind of ecological validity on the other side.
Chris: Exactly
John: And so now what you're doing and what I think is really exciting is using technology to bridge that gap. To try to bring detail, the scientific rigor together with some sort of ecological validity. So that is super exciting, actually.
Chris: Yeah, I think so too. I think that's really how science advances, right? I mean, the more that you can do to improve the ecological validity of any sort of testing environment or scenario or experimental design, obviously the you know, the better off you are. But, you know, at the same time, in order to do science, you have to maintain scientific rigor. You have to ensure that people are experiencing the same treatments and otherwise it's not science. Right? And so I think that as the technology advances, we can start to do some really interesting things. And I think, you know, as we've talked, as you mentioned as well, sort of this idea of, you know, use of artificial intelligence and some of these, you know, algorithms that allow for processing huge reams of data. Right? I mean, technology is not only advancing as it relates to virtual reality, the ability to, you know, sort of put people into a contextually relevant scenario. But, you know, people are starting to wear devices that are recording biometrics. Right? So we have real time information about people's status. Right? That could easily be fed into these, oh, "easy" in air quotes, right? So ideally, these could be fed into, you know, these engines and you could really start to even start to think about personalizing them. What people need at any given time. Right. So personalizing nutrition, personalizing product development. And I think that just like, you know, even more exciting and I think companies, you know, it's sort of goes against the mantra of a lot of companies. Right? I mean, companies don't want to have to make two million different products. Right? They want to make one product to be able to sell it to you know, two million different people. But, you know, 3D printing, all of these things that are ongoing, right? I mean, we're going to need as technology develops, we're gonna need all of these systems to sort of integrate and be able to sort of talk to each other, speak to each other. I think it just it makes for such an exciting future for the food industry starting to link all of these different components into the product development process and being able to potentially create real time for specific individuals needs at that given point in time. It's fascinating.
John: Yeah. I totally agree especially when you think about all the kind of point of sale, like you think about the Coca-Cola freestyle vending machines. You know, Pepsi, I think PepsiCo has similar technology where the things. Yeah. I mean, I guess it's interesting how privacy concerns start to come into this a little bit, because ideally, you know, if the more you know about the people who you're selling the product to, the more you can personalize the product. Like, it's a nice idea. If you've got, say, a freestyle vending machine beside a gym, maybe it's going to offer more water options or it's going to offer, you know, options that are based on the location of the machine. What the machine is offering can be tailored somewhat. The ideal scenario, I mean, you see this in China, for example, the KFC is in China are using facial recognition in the screens. People come up to order. And I'm not sure if opting in is even necessarily an option. You just are recognized by the machine. Yeah. Yeah, definitely. If you're part of their loyalty program, then for sure this happens. I'm not sure if it's generically happens. It's possible it just generically happens. But if you are in their loyalty program for KFC in China, the screen that you see is customized for you when you go to order. And over time, it will learn your behaviors and it will learn for better for worse what to upset you on. So they have increased sales and actually increased loyalty. Because you think about it, there's a bit of a data out there. If you know that a restaurant knows you well, just like if you have a regular restaurant, you attend you go the same place for dinner once a week. You go and you say, I'll have the regular, I'll have the usual. Whatever the bartender needs you they can offer you a drink. Now they're starting to get provided at scale at these large restaurants. And there's also a benefit where if KFC knows you and they know what you like, you can go to any KFC anywhere and they're gonna know what you like. Right. They're going to offer you. Or maybe they'll have suggestions. They'll say, "Hey, have you thought about this?" This you know recommenders say that right? So I think that is very interesting. And I think that it just shows a dynamic there between privacy which of course.
Chris: Right. Which is interesting. Yeah. Because I have colleagues and friends and family who, you know, Facebook will put up information that is consistent with things that they Google searched or whatever. Right? Or these various recommender systems that provide, you know, how you looked at this. You might like this. I love those things. Right? I love it. I love it. It just takes one thing out of my, you know, the thing that I have to decide upon. Right? So but I do. Everybody does like it. And so it will be an interesting dynamic. But I think, you know, for companies to be successful at it, they need to I think, really provide, you know, use that information in a way that provides meaningful choices to people that really do have impact, right, that have functionality that the consumer, the person, you know, responds to in a meaningful way.
John: Right. Right. Yeah. I mean, for example, it can be good. Like Microsoft, I think had some demo at this I think it was in London. There was an AI conference and they had ice cream flavors where their software, based on your mood, it would detect your mood and then recommend ice cream flavors to you based on your mood. That was the idea. Right. So, I mean, that's where this stuff is going. You go up in the machine, got this person looks like they're you know, they measure whether your face is flushed or they could really use water right now or would you like that. Whatever pushing things. I mean it is it is very exciting time. So. All right, Chris. Well, maybe we can talk now a little bit about some of the other kind of branches of your research. So what are the areas that you're working on right now? Like, what are the kind of going forward? What are the interesting topics for you when it comes to bringing new technology.
Chris: So I very much embrace the idea that, you know, we need to identify and involve technologies that are necessarily outside of our field, right? So we do a lot of work with a variety of different biometric types of tools. Psychophysiology tools to not only try to understand implicit measures, but also sort of to try to understand kind of just that consumer response to a variety of different stimuli. We're doing a lot of stuff. In actually two big areas as it relates to kind of what I call the hedonic bucket. But so in addition to this context piece in the virtual reality. One of the things that we've also noticed is when people come into one of these immersive environments, they're more engaged, right? So part of that response or part of that improved data quality, if you will, maybe just because we have a more engaged panels, right? Somebody who's more engaged is more likely to give higher quality data. So we really got interested in engagement. I have a graduate student who sense some really really good work on trying to really pinned down engagement and understand what are the various factors that contribute to it. So we've now developed we're in the process of revising the initial submission, which will hopefully be published soon. But basically an engagement questionnaire that will allow us to really start to understand how people's level of engagement changes under different conditions. Right? And so our goal then is to take this and use this as an instrument then to evaluate other types of manipulation. So I have another graduate student who's starting to look into gamification and utilizing gamification elements. And are there ways that we can improve the quality of testing, making it more engaging by improving, you know, by including some of these engagement, not engagement with these gamification elements? Right?And again, it's a spaces tangential to where we've traditionally been. You know, we're a sensory scientist. We're really good at making surveys and asking, you know, questions that people respond to. Gamification requires skill set that's I certainly don't have, you know, and so finding graduate students with that background in that interest has been something that I've really worked hard to do. So bringing in a lot of that expertise, that's sort of tangential. Another big area that we're also interested in is this idea of reward. And, you know, again, when we typically ask in our in our hedonic test, we ask willingness to pay, we ask, but it's typically liking. Right? I mean, generally we use nine point hedonic scale and we assess liking. And, you know, over the last 10 to 20 years, at least in the neurobiology space, we've started to really realize that, you know, liking is just one aspect of the reward complex. So when you look and if you break it down and there's different, different neural pathways that actually process these different components. And so there's a wanting aspect, right? That that motivation, that in a salience actually get that reward. Right? Then there's the liking, which is experiential. Right? So you like it once you've experienced it. Right? And then there's the satisfaction, which is sort of that third component, which is sort of comparing the experience to the expectation. And then that's ultimately we think that's what's being consolidated into memory, which is then driving that next, you know, that next choice. And so we're really looking at so we're utilizing some of these psychophysiological measurements where we're designing tests to really be able to measure these different types of these different elements of the reward complex with the belief that if we can understand and if we can measure these different things differently, then we may be able to use those to optimize products in a different way. Personally, I really believe, you know, wanting as much is likely going to be a much better predictor of future product choice. Right? So if you're really motivated to get something to buy a product, right? That's going to be a much better predictor. It's not as easy as just asking somebody how much you want it. Right? It's actually easy to do with a rat you put it on a treadmill on and see how long will it run to get a reward. Right? We're humans, that's what I love about working with humans. Exactly. See how hard to run. I'll get a drop of grape juice. But, you know, I think there's some really interesting things in that space. And so if we can sort of decomp bullet that reward complex and have different ways of measuring those different components, I think we may be able to sort of tap into something that's potentially more predictive of, you know, future human behavior.
John: And have you done in your research, have you looked at the actual purchase behavior of your subjects? Is that something you have access to? I do think that's a little bit of the missing piece, a lot of the time for us that we dont really know that level of information about our subjects.
Chris: You're absolutely right. And it's not something that I have done in my research. So even when I was with Givaudan, it was some things that we had questions, stupid as a supplier. You know, we had information on sales of flavors and so forth, but not, you know, ultimately product sales that, you know, consumers were purchasing. So I think I agree with you hundred percent. I think if you if we can tap into those sorts of databases of information that would be extremely useful to start making those connections. And, you know, there's obviously companies have a lot of those, you know, Krogers of the World and so forth. Right? They have that information.
John: Right. Amazon is increasingly getting into making you know, kind of CPG type products like they've launched the gem in the UK. You know. Yeah. So it is interesting if they have panelist's they actually have all the sales data from the very panelist's.
Chris: Exactly. I mean, that that's the holy grail, quite honestly, right? If you can actually link behavior to some of these other metrics, I think it's really really powerful.
John: Okay. Alright, we have a five minutes left here so that the time we have left, maybe we can just have you talk about it. What do you see as being the likely? So you've talked about looking at alternate measures of kind of these alternate psychological dimensions other than liking like wanting your satisfaction. In the next five years, what do you see as being like the most fruitful areas research within sensory science?
Chris: Well, that's a good question. So if I can't choose my own areas?
John: We can say your own, looking around, I mean, assuming that the robots haven't taken over.
Chris: Exactly. So I think I think data analytics is going to be huge. I really do. I think there's lots of data out there. And I think data analytics is going to be a huge component of that. I think it's going to require artificial intelligence. I think those are going to sort of be married together to sort of start looking at a behavior and predictive models.
John: Learning different sources of data.
Chris: Exactly. Exactly. Yep. I still think. You know, the next five years, I think this idea of immersive technologies is still going to continue to grow. I think companies have started to become interested in this idea. It's relatively inexpensive compared to, you know, what it was, you know, 20 years ago when you had to build a cave and, you know, have all of the specific, you know, high powerful computers and so forth. So, you know, I think that it's relatively, I don't wanna call it low-hanging fruit, because I think there's still a lot of questions, and that's honestly that's one of my fears, is that, you know. A lot of companies started to offer services and so forth, offering, you know, immersive technologies as a way of collecting data. And I think that's great because I think that it sort of shows this belief in this direction, but I think there's also there's you know, there's a lot of ways to do things poorly and then say, "Oh, you know what? It doesn't work." So why are we spending our money on this? Right? And that's one of my big fears, is because I think this area is so important. Context is so important. And even in our own hands, right? We'll do studies where the effects aren't what we thought or are small or whatever. And so we just really don't understand. And I you know, it would be easy to say, "Oh, well, you know, these effects are the same as if we just tested in a booth. Let's just test in the booth." You know, yeah, in that particular case. But, you know, in so many other cases and if we really understand how context is influencing, you know, what's the mechanism by which context is exerting its influence, then I think that we have a much better platform upon which we can start to offer these these types of services. But I'm happy to see that, you know, companies and industry is interested in starting to embrace it, because I do think it provides some unique opportunities to do some testing and, you know, more ecologically relevant and in valid ways.
John: Yeah, it's good, Chris. I mean, what I really like about what I'm hearing talking to you is that it seems like the science is really driving things and you want to use technology to advance the science.
Chris: Absolutely.
John: And it reminds me when I talked last week with Michelle Niedziela at HCD Research is the same thing. She's really interested in the science. And yes, we have these tools, but we don't want to do cool things just because we can do cool thing. We want to make scientific progress and be aware of the tools and bring them into our science. So it's really, yeah, I admire that about your research.
Chris: I appreciate. Thanks.
John: Yeah. Okay, great. So where can people find you? What would be the right kind of venues on social media or on the internet? Well, how would people get in touch with you especially to someone who wants to be a graduate student in your lab.
Chris: We're always looking for good graduate students and not only food science graduate, students too, which is I think an important element, right? So they can always reach me at OSU. So we have faculty pages on the food science website. We have a personal lab page as well, I think it's Simon's lab at OSU. And then, of course, people can always email me if they have questions as well. I am much to my wife and my students Instagram. I don't use social media as much as I should, so I don't have a presence.
John: Probably healthier. LinkedIn is fairly safe, I think.
Chris: Yeah. And I do use LinkedIn. That's a good point. Right.
John: As long as you really, you know, curate your feed pretty carefully.
Chris: Yeah. I have a good colleague at school who was telling me he knows Twitter is her way of communicating with her students because that's what they that's what they respond to. And it's easy to tweet and it's easy to, you know, get that information out there in a meaningful way. I know. Maybe I'm old.
John: No, it's all right. You really doing cutting edge. You're a model for all of us, Chris.
Chris: Thanks
John: Okay. Well, this has been great. So thank you so much, Chris, for being on the show. We'll put all the links on our website so people can find you that way. And anything else you want to say before you wrap it up?
Chris: Yeah. I just I appreciate the opportunity to talk and congratulations on the on the new baby.
John: Oh, thank you. Yes. Everyone that's out there, we just have a two-week old baby girl right now.
Chris: For the fact that you're actually hosting this podcast is impressive in and of itself.
John: Okay. Alright. Well, bye everybody and we'll see you next time. And thanks again, Chris.
Chris: Thank you.
John: Okay. That's it for this week. I hope enjoyed this conversation. And, if you did, please remember to subscribe and to leave us a positive review. Thanks.
Gern Huijberts - Stay Curious
Vanessa Rios de Souza - Be Open
Ruth Brown - Beware the Jingle Jangle


text:
using System;
using BEPUphysics.Constraints.TwoEntity.Joints;
using BEPUutilities;

namespace BEPUphysics.Constraints.TwoEntity.JointLimits
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Superclass of constraints which have a limited area of free movement.
    /// </summary>
    public abstract class JointLimit : Joint
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Minimum velocity necessary for a bounce to occur at a joint limit.
        /// </summary>
        protected float bounceVelocityThreshold = 1;

        /// <summary>
        /// Bounciness of this joint limit.  0 is completely inelastic; 1 is completely elastic.
        /// </summary>
        protected float bounciness;

        protected bool isLimitActive;

        /// <summary>
        /// Small area that the constraint can be violated without applying position correction.  Helps avoid jitter.
        /// </summary>
        protected float margin = 0.005f;

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the minimum velocity necessary for a bounce to occur at a joint limit.
        /// </summary>
        public float BounceVelocityThreshold
        {
            get { return bounceVelocityThreshold; }
            set { bounceVelocityThreshold = Math.Max(0, value); }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the bounciness of this joint limit.  0 is completely inelastic; 1 is completely elastic.
        /// </summary>
        public float Bounciness
        {
            get { return bounciness; }
            set { bounciness = MathHelper.Clamp(value, 0, 1); }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets whether or not the limit is currently exceeded.  While violated, the constraint will apply impulses in an attempt to stop further violation and to correct any current error.
        /// This is true whenever the limit is touched.
        /// </summary>
        public bool IsLimitExceeded
        {
            get { return isLimitActive; }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Gets or sets the small area that the constraint can be violated without applying position correction.  Helps avoid jitter.
        /// </summary>
        public float Margin
        {
            get { return margin; }
            set { margin = MathHelper.Max(value, 0); }
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Computes the bounce velocity for this limit.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="impactVelocity">Velocity of the impact on the limit.</param>
        /// <returns>The resulting bounce velocity of the impact.</returns>
        protected float ComputeBounceVelocity(float impactVelocity)
        {
            var lowThreshold = bounceVelocityThreshold * 0.3f;
            var velocityFraction = MathHelper.Clamp((impactVelocity - lowThreshold) / (bounceVelocityThreshold - lowThreshold + Toolbox.Epsilon), 0, 1);
            return velocityFraction * impactVelocity * Bounciness;
        }

    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


There are a few decisions you'll have to make when having new house siding installed, and choosing a contractor is arguably the most important one. Siding needs to be installed properly in order to perform as intended, and a poor installation could cause the siding to fail prematurely. Because of this, it's crucial to select a well-established and trusted contractor for your siding installation project. For Kansas City homeowners, that contractor is Continental Siding Supply.
We can't wait to help you update your home. Contact Continental Siding Supply today to learn more about the polymer, vinyl, and other types of house siding that we install, and to schedule a free consultation. Or, stop by one of our showrooms to browse samples and meet with a siding expert. CALL NOW to get started! Remember to ask about financing, which we offer to all of our customers, even if a different siding installation company has turned you down.


In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard and molasses; season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil in a thin stream, whisking until emulsified.
In a large bowl, toss the greens and mangoes with two-thirds of the dressing. Transfer the salad to a platter and top with the ham. Drizzle the remaining dressing over the ham and serve.