Decca Records has announced a new partnership with Chineke! Orchestra, the first professional majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra in Europe.
The ensemble’s music will be released on a new label under Decca, Chineke! Records. Its maiden release is a collection of works by English composer, conductor and political activist Samuel Coleridge-Taylor in September. The album will include the world premiere recording of a work by Coleridge-Taylor’s daughter Avril.
Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE is the new executive producer of Chineke! Records. Nwanoku is founder, artistic and executive director of the Chineke! Foundation, which supports Black and ethnically diverse classical musicians in the UK and Europe.
Chi-chi Nwanoku OBE said: “We are thrilled to begin this partnership with Decca. Chineke!’s mission of championing change and celebrating diversity in classical music shines throughout the extraordinary range of repertoire we have discovered and brought to life; music that has been either hidden or unheard for too long. We exist to break down barriers and unleash classical music’s full potential. Decca shares our mission of inclusion and with their worldwide reach will ensure this music is heard in every corner of the globe.”
We exist to break down barriers
Tom Lewis and Laura Monks, co-presidents of Decca Label Group, said: “We are delighted to welcome Chi-chi and the fabulous Chineke! Orchestra to the Decca label family. Chi-chi’s vision, energy and ambition are extraordinary. She is a trailblazer with an important mission and, together with Chineke!, she has recorded compositions by some of the world’s most important yet under-represented classical composers. We are committed to spreading the incredible music, talent and message of Chineke! around the world.”
The Chineke! Orchestra won the Royal Philharmonic Society’s inaugural Gamechanger Award in 2019. The group are set to tour with Decca’s Sheku Kanneh-Mason (a previous member) this summer, while Decca violinist Randall Goosby has performed with the Chineke! Chamber Ensemble. Chineke! will also perform live with Decca’s Max Richter in June.
Tonight (April 28) Chineke! Orchestra play the Royal Festival Hall in London.
Pictured above (L-R): Natalia Senior-Brown (viola), Benjamin Garalnick (french horn), Laura Monks, Chi-chi Nwanoku, Tom Lewis, Aaron Akugbo (trumpet) and Thea Sayer (double bass).


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When the weather is chilly and you crave a comforting, heat-inducing beverage, few things can compare to a delightful cup of hot chocolate. However, there is one exceptional variation that takes it up a notch – the Boozy Hot Chocolate. By adding a splash of booze to your mug, you can transform this classic treat into a luxurious cocktail that is ideal for unwinding after a day on the slopes or indulging in a decadent post-dinner delight.
The beauty of the Boozy Hot Chocolate lies in its versatility and customizability. It truly shines at gatherings and parties, where you can present an array of ingredients, allowing your guests to embark on their own flavor adventure. Different types of chocolate yield distinct taste profiles, so be sure to select a chocolate that melts smoothly in your mug. Similarly, you have the freedom to choose the milk that suits your preference – opt for whole milk for a richer, creamier experience, or opt for lower-fat milk for a lighter, more refreshing beverage. These same principles apply to the spirits as well, granting you the opportunity to craft a Boozy Hot Chocolate that perfectly aligns with your desired flavors and intensity.
Hello! We're The Shaken Cocktail and we're here for cocktail enthusiast to share their recipes with others. For the cocktail curious, we have a selection of classic recipes that have a long history of appreciation in the community. Check out these classics or upgrade your membership to see more recipes.

domain: hobby


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Perfect for children aged 8 to 12 years old and fans of Lemony Snicket, David Walliams, David Baddiel, My Brother is a Superhero . . .
A moving, witty and magical tale about love and sadness, delectably illustrated…
Nicolette Jones, Sunday Times
Book Two in the adventure series about Arthur B. Helmsley and friends.
Irish Children’s Book of the Year 2017
Second book in the Time After Time series
The girls soon discover that fun with friends is just the same whatever time you live in and that real friendship lasts forever – even when you’re apart.
An exciting story about time-travel, family, friendship and love.
Rundell’s marvellous new novel … [is]… essential reading for lovers of Eva Ibbotson GUARDIAN
Sunday Times Children’s Book of the Week
“Funny and delightful debut novel” Nicolette Jones
Waterstones Book of the Month, Nov 2017
Join Stella Starflake Pearl and her three fellow explorers as they trek across the snowy Icelands and come face-to-face with frost fairies, snow queens, outlaw hideouts, unicorns, pygmy dinosaurs and carnivorous cabbages . . .
When Stella and three other junior explorers get separated from their expedition can they cross the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale?

domain: literature


An international project has been launched to reunite thousands of books looted by Nazis with their owners or their descendants.
The Commission for Looted Art in London and the Nuremberg Municipal Library in Germany have been working together to find the owners of 10,000 volumes that were part of the collection of Julius Streicher, the Nazis’ chief propagandist and creator of the notorious antisemitic newspaper Der Stürmer.
The collection was placed in the hands of the Nuremberg Jewish community at the end of the war, which then gave it to the library on permanent loan.
The library published 115 names of the original owners on the website of the Commission’s sister organisation, the Central Registry of Information on Looted Cultural Property, a week ago. Already, the Commission’s Anne Webber reports that half-a-dozen families have been in contact saying they recognised relatives.
Ms Webber said: “This is a very important piece of work because most people think restitution is only about paintings. It is not. Many things were looted, including books.
“We have already returned a number of books. We found that in some cases they are the only remaining link between those who died and those who survived. We tracked down one woman in Israel, who is now 80. Her parents and sister had been murdered when she was very young and she had nothing of theirs. She could not believe it when we presented her with three books, one of which was written by her maternal grandfather.
“About 2,000 of the books had either the names of the original owners, inscriptions or ex libris (from the library of) stamps, while 3,500 had other inscriptions. It is marvellous that the Nuremberg Library has agreed to work with us to find as many people as possible.”
The Commission is offering free help and guidance to people who think they might have a claim to a book.
The man in charge of cataloguing the books and their owners in Nuremberg is Leibl Rosenberg, a former director of the Central Committee of German Jews and an ex-journalist.
“I took this job for a year and that was 10 years ago,” said Mr Rosenberg. “Once I opened the books and started to read the names, I think I was hooked.
“It is ironic when you think that Nuremberg was the spearhead of antisemitism, and now we are uniting these books with their owners.”
The full list of 115 names and some of those who have had books restored can be found on the www.lootedart.com website.
In June last year, the Nuremberg City Archive appealed for owners of other works of art in its collection to come forward and claim them.


Alaska is taking major cruise lines to task after it was found that they were violating the state’s emissions regulations.
Stuff.co.nz reports that six cruise ships which visited the state were busted for violating Alaska’s air and water quality standards. The ships include:
- Golden Princess
- Norwegian Jewel
- Radiance of the Seas
The report indicates that the state of Alaska has not decided what kind of penalty to impose against the violators. Fines can reportedly reach up to over $46,000 per violation.


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The marriage of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry has been under more scrutiny than any union in recent memory. The California royals are, according to one tabloid, “at the breaking point”. Gossip Cop investigates.
‘Harry & Meghan Divorce Rumors’
In a plainly titled cover story, In Touch claims to have the first on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. Sources tell the tabloid that “the couple’s marriage is starting to crack” and that they’re “having serious issues.” They could even “be headed for divorce” and are “at a breaking point.’
Why is it falling apart? Well, “they dove into marriage way too quickly,” an insider says, for they had only been together two years before getting married. “Everyone else spotted the warning signs, but Harry was blinded by love,” the source continues, “but now Harry is wondering if everyone was right because Meghan is so consumed with fame.” The tabloid details how Prince Harry enjoyed his time in the army specifically because he “Wasn’t a prince, I was just Harry,” and says Markel “on the other hand, actively pursued the spotlight.”
The couple got in a huge fight over their recent Remembrance Day activities, with the couple benign slammed over Markle’s insistence on bringing a photographer. Prince Harry slammed her for “choosing fame over family and dignity.” The two then “talked things through- but there are still serious lingering issues.” A divorce could be imminent.
A Very Long, Very Basic Piece
In Touch uses the most generic language possible when detailing why this marriage isn’t working out. It falls back on old ideas like the couple getting married too fast despite two years being a completely reasonable period before marriage. The crux of this tabloid’s argument is that Prince Harry wants to raise a family while the Duchess of Sussex is living for the fame.
To create that argument, the tabloid leans on bogus statement after bogus statement. For one thing, it was Prince Harry who had famous friends in the first place. The anecdote about Remembrance Day is absurd because the rest of the royal family was also photographed looking somber, but of course, that is not mentioned at all because it would spoil the narrative.
It also brings up the Netflix deal and criticizes it because the money is coming from the same corporation who makes The Crown. Netflix makes hundreds of shows at this point, and it makes just as much sense to say Markle is profiting off Tiger King or reruns of Avatar: The Last Airbender. You have to either have extremely narrow blinders on to ignore all of Netlfix’s other programming or, as is the case here, have a motive against the Sussexes.
The Couple Is Doing Fine
This hit piece came out before Markle penned a moving op-ed for the New York Times about suffering a miscarriage. It’s a piece of incredible strength that exists to help people who have to go through what Markle has. The gravity of that situation is far more important than this stupid tabloid story, but it’s worth mentioning that Prince Harry comes up multiple times in a positive light. The two are doing fine and no divorce is imminent.
Tabloid Hates Markle
Gossip Cop has previously busted In Touch for claiming that Markle had walked out on Prince Harry, that never happened. It also claimed that Markle would be forced to “spill royal secrets” because of her lawsuit against the Mail on Sunday, another fabrication, and it claimed to have a hold of Markle’s secret personal diary, which was, you guessed it, not true.
In a vague and generic story, this tabloid tried to once again attack Markle for being fame-obsessed. She’s a devoted philanthropist and mother who hasn’t had a major acting role in years. She and Prince Harry are as strong as ever, and this story is completely absurd.
More News From Gossip Cop
Gossip Cop has determined this story is totally false.

domain: celebrity


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- United States
- Latest investment
- Jul 01 2017
- No. of Startups
280 Second Street, Suite C, Los Altos, 94022, USA
Tsingyuan Ventures is a technology-focused venture fund that invests in seed to A-round startups in the United States. It is a successor fund to the TEEC Angel Fund.
Tsingyuan Ventures was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Los Altos, California.
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domain: economics


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Thank you for visiting our page!
All Fort Bend County run COVID-19 vaccine sites now accept walk-up vaccinations! Residents no longer have to schedule an appointment to receive a vaccine.
To receive your free COVID-19 vaccination, please visit one of our vaccination sites on the days/times noted below:
|Location||Days Open||Hours Open|
Wednesday - Friday
11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
|Katy Mills Mall (Suite 361)||Wednesday - Saturday||11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.|
|HCC Missouri City||Friday - Saturday||11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.|

domain: health


ANA PAULA ESTRADA:
Of another time
22 September – 21 October 2012
This exhibition tells the stories of nine people over the age of 70 and living in Queensland. Estrada photographed each person in their homes, giving an intimate insight into their lives. The written anecdotes of these amazing individuals takes the audience on a journey through time and space, gifting us with stories beautiful and sad -reminders that we have a lot to learn from this resilient genergeneration.
Queensland Centre for Photography


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Dr Prathima Radhakrishnan is the Director of Bangalore Fetal Medicine Centre (BFMC) and FGi Fetal Care Units (FFCU), the latter being a chain of clinics caring for the fetus across the city and nearby towns which perform highly specialised Obstetric scans and procedures. She is the first Indian to get Diploma in Fetal Medicine from Fetal Medicine Foundation, UK in February 2011. She is also the first to perform Therapeutic Fetoscopic Laser for complicated monochorionic twin pregnancy in the country. Dr Prathima’s passion for the fetus has made BFMC one of the leading centres for tertiary level fetal care and a premiere education and training centre for doctors desiring to specialise in Fetal Medicine and Genetics in India. BFMC is in the frontline of original research work, having presented several papers in regional, national, and international conferences. In addition, research papers from BFMC have been published in leading national and international journals. She has over 50 research publications, articles, guideline publications and chapters to her credit. Dr Prathima is an FMF accredited trainer & examiner for the Nuchal Translucency scan, Anomaly scan, Doppler, and invasive procedures certification in India. In addition to training several doctors onsite in fetal medicine and obstetric imaging, Dr Prathima has trained several doctors across the country and abroad with her structured online courses in Obstetric imaging. Her research interests includes screening for aneuploidies, preeclampsia, growth restriction, complications of multiple pregnancies, and fetal effects of maternal diabetes.
Radhakrishnan P, Venkataravanappa S, Acharya V, Sahana R, Shettikeri A: Prediction of Fetal Anemia in Subsequent Transfusions: Is There a Need to Change the Threshold of the Peak Systolic Velocity of the Middle Cerebral Artery? Fetal Diagn Ther 2020; 47:491-496. doi: 10.1159/000505398
Radhakrishnan P, Phadtare S Fetal Therapy in India. Textbook for Neonatologists, in press, 2020
Shettikeri A, Acharya V, V S, Sahana R, Radhakrishnan P: Outcome of Pregnancies Diagnosed with TRAP Sequence Prenatally: A Single-Centre Experience. Fetal Diagn Ther 2019. doi: 10.1159/000503389
Kaul A, Radhakrishnan P. Performance of Common Down Syndrome Screening Methods Used in India with Construction of an Indian Nomogram for Nuchal Translucency/Crown-Rump Length Measurements in 14,337 Subjects. J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2019;69(Suppl 2):142-146. doi:10.1007/s13224-018-1196-3
Sharma, A., Tayal, T., BH, N., Radhakrishnan, P. and Kaul, A. (2013), Nasal bone length: the long and short of it. Evaluation of the reference values for the fetal nasal bone length at 16 to 25 weeks of gestational age in an Indian population. Prenat Diagn, 33: 800-803. doi:10.1002/pd.4114
Narayani BH, Radhakrishnan P. Mid-second trimester measurement of nasal bone length in the Indian population. J Obstet Gynaecol India. 2013; 63:2013–63. doi: 10.1007/s13224-012-0335-5.
Field: Obstetrics imaging; Fetal Medicine
Specialties: Early screening and diagnosis of fetal anomalies; fetal cardiac screening and diagnosis of anomalies; fetal growth restriction; multiple pregnancies; preeclampsia; maternal diabetes; prenatal diagnosis; fetal therapy

domain: biology


Weston-Super-Mare irritates by being pleasant
We all know bank holiday weekends are rubbish, right? Grubby weather, dreadful traffic and a strange yet irresistible urge to visit places that you would normally avoid like, well, a contagious bacterial disease.
Not your usual vehicle for a trip to Butlins
How do you make a bad bank holiday into a great one, then? With this weekend's jubilee inspired double bank hol in mind we used the May one as a dry run for some classic four-wheeled escapism, helped more than a little by a Mercedes SLS Roadster. We decided to spend the weekend in it doing the things and going to the places you might be expect to endure during your stereotypical national holiday, just to see if it could make it bearable.
The destination was to be the north Devon and Somerset coast. Partly because that way lie bank holiday honey traps of Minehead, Weston-Super-Mare and Ilfracombe, and partly because the roads there, particularly down Exmoor way, might just be on the good side of fantastic.
The first task of any bank holiday weekend trip, of course, is the inevitable motorway trudge. In this case alleviated by a large detour away from the A303 around Stonehenge, still leaving plenty of the M3 and M5 to 'enjoy'.
Grabbing a pre-bank hol ice cream
Heavy traffic and spitting rain meant speeds stayed down and the roof stayed up, but the interminable multi-lane grind did reveal two things about the car. One, that the three-layer roof does a remarkable job of sounding and feeling like a pukka coupe and, two, that the various information and entertainment systems provide a bored driver with more than enough to listen to/fiddle with on any given journey.
Once free of the heaviest westbound traffic, and on the gloriously over-named 'North Devon link road' there was time to open the glorious 6,208cc V8 up a little, and to start to enjoy the lion-gargling-Castrol-GTX soundtrack a little more, complete with cracks and bangs on the over-run. V8 howl duly enjoyed, it was time to nestle down for the night in a campsite just south of Ilfracombe.
Meeting the Rally For Heroes guys
We weren't the only folks out there trying to make the most of bank holiday motoring, either. As pure chance would have it, I pulled into Solstice services for a tea break to see a load of stickered-up cars. Turned out I had stumbled upon one of the first get-togethers of the 50 cars embarking on a charity road trip called Rally For Heroes (please go and support them here!) in support of Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion. They were wolfing down a spot of food before heading to the nearby Tedworth house personnel recovery centre. They would then head out west for a day's fundraising on the seafront at Weston-Super-Mare. Would I care to meet back up with them and use the SLS roadster to help draw the crowds? It would be rude not to.
Sun? On a bank holiday?
The following day dawned borderline sunny. While undoubtedly pleasant, this did rather spoil my narrative of 'typically crap bank holiday saved by epic supercar'. Still, it would have been churlish to complain, so it was off with the roof and on with the journey.
It wasn't sunny all weekend...
Threading through the narrow, high-hedged lanes you're quickly aware of two things. First, how wonderful it sounds bouncing off the late spring leaves and, two, just how big it feels in the tight and twisty lanes - where there are white lines in the middle you'll be slapping the cat's eyes on one side of the car while kicking up dust and running over drains on the other.
It's actually not all that intimidating though. The ease of use and approachability Garlick blogged about means it's easy to concentrate fully on placing it on the road. Beyond Ilfracombe, stopping briefly for snaps and the inevitable barrage of questions, the coast road clings to the coast for a while, bank holiday trundlers at least meaning we had time to soak up the view before spearing inland to Exmoor.
Moor fun than you'd imagine
Running west to east across Exmoor is the A39 and, west of Lynton and Lynmouth the SLS finally began to be able to push on a little, revealing a fluidity and balance that seems to better the point-and-squirt nature of the coupe version. It's still a hot rod at heart - don't expect to be flinging an SLS point to point with the delicacy and precision of an MP4-12C or 458 - but it is hilariously grippy and extraordinarily rapid.
East of Lynmouth, however, the SLS did show its dynamic limitations. As we climbed up onto the more open stretches of moorland near Porlock the size and weight, and the increasingly undulating road surface, began to bounce the car around to the point where I felt for the first time I was actually in something over-engined. But these are roads that try the dynamic abilities of even the most focused lightweight special.
Another quick photo op at the gate to Butlins in Minehead (and another crowd drawn within seconds) and it was off to our final stop for the day - Weston-Super-Mare. By this point my bonce was feeling the pain of a morning's sun, so the roof had to go back on for the final schlep up to the Rally For Heroes gathering in Weston.
Weston is super
Weston is a place I'd never been before this point and, due to its reputation, I was not looking forward to it. But it's amazing what a spot of sunshine and some nice cars can do - as well as the Rally For Heroes guys there were various car clubs and just some generally nice motors. The SLS still drew a crowd, of course, though it was thoroughly shamed in an impromptu rev-off with the chap in the TVR Chimaera I'd parked next to...
So what did we learn from our little road trip? Well, apart from the fact that the SLS is a pretty epic car, we also learned the roads of north Devon and Somerset are lovely, that you can't even trust bank holiday weather to be reliably bad, and that an SLS plus a load of other nice motors makes Weston-Super-Mare a much more pleasant place to be... You've got four days off - why not give it a go?
MERCEDES SLS AMG ROADSTER
Transmission: 7-Speed DCT twin-clutch, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 571@6,800rpm
Torque (lb ft):479@4,750rpm
0-62mph: 3.8 sec
Top speed: 197mph
MPG: 21.4mpg (NEDC combined)
Price: £176,895 (basic list)


On January 27, 2016, the U.S. Commerce Department Bureau of Industry and Security ("BIS") and the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control ("OFAC") amended their regulations to further facilitate trade between the United States and Cuba. This is only the most recent set of steps the U.S. government has taken since President Obama announced, in December 2014, that the United States would move toward normalizing relations with Cuba.
While many limitations on trading with Cuba remain in place, the recent amendments ease restrictions related to certain exports and re-exports to Cuba, and travel to the island. The amendments also should make it easier to engage in financial transactions in and with Cuba (so long as the underlying conduct is permitted). Below is a brief summary of the amendments; the amendments themselves are available at 81 Fed. Reg. 4580 (BIS) and 81 Fed. Reg. 4583 (OFAC).
To continue reading the content in this article on the firm's Government Contracts blog, please click here to view the post.
Bass, Berry & Sims' Government Contracts blog features news, commentary and insight on the demanding and ever-changing regulatory environment of contracting with federal, state and local governments, and international trade issues when conducting a global business.


No Aux,No Bluetooth, No Aux in your Car?. Don't Worry we have a solution for you.
- Wirelessly transmit phone calls from Bluetooth mobile to the car FM stereo system
- One button to enjoy BASS music
- Switch to Do not use hands automatically made from music playback status when receiving calls
- Dual USB output 5V / 4.8A
- Supports USB disk / Micro SD Card


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Sweet, deep, nourishing sleep
Eating Disorders and Sleep Deprivation
Sleep deprivation is often an aspect of an eating disorder. You don't want to lose consciousness. You don't want that vulnerable feeling of going into a dim twilight state that takes you into dark sleep. It feels too much like the beginning of an anxious or terror experience.
So you delay going to bed. You watch TV or DVD and fall asleep on the couch. The sounds of the player, the voices especially,
continue to fill the room. They soothe you so you don't feel alone. They help you hold back your anxiety so you can fall asleep. Your bed seems miles away. It's much too arduous a walk to get there.
Perhaps, in the middle of the night, in a sleepy and barely conscious state, you'll make the walk to your bed. You are so exhausted and in such an altered state that your anxiety is squelched. You can collapse in your bed, maybe under the covers. Maybe you take off your clothes but you may sleep in them.
And you don't have the energy to brush your teeth first.
This attempt to keep yourself soothed from your anxieties seems to work in the short run. You do eventually sleep, but not enough. And you feel pretty ragged in the morning.
Benefits of Adequate Sleep
At the Huffington Post today Ariana Huffington has an excellent article, "Sleep Challenge 2010: How Sleep Is Like Steroids...Without the 'Roid Rage'."
She writes about the energy benefits of sleep and the delights of being rested. I recommend this article to people with eating disorders.
What This Means to You
If you are sleep deprived you are more vulnerable to your anxieties and fears. Your mind doesn't function as clearly as it could. Your perceptions can become distorted. Now all these symptoms of sleep deprivation are also symptoms of people who have eating disorders.
When you put sleep deprivation into a system that is already severely challenged and requires an eating disorder to function, you magnify the problems and intensify your suffering. You also create a barrier between you and your recovery. You simply won't see helpful and healing opportunities because you are exhausted.
A real danger here is that the feeling of sleep deprivation can be so omnipresent that you think this is your normal state. It's not. Give yourself a few weeks of getting as much sleep as your body wants. And then move into a regular eight hour sleep routine.
Your body will thank you and you might be very surprised at how much stronger and capable you will feel. Adequate rest nourishes your body. It's an essential part of your eating disorder recovery.

domain: medical


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Food allergy: definition
An “allergy” is defined as an exaggerated and violent reaction triggered by the immune system against substances, called antigens, to which it is particularly sensitive . Antigens, or rather allergens, are substances that the body recognizes and interprets as foreign and potentially dangerous, therefore deserving of an immune attack aimed at neutralizing them.
More specifically, we speak of food allergy when one or more substances contained in a food are recognized as potentially dangerous for the organism itself: consequently the antibody system triggers an often violent immune response.
In allergic subjects, when a food is ingested, the body perceives something foreign and all its proteins are considered possible antigens.
Forms of food allergy
There are several forms of food allergy: “IgE-mediated” allergies (ie allergies mediated by antibodies called type E immunoglobulins ) certainly represent the most known and common allergic form. Then there are also other types in which other types of antibodies are involved, such as IgG and IgM.
How it manifests itself
Food allergy represents a rather complex disorder, which can be summarized in several stages: sensitization, mast cell degranulation and release of chemical mediators.
- Sensitization: in this phase, which is completely separated from any symptom or clinical sign , the organism comes into contact with the allergen for the first time. There will then be the production of specific IgE towards that given antigen (the allergen, in this case, is represented by the food proteins). These immunoglobulins bind to certain receptors placed on the surface of mast cells; in this way when the subject again ingests the food to which he has become sensitized, a reaction is triggered that allows faster antigen-antibody recognition.
- Degranulation of mast cells: after the sensitization phase, each subsequent contact between the IgE and thefood antigen(as occurs in all subsequent ingestions of the offending food) determines the degranulation of the mast cells to which the IgE are bound, with consequent release of histamine and other substances involved in the allergic reaction. Mast cells are omnipresent in the body, but they are found mainly in thenose, throat,skin,stomachandlungs, as they are more easily exposed to possible antigens, therefore more susceptible to the symptoms ofallergic reactions.
- Release of chemical mediators: in this stage, contiguous to the previous one, the release of the chemical mediators responsible for allergy and inflammation Among these we remember histamine, a real “biological bomb” released by the degranulation of mast cells: it is good to remember, however, that histamine remains silent until the antibody comes into contact with the allergen .
The main causes that can trigger an allergic reaction to a given food can be related to various factors: continuous exposure to the allergen, heredity, environmental agents, viral diseases , immunosuppression and malabsorption of the gastrointestinal mucosa .
Considering that all the proteins contained in food can be perceived as foreign substances (therefore potentially dangerous), and that a subject cannot survive without food, a mechanism must necessarily be established in the healthy organism by which each food antigen is interpreted as a “substance. extraneous but harmless “. Under normal conditions, proteins are broken down into amino acidsand, therefore, digested thanks to gastric and pancreatic enzymes : an absorption of amino acids by the intestinal mucosa will follow . The phenomenon of “tolerance” has just been described, thanks to which a subject can eat a food without problems.
If this system is compromised, food allergy is triggered.
The food allergies , in contrast to the intolerance , are dose-independent, which means that even just a small amount of allergen to trigger an allergic reaction, which can occur even in very violent forms, such as anaphylactic shock .
Symptoms associated with a food allergy are mainly attributable to disorders of the digestive system , mucous membranes , skin, respiratory tract.
Stomach pain , diarrhea , swelling of the skin ( itching and redness), respiratory and cardio-respiratory problems are the most common symptoms, up to even anaphylactic shock; the table summarizes the general symptoms caused by an allergic pathology.
Pruritus / hives
Inflammation and swelling
Allergic cough Laryngeal
|Taken gastro-intestinal||Abdominal pain
Nausea / vomiting
Blood in stool
Itching of pharynx Oral allergic
Table taken from the book “Dietetic Products: chemistry, technology and use”, F. Evangelisti, P. Restani, piccin publisher.
The only effective remedy to avoid the manifestation of the unpleasant symptoms of food allergies is the elimination from the diet of the food to which the person has become sensitized.


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Freezing a woman’s eggs for later use for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was initially reserved for women with medical conditions, like cancer, which risked leaving them infertile.
But ‘elective egg freezing’ is now emerging as a relatively new option for women who want to delay childbirth while preserving their eggs for later – IVF with eggs frozen at a younger age is much more likely to be successful than IVF using fresh but older eggs.
The problem is many of these frozen eggs will simply be wasted.
Current estimates, based on limited data and demographic indicators, suggest that fewer than 20 per cent of women will return to use their eggs in the future. This is probably related to a multitude of factors including successful natural conception, remaining un-partnered or not wishing to use donor sperm.
As a result, many eggs will never be used and will eventually be discarded, providing benefit to no one.
The other problem is that it’s older women who are more likely to be able to afford the procedure of egg freezing and more likely to need the eggs in the future; but once in her late 30s or early 40s a woman’s eggs will already be past their prime, reducing the chances of successful IVF.
At the age of 45, a woman’s chance of conceiving naturally or with IVF is less than one per cent per cycle.
A younger woman is expected to be less likely to freeze her eggs because it’s likely be a bigger a financial burden, and they are less likely to utilise the eggs anyway, as their chances of starting a family naturally are still high.
Our research argues that what we need is a system in which un-used frozen eggs can be donated to women who a need them, while the cost of having the eggs frozen and stored is eventually transferred to the woman who actually uses the eggs, not the donor.
Delaying childbirth is a well-established social trend in Australia, reflecting changing social attitudes including the aspirations of women to pursue their education and careers. In the 30 years to 2017, the fertility rate of women aged 35-39 doubled, while among 40-44 year-olds – it tripled.
It is estimated that about six to eight per cent of Australian women will choose not to have children. But based on current socio-demographic trends, we can expect that more and more women will either experience involuntary childlessness or not achieve their desired family size.
This is why cryopreservation (freezing) of mature oocytes is increasingly promoted and utilised by women to improve their chances of conceiving when they are ready. These eggs can be fertilised with the sperm of a woman’s partner or a sperm donor.
There are obvious benefits to using this technique, including greater reproductive freedom and autonomy, reducing the burden of infertility and the number of IVF cycles needed to achieve a live birth, compared to an older woman using fresh eggs.
However, unfavourable aspects of this practice include the cost and consequent inequality of access, social aspects and the waste of un-used eggs.
The trend toward delayed childbearing is also driving a rising demand for donor eggs. For those women who have not frozen their eggs at a younger age, the use of donor eggs is one of only a few viable pathways to parenthood.
In much of the world only altruistic donation of biological material, including oocytes, is permitted – donors can’t sell their eggs. In Australia, the concept of altruism as the paramount principle guiding oocyte donations is enshrined in a federal statute.
This has the effect of severely restricting the availability of donor eggs, since very few women are willing to undergo an egg collection IVF cycle with no financial reward in order to donate their eggs to strangers.
For this reason, the demand for donor eggs far outweighs the supply from donors such as close friends or family members.
As a result, many Australian women are travelling overseas to countries with less stringent rules and regulations, where oocytes can be obtained from young donors in exchange for monetary inducements.
This ‘reproductive tourism’ has significant ethical, financial and medico-legal issues. Neither the donors, or recipients are protected from exploitation and fraud.
Moreover, in the past year, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, this avenue of obtaining donor oocytes has been severely restricted.
Few would disagree that wider availability of donor eggs in Australia is a desirable goal that would greatly benefit many women and couples. We are in a situation where oocytes are being stored for social reasons but many are unlikely to be used, while there is increasing demand for donor oocytes that isn’t being met.
One way to solve this problem to the benefit all parties and society at large, is to encourage women who electively freeze their eggs but then no longer require them to donate them to women who do need them.
Furthermore, compensation for donors, in the form of reimbursement of the expenses incurred in producing and storing oocytes, should be made available and paid by recipients.
This arrangement is still consistent with altruistic donation principles, since no financial inducement is offered, only the expenses incurred are reimbursed.
This is ethically acceptable, legally permissible and is consistent with the current practice of egg donation in Australia.
It would allow wider access to social egg freezing, increase the utilisation and cost-effectiveness of oocyte storage and, most importantly, significantly increase the availability of donor oocytes to those would-be mothers in need.
Disclosure: Dr Polyakov and Dr Rozen are IVF clinicians in private practice.
Banner: Tube of eggs in cryogenic (frozen) storage. Picture: Getty Images

domain: sociology


US President Barack Obama has condemned claims that the US government was behind the 11 September 2001 attacks.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made the comments in an address to the UN General Assembly in New York.
He suggested the US government could have 'orchestrated the attack to reverse the declining American economy, and its grips on the Middle East, in order to save the Zionist regime'.
Mr Obama described the statement as ‘inexcusable, hateful and offensive’.
In an interview on the BBC's Persian service, Mr Obama was asked if military action against Iran was being considered.
‘I think what people should remember is that I don't take war lightly,’ he said.
'I was opposed to the war in Iraq. I am somebody who's interested in resolving issues diplomatically.’
Mr Ahmadinejad told reporters yesterday it was time to have a ‘fact-finding committee’ on the 2001 attacks.
‘The fact-finding mission can shed light on who the perpetrators were, who is al-Qaeda... where does it exist? Who was it backed by and supported?’


text:
Association of loss of heterozygosity
with cytogenetic abnormalities in acute
myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic
, F.M. Serio1
, M.R.R. Silva2
, M.R.S. Briones3
and M.L.L.F. Chauffaille1
Disciplina de Hematologia e Hemoterapia,2
Disciplina de Anatomia Patológica,3
Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São
Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
Correspondence to: M.L.L.F. Chauffaille, Hematologia, EPM, UNIFESP, Rua Botucatu, 740, 3° andar,
04023-900 São Paulo, SP, Brasil
Fax: +55-11-5571-8806. E-mail: email@example.com
Deletions on chromosomes 5 and 7 are frequently seen in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It is assumed that these deletions indicate loss of tumor suppressor genes on these chromosomes and until these tumor suppressor genes are identified, the functional consequences of these deletions and the molecular basis of these myeloid disorders cannot be completely understood. We evaluated loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 44 patients (18 MDS and 26 AML, diagnosed according to WHO classification criteria) at diagnosis, using a four-microsatellite marker panel: an intragenic marker on the 7th intron of gene IRF-1 of the 5q31.1 region and three markers located inside the 7q31.1 region and correlated the LOH with karyotype abnormalities. The microsatellites chosen corresponded to chromosome regions frequently deleted in MDS/ AML. The samples with Q (peak area) less than or equal to 0.50 were indicative of LOH. The percent of informative samples (i.e., heterozygous) for the intragenic microsatellite in gene IRF-1 and in loci D7S486, D7S515 and D7S522 were 66.6, 73.7, 75.5, and 48.8%, respectively. Cytogenetic abnormalities by G-banding were found in 36% (16/44) of the patients (2 of 18 MDS and 14 of 26 AML patients). We found a significantly positive association of the occurrence of LOH with abnormal karyotype (P < 0.05; chi-square test) and there were cases with LOH but the karyotype was normal (by G-banding). These data indicate that LOH in different microsatellite markers is possibly an event previous to chromosomal abnormalities in these myeloid neoplasias. Key words: Myelodysplastic syndrome; Acute myeloid leukemia; Cytogenetic abnormalities; Loss of heterozygosity Publication supported by FAPESP.
Received January 31, 2008. Accepted July 2, 2008
Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) describes the homozy-gous state of a distinct chromosomal region and points to the presence of closely located inactivated tumor suppres-sor gene (TSG) that may be involved in the malignant transformation (1,2). Loss of heterozygosity in tumor cells has been analyzed using microsatellite markers (2).
Cytogenetic abnormalities are important to identify malignant cells and to indicate prognosis in myeloid malig-nancies (3). Translocations, duplications, deletions, inser-tions, and inversions involve the repositioning, addition or omission of millions of nucleotides and are associated with
genomic instability in cancer cells.
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are myeloid malignant disorders of he-matopoietic stem cells characterized by numerous cytoge-netic abnormalities. Alterations on chromosome 5, which include interstitial deletions of the long arm or complete loss of the entire chromosome (monosomy 5), are fre-quently observed in MDS and AML patients (3). Deletion of chromosome 7q is also common in MDS and AML. Loss of whole chromosome 7 or deletion of the long arm are detected in up to 20% of patients with MDS or AML and the
highest frequency is noted in MDS and AML arising after cytotoxic therapy (3). It is assumed that these deletions indicate loss of possible TSG in these chromosomes and until these TSG are identified, the functional consequences of these deletions and the molecular basis of these my-eloid disorders cannot be completely understood.
Chromosome abnormalities are important markers of genetic instability but are considered to be late events during MDS transformation and AML evolution. The ques-tion is what are the initial steps in MDS and AML related to these abnormalities? Could LOH be a sign of future alter-ations in these cases?
The aim of this report is to evaluate LOH in MDS and AML patients using a four-microsatellite marker panel: an intragenic marker on the 7th intron of gene interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1 ) of the 5q31.1 region and three markers located inside the 7q31.1 region and to correlate the LOH with karyotype abnormalities.
Karyotype analysis was performed according to stand-ard techniques (4). When possible, 20 G-banded meta-phases were analyzed and classified according to the International System for Human Cytogenetic Nomencla-ture (5). Favorable karyotype in MDS was considered to be del(20q), -Y, normal and del(5q) isolated; unfavorable were complex karyotype (at least three abnormalities in metaphase) and abnormalities of chromosome 7 (6); inter-mediate were those not classified as favorable and unfa-vorable. Favorable karyotype in AML was: inv(16)/t(16;16), t(15;17) and t(8;21); intermediate was normal, +8, +6, -Y and del(12p), while unfavorable were alterations of chro-mosomes 3, 9, 11, 20, 21, del(5q), del(7q), -5, -7 and complex karyotype (7).
Paired samples of bone marrow and buccal smears were obtained, after informed consent, from 44 patients (18 MDS and 26 AML) at diagnosis. This study was ap-proved by the Institutional Review Ethics Committee. The diagnoses of AML and MDS were made according to the World Health Organization (Table 1) (8).
Buccal smear collection was carried out with sterile cytology brushes and served as normal controls. Patients were instructed to brush the inside of both sides of the cheek for 30 s, and the brush was kept in a sterile saline solution for extraction. Genomic DNA was extracted from buccal smears by the Puregene DNA isolation kit (Gentra Systems, USA) according to manufacturer recommenda-tions.
Bone marrow samples were obtained for cytogenetic analysis and for DNA extraction by standard procedures (4). Bone marrow DNA was extracted by conventional cell lysis and proteinase K method. DNA was purified by phe-nol-chloroform extraction and precipitated with sodium
acetate and ethanol (9). The concentration and quality of DNA were measured by the GeneQuant PRO RNA/DNA calculator (GE Healthcare, USA).
PCR was performed on 25 ng DNA from bone marrow aspirates and buccal smears, in a 25 µL containing 1X buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.4, 50 mM KCl), 2 mM MgCl2, 200 µM of each dNTP, 10 pmol of each primer, and the forward primer was 5’ end fluorescently labeled (FAM), 0.625 U (0.12 µL) AmpliTaq Gold DNA polymerase (PE Applied Biosystems, USA) (9).
Amplification was performed in a Perkin Elmer 9700 Thermal Controller (PE Applied Biosystems) after an initial denaturation at 94°C for 12 min. Twenty-five cycles were performed using the following temperature and time pro-file: denaturation at 94°C for 30 s, annealing at 55°C for 30 s, extension at 70°C for 30 s, and a final extension of 72°C for 25 min to minimize stutter bands. The PCR products were analyzed on a 6% polyacrylamide gel in 1X Tris-borate-EDTA buffer in the 377 automated DNA sequencer (PE Applied Biosystems). One microliter of each PCR product was combined with 4 µL formamide, 0.5 µL blue dextran, and 0.5 µL of a fluorescent size marker (GS 500 ROX; PE Applied Biosystems). The mixture samples were heated to 90°C for 5 min and then cooled on ice until ready to load.
The electrophoresis conditions were 3000 W and 51°C. PCR products were quantitatively detected by fragmenta-tion analysis using ABI GeneScan and ABI Genotyper software (PE Applied Biosystems).
Cytogenetic abnormalities by G-banding were detected in 36% (16/44) of the patients, specifically 2 of 18 MDS and 14 of 26 AML patients (Table 1).
The criteria selected for detecting allele loss were described by Cawkwell et al. (10). The samples with Q (peak area) less than or equal to 0.50 indicated LOH. The percent of informative samples (i.e., heterozygous) for the intragenic microsatellite in gene IRF-1 and in loci D7S486, D7S515 and D7S522 were 66.6, 73.7, 75.5, and 48.8%, respectively. The results of microsatellite analysis are summarized in Table 2.
Allelic loss occurred in 2 of 29 (6%) informative cases for IRF-1. One patient (case 21) was an AML with prior MDS and the other (case 43) was an AML secondary to therapy, both patients had an unfavorable karyotype ab-normality.
LOH was detected for one or more markers in 5 of 44 (11%) patients. Cases 19 and 31 presented LOH for the 3 markers (D7S486, D7S515 and D7S522). Case 21 showed LOH for markers D7S486 and D7S515 and cases 5 and 23 presented LOH for marker D7S515. Among the 2 patients who presented deletion 5q (cases 15 and 21), only case 21
Table 1. Table 1.Table 1. Table 1.
Table 1. Classification of patients in the present study according to WHO criteria (8) and results of karyotyping and microsatellite analyses.
Patient No. WHO classification Cytogenetics LOH
1 Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) Without metaphases 2 Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) 46,XX
3 Refractory anemia with excess blasts-1 (RAEB-1) 46,XY 4 Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) 46,XY
5 Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) 46,XX D7S515 6 Refractory anemia with excess blasts-2 (RAEB-2) 46,XY
7 Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) 46,XX
8 Refractory anemia (RA) Without metaphases
9 Refractory anemia (RA) 46,XY
10 Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) Without metaphases
11 Refractory anemia (RA) 46,XY
12 Refractory anemia (RA) Without metaphases 13 Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) 46,XY
14 Refractory anemia with ringed sideroblasts (RARS) Without metaphases 15 Refractory anemia with excess blasts-2 (RAEB-2) 46,XX,del(5)(q31) 16 Refractory anemia with excess blasts-2 (RAEB-2) Condensed metaphases 17 Refractory cytopenia with multilineage dysplasia (RCMD) 46,XX
18 Refractory anemia with excess blasts-1 (RAEB-1) 47,XY,+3/46,XY
19 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 45,XY,-7/46,XY D7S486, 515, 522 20 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 46,XY
21 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 47,XX,+8/47,XX,del(5)(q13q33), IRF-1, D7S486, 515 del(7)(q22),+8/49,XX,del
(7)(q22),+8,+11,+18 22 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 46,XX
23 AML with multilineage dysplasia without prior MDS Without metaphases D7S515 24 AML with multilineage dysplasia without prior MDS 46,XX
25 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 46,XX,inc 26 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 46,XY 27 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 48,XX,+8,+9
28 AML with multilineage dysplasia with prior MDS 48,XY,+14,+22/46,XY 39 AML not otherwise categorized/myelomonocytic 46,XY
30 AML not otherwise categorized/monocytic 46,XY,t(1;2)(p31;q34)
31 AML not otherwise categorized/AML without maturation 47,XY,+8/46,XY D7S486, 515, 522 32 AML not otherwise categorized/AML with maturation 46,XY
33 AML with recurrent cytogenetic translocations/AML with 46,XY,t(8;21)(q22;q22) t(8;21)(q22;q22)
34 AML with recurrent cytogenetic translocations/AML with 46,XY,t(8;21)(q22;q22) t(8;21)(q22;q22)
35 AML with recurrent cytogenetic translocations/AML with 46,XX,t(15;17)(q22;q11) t(15;17)(q22;q12)
36 AML not otherwise categorized/AML with maturation 46,XX
37 AML with recurrent cytogenetic translocations/ AML with 46,XX,t(15;17)(q22;q12) t(15;17)(q22;q12)
38 AML not otherwise categorized/AML without maturation 47,XX,del(7)(q31),+8/46,XX 39 AML not otherwise categorized/AML with maturation 46,XY
40 AML not otherwise categorized/AML with maturation Without metaphases 41 AML not otherwise categorized/megakaryocytic 46,XX,add(21)(q22) 42 AML not otherwise categorized/myelomonocytic Without metaphases
43 AML therapy related 53-56,XX,+1,+8,+9,+10,i?(11) IRF-1 (q13),+14,+15,+16,+17,+18,+19, ~6dmin
44 AML with recurrent cytogenetic translocations/AML with 46,XY,t(15;17)(q22;q12) t(15;17)(q22;q12)
Table 2. Table 2. Table 2. Table 2.
Table 2. Analysis of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the IRF-1 gene and the markers at 7q.
Patient No. IRF-1 Markers at 7q
D7S486 D7S515 D7S522
1 Homoz. 1.0 Homoz. Homoz.
2 0.98 0.92 1.0 Homoz.
3 0.91 0.91 0.83 1.0
4 1.0 Homoz. 1.0 1.0
5 0.94 0.78 0.230.230.230.230.23 Homoz.
6 1.0 0.91 0.83 Homoz.
7 Homoz. Homoz. Homoz. Homoz.
8 0.98 1.0 0.91 1.0 9 0.96 0.91 0.91 Homoz. 10 1.0 1.0 Homoz. Homoz. 11 Homoz. Homoz. 0.91 0.83 12 0.97 0.77 0.91 Homoz. 13 0.96 1.0 1.0 Homoz. 14 0.96 1.0 Homoz. 1.0 15 Homoz. Homoz. 1.0 0.82 16 0.95 Homoz. 0.83 0.91 17 0.96 0.91 Homoz. Homoz.
18 Homoz. Homoz. Homoz. Homoz. 19 Homoz. 0.350.350.350.350.35 0.00.00.00.00.0 0.230.230.230.230.23 20 1.0 Homoz. 1.0 0.83 21 0.340.340.340.340.34 0.280.280.280.280.28 0.210.210.210.210.21 Homoz. 22 Homoz. 1.0 0.62 0.55 23 Homoz. 0.91 0.230.230.230.230.23 0.83 24 0.99 Homoz. Homoz. 0.91 25 1.0 0.83 Homoz. Homoz. 26 0.99 1.0 0.78 Homoz. 27 1.0 1.0 0.83 Homoz. 28 Homoz. 1.0 1.0 Homoz. 29 1.0 0.99 0.92 0.91 30 0.94 Homoz. 0.92 Homoz. 31 Homoz. 0.00.00.00.00.0 0.370.370.370.370.37 0.00.00.00.00.0 32 0.94 Homoz. 0.83 Homoz. 33 1.0 0.91 0.83 0.77 34 0.98 0.71 Homoz. Homoz. 35 0.94 0.83 0.91 0.97 36 Homoz. 1.0 0.68 Homoz. 37 0.97 1.0 Homoz. Homoz. 38 0.93 0.91 1.0 0.91 39 Homoz. 0.91 0.91 0.99 40 Homoz. 0.85 0.91 1.0
41 Homoz. Homoz. 1.0 Homoz.
42 Homoz. 0.91 0.91 Homoz.
43 0.450.450.450.450.45 Homoz. 0.86 1.0
44 1.0 0.91 0.83 1.0
Homoz. = homozygosity. Numbers in bold = Q (peak area) ≤ 0.50 indicating LOH.
presented LOH for IRF-1. Among the 3 patients with dele-tion 7q or monosomy 7 (cases 19, 21, and 38), two cases (19 and 21) presented LOH for at least one intragenic microsatellite of 7q31.1. Only 1 patient (case 5) with
nor-mal karyotype by G-banding presented LOH. It was for the marker D7S515. Otherwise, FISH centromeric probe for chromosome 7 showed monosomy in 25% of the cells. The 2 patients with complex karyotype (cases 21 and 43) presented LOH for IRF-1. The karyotype of case 21 was 47,XX,+8/47,XX,del(5)(q13q33),del(7)(q22),+8/ 49,XX,del(7)(q22),+8,+11,+18 and case 43 was 53-56,XX,+1,+8,+9,+10,i?(11)(q13),+14,+15,+16,+17,+18, +19,~6dmin.
It is important to note that there was a significantly positive association of the occurrence of LOH with abnor-mal karyotype (P < 0.05; chi-square test).
LOH on chromosome 7q has been frequently reported in several types of human cancer including myeloid neo-plasia (1). Using a panel of three microsatellite markers at band 7q31, we found 5 of 44 (11%) patients with one or more allelic loss. Among these 5 cases, three presented cytogenetic abnormalities involving chromosome 7 (cases 5, 19, and 21). Case 5 presented monosomy 7 by FISH and LOH for D7S515; case 19 showed monosomy 7 and LOH of the three markers, as expected; case 21 presented LOH of D7S486 and D7S515, but the deletion was at band 7q22. Koike et al. (11) studied the LOH on the long arm of chromosome 7 in AML patients using a panel of 15 mark-ers and found a higher incidence of LOH (27%) than in the present study probably due to the different panel with more markers (fifteen). In fact, Basirico et al. (12) studied the LOH of 7q using a panel of 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers at band 7q21-36 and correlated the findings with conventional karyotype. Sixteen patients (16/50) showed allelic loss, but only three presented cytogenetic abnor-malities related to chromosome 7. Our results suggest that LOH in different microsatellite markers on the long arm of chromosome 7 is an event previous to chromosomal ab-normalities in these myeloid neoplasias, with karyotype abnormalities occurring later.
An important finding among the present cases was the correlation between LOH of IRF-1 and complex karyotype with a lot of trisomies, deletions, isochromosome and double minutes concomitantly. An interesting aspect that remains to be determined is if IRF-1 gene expression is decreased in these cases of LOH. Unfortunately, immuno-histochemistry for IRF-1 performed in these cases was not successful, and there were no more samples available for additional molecular studies. Notwithstanding, IRF-1 has been implicated as a mediator for interferon signaling, when induced by TNF-α, interferons, viral infections and retinoids. IRF-1 has been considered to be a TSG that plays an essential role in cell growth control and surveillance against malignant development (13). The findings of the present study support the view of IRF-1 as an important TSG.
1. Loeb LA, Springgate CF, Battula N. Errors in DNA replica-tion as a basis of malignant changes. Cancer Res 1974; 34: 2311-2321.
2. Krskova-Honzatkova L, Cermak J, Sajdova J, Stary J, Sedlacek P, Sieglova Z. Loss of heterozygosity and hetero-geneity of its appearance and persisting in the course of acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. Leuk Res 2001; 25: 45-53.
3. List AF, Vardiman J, Issa JP, DeWitte TM. Myelodysplastic syndromes. Hematol Am Soc Hematol Educ Program 2004; 297-317.
4. Chauffaille ML, Yamamoto M, Moncau JE, Braga GW, Souto EX, Kerbauy J. Cytogenetic abnormalities as prognostic factors in acute myeloid leukemia. Rev Assoc Med Bras 1996; 42: 200-204.
5. Shaffer LG, Tommerup N (Editors). ISCN (2005): An inter-national system for human cytogenetic nomenclature. Basel: S. Karger Publishers; 2005.
6. Greenberg P, Cox C, LeBeau MM, Fenaux P, Morel P, Sanz G, et al. International scoring system for evaluating progno-sis in myelodysplastic syndromes. Blood 1997; 89: 2079-2088.
7. Grimwade D, Walker H, Oliver F, Wheatley K, Harrison C, Harrison G, et al. The importance of diagnostic cytogenetics on outcome in AML: analysis of 1,612 patients entered into the MRC AML 10 trial. The Medical Research Council Adult and Children’s Leukaemia Working Parties. Blood 1998; 92:
8. Harris NL, Jaffe ES, Diebold J, Flandrin G, Muller-Hermelink HK, Vardiman J, et al. World Health Organization classifica-tion of neoplastic diseases of the hematopoietic and lym-phoid tissues: report of the Clinical Advisory Committee Meeting - Airlie House, Virginia, November 1997. J Clin Oncol 1999; 17: 3835-3849.
9. Lee TH, Sakahara NS, Fiebig EW, Hirschkorn DF, Johnson DK, Busch MP. Quantitation of white cell subpopulations by polymerase chain reaction using frozen whole-blood samples. Viral Activation Transfusion Study. Transfusion 1998; 38: 262-270.
10. Cawkwell L, Bell SM, Lewis FA, Dixon MF, Taylor GR, Quirke P. Rapid detection of allele loss in colorectal tumours using microsatellites and fluorescent DNA technology. Br J Cancer 1993; 67: 1262-1267.
11. Koike M, Tasaka T, Spira S, Tsuruoka N, Koeffler HP. Allelotyping of acute myelogenous leukemia: loss of het-erozygosity at 7q31.1 (D7S486) and q33-34 (D7S498, D7S505). Leuk Res 1999; 23: 307-310.
12. Basirico R, Pirrotta R, Fabbiano F, Mirto S, Cascio L, Pagano M, et al. Submicroscopic deletions at 7q region are associated with recurrent chromosome abnormalities in acute leukemia. Haematologica 2003; 88: 429-437. 13. Liebermann DA, Hoffman B. Myeloid differentiation (MyD)
primary response genes in hematopoiesis. Oncogene 2002; 21: 3391-3402.


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text:
Bird flu means your Thanksgiving turkey will cost more this year
It’s been a foul year for fowl.
The average price of Thanksgiving turkey has jumped as much as 20% this year, thanks — or no thanks — to the bird flu outbreak that killed some 8 million turkeys, according to the National Turkey Federation.
But you won't have to reach deep into your pocket to foot the stuffing bill.
Purdue University agricultural economist Corinne Alexander said in a report that grocery prices increased by only 0.8 percent from September 2014 to September 2015 — a lower than normal uptick.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture projected average wholesale price for the Eastern market whole turkey of $1.31 and $1.37 per pound for the final quarter, up from $1.14 in the same period a year ago, according to Purdue.
"This price increase is much larger than typical as a result of the avian influenza outbreak that affected turkey flocks earlier this year," Alexander said.
Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll hit your pocketbook.
Grocery stores often discount the price of turkeys, viewing them as loss leaders to lure customers into purchasing more profitable items.
For example, Walmart’s turkey prices will be lower than last year, with a 16-pound premium frozen Butterball selling for 64 cents less than last year, the Associated Press reported.
The AP also reported that pumpkin supplies are expected to last through Thanksgiving despite a 50% drop in yields in Illinois attributed to record rains.
There’s good news for Thanksgiving travelers, too. Gasoline prices have fallen by nearly 30% since last year, according to Purdue.
Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.

domain: food


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27-year old New Yorker Gabrielle Rivera made “Spanish Girls are Beautiful” because none of the lesbian media she saw looked like the queer girls she knew. You probably relate to that feeling, yes? The 20-minute short, which is really more of a TV pilot, caught our eye straight away for its rare authenticity. Then we emailed, and then we all had a beer, and now we’re all in collective common-life-goals love with Gaby. We hope this is the first of many times you’ll see her on Autostraddle! Check out her story in the Lambda Award-nominated Tales of a Portland Queer, her interview with My Latino Voice and follow her on twitter.
My twenty-minute short film “Spanish Girls are Beautiful” is a glimpse into a youthful Latina and Caucasian urban lesbian lifestyle. Three of the main characters are what you might label as either “butch” or “AG.” Although casting Easy, Taylor and Casey wasn’t terribly difficult, directing the actresses into portraying believable butch/AG characters was an entirely different situation.
I started sending out casting notices via Facebook, MySpace, Craigslist and almost every other social networking site out there, figuring the lesbians would come out in droves. I daydreamed about lines of queer women linking around our casting space psyched about auditioning for a film about young, queer, badass chicks. That DID NOT happen at all. The majority of women who auditioned were young straight women who’d let me and my producer, John Accardo, know that they were “totally cool with the gay thing.”
We found three talented and uniquely feminine women to portray Easy, Taylor and Casey. I’d only wanted queer women involved in the project, especially in the more masculine roles, so casting three straight girls was a bit of a compromise for me. However, we needed to push forward within a certain shooting timeline, so I accepted the final casting decisions. I was ready to test my limits as a director.
Nikolitsa Boutieros, the actress who played Easy, demanded all of my attention the second she walked into the casting room.
Nikolitsa strolled in with Slash hair and a David Bowie demeanor, wearing tight, studded black jeans, a black button down shirt and shit-kicker, steel-toed boots. Nikolitsa’s intensity secured the role, but I knew that transforming her into an urban Latina AG lesbian was going to take some work. For those of you unfamiliar with the term AG, here is a brief definition of my own:
“An aggressive or more masculine acting female who adopts a style and way of dress associated with urban culture and hip hop music. AGs are usually also women of color.”
(Again, this is a definition I’ve come to from conversations with friends and people who label themselves as AGs. If you find fault with it, please feel free to politely add to my definition.)
She stood like a rock star, and I needed her to lean like a G. I wasn’t completely confident that I could teach her to be an AG, but I wasn’t going to compromise Easy’s portrayal.
“Yes, everyone’s an individual but there’s a style and attitude that’s associated with AGs and she needed to capture it.”
We put the dialogue aside and worked on her body language. I gave her some homework, which was to go to Fordham Road in the Bronx and observe AGs in the hood with their girls. I told her to watch how they walked and moved through the world dressed in urban gear: do-rags, fitteds, fresh kicks, hair done in rows etc. Yes, everyone’s an individual but there’s a style and attitude that’s associated with AGs and she needed to capture it.
Nikolitsa even used her brother as a research aid. Nikolitsa told me, “I naturally channeled my brother…he is very much like Easy’s character.” From Fordham Road to familial interactions, Nikolitsa busted her ass to get into character.
We also slowed down her walk and pushed her shoulders out to give off a “don’t fuck with me” attitude. Instead of pointing at someone for emphasis, I opened up her hands and lowered them to create a barrier around her personal space that would dare anyone to enter it. At the same time, I needed her to be gentle with her on screen love the way that AGs are gentle with their ladies. It’s a tough but sweet, protective, thoughtful kind of love.
However, Easy still had more jagged edges than tender spots. Nikolitsa felt that playing Easy was “fun but also sad at the same time, because the soft and feminine side seemed to be imprisoned by the overriding side of ‘thugging.'” We were still able to find a middle ground, and by the time we rolled, she had the swagger, ferocity and gentleness of any AG from the hood.
Maria Dalbotten played Taylor, my sweet, soft butch doe-eyed loverboi main character. She walked into our casting space in a pretty skirt, light blue tank top and silver sandals with painted toenails. She was fucking adorable, and again, she nailed that dialogue. I knew she was Taylor from the second she opened her mouth. But there was not a trace of tomboy in her.
Our first rehearsal was almost disastrous. She wore a pretty skirt, crossed her legs (again) and began her lines. It was completely wrong.
I switched her skirt for a pair of black cargo shorts. Gone was the tank top; a sick graphic tee took its place. We ditched her sandals and threw on a pair of Vans. Automatically, her demeanor changed. According to Maria, the clothes “were a total change for a sundress queen…it really affected the way I carried myself.” She was no longer physically constricted by her feminine attire and was able to delve deeper into the character of Taylor.
My fun-loving, stoner, sporty dyke was also in a similar situation. Brooke Morgan came in with the goofy sensibility and lankiness that was needed for the role. She was also a bit of a tomboy, so it was easier for her to become Casey. However, there were two elements that both actresses hadn’t ever explored before, having never played or been around butch lesbians: they needed to conquer the space around them and engage their female love interests from a masculine point of view.
Straight or feminine-acting women cross their legs and fold their arms in an effort to sanctify and protect their personal space. Also, we’ve been bred to make room for men by taking up as little space as possible. During one of our rehearsals, I asked them to sit with their legs open and their arms stretched over the back of our couch. I wanted them to own the space around them. I explained to them that this is one of the ways butch lesbians absorb their spatial surroundings and create their own world. You need to make room for yourself because no one is going to give it to you.
In baggy shorts and boys’ T-shirts, it was easier and more fluid for them to take over that space. They fucking loved it. Maria (“Taylor”) even gushed at one point, “God, it’s comfortable to be a lesbian.” YES IT IS!
Now I needed them to be able to believably approach a woman with confidence and positive aggression. This was much harder to explore because, generally speaking, straight women are usually pursued by men and lack experience in making the “first move.” My actresses needed a lesson in how to get their mack on. I didn’t want them to portray some false macho pimp version of how to get a girl, and I floundered on how to explain the difference. Then Brooke (“Casey”) pulled out a T-shirt that belonged to her boyfriend and asked if she could use it as part of her wardrobe. Speaking of him, her face lit up and she told us how awesome he was and how much he supported her in all of her artistic endeavors. Swear to God, it hit me at that very moment that I had forgotten the most crucial element of this entire project: LOVE. Fucking love. Love was the foundation of this project and of everything around us.
I asked them to connect with the love that good men had given them and how they were approached by those men. In essence, they needed to channel their boyfriends as women loving other women. Now some of you might be like “fuck that! Butch lesbians aren’t men!” No they aren’t, but it was the best solid point of reference to give these pretty femmy straight actresses.
It all clicked. They fucking got it. My AG got her swag on through finding her own confidence and connecting with an urban identity. My two soft butches utilized their love experiences to channel the necessary components of loving another woman, even just on screen. All three women were also able to overcome the ingrained spatial restrictions put on females. Also, looking at the men in their lives (brothers, boyfriends, etc.) allowed them to explore emotional spaces that are usually taboo for women, like aggression and natural confidence.
Masculine-identified women enter into territory usually reserved for men every day while still maintaining the feminine energy that connects them to other women. Granted, femmes and other types of female-identified queers play with these lines as well, but for the sake of my short film, it was the butch lesbians who had to shine and be fierce. As straight females playing lesbians, these actresses learned that gender and sexuality are mutually exclusive entities, and they did so by pushing through learned and limiting gender norms. This opened their eyes to the concepts of personal space, the way we express love, and the way that masculinity is presented in all of us. “Spanish Girls…” became a journey not just for me, but also for the actresses expanding their ideas of gender. We conquered swagger, space and love in one short film — or, as we refer to it now, looking towards the future, one short webseries pilot.

domain: artistic


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Record of Service within: Archives > Record Of Service
SBYRW : 14661
1st Bn, Royal Berkshire Regiment - Record of Service for Sergeant Arthur Dance, dated 19th of April 1916, when he was discharged on account of his wounds. The record stated that Sergeant Dance was born on 1st March 1894 and that his conduct was very good.
Person(s): Dance, A Sergeant,
Royal Berkshire Regiment, 1st Bn

domain: history


Celebrity Central / Top 25 Celebs
Sep 30, 2013
Plus: Who took the stage for a worthy cause?
Sep 13, 2013
The singer is in Brazil celebrating birthday of husband Swizz Beatz
May 10, 2013
"I've really loved him for lots of years," the singer tells PEOPLE
May 06, 2013
Stars Reveal Which Body Parts, Personality Traits and Other Quirks They've Grown to Embrace
Feb 25, 2013
Feb 03, 2013
The singers kicked off the Super Bowl with moving renditions of "America the Beautiful" & "The Star-Spangled Banner"
Jan 27, 2013
Plus: see what your favorite Olympic skaters are up to
Jan 22, 2013
Plus, more star sightings!
Jan 11, 2013
The weekend promises lots of celebrity guests before President Obama is sworn in for his second term
Dec 17, 2012
Dec 13, 2012
The benefit concert brought out a bevy of stars and some unexpected pairings
Dec 07, 2012
Plus more star sightings!
The show to benefit hurricane victims will be live-streamed on PEOPLE.com
Nov 28, 2012
Nov 20, 2012
"To have this type of love in my life at this time in my life, it means so much," she says of motherhood
May 28, 2015
Mar 31, 2015
See All Alicia Keys Photos


SOUTH BRISTOL, Maine — Several cases of COVID-19 have been reported at four Maine DOT camps.
In a letter sent to employees this week, officials say the Maine CDC opened an outbreak file associated with the Maine DOT bridge operations in South Bristol and Southport.
The letter also says there are positive cases within crew camps in North Augusta and North Berwick.
Officials say health and safety protocols recommended by the Maine CDC are being implemented by the Maine DOT.
DOT Spokesperson Paul Merrill spoke to NEWS CENTER Maine about the department's COVID policies in January, saying in part, "The plan that we have in place right now would allow three camps to be off the roster because of COVID exposure or concerns, and we still believe we'd be able to maintain adequate levels of service."
At the time of the interview, Merrill said the department had not had more than one crew off the road because of COVID-19 exposure at any given time.
The CDC has not responded to a request for comment as of Saturday evening.


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2nd Lt. Jared Dove, a Kessel Run program manager in the Digital Directorate at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., runs with the ball during a soccer match between the official U.S. Air Force and Army teams at the 2023 Armed Forces Men’s Soccer Championship tournament at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 9. The Air Force team was comprised of officers and enlisted members from across the U.S. Air and Space Forces who underwent a two-week tryout and training camp. (Department of Defense photo by Steve Dinote)
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regarding use of images of identifiable personnel, appearance of endorsement, and related matters.

domain: news


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Canadian food giant Cargill Limited has temporarily closed its London poultry processing plant due to a COVID-19 outbreak among some of its workers.
An upcoming virtual series will take a look at grazing livestock and its role in the supply chain.
The Beef Farmers of Ontario says a financial commitment to Ontario’s 42 meat processing facilities is a welcome investment.
Over 9.600 dairy farmers across the country have registered under the second year of the Dairy Direct Payment Program.
Migrant worker advocates are calling on Ontario to ensure workers have clear information about COVID-19 vaccines.
Federal government officials make an announcement in regards to employee safety in the food system.
A national survey on farmer mental health is being led by the University of Guelph.
The Canadian Cattleman’s Association is spending $850,000 over the next three years as re-brand.
The nation’s agriculture minister says more can be done under with an Agristability plan but it depends on some western provinces.


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Newport Beach's Coastal Charms
Explore Newport Beach
Along the pristine shores of Newport Beach, Little Inn by Bay Resort offers a tranquil retreat amidst the vibrant energy of Southern California. Just steps away from the iconic Newport Pier and its sun-kissed sands, guests are greeted by a blend of coastal charm and modern luxury. With a myriad of nearby attractions awaiting exploration, from the historic Balboa Fun Zone to the serene beauty of Crystal Cove State Park, every day promises new adventures.

domain: travel