ST. PETERSBURG — The Rays and Major League Baseball have made some slight adjustments in their 2025 schedule to avoid playing too many games in the summer heat and rain at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa. The Rays are swapping a home-and-away series with the Angels and the Twins, moving road games to Tampa in April and May and instead playing in Minnesota and Anaheim in July and August. The schedule modifications will keep the Rays — and their fans — from too many uncomfortable dates at Steinbrenner Field. But it also means the Rays will have a schedule that is overburdened with road games in the summer months. The Rays will play at home for 37 of their first 58 games when the weather is somewhat cooler in April/May, but will be on the road for 35 of 51 games in July and August. The April 7-9 series that was originally scheduled for Anaheim will now be played in Tampa on April 8-10. In exchange, the Rays will move three homes games originally scheduled for Aug. 5-7 to Anaheim on Aug. 4-6. That means the Rays will have a 12-game road trip across 14 days from Anaheim to Seattle to Las Vegas to San Francisco. A May 26-28 series against the Twins in Minneapolis will now be played on the same dates in Tampa. In exchange, the Rays will go to Target Field on July 4-6. That will be part of a 10-game road trek from Minnesota to Detroit to Boston right before the All-Star break.
Tiny dancers: Scientists synchronize bacterial motion December 3, 2024 Delft University of Technology Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronize their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities through narrow channels, the team observed coordinated bacterial motion. These findings have potential applications in engineering controllable biological oscillator networks. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email Researchers at TU Delft have discovered that E. coli bacteria can synchronise their movements, creating order in seemingly random biological systems. By trapping individual bacteria in micro-engineered circular cavities and coupling these cavities through narrow channels, the team observed coordinated bacterial motion. Their findings, which have potential applications in engineering controllable biological oscillator networks, were recently published in Small . An audience clapping in rhythm, fireflies flashing in unison, or flocks of starlings moving as one -- synchronisation is a natural phenomenon observed across diverse systems and scales. First described by Christiaan Huygens in the 17th century, synchronisation was famously illustrated by the aligned swinging of his pendulum clocks. Now, TU Delft researchers have shown that even E. coli bacteria -- single-celled organisms only a few micrometres long -- can display this same phenomenon. "This was a remarkable moment for our team," said Farbod Alijani, associate professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering. "Seeing bacteria 'dance in sync' not only showcases the beauty of nature but also deepens our understanding of the microscopic origins of self-organisation among the smallest living organisms." Synchronised movement Alijani's team, together with TU Delft professor Cees Dekker and the TU Delft spin-off SoundCell, achieved this by using precisely engineered microcavities that trap single E. coli cells from a bulk population. Inside these circular cavities, the bacteria began to exhibit rotary motion akin to pendulum clocks. By connecting two of these cavities with a tiny channel, the researchers observed that after some time, the two bacteria began to synchronise their movements. "This synchronisation occurs because of hydrodynamic interactions induced by the movement of bacteria in the coupled system," explains Alijani. The team quantified this coupling strength and found that the bacteria's coordinated motion adhered to universal mathematical rules of synchronisation. Towards a network of coordinated motion The findings hold significant promise, paving the way for designing micro-tools capable of inducing controlled oscillations and synchronisation in bacterial systems. Such tools could help scientists study bacterial motility and coordination in confined environments, providing a better understanding of microbial active matter. The team is now exploring more complex systems by coupling multiple cavities to form networks of synchronised bacteria. "We want to uncover how these networks behave and whether we can engineer even more sophisticated dynamical movements," Alijani adds. Possibilities for drug screening While this research is primarily fundamental, its potential applications are wide-ranging. "This could even provide a novel approach to drug screening, for instance, by measuring fluid flow changes and forces caused by bacterial movement before and after administering antibiotics," Alijani suggests. The study was inspired by earlier work where Alijani's team recorded the first-ever sound of a single bacterium using a graphene drum. "We were curious if we could go a step further and create order out of the chaotic oscillations we observed," says Alijani. With this study, they've moved from recording the soundtrack of a single bacterium to orchestrating their 'tango'. Story Source: Materials provided by Delft University of Technology . Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Journal Reference : Cite This Page :
Barbados no longer has the highest salaries in the Caribbean, particularly those paid to executives and people in specialised roles. That is the finding of the 2024 edition of the Caribbean Salary Survey Report: Pay Pulse published by The Caribbean Society for Human Resource Professionals (CSHRP) in Jamaica. In its examination of annual gross salaries excluding benefits and incentives, Pay Pulse 2023 found that Barbados, Antigua and Barbuda, and Jamaica were the highest paying countries. CSHRP says this time around that The Bahamas, St Kitts and Nevis, and Barbados “emerged as regional leaders in salary, particularly in executive and specialised roles”. It also shared that “conversely, Jamaica, Belize, and St Vincent and the Grenadines show more modest salary levels, especially in entry-level positions”. The survey results were launched last Wednesday evening at The Hub Coworking Ltd. in Kingston. Responding to questions on the Barbadosrelated findings, leader researcher Kimberly Largie explained that there were several reasons why, unlike 2023, the survey concluded that salaries in Barbados were no longer the highest. “Our reports are based on the information provided by companies who participated in the survey, therefore, the data would be influenced by the number of respondents, as well as who responded. This year, we saw greater participation from other markets such as The Bahamas,” she said. On the level of participation from Barbados companies, she said: “In 2023, we had 117 responses compared to 139 in 2024. However, in terms of representation from Barbados, we had fewer responses this year, although we noted the same number of regional companies participating in 2023 and 2024 from Barbados. All participating companies are undisclosed for confidentiality reasons.” Largie also said that “for Barbados, there are some roles that we’ve seen [salary] increases for in the 2024 survey”. “For example, accountant, administrative assistant, chief financial officer, customer service representative and human resources (HR) manager. Chief executive officer (CEO) actually saw a decrease in the average salary reported in the 2024 survey,” she added. The lead researcher said a key Pay Pulse 2024 takeaway for her was that “we’re heading in the right direction as a region” in relation to companies willing to share information on salaries. “There has been more openness in sharing salary information through this survey, and our commitment to transparency and confidentiality is paramount. While this report offers us just a snapshot of the regional job market, it helps us to begin to identify possible opportunities for improvement,” she noted. “We hope that the insights shared in PayPulse24 will help companies consider how to improve the total compensation package, remembering that we need to consider the trinity of social, physical and psychological wage. “We believe that as more companies hear about our annual survey, we’ll receive more responses that will help paint a more complete picture of the regional landscape.” With participation from 119 companies across 20 countries and data covering 78 job roles, CSHRP said Pay Pulse 2024’s other key findings included: • HR; banking, financial services, and insurance; and hospitality, tourism, and catering lead the region in salaries. In contrast, industries such as education, childcare and training; retailing, wholesaling and purchasing; and the public sector present opportunities for salary reform. • As expected, executive roles such as CEO, general manager, and chief marketing officer command the highest salaries. Meanwhile, entrylevel and support roles, including groundsman, bartender, janitor, cashier, and receptionist, continue to earn the lowest salaries across participating countries. • Key roles, such as accountant, administrative assistant, auditor, CEO, and HR manager, experienced varying degrees of salary growth when compared to the 2023 report, with some markets showing substantial increases, possibly shaped by evolving market dynamics, inflation rates and costof-living variations across the region. (SC) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Gayantha Karunathilaka appointed Chief Opposition WhipLittler, who won the Grand Slam of Darts last week, hit checkouts of 170, 164 and 136 as he threatened to overturn an early deficit, but Humphries held his nerve to win the last three legs. “I’m really, really proud of that one to be honest,” Humphries told Sky Sports. FOR THE SECOND TIME 🏆🏆 Luke Humphries retains his 2024 Ladbrokes Players Championship Finals title, beating Luke Littler 11-7 in the final. — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) “I didn’t feel myself this week playing-wise, I felt like I was a dart behind in a lot of the scenarios but there’s something that Luke does to you. He really drives me, makes me want to be a better player and I enjoy playing him. “He let me in really early in that first session to go 4-1 up, I never looked back and I’m proud that I didn’t take my foot off the gas. These big games are what I live for. “Luke is a special talent and he was right – I said to him I’ve got to get these (titles) early before he wins them all. “I’d love to be up here and hitting 105 averages like Luke is all the time but he’s a different calibre, he’s probably the best player in the world right now but there’s something about me that never gives up. “This is a great way to go into the worlds.” HUMPHRIES GOES BACK-TO-BACK! 🏆 Luke Humphries retains his Players Championship Finals title! Cool Hand puts on an absolute clinic to defeat Luke Littler 11-7 in an epic final! 📺 | Final — PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) Littler, who lost the world championship final to Humphries last year, said: “It was tough, missed a few doubles and if you don’t take chances early on, it’s a lot to come back. “I hit the 170 and the 164 but just didn’t have enough in the end. “It’s been a good past two weeks. I just can’t wait to go home, chill out, obviously practice at home for the worlds. That’s it now, leading up to the big one.”Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga
Saturday Night Live has lined up its last trio of hosts for 2024. After a season full of nostalgic bits, political bites, and even some emotional moments, Season 50’s first stretch will conclude with three back-to-back-to-back episodes in December. Here’s what to know about how to tune in for the last three episodes of the year.0 Yes! Saturday Night Live is new this weekend, on Saturday (December 7), with Gladiator II star Paul Mescal hosting and Shaboozey as musical guest. This marks Shaboozey’s first stint on SNL . After this week’s episode, two more consecutive shows have been announced. On December 14, Chris Rock will host for the fourth time, with Gracie Abrams as the musical guest of the week, making her SNL debut in support of her new album The Secret of Us . Then, on December 21, for the holiday episode, Martin Short will host for the third time, and Hozier will take the stage as musical guest, his second stint on the show in support of his new album Unreal Unearth . Saturday Night Live airs on Saturday evenings at 11:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Episodes are also available to stream Peacock , which boasts a sprawling library of all 49 seasons. 'Saturday Night Live' 50th Anniversary Special: What to Know SNL kicked off its 50th season early in October. Here’s a list of the episodes so far. Season 50, Episode 1 (September 28, 2024): Jean Smart and Jelly Roll Season 50, Episode 2 (October 5, 2024): Nate Bargatze and Coldplay Season 50, Episode 3 (October 12, 2024): Ariana Grande and Stevie Nicks Season 50, Episode 4 (October 19, 2024): Michael Keaton and Billie Eilish Season 50, Episode 5 (November 2, 2024): John Mulaney and Chappell Roan Season 50, Episode 6 (November 9, 2024): Bill Burr and Mk.gee Season 50, Episode 7 (November 16, 2024): Charlie XCX The show will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an NBC special airing Sunday, February 16. Find out everything to know about that right here . More Headlines: Is ‘SNL’ New This Weekend? Here’s Everything to Know ‘The Price is Right’ Fans Want Change to Game After Contestant’s ‘Depressing’ Disaster 2025 Golden Globes: Ted Danson to Receive Carol Burnett Award — When & How to Watch ‘Wheel of Fortune’ Fans Demand Change After ‘Crazy’ Bonus Puzzle Pattern ‘Survivor’: Jeff Probst Breaks Down Every Detail of That New Weighted TimerAENT Stock Soars to 52-Week High, Hits $4.99 Amidst 393% Annual SurgeBuy Smarter: The Consumer Guide to Smart TVs
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