New facial recognition app launched to prevent crime and protect vulnerable people
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Police officers in Gwent and South Wales are to become the first in the UK to develop and use technology to identify wanted individuals in real time through a new facial recognition app on their mobile phones.
It will enable officers to confirm the identity of a wanted suspect almost instantly even if that suspect provides false or misleading details, thereby securing their quick arrest. Cases of mistaken identity will be easily resolved and without the need for a trip to a police station or custody suite.
During the testing phase, which will last for three months, the app – known as Operator Initiated Facial Recognition- will be used initially by 70 officers from Gwent Police and South Wales Police.
Assistant Chief Constable Ian Roberts, of Gwent Police, said:
“Embracing technology and innovation is an important part of policing and how we continue to keep people safe. This new mobile app will be a valuable tool to help officers to identify vulnerable or missing people, saving time and reuniting loved ones quicker.
“This tool can also provide identification of someone who is unconscious or seriously injured and unable to communicate who they are. By using this technology, we are preventing harm, helping those in need and keeping our communities safe.”
This builds on our existing use of retrospective facial recognition (RFR) technology. This is just one way in which these technological advancements are being used in Gwent Police.
RFR technology compares still images of faces of unknown people against a reference image database in order to identify them after an event.
Images are typically supplied from CCTV, mobile phone footage or social media. These images are then compared against our custody images.
The reference database that we use are custody images from Gwent Police and South Wales. These contain in excess of 600,000 images.
After a search is made, the technology reorders the reference image database from the most likely to the least likely possible match.
An operator will typically review the top 200 possible matches to decide whether a match has been made. If the operator determines a match has been made, they will inform the investigating officer. The investigating officer will review the match and add the person to the investigation as a suspect.
ACC Roberts added:
“This technology has already assisted our investigations by identifying suspects, victims and witnesses more efficiently. Facial recognition technology is only used when it is necessary, proportionate and with the aim of keeping the public safe.”
For more on information on how we use facial recognition technology click here.


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President Donald Trump’s fiscal 2019 budget request includes almost $686 billion to position the military for a more global fight, even as it replenishes aircraft and missiles that have worn out faster than planned due to counter terrorism operations.
The request would procure more fighters and ships, purchase tens of thousands of munitions to replenish stocks used in operations against the Islamic State, and infuse money into both the nuclear triad and missile defense.
Here are some highlights:
F-35 Joint Strike Fighters
The budget sets aside $10.7 billion to buy 77 of the fifth-generation fighters.
Joint Direct Attack Munitions
The budget request asks for $1.2 billion to procure 43,594 JDAMs.
Joint Light Tactical Vehicles
DoD wants to buy 5,113 JLTVs, estimated to cost $2 billion.
About $3 billion would be used on 15 of the new tankers, meant to replace the aging KC-135 Stratotanker.
DoD wants to buy 24 F/A-18s, estimated to cost $2 billion.
VH-92 Presidential Helicopters
The budget request includes $900 million to buy six new presidential helicopters.
Virginia Class submarines
The Navy wants two of these submarines, which will cost $7.4 billion.
DDG-51 Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
The request includes $6 billion for three of these destroyers.
B-21 Raider Long Range Strike Bomber
About $2.3 billion is set aside for the long-awaited B-21, which would be part of the nuclear triad.
In addition to the weapons systems above, other highlighted requests include:
- 60 AH-64E attack helicopters, worth $1.3 billion.
- 10 P-8A aircraft at $2.2 billion.
- 8 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters worth $1.6 billion.
- 1 Littoral Combat Ship worth $1.3 billion.
- Continued development funding for the CVN-78 Class Aircraft Carrier, worth $1.8 billion.
- 2 Fleet Replenishment Oilers (T-AO) priced at $1.1 billion.
- 1 Expeditionary Sea Base for $700 million.
- 5,113 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles for $2.0 billion.
- M-1 Abrams tank modifications costing $2.7 billion.
- 30 Amphibious Combat Vehicles for $300 million.
- 197 Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicles for $800 million.
- Columbia Class Submarine worth $3.7 billion.
- Long-Range Stand-Off Missile for $600 million.
- Ground Based Strategic Deterrent for $300 million.
Tara Copp is a Pentagon correspondent for the Associated Press. She was previously Pentagon bureau chief for Sightline Media Group.

domain: politics


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Only one more month to go for brand-new Cotton cute 'em up action!
New Trailer - Switch & PS4 coming 20 May
Stuttgart, April 20th, 2022. ININ Games is proud to announce that Cotton Fantasy is launching in one month, on May 20th, for Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 (PS4), both digitally and via retailers worldwide, as revealed in a new trailer!
After the critically acclaimed remaster Cotton Reboot! delighted fans in 2021, Cotton Fantasy now marks the full rebirth of the series, with a brand-new entry. Only one more month to go until fans around the world can get their hands on this modern and high-octane "Cute 'em up" shooter! To play the game on launch, fans can already pre-order from a variety of local
retailers for $/€39.99, a full list is available on the ININ Games website.
Nintendo Life rated Cotton Fantasy as "Great 8/10", especially praising the amount of content and variety on offer: "Cotton Fantasy brings so many different experiences in a single shmup that it may as well be a compilation release. Few shmups offer so many ways to play, nor deliver such an enchanting world quite so alive with personality".
Eager collectors also have the chance to secure a limited boxed edition from Strictly Limited Games or Gamesrocket. The Limited Edition comes at the same price as the retail edition but with alternative cover artwork and a game manual not included in the retail edition and will start shipping in May. Also available is a highly limited Collector's Edition with exclusive, magical collectibles, including the official Cotton Nendoroid figure. This edition will start shipping a little later though.
About the game:
Something sinister is in the making – the willows are vanishing from Fairyland and the Fairy Queen entrusts Silk with solving the case. Who could be behind this devious ploy?
For a promised lifetime all-you-can-eat supply of tasty willows, the little witch Nata de Cotton is willing to help her old friend out and embark on another adventure together, to save the Fairyland.
Cotton Fantasy sets the stage for another fantastic adventure, 30 years after the Cotton series initially premiered, with lots of features to offer:
- HD graphics & brand-new shoot 'em up game mechanics
- 6 iconic, playable characters to choose from, each with different mechanics and attacks, even including guest characters like Umihara Kawase (from the equally named series) and Luffee from Doki Doki Poyacchio
- Easily accessible Shoot 'em up gameplay, perfect for newcomers, but with enough depth for veterans
- 16 colourful and varied scrolling stages to unlock, with vertical, horizontal, and 3D movement
- Light-hearted story with fun and charming cutscenes voiced entirely in Japanese (English, French, Italian, German, Spanish subtitles included)
- Exhilarating soundtrack featuring iconic remastered tracks from past games
- Unlockable content and different characters offer high replayability
- Aim for the high score in your nation and globally with the featured ranking boards
About ININ Games
ININ Games focuses on the digital and physical publishing of high-quality, feel-good retro and arcade games. ININ Games brings retro games to life and creates the classics of the future.They are best known for "Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World", "CrossCode", "Cotton Reboot", "Slaps and Beans" and as the publishing partner for the TAITO titles "Bubble Bobble 4 Friends: The Baron is Back" and "The Ninja Saviors – Return of the Warriors" in North America and Europe. Numerous other milestones of classic gaming culture are in the planning and will be announced in the coming months.
ININ Games is part of United Games Entertainment GmbH. For more information, visit www.iningames.com
About SUCCESS Corporation
Success Corporation was founded in 1978 and is one of Japan's top five independent game companies with a long history. Success has developed and sold a lot of games for all platforms, including arcades, consoles, browsers and apps. Some of Success Corp.'s work was among the first projects in the gaming industry.

domain: game


For all central heating system’s issue believe only the professionals who are skilled and know how to deal with different boiler problems. And who better than the one with forty years of experience. Yes! Ultra Warm, with such a long experience provides the best Plumbing In Chippenham. Ours is a high quality servicing that includes boiler installations, boiler replacements, gas safety inspections, solar heating, air source heat pumps, power flushing, etc.
So, for any kind of services related to boiler or plumbing in Chippenham, call us at 01249713476 or click here- http://www.ultrawarm.co.uk/chippenham.html.


Sunderland travelle to the capital to take on Queens Park Rangers in their latest Premier League.
The Black Cats bagged two points from two draws in their opening games, but came away from Loftus Road with no points after a 1-0 defeat.
Chronicle SAFC writer James Hunter provided live match updates and analysis from the clash.
At Loftus Road and all set for QPR v Sunderland. I predicted an away win yesterday. Your thoughts are welcome.
Team news - Sunderland starting XI: Mannone, Vergini, van Aanholt, Brown, O'Shea (c), Cattermole, Larsson, Rodwell, Johnson, Wickham, Fletcher
Subs: Pantilimon, Jones, Bridcutt, Gomez, Altidore, Giaccherini, Buckley
Tough on Buckley who, along with Cattermole, was Sunderland's stand-out player against Man United last weekend.
QPR starting XI: Green, Isla, Ferdinand, Caulker, Hill, Fer, Barton, Mutch, Phillips, Austin, Hoilett.
Subs: Murphy, Traore, Onuoha, Henry, Dunne, Zamora, Taarabt.
Three changes for QPR - Hill, Austin and Hoilett in for Traore, Dunne and Remy
Remy not on the QPR teamsheet. Looks like au revoir.
Jones and Giaccherini on the bench for the first time in the Premier League this season.
Summer Sunderland target Jordon Mutch lines up for QPR. And ex-safc loanee Nedum Onuoha is on the QPR bench
And we're off at Loftus Road.
Chance inside the first 30 second. Great run from Connor Wickham down the left, ball inside to Patrick van Aanholt in the area, but his shot shot hits sidenetting.
Joey Barton whips in a corner from left, header by Austin and Wickham clears off the line.
And now Wes Brown now receiving treatment to what looks like a cut on his forehead.
Brown still getting patched up. Sunderland temporarily down to 10 men.
Brown back on sporting a bandage.
So close Sunderland. Brilliant throughball from Adam Johnson to release Steven Fletcher in the box, his low left-foot shot is pushed away by Green.
Another great pass from Johnson, this time for Van Aanholt. Shot is wild though and goes over the top.
Adam Johnson's corner from the left, Rodwell gets his head on it but it's well wide.
Good game so far. Chances at both ends, pretty even. Sunderland have a corner.


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Is your child ready for the school now that it’s 2018 and they’ve enjoyed their winter break? They may have the latest fashionable clothing, sports equipment, and school supplies, but do they have the necessary tools to maintain good oral health?
According to the Canadian Dental Association, a dental examination is just as important as a general checkup at the doctor’s office. Statistics suggest that tooth decay, otherwise known as cavities, affects Canadian children more than any other chronic infectious disease. Dental pain can lead to difficulty concentrating in school and other activities such as eating, speaking, playing, and sleeping. Problems in any of these areas can affect a child’s performance at school.
Here are three tips that should be on your child’s back-to-school dental checklist:
Regular Dental Examination!
Regular dental checkups with your dentist are a great way to ensure healthy teeth. Dental professionals can diagnose and treat dental problems while preventing future problems. Your oral hygienist may also be able to suggest treatments or techniques that you can use to improve your oral health from home.
Regular Brushing and Flossing!
Regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing can go a long way in improving and maintaining a child’s oral health. Head to the dental section of your local store while you’re out shopping with your child and pick out some dental tools.
Healthy Snacks and Lunches!
Eating healthy lunches and snacks can go a long way in maintaining your child’s oral health. Foods including whole grains, milk, cheese, raw vegetables, yogurt, and fruit are what we consider to be teeth-friendly foods! At the end of the day, the best advice we can give is to make sure your child eats everything in moderation. Making balanced food choices leads to good oral health.
Our professionals at Apple Dental Group would love to be your go-to dental team this upcoming school term. Our staff does its absolute best to ensure your oral health is the focus and will answer any questions inside their expertise. Interested in booking an appointment today? Contact us at 403-778-0866 or visit our website today!

domain: medical


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You can add a promotional code to your account when upgrading your plan from free/basic to a paid account or purchasing as a new user.
- Account owner, admin, or another role with billing privileges
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
- In the navigation menu, click Account Management then Billing.
- Click Upgrade Account.
- Select a plan to purchase.
- Edit the plan as needed. You can change the number of licenses or change the frequency of the billing cycle (monthly or annual).
- Click the Shopping Cart in the top right corner.
- Click the blue Add Discount link.
- Insert your discount code and click Apply.
- Fill out your billing information, review the discount applied, then click Upgrade Now.
Additional Notes About Promotional/Discount codes:
- Please refer to the provider of your promotional code for any restrictions, terms, or expiration for the code you have. Some codes may only apply to certain products or during certain periods of time. If your code is expired or you are unsure what products the code can be applied towards, please contact the provider of your code.
- If you have already purchased your paid plan, but did not include the promotional code, we may not be able to apply the promotional code or discount to your account until your next billing cycle. You can contact Billing to confirm if we will be able to apply the promotional code or discount to your next billing cycle.
- If you are an existing Pro user, please note that in order to properly utilize a discount code directly from Zoom, you will have to select the hyperlink of the code within the email that you received. This will bring you directly to a checkout page with the code applied.
- If you have previously applied a discount or promotional code to your active account, you will not be able to stack or swap a new discount or promotional code on the same account.
- If you purchased your subscription through a dedicated Account Executive, please reach out to email@example.com for more information on applying discounts to your account.

domain: finance


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THE ONE Executive Suites managed by Kempinski – Shanghai wins the China Best Design Hotels Award
Shanghai, 11 January 2013 — With excellent facilities, sophisticated services and efficient management, THE ONE Executive Suites managed by Kempinski – Shanghai, was awarded “Best New Hotel” by The Bund magazine, on 11 January 2013, as part of the China Best Design Hotels Awards event, held in Shanghai.
The China Best Design Hotels Awards has been successfully held four times since 2009 — the awards recognise boutique hotels, high-end business hotels and luxury resorts that provide distinguished service and a unique style in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Tai Wan. Over 300 design hotels participated in the Awards’ evaluation and election process this year.
Founded in 2002, The Bund magazine aims to provide timely, original and quality information, news and interviews for high-end readers. The magazine is distributed in 21 cities across the mainland of China, and is especially recognised and recommended by readers in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.
Karina Ansos, General Manager of THE ONE Executive Suites managed by Kempinski – Shanghai, stated, “The Bund is one of the most prestigious lifestyle magazines and we are proud that THE ONE has received acknowledgement from the publication.”
Designed by world-renowned hospitality interior design firm, HBA, THE ONE achieves a unique avant-garde style, with a mix of contemporary pieces and traditional Chinese and European art deco design elements. European Flair is one of Kempinski’s distinguishing features worldwide, guiding every element of Kempinski’s identity, and THE ONE is no exception, consisting of colour palates that have been chosen to evoke the variation and richness within Europe’s natural landscapes — warm yellows combine with wood surfaces to create cozy, inviting spaces where guests can relax.
“THE ONE has been created to offer a different option for corporate guests in a city where there is an abundance of ‘cookie-cutter’ luxury hotels — guests experience a spacious, home-like space in which they can relax, without sacrificing the comfort of a five-star hotel”, Karina Ansos explained. “As representatives of a Kempinski hotel that is notable for its high service standard, we bring an impeccable, but highly personalized, service to our guests. We are dedicated to creating a home environment for each of our guests, as well as an enjoyable community for long-term guests.”
About the hotel:
THE ONE is located in the business centre of Jing’an District, five minutes’ walk from the upscale shops and metro station on Nanjing Xi Lu, Shanghai’s busiest commercial area — also known as “China’s No.1 Street” to many locals, tourists and expats. The hotel is just a short taxi ride from Pudong’s business district, Xintiandi, the Bund and the French Concession, making it accessible to almost any location in the centre of Shanghai.
THE ONE offers 244 spacious guest suites and private residences that range between 62 and 600 square metres, making them among the largest in the city. Guests can choose studio accommodations, or one-, two- or three-bedroom suites, and all of the options are equipped with high-speed wireless Internet, flat-screen televisions, and connections for MP3 players and iPods. Each suite’s expansive bathroom consists of separate rain showers and bathtubs, and features state-of-art German fittings; while a fully furnished kitchen or kitchenette is stocked with a full range of European-style cooking utensils, cutlery and crockery, creating a perfect home for guests.
Created in 1897, Kempinski Hotels is Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group. Kempinski’s rich heritage of impeccable personal service and superb hospitality is complemented by the exclusivity and individuality of its properties. Kempinski now comprises a portfolio of 75 five-star hotels in 31 countries and continues to add new properties in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Each one reflects the strength and success of the Kempinski brand without losing sight of its heritage. The portfolio comprises historic landmark properties, award-winning urban lifestyle hotels, outstanding resorts, and prestigious residences. Each one is imbued with the quality guests have come to expect from Kempinski while embracing the cultural traditions of its location. Kempinski is a founding member of the Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the world’s largest alliance of independent hotels.
To book, or for further information, please visit:
For further press information contact:
Cherry Xu • Marketing & Communications Manager • THE ONE Executive Suites
managed by Kempinski - Shanghai
No. 601 Fengyang Road (Nanjing Road), Shanghai, 200041, P.R. China
Tel +86 21 61571966 • Fax +86 21 60937600

domain: travel


Welcome to Nintendo Voice Chat. e-mail us your questions.
Matt Casamassina, Craig Harris, Mark Bozon, and Levi Buchanan are going to waggle their way into your hearts. This week, the boys -- minus Levi, to whom we must apologize because we haven't figured out a way to incorporate him yet -- are focused on the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009. Lucas Thomas and Jack DeVries join the crew to talk about pre-E3 exclusives and the show to come.
Muramasa: The Demon Blade
Red Steel 2
No More Heroes: Desperate Struggle
Much, much, much more.


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Haadyai Delight x Oconee : AFVCAT030
Haadyai Delight x Oconee The Cattleya orchid grows Sympodial and vegetatively, with rhizomes attached to the plant. The rhizome can be long and short. With roots growing from rhizomes. With no roots on the branches, it is a semi-aerial root system. The roots will suck food from the air and the planting material. The flowers are old rose, In 1inflorescence has 1-2 flowers, The flower is large and petals are old rose, The lip is dark pink and the center lip has yellow.

domain: agronomy


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Ode to Zoey
by Roger Pierangelo
The love from a dog reaches parts of our heart that most of us never knew existed.
The joy of greeting us with such excitement even if we just go to throw out the garbage gives us a feeling that their love is so pure, it never needs a reason.
The look on their faces when they see us makes us understand the extent to which someone can hold us so deeply in their hearts no matter what mood we are in.
Dogs teach us about the natural side of the human condition. After all, they are what we must have been out of the factory without human interference.
Their greatest joy is being in our arms, sitting by our side, being next to us, kissing us, playing and making us happy, loving being kissed and hugged, all the things we know to be the natural side of all of us but for many humans rarely shown or felt.
This gift must have been made by God to show us what we should be like and what should make us happy in life.
After all, they find happiness without money, find validation with a compliment, make us happy for a smile, and kiss us for nothing in return.
I never thought 7 pounds could hold so much love.

domain: literature


If last week’s Districts were an indication, watch out as the final 128 boys basketball teams make their way through the final two weeks of this MHSAA Tournament.
Six of 16 teams that reached the Breslin Center in 2022 saw their 2023 runs end last week. So too did two of the top seven (including No. 1) in this regular season’s Division 1 Michigan Power Ratings (MPR), five of the top 10 in Division 2, two of the top six in Division 3 and two of the top four in Division 4.
Below are glances at five of the most noteworthy results from District week, and a few more details on three Regionals of note in every division.
Week in Review
The countdown of last week’s five most intriguing results:
1. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s 57, Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice 50 The Eaglets (11-10) were the second seed in their District but still sent a shockwave through the entire bracket in upsetting arguably the overall Division 1 favorite Warriors (22-2).
2. Warren Michigan Collegiate 60, Warren Lincoln 55 The Cougars (20-2) took a big step as one of the overall favorites in Division 2 in downing another popular pick in Lincoln (19-5).
3. Menominee 60, Iron Mountain 54 The Maroons (14-10) had some retooling to do this winter after graduating standouts from last year’s Division 3 runner-up finisher, but they’ve won five straight and clinched this District title by avenging a 12-point Feb. 6 loss to the Mountaineers (21-2).
4. Michigan Center 49, Napoleon 46 After losing their first meeting by 17 and their second by only five, Michigan Center (17-7) pulled even and got past the league rival Pirates (22-2) in another Division 3 District Final.
5. Cadillac 56, Hart 32 One of the most competitive Districts in any division was clinched by the Big North Conference co-champion Vikings (20-4), who dealt the Pirates (23-1) their lone loss.
Regionals at a Glance
These could be among our most competitive brackets. Host sites are in bold:
Kalamazoo Central (20-3) vs. East Lansing (14-9), Holt (16-9) vs. Battle Creek Central (16-7)
Longtime power Kalamazoo Central has reached 20 wins for the first time since 2016-17 and is playing for a second-straight Regional title. An intriguing Regional Final could await as a Feb. 23 rematch with longtime rival Battle Creek Central was snowed out after the Maroon Giants won their first meeting 63-51 on Jan. 19. Standing in the way are a pair of teams from the Capital Area Activities Conference Blue, and probably not the ones anticipated. East Lansing finished third in the league but upset champion Lansing Waverly on Friday, and sixth-place Holt eliminated league runner-up Okemos in a District Semifinal.
Holland West Ottawa
Rockford (18-7) vs. Hudsonville (17-7), East Kentwood (18-6) vs. Muskegon (22-2)
A District Final upset also plays into this bracket as Rockford defeated 2022 Division 1 semifinalist Grand Rapids Northview 53-49 on Friday. The Rams next see Hudsonville for the third time after winning the first two matchups by three and one point. Both of those teams finished behind champion East Kentwood in the Ottawa-Kent Conference Red, the Falcons sweeping Rockford and splitting with Hudsonville but winning the second meeting by 12. But amid all of the O-K Red, O-K Green champion Muskegon is arguably the favorite this week – and tonight’s matchup is especially notable as Big Reds coach Keith Guy and Falcons coach Mike Thomas have had tons of success at the championship levels of the MHSAA Tournament.
Detroit U-D Jesuit (20-4) vs. Orchard Lake St. Mary’s (11-10), Troy (18-6) vs. North Farmington (21-1)
This bracket was going to be power-packed no matter what, and features an added storyline after St. Mary’s avenged two defeats to Brother Rice in winning their District Final. Next up is another Catholic League Central power, and the Eaglets and Cubs split this season – St. Mary’s winning by three and then Jesuit winning by 15 in the rematch. On the other side, North Farmington has been considered among a handful of Division 1 favorites all season long. The Raiders have won 17 straight but face a Colts team that’s steadily been rising from six wins two seasons ago to 13 last year. If they both win tonight, this is sure to be brought up before Wednesday: St. Mary’s defeated North Farmington 46-44 in a Regional Semifinal last season.
Bridgeport (20-4) vs. Flint Hamady (18-4), Shepherd (20-4) vs. Saginaw (18-6)
After an uncharacteristic 8-13 finish a year ago, Bridgeport is back and an intriguing contender this week riding an eight-game winning streak. Hamady is another, having reached the Regional Final last season and losing this one only to rival Flint Beecher twice, Detroit University Prep and Division 1 Davison. Shepherd has been a great story enjoying its best season in at least a decade. But a lot of eyes will be on Saginaw High, which is nearing its end as one of the most legendary programs in state history as the school will merge with Arthur Hill in 2024. The Trojans lost to Hamady in a Regional Semifinal last season, but all of their defeats this winter came against strong Division 1 teams.
Kingsford (20-3) vs. Boyne City (20-4), Cadillac (20-4) vs. Standish-Sterling (22-0)
On paper alone, this might be the most competitive Regional in any division. All four are league champions in addition to 20-game winners – and none has faced any of the others this winter. Cadillac emerged as the Regional champ from a similar grouping a year ago, defeating Standish-Sterling along the way, and that remains the Panthers’ only loss over their last 37 games. The Flivvers were 6-15 just three seasons ago but lost to only one instate opponent this season – 21-game winner Iron Mountain twice. Boyne has had several solid wins and good losses as well, and it shared the Lake Michigan Conference title with Traverse City St. Francis, which is still playing in Division 3. Cadillac’s losses all came to Division 1 teams as it shared the Big North Conference title with Traverse City Central.
Pontiac Notre Dame Prep (11-13) vs. Croswell-Lexington (21-3), Richmond (22-2) vs. Goodrich (20-4)
A third matchup of Blue Water Area Conference co-champions Croswell-Lexington and Richmond could be on the way in the Regional Final, with Richmond winning their first meeting by nine and Cros-Lex the rematch by the same margin. It would seem the Blue Devils have the tougher challenge to set up that opportunity, as Goodrich was one of three co-champions in the Flint Metro League Stars and reached the Regional Final a year ago. But don’t count out the Fighting Irish – they defeated Goodrich in that Regional Final last season (although Goodrich avenged with a 15-point win Jan. 6) and have won five of their last seven while playing 19 games this winter against teams with winning records.
Detroit Edison (15-9) vs. Madison Heights Bishop Foley (12-11), New Haven (17-7) vs. Detroit Loyola (23-1)
Loyola reached the Regional Final last season and lost this season only to Division 1 Flint Carman-Ainsworth, along the way defeating Bishop Foley by 23 and several larger opponents as well. New Haven is the team that defeated Loyola in last year’s Regional Final, and the Rockets are plenty prepared for this week after navigating a schedule that also included mostly Division 1 teams. Edison has played the same; few teams in any division have a more impressive list of losses, and the Pioneers claimed notable wins over River Rouge and Detroit Western coming off a Division 2 Quarterfinal run a year ago. Bishop Foley loaded it up its final weeks of the regular season and defeated 18-win Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest in their District Final.
Laingsburg (23-0) vs. Jonesville (19-5), Michigan Center (17-7) vs. Leslie (18-6)
The Wolfpack have nearly doubled their victory total from a season ago and downed 18-game winner Ovid-Elsie by 40 in the District Final; Laingsburg has yet to play a single-digit game this season. Jonesville should provide one of its strongest challenges. The Big 8 Conference champion nearly handed 21-game winner Napoleon what would’ve been its first loss, falling to the Pirates by just a basket two weeks ago. After eliminating Napoleon in a District Final, Michigan Center is playing for a second-straight Regional title and opens with a relatively familiar opponent after defeating Leslie 64-55 on Dec. 13. The Blackhawks have won 11 of their last 13 games, however, and five of their losses came to teams that won 20 games or District titles.
Blanchard Montabella (22-2) vs. Grandville Calvin Christian (23-1), Pewamo-Westphalia (17-6) vs. North Muskegon (19-4)
More success this week would just add to a great story for Montabella, which won six games three seasons ago, improved to seven and then jumped to 18-4 last winter before further dominating this one. The Squires, meanwhile, haven’t received a ton of fanfare this season but deserve it – their only loss was to Division 2 Hudsonville Unity Christian on Dec. 9, and they won an O-K Silver that has seen five teams win 14 or more games. P-W finished second to Laingsburg in the Central Michigan Athletic Conference and defeated Calvin Christian during last year’s Regional on the way to reaching the Quarterfinals. The Pirates have won five straight following a three-game losing streak near the end of February. North Muskegon made the Regional Semifinals in 2022 and its Regional Final the season before, and a championship this week would be its first at this level of the playoffs since 2003.
Baldwin (22-1) vs. Wyoming Tri-unity Christian (18-6), Lansing Christian (15-9) vs. Fruitport Calvary Christian (14-9)
Reigning Division 4 champion Tri-unity always seems to be a contender, and this season is no different as the Defenders can boast notable wins over reigning Division 3 champion Schoolcraft and P-W (see above) among others. But Baldwin could be its biggest challenge so far, its only loss to Division 2 Remus Chippewa Hills in mid-January and with a pair of big wins over Mesick (19-5) highlighting its run. On the other side, Lansing Christian has emerged as the smallest school from a Greater Lansing Activities Conference that included Leslie, and after the Pilgrims finished just 5-16 a year ago. Calvary Christian plays in the Alliance League with Tri-unity and opened this surge with its best win, by 23 over Saugatuck to start the final week of the regular season.
Munising (22-1) vs. Rudyard (19-5), Mackinaw City (20-4) vs. Onaway (21-3)
Munising hasn’t played a team with less than a winning record since the last day of January, making its run even more impressive. The Mustangs edged Rudyard 67-64 on Feb. 8, but Rudyard has lost only once since – to Division 1 Sault Ste. Marie – and swept Brimley, the only team to defeat Munising. Mackinaw City and Onaway both won league championships and also faced off twice this season, Mackinaw City winning 76-70 during the first week and Onaway avenging 87-74 in the regular-season finale. The Cardinals went on to win their District games by a combined four points, the championship decider 58-55 over Indian River Inland Lakes, one of two teams with which Onaway shared the Ski Valley Conference title. The win over Mackinaw City was the Comets’ only loss over its last 12 games.
Traverse City West
Gaylord St. Mary (20-4) vs. Frankfort (15-8), Mesick (19-5) vs. Lake Leelanau St. Mary (19-3)
Gaylord St. Mary was the third team that shared the Ski Valley title with Onaway and Inland Lakes, and the Snowbirds have bounced way back from last season’s 10-13 finish. Frankfort has won six of its last seven games and has plenty of experience at this stage, having reached the Quarterfinals in 2021 and the Regional Semifinals last winter as well. Mesick has been making up for some unfinished business from last year when it suffered its only loss in a Division 3 District Final, and Lake Leelanau St. Mary is on a mission as well after reaching the Division 4 Semifinals a year ago. The Eagles have wins over Frankfort by 26 and Gaylord St. Mary by 12 this season.
MHSAA.com's weekly “Breslin Bound” previews and reviews are powered by MI Student Aid, a part of the Office of Postsecondary Financial Planning located within the Michigan Department of Treasury. MI Student Aid encourages students to pursue postsecondary education by providing access to student financial resources and information. MI Student Aid administers the state’s 529 college savings programs (MET/MESP), as well as scholarship and grant programs that help make college Accessible, Affordable and Attainable for you. Connect with MI Student Aid at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid and find more information on Facebook and Twitter @mistudentaid.
PHOTOS (Top) Kingsford's Gavin Grondin (23) goes up for a shot last week while defended by Negaunee's Brodin Bell (20). (Middle) Holt’s Isaiah Foster (4) finds a teammate during the Rams’ win Friday over Mason. (Top photo by Cara Kamps, middle photo by Click by Christine McCallister.)
WYOMING – As the final buzzer sounded, it was all I could’ve imagined – and more.
In the weeks leading up to March 16 and the Division 4 championship game, I experienced every emotion possible as I envisioned what it would feel like to be an assistant coach on the bench at Michigan State’s Breslin Center as the Wyoming Tri-unity Christian boys basketball team achieved its ultimate goal.
In my first year as the junior varsity coach at Tri-unity, I had been on the varsity bench for a majority of the season, assisting legendary coach Mark Keeler and fellow assistants Brent Voorhees, Bob Przybysz and Mike Kaman.
I was there encouraging, motivating and supporting the varsity team. It was a role I embraced, and had become accustomed to over my almost 30 years coaching high school basketball.
I started coaching in 1995 as Jim Ringold gave me my first opportunity as the freshmen girls coach at Wyoming Kelloggsville High School. I would then coach Kelloggsville’s freshmen boys team for eight seasons, while also coaching the freshmen girls at Grandville High School. I would also coach the junior varsity teams at both schools.
I love coaching. I have a passion for it. I’ve always enjoyed getting the most out of my players while creating a bond between player and coach.
When girls basketball season moved from fall to winter joining the boys in 2007-08, I stayed at Grandville. I spent 21 seasons there before stepping down.
I still wanted to coach, and I heard that the Tri-unity junior varsity position was available. I had always respected and liked Keeler and was excited for the prospect of joining a perennial powerhouse.
I didn’t really know about Tri-unity growing up in the Wyoming Park school district. But as a young kid, I would rush home and eagerly await the afternoon delivery of the Grand Rapids Press. I would quickly find the sports page and read it from front to back, hoping one day to see my byline.
I began writing for the Press’ sports department in 1997. It was my dream job. And that’s also when I first started covering Tri-unity boys basketball.
I remember watching eventual NBA all-star Chris Kaman, along with Bryan Foltice and others play for this little Christian school and have unbridled success under Keeler.
MHSAA Tournament runs became the norm for the Defenders. They won their first Finals title in 1996, and they would claim four more over the next 26 years. They also had six runner-up finishes.
I was sitting on media row writing for MHSAA.com in 2022 when Brady Titus led Tri-unity to its fifth state championship.
I never thought that two years later I would be on the coaching staff as the Defenders pursued another one. But there I was.
I knew this year’s team had the potential to be special.
Tri-unity had returned four of its five starters from a year ago, after suffering a heart-breaking two-point loss to Munising in the Division 4 Final.
Eight seniors were on the roster. The team had a mix of talented guard play, senior leadership, size and depth. We had shooters and we played great defense, a trademark of Keeler’s teams.
This was the year, and that heaped lofty expectations on Keeler and the team. It was basically “state championship or bust.” Anything less would be considered a disappointment.
Keeler wanted it badly, and I knew the players did as well. I think they felt the pressure at times of living up to the expectations that had been set.
We had several lopsided wins, but also had a few tough losses to Division 2 and Division 3 teams – Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central, Wyoming Lee, Grandville Covenant Christian and Schoolcraft – all talented teams that I think made us better despite falling short.
As the postseason started, there was anxiety and excitement.
We were one of the favorites, but it wouldn’t be easy. We would have to earn each of the seven victories needed to win it all.
First came a District title, but then we had to play a quality Fowler team in its home gym in the Regional Semifinal. This was a game we knew would be a challenge – and it was.
We led by only one at halftime after a 7-0 run to end the second quarter. The score was tied 33-33 in the fourth quarter before senior Lincoln Eerdmans made a key 3-pointer to spark our victory.
As we went through the handshake line, several Fowler players said, “Good luck in the Finals.”
Our defense played extremely well in the Regional Final and state Quarterfinal to secure our team another trip to the Breslin.
St. Ignace was our opponent in the Semifinal, and we had to face a senior guard who could do it all – Jonny Ingalls. He lived up to the hype. He was good, and we didn’t have any answer for him in the first half. We trailed by one, only to fall behind by seven late in the third quarter.
Was this the end? Were we going to fall one game short of our goal?
We were down by five points in the fourth quarter, but junior guard Keaton Blanker, and others, rose to the occasion. We rallied to win a tight one, and now we were one win away from a Division 4 title.
The night before the championship game, we stayed at a hotel in East Lansing as we had the first game of the day at 10 a.m. We had a team dinner, and the players seemed relaxed and eager to close out the season the way they had intended.
There was one thing that worried me. We were playing Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart. A team we had played in the second game of the season and defeated by 30 points.
Would we be overconfident? I had no idea. They were a different team now, but so were we. Anything could happen.
Keeler gave a spirited and emotional pregame speech. In last year’s loss to Munising, he felt like the team played not to lose, and this season his big thing was “I want to win.” He said it to every starter that Saturday morning during the final moments in the locker room before tipoff, asking all five individually to say it back – which they did, the first one quietly but followed by teammates replying louder and louder as everyone got fired up and “I want to win” rang through the locker room. I think it inspired all of us.
After a competitive first quarter, we started to find our rhythm and expanded the lead. We were ahead by double-digits at the half, and a state title was within our grasp. Senior Wesley Kaman buried a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the third quarter to give us a 20-point cushion. It was at that point I knew we were going to win.
All five starters reached double-figure scoring, led by Jordan VanKlompenberg with 19 points and Owen Rosendall with 14. That balance was intentional and a successful sign for our team all season.
The exhilaration of winning was intoxicating. I loved watching the boys celebrate something they had worked so hard to accomplish. I will never forget their faces. I looked to my right from my seat on the bench and watched them running onto the court, just wearing their joy. They were just elated.
I was so happy for Keeler, a devout Christian who is respected by so many people in high school basketball circles. I learned so much from him this season. The way he approaches each game, his competitiveness. He instills his strong faith in his players and understands that the game of basketball is a bridge to a higher purpose.
Keeler is the fourth-winningest coach in state boys basketball history with a record of 694-216, and will be the winningest active coach next winter as all-time leader Roy Johnston retired from Beaverton at the end of this season.
The tournament run was one of the best coaching experiences I have had, and I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to be a part of a state championship season.
Dean Holzwarth has covered primarily high school sports for Grand Rapids-based WOOD-TV for five years after serving at the Grand Rapids Press and MLive for 16 years along with shorter stints at the Ionia Sentinel and WZZM. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Allegan, Kent and Ottawa counties.
PHOTOS (Top) The Wyoming Tri-unity Christian bench, including the author (far right) and head coach Mark Keeler (middle), celebrate a 3-pointer late in the Defenders’ Division 4 championship win over Mount Pleasant Sacred Heart. (Middle) Tri-unity’s assistant coaches, including Holzwarth (second from right), monitor the action. (Below) Holzwarth and the coaching staff greet Keaton Blanker (4) as he comes off the floor. (Photos by Hockey Weekly Action Photos.)


You’ll love waking up or going out in your Princess Bedhead shirt conceived and inspired by Patti Murin and her role as Ana in Frozen the Musical – designed by David O’Neill. This youth tee is available in unique colors such as Caribbean blue, charity pink, and more!
• 100% ring-spun cotton (heather colors have polyester)
• 30 singles
• Tubular construction
• Shoulder-to-shoulder tape
• Double-needle sleeve and bottom hem


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New Yorker, based in Paris, Ryan Egan shares his super new soulful single, “Weeknights” and accompanying video. The lead track from his incoming debut album, “Soft Power”, due in April 2022.
“Weeknights” was co-produced by Kevin Basko (Foxygen, Rubber Band Gun) and recorded between Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey. The video was made by French filmmaker Hugo Cohen Sprung. The story of a young voyeur who falls for an older woman during summer vacation in the south of Italy.
The track has smooth Boz Scaggs/Steely Dan-meets-on-trend, 2021 nu-soul vibes. Breathy vocals, mid-tempo groove and slinky understated drum track, with horns bubbling away in the mix and sporadic bursts of an hypnotic electric guitar riff.
“I wrote Weeknights just before leaving NYC for Paris in 2019. It’s a song about summer nights in the city, nervous hook ups and living with your heart on your sleeve. The song’s sonic character, to my ears, has an element of “French Touch” à la artists such as Air or Sébastien Tellier, as well as indie staples like Mac Demarco, Benny Sings, & Rhye.”
“Alone For The last Time”, Ryan’s second cut from the imminent debut album drops 12th November 2021 and is an ethereal gem.

domain: entertainment


9 days to go until Sneakertopia opens in Los Angeles
Come see the ultimate sneaker experience, Sneakertopia, opening in Los Angeles Friday October 25.
“It's awesome, being involved in graffiti and in art. I'm not trying to be the best, I'm just trying to contribute and show what I do. There is an insane amount of artists, my friends, that do beautiful, beautiful works; ultimately to see them shine and to see them progress and get better, fuels me. It fuels me to want to go that much harder, to stay up later, wake up earlier and just hit it harder, hit it heavier.” — James Haunt, Sneakertopia Featured Artist
Featuring original creations by James Haunt, Tyson Park, Jonas Never, Ron Bass and Matthew Laurence Knott, step into a collection of street courts showcasing some of the most important sports heroes in sneaker history. Sneaker culture actually begins in the sports world, with the first collaboration between Chuck Taylor and Converse in 1922. Since then, professional athletes have led the way in pushing the technology, fashion and culture of sneakers forward. This is form meets function at its finest.
Sneakertopia opens Oct 25, 2019 in Los Angeles for a limited engagement. Get tickets now.


Take a sneak peek at the new NIST.gov and let us know what you think!
(Please note: some content may not be complete on the beta site.).
Figure 1(left): Microfabricated reference cantilever array for calibrating the spring constant of AFM cantilevers; Figure 2 (center): Microfabricating the array using deep reactive ion etching; Figure 3 (right) Nanoindenter calibration schematic for AFM cantilevers.
Postdoctoral Research Opportunities
Nanomechanical Standards - Nanotechnology has introduced a new series of technical challenges associated with material property measurements at the nanoscale. One such challenge involves determining the accuracy and precision of nanoscale measurements and requires suitable calibration artifacts and procedures. This project will investigate the development of nanoscale standards capable of accurately calibrating normal and lateral forces for atomic force microscopy and instrumented nanoindenter technologies. Emphasis is placed on the development of accurate transfer artifacts using novel combinations of design, modeling, lithography, nanofabrication, and calibration through SI traceable techniques. Development and optimization of instrument test device (e.g., AFM cantilevers) calibration procedures will ensure that the calibration artifacts are used to their full potential.
Awards and Honors
Current Chairman of Versailles Advanced Materials and Standards (VAMAS) Technical working area 29 on Nanomechanics Applied to Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). VAMAS Report #49 (Mini round robin on AFM cantilever spring constant calibration) is available on the web at http://www.vamas.org/twa29/documents/2009_vamas_twa29_report_49_mrr_afm_cantilever_calibration.pdf
Group Leader, Chemical Engineer
Materials Measurement Science Division
Nanomechanical Properties Group
2012 - present: Group Leader, Nanomechanical Properties Group
2007 - 2012: Project Leader, Scanning Probe Microscopy Measurements and Standards, Nanomechanical Properties Group
2005 - 2007: Chemical Engineer, Nanomechanical Properties Group, NIST
1994 - 2005: Chemical Engineer, Nanotribology Group, NIST
1987 - 1994: Chemical Engineer, Tribology Group, NIST
1981 - 1987: Research Chemist, Tribochemistry Group, National Bureau of Standards
1978-1981: Chemist, Recycled Oil Program, National Bureau of Standards
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University (1993)


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Welcome To Balance & Motion Massage TheRAPY
Life is about balance. Balance at work, rest and play. At Balance and Motion Massage Therapy the goal is to help you find your balance so that you can continue performing your activities. This can be achieved in many ways including improving your muscle flexibility, calming your body’s response to stress or recovering from an injury.
At Balance and Motion, every client is treated as an individual. Your situation is unique and will be evaluated and addressed with the techniques and exercises to suit your needs.
COVID-19 Clinic Guidelines
By: Paula Burchat, RMT, SMT(C) • June 9, 2020
We are living in unprecedented times. For us to move forward with Coronavirus circulating in the community we must make the best, most informed choices we can for our health and safety. All guidelines indicated below are for client and therapist safety and to reduce the risk of transmission of Coronavirus. All guidelines are mandated […]


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Portion of this may be because of Booking.com’s well-maintained site style and intuitive booking method, in addition to the number of trip cottages on call and also the comprehensive details regarding each building. Along with hotels and resorts, Booking.com gives deals on a lot of other spots to keep, consisting of hotels, getaway rentals, as well as hotels.
If you are actually interested in some of these different travel cottages, certainly explore what Booking.com possesses to offer, because you will not have the ability to locate a selection enjoy this elsewhere. Booking.com enables you to browse for travel accommodations through concept, a number of which are based on places or amenities like beach and also spa hotels and resorts, while others are customized to details teams of vacationers like households as well as businessmen – Odyssey Booking.
You can likewise add extra search standards, including details times as well as resort scores, to hasten the procedure of locating the perfect spot to keep. Booking.com’s application has garnered a few of the greatest reviews of any sort of mobile app in the sector, getting a 4.8 out of five stars from greater than 758,000 customers on the Apple App Shop as well as a 4.7 out of 5 coming from greater than 1.8 thousand clients on Google.com Play.
If you’re trying to find a last-minute accommodation, Booking.com’s mobile app shows you what’s on call in your region with just a couple of clicks on. Once you have actually created your booking, the app also delivers a chart guiding you to the site using the GPS in your phone. Signing right into your account from the application makes the reservation process action even a lot faster, plus all of your hunts and payment details are actually instantly synced with your phone for future use.
These emails can be individualized by picking your beloved travel locations. Booking.com watches out for any type of offers that administer and also alerts you right now, so you may finally reserve that dream holiday at a cost that accommodates within your budget. It is actually free to register for these bulletins as well as you can unsubscribe whenever, but they’re most definitely worth an appearance if you wish insider relevant information on the best hotels and resort offers offered.
This electronic travel neighborhood permits travelers to ask and also answer questions, go over expertises, leave behind assessments, and also give ideas. Like its own moms and dad firm Priceline, Booking.com does not consider tax obligations when quoting rates for hotels, so the cost you see specified might be slightly less than what you’ll really wind up paying out.
Just as long as you leave a little bit of added room in your budget plan to deal with these income taxes, you need to be merely alright. This no-tax peculiarity does not relate to Booking.com’s airline tickets hunt, where we tried to find our fee contrast despite tax obligations, Booking – Odyssey Booking.com’s air travel was still (usually) less expensive than the competition.
Booking.com does not give voyage or expedition reservation, unlike web sites like Travelocity, so it is actually more difficult to keep each one of your itinerary in one spot. In addition, while Booking.com does have car rental possibilities, our experts found this function lacking. In our testing, we were actually rarely provided car rental possibilities in our hunts, and also when it did use results, the personalization was actually restricted. Odyssey Booking.
As a result of this, it is actually finest to stay with hotel spaces as well as plane tickets when making use of Booking.com. Travelocity supplies an one-of-a-kind task making a reservation for feature that you will not discover along with several various other traveling internet sites. You may find journeys and tasks for your excursion in the very same area you are actually scheduling your remain and also discovering your air travels. Odyssey Booking.
It is actually a great trip information, although typically, we found Booking.com’s costs to become a bit cheaper than the deals on Travelocity. Though both business are operated through Priceline, Booking.com and KAYAK vary quite dramatically in functions. Along with KAYAK, you can’t actually book just about anything through the website. As an alternative, you are actually rerouted to the airline or even resort’s website to obtain. Odyssey Booking.
Booking.com, on the contrary, is actually a direct booking engine (Odyssey Booking). Booking.com and also Airbnb are chief rivals, each delivering some of the absolute most alternative lodgings in the traveling web site business. Airbnb will not link to airline tickets, auto rentals, or even trip booking; nevertheless, together with distinct lodging, it supplies geo-specific tasks and experiences.
While you won’t find cars and trucks, voyages, or even tasks along with Booking.com, you are going to discover the most inexpensive air travel and a variety of housing alternatives, along with a traveling community to aid you organize your knowledge even much more quickly. If you have a basic vacation in thoughts and would like to take benefit of affordable, Booking.com might be the most ideal traveling web site for you. Odyssey Booking.


His announcement will take place in the first half of this year.
Known to the insider under the nickname OnLeaks published on his page on the social network Twitter, the information that the new flagship smartphone LG G8 will receive technology Sound on Display.
It is worth adding that in October last year, Samsung held a small conference 2018 Samsung OLED Forum for customers in China. At the event spoke in particular about how the new fully frameless screens can transfer the sound, with no cutout for the speaker.
And in the fall of 2016, the company Xiaomi released its first smartphone Xiaomi Mi Mix, which transmitted sound to the ear of the user by vibration and the principle of bone conduction.
On a similar technology for its new smartphone, apparently, works the South Korean company LG. More precisely, in the Crystal Sound TV LG OLED is already used similar technology. These TVs are deprived of traditional speakers, and the sound passes the screen by the vibration. And the sound is very loud and clear, and the vibration does not harm the display.
While it is unknown how it will look LG G8, but his announcement will take place exactly in the first half of this year.
© 2019, z-news.link. All rights reserved.


Saturn III Pop Up Gear Drive, Display Pk.
Saturn iii pop up gear drive, display pack. Produces a quiet & smooth rotating spray, universal works with or as a replacement for impact or gear drive sprinklers, ideal for medium to medium large coverage area, large filter which reduces clogged nozzles.
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|Manufacturer Name||ORBIT IRRIGATION PRODUCTS INC|
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Introducing our newest style drop, Kenya Earrings. Kenya earrings are made with hand dyed lucite that creates a pearly black and white zebra pattern. These statement earrings have five handwoven silk jet tassels that give them a funky boho vibe. Lightweight & 3” Long
We take pride in the quality of our jewellery. For this reason, all jewellery comes with our 30-day"If you don’t love it, simply return it". policy. Fast and easy returns, just how it should be! Each jewellery item is packaged in a Park Lane designed jewellery box or pouch to protect and preserve its beauty for years.

domain: artistic


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We so enjoyed ourselves, that what we had anticipated would be an hour easily turned into two.
Ray and I were at Stork’s having coffee with Charles Ignacio and John Catania, partners in life and work. In 1992, Charles was the original co-producer of “In the Life” the first television series of its kind about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people, that was aired by PBS stations around the country. John joined the producing team a year later. It ran for 20 years.
If you had longed for a reliably-positive, televised representation of your life, when there were none, can you imagine how exciting that conversation with them would be for us? In 1992, the World Health Organization was finally getting around to declassifying homosexuality as a mental illness, and the School Board in Fairfax County, VA, repealed a law banning verbal abuse of gay students because they feared it would promote homosexuality. Gay people around the country searched newspapers and TV programs for positive news about and portrayals of themselves. It was in this climate that In the Life was born.
“You guys are pioneers,” I said with some awe. “You changed the way the community saw itself. You saved lives.”
“In the Life” had stories about, and interviews with, out and proud LGBT public figures, and our allies. It was masterfully edited, beautifully presented, faithfully watched, and highly praised.
“You’re a pioneer, too,” John said to me. “Your book, 'On Being Gay,' really helped me. After I read it, I gave it to my mother to read.”
“It was a G-rated book that every gay person could comfortably give to their parents,” I mused.
“And you guys are pioneers as a gay couple. Forty-six years,” Charles said to us both.
“In Boston in 1976, some gay people felt that us being together for six months was a big deal,” Ray said.
When you’re the first to do something significant, and helpful to yourself and to others, many people consider you a “pioneer” such as Mary Any Horton, the first transgender person at Lucent Technologies (naming herself in 1987, and transitioning in 2001,) Elaine Noble, the first gay person to be elected to a State House (1974,) Dave Kopay, the first guy to come out in the macho world of the NFL (1975,) and Bill Johnson, the first gay person to be ordained by a Protestant denomination (1972.)
A pioneer is defined as “a person who is among the first to explore or settle a new country or area.”
The “area” that we’re focused on here is the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer movement that was created to gain the same rights and liberties as were enjoyed by non-gay, cis-gender people. To explore and settle this place of equality, as well as the freedom to be unique without worry, we all had to come out in an often dangerous, very threatening environment.
There are plenty of pioneers in this movement because there are so many “firsts.” Who started the first gay newspaper, radio program, civil rights legislation, and outreach to their religious leaders? Who was the first to compete openly in the Olympics, and who came out first in their corporation? The list of “firsts” goes on and on, as does the list of pioneers.
The thing is, most pioneers will tell you that being the “first” wasn’t their goal, and while it might please them to be thought of as courageous, their actions were motivated by the hunger to have themselves and others be seen and accepted as full and equal partners with heterosexual and cis-gender others in the pursuit of truth, justice, and happiness.
It’s usually only people in your generation, and people who are conscious of our history who know or care about what we pioneered. Last night at cards, I explained to a lovely, kind, successful, gay man in his 60s the pioneering accomplishments of Urvashi Vaid, Kate Clinton, and Vito Russo, none of whose names he knew. The three others of us at the table had just assumed he knew the people we were mentioning and their significance.
While it’s nice having your work recognized as meaningful, each generation has its own stories and its own pioneers. It’s been 30 years since the Fairfax School Board allowed for abuse of gay students out of fear of otherwise promoting homosexuality, and in 2022, the Florida Governor instructed the State School Board to do the exact same thing so that we gay citizens of the sunshine state don’t have the ability to “groom” young kids into homosexuality and transgender. Just when you think the snake is dead it rises to strike you again.
Many people in my Baby Boom generation feel that many young LGBT people have no awareness of the hardships we took on in order for their lives to be more carefree than ours. But the days of their lives, though they don’t look the same as the days of ours, are not carefree. And while only a few among today’s youth might know about the significance of “In the Life,” far fewer in my generation know the names of the pioneering LGBT young generation members who are standing up to Right Wing Republican governors, legislators, and school boards across the country.
Those in my age group did what we did because it needed to be done, and we were eager to do it, without thought to who would know or remember. Individuals in the following generations of LGBT people are also seeing what needs to be done, and are doing it without needing, or even thinking about being remembered as a pioneer. We all should take comfort in knowing we’re making it a better world for the young LGBT people who will be born after we die and are forgotten.
Brian McNaught has been a leading educator on LGBTQ issues globally since 1974. He has made his many books and DVDs available for free at Brian-McNaught.com. The New York Times named him “The Godfather of gay diversity training.” Brian has a weekly YouTube/FaceBook podcast called, “Are You Happy Without the Movie?” and McNaught's latest book, “On Being Gay and Gray: Our Stories, Gifts, and the Meaning of Our Lives” is available now on Amazon for $14.99.

domain: sociology


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How are you feeling about lockdown?
I’m feeling weirdly prepared and ready. Having been through this before, I knew straight away what I needed to be able to transition to working at home, and I also know my strengths and limits when I am working remotely.
I brought home my absolute work essentials, my design boards, fabric and product developments and of course, my array of drawing mediums!
What are you working on in lockdown?
I’ll be mainly focused on my summer collection, pre-planning for projects in 2022, and troubleshooting any issues that may arise with the change in levels.
I was also supposed to be shooting an upcoming collection this week, so I have to think of some creative alternatives to make this happen!
Who’s in your bubble?
I’ll be at my house in a bubble with my mum and dad! I’m so glad that they are both fully vaccinated at this time, it is a big relief for me. I received my first jab last week!
What are you doing to stay well in lockdown?
I’m usually an F45 gal, but I’ve recently subscribed to The Pilates Class. I’m looking forward to dusting my mat off and challenging myself with a different kind of exercise. The instructor, Jacqui, has a beautiful calming presence, so it’s the perfect time to add it into my daily routine.
I’ve always believed in the importance of looking after my skin and hair, so I will be making sure I take some time to give it a breather and be good with my routine. I brought a Dr Dennis Gross LED light mask the other month, so I will be using this daily along with my favourite products.
I’ll definitely (like everyone) be spending lots of time in the kitchen, in particular making the most of homegrown lemons! Alison Roman’s Lemon Tumeric loaf has already been made and devoured!
A RUBY office favourite of the past few months is Lady Grey tea, and I just received the latest edition of Fashion Quarterly with the beautiful RUBY Aimee Silk Dress on the cover, so I can’t wait to dive in with a cuppa.


The Combat Boat 90 is a light naval assault vessel developed by the Swedish Navy, acquired for testing by the US Navy Expeditionary Combat Command in 2007 as the Riverine Command Boat. It is capable of traveling at 40 knots in shallow coastal waters, and its advanced control surfaces permit excellent maneuverability and deceleration.
|Vehicle passengers||• Driver|
• 2 gunners
• 1 additional passenger
|Vehicle armor||• Light (driver)|
• None (passengers)
|Special features||• Carries two PWCs for egress|
|Main weapon||25mm HE autocannon|
30mm HEAT autocannon (upgrade)
25mm Burst cannon(upgrade)
|Main weapon firemode||Automatic|
|Secondary weapon||TOW Missile|
|Third passenger weapon||Personal equipment|
|Vehicle speed||75 km/h (~ 40 knots)|
|Operators||United States Marine Corps|
The RCB has a wide variety of weapons at its disposal, ranging from anti-vehicle and personnel weapons. Its main weapons are the primary turret and, a missile general-purpose missile. Its main job is securing naval dominance on a map (or in cases simply having a better advantage over small areas of the map near water).
The RCB's main cannon is a high-powered machine gun capable of firing 25mm, 30mm and a special burst cannon. The 25mm is the default weapon until the others are unlocked, doing the least damage but having more rounds. It has more rounds than the 30mm, but has a smaller blast radius, making it better for anti-personnel work. The 30mm does more damage than the 25mm, but has half the magazine size, though this can be alleviated via the Belt Feed. The 30mm is much more potent against land vehicles, such as MBTs, than the 25mm. The burst cannon is the last unlock, firing eight rounds per burst out of a thirty-two round magazine, and works as a AA gun, capable of inflicting heavy damage on helicopters and jets. It also has the least bullet drop of the three, and can work well against light targets like RHIB boats or jet skis, though it does the least damage towards heavy armored vehicles and PT boats. When combined with Passive Radar, it can function similarly to an anti-air system, but is left vulnerable to ground based missiles and one on one fights against land vehicles.
The secondary specializations for the Attack Boats are rockets and missiles -- either ground missiles or anti-air missiles. The first is the TOW Missile which functions similar to the anti-vehicle emplacements: a player must guide the TOW missile to the target; large waves such as those on Paracel Storm can throw off players' aim. The second unlock is the Passive Radar which functions like the SA-18, which a player must keep locked onto a target until the missiles hit. The third unlock is the Laser Guided missile, functioning similar to the FGM-148 Javelin launcher, in which a player must keep lock onto a target until the missiles hit. Additionally, as with several other missiles, if a target is laser designated, the missile will do more damage to the target and air targets that are designated can be locked on. Zuni Rockets are also available to the player, functioning in a similar manner to the counterparts on other vehicles. The last unlock is the TV Missile, which a player launched a missile and is controlled directly by the player. It does a lot of damage to vehicles, and will also circumvent the active protection countermeasure. Additionally, TV missiles have a long range, making them potentially more precise than non-guided missiles and rockets.
There are a number of available countermeasures. IR Smoke deflects missile lock-ons. Smoke Screen decreases chances of critical hits. Extinguisher can be used to quickly negate the "bleed-out" damage of a vehicle. Active Protection protects from incoming missile and rocket fire.
Similarly, there are a number of optics available to the player. Zoom helps at long range for precise aiming over a long distance. Thermal makes the screen black and white, all "heated objects" are in black and white and players show up in white in black grounds, useful in cases where enemies are in foliage. IRNV scope function similar to thermal but makes the screen green for cold objects and orange/yellow for heated objects.
Upgrades wise: maintenance helps the player recover quickly from anti-vehicle weaponry; Thermal Camo increase time to lock on, making it effective against lock on weaponry such as Javelins and Guided missiles from aircraft. Auto-reloader works well for 30mm as it reduces time for reload; Proximity Scan detects AT mines and personnel, useful in high traffic roads or for detecting people in ambuscade; Air Radar helps locate aerial vehicles, but replaces the minimap.
The two gunners have an M134 Minigun each, the miniguns can damage light vehicles with relative ease and enemy players. They can also damage helicopters with sustained fire.
The fourth seat passenger has access to their personal equipment, and has full 360° view. Passengers with a Repair Tool can also repair the boat while underway. The RCB is much harder to repair than its counterpart, the DV-15 Interceptor, putting it at a disadvantage in open combat. Non-passengers can also repair (or sabotage) the craft from the waterline. Aside from the pilot, the crew are completely exposed, and can very easily be killed by explosions striking the rear of the boat, or conventional small arms fire.
There are also two Jetskis on the back of the RCB, which can be used by its crew as an escape vehicle in case the RCB is close to getting destroyed. A maximum of two Jetskis can be deployed (if one of the two jet skis are destroyed, a new one will spawn.
Compared to the DV-15, while sharing the same statistical performance, the RCB-90 suffers from several disadvantages. Each of the M134 miniguns only has a limited rotation range of approximately 160°, compared to ~260° on the DV-15. The primary and secondary weapon on RCB is separate, which causes the secondary weapon station being occluded by hull. It's also hard to repair on RCB expect some small railings.
- Flood Zone
- Hainan Resort
- Lancang Dam
- Paracel Storm
- Siege of Shanghai
- Gulf of Oman
- Wave Breaker
- Operation Mortar
- Nansha Strike
- Lost Islands


LAYBACK/THROWBACK. Channeling the spirit of artists & producers like J-Dilla, ?uestlove, Madlib, D’Angelo and Herbie Hancock, LAYBACK/THROWBACK creates a sonic world all its own. In this unique collection, producer/multi-instrumentatlist, DJ Harrison shares hundreds of looped grooves, melodic and chordal ideas, distinct production choices and sound effects offered as inspirational leaping-off points to get the create juices flowing.
Over 300 super-groovy and vibey loops. Drums, basses, guitars, pianos, rhodes, synths, organs, multi-percussion.
3 formats. Kontakt 5, Maschine, and wav.
Tons of Effects. Filters, distortions, compressors, bit-crushers, delays and reverbs. (Kontakt version only)
Sampled Drum Kit blends seamlessly with the loops. Using the same recording and drum setup as the loops, we sampled DJ Harrison’s kit to be able to blend with the drum loops.
Mutli-mic sampling of drums. Mix the individual microphones on the drum kit to your own liking and apply effects to each individual channel. (Kontakt version only).
MPC Drum Triggers. With the touch of a button, turn on different MPC kick and snare samples that are triggered exactly with the drum grooves recorded in the loops. Mix them in to your liking with the mixer.
Transpose Pitched instruments up or down by half-steps, up to 1 octave.


text:
Discussion in 'Exploding Rabbit (General)' started by Jay, Dec 4, 2012.
Watch with audio commentary
Blog post: "Amazing" Basketball Shots
I think that the videos we make during junior high will always be low-quality but high hilarity.
The strangest part of this whole thing is that I used to make crazy videos just like this around the same exact time growing up! With my younger brother who looked very similar! It's probably the lack of sleep, but it's totally freaking me out now.
@Jean Of mArc Hey! You're that guy from that video that said "I'm on the phone..." lol
My friends and I made very similar-styled videos. I still love them, though they make no sense.
@Isaiah: Yes, that was my big break into showbiz.
EXCITING! This is amusing.
"Jeez, I guess he died!"
Best moment. I love how you said it.
LOL I actually did that once. I have the video somewhere...but this one was way more hilarious than mine. Mine was actually so strange that consisted of me sitting on the hoop, tossing it up, and making it.
Separate names with a comma.

domain: hobby


text:
DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – Police in Dawson Creek are reminding businesses and the public in the area to not accept money you believe may be fake.
Dawson Creek RCMP say there has been a large number of counterfeit American $20 and $50 bills being reported in the area.
Police are suggesting that if for any reason you feel a bill is fake, to contact your banking institution or refuse to accept the money.
If you have any information on counterfeit currency or any other crime, you are asked to call Dawson Creek RCMP at (250) 784-3700 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

domain: news


text:
|NCI/PDQ® Health professionals: Genetics of Colorectal Cancer (PDQ®)|
|National Cancer Institute|
| Last Modified: December 4, 2012
[Note: Many of the medical and scientific terms used in this summary are found in the NCI Dictionary of Genetics Terms. When a linked term is clicked, the definition will appear in a separate window.]
[Note: Many of the genes described in this summary are found in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database. When OMIM appears after a gene name or the name of a condition, click on OMIM for a link to more information.]
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer in both men and women.
Estimated new cases and deaths from CRC in 2012: 1
About 75% of patients with CRC have sporadic disease with no apparent evidence of having inherited the disorder. The remaining 25% of patients have a family history of CRC that suggests a hereditary contribution, common exposures among family members, or a combination of both. Genetic mutations have been identified as the cause of inherited cancer risk in some colon cancerprone families; these mutations are estimated to account for only 5% to 6% of CRC cases overall. It is likely that other undiscovered genes and background genetic factors contribute to the development of familial CRC in conjunction with nongenetic risk factors.
Colorectal tumors present with a broad spectrum of neoplasms, ranging from benign growths to invasive cancer and are predominantly epithelial-derived tumors (i.e., adenomas or adenocarcinomas).
Epidemiologic studies have shown that a personal history of colon adenomas places one at an increased risk of developing colon cancer. 10
More than 95% of CRCs are carcinomas, and about 95% of these are adenocarcinomas. It is well recognized that adenomatous polyps are benign tumors that may undergo malignant transformation. They have been classified into three histologic types, with increasing malignant potential: tubular, tubulovillous, and villous. While there is no direct proof that most CRCs arise from adenomas, adenocarcinomas are generally considered to arise from adenomas, 11 12 13 14 15 based upon the following important observations:
The following three characteristics of adenomas are highly correlated with the potential to transform into cancer: 16
In addition, removal of adenomatous polyps is associated with reduced CRC incidence. 18 19 While most adenomas are polypoid, flat and depressed lesions may be more prevalent than previously recognized. Large, flat, and depressed lesions may be more likely to be severely dysplastic, although this remains to be clearly proven. 20 21 Specialized techniques may be needed to identify, biopsy, and remove such lesions. 22
The transition from normal epithelium to adenoma to carcinoma is associated with acquired molecular events. 23 24 25 This tumor progression model was deduced from comparison of genetic alterations seen in normal colon epithelium, adenomas of progressively larger size, and malignancies. 26 27 At least five to seven major deleterious molecular alterations may occur when a normal epithelial cell progresses in a clonal fashion to carcinoma. There are at least two major pathways by which these molecular events can lead to CRC. While the majority of CRCs are due to events that result in chromosomal instability (CIN), 20% to 30% of CRCs display characteristic patterns of gene hypermethylation, termed CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP), of which a portion display microsatellite instability (15% of CRCs). 25 28 29 30 31 32
The spectrum of somatic mutations contributing to the pathogenesis of CRC is likely to be far more extensive than previously appreciated. A comprehensive study that sequenced more than 13,000 genes in a series of CRCs found that tumors accumulate an average of approximately 90 mutant genes. Sixty-nine genes were highlighted as relevant to the pathogenesis of CRC, and individual CRCs harbored an average of nine mutant genes per tumor. In addition, each tumor studied had a distinct mutational gene signature. 33
Key changes in CIN cancers include widespread alterations in chromosome number (aneuploidy) and frequent detectable losses at the molecular level of portions of chromosome 5q, chromosome 18q, and chromosome 17p; and mutation of the KRAS oncogene. The important genes involved in these chromosome losses are APC (5q), DCC/MADH2/MADH4 (18q), and TP53 (17p), 24 34 and chromosome losses are associated with instability at the molecular and chromosomal level. 25 Among the earliest events in the colorectal tumor progression pathway is loss of the APC gene, which appears to be consistent with its important role in predisposing persons with germline APC mutations to colorectal tumors. Acquired or inherited mutations of DNA damage-repair genes also play a role in predisposing colorectal epithelial cells to mutations. Furthermore, the specific genes that undergo somatic mutations and the specific type of mutations the tumor acquires may influence the rate of tumor growth or type of pathologic change in the tumors. 34 For example, the rate of adenoma-to-carcinoma progression appears to be faster in microsatellite-unstable tumors compared with microsatellite-stable tumors. Characteristic histologic changes such as increased mucin production can be seen in tumors that demonstrate microsatellite instability (MSI), suggesting that at least some molecular events contribute to the histologic features of the tumors.
The key characteristics of MSI cancers are that they are tumors with a largely intact chromosome complement and that, as a result of defects in the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system, they more readily acquire mutations in important cancer-associated genes compared with cells that have an effective DNA MMR system. These types of cancers are detectable at the molecular level by alterations in repeating units of DNA that occur normally throughout the genome, known as DNA microsatellites.
The knowledge derived from the study of inherited CRC syndromes has provided important clues regarding the molecular events that mediate tumor initiation and tumor progression in people without germline abnormalities. Among the earliest events in the colorectal tumor progression pathway (both MSI and CIN) is loss of function of the APC gene product, which appears to be consistent with its important role in predisposing persons with germline APC mutations to colorectal tumors.
Some of the earliest studies of family history of CRC were those of Utah families that reported a higher number of deaths from CRC (3.9%) among the first-degree relatives of patients who had died from CRC than among sex-matched and age-matched controls (1.2%). 35 This difference has since been replicated in numerous studies that have consistently found that first-degree relatives of affected cases are themselves at a twofold to threefold increased risk of CRC. Despite the various study designs (case-control, cohort), sampling frames, sample sizes, methods of data verification, analytic methods, and countries where the studies originated, the magnitude of risk is consistent. 36 37 38 39 40 41
Population-based studies have shown a familial association for close relatives of colon cancer patients to develop CRC and other cancers. 42 Using data from a cancer family clinic patient population, the relative and absolute risk of CRC for different family history categories was estimated (Table 1). 43 44
A systematic review and meta-analysis of familial CRC risk was reported. 44 Of 24 studies included in the analysis, all but one reported an increased risk of CRC if there was an affected first-degree relative. The relative risk (RR) for CRC in the pooled study was 2.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.002.53) if there was an affected first-degree family member. In 8 of 11 studies, if the index cancer arose in the colon, the risk was slightly higher than if it arose in the rectum. The pooled analysis revealed a RR in relatives of colon and rectal cancer patients of 2.42 (95% CI, 2.202.65) and 1.89 (95% CI, 1.622.21), respectively. The analysis did not reveal a difference in RR for colon cancer based on location of the tumor (right side vs. left side).
The number of affected family members and age at cancer diagnosis correlated with the CRC risk. In studies reporting more than one first-degree relative with CRC, the RR was 3.76 (95% CI, 2.565.51). The highest RR was observed when the index case was diagnosed in individuals younger than 45 years, for family members of index cases diagnosed at ages 45 to 59 years, and for family members of index cases diagnosed at age 60 years or older, respectively (RR, 3.87; 95% CI, 2.406.22 vs. RR, 2.25; 95% CI, 1.852.72 vs. RR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.472.25). In this meta-analysis, the familial risk of CRC associated with adenoma in a first-degree relative was analyzed. The pooled analysis demonstrated an RR for CRC of 1.99 (95% CI, 1.552.55) in individuals who had a first-degree relative with an adenoma. 44 This finding has been corroborated. 45 Other studies have reported that age at diagnosis of the adenoma influences the CRC risk, with younger age at adenoma diagnosis associated with higher RR. 46 47 As with any meta-analysis, there could be potential biases that might affect the results of the analysis, including incomplete and nonrandom ascertainment of studies included; publication bias; and heterogeneity between studies relative to design, target populations, and control selection. This study is reinforcement that there are significant associations between familial CRC risk, age at diagnosis of both CRC and adenomas, and multiplicity of affected family members.
When the family history includes two or more relatives with CRC, the possibility of a genetic syndrome is increased substantially. The first step in this evaluation is a detailed review of the family history to determine the number of relatives affected, their relationship to each other, the age at which the CRC was diagnosed, the presence of multiple primary CRCs, and the presence of any other cancers (e.g., endometrial) consistent with an inherited CRC syndrome. (Refer to the Major Genetic Syndromes section of this summary for more information.) Young subjects who report a positive family history of CRC are more likely to represent a high-risk pedigree than older individuals who report a positive family history. 48 Computer models are now available to estimate the probability of developing CRC. These models can be helpful in providing genetic counseling to individuals at average risk and high risk of developing cancer. At least three validated models are also available for predicting the probability of carrying a mutation in a MMR gene. 49 50 51
Figure 1 shows the types of colon cancer cases that arise in various family risk settings. 52 Gastroenterology
Several genes associated with CRC risk have been identified; these are described in detail in the Colon Cancer Genes section of this summary. Almost all gene mutations known to cause a predisposition to CRC are inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. 2 To date, at least one example of autosomal recessive inheritance, MYH-associated polyposis (MAP), has been identified. (Refer to the MYH-Associated Polyposis (MAP) section of this summary for more information.) Thus, the family characteristics that suggest autosomal dominant inheritance of cancer predisposition are important indicators of high risk and of the possible presence of a cancer-predisposing mutation. These include the following:
Hereditary CRC has two well-described forms: FAP (including an attenuated form of polyposis [AFAP]), due to germline mutations in the APC gene, 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 and Lynch syndrome (LS) (also called hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer [HNPCC]), which is caused by germline mutations in DNA MMR genes. 61 62 63 64 Many other families exhibit aggregation of CRC and/or adenomas, but with no apparent association with an identifiable hereditary syndrome, and are known collectively as familial CRC. 2
The accuracy and completeness of family history data must be taken into account in using family history to assess individual risk in clinical practice, and in identifying families appropriate for cancer research. A reported family history may be erroneous, or a person may be unaware of relatives with cancer. 65 In addition, small family sizes and premature deaths may limit how informative a family history may be. Also, due to incomplete penetrance, some persons may carry a genetic predisposition to CRC but do not develop cancer, giving the impression of skipped generations in a family tree.
Accuracy of patient-reported family history of colon cancer has been shown to be good, but it is not optimal. Patient report should be verified by obtaining medical records whenever possible, especially for reproductive tract cancers that may be relevant in identifying risk of LS. (Refer to the Accuracy of the Family History section in the PDQ® summary on Cancer Genetics Risk Assessment and Counseling for more information.)
Other risk factors that may influence the development of adenomatous polyps and CRC risk include diet, use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), postmenopausal hormone use, cigarette smoking, colonoscopy with removal of adenomatous polyps, and physical activity.
(Refer to the PDQ® Summary on Prevention of Colorectal Cancer for more information.)
In practical terms, knowing that a person is at an increased risk of CRC because of a germline abnormality is most useful if the knowledge can be used to prevent the development of cancer or cancer-related morbidity and mortality once it has developed. While one can also use the information for family planning, decisions about work and retirement, and other important life decisions, prevention is usually the central concern.
This section covers screening: testing in the absence of symptoms for CRC and its precursors (i.e., adenomatous polyps) to identify people with an increased probability of developing CRC. Those with abnormalities should undergo diagnostic testing to see if they have an occult cancer, followed by treatment if cancer or a precursor is found. Taken together, this set of activities is aimed at either preventing the development of CRC by finding and removing its precursor, the adenomatous polyp, or increasing the likelihood of cure by early detection and treatment.
In the context of high-risk syndromes such as LS or FAP, surveillance implies examining patients in whom adenoma or cancer occurrence is highly probable, and the examination is done for early detection. It is not screening in the traditional sense. The meaning of the terms screening versus surveillance has evolved over time and their usage in this summary may not be consistent with other oncologic and epidemiologic contexts.
Primary prevention (eliminating the causes of CRC in people with genetically increased risk) is addressed later in this section.
Currently, there are no published randomized controlled trials of surveillance in people with a genetically increased risk of CRC and few controlled comparisons. While a randomized trial with a no-surveillance arm is not feasible, there is a need for well-designed studies comparing various surveillance methods or differing periods of time between procedures. An observational study that compared surveilled subjects with unsurveilled (by choice) controls evaluated a 15-year experience with 252 relatives at risk of LS, 119 of whom declined surveillance. Eight of 133 (6%) in the surveilled group developed CRC, compared with 19 in the unsurveilled group (16%, P = .014). 66 In general, however, people with genetic risk have been excluded from the trials of CRC screening that have been published thus far, so it is not possible to estimate effectiveness by subgroup analyses. Therefore, prevention in these patients cannot be based on strong evidence of effectiveness, as is ordinarily relied on by expert groups when suggesting screening or surveillance guidelines.
Given these considerations, clinical decisions are based on clinical judgment. These decisions take into account the biologic and clinical behavior of each kind of genetic condition, and possible parallels with patients at average risk, for whom screening is known to be effective.
The evidence base for the effectiveness of screening in average-risk people (those without apparent genetic risk) is the benchmark for considering an approach to people at increased risk. (Refer to the PDQ® summary on Screening for Colorectal Cancer for more information.)
The fact that screening of average-risk persons reduces the risk of dying from CRC forms the basis for recommending surveillance in persons at a higher genetic risk of CRC. As logical as this approach seems, it is important to note that randomized trials of surveillance have not been performed in this special population, though observational studies performed on families with LS 67 68 and FAP 69 support the value of surveillance. These studies demonstrate a shift towards earlier stage at diagnosis and a corresponding reduction in CRC mortality among colonoscopy-detected cancers.
(Refer to the Major Genetic Syndromes section of this summary for more information about surveillance in high-risk populations.)
Widely accepted criteria (13 below) for appropriate screening apply as much to diseases with a strong genetic component (more than one affected first-degree relative or one first-degree relative diagnosed at younger than 60 years) as they do to other diseases. 70 71 Additional criteria (4 and 5) were added below. 72
Of these criteria, the first and second are satisfied in genetically determined CRC. The harms of screening (criterion 4), especially major complications of diagnostic colonoscopy (perforation and major bleeding), are also known. Evidence that early intervention results in better outcomes (criterion 3) is limited but suggests benefit. One study in the setting of LS found earlier stage/local tumors in the screened individuals. 66
When such persons are identified, options tailored to the patient situation are considered. (Refer to the Major Genetic Syndromes section of this summary for information on specific interventions for individual syndromes.)
At this time, the use of mutation testing to identify genetic susceptibility to CRC is not recommended as a screening measure in the general population. The rarity of mutations in the APC tumor suppressor gene and LS-associated MMR genes and the limited sensitivity of current testing strategies render general population testing potentially misleading and not cost effective.
Rather detailed recommendations for surveillance in FAP and LS have been provided by several organizations representing various medical specialties and societies. The following guidelines are readily available through the National Guideline Clearinghouse:
The evidence bases for recommendations are generally included within the statements or guidelines. In many instances, these guidelines reflect expert opinion resting on studies that are rarely randomized prospective trials.
Observational studies of average-risk people have suggested that the use of some drugs and supplements (NSAIDs, estrogens, folic acid, and calcium) might prevent the development of CRC. 77 (Refer to the PDQ® summary on Prevention of Colorectal Cancer for more information.) None of the evidence is convincing enough to lead expert groups to recommend these drugs and supplements specifically to prevent CRC, and few studies specifically enrolled people with an inherited predisposition for CRC. Although antioxidants are hypothesized to prevent cancer, a randomized controlled trial of antioxidant vitamins (beta carotene, vitamin C, and vitamin E) has shown no effect on CRC incidence. 78
Several components of diet and behavior have been suggested, with various levels of consistency, to be risk factors for CRC. (Refer to the PDQ® summary on Prevention of Colorectal Cancer for more information.) These lifestyle factors may represent potential means of prevention. 77 79 80 Expert groups differ on the interpretation of the evidence for some of these components.
Little is known about whether these same factors are protective in people with a genetically increased risk of CRC. In one case-control study, low levels of physical activity, high caloric intake, and low vegetable intake were significantly related to cancer risk in people with no family history of CRC but showed no relationship in people with a family history, despite adequate statistical power to do so. 81

domain: biology


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