The market for small satellites is sure to boom in the years ahead. The United Kingdom aims to build a spaceport in the north of Scotland, the first on European soil. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) has also endorsed the idea of a national space-port. It is to serve as the pad for small-to-midsized launchers that haul research instruments and small satellites into space. These microlaunchers are engineered to carry a payload of up to 350 kilograms. Aerospike engines are an efficient means of powering these microlaunchers. They offer the welcome prospects of far less mass and far lower fuel consumption. Over the last three years, a Fraunhofer IWS research team together with the Institute of Aerospace Engineering at TU Dresden has developed, manufactured and tested such an aerospike engine in various design iterations. Both the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the European Space Agency (ESA) are funding the project. What sets this aerospike engine apart from others is that its fuel injector, combustion chamber and nozzle are printed layer by layer in an additive manufacturing process called laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). The nozzle consists of a spike-like center-body designed to accelerate combustion gases.
“The technology behind aerospike engines dates back to the 1960s. However, only the geometric freedom offered by additive manufacturing, in combination with conventional finishing processes, allows us to produce such efficient engines at all”, emphasizes Samira Gruber, scientific assistant at the Additive Manufacturing Center Dresden (AMCD), which is jointly operated by Fraunhofer IWS and TU Dresden. Aerospike rocket engines promise fuel savings of around 30 percent over conventional rockets. They are also more compact than conventional systems, which reduces the overall system’s mass. “In spaceflight, every gram saved on the engine results in either less fuel needed to get into orbit or more payload that can be transported," explains Lukas Stepien, Group Manager Powder Bed Processes and Printing at Fraunhofer IWS. The aerospike nozzle developed by Fraunhofer IWS and TU Dresden better adapts to the changing pressure on the trip from Earth to orbit. This makes it more efficient, so it burns less fuel than conventional engines.
An additively manufactured nozzle with near-contour cooling
“We opted for an additive way of manufacturing the metal rocket because the engine requires very good cooling and needs internal cooling channels. This complex regenerative cooling system with labyrinthine internal ducts cannot be milled or cast in conventional ways,” says Stepien. Applied layer by layer, the powder is then melted. This selective laser melting gradually builds a component with one-millimeter-wide cooling channels that follow the combustion chamber’s contours. Residual powder in the channels is then vacuumed out completely. This metal has to hold up to rigorous demands, remaining solid at high temperatures and conducting heat well to ensure optimum cooling. “Temperatures in the combustion chamber are above the melting point of many metals, so active cooling is required," explains Samira Gruber.
Scientists at Fraunhofer IWS and TU Dresden are looking to the injection system in a bid to further boost engine efficiency. Called CFDμSAT, this project has been underway since January 2020 with the Ariane Group and Siemens AG taking part as associated partners. Injectors pose major design and manufacturing challenges. “Fuels first serve to cool the engine. They heat up and are then induced into the combustion chamber. Liquid oxygen and ethanol are added separately to be blended via an injector. The resulting gas mixture is ignited. It expands in the combustion chamber and then flows through a gap in the combustion chamber to be decompressed and accelerated by the nozzle,” notes Gruber, explaining how this engine produces thrust.
Engine hot-fire test
The Dresden-based researchers have already tested the prototype of the aerospike engine in a test cell at TU Dresden’s Institute of Aerospace Engineering, achieving a burn time of 30 seconds. “So far, there have been few hot -fire tests of aerospike nozzles," Gruber says. "We have proven that additive manufacturing can be applied to produce a working liquid propellant jet engine, and in a follow-on project funded by ESA, we will now redesign and manufacture another aerospike engine and also test this one."
The advancement of the aerospike topic is one example of the close cooperation between TU Dresden and non-university research institutions within a science cluster called the DRESDEN-concept. TU Dresden is responsible for the engine’s design and layout; Fraunhofer IWS for the manufacturing and material validation. Their first step was to adapt the design to the additive manufacturing process. The researchers then selected and characterized the material. Next, they produced the engine’s two components with the L-PBF method and reworked their functional surfaces. The components were joined by laser welding and a computed tomography scanner inspected for pores and other defects. This non-destructive evaluation can also determine if sintered powder is obstructing the cooling channels. This project demonstrates how AM processes can be integrated into today’s process chains in a productive way across all industries to advance the state of the art in manufacturing.


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Immunolocalization in the Epididymis
Negative controls showed no immunoreactivity in either fetal or adult epididymides (not shown). In the fetal epididymis (Fig. 3, a-c), scinderin was located along the subsurface of the principal cells, chiefly near the cellular contacts. Labeling was particularly heavy in the body (corpus) of the epididymis (Fig. 3b). In the adult epididymis (Fig. 3, d-f), scinderin immunoreactivity was observed in the subsurface region of the principal cells (Fig. 3d) in all three regions (head [caput], body [corpus], and tail [cauda]) of the epididymis. Deposits of scinderin-positive materials were observed near the base of the principal cells (Fig. 3, e and f). The deposits were most frequent and largest in the tail of the epididymis (Fig. 3f). Spermatozoa were positively labeled in all three regions of the epididymis (Fig. 3, d-f).
Immunolocalization in Spermatozoa
Negative controls in epididymal (Fig. 4a) and ejaculated (not shown) spermatozoa showed no immunoreactivity in the head; however, part of the tail, principally the middle piece, appeared slightly stained. In epididymal spermatozoa (Fig. 4b), scinderin labeling was heavy in the anterior ac-rosome and in the equatorial segment, but it was light in the postacrosomal region. Labeling was also found in part of the connecting piece situated caudally to the postacro-somal region (Fig. 4b). Furthermore, labeling occurred in the middle piece of the tail; however, because controls also showed staining in this part of the tail, some degree of false positive labeling cannot be ruled out. In ejaculated spermatozoa (Fig. 4, c and d), the acrosome and the postacro-somal region were heavily labeled, but the equatorial segment appeared negative. The results obtained were the same whether labeling was achieved using immunofluorescence (Fig. 4c) or streptavidin-HRP conjugate (Fig. 4d). Labeling was also noted in part of the tail with both techniques.
FIG. 3. Immunolocalization of scinderin in the fetal epididymides (head [a], body [b], tail [c]) and adult (head [d], body [e], tail [f]). A lumen is clearly evident in epididymides obtained during the 8th month of gestation. During this period (a-c), scinderin was localized near the lateral cell surface of the principal cells near the base (closed arrows) and close to the apical border near the intercellular junctions (open arrows). In tangential sections of adult epididymis (d-f), scinderin immunoreactivity was detected all along the subsurface of the principal cells’ lateral plasma membranes (open arrows in d). In the body and particularly in the tail of the epididymis, deposits of scinderin-positive material were detected (closed arrows in e, f) near the basal cells. The curved solid arrows in d-f point to scinderin-positive spermatozoa. X780.
FIG. 4. Immunolocalization of scinderin in epididymal (a, b) and ejaculated (c, d) spermatozoa. Controls using preimmune serum show no reaction product in the head of epididymal spermatozoa; however, staining was detected (open arrowheads in a) in portions of the tails. Immunofluorescence localization of scinderin in epididymal spermatozoa (b) shows small spots of immunoreactivity in the postacrosomal region (arrowhead); the protein is localized principally in the anterior acrosome and in the equatorial segment (arrow). Part of the connecting piece situated caudally to the postacrosomal region is also scinderin-positive. In ejaculated spermatozoa (c), the acrosome (curved arrow) and the postacrosomal region were heavily labeled when immunofluorescence labeling (c) or streptav-idin-HRP was used (d). X780 (reproduced at 82%).

domain: biology


text:
The fourth release in the Nano-Link DIY Collection has arrived.
Nano-Link’s featured DIY module, Nanotreatment, is a card game that brings solving a water crisis to life! Each deck contains a problem set that outlines a real world water contamination or shortage problem and another set that, when dealt, gives the player a water treatment strategy based on nanotechnology to use to solve the problem. The card content focuses on the kinds of interactions and forces that nanomaterials take advantage of to solve these problems. Players design a problem solution based on the information on their card, resources provided, and the engineering design process. As players rack up points they gain confidence in the power of nanotechnology and their own fact-based decision-making.
So shuffle the deck, draw a problem and get gamified with the Nanotreatment DIY module now!

domain: game


text:
Ramdoo, I. 2015. Making global supply chains sustainable: The case of the gold sector. (Briefing Note 83). Maastricht: ECDPM.
Access to raw materials is critical to industries and to society in general. Gold, in particular, is essential for industrial use.
To avoid social and environmental threats in producing countries, gold supply chains must be made more responsible.
The role of business is fundamental to foster responsible business conduct and to reduce the footprint of their operations.
Effective responsible supply chains depend on public policies that support private sector initiatives. There must be a balance between regulations and incentives.
Photo courtesy of Isuru Senevi via Flickr.

domain: literature


New Delhi: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Saturday opposed government's decision to merge 10 public sector banks to create four entities and said it is meant to facilitate the privatisation of nationalised banking sector.
The politburo of the party said in a statement that Modi government's action must be resisted by the concerted action of bank employees, trade unions and all democratic forces working together.
"CPI(M) expresses its strong opposition to the decision of the government to merge 10 public sector banks to create four bank entities, thus, reducing the number of public sector banks from 27 to 12. Contrary to the propaganda of universal financial inclusion, this will lead to further exclusion of crores of Indians," the statement said.
It said India is already one of the "most unbanked countries in the world" and the government's move will further push the small savings in rural India into the "clutches of sleazy chit fund operators and financial mercenaries".
"Weakening public sector banking is meant to facilitate the privatisation of the nationalised banking sector. The merger will lead to the shrinkage of the network of branches denying accessibility, particularly in rural India," the party said.
It said after the merger of five associate banks with State Bank of India, around 1,000 branches were closed and it is reported that the merger of Dena Bank and Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda "will result in the closure of 800 branches".
"This year marks the 50th anniversary of the nationalization of banks. Instead of strengthening the public sector banking system, in people's interest, the Modi government is set upon dismantling it. This must be resisted by the concerted action of bank employees, the trade unions and all the democratic forces working together," it said.
The party said that justification of government for the merger of banks is that they will get strengthened and bigger banks will emerge.
"However, the government policy is to disinvest and lower the state's equity in these banks and bring them down below 50 per cent. After setting up of big banks, this process of privatisation is proposed to be undertaken," the party said.
The party accused the government of covering up the reasons for the problems of public sector banks and alleged that huge non-performing assets have piled up because of large-scale defaults by big corporate houses.
"NPAs have risen fourfold in the past five years and at least Rs. 5.5 lakh crore of loans written off. The public sector banks are being forced to give up a substantial part of the debt through the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code process. The merger of the banks will not solve the problem of recovery of these loan amounts," the statement said.


Somalia is to conduct its first national census in 48 years, underlining the country’s desire to have adequate data on its population and economy.
The office said the actual count will provide the government with critical information needed to design and implement policies that meet the needs of its citizens.
The lack of up-to-date population and housing information has hampered informed decision-making on the country’s development needs, as most population data is estimated by external agencies, officials say.
“Data generation and data use are at the heart of governance. It is paramount for good governance,” said Salah Jama, Somalia’s deputy prime minister, at the launch of preparatory events in Mogadishu.
“It is paramount for development gains.”
Niyi Ojuolape, UNFPA’s country representative in Somalia, said the census will be useful in addressing some of Somalia’s perennial problems, such as the health needs of certain population groups.
“The census is an important tool to ensure that we have accurate and up-to-date data on our population and housing needs. This will enable us to plan and implement development policies and programmes that will improve the lives of all Somali citizens,” Ojuolape said in a statement.
Somalia has faced significant challenges in conducting a comprehensive census since the collapse of its central government in 1991. The last successful census was conducted in 1975. But the UN official said it didn’t provide a complete picture.
Anita Kiki Gbeho, the UN Secretary-General’s Deputy Special Representative in Somalia, said these steps will help the country take ownership of its data, as the laws provide for local and transparent collection and compilation.
“A census is an important milestone in Somalia’s journey towards sustainable development,” she said.
According to the Somali National Bureau of Statistics, the census will collect vital information about the country’s population, including social and economic characteristics and housing conditions. The data collected during the census will help inform the allocation of government resources and determine funding levels for critical programmes such as health, education and social welfare.
The census will cover all regions, including displaced persons and refugees.
“This will ultimately lead to improved governance and stable democratisation,” said Ojuolape.
The census comes as the country grapples with security challenges posed by the militant group al-Shabaab and climate shocks such as drought and floods, which have combined to displace more than two million people.


text:
Justin Taylor left New York City last year for Portland. He returned to Brooklyn to celebrate the release of the paperback edition of his story collection Flings. It was the first book he wrote that was released in hardcover, he explains, and so it also was the first book he had the opportunity to launch a second edition of. He was joined at Powerhouse Arena by Adam Wilson, author of Flatscreen and What’s Important is Feeling. Since leaving New York, Taylor has gotten married and adopted a cat.
After he and Wilson each read a short selection, they begin by discussing the new cover of the book. The paperback cover has new artwork and includes a picture of grass. Taylor jokes it is good for people who like lawns.
“I find the older I get, the more inclined I am to buy a hardcover,” he observes.
Taylor says that his publisher has given him five beautiful covers over the course of four books. The hardcover copy of Flings has an iconic bright yellow with red and black print. Taylor spent time in the Pratt Library snapping photos of book covers from the 1970s send examples of what he wanted to the graphic artist.
Wilson shifts the discussion to writing fiction as a kind of cover song of a biography or autobiography. A story can be like a cover song of somebody’s life. The story Taylor read that night from the back of the book is very much like that, based on a friend he knew.
The concept began for Taylor as structuring the story along each month over the course of the year. He calls it a weird idea. Eventually it was clear that some of the months and the moments he was writing about would take more time than a paragraph would allow. However, even as the story expanded, he liked the idea of keeping those breaks and tried use monthly timeframes as a guide.
Since he was closely relying on a friend’s life to create the story, in this case, he showed his friend the narrative. Some of the internal thought that Taylor invented for the characters had gotten closer than his friend wanted to admit.
Each paragraph in the story was a kind of self-contained narrative. He wrote it without adding in breaks between events either hoping that the structure would propel the momentum forward. A single physical object can help give a scene a sense of place, so he kept descriptions of place short, also adding to the force of scene.
Building on the idea of biographical fiction as a cover song, Wilson adds to the metaphor by describing how composition of narrative can be like playing a guitar where one note leads to another.
“I can’t play a note,” Taylor says, saying he doesn’t understand how music works. He prefers thinking of writing as a ouija board, but it’s entirely in the hands of the writer.
“The only thing a story has to do is command a reader’s attention,” Taylor says. A story has to earn the time it takes to create and the time it takes to read. “When something falls short of the attention at the desk–get up from the desk.”
Using real people for inspiration can be a problem. Often, young writers in particular, when they first write fiction about themselves are too caught up with the factual elements and remembering the way things were. The better choice is to decenter the self from the narrative and then edit out the story.
Writing about other people can be risky. “Sometimes the implicit message is ‘fuck you,'” Taylor says, adding that you can’t be surprised when people are hurt.
Several of the stories in Flings were originally supposed to be for his first collection. However, Taylor says at the time, he wasn’t old enough to answer the questions those stories were asking. “Sometimes you put something away because you lost interest.”
“I’m definitely a believer in the short story collection as a collection,” Taylor says.

domain: artistic


text:
The roof of the house is often extended out to cover the porch, forming a section of the residence for outdoor seating. Typically, a porch is erected on the front or along with one of the sides of the house during construction. As a later addition, you can build a porch to the back of your home, which will not alter its appearance from the front. According to some, it would have a new roof and resemble more of a sunroom.
In this article, we’ll discuss cost of screened porches and how it can help your home’s beauty.
Why screened porches?
According to a recent HomeLight poll, 30% of top realtors across the country believe that this feature is a desirable outside feature for potential buyers in their respective markets. 51% of agents in the South Atlantic region put a screened-in space higher than a fire pit or outdoor kitchen as a desired upgrade.
Bugs and insects are the most common cause for homeowners to screen their porches. The second goal is to provide cover. A deep enough porch can allow for some outside entertaining in the summer months, as the sun’s harsh heat and bugs and mosquitoes are all but eliminated.
Adding screens to an open porch will indeed help keep the house’s interior temperature more comfortable, but it will also dim the light in any adjacent rooms that have windows looking out onto the porch.
If you’re seeking more living space, you can get it in any room, as previously said. The way the walls are completed makes a significant distinction between a sunroom and a screened porch. Mesh screens are used as the walls of a screened porch, a roofed construction.
On the other hand, a screened porch will allow fresh air to flow through the room while keeping out the bugs.
A sunroom is a glass-enclosed structure that has a roof. Like your living room, a sunroom provides an excellent perspective of the outside world. Adding air conditioning and heating in the summer and winter months is likely because it is enclosed.
How much does a screen porch cost?
Even if you’re doing the work yourself, you can save a lot of money if you’re only adding a screen to an already constructed porch (DIY).
It’s usual for a porch to cost between $15,000 and $30,000, although most homeowners pay around $20,000. Keep in mind that homeowners may often return 84% of the installation cost by selling their property for more money.
The building inspector is always your first port of call when making any home improvement. You can find out if you require a permit from the local building inspector’s office.
If all you’re doing is adding screens, you probably don’t require a permit. If you’re still unsure, the best course of action is to inquire. An extra $200 may be needed for a permit, depending on the locality.
It’s best to hire a screened-in porch contractor after the summer season when contractors are less busy.
Influencing factors that affect costs
Whether you’re starting from scratch or retrofitting an existing porch, the square footage, labor, and materials you choose will all have an effect on your budget.
If you have an existing porch, patio, or deck that you want to enclose, you can save money on materials like flooring and roofing by doing so. Otherwise, consider how you want to make use of the available area.
For outdoor eating, it is recommended that a porch that is 15 by 20 feet or 16 by 16 feet in size, depending on the size of the table and seats. He believes that a 16 by 16-foot screened-in porch built of pressure-treated wood will cost $45,000, whereas one constructed of exotic hardwood with steel structure, Zuri decking, and extras like infrared warmers will cost $55,000 or more.
According to Fixr’s calculations, the size of the porch’s seating area may be anywhere from 6 by 10 feet to 10 by 20 feet. Sun porches can be anywhere from 12 feet by 12 feet to 14 feet by 16 feet in size. Is your house suitable for a wraparound porch? That ranges in length from 10 feet to 14 feet.
Consider checking with your local town hall or homeowner’s association (HOA) before deciding on size.
Labor and installation
If you’re handy, you can save money by doing the work yourself. A screen frame system, ranging in price from Home Depot, can be installed on an existing porch in two to four hours. Adding a door may also necessitate additional supplies and additional time spent on the project.
When hiring a professional, labor prices can vary greatly depending on whether you’re beginning from scratch or if you’ve already done some work.
As little as $2 per square foot of labor might be spent screening an existing porch. Construction prices for a new screened-in porch, on the other hand, range from $72 to $82 per square foot, partly because this space can be used as a “three-season room,” i.e., as an addition to your home.
If you’re thinking of adding plants, a hammock, or a chandelier to your porch, it’s natural to become distracted by all of the other possibilities. The structural features of your project should receive the majority of your expenditure.
Pressure-treated wood and only a few extras run about $45,000 for a typical 16′ x 16′ screened-in porch. It is possible to spend upwards of $55,000 if you choose high-end materials such as exotic hardwood, Zuri decking steel framing, and special amenities such as infrared heaters and wrought iron handrails.
Materials such as wood, metal, and glass are commonly used to make screens.
Between $5 and $7 per square foot for aluminum Cost per square foot: $4.50 to $5.50 for fiberglass Cost: $5.50–$7.00 per square foot for solar screens $2,000–$4,000 for each unit of motorized retractable screens (not sold by square foot), screened-in porches can be linked to the exterior of your home or erected as a separate structure in your rear. The fourth wall of screening is required for a stand-alone, which will raise the price.
Rescreening your porch every six to eight years is also necessary (on average, if well maintained). Ripped or torn screens might negate the entire purpose of having an outdoor living room built for you and your family.
The frame is the next thing your installer will use to hold your screen together once you’ve decided on the material. Installers prefer aluminum, while some do-it-yourselfers may use wood for the framing. This could be done for various reasons, including beauty or cost. Still, any wood used on the exterior will require upkeep and decay prevention if exposed to the environment or termites.
Depending on the material, screen doors can cost as little as $300 and as much as $2,000, respectively.
A robust screen door may be worth the investment for screened-in porches where children or heavy foot traffic is expected. Screen door repairs can cost up to $200 in materials alone, depending on the extent of the damage.
Screen kits are available for $50 or less at many hardware stores. These kits include four corners, four framing pieces, and spline, the thin strip used to hold screens in place.
- Aluminum mesh costs between $2.50 and $4 per square foot.
- About $4 to $5 per square foot for fiberglass
- About $4 to $5 per square foot for sun-blocking.
- The cost of a retractable is between $20 and $30 a square foot.
Although this may vary depending on your location, HomeGuide says that the best time to add screening to your porch is during the colder months. Contractors tend to be busier in the spring and summer, so you’ll have a better chance of finding a contractor earlier in the year and getting a better deal.
Before starting any work, get at least three quotes from possible contractors and a summary of how they arrived at their estimates. Inquire about their qualifications, such as how long they’ve been in business, whether they’ll obtain permits and insurance before commencing work, and how they deal with disputes with clients. A screened-in porch may not be cheap, but the project will take shape quickly with a well-thought-out plan in place.
Contact Paragon Remodeling for more information about the cost of screened porches
Most outdoor remodeling projects that create usable space, such as decks or a porch that is not screened in, are a beneficial investment for homeowners. Bugs, solitude, and rainy weather are all factors to consider while building a screened-in porch.
To ensure you are in good hands, contact reliable professionals to do the job. Paragon Remodeling offers screened porch installation services. Do not hesitate to get in touch with us today.

domain: design


text:
This article was also published in the Financial Times.
It was 3.30 pm and my fifth visit to the Four Seasons restaurant in London's Chinatown (pictured at night). Finally, I was going to be granted a rare glimpse of its famed barbecue section, located on the fourth floor of this narrow, but always bustling, building, normally never revealed to a journalist.
As we turned the final corner of the narrow stairway, Joe, the genial manager, asked me to hold tight to the handrail. 'The floor gets very greasy from roasting so many ducks and we have to wash it down regularly', he explained.
Two smiling chefs greeted me and took off their yellow plastic gloves to shake my hand while behind them the tools of their trade were clearly visible.
Ducks and sides of pork were hanging from hooks close to the window so that they could benefit from the air blowing through the room. On the large table in front of me were bowls that held the ingredients for the essential marinade and the sauce that remains a secret known only to the roasting chef. There were two metal roasting ovens about a metre tall which could hold eight to a dozen ducks each and in between these was a large rice steamer.
When I asked the chef why there was a separate rice steamer here when I had seen another one a floor below in the kitchen that produces all the non-barbecue dishes, he proudly replied, 'I prepare all the rice for my dishes, and this way, if something goes wrong, the management know who is to blame.'
This was certainly the most low-tech kitchen I had been in in a long time, albeit very Chinese. The cooks were wearing wellington boots; one was quickly scooping the contents of a bowl of food into his mouth after a busy service; and all of them were delighted by my compliments on their food, particularly their roast duck, and laughed appreciatively.
The Four Seasons' renown for this dish, here and at their original branch in Queensway, west London, which has now been open for over 20 years, has spread far and wide. They have a particular following in Thailand, perhaps because their secret sauce is slightly sweeter than most, while my initial visit was prompted by a tip-off from a hotelier in Hong Kong who believes that this roast duck is the best she has ever eaten, even in Asia.
My visits only confirmed this opinion. At one lunch, the bill for a large bowl of spine-tingling hot and sour soup followed by roast duck, Chinese vegetables and rice for four came to £57. At another, Guillaume Rochette, a headhunter who places chefs and general managers around the world, was so impressed that he begged me to keep the restaurant a secret and not to write about it.
My next meal, with Peter Tsui, the company secretary and spokesman for the two restaurants that are privately owned by several Chinese families, was by far the most challenging, principally because of my lack of dexterity at taking notes while eating with chopsticks. But also because Tsui, who was born in Hong Kong but grew up washing dishes in his mother's restaurant after they had moved to England, uses Chinese astrology as the basis for his wide ranging views on the restaurant business, which football teams to bet on or not, and what is likely to happen to the stock markets here and in the US.
After ordering Chinese broccoli, because the stems on that day's delivery were respectably thin, rice and a mixed plate of duck, chicken cooked in soy and pork with excellent crackling (because the skin had been pricked to allow the marinade to penetrate the meat over 24 hours), Tsui revealed a few of the secrets behind his barbecue section's continued success.
'Between the two restaurants we prepare about 700 ducks a week. They come from Ireland at the moment and they have to have a certain amount of fat on them. The fat is important because a lot of our business is take away and the flavour has to survive being carried off and then reheated in a microwave or an oven.' On the first of several occasions, Tsui repeated what has obviously become his business mantra: there must be no weaknesses in the chain from preparing the food to serving the customer.
The ducks are stuffed with herbs and spices to get rid of their gamey flavour and then dunked completely in a mixture of vinegar and maltose syrup before roasting at a very high temperature for 45-60 minutes. When the ducks come out of the oven, they smell, according to Tsui, 'as sweet as freshly baked bread'. The combination of a hugely popular restaurant and a busy take away section means that the ducks never linger in the restaurant's front window before they are expertly chopped into mouth size pieces and served either on or off the bone (the flavour of the former is definitely the stronger).
Tsui advances several reasons for their ducks' continued popularity. Only his roasting chef knows the precise proportions of the ingredients in their marinade and, more importantly, in their sauce. This involves soy sauce, a sweetener, herbs and spices, and, crucially, must never be too salty (a fault of the competition, in his opinion) and is made by the roasting chef only when he is on his own. 'We have managed to keep it a secret not just from the rest of the staff but also from a number of people who have offered to work here for nothing as a way of finding out just how we make it', he reported with a combination of relief and satisfaction. Finally, there is Tsui's particular contribution to the restaurants' continued pre-eminence with this dish. 'Part of my job is to go round and taste the competition, the other part is to ensure we never let our standards slip', he added enthusiastically.
Finally, three small caveats. Although they share the same name, this restaurant has no connection with the hotel chain; while the food is excellent, the décor is functional; and although bookings are taken, they will always be for when a table becomes available rather than a specific time.
But for lovers of roast duck, this is a price well worth paying.
Four Seasons,12 Gerrard Street, Chinatown, London W1, <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = SKYPE /> 020-7494 0870 020-7494 0870
84 Queensway, London W2, 020-7229 4320 020-7229 4320 .
Both open 7 days.

domain: food


Spending the past several years bubbling just under the radar in the electronic music scene, their efforts were overshadowed by bigger names in the genre, especially in Europe.
Now all of that is about to change with their newest album for 2010. Strangers is System Syn’s crowning achievement, which will not be ignored! Musically, the song structures are impeccable. Sad, slow and mid-tempo tracks give way to angry and harder dance floor crashers, and as if the electronic sequences weren’t enough, live guitars and acoustic drums are sprinkled throughout the album.
Much of Strangers revolves around relationships, and for each listener the songs will hold an entirely different meaning. Words cannot begin to describe Strangers, its an album that has to be experienced first hand
The Album "Strangers" will be released in Europe on April 30th.
The title of Edge of Dawn's second album is “Anything That Gets You Through The Night”. Frank Spinath (Seabound) and Mario Schumacher's common album was deemed one of the scene's best releases of 2007. "And the second installment displays twelve stunning compositions that strike different balances between electronic sounds And organic - partially even classical elements."
Singer Frank Spinath explains the title of the album “Anything That Gets You Through The Night”:
“The title purposefully allows a lot of room for association. The central theme of the album is “Survival”, but in many different situations and under conditions such as pressure, danger or lust. Everything is allowed, if it serves the purpose of surviving the night. I like the idea. What would I do? In my fantasy I see a motel room, a woman. I take a step in her direction. A door closes, the room is windowless. It is 3:06.”
Reagan Jones from Iris makes an appearance at the microphone on one track. The album should be released at the end of May.
The upcoming April release “Breedless” will be the 4th album of the American duo, as well as their first release on Dependent. Ego Likeness have ascended from their technoid, organic, trip-hop origins and evolved into a darker electronic dimension with each ensuing album. The earlier comparisons with bands like Curve and Collide can no longer be applied to “Breedless”, as the duo's work has taken on a much broader and darker spectrum.
“Breedless” switches between soft female chants and a much louder vocal style filled with tormented energy. Despite its variable speeds and volumes, the album is always emotionally charged, whilst the lyrics consider the darkness of our human psyche. In retrospect, it is obvious that Ego Likeness has consistently increased their standard of productivity. We affirm “Breedless”'s flawlessness.
The album will be released in the second half of April 2010 and will surprise more than one to whom Ego Likeness may still be unknown.
We´ve noticed a surprisingly high demand for the Mind.In.A.Box album "R.E.T.R.O".
With its unusual concept of re-sampling the tunes of old C64 video games, the album seems to draw much attention from those who also enjoyed the snippets on www.mindinabox.com. There is a definite appeal to resurrecting the sound aesthetics of 1980s video games. Mind.In.A.Box. mastermind Stefan Poiss has also come up with another gift for the supporters of his project: Upon purchasing the original CD, fans will once again find an included code in the booklet, which makes it possible to discover unpublished material on the band’s webpage. There are also rumors of an exclusive video clip as part of the bonus material range.
This February will see the release of a new album from mind.in.the.box: "R.E.T.R.O." An homage to the era of the Commodore 64 and 1980s video games, the album will even include a few cover versions of cult classics.
mind.in.a.box mastermind Stefan Poiss first locked horns with the C64 when he was just 11 during his first attempts at music making. He had no idea of the classic electronic albums like "Lost Alone", "Dreamweb", and "Crossroads" he was to create later. In a way, "R.E.T.R.O." represents a return to his earliest musical roots through the medium of modern technology.
We can't wait to hear the results!
With their melodic and poppy sound, it wasn't hard for the American trio Informatik to get the crowd at the Hamburg Markthalle moving on opening night. The Californians' unique take on synth-pop was the perfect warm-up for Mesh, who treated the audience to a furious 90 minute set (plus two encores) and a fantastic new lightshow.
We don't want to spoil anything for those who haven't yet seen it, but here you can catch a glimpse of the stage just before the start of the show.
Mesh, Informatik, and opening act Janosch Moldau have left behind similarly excited audiences in Rostock, Leipzig, Wien and Braunschweig. According to online forums, quite a few attendees of the Rostock and Leipzig shows were so impressed that they're toying with the idea of traveling to next week's concerts in Erfurt or Berlin.
The tour dates
Do not miss: New Informatik Special at our store:
Limited bargain offer for Informatik shirt plus CD!
Great success for the first single release after the reopening of Dependent: The Mesh single "Only Better" climbed the German Media Control charts to position 84 this week!
The highly acclaimed Septic VIII compilation hit the shelves today. You can prelisten to all Septic VIII tracks in two very special DJ-mixes mixes by Dr. Klahn on the compilations own MySpace Profile
Dependent announces Septic VIII compilation for September: "Maybe the best Septic to date".
Announcing Septic VIII, the Dependent team proves that they still know how to put a compilation together. The Septic Compilation series has been hailed as one of the best compilation in the scene, and its 8th installment is on its way to be released on September 11th. As always, the compilation will showcase a unique mix between exclusive and rare tracks and remixes from popular artists, and newcomer bands alike. This volume will feature new tracks from forthcoming albums of artists like Velvet Acid Christ, MESH, Edge Of Dawn and Informatik as well as club-compatible stuff and rare mixes from KMFDM vs. Skold, Apparat, Acretongue, Encephalon and Non Plus Ultra. Also, some other eagerly awaited projects like Ghost & Writer (side project of Seabound's Frank Spinath and Jean-Marc Lederman from The Weathermen) and Gary Zon's Aerodrone will release their first officially distributed tracks here.
Dependent Chief Stefan Herwig, who put the compilation together himself, is really proud on this one: "I am really happy with the end result on Septic VIII because we really managed to put together a lot of rare and exclusive, yet absolutely outstanding tracks for this compilation. I think this might be the best Septic Compilation up to date so far, and this surprised me especially in regards to one particular discovery: contrary to public perception, this scene is not weak on new talent or exciting new sounds and bands. The truth is the opposite, there are a lot of well-hidden artists that are definitely worth checking out. However they don’t seem to reach large parts of their audience anymore, as the familiar structure of media and clubs is slowly starting to fall apart and as a result of that, people do miss out on a lot of good bands. Myspace does really not make up to it, contrary to the public perception. The often acclaimed "Viral" effect of the internet does favour bands that are already popular, but not bands that are fresh, yet unknown. So perhaps a compilation like Septic VIII is more important today than it was ten years ago, when we started the series."


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A health insurance company for members of the U.S. military apologized for mistakenly telling more than 600,000 service members that they were infected with the coronavirus when they were not.
Tricare released a statement last week explaining a poorly-worded email that implied each of the recipients were COVID-19 survivors.
“As a survivor of COVID-19, it’s safe to donate whole blood or blood plasma, and your donation could help other COVID-19 patients,” the email read, according to American Military News.
“Your plasma likely has antibodies (or proteins) present that might help fight the coronavirus infection,” it continued. “Currently, there is no cure for COVID-19. However, there is information that suggests plasma from COVID-19 survivors, like you, might help some patients recover more quickly from COVID-19.”
Six hours later, Tricare’s regional manager, Humana Military, issued an apology.
“In an attempt to educate beneficiaries who live close to convalescent plasma donation centers about collection opportunities, you received an email incorrectly suggesting you were a COVID-19 survivor,” the insurer explained. “You have not been identified as a COVID-19 survivor and we apologize for the error and any confusion it may have caused.”
About 31,000 U.S. military servicemen have been diagnosed with COVID-19—far fewer than the 600,000 people the email targeted.
Some critics were quick to point out that this is a strategy health officials have used from the get-go to make the pandemic seem worse than it actually is.
In Virginia, for example, the state health department was caught combining the results of antibody and viral coronavirus tests, making it seem like there were many more active cases in the state than there actually were.
And in Florida, individual hospitals have been disputing the positive case numbers released by the state health department, arguing that their experiences do not line up with the numbers the state is reporting.
Sen. Scott Jensen, R-Minn., argued back in April that the federal government is encouraging this kind of false reporting by subsidizing positive coronavirus cases through Medicare payments and federal bail-outs.
“How can anyone not believe that increasing the number of COVID-19 deaths may create an avenue for states to receive a larger portion of federal dollars?” Jensen explained.
“Already some states are complaining that they are not getting enough of the CARES Act dollars because they are having significantly more proportional COVID-19 deaths.”

domain: medical


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The new Gong Cha outpost has officially opened at 27 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.
This is the ninth Manhattan outpost for Gong Cha, which describes itself as "one of the most recognized bubble tea brands around the world" ... which got its start in 2006 in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
This block of St. Mark's has seen a variety of bubble tea come and go through the recent years... some still in business (Kung Fu Tea right across the street).... and some not (Mi Tea). And there's more on the way for the northwest corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place.
This storefront had been vacant since Lab -320° closed in late 2016 after six months of selling ice cream. The previous longtime tenant here, The Sock Man, closed in January 2016 after a reported rent hike via (now former) landlord Raphael Toledano.
Sock Man owner Marty Rosen later opened a new location at 99 1/2 St. Mark's Place ... where he remains today.
There was previously a Gong Cha location on 14th Street.
Photo by Steven
At this point they should just wall off St Marks Place, create a canal and fill the street with bubble tea and offer gondola rides, creating a Willy Wonka style bubble tea paradise. I bet Saint’s Alp Teahouse wishes they were still around.
Saint's Alp Teahouse would still be around if NYU hadn't kicked them out of their space.
I miss Saint’s Alp Teahouse. Also, I kinda view this Gong Cha as the replacement for the one that closed at 14th just east of 3rd, so not really net new.
Fully agree, and this is a much better location for them - that area of 14th is a retail graveyard for the most part.
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domain: geography


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We don’t mean to toot our own horn, but we feel we must tell you: Murray’s Brie Baker is going to be your favorite part of the upcoming holiday season. Follow our easy recipe suggestions and you’ll have an impressive appetizer or dessert in just 15 minutes!
Here are some classic combinations for the holidays:
Simple:Keep it simple and top your baked brie with fig spread, honey, or strawberry jam. Really, anything spreadable will work!
Savory: A mixture of ¼ cup chopped roasted tomatoes, ¼ cup chopped artichokes, and 2 tablespoons chopped pitted olives. Combine with 1 tablespoon capers and a pinch of fresh black pepper.
Sweet: A mixture of ¼ cop chopped pecans and ¼ cup chopped dried apricots. Combine with 1/3 cup fig spread, ¼ cup dried cherries, and a pinch of ground cinnamon
Here’s what to do:
- Place an 8 oz. Mini Brie or Camembert in a Murray’s Brie Baker.
- Pick your flavor combination and mix up your topping.
- Spread the mixture over the cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for 15 minutes.
- Become known to all as the Host/Hostess with the Most/Mostess.
- Go for simple sweetness with fig spread (included in Baked Brie Set).
- Wrap the brie in puff pastry and add any topping.
- Go for a savory appetizer and top with roasted mushrooms, olives, thyme, and parsley.
- Check out 23 other great Baked Brie ideas here!


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If you want for making your marital life better, it’s important to give attention to improving your relationship using your spouse. It’s not hard to focus on your spouse’s shortcomings, which can contribute to chronic resentment. Instead, concentrate on the good things about your partner and encourage them to carry out nicer issues for you.
If your spouse is definitely not increasing his or her career, consider helping her / him to improve his or her own personal life. The actions are definitely important than words. For example , if your loved one has an idea for a business, consider offering that idea. This can help you both be a little more successful. The most important thing is to make your partner happy.
Physical closeness is another way to improve your romance. You can do this by resting close to your partner, making fixing their gaze, holding hands, hugging, or perhaps massaging the other person. However , lots of people may be uncomfortable with this. It is important to discuss these types of ideas with the spouse before making a decision. This way, you may avoid uncertainty navigate to this website in the foreseeable future.
Make sure improve your relationship is to agenda times with your partner. Studies show that couples so, who make moment for dates once weekly have a happier marital relationship. They also have even more sex, and they may even bear in mind the reasons look at this web-site why they fell in love in the first place. Consistent quality time spent using your partner is key to the fluidity of your romantic relationship. It is essential to schedule your daily routines and worries to be able to enjoy quality time together.

domain: psychology


Roberto Isaias is a singer and song-write from Mozambique performing Marrabenta and Afro-Zouk. Heres the song “Mutorotoro”
Neyma Julio Alfredo (born 6 May 1979) is a Mozambican singer, born in Maputo. Neyma’s passion for music began at a young age where she sang at various events in and around Maputo.However, her breakthrough came when she was given a recording contract and in 1999 released her first album, Brigas. It featured the popular singles “Brigas”, “Mae virtude mais bela” and the well received single, “Praia feliz”, which won her much publicity.
In the summer of 2005, Neyma released Arromba, her most popular album to date which sold more than 40,000 copies in Mozambique alone and had an outstanding sale internationally. The album was well received in Angola, Cape Verde, and Portugal. The album features the self titled single, Arromba which is kizomba genre. Another single off the album which was well received was Lirrandzo, which turned out to be the most popular song the year, and Arromba turned out to be the summer anthem of 2005. Here is the song “Como Anima a Marrabenta”
see also A Hi Dzimeni .
Lizha James (1982), Born in Maputo, Mozambique, her music style includes a mixture of rhythms like Marrabenta, Dzukuta Pandza, Reggae, R&B and hip-hop. Here is the song “Gotta Move On”
I think Jack Hammer is a South-African rock musician. Here’s his wonderful song “Mozambique“:
This was a Music-Suggestion from Rob, thanks!
Neyma is a Mozambican singer she was 2010 best Femenine Artist of the Year, here´s her song “A Hi Dzimeni”
Mariza is a very famous fado singer, born in Mozambique, and left Mozambique with 3 years, to move to Portugal. Here’s her song “Rosa Branca“:
This was a Music-Suggestion from Marília, thanks!


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Find out a little more about our people, our culture, our clients and how we like to work, rest and play!
Last week the design team attended UX Brighton, focusing on the craft of design and expanding the skills we need to build fluid and rewarding experiences.
There is no doubt that data has become the primary commodity of the 21st century. It's immeasurably powerful, but as a society, we're only just beginning to understand the profound influence it has over...
We are delighted to announce that Soak Digital have been selected as finalists for The Drum ‘Agency Business Awards’ in the category for ‘Most Creative Campaign’

domain: news


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Next Step Ministries is a 501c3 non-profit organization committed to helping students grow closer to Christ through a life-changing, one-week mission trip. Students have the opportunity to work on challenging construction projects and come alongside inspiring community leaders, meeting the true needs of the community.
Each project is picked with an unwavering commitment to partnering with and empowering families, schools, and the local church. These projects are a part of a much larger vision of transformation producing real, sustainable change within a community. We work on these projects week after week, year after year, so students know they’re part of a real change.
Students are immersed into the culture and life of a community, meeting people who help them see God from a completely new perspective. Their faith will be confronted and their eyes will be opened as they watch God move in a new and unfamiliar environment.

domain: sociology


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Rethinking urban voids: in search of spaces for public in the dense urban context of Dhaka, Bangladesh
MetadataShow full item record
Looking at any growing city and its urban voids, a few uncomfortable questions inevitably arise: Where is the space for the urban people? Where is the space to breathe? Where is my/our space in the city? The preoccupation with eminent urban and political issues has fueled these questions, but the responses to these seemingly trivial issues are sometimes clearly portrayed by a superficial picture. Relevant issues are only rarely addressed or responded to on a substantial structural level and the resolutions appear to have little space-defining effect. For the urban contexts in the developed countries, the vicious circle of crippling self-preferentiality is rising every day. Soon we will need to be aware that any context exists within a global context irrespective of its congestion and density. The developed and planned cities are also going to face the similar problems the developing ones have. To learn about the architectural handling of substantial issues and to break away from the comfortable fluffiness of current practice is the aim of the paper. While analyzing the urban situation, liminality of space becomes an important issue here. The urban voids refer to the spaces in between built forms and these 'liminal spaces' play a great role to accommodate urban people and such urban voids are studied and incorporated to the design solution. The paper will bring light to the scarcity of usable and useful urban voids in growing cities, and the diversity in architectural and urban plans for urban voids. For this analysis and design task, some cities like Vienna, Detroit, Philadelphia are analyzed. Later, Dhaka-a growing city-is taken as a sample and the site to be worked upon.


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9.24.2002 by , every Tuesday.
I'm currently looking for guest writers to spice things up and fill in for me when I'm bogged down. If you've got a story that you think would fit (it has to be quite short), please email it to me at email@example.com. Thank you thank you thank you.
This is a very old story, from back when I only wrote starts, and when I only sent them to one person. It still makes me snicker, though, so I thought I'd put it up.
The woman touched her skin gingerly as if expecting it to bite her. It was mildly burned and quite painful. There was an insect bite on her left arm, and one on her back. She could feel the thin sheen of sweat on her body.
"I want a shower," she said to a world that didn't care.
Even worse than these annoyances was the cut across her leg. It was oddly shaped, a narrow line that fanned out just slightly at the tip. Two other cuts, smaller than the first, were visible by her ankle. Blood oozed sluggishly from a fourth one at her elbow.
The cuts were practically trademarks of the Zarabesi Waste Demons. Thinking about them made her feel still more disgusted.
"I really, really want a shower," stated the woman again.
The world spun on.
* * *
"How was your day, Sherry?"
The voice was male and reeked of chubby boyish features and nerd glasses.
"Fuck off, Bob," thought the woman. "It was great," she said rather unconvincingly.
Bob was, however, convinced. "I'm glad. Hey, a couple of the guys are going to O'Flannigan's tonight, you want to come? I'll buy your first three."
"Mm, no thanks," said the woman. "Maybe another time."
"Aw, you never have any fun, Sherry. Ah well, suit yourself, later chica..." Bob smiled winningly and entered his apartment.
The woman fumbled with the keys for hers and finally got the door open. For the thousandth time she cursed the name "Sherry". It was all she could think of when Bob had asked her the first time. Now she was stuck with it. "Sherry." Bah. Sounded prostitutional.
Then she was inside the blessed silence of her apartment. She looked through the mail and tossed aside several ads. Only one piece of mail was important. It was a golden scroll tied with jade strings, and it practically laughed at her from the pile. It was delicately addressed to "Princess Exclayboria Spentfire Demonsbane Thsladflorin."
The woman's mouth twisted into a shadow of a proud smile. Now that was a name.
Princess Thsladflorin struggled with the jade strings for two minutes before she got impatient and used her Destruction Ray to slice neatly through them. She scanned the strange writing for ten seconds using her Super Speed Read Power. Then she swore. Then she read the letter again, and swore more colourfully. "They want me to start RIGHT NOW?" she said to the apartment in general. The houseplants had no comment.
"Waste Demons be damned," Thsladflorin muttered irritably, and went to have a shower.
* * *
Laundry was the worst. There was absolutely no way to wash a cape at the local Wash-n-Go. Thsladflorin had to hand-wash the deep purple fabric in her own sink, with soap, and her hands got all dish-panny.
The boots could be stashed in the closet, no problem. The Necklace of Doom was under the lamp. Her Infinite Ring of Power fit nicely in the corner of her underwear drawer; few people had the nerve to go pawing through her bras.
Princess Thsladflorin found the ring easily and slipped it on when she stepped out of the shower. She dried off and began to suit up. There were some advantages to her situation. If she was careful, her Destruction Ray worked better than wax; she never had to shave her legs at all. She slid on the Required Superhero Tights, and swore loudly as she discovered a run. She pulled off the nylon and torched it with a spark of Destruction Ray.
Fresh tights on, and boots tied up, she was ready for the Cape of Destiny. Now that she liked. It was far more satisfying to swoop down on a Waste Demon knowing that there was a great billowing dark purple wave behind her. Not that the Zarabesi Waste Demons gave a damn about aesthetics.
When she was all suited up she read the scroll one last time, quickly Destruction Ray'd it, and moved to the window. She finally got it open with a grunt and stood perched on the ledge. Then it came, the feeling that if she stepped off she'd plummet to her death, and she'd be a huge purple pancake with tights.
There was always that moment of uncertainty.
Thsladflorin drew a quick breath. Then she stepped off the ledge and was up, up and away.
* * *
Thsladflorin descended from the skies like a raven with PMS. "How long has it been since I had a beer," she thought, thinking of Bob and his dorky friends. "I just want one night off, ONE night to be a regular woman. I want a bubble bath. I want a Tylenol®."
She only got grumpier as she spotted the first slime drippings of the Waste Demons. These leavings were deliberate, meant to inspire fear. They oozed from the back-pores of the Demons and were pure sulphuric acid. One touch and the victim was doomed to eleven hours of excruciating pain.
Thsladflorin yawned and scratched her shoulder where the bug bites were. She'd been at this all day. When would Lord High Doommaster Blackwellan realize that New York was a bad place to conquer? (For one thing, the Waste Demons were no match for some of the things she'd seen in the subways.)
She flew between the buildings, following the faintly glowing trail. Suddenly there they were, three Waste Demons in full horrible glory. Princess Thsladflorin swooped down upon the glowing white beasts. They opened their huge mouths and snarled in an ungodly way. Thsladflorin dodged a Waste Demon Pain Ray and began to destroy them with her Pistol of Glorious Light.
"A manicure," she thought wistfully as she parried a sharp-clawed blow. "That's what I want. Man, I would kill for a manicure."


“The airline’s chief strategy officer, Vinod Kannan, will take over as the chief commercial officer, subsequently,” a Vistara spokesperson said in the statement. Kapoor’s resignation is the second top-level exit in the domestic aviation sector in recent days, after Sanjay Kumar quit as AirAsia India’s chief commercial officer.
In an email sent to employees, a copy of which was seen by ET, Kapoor said “sadly, all good things must come to an end” and that “the time has come to think of the last decade or so of my professional working life with my head and not just with my heart, balancing both personal and professional goals”.
Kapoor’s four-year stint at Vistara saw the airline grow from nine aircraft and 45 flights a day to 39 aircraft and more than 200 flights a day, and expanding from 12 stations to 34, including the launch of international operations.
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Are you a big fan of nail art? I am too! But many times, visiting a fancy nail art parlor is just not feasible. But the good news is that you can now create your own nail art with tools that are far from expensive! Sounds improbable? You better believe it!
10 Tools For Nail Art Dotting At Home:If you are a fashion freak, this article will definitely ‘speak’ to you! Check out 10 magical ways of creating perfect dotting nail art designs at home.
5. Toothpick:Toothpicks are a gem in the list of home tools for creating nail art. Both the ends can be used to create dot patterns. The sharper edge gives very small dots that can be lined in a circle to get a professional nail art design. You can also create different patterns like floral dots, parallel designs and much more with precision, using the sharper edge of a toothpick.
7. Pencil:A sharpened pencil is a multipurpose tool for creating different nail art dotting designs. You can keep the tip pointed or you can keep it round and blunt. The pointed tip gives small dots while the rounded tips create medium sized dots, and the blunt tip gives bigger dots.
8. All Pins:All pins are a fantastic nail art dotting tool. You can use simple all pins and also the fancy ones to play with different designs. The back end of these pins creates different sized dots.
9. Fancy Ear Rings:Do I sound funny when I say use an earring to create a dotted nail art design? If so, try it out yourself and see the results! Small fancy earrings have a pointed end that can be used to get clean dots on nails. Also, a few earrings take the shape of pearls that are very small. Those small and rounded earrings can also be used to create exceptional dotted nail art designs.
I am sure you can dig our few of these tools at home. And once you do, you will be all set for some fancy nail art. But remember that you would still need to get a manicure done, if you want your nail art design to look clean and attractive. Also, never forget to clean the tips of all the customized home tools that you use to create your own dotted patterns.
Did you find any of the above-mentioned nail art dotting tools handy? Could you carve a perfect dotted nail art pattern with a home tool with ease? Do share your feedback with us in the comment section.


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BUZZ-U.S. Stocks on the Move-Valley Financial, Baker Hughes, Celldex
(For faster updates on individual market-movers, Eikon users please use search string "STXBZ US"; for the Day Ahead newsletter, link.reuters.com/mex49s; for the Morning News Call newsletter, link.reuters.com/nex49s) U.S. stocks dipped on Monday, following four consecutive weeks of gains on Wall Street, as energy shares fell alongside crude futures after Japan slipped into recession. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.20 percent at 17,669.5, the S&P 500 was up 0.12 percent at 2,042.18 and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.28 percent at 4,675.43.
** HALLIBURTON CO, $49.87, -9.46 pct
** BAKER HUGHES INC, $66.25, +10.62 pct
Halliburton, the world's second-largest oilfield services provider, will buy smaller rival Baker Hughes for about $35 billion in cash and stock, creating an oilfield services behemoth to take on market leader Schlumberger NV, as falling oil prices threaten to erode demand.
** ALLERGAN INC, $209.1, +5.26 pct
** ACTAVIS PLC, $247.26, +1.43 pct
Allergan agreed to be bought by Actavis for $66 billion, putting an end to a hostile bid by activist investor William Ackman and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc.

domain: finance


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My how the events of this year have challenged us. When opening a conversation with a friend, a colleague or a patient with “How are you?,” I am leaning in to hear the complexity of the response. We are navigating so much.
I recently learned a term that has arisen in this wild time: “doomscrolling.” Perhaps you’ve participated in this—reading through story after story about the many captivating realities of the moment, whether pandemic, wildfire, climate catastrophe, economic peril, racial injustice, political brinksmanship, or the unraveling of the fabric holding our democracy and society together. Perhaps you, like some people I know, read the headlines before going to bed, and check in with the news upon rising in the morning. Perhaps thoughts of current events and future possibilities keep you awake at night.
Not surprisingly, the more time we spend reading stories of crisis and catastrophe, the more anxious and depressed we become. On the other hand, a growing body of scientific literature demonstrates that aligning our lives and our behaviors with virtues like courage increases our individual health, wellbeing and happiness.
Perhaps you have successfully set boundaries around your news consumption, taking in what you need to be aware of but not risking your mental or physical health. Even if you are not excessively reading the news, it is challenging simply to live in a time of such upheaval and uncertainty, of divisiveness, existential peril and staggering loss. Perhaps the one thing that is predictable is the likelihood that such challenge will become more and more part of our normal experience.
What qualities of being or character strengths can we cultivate to carry us through this, and whatever comes next? What allows us to rise above the fear that drives so much of our anxiety and leaves us vulnerable to manipulation and control?
Courage, a word stemming from the Latin word for “heart,” is one such attribute. One of the human virtues described in ancient times, courage is honored in all cultures as essential to a life well-lived and is studied in the field of positive psychology. This strength is defined as “the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear or difficulty.” Distinct from “bravery,” its heart root speaks to the quality of being that allows us to align our actions with goodness, even when it is difficult.
We draw upon courage when we seek to be agents of change. We draw upon courage when we speak truth to those in power, and when we speak against social wrongs even when others around us remain silent or complicit or are violently enacting them. We draw upon courage when we look deep within to understand the barriers to our connection with someone who has beliefs different from our own.
The field of positive psychology is dedicated to the scientific understanding of the strengths that enable individuals and communities to thrive. It has much to say about virtues like courage and the character strengths that allow for courage. Say, for example, that I am interested in developing the psychological courage it takes to have curious, open-hearted, non-judgmental conversations with family at the opposite end of the political spectrum. Knowing from past experience how daunting and disorienting such conversations are, but yearning to understand my family’s perspective, which inner strengths might help me keep oriented? In a deeply divided country, courageously applying ourselves to our inner work is of utmost importance, particularly as it applies to a deepened understanding of one another.
An essential strength that allows us to act with courage is integrity, that quality of adhering to moral and ethical principles. Integrity is also defined as “being whole and undivided,” which requires being true to ourselves. To be true to ourselves we must really know ourselves. In my example, courageously approaching a conversation about, say, climate change, with, say, my parents, requires an honest account of the quality of being that I bring to the conversation. Am I slipping into the old patterns of wanting to be right, of wanting to win an argument? What is my motivation for having the conversation in the first place? Do I deeply and respectfully want to understand their perspective? Can I truly refrain from passing judgment on their belief system? The extent to which we courageously look for our own opportunities for inner growth expands our capacity to be entrusted with someone else’s thoughts, and to find the common ground that creates connection.
Cultivating courage also takes persistence. As I attempt to reach across the partisan divide in my family, I find that I may slip in and out of true integrity in any given conversation; at times I want to surrender, to write off the whole effort as a waste of life energy. On a tender day, hearing their judgment of my belief systems throws me off center. Whatever the challenge we face—and there are so many these days—realigning ourselves again and again with the heartening, virtuous energies of truth, love, justice and humility, among others, provides the ballast we need to weather the storm.
Courage entails not only facing that which we fear, but also taking action, no matter how challenging. Whether it is the inner work required to authentically take interest in someone else’s beliefs or to face our current situation and the coming challenges, we need deep-hearted courageousness. Courage, and the crucible of inner growth leading to action, is forged in times of challenge and in the face of fear. As we all inch toward the precipice of harder times on a warming planet, we will have abundant opportunities to be courageous. As Anais Nin wrote, “life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.”
Virtues are not often celebrated or spoken of in our popular culture, and there is a veritable vacuum of integrity in many people in positions of power in our world. We must remember that it is a radical act to take a stand for that which is virtuous. The virtue of temperance, or voluntary self-restraint, applied to the consumption of all things, including news, could transform our collective wellbeing and give us a better chance at living in balance with the Earth. As we act from these guiding principles, courageously choosing love over fear, fairness over greed, restraint over addictive consumption, we can courageously reweave the fabric of our society and navigate the challenges that lie ahead.
Anna O’Malley, M.D., works with the Coastal Health Alliance and directs the Natura Institute for Ecology and Medicine in the Commonweal Garden.


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Rachel Woods MLA’s Domestic Abuse (Safe Leave) Bill has passed its Final Stage in the Assembly.
The Green Party NI MLA for North Down said: “I am delighted that my Safe Leave Bill has passed with support from MLAs across the political spectrum, and is now set to become law. It is the first legislation of its kind anywhere in the UK and Ireland.
“Victims and survivors of domestic abuse in Northern Ireland will have a legal right to 10 days’ paid leave from work each year, should they require it. This has the potential to save lives.
“Domestic abuse is a workplace issue, and it is important that measures are in place to support affected workers, including workplace policies, resources, and paid leave.

domain: law


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Imposex responses were comparatively assessed in Thaisella chocolata and Xanthochorus buxeus, in sites previously studied regarding TBT contamination and under the influence of various levels of ship/boat activities in a coastal zone of Peru. In August 2015, at least 60 adult specimens of both T. chocolata and X. buxeus were simultaneously sampled by SCUBA diving in three subtidal sites. A total of 545 adult specimens of T. chocolata and X. buxeus were analyzed in the present study. Imposex incidence (I%) was detected in the two muricid species in the sampled site closest of Callao harbor — P1 (T. chocolata and X. buxeus = 100%) and also in the P2 (T. chocolata = 100% and X. buxeus = 81%). On the other hand, as expected, no sign of imposex was observed in organisms obtained from P3. Thaisella chocolata is likely to be the most sensitive species to imposex development, followed by X. buxeus. Thus, T. chocolata is the most suitable species to be used as a sentinel of TBT contamination due to its high sensitivity and better discrimination of levels among different sites.
|Journal||Regional Studies in Marine Science|
|State||Published - Feb 2019|


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The Global Forum on Migration and Development: Perspectives from Asia and the Pacific
This issue brief explores the Asia-Pacific region's active engagement in the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) for the past seven years, and identifies the challenges and opportunities ahead in keeping this engagement alive. The brief argues that although GFMD was primarily designed as a venue for changing the discourse on migration, the success of its efforts to date and the pressing need for progress on the ground both indicate that it is time to assess how the Forum can facilitate concrete action.
Asia-Pacific countries have been both participants and leaders of the Forum. Virtually every country in the region has assigned representatives in GFMD’s network of country focal points, eight Asia-Pacific countries are part of the GFMD Steering Group, and a number have contributed to the roundtable and thematic meetings either as co-chairs or team members. Three countries from the region were also part of a 14-member Assessment Team that outlined the future of the Forum after 2012.
The region’s engagement has helped shape the themes and topics of GFMD meetings, but the challenges facing migrants and their families have not abated. To remain relevant, GFMD must become as instrumental in shaping the reality on the ground as it has been in shaping the global discourse on migration and development. The 2012 GFMD assessment shows participant states’ demand for a more development-focused and results-driven forum. Additionally, this year’s Forum is taking place in the lead up to the post-2015 development agenda discourse, and there are growing calls in the Asia-Pacific region for integrating migration into this agenda.
The brief, part of a joint series by MPI and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) offering succinct insights on migration issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, recommends an enhanced linkage with regional fora and processes; a more dynamic people-to-people networking platform where policymakers can find partners, pilot projects, test ideas, and develop policy and programmatic tools; and a more focused, action-oriented, and results-driven process for the next five years.
II. Asia-Pacific Government Engagement with the Global Forum on Migration and Development
III. Incorporating Regional Issues in the Global Discourse
IV. Going Beyond Changing the Discourse: Three Key Steps
1. Enhancing Regional Interactions
2. Encouraging People-to-People Networking
3. Developing an Action-Oriented, Results-Driven Process in Five Priority Areas

domain: politics


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“A rollicking ride through twisty time with a brainy new hero we need to meet again. Great fun.” —Robert Lipsyte, bestselling author of The Contender
“In his first novel for children, Cohen sets the stage for a rollicking time-travel adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Readers who like their protagonists to have all the answers . . . will enjoy finding an expert in Alex.” —BCCB
Rich Cohen is a four-time New York Times bestselling author for such books as Tough Jews and When I Stop Laughing, You’ll Know I’m Dead. He also writes for Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair. Alex and the Amazing Time Machine is his first book for young readers.

domain: entertainment


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Excerpt from an article Peter Lewis- Edited by S W T Read
The federal government’s gradual withdrawal from directly building low-cost rentals.
Social housing, is not a term either parties would use. Governments have been gradually creeping away from it. Now public and community housing is now as scarce as hen’s teeth, and almost impossible to access.
In affordable housing the withdrawal was more sudden, with the 2014 budget decision to scrap the National Rent Affordability Scheme that provided investment support for rental properties for moderate-income earners.
This was a deliberate attempt to distort the housing market – to actually make it more attractive for investors to build affordable rental properties and accept a more moderate short-term return while building an asset with long-term value.
As government has walked away from social and affordable housing, more renters have been left to compete for the few relatively cheap private rentals on the market.
Therefore pushing rent prices up and making it harder for renters to save for a deposit. Alternatively the lack of affordable rent forces people further down the housing chain into short-term accommodation, on to couches or worse, the street.


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Scientists verified that we require more dogs to support us with our numerous issues. In ancient times, dogs were only utilized to herd sheep, save hunted animals, and guard. So, Can Rottweilers be emotional support animal? Yes, they can be emotional support animal. Let’s find out how they can be emotional support animal.
Table of Contents
Can Rottweilers Be Emotional Support Animal? Detailed Answer
“Yes, they can be an Emotional Support Animal. But, Rottweilers are influential, and because of this reason, you need to reexamine having Rottweilers if you do not want to give them the required training.
Ensure your dog does not improve behavior issues under any circumstance. If he isn’t trained well, you will get several problems if you keep having his dog for emotional support.”
What is the difference between service dogs and emotional support dogs?
There are two types of dogs who get jobs, service dogs as well as emotional support dogs. Indeed, a service dog is a common term for any pooch who does any kind of physical service similar to retrieving, steering, bomb search, seizure notifying, etc.
In contrast, the emotional support dog is a dog who will aid you emotionally by making your life comfortable or help individuals with certain psychological conditions.
Do dogs for emotional support require any training?
No, they do not need any training. You might have an emotional support dog without training him. But, ensure that your emotional support dog isn’t hard to handle as this can generate loads of issues sooner or later.
Benefits of having Rottweilers as an emotional support animal
To dive into the topic more deeply, I want to tell you the benefits of having Rottweilers as ESA.
- A strong canine that can look after you
- Very kind and loving
- A good friend for children
- Very Keen dog
- Have high wisdom of accountability
Is it suggested to have Rottweilers as an emotional support animal?
No, due to their nature. Rottweiler dogs are great, having high strength. But, data say that it’s the most prevalent breed after Pit bull to have accidents.
In addition, they are accepted as one of the stress-free dogs to be trained. Because of this reason, I suggest getting a more friendly dog, such as Golden Retriever that individuals won’t fear him.
What are the best emotional support dogs?
Dogs are not just the get companions, but they’re also the best legends when we talk about helping people who are controlling the mental disease. Emotional support animals, which appear to be getting popularity regularly, are a respected treatment tool.
They help persons experiencing several mental diseases to improve their health. These animals can be any kind of pet; however, dogs are certainly the most prevalent.
Obviously, when we talk about working as ESA, not all dogs are equal. If you want to get a new dog to be your ESA, there are around breeds that are the best fit for this job. Select from the subsequent breeds for your emotional support dog:
- Labrador retriever
- Yorkshire terrier
- Cavalier King Charles Spaniel
- Golden Retriever
Q: Are Rottweilers destitute dogs?
The character of a Rottweiler can also be deliberated needy. These dogs love to be adored and frequently create a sense of addiction with their owners.
Q: Are Rottweiler dogs sensitive?
Notwithstanding that tough-looking externally, Rotties are a delicate breed because of their intelligence as well as close attachment to their loved ones.
Q: Are Rottweilers emotionally stable?
“Sharp” canines aren’t defensive – they’re unstable, which allows them to attack an acquitted individual or another animal. So, Rottweilers are nervous – one more form of insecurity that makes them possibly dangerous. Giving sufficient mental stimulation.
Rottweilers can be an emotional support animal. But, I am not suggesting having a prevailing dog like Rottweiler as ESA; however, if you want to do so, ensure that he is well behaved and that your pooch is free of any behavioral problems.

domain: pet


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Friendship’s day passed a few days back and people got carried away in the emotions of friendships and missed their distant friends. The most popular social media platform wasn’t much behind in increasing this vibe of importance and the feelings associated with friendships. Browse the Instagram and all one would see and related to, would be friendship quotes. The trend of this year went more towards the friends who live far away and don’t meet very often.
The concept of long distance relationships was always there in the minds of people in addition to which people also believed in the fact that your friends are as important in your life as your partners. Someone must have wondered that if distance affects people in their relationships, it might as well affect them in their friendships. People might not have realised the fact but it is the truth, one gets less of time, one finds more people and the time just gets divided. But these posts have made people realise what they felt.
It is something each one knows and must be okay with, that you just cannot spend your whole life with a single group of friends. Life takes you to unexpected places, different schools, different colleges, transfer of your parents and other unavoidable circumstances. Though each new phase of your life gives you a chance to meet new people and build new friendships, the old ones are always missed.
All that matters in these situations is the trust. Trust is itself a very strong feeling whose existence is not in the hands of any person. And this is the one feeling that gives each long distance friendship the hope they need. As what cannot be overlooked is the fact that once you start trusting someone, you will get closer and closer.
As bad and upsetting the concept of Long Distance friendship sounds, it is just what one needs in some certain situations. Sometimes, someone who knows only your side of the story gives you an advice or suggestion which you want to hear and thus makes you feel much better in the most difficult situations. But keeping in touch with them is what you need.
If you are very close to your friend and you understand each other, it can be guaranteed that you won’t lose each other in the worst of the situations. All you need to do to strengthen your friendship is to remember them and let them know that you care. As it is commonly said “Distance doesn’t break friendships, silence does”.


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79 results found
Behr MA, Mostowy S, 2007, Molecular tools for typing and branding the tubercle bacillus, CURRENT MOLECULAR MEDICINE, Vol: 7, Pages: 309-317, ISSN: 1566-5240
Sancho-Shimizu V, Khan R, Mostowy S, et al., 2007, Molecular genetic analysis of two loci (Ity2 and Ity3) involved in the host response to infection with salmonella typhimurium using congenic mice and expression profiling, GENETICS, Vol: 177, Pages: 1125-1139, ISSN: 0016-6731
Said-Salim B, Mostowy S, Kristof AS, et al., 2006, Mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv0444c, the gene encoding anti-SigK, explain high level expression of MPB70 and MPB83 in Mycobacterium bovis, MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Vol: 62, Pages: 1251-1263, ISSN: 0950-382X
Charlet D, Mostowy S, Alexander D, et al., 2005, Reduced expression of antigenic proteins MPB70 and MPB83 in Mycobacterium bovis BCG strains due to a start codon mutation in sigK, MOLECULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Vol: 56, Pages: 1302-1313, ISSN: 0950-382X
Mostowy S, Behr MA, 2005, The origin and evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, CLINICS IN CHEST MEDICINE, Vol: 26, Pages: 207-+, ISSN: 0272-5231
Spreadbury CL, Pallen MJ, Overton T, et al., 2005, Point mutations in the DNA- and cNMP-binding domains of the homologue of the cAMP receptor protein (CRP) in Mycobacterium bovis BCG: implications for the inactivation of a global regulator and strain attenuation, MICROBIOLOGY-SGM, Vol: 151, Pages: 547-556, ISSN: 1350-0872
Koivula T, Ekman M, Leitner T, et al., 2004, Genetic characterization of the Guinea-Bissau family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex strains, MICROBES AND INFECTION, Vol: 6, Pages: 272-278, ISSN: 1286-4579
Mostowy S, Cleto C, Sherman DR, et al., 2004, The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex transcriptome of attenuation, TUBERCULOSIS, Vol: 84, Pages: 197-204, ISSN: 1472-9792
Mostowy S, Cousins D, Behr MA, 2004, Genomic interrogation of the dassie bacillus reveals it as a unique RD1 mutant within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex., J Bacteriol, Vol: 186, Pages: 104-109, ISSN: 0021-9193
Despite their remarkable genetic homology, members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex express very different phenotypes, most notably in their spectra of clinical presentation. For example, M. tuberculosis is regarded as pathogenic to humans, whereas members having deleted RD1, such as Mycobacterium microti and Mycobacterium bovis BCG, are not. The dassie bacillus, an infrequent variant of the M. tuberculosis complex characterized as being most similar to M. microti, is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) in the dassie (Procavia capensis). Intriguingly, the dassie bacillus is not pathogenic to rabbits or guinea pigs and has never been documented to infect humans. Although it was identified more than a half-century ago, the reasons behind its attenuation are unknown. Because large sequence polymorphisms have presented themselves as the most obvious genomic distinction among members of the M. tuberculosis complex, the DNA content of the dassie bacillus was interrogated by Affymetrix GeneChip to identify regions that are absent from it but present in M. tuberculosis H37Rv. Comparison has led to the identification of nine regions of difference (RD), five of which are shared with M. microti (RDs 3, 7, 8, 9, and 10). Although the dassie bacillus does not share the other documented deletions in M. microti (RD1(mic), RD5(mic), MID1, MID2, and MID3), it has endured unique deletions in the regions of RD1, RD5, N-RD25, and Rv3081-Rv3082c (virS). RD1(das), affecting only Rv3874-Rv3877, is the smallest natural deletion of the RD1 region uncovered and points to genes within this region that are likely implicated in virulence. Newfound deletions from the dassie bacillus are discussed in relation to their evolutionary and biological significance.
Mostowy S, Cousins D, Behr MA, 2004, Genomic interrogation of the dassie bacillus reveals it as a unique RD1 mutant within the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, Vol: 186, Pages: 104-109, ISSN: 0021-9193
Mostowy S, Onipede A, Gagneux S, et al., 2004, Genomic analysis distinguishes Mycobacterium africanum, JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Vol: 42, Pages: 3594-3599, ISSN: 0095-1137
Nguyen D, Brassard P, Menzies D, et al., 2004, Genomic characterization of an endemic Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain: Evolutionary and epidemiologic implications, JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Vol: 42, Pages: 2573-2580, ISSN: 0095-1137
Semret M, Zhai G, Mostowy S, et al., 2004, Extensive genomic polymorphism within Mycobacterium avium, JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY, Vol: 186, Pages: 6332-6334, ISSN: 0021-9193
Semret M, Zhai G, Cleto C, et al., 2003, Assembly and validation of a whole genome DNA microarray for members of the Mycobacterium avium complex, 7th International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis, Publisher: INT ASSOC PARATUBERCULOSIS INC, Pages: 233-238
Mostowy S, Behr MA, 2002, Comparative genomics in the fight against tuberculosis: diagnostics, epidemiology, and BCG vaccination., Am J Pharmacogenomics, Vol: 2, Pages: 189-196, ISSN: 1175-2203
Although the causative agent of tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has been known for some 120 years, the disease continues to plague humanity. In 1998, the sequencing of M. tuberculosis H37Rv enabled tuberculosis researchers to draw comparisons between it and other species of the closely-related M. tuberculosis complex, including bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), the vaccine administered to prevent human tuberculosis. These efforts have uncovered genomic variability that potentially encodes the discrepant phenotypes displayed by species. Due to the infrequency of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and other modes of genomic change, large sequence polymorphisms (LSPs) have presented themselves as the most obvious form of genomic variability among species. This review discusses genomic polymorphism among species of the M. tuberculosis complex as revealed through comparative genomics. Attention is drawn towards the impact of comparative genomics in generating several exciting hypotheses towards diagnosis, epidemiology, and prevention of tuberculosis disease.
Mostowy S, Cousins D, Brinkman J, et al., 2002, Genomic deletions suggest a phylogeny for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex, JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES, Vol: 186, Pages: 74-80, ISSN: 0022-1899
Roff DA, Mostowy S, Fairbairn DJ, 2002, The evolution of trade-offs: Testing predictions on response to selection and environmental variation, EVOLUTION, Vol: 56, Pages: 84-95, ISSN: 0014-3820
This data is extracted from the Web of Science and reproduced under a licence from Thomson Reuters. You may not copy or re-distribute this data in whole or in part without the written consent of the Science business of Thomson Reuters.


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Ex-Pa. state trooper claims he was fired over Ebonics
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A black man fired at the end of his 18-month probationary period as a Pennsylvania state trooper says he was wrongly let go for false claims that he didn’t properly write reports, and sometimes used “Ebonics” in doing so.
A state police spokeswoman says the agency doesn’t comment on litigation.
The federal lawsuit was filed Tuesday by 29-year-old William Peake, of Sewickley, who graduated from the police academy in May 2009 and soon after was stationed at the Uniontown barracks, which his attorney contends is nearly all white.
Peake was required to sign a termination letter contending he was let go for a “lack of solid job knowledge and basic police skills” and other “officer/public safety concerns” not spelled out in the lawsuit.
Peake contends the reasons for his firing “are not worthy of belief.”


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They say it’s been 21 years, but damn if doesn’t seem like yesterday when he rolled into town, a cherub-faced former director of the National Hurricane Center with a crazy mad gleam in his eye and especially good bounce in his then-unfashionable flattop. Now, in advance of what could be the most deadly storm season on record (Don’t they always say that? They just gotta be right one time!) he’s taking retirement, consigning his still-vital (judging by the flattop) self to aimless days of golf and repeated afternoon listenings of Miles’ Birth of the Cool, reputedly his favorite sounds for “afternoons of lassitude and ease.”
The import of his passing from our TV screens was recognized by none other than the mayor, who declared Friday “Neil Frank Day in Houston” (well, that's according to Channel 11; perhaps you, like us, stayed in bed all day to observe the occasion). Channel 11, in the curious person of Greg Hurst, assured us that “Doc” (we never knew if he was a pediatrician or an anesthesiologist) would return to the airwaves in case of a hurricane (“Break Glass to Retrieve Dr. Neil”). It seems that hurricanes are to Neil Frank what crack cocaine is to a person who enjoys crack cocaine.
We can hope, of course, but we fear that another Neil with a similarly anachronistic hair-do may have foreseen Doc’s true fate many years back: “Once you’re gone, you can never come back, when you’re outta the blue and into the black ….”
So tonight we are bereft as we stand down the gathering winds and shout our questions to the blackness: Who, who, will get us ginned-up into near-hysteria the next time a tropical storm forms way out in the Atlantic? Who---tell us who----will mangle the pronunciation of the actual deadliest hurricane to hit these latitudes in many years (“Kre-TEENA, you so fine”)? Who will stay on the air for 40-plus hours, becoming progressively dopier and wild-eyed as the next killer hurricane takes a turn to the east? Who, we ask?
(The wind whispered “Mary,” we think …)