Daily Archives: May 2, 2023

More than three decades ago, Thomas Johnson demonstrated that modifying a single gene called age-1 increased the lifespan of C. elegans worms by up to 60%. Despite the enormous evolutionary distance that separates us from these creatures, useful mechanisms for survival jump from branch to branch of the tree of life theyre conserved in the genomes of many species, including humans. What works on a worm or a mouse or even on a species of yeast need not work on us as well. But the results stemming from manipulating the life expectancy of these remote relatives encourages the search for genetic modifications.

Three years ago, a group of researchers from the University of California at San Diego (UCSD) found an essential mechanism in the aging process of a unicellular fungus that has been with us since the beginning of civilization. The species of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae with which bread, beer and wine is made follows one of two directions on its way to death. Half of its cells age when their DNA loses stability; the other half, with the deterioration of the mitochondria, a structure that provides energy to the cell.

The same UCSD researchers led by Nan Hao have now published an article in the academic journal Science. They explain how they have created a kind of switch that by manipulating two regulators of gene activity reverses cell aging. From DNA to mitochondria decay, a brewer uses a mechanism to keep yeast cells in balance. In a way similar to that of a thermostat where when a higher temperature is reached the refrigerator amps up and when a lower temperature is reached, a heating system kicks in synthetic biology is being applied to introduce a similar system. With what is known as a genetic oscillator, cells change the way they age when they have gone too far in one of two directions. With this game of balances, the scientists have prolonged the existence of the yeast by up to 80% a new world record in biology. The researchers suggest that this type of oscillator could also serve to slow down the path to death that begins every time a cell appears within the human body.

The authors intend to identify the regulatory genetic circuits [beneath] aging in various types of human cells and apply this engineering strategy to modify them and slow down their aging, explains Nan Hao, lead author of the study and co-director of the Institute of Synthetic Biology at UCSD. If it works, well try to do the same thing in cells inside living animals, like mice, he adds.

Hao acknowledges that genetic engineering requires more time in human cells and the circuits that regulate genes are often more complicated. Well need more time and resources to test these ideas and strategies, but I dont think theres anything fundamental that prevents us from doing it, he concludes.

Carlos Lpez Otn a researcher at the University of Oviedo (Spain) and an expert in aging recognizes the value of the study by these researchers who, like others before them, have used simple models to try to understand the colossal and fascinating complexity of life.

It may seem strange that, from a single-celled organism, we can learn lessons about the effect of time on our bodies made up of many trillions of cells. But we shouldnt forget a legendary line from the great Jacques Monod (Nobel Laureate in Medicine) for discovering the first keys to gene regulation in bacteria: What is valid for a bacterium is also valid for an elephant. [That being said], its extrapolation to human cells and our daily lives still seems far away.

This could contribute to improving our health something that seems to be a more sensible and affordable goal than aspiring to improbable dreams of immortality

Unicellular organisms [like the yeast used in this experiment] are naturally selfish: their main objective is to divide. The dream of a bacterium or a yeast is to create others just like them, Lpez Otn explains. This cellular selfishness is a purpose that our altruistic and supportive cells reject and only adopt it if by accumulating molecular damage they transform and become tumorous.

For this reason, in humans, its not enough to prevent cells from aging at all costs and to extend longevity. The price of these strategies so publicized and longed for by some can be the development of serious pathologies, including malignant tumors, capable of reducing human longevity considerably, Lpez Otn cautions.

For the scientist, the question that arises from these results is: if evolution could have created an oscillator similar to the one created by these authors by modifying only two genes, why hasnt this happened since the appearance of life more than 3.5 billion years ago?

In order to understand the reason for this gap while also understanding the costs of extending longevity Lpez Otn proposes carrying out an experiment in which yeasts carrying the modified genes are allowed to compete with the corresponding normal yeasts to analyze if any of the [modified] strains [influence the untouched ones] over time under different conditions. In addition, he proposes creating other types of oscillators, not to unnecessarily extend longevity, but in an effort to maintain homeostasis our essential internal balance. This could contribute to improving our health something that seems to be a more sensible and affordable goal than aspiring to improbable dreams of immortality, he concludes.

For Jordi Garca Ojalvo a researcher at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona and a collaborator of Michael Elowitz, creator of the first synthetic genetic oscillator he believes that beyond the applications that the results of this study may have [many years from now], the interesting thing is that it shows how synthetic biology can be used to understand how organisms work and how they age. It helps us push the limits of that knowledge.

Aging in human cells or in a whole organism is very complicated. But all cells on Earth have 20 amino acids and the same four nucleic acids, he adds. What we learn from these cells may be useful to search for applications.

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The keys to longevity are hidden in the microbes that give us beer and wine - EL PAS USA

GM Ding Liren is the new world champion after beating GM Ian Nepomniachtchi in the final rapid tiebreak game of the 2023 FIDE World Championship. Following a 7-7 tie in a thrilling 14-game classical match, it all came down to the final rapid game, which Ding won with Black in sensational style. GM Magnus Carlsen's reign is no more. For the first time since 2013, the torch has been passed to Ding, the 17th world champion.

Aside from claiming the title of world champion, Ding will receive 1.1 million for his victory while Nepomniachtchi will receive 900,000.

How to watch the 2023 FIDE World Championship

Tears of joy and a rare outpouring of emotion from Ding were the first scenes coming out of the St. Regis Hotel in the moments after Nepomniachtchi had resigned in the fourth and final rapid tiebreaker in Astana. With his head in his hands, the realization and relief hit Ding all at once. The scene recalls what Ding had said in 2019: The meaning of life should be in those special, sparkling moments.

The meaning of life should be in those special, sparkling moments.

Ding Liren in 2019

"I feel that this was the match that reflects the deepest part of my soul," Ding said at the press conference after dedicating the victory to his friends, mother, and grandfather. With this victory, Ding becomes the first-ever classical world champion from China, also the home of Women's World Chess Champion GM Ju Wenjun.

With the scores locked at 1.5-1.5 in a match that White had statistically dominated overall (five wins for White and one for Black in the first 17 games), very few people expected that Ding would look to press with Black in the final game.

The Anti-Marshall was the arena for the 18th game. After finding success with the opening in earlier games where he had, in his own words, "had every chance," Nepomniachtchi declared his intent to play for a win with the unusual 13.Bb1.

As the middlegame progressed, both players made decisions that implied that they were playing for a win. Ding would later state: "The white pieces are not always the advantage."

As the position opened up, Nepomniachtchi's bishop pair began to look ominous, and many viewers began to write Ding off. During this time, Chess.com viewership across all platforms peaked at 441,000 viewers, almost doubling the average viewership of the broadcast which had been 220,000. Both numbers are records for the website.

With the chess world waiting with bated breath, Nepomniachtchi soon played an inaccuracy, 35.Ra1?, which brought the position back to equal, although the position still looked easier for Nepomniachtchi. "It was hard to imagine I could lose" were the self-admitted thoughts of the Candidates winner about this moment, and most viewers probably anticipated that it was a two-result match.

Both Caruana and Hess were alert to the fact that Ding's best remaining chance was to play into an ending where the a-pawn could become dangerous, and it seemed that Ding had the same intuitive feeling.

Then, the unexpected happened. With two minutes and 30 seconds left on the clock, Ding played the brilliant 42... Qe2!!, a move that Caruana suggested: "Nepo might have missed." The move, which left Ding's bishop en prise with a dangerous threat of a king and rook fork, shifted the momentum.

Nepomniachtchi briskly offered a draw by repetition with checks on the light squares, and the game appeared to be heading this way before Ding played the astonishing 46...Rg6. In what can only be described as a chess coach's nightmare, the now-world champion's idea to play for a win was to pin his second strongest piece to his king! "I felt my king was safer on h7," was Ding's nonchalant reasoning for a move that would later be identified as the catalyst for victory.

By the time Ding played 47...c4, Nepomniachtchi already knew that he was in trouble: "In the fourth game, I had to play more accurately. After the move c4, I had little time, and it was difficult." Part of this anxiety may have resulted from his opponent's clinical displays of endgame technique so far in the match.

GM Rafael Leitaokindly provides his annotations of the decisive fourth game as well as the others below.

In a style that will now become synonymous with his reign as the 17th world champion, Ding rolled his pawns up the board to victory. A shake of hands on the 68th move signaled the end of an extraordinary match that nearly needed blitz tiebreaks to split the players for the first time in chess history.

Congratulatory messages poured in from chess greats of all generations, although Ding would have likely felt most fulfilled getting the nod from the former world champion GM Magnus Carlsen, who tweeted: "Self-pinning for immortality. Congrats Ding!!"highlighting Ding's ambitious 46...Rg6, which consequently helped him win the crown.

For those interested in the three games that led to the final showdown, they were full of excitement and huge moments as well. Ding opened the tiebreaks with 1.d4, an opportunity for redemption after his game 14 spiraled out of control. In a return to his roots, a Catalan structure soon appeared on the board, and Caruana announced: "Ding was definitely dictating the result of the opening."

Nepomniachtchi played in his usual style, moving both quickly and actively, and neither player shied away from middlegame complications when they arose. Zwischenzug was a central theme for both players in the first game as they wrestled for the initiative.

The most exciting moment of the game came after Nepomniachtchi's 25...axb6!!, an "advanced Botez Gambit," in the words of Caruana, that forced liquidation and, consequently, a draw by repetition after 35 moves.

Speaking about the result, Caruana expressed: "Ian can be very happy after a dangerous opening," while Hess was more upbeat about Nepomniachtchi's courageous effort during the game, quoting Ernest Hemingway: "Courage is grace under pressure."

The Anti-Marshall was Nepomniachtchi's choice in game two, and the decision to play this opening was made with the knowledge that he had found small edges in both games 11 and 13 with the same setup. Like in the 11th game, Nepomniachtchi tried to coax Ding into playing with a b5-c5 setup and gain access to the d5-square, but Ding showed his own hand, changing the dynamics of the position with 11.bxa4.

As the position progressed, Nepomniachtchi earned the right to attack, courtesy of Black's ruptured pawn structure. Hess boldly claimed that there was a distinct "opening advantage for Nepomniachtchi," but Ding once again proved his mettle with clinical defense, exchanging into a drawn rook and pawn ending and keeping the scores level.

Nepomniachtchi, later ruing missed chances in this game, stated: "The key moment was in the second game, I had more chances to win but didn't realize it."

Sachdev highlighted the third rapid game as "the most peaceful," and it turned out to be the calm before the storm. In his last game with the white pieces in the four rapid games, Ding played 1.Nf3 for the first time in the world championship. The Chinese GM's double-fianchetto setup was easily tamed by Nepomniachtchi, and pieces began to fly off the board.

On move 21, a small moment of tension appeared when the commentators realized that Black would have to play a pawn down in a rook and bishop ending. Nepomniachtchi, who had confidently paced around the room for the majority of the game, saw no issues with the position and proved that White's advantage was superfluous. He eventually forced a rook swap that left the players hurrying toward a repetition.

After the fateful deciding game and being freed from the shackles that prevented them from sharing information about their preparation and teams, Nepomniachtchi would reveal that his team included none other than former world champion GM Vladimir Kramnik as well a "big team" in support that included GMs Maxim Matlakov, Ildar Khairullin, and Nikita Vitiugov.

Ding's second was slightly more obvious. His partner in crime, GM Richard Rapport, posed with friends, family, and fans after the historic win.

When asked about how he would celebrate the victory, Ding mentioned that he would "like to travel" in his spare time. As far as spare time goes, there will be little rest for the champion after this event. In four days, he will begin playing in the Grand Chess Tour in Bucharest, Romania, joined by Nepomniachtchi, Rapport, and other top GMs.

As this tournament wraps up and the cycle begins again, several questions come to mind. How long will Ding hold the most coveted title in chess? Will Carlsen challenge him in the next cycle? Regardless of the answers, this is certain: Chess has never been more alive than now, and the 2023 FIDE World Championship was an absolute testament to the excitement that chess can provide.

In the words of GM Anatoly Karpov: "Chess is everything: art, science, and sport."

You can watch video recaps of the FIDE World Championship in our playlist below (click here).

Match Score (Tiebreaker)

Match Score (Classical)

The 2023 FIDE World Championship has been the most important over-the-board classical event of the year and has decided the next world champion. Nepomniachtchi and Ding played a match to decide who takes over Carlsen's throne when the former world champion abdicated his title. The match had a 2 million prize fund and was played over 14 classical and four rapid tiebreak games.

Previous Coverage

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Ding Liren Wins 2023 FIDE World Championship In Rapid Tiebreaks - Chess.com

Tulisha srivastava

Published: 2023-04-28T15:33:23

Updated: 2023-04-28T15:33:31

Shinsenkyo, an unknown island with a thousand-year history, traverses the boundary between hell and paradise. Heres how the fantastical world of Shinsenkyo came to be.

Hells Paradise is an ongoing Shonen anime series with dark and gory themes. Based on the manga of the same name, the series follows Gabimaru the Hollow, an elite shinobi assassin. Gabimaru is charged with the death penalty for killing countless people. He can only be pardoned from his crimes by searching for the Elixir of Life.

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However, the elixir is said to be on a mystical island called Kotaku, more commonly known as Shinsenkyo. Some also call it paradise or even the underworld. It is an island located far beyond the Ryukyu Kingdom in the southwest seas. The beauty of the island captivates the numerous criminals and Asaemon that visit it in search of the elixir.

Gabimaru is the only one who notices how bizarre and unsettling this location is. The island is no utopia because everyone who visits either dies or returns with a strange illness. Mysterious monsters and immortal entities inhabit this place. Delve deeper to find out about the history of Shinsenkyo in Hells Paradise.

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Over a thousand years ago, Jofuku, a subject of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, set out to the sea to retrieve the legendary Elixir of Life. However, his quest came to an end when he made landfall on the island. Gofuku declared himself to be the ruler of Shinsenkyo and spent his entire life researching the secrets to immortality.

He was a Buddhist priest, but he tried to unlock the secrets to immortality by following the principles of Taoism. He experimented with Tao and created abnormal creatures that later came to be known as the monsters of Kotaku. However, Jofuku wasnt alone in this ordeal.

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He had people accompanying them, who were converted into a race known as the Hoko. They became a race of immortals that resided in Shinsenkyo. However, he began to suffer from Arborification at some time and was taken care of by his wife, Rien, till his death at a very old age.

Rien got severely depressed at her husbands death and determined to revive him. She vowed to complete Jofukus research in developing the Elixir of Life and created the seven lifeforms who became Kotakus new rulers, Lord Tensen. Rien even started sacrificing the lives of Hoko for her research.

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After 200 years, the research didnt progress, but the Hoko began to reach the verge of extinction from undergoing Arborification. Concerned about losing their source of nutrition, the members of Lord Tensen formulated the plan of acquiring humans from the mainland to serve as replacements. Their plot eventually succeeded when they attacked the first human party on the island.

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Lord Tensen discovered how valuable the human races Tao was. This is how the members of Lord Tensen managed to create the prototype elixir known as Tan from the humans. The humans that arrived on the island were also forcibly transformed into Lord Tensens loyal followers and taught the teachings of Tao.

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At some point, humans were convinced that Kotaku was the legendary region known as Shinsenkyo and that it was home to the Sennin as well as the legendary Elixir of Life. Because of this story, many humans have travelled to the island hoping to retrieve the elixir. As a result, the humans would always perish at the hands of the islands creatures or Lord Tensen.

Hells Paradise can currently be streamed onCrunchyroll. In the meantime, check out our other TV hubs below:

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Attack on Titan Season 4 Part 3|Bleach Thousand Year Blood War Part 2|Chainsaw Man Season 2|BRZRKR movie|Jigokuraku Hells Paradise|Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2|Sonic the Hedgehog 3|Invincible Season 2

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Hells Paradise: The history of Shinsenkyo explained - Dexerto

In Living+ we finally see an often ignored part of the Waystar Royco empire: the movie studio. Waystar Studios have often served as the butt of the Roy familys jokes, a graveyard for unimportant family members (sorry Amir) or as a dinosaur in Waystars catalog of brands and businesses. But in Successions final season we are finding out whats going on out West and what happens when the belief in intellectual property is left to fester.

The most common joke at the studios expense is its use as a content factory. Its responsible for producing the iconic character Dodrick, the hit hibernating-robot franchise Calypsotron, and of course the loveable family comedy The Biggest Turkey in the World. In Season 1 we learn that Roman used to be more involved with the studios, but left due to their transition into making content slop above art. Maybe Waystar Studios once made great movies, but have no sense of that history.

At one point in Living+ Roman is seen being driven through the Waystar Studios backlot filled with cameras and green screens. The look of utter disdain on Kieran Culkins face is palpable. The studios are a rotting corpse of creating nonsense entertainment to fulfill the bottom line. Every time the studios come up its a joke. The general public presumably loves Dodrick, but we only see him through the lens of Greg throwing up in his mascot suit or Lukas making a poor taste Holocaust joke at Dodricks expense.

One of Successions most striking throughlines is how it depicts what the uber-rich do for fun. The Roys and the people they associate with do not have the same entertainment we do. We see the different ways they play games. Theres the Monopoly game in the Season 3 finale that pokes fun at the flimsy rules that are easily by-passed (several characters cheat throughout the game). Theres also the infamous Boar on the Floor, a game without rules that acts to demean and intimidate. The show even begins with a casual baseball game that humiliates a young boy who fails to win a million dollars by hitting a home run. Entertainment is found by poking fun at the existence of rules, showing that they can be bent to the whims of the rich in order to see just how far people can devolve.

The only time entertainment-as-art is truly shown in Succession is during Willas play in Season 2. It was her great artistic pursuit that ended with horrible reviews and Greg getting bitten by sand fleas. Succession posits that creating true art is a fools errand. Treasured paintings are bought for tax write-offs, and putting your soul into something is worthless if youre still working within the field of entertainment.

What Living+ solidifies across all of Waystars endeavors is said simply by Roman. When studio head Joy voices her concern about ATNs coverage of the fascist-leaning political candidate Jeryd Mencken, Roman replies Menckens IP. Same as everything. For mega-corporations like Waystar Royco, politics and movies both act as different branches of the content factory.

Succession utilizes a birds eye view of the corporate entertainment landscape to dissect how muddled the waters actually are. Hearing Kendall and Roman talk about the talking points for the investors meeting would give anyone engrossed in the world of new media deja vu. Building franchises, boosting intellectual property, consolidating brands it sounds like the writers are taking lines straight out of WarnerBros. Discoverys own shareholders meeting (I half expected to see a Venn diagram that divided Waystars brands between male-skewing and female-skewing).

Living+ takes Successions philosophies about the richs approach to entertainment and pushes it to its illogical Big Tech next step: letting you live in IP. Kendalls description of Living+ sounded like it was ripped straight from a Black Mirror episode: a world where content infects every part of your life. The project is reminiscent of Disneys residential communities, specifically the newly announced Storyliving. Disney promises that you never have to leave the comfort of their world. Living+ clarifies that as a luxury experience that allows your life to become overrun with brand tie-ins.

Kendalls big pitch for Living+ is Successions biggest skewering of capitalism yet: the promise of living forever. Living+ residents will get to access life-extending medical trials and drugs before anyone else. If Succession wasnt harsh enough on the media landscape before, roping Big Pharma in seals its entire corporate philosophy together.

The announcement of Living+ during the studio-centric episode is incredibly purposeful. The IP factory is used to house the next big sell: immortality. Immortality is only offered by living in Waystars pool of IP. The corporate mindset turns IP into the closest anyone can actually come to immortality. The worthless dribble can achieve what even Logan Roy could not.

One of the standout parts of Episode 6 was when Shiv and Tom were talking in the bedroom about Toms betrayal. He displays a frankness hardly seen in the show, saying simply that he likes having money and he doesnt want to lose it. The Roy kids have so much money they forget its there, they start looking beyond into other ways they can inflict their power on the world. But Season 4 sees the kids finally face the one thing they cant buy their way around: confronting mortality. In the wasteland of the studios you pull yourself up with the trash, buoyed by Big Tech evaluations and promises of something more powerful than a product. But all a company knows how to do is produce; products are all its capable of.

As Succession enters the back half of Season 4 the kids are trying to grasp at forever through the language and strategies of corporate nonsense. The studios produce garbage, so you integrate that garbage with all the other junk the company makes. Fighting immortality is the only game left for the uber-rich to play. And when you can buy the world, you can only think of everything as property.

Succession airs Sunday nights on HBO and HBO Max.

Leila Jordan is a writer and former jigsaw puzzle world record holder. Her work has appeared in Paste Magazine, Gold Derby, FOX Digital, The Spool, and Awards Radar. To talk about all things movies, TV, and useless trivia you can find her @galaxyleila

For all the latest TV news, reviews, lists and features, follow @Paste_TV.

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For Succession, Everything Is IP - Paste Magazine

Canon U.S.A. Supports 18th Annual Japan Center Essay Competition at Stony Brook University

Melville, NY, May 02, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Demonstrating its commitment to empowering students and supporting education, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions,proudly sponsored and participated in the 18thAnnual Japan Center Essay Competition Awards Ceremony on Saturday, April 29 th , at Stony Brook University.

The essay competition, organized by the Japan Center at Stony Brook, honors students for work that demonstrates their awareness and understanding of the Japanese culture. The program encourages students to think creatively and critically about their lives in relating experiences to aspects of Japanese culture to help broaden horizons and promote global citizenship through the thought-provoking essays.

"The essay competition provides students with an opportunity to develop a better understanding of cultural activities related to Japan, and we are proud to partner with Canon U.S.A. on this endeavor," said Dr. Iwao Ojima, the President of Japan Center at Stony Brook University. The students wrote powerful compositions and we congratulate them for their great work."

Two hundred and six high school and college students submitted essays for the competition. Contestants were asked to write about one or more aspects of Japan including art, culture, tradition, values, philosophy, history, society, politics, business, and technology in relation to their personal views, experiences, and/or future goals. A panel of Stony Brook faculty judges selected four winners, who received awards including a Canon camera.

High School Division Best Essay Award

1st Place Best Essay Award and Consul General of Japan Special Award

Japan: Unlikely Gateway to My Educational Future by Aidan Sargent (West Hempstead High School)

2nd Place Best Essay Award

Hope Takes Flight by Keya Annam (Stuyvesant High School)

3rd Place Best Essay Award

Sakura: The Essence of Immortality by Nicola Hsu (Millennium High School)

Uchida Memorial Award

Memoirs of a Bento Box by Kaytie Tanoue (Stony Brook University)

Canon U.S.A., Inc. and the Japan Center at Stony Brook University have a longstanding partnership, which began in 2005 with former president and chief executive officer of Canon U.S.A., Inc., the late Mr. Kinya Uchida. This was the annual events first in-person ceremony since 2019, having been held virtually for the past 3 years. Attendees included the award-winning students, and representatives from the Japan Center at Stony Brook, Canon U.S.A., Inc., and Consulate General of Japan in New York. Each winner took to the stage and read their essay to the audience. Junichi Furuyama, senior vice president and general manager, Finance and Accounting, Canon U.S.A., Inc., spoke at the awards ceremony and congratulated the winners.

As I read each essay, I was very impressed by the students work, said Furuyama. It is important for all of us to understand and appreciate the differences in the various cultures around the world. Developing a mutual understanding is not always easy, but it is worth the effort. That is why this essay contest is so valuable.

For a list of winners, finalists, and semifinalists, you can visit the Japan Centers website . Award-winning essays will be posted in early May.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions to the United States and to Latin America and the Caribbean markets. With approximately $30.3 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), as of 2022 has ranked in the top-five overall in U.S. patents granted for 37 consecutive years . Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To learn more about Canon, visit us at http://www.usa.canon.com and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA .

# # #

Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

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Canon U.S.A. Supports 18th Annual Japan Center Essay ... - InvestorsObserver

Commentary by Steven A. Smith

It was a lovely memorial service if there can be such a thing.

The church building was relatively new. The sanctuary was clean and modern, the seats comfortable.

And for the 100 or so in attendance, the service was moving, brief but powerful.

My dear friend, Ellen, died in December 2021. Hers was a long fight with cancer. She survived far longer than doctors had predicted. And until the end, she remained active and lively.

Ellen was married to my best friend, Steve. They had been married for 47 years, the only couple among my oldest friends whose first marriage had survived.

I was best man at their wedding, although I have no memory of the event. Steve and I had partied hard the night before. It is amazing to me I was able to stand for the wedding pictures. But there I am, visual proof I had managed to stand up for my friend.

For several years, as Ellen battled her cancer, Steve struggled with his own health issues. It was a hard time for them.

Ellens memorial was delayed because her church had been dislocated for a time and then moved into a new building. And the family wanted to hold it in early spring so out-of-town guests could make the trip to Bend, Oregon, without concern for weather.

Ellen had planned the service herself, choosing the hymns and the prayers and talking to Pastor Nancy about the pastors eulogy and with her brother-in-law who also spoke. As with everything Ellen did in life, it was organized and tasteful.

I teared up a little, while my friend, Steve, sobbed quietly at the beginning before calming himself.

Sadly, I have been to several funerals and memorial services in recent years. That comes with age, I guess. All are different. My friend Davids service was classically Jewish. My mother-in-laws service was a full Catholic Mass. My mother, on the other hand, wanted no memorial service. We simply spread her ashes at the beach. There have been others. Some mournful. Some celebratory.

All different. And all the same.

During Ellens service, as I rested my hand on my friends shoulder, I saw, not for the first time, the commonality among all those memorials and funerals.

In that simple Bend sanctuary, surrounded by Ellens family and friends, the love was palpable, thick, like a warm mist in the room.

Ellen is gone. The container holding her ashes was proof of that. But the love she had for those in that room and the love they had for her could be felt, literally. Love tempered sorrow because in that love, she was very much alive still.

In the Jewish tradition, when someone dies, we say may their memory be a blessing.

I like that phrase, far better than I am so sorry, or, please accept my condolences.

Yes, death is a sad thing. And grieving family and friends deserve sympathy and condolences.

But it is in our memories that we truly celebrate life. I can express sympathy for the grieving. But it is more important, I believe, to hope for the blessing of good memories that keep loved ones alive for us, in us.

Last weeks memorial service for my friend brought that point home once again.

The service was properly emotional. But before and after, as friends and family gathered, the conversation focused on memories of Ellen.

There was talk of her work for the Forest Service, as a ranger at Mt. Rainier, as a guide at the Statue of Liberty.

There was talk of her commitment to the outdoors, her founding of a womens ski group, and of the many book clubs she started.

There was talk of her 40-plus years as an elementary-school teacher and of the hundreds of students she taught and loved.

And there was talk of her life with Steve and their two children, a life spent in the worlds great cities, a life of travel and adventure.

Long after the service ended, those memories will sustain those who live after.

Death comes to all of us. In the end, some of us can provide a material legacy. A very, very few live on in history.

For the rest of us our legacy is the memories we leave behind. That is our immortality. Ellens service was for me a timely reminder. May her memory be a blessing, always.

Steven A. Smith is clinical associate professor emeritus in the School of Journalism and Mass Media at the University of Idaho having retired from full time teaching at the end of May 2020. His columns reflect his progressive political views. Smith was raised in a Jewish home and is culturally Jewish. However, he considers himself an atheist, which is reflected in his writing. Smith is former editor of The Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington. As editor, Smith supervised all news and editorial operations on all platforms until his resignation in October 2008. Prior to joining The Spokesman-Review, Smith was editor for two years at the Statesman Journal in Salem, Oregon, and was for five years editor and vice president of The Gazette in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He is a graduate of the Northwestern University Newspaper Management Center Advanced Executive Program and a mid-career development program at Duke University. He holds an M.A. in communication from The Ohio State University where he was a Kiplinger Fellow, and a B.S. in journalism from the University of Oregon. Smith currently serves on the SpokaneFVS Board of Trustees.

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What I Learned at a Funeral about the Power of Love - spokanefavs.com

A fan artist creates a compelling version of Voldemort as played by Benedict Cumberbatch.

By Lyndon Nicholas| Updated 5 mins ago

JK Rowlings Harry Potter franchise became a cultural phenomenon in the 1990s, starting with the book Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone in 1997 before being adapted to film in the early 2000s. With a new series announced by Warner Bros. Discovery, fans are in for a whole new cast, crew, and additions to the Wizarding World. According to a recent Instagram post, many fans are already casting the franchises lead villain Lord Voldemort, and think Marvel actor Benedict Cumberbatch would be a perfect fit.

The post comes from the Instagram user and artist Csar Castillo Marquez. The post shows his fan-created image of Benedict Cumberbatch as Voldemort, followed by a clip of the artist layering over the original photo of Benedict Cumberbatch with his reconstructed version.

The rendering transforms Benedict Cumberbatchs eyes to a blood red, with menacing dark circles underneath at the lids and an eerily hairless, snake-like face with slits at the nose, icy purple lips, and a blueish-green tint. The image portrays Voldemort from the chest up, and a dark teal-black-shaded background gives an ominous air to the already intimidating depiction of the character.

Benedict Cumberbatch has an extensive background in both stage and screen acting. After portraying Stephen Hawking in the television film Hawking, Cumberbatch went on to star as the worlds greatest detective Sherlock Holmes in the BBC series Sherlock, and appeared in films like Star Trek Into Darkness, 12 Years a Slave, and voiced both Sauron and the dragon Smaug in The Hobbit films. He may best be known for joining the MCU as Doctor Strange beginning with 2016s Doctor Strange and most recently in 2022s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

From an aesthetic perspective, Benedict Cumberbatch as Voldemort certainly works. He bares a strong resemblance to Voldemort actor Ralph Fiennes, who contrary to popular belief first portrayed the character in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

In terms of personality, Ralph Fiennes gravitas and delivery, especially his internet-famous delivery of the death-spell Avada Kedavra will be hard to top for subsequent portrayals of The Lord of Darkness. Still, Benedict Cumberbatch could be a worthy predecessor, possessing a level of charm, guile, and refinement that could lend itself to playing a character like Voldemort. Voldemorts corrupting evil influence is powered by heightened levels of persuasive abilities, with the character frequently attempting to lure Harry Potter and others over to the dark side.

Voldemort is made out to be a prodigiously intelligent wizard if somewhat full of himself, a character trait Benedict Cumberbatch should have no problem portraying as exemplified by his portrayal of Doctor Stranges often-arrogant protagonist Stephen Strange. Although a successful doctor, wizard, and Avenger, Strange has shown that at times his hubris has led him into making poor decisions.

Similarly, it is Voldemorts hubris and belief that he is the strongest wizard in the world that makes him blind to his own shortcomings. Although he believes he has discovered immortality through the use of his Horcruxes, they prove to be part of his undoing. Many like Marquez could see Benedict Cumberbatch slipping seamlessly into the part, and the image alone is a strong argument for his suitability for the role.

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Benedict Cumberbatch Is Perfect As Lord Voldemort, See The Photo - Giant Freakin Robot

4BR Editor Iwan Fox takes a close look at 'Aurora' the Championship Section test-piece that could provide the sign to conquer rivals for one band in Malmo...

Here comes the sun...

The Romans liked a God or two.

In fact, 67 or so give or take a few that were in and out of fashion until the Emperor Constantine decided to place his faith in just the one ahead of a winner takes all battle against rivals.

By all accounts he had a vision that saw a script that read: In Hoc Signo Vince or In this sign, conquer.

Quite a few of the 14 conductors here in Malmo will be looking for the same divine intervention when they open the score to Joel Thoor Engstroms 'Aurora' set-work for the Championship Section on Friday afternoon.

Aurora was strictly a mid-table God in terms of the Premier League of Roman deities.

The table topper of the 12 Dii Consentes (major Gods) was Jupiter the God of the Sky and Thunder. Aurora on the other hand had the job of waking up at dawn to streak across the heavens announcing the arrival of her brother, Sol, the Sun God.

What she for the rest of the day nobody quite knows, but perhaps bored of her repetitive heavenly life she took a mortal lover, who unlike her, aged in immortality. She eventually turned the poor chap into a cicada.

She did this dressed in robe of saffron, opening the gates to the morning with her rosy fingers before riding a chariot, said to led by two pink or white horses, traveling across the sky from East to West.

What she for the rest of the day nobody quite knows, but perhaps bored of her repetitive heavenly life she took a mortal lover, who unlike her, aged in immortality. She eventually turned the poor chap into a cicada.

The heavens awake...

Joel Thoor Engstroms engaging 18-minute composition is inspired by Auroras symbolism rather than character traits - evoking the mystery as well as majesty of the bringer of renewal and joy, the comforter of better times ahead during the darkest hours of the night.

Think of waking up to a day of ELOs Mr Blue Sky after an evening of Leonard Cohen.

The work is structured in three distinct but joined parts; the unstable scene-setting opening followed by the growing busy activity of early morning Roman life.

A central kindling of light warmly settles in place as the day unfolds, eventually giving way to a festive song of praise finale, packed with free flowing, childlike optimism.

A central kindling of light warmly settles in place as the day unfolds, eventually giving way to a festive song of praise finale, packed with free flowing, childlike optimism that itself heralds a race to enjoy the last embers of the sun before Auroras moon sister, Luna is seen to settle in the sky.

It all starts (below) in the ether of pre-dawn; glimpses of light breaking through a thick mist ready to be burned off by the arrival of the blazing golden orb in the heavens. It is slow and mysterious the percussion (with the help of a rubber superball rolled across a timpani head, a scraped tam-tam and tinkling crotales) setting the scene.

An early indicator of the composers thematic development (motif twists and turns formed by what the composer describes as harmonic magnetic fields) is heard in the muted trombones in the following Vivace section.

This has a sprightly semi-quaver underpinning that grows in incremental pace (132/142/144/152), drama and purpose fleet of foot but light of dynamic touch.

That said, Auroras horses galop with an oddly gaited stride at times.

It soundslike the Norse God Odins eight legged Sleipnir at full pelt (above). However, its dislocated meter(with just a hint of sardonic Swedish humour in its driving ABBAesque money, money, money semi quaver lines?) is written withclarity and precision in the uncluttered scoring (as it is throughout) before reaching its ferocious stopping point.

Its a like the Norse God Odins eight legged Sleipnir at full pelt with its dislocated meters (with just a hint of sardonic Swedish humour in its driving ABBAesque money, money, money semi quaver lines?)

There, a moments silence greets an afternoon of relaxed expression which unfolds with soli unison leads enhanced by solo cameos from soprano to vibraphone.

None are overextended in length or needless virtuosity, each drawing into the other to keep the music flowing with tasteful rubato. The climaxes are sonorous, but certainly not bombastic or overblown, finally passing through different lead voices to the solo cornet on a libero cadenza (below) of simple tranquil settlement.

The spirited finale comes as little bit of a surprise; the dark minor chord undercurrents even in that afternoon sun replaced by all things bright, bubbly (marked 132) and compound. The youthful vigour is obvious; jubilant and nippy, the clear scoring with its clever percussion writing adding texture and colour.

The youthful vigour is obvious; jubilant and nippy, the clear scoring with its clever percussion writing adding texture and colour.

The impending sense of the joyfulness ending as the moon begins to rise is obvious though; the pace increasing almost exponentially, fevered, agitated and finally ecstatic the final snatch of sunshine grabbed at an alarming 182 sprint finish.

Iwan Fox

Swedish composer Joel Thoor Engstrm (1987) is based in Stockholm, whose works for orchestra, choir and chamber ensembles to solo compositions and opera are characterised by colourful expressions in rhythm and harmony.

He is influenced by both the neo-classical French tradition following Debussy and Ravel all the way to electronica, experimental fusion and progressive chiptunes.

For many years he played in a brass band and later studied composition at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm with Mats Larsson Gothe, Per Mrtensson and Henrik Strindberg.

He was a finalist in the European Composer Competition in Belfast in 2006 with his work, Odyssey, and since them his works have been performed nationally and internationally by artists such as Norrkping Symphony Orchestra, the Swedish Radio Choir, Baltic Youth Philharmonic, Royal Swedish Army Band and ensemble recherche.

He has composed several chamber operas, the latest Om Mnninskan (About man) which premiered at the Folkoperan in Stockholm in 2019.

Joel is also a teacher of music theory, ear training and composition at Lilla Akademien Music School in Stockholm.

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2023 European Championships Here comes the sun... 4barsrest - 4barsrest.com

By Dan Delzell, Christian Post Contributor | Tuesday, May 02, 2023Unsplash/engin akyurt

Consider the thousands of hours we spend on our physical health and appearance, even though our earthly body eventually wears out. This unpleasant reality is one reason Gods offer of a resurrection body is so spectacular!

Imagine having a body that never ages and remains completely free from sickness and disease. I am talking about a perfect body. You know, the kind of body God describes in his love letter to us. The Bible lays out Gods offer of a perfect resurrection body for everyone who repents and receives Jesus as Savior.

The Apostle Paul described what occurs at the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).

The 17th-century English theologian and Bible commentator Matthew Pooleexplained our resurrectedspiritual body this way:

Spiritual, not as to the substance of it, for in that sense a spiritual body is a contradiction, but in respect of the qualities and conditions of it. Bodies which, in respect of many new qualities they shall have, shall be more like angels and other spirits, than human bodies; beautiful, incorruptible, free from infirmities, not subject to hunger, or thirst, or injuries from cold or heat, etc."

Our earthly bodies, on the other hand, experience tremendous weakness. What if frailty, fatigue, and death was all we had waiting for us in the future? What a gloomy and depressing reality it would be! Thankfully, the Lord did something to secure a resurrection body for everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior. The Lord died on the cross for our sins and rose on the third day, and God has given us the Holy Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (2 Corinthians 5:5).

A well-known futurist by the name of Ray Kurzweil claims that advancements in artificial intelligence will allow human beings to achieve immortality in 7 years. It is pure science fiction.

In reality, God already gave you an immortal soul when he created you in your mothers womb, and the Lord wants you to live forever in a place the Bible callsa new Heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness (2 Peter 3:13). This place will be perfect in every way! (John 14:1-4).

Jesus said,I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? (John 11:25-26). The reason Jesus asked Martha if she believed his words is because trusting Jesus for eternal life is the only way to receive your resurrection body one day.

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given to men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12). God offers you salvation today and a perfect resurrection body in Heaven forever. Those who refuse Gods gracious offer will spend eternity in Hell paying for their sins (Matthew 25:46).

Jesus revealed that people in both Heaven and Hell will have a resurrected body. The Savior said,Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Hell (Matthew 10:28).

Bodies in Heaven are free from pain, while bodies in Hell suffer constant agony and torment.No one in his right mind would choose Hell over Heaven, and yet Jesus revealed that an eternal destination awaits both believers and unbelievers (Matthew 7:13,14).

Some accept Gods offer of forgiveness, while others refuse it. What about you? Do you want to go to Heaven? If you are currently a non-Christian, there is still time for you to receive Jesus as your Savior.

And if you are currently mocking Jesus and his offer of grace, I implore you to reconsider your reckless attitude and repent of your blasphemy. It is extremely dangerous to mock the Lord and ridicule the Gospel message of salvation. The grace of God is your only lifeline, whether you currently realize it or not.

What are the biggest health challenges you have faced? Imagine never again needing to visit a doctor or take any medicine. Everyone in Heaven will be free from cancer and every other disease and sickness. Alzheimers disease and dementia do not exist in Heaven, where the mind functions on a much higher level. Resurrected spiritual bodies in Heaven will be perfect in every way.

The Apostle John wrote, Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:2). And Paul wrote, Christ will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (Philippians 3:21). Jesus said that people in Heaven can no longer die; for they are like the angels (Luke 20:36).

I wrote a recentCP op-ed titled,Will You Be Allowed to Enter Heaven? The Gospel is presented using an illustration with three chairs. It is a simple way to share the good news with others, especially with those who are prone to rely upon their noble efforts and religious deeds to get into Heaven.

Gods offer to you of a perfect resurrection body will not be available indefinitely. Therefore, Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart (Hebrews 3:7).Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved (Acts 16:31). A perfect resurrection body awaits everyone who brings their sins to Jesus in repentance and faith. I hope you realize why this glorious offer is simply too good to pass up!

Dan Delzell is the pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Churchin Papillion, Nebraska.

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What it means to have a perfect resurrection body - The Christian Post