text:
Pressure myograph systems are exquisitely useful in the functional assessment of small arteries, pressurized to a suitable transmural pressure. The near physiological condition achieved in pressure myography permits in-depth characterization of intrinsic responses to pharmacological and physiological stimuli, which can be extrapolated to the in vivo behavior of the vascular bed. Pressure myograph has several advantages over conventional wire myographs. For example, smaller resistance vessels can be studied at tightly controlled and physiologically relevant intraluminal pressures. Here, we study the ability of 3rd order mesenteric arteries (3-4 mm long), preconstricted with phenylephrine, to vaso-relax in response to acetylcholine. Mesenteric arteries are mounted on two cannulas connected to a pressurized and sealed system that is maintained at constant pressure of 60 mmHg. The lumen and outer diameter of the vessel are continuously recorded using a video camera, allowing real time quantification of the vasoconstriction and vasorelaxation in response to phenylephrine and acetylcholine, respectively.
To demonstrate the applicability of pressure myography to study the etiology of cardiovascular disease, we assessed endothelium-dependent vascular function in a murine model of systemic hypertension. Mice deficient in the α1 subunit of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGCα1-/-) are hypertensive when on a 129S6 (S6) background (sGCα1-/-S6) but not when on a C57BL/6 (B6) background (sGCα1-/-B6). Using pressure myography, we demonstrate that sGCα1-deficiency results in impaired endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. The vascular dysfunction is more pronounced in sGCα1-/-S6 than in sGCα1-/-B6 mice, likely contributing to the higher blood pressure in sGCα1-/-S6 than in sGCα1-/-B6 mice.
Pressure myography is a relatively simple, but sensitive and mechanistically useful technique that can be used to assess the effect of various stimuli on vascular contraction and relaxation, thereby augmenting our insight into the mechanisms underlying cardiovascular disease.
18 Related JoVE Articles!
Assessment of Vascular Function in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease
Institutions: University of Colorado, Denver, University of Colorado, Boulder.
Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have significantly increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared to the general population, and this is only partially explained by traditional CVD risk factors. Vascular dysfunction is an important non-traditional risk factor, characterized by vascular endothelial dysfunction (most commonly assessed as impaired endothelium-dependent dilation [EDD]) and stiffening of the large elastic arteries. While various techniques exist to assess EDD and large elastic artery stiffness, the most commonly used are brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMDBA
) and aortic pulse-wave velocity (aPWV), respectively. Both of these noninvasive measures of vascular dysfunction are independent predictors of future cardiovascular events in patients with and without kidney disease. Patients with CKD demonstrate both impaired FMDBA
, and increased aPWV. While the exact mechanisms by which vascular dysfunction develops in CKD are incompletely understood, increased oxidative stress and a subsequent reduction in nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability are important contributors. Cellular changes in oxidative stress can be assessed by collecting vascular endothelial cells from the antecubital vein and measuring protein expression of markers of oxidative stress using immunofluorescence. We provide here a discussion of these methods to measure FMDBA
, aPWV, and vascular endothelial cell protein expression.
Medicine, Issue 88, chronic kidney disease, endothelial cells, flow-mediated dilation, immunofluorescence, oxidative stress, pulse-wave velocity
Detection of Nitric Oxide and Superoxide Radical Anion by Electron Paramagnetic Resonance Spectroscopy from Cells using Spin Traps
Institutions: The Ohio State University, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University.
Reactive nitrogen/oxygen species (ROS/RNS) at low concentrations play an important role in regulating cell function, signaling, and immune response but in unregulated concentrations are detrimental to cell viability1, 2
. While living systems have evolved with endogenous and dietary antioxidant defense mechanisms to regulate ROS generation, ROS are produced continuously as natural by-products of normal metabolism of oxygen and can cause oxidative damage to biomolecules resulting in loss of protein function, DNA cleavage, or lipid peroxidation3
, and ultimately to oxidative stress leading to cell injury or death4
Superoxide radical anion (O2
•-) is the major precursor of some of the most highly oxidizing species known to exist in biological systems such as peroxynitrite and hydroxyl radical. The generation of O2
•- signals the first sign of oxidative burst, and therefore, its detection and/or sequestration in biological systems is important. In this demonstration, O2
•- was generated from polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). Through chemotactic stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA), PMN generates O2
•- via activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase5
Nitric oxide (NO) synthase which comes in three isoforms, as inducible-, neuronal- and endothelial-NOS, or iNOS, nNOS or eNOS, respectively, catalyzes the conversion of L- arginine to L-citrulline, using NADPH to produce NO6
. Here, we generated NO from endothelial cells. Under oxidative stress conditions, eNOS for example can switch from producing NO to O2
•- in a process called uncoupling, which is believed to be caused by oxidation of heme7
or the co-factor, tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4
There are only few reliable methods for the detection of free radicals in biological systems but are limited by specificity and sensitivity. Spin trapping is commonly used for the identification of free radicals and involves the addition reaction of a radical to a spin trap forming a persistent spin adduct which can be detected by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The various radical adducts exhibit distinctive spectrum which can be used to identify the radicals being generated and can provide a wealth of information about the nature and kinetics of radical production9
The cyclic nitrones, 5,5-dimethyl-pyrroline-N
, the phosphoryl-substituted DEPMPO11
, and the ester-substituted, EMPO12
, have been widely employed as spin traps--the latter spin traps exhibiting longer half-lives for O2
•- adduct. Iron (II)-N-methyl-D-glucamine dithiocarbamate, Fe(MGD)2
is commonly used to trap NO due to high rate of adduct formation and the high stability of the spin adduct14
Molecular Biology, Issue 66, Cellular Biology, Physics, Biophysics, spin trap, eNOS, ROS, superoxide, NO, EPR
Laser-Induced Chronic Ocular Hypertension Model on SD Rats
Institutions: The University of Hong Kong - HKU.
Glaucoma is one of the major causes of blindness in the world. Elevated intraocular pressure is a major risk factor. Laser photocoagulation induced ocular hypertension is one of the well established animal models. This video demonstrates how to induce ocular hypertension by Argon laser photocoagulation in rat.
Neuroscience, Issue 10, glaucoma, ocular hypertension, rat
Visualization of Vascular Ca2+ Signaling Triggered by Paracrine Derived ROS
Institutions: Temple University , University of Washington.
Oxidative stress has been implicated in a number of pathologic conditions including ischemia/reperfusion damage and sepsis. The concept of oxidative stress refers to the aberrant formation of ROS (reactive oxygen species), which include O2•-
, and hydroxyl radicals. Reactive oxygen species influences a multitude of cellular processes including signal transduction, cell proliferation and cell death1-6
. ROS have the potential to damage vascular and organ cells directly, and can initiate secondary chemical reactions and genetic alterations that ultimately result in an amplification of the initial ROS-mediated tissue damage. A key component of the amplification cascade that exacerbates irreversible tissue damage is the recruitment and activation of circulating inflammatory cells. During inflammation, inflammatory cells produce cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and IL-1 that activate endothelial cells (EC) and epithelial cells and further augment the inflammatory response7
. Vascular endothelial dysfunction is an established feature of acute inflammation. Macrophages contribute to endothelial dysfunction during inflammation by mechanisms that remain unclear. Activation of macrophages results in the extracellular release of O2•-
and various pro-inflammatory cytokines, which triggers pathologic signaling in adjacent cells8
. NADPH oxidases are the major and primary source of ROS in most of the cell types. Recently, it is shown by us and others9,10
that ROS produced by NADPH oxidases induce the mitochondrial ROS production during many pathophysiological conditions. Hence measuring the mitochondrial ROS production is equally important in addition to measuring cytosolic ROS. Macrophages produce ROS by the flavoprotein enzyme NADPH oxidase which plays a primary role in inflammation. Once activated, phagocytic NADPH oxidase produces copious amounts of O2•-
that are important in the host defense mechanism11,12
. Although paracrine-derived O2•-
plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, visualization of paracrine ROS-induced intracellular signaling including Ca2+
mobilization is still hypothesis. We have developed a model in which activated macrophages are used as a source of O2•-
to transduce a signal to adjacent endothelial cells. Using this model we demonstrate that macrophage-derived O2•-
lead to calcium signaling in adjacent endothelial cells.
Molecular Biology, Issue 58, Reactive oxygen species, Calcium, paracrine superoxide, endothelial cells, confocal microscopy
Analytical Techniques for Assaying Nitric Oxide Bioactivity
Institutions: University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston , Baylor College of Medicine .
Nitric oxide (NO) is a diatomic free radical that is extremely short lived in biological systems (less than 1 second in circulating blood)1
. NO may be considered one of the most important signaling molecules produced in our body, regulating essential functions including but not limited to regulation of blood pressure, immune response and neural communication. Therefore its accurate detection and quantification in biological matrices is critical to understanding the role of NO in health and disease. With such a short physiological half life of NO, alternative strategies for the detection of reaction products of NO biochemistry have been developed. The quantification of relevant NO metabolites in multiple biological compartments provides valuable information with regards to in vivo
NO production, bioavailability and metabolism. Simply sampling a single compartment such as blood or plasma may not always provide an accurate assessment of whole body NO status, particularly in tissues. The ability to compare blood with select tissues in experimental animals will help bridge the gap between basic science and clinical medicine as far as diagnostic and prognostic utility of NO biomarkers in health and disease. Therefore, extrapolation of plasma or blood NO status to specific tissues of interest is no longer a valid approach. As a result, methods continue to be developed and validated which allow the detection and quantification of NO and NO-related products/metabolites in multiple compartments of experimental animals in vivo
. The established paradigm of NO biochemistry from production by NO synthases to activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) to eventual oxidation to nitrite (NO2-
) and nitrate (NO3-
) may only represent part of NO's effects in vivo
. The interaction of NO and NO-derived metabolites with protein thiols, secondary amines, and metals to form S-nitrosothiols (RSNOs), N-nitrosamines (RNNOs), and nitrosyl-heme respectively represent cGMP-independent effects of NO and are likely just as important physiologically as activation of sGC by NO. A true understanding of NO in physiology is derived from in vivo
experiments sampling multiple compartments simultaneously. Nitric oxide (NO) methodology is a complex and often confusing science and the focus of many debates and discussion concerning NO biochemistry. The elucidation of new mechanisms and signaling pathways involving NO hinges on our ability to specifically, selectively and sensitively detect and quantify NO and all relevant NO products and metabolites in complex biological matrices. Here, we present a method for the rapid and sensitive analysis of nitrite and nitrate by HPLC as well as detection of free NO in biological samples using in vitro
ozone based chemiluminescence with chemical derivitazation to determine molecular source of NO as well as ex vivo
with organ bath myography.
Medicine, Issue 64, Molecular Biology, Nitric oxide, nitrite, nitrate, endothelium derived relaxing factor, HPLC, chemiluminscence
5/6th Nephrectomy in Combination with High Salt Diet and Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition to Induce Chronic Kidney Disease in the Lewis Rat
Institutions: University Medical Center Utrecht.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global problem. Slowing CKD progression is a major health priority. Since CKD is characterized by complex derangements of homeostasis, integrative animal models are necessary to study development and progression of CKD. To study development of CKD and novel therapeutic interventions in CKD, we use the 5/6th nephrectomy ablation model, a well known experimental model of progressive renal disease, resembling several aspects of human CKD. The gross reduction in renal mass causes progressive glomerular and tubulo-interstitial injury, loss of remnant nephrons and development of systemic and glomerular hypertension. It is also associated with progressive intrarenal capillary loss, inflammation and glomerulosclerosis. Risk factors for CKD invariably impact on endothelial function. To mimic this, we combine removal of 5/6th of renal mass with nitric oxide (NO) depletion and a high salt diet. After arrival and acclimatization, animals receive a NO synthase inhibitor (NG-nitro-L-Arginine) (L-NNA) supplemented to drinking water (20 mg/L) for a period of 4 weeks, followed by right sided uninephrectomy. One week later, a subtotal nephrectomy (SNX) is performed on the left side. After SNX, animals are allowed to recover for two days followed by LNNA in drinking water (20 mg/L) for a further period of 4 weeks. A high salt diet (6%), supplemented in ground chow (see time line Figure 1
), is continued throughout the experiment. Progression of renal failure is followed over time by measuring plasma urea, systolic blood pressure and proteinuria. By six weeks after SNX, renal failure has developed. Renal function is measured using 'gold standard' inulin and para-amino hippuric acid (PAH) clearance technology. This model of CKD is characterized by a reduction in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), hypertension (systolic blood pressure>150 mmHg), proteinuria (> 50 mg/24 hr) and mild uremia (>10 mM). Histological features include tubulo-interstitial damage reflected by inflammation, tubular atrophy and fibrosis and focal glomerulosclerosis leading to massive reduction of healthy glomeruli within the remnant population (<10%). Follow-up until 12 weeks after SNX shows further progression of CKD.
Medicine, Issue 77, Anatomy, Physiology, Biomedical Engineering, Surgery, Nephrology Kidney Diseases, Glomerular Filtration Rate, Hemodynamics, Surgical Procedures, Operative, Chronic kidney disease, remnant kidney, chronic renal diseases, kidney, Nitric Oxide depletion, NO depletion, high salt diet, proteinuria, uremia, glomerulosclerosis, transgenic rat, animal model
Exploring Arterial Smooth Muscle Kv7 Potassium Channel Function using Patch Clamp Electrophysiology and Pressure Myography
Institutions: Loyola University Chicago.
Contraction or relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the walls of resistance arteries determines the artery diameter and thereby controls flow of blood through the vessel and contributes to systemic blood pressure. The contraction process is regulated primarily by cytosolic calcium concentration ([Ca2+
), which is in turn controlled by a variety of ion transporters and channels. Ion channels are common intermediates in signal transduction pathways activated by vasoactive hormones to effect vasoconstriction or vasodilation. And ion channels are often targeted by therapeutic agents either intentionally (e.g.
calcium channel blockers used to induce vasodilation and lower blood pressure) or unintentionally (e.g.
to induce unwanted cardiovascular side effects).
Kv7 (KCNQ) voltage-activated potassium channels have recently been implicated as important physiological and therapeutic targets for regulation of smooth muscle contraction. To elucidate the specific roles of Kv7 channels in both physiological signal transduction and in the actions of therapeutic agents, we need to study how their activity is modulated at the cellular level as well as evaluate their contribution in the context of the intact artery.
The rat mesenteric arteries provide a useful model system. The arteries can be easily dissected, cleaned of connective tissue, and used to prepare isolated arterial myocytes for patch clamp electrophysiology, or cannulated and pressurized for measurements of vasoconstrictor/vasodilator responses under relatively physiological conditions. Here we describe the methods used for both types of measurements and provide some examples of how the experimental design can be integrated to provide a clearer understanding of the roles of these ion channels in the regulation of vascular tone.
Physiology, Issue 67, Molecular Biology, Medicine, Anatomy, Vascular smooth muscle, mesenteric artery, patch clamp, Kv channel, vasoconstriction, electrophysiology
Quantitative Analysis and Characterization of Atherosclerotic Lesions in the Murine Aortic Sinus
Institutions: McMaster University, McMaster University.
Atherosclerosis is a disease of the large arteries and a major underlying cause of myocardial infarction and stroke. Several different mouse models have been developed to facilitate the study of the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of this disease. In this manuscript we describe specific techniques for the quantification and characterization of atherosclerotic lesions in the murine aortic sinus and ascending aorta. The advantage of this procedure is that it provides an accurate measurement of the cross-sectional area and total volume of the lesion, which can be used to compare atherosclerotic progression across different treatment groups. This is possible through the use of the valve leaflets as an anatomical landmark, together with careful adjustment of the sectioning angle. We also describe basic staining methods that can be used to begin to characterize atherosclerotic progression. These can be further modified to investigate antigens of specific interest to the researcher. The described techniques are generally applicable to a wide variety of existing and newly created dietary and genetically-induced models of atherogenesis.
Medicine, Issue 82, atherosclerosis, atherosclerotic lesion, Mouse Model, aortic sinus, tissue preparation and sectioning, Immunohistochemistry
Screening Assay for Oxidative Stress in a Feline Astrocyte Cell Line, G355-5
Institutions: Western University of Health Sciences, Western University of Health Sciences, Products.
An often-suggested mechanism of virus induced neuronal damage is oxidative stress. Astrocytes have an important role in controlling oxidative stress of the Central Nervous System (CNS). Astrocytes help maintain a homeostatic environment for neurons as well as protecting neurons from Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). CM-H2DCFDA is a cell-permeable indicator for the presence of ROS. CM-H2
DCFDA enters the cell as a non-fluorescent compound, and becomes fluorescent after cellular esterases remove the acetate groups, and the compound is oxidized. The number of cells, measured by flow cytometry, that are found to be green fluorescing is an indication of the number of cells that are in an oxidative state. CM-H2
DCFDA is susceptible to oxidation by a large number of different ROS. This lack of specificity, regarding which ROS can oxidize CM-H2
DCFDA, makes this compound a valuable regent for use in the early stages of a pathogenesis investigation, as this assay can be used to screen for an oxidative cellular environment regardless of which oxygen radical or combination of ROS are responsible for the cellular conditions. Once it has been established that ROS are present by oxidation of CM-H2
DCFDA, then additional experiments can be performed to determine which ROS or combination of ROSs are involved in the particular pathogenesis process. The results of this study demonstrate that with the addition of hydrogen peroxide an increase in CM-H2
DCFDA fluoresce was detected relative to the saline controls, indicating that this assay is a valuable test for detecting an oxidative environment within G355-5 cells, a feline astrocyte cell line.
Neuroscience, Issue 53, Astrocytes, oxidative stress, flow cytometry, CM-H2DCFDA
Determination of Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and Reactive Oxygen Species in Live Rat Cortical Neurons
Institutions: Loyola University Chicago.
Mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) is critical for maintaining the physiological function of the respiratory chain to generate ATP. A significant loss of ΔΨm renders cells depleted of energy with subsequent death. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important signaling molecules, but their accumulation in pathological conditions leads to oxidative stress. The two major sources of ROS in cells are environmental toxins and the process of oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathophysiology of many diseases; therefore, the ability to determine ΔΨm and ROS can provide important clues about the physiological status of the cell and the function of the mitochondria.
Several fluorescent probes (Rhodamine 123, TMRM, TMRE, JC-1) can be used to determine Δψm in a variety of cell types, and many fluorescence indicators (Dihydroethidium, Dihydrorhodamine 123, H2
DCF-DA) can be used to determine ROS. Nearly all of the available fluorescence probes used to assess ΔΨm or ROS are single-wavelength indicators, which increase or decrease their fluorescence intensity proportional to a stimulus that increases or decreases the levels of ΔΨm or ROS. Thus, it is imperative to measure the fluorescence intensity of these probes at the baseline level and after the application of a specific stimulus. This allows one to determine the percentage of change in fluorescence intensity between the baseline level and a stimulus. This change in fluorescence intensity reflects the change in relative levels of ΔΨm or ROS. In this video, we demonstrate how to apply the fluorescence indicator, TMRM, in rat cortical neurons to determine the percentage change in TMRM fluorescence intensity between the baseline level and after applying FCCP, a mitochondrial uncoupler. The lower levels of TMRM fluorescence resulting from FCCP treatment reflect the depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. We also show how to apply the fluorescence probe H2
DCF-DA to assess the level of ROS in cortical neurons, first at baseline and then after application of H2
. This protocol (with minor modifications) can be also used to determine changes in ∆Ψm and ROS in different cell types and in neurons isolated from other brain regions.
Neuroscience, Issue 51, Mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, neuroscience, cortical neurons
Ischemic Tissue Injury in the Dorsal Skinfold Chamber of the Mouse: A Skin Flap Model to Investigate Acute Persistent Ischemia
Institutions: Technische Universität München, University Hospital of Basel, University of Saarland, University Hospital Zurich.
Despite profound expertise and advanced surgical techniques, ischemia-induced complications ranging from wound breakdown to extensive tissue necrosis are still occurring, particularly in reconstructive flap surgery. Multiple experimental flap models have been developed to analyze underlying causes and mechanisms and to investigate treatment strategies to prevent ischemic complications. The limiting factor of most models is the lacking possibility to directly and repetitively visualize microvascular architecture and hemodynamics. The goal of the protocol was to present a well-established mouse model affiliating these before mentioned lacking elements. Harder et al.
have developed a model of a musculocutaneous flap with a random perfusion pattern that undergoes acute persistent ischemia and results in ~50% necrosis after 10 days if kept untreated. With the aid of intravital epi-fluorescence microscopy, this chamber model allows repetitive visualization of morphology and hemodynamics in different regions of interest over time. Associated processes such as apoptosis, inflammation, microvascular leakage and angiogenesis can be investigated and correlated to immunohistochemical and molecular protein assays. To date, the model has proven feasibility and reproducibility in several published experimental studies investigating the effect of pre-, peri- and postconditioning of ischemically challenged tissue.
Medicine, Issue 93, flap, ischemia, microcirculation, angiogenesis, skin, necrosis, inflammation, apoptosis, preconditioning, persistent ischemia, in vivo model, muscle.
Physical, Chemical and Biological Characterization of Six Biochars Produced for the Remediation of Contaminated Sites
Institutions: Royal Military College of Canada, Queen's University.
The physical and chemical properties of biochar vary based on feedstock sources and production conditions, making it possible to engineer biochars with specific functions (e.g.
carbon sequestration, soil quality improvements, or contaminant sorption). In 2013, the International Biochar Initiative (IBI) made publically available their Standardized Product Definition and Product Testing Guidelines (Version 1.1) which set standards for physical and chemical characteristics for biochar. Six biochars made from three different feedstocks and at two temperatures were analyzed for characteristics related to their use as a soil amendment. The protocol describes analyses of the feedstocks and biochars and includes: cation exchange capacity (CEC), specific surface area (SSA), organic carbon (OC) and moisture percentage, pH, particle size distribution, and proximate and ultimate analysis. Also described in the protocol are the analyses of the feedstocks and biochars for contaminants including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), metals and mercury as well as nutrients (phosphorous, nitrite and nitrate and ammonium as nitrogen). The protocol also includes the biological testing procedures, earthworm avoidance and germination assays. Based on the quality assurance / quality control (QA/QC) results of blanks, duplicates, standards and reference materials, all methods were determined adequate for use with biochar and feedstock materials. All biochars and feedstocks were well within the criterion set by the IBI and there were little differences among biochars, except in the case of the biochar produced from construction waste materials. This biochar (referred to as Old biochar) was determined to have elevated levels of arsenic, chromium, copper, and lead, and failed the earthworm avoidance and germination assays. Based on these results, Old biochar would not be appropriate for use as a soil amendment for carbon sequestration, substrate quality improvements or remediation.
Environmental Sciences, Issue 93, biochar, characterization, carbon sequestration, remediation, International Biochar Initiative (IBI), soil amendment
Isolation of Pulmonary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells from Neonatal Mice
Institutions: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
Pulmonary hypertension is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in infants. Historically, there has been significant study of the signaling pathways involved in vascular smooth muscle contraction in PASMC from fetal sheep. While sheep make an excellent model of term pulmonary hypertension, they are very expensive and lack the advantage of genetic manipulation found in mice. Conversely, the inability to isolate PASMC from mice was a significant limitation of that system. Here we described the isolation of primary cultures of mouse PASMC from P7, P14, and P21 mice using a variation of the previously described technique of Marshall et al.26
that was previously used to isolate rat PASMC. These murine PASMC represent a novel tool for the study of signaling pathways in the neonatal period. Briefly, a slurry of 0.5% (w/v) agarose + 0.5% iron particles in M199 media is infused into the pulmonary vascular bed via the right ventricle (RV). The iron particles are 0.2 μM in diameter and cannot pass through the pulmonary capillary bed. Thus, the iron lodges in the small pulmonary arteries (PA). The lungs are inflated with agarose, removed and dissociated. The iron-containing vessels are pulled down with a magnet. After collagenase (80 U/ml) treatment and further dissociation, the vessels are put into a tissue culture dish in M199 media containing 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS), and antibiotics (M199 complete media) to allow cell migration onto the culture dish. This initial plate of cells is a 50-50 mixture of fibroblasts and PASMC. Thus, the pull down procedure is repeated multiple times to achieve a more pure PASMC population and remove any residual iron. Smooth muscle cell identity is confirmed by immunostaining for smooth muscle myosin and desmin.
Basic Protocol, Issue 80, Muscle, Smooth, Vascular, Cardiovascular Abnormalities, Hypertension, Pulmonary, vascular smooth muscle, pulmonary hypertension, development, phosphodiesterases, cGMP, immunostaining
Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
Institutions: University of California, San Francisco, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco.
The vascular endothelium is a monolayer of cells that cover the interior of blood vessels and provide both structural and functional roles. The endothelium acts as a barrier, preventing leukocyte adhesion and aggregation, as well as controlling permeability to plasma components. Functionally, the endothelium affects vessel tone.
Endothelial dysfunction is an imbalance between the chemical species which regulate vessel tone, thombroresistance, cellular proliferation and mitosis. It is the first step in atherosclerosis and is associated with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia.
The first demonstration of endothelial dysfunction involved direct infusion of acetylcholine and quantitative coronary angiography. Acetylcholine binds to muscarinic receptors on the endothelial cell surface, leading to an increase of intracellular calcium and increased nitric oxide (NO) production. In subjects with an intact endothelium, vasodilation was observed while subjects with endothelial damage experienced paradoxical vasoconstriction.
There exists a non-invasive, in vivo
method for measuring endothelial function in peripheral arteries using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. The endothelial function of peripheral arteries is closely related to coronary artery function. This technique measures the percent diameter change in the brachial artery during a period of reactive hyperemia following limb ischemia.
This technique, known as endothelium-dependent, flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) has value in clinical research settings. However, a number of physiological and technical issues can affect the accuracy of the results and appropriate guidelines for the technique have been published. Despite the guidelines, FMD remains heavily operator dependent and presents a steep learning curve. This article presents a standardized method for measuring FMD in the brachial artery on the upper arm and offers suggestions to reduce intra-operator variability.
Medicine, Issue 92, endothelial function, endothelial dysfunction, brachial artery, peripheral artery disease, ultrasound, vascular, endothelium, cardiovascular disease.
Videomorphometric Analysis of Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction of Intra-pulmonary Arteries Using Murine Precision Cut Lung Slices
Acute alveolar hypoxia causes pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) - also known as von Euler-Liljestrand mechanism - which serves to match lung perfusion to ventilation. Up to now, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The major vascular segment contributing to HPV is the intra-acinar artery. This vessel section is responsible for the blood supply of an individual acinus, which is defined as the portion of lung distal to a terminal bronchiole. Intra-acinar arteries are mostly located in that part of the lung that cannot be selectively reached by a number of commonly used techniques such as measurement of the pulmonary artery pressure in isolated perfused lungs or force recordings from dissected proximal pulmonary artery segments1,2
. The analysis of subpleural vessels by real-time confocal laser scanning luminescence microscopy is limited to vessels with up to 50 µm in diameter3
We provide a technique to study HPV of murine intra-pulmonary arteries in the range of 20-100 µm inner diameters. It is based on the videomorphometric analysis of cross-sectioned arteries in precision cut lung slices (PCLS). This method allows the quantitative measurement of vasoreactivity of small intra-acinar
arteries with inner diameter between 20-40 µm which are located at gussets of alveolar septa next to alveolar ducts and of larger pre-acinar
arteries with inner diameters between 40-100 µm which run adjacent to bronchi and bronchioles. In contrast to real-time imaging of subpleural vessels in anesthetized and ventilated mice, videomorphometric analysis of PCLS occurs under conditions free of shear stress. In our experimental model both arterial segments exhibit a monophasic HPV when exposed to medium gassed with 1% O2
and the response fades after 30-40 min at hypoxia.
Medicine, Issue 83, Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, murine lungs, precision cut lung slices, intra-pulmonary, pre- and intra-acinar arteries, videomorphometry
Analysis of Oxidative Stress in Zebrafish Embryos
Institutions: University of Torino, Vesalius Research Center, VIB.
High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) may cause a change of cellular redox state towards oxidative stress condition. This situation causes oxidation of molecules (lipid, DNA, protein) and leads to cell death. Oxidative stress also impacts the progression of several pathological conditions such as diabetes, retinopathies, neurodegeneration, and cancer. Thus, it is important to define tools to investigate oxidative stress conditions not only at the level of single cells but also in the context of whole organisms. Here, we consider the zebrafish embryo as a useful in vivo
system to perform such studies and present a protocol to measure in vivo
oxidative stress. Taking advantage of fluorescent ROS probes and zebrafish transgenic fluorescent lines, we develop two different methods to measure oxidative stress in vivo
: i) a “whole embryo ROS-detection method” for qualitative measurement of oxidative stress and ii) a “single-cell ROS detection method” for quantitative measurements of oxidative stress. Herein, we demonstrate the efficacy of these procedures by increasing oxidative stress in tissues by oxidant agents and physiological or genetic methods. This protocol is amenable for forward genetic screens and it will help address cause-effect relationships of ROS in animal models of oxidative stress-related pathologies such as neurological disorders and cancer.
Developmental Biology, Issue 89, Danio rerio, zebrafish embryos, endothelial cells, redox state analysis, oxidative stress detection, in vivo ROS measurements, FACS (fluorescence activated cell sorter), molecular probes
Production and Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Cancers
Institutions: Baylor College of Medicine.
Reactive oxygen species include a number of molecules that damage DNA and RNA and oxidize proteins and lipids (lipid peroxydation). These reactive molecules contain an oxygen and include H2
(hydrogen peroxide), NO (nitric oxide), O2-
(oxide anion), peroxynitrite (ONOO-
), hydrochlorous acid (HOCl), and hydroxyl radical (OH-
Oxidative species are produced not only under pathological situations (cancers, ischemic/reperfusion, neurologic and cardiovascular pathologies, infectious diseases, inflammatory diseases 1
, autoimmune diseases 2
, etc…) but also during physiological (non-pathological) situations such as cellular metabolism 3, 4
. Indeed, ROS play important roles in many cellular signaling pathways (proliferation, cell activation 5, 6
, migration 7
etc..). ROS can be detrimental (it is then referred to as "oxidative and nitrosative stress") when produced in high amounts in the intracellular compartments and cells generally respond to ROS by upregulating antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione (GSH) that protects them by converting dangerous free radicals to harmless molecules (i.e. water). Vitamins C and E have also been described as ROS scavengers (antioxidants).
Free radicals are beneficial in low amounts 3
. Macrophage and neutrophils-mediated immune responses involve the production and release of NO, which inhibits viruses, pathogens and tumor proliferation 8
. NO also reacts with other ROS and thus, also has a role as a detoxifier (ROS scavenger). Finally NO acts on vessels to regulate blood flow which is important for the adaptation of muscle to prolonged exercise 9, 10
. Several publications have also demonstrated that ROS are involved in insulin sensitivity 11, 12
Numerous methods to evaluate ROS production are available. In this article we propose several simple, fast, and affordable assays; these assays have been validated by many publications and are routinely used to detect ROS or its effects in mammalian cells. While some of these assays detect multiple ROS, others detect only a single ROS.
Medicine, Issue 57, reactive oxygen species (ROS), stress, ischemia, cancer, chemotherapy, immune response
Mesenteric Artery Contraction and Relaxation Studies Using Automated Wire Myography
Institutions: North Carolina Central University, Durham, North Carolina Central University, Durham, Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
Proximal resistance vessels, such as the mesenteric arteries, contribute substantially to the peripheral resistance. These small vessels of between 100-400 μm in diameter function primarily in directing blood flow to various organs according to the overall requirements of the body. The rat mesenteric artery has a diameter greater than 100 μm. The myography technique, first described by Mulvay and Halpern1
, was based on the method proposed by Bevan and Osher2
. The technique provides information about small vessels under isometric conditions, where substantial shortening of the muscle preparation is prevented. Since force production and sensitivity of vessels to different agonists is dependent on the extent of stretch, according to active tension-length relation, it is essential to conduct contraction studies under isometric conditions to prevent compliance of the mounting wires. Stainless steel wires are preferred to tungsten wires because of oxidation of the latter, which affects recorded responses3
.The technique allows for the comparison of agonist-induced contractions of mounted vessels to obtain evidence for normal function of vascular smooth muscle cell receptors.
We have shown in several studies that isolated mesenteric arteries that are contracted with phenylyephrine relax upon addition of cumulative concentrations of extracellular calcium (Ca2+e
). The findings led us to conclude that perivascular sensory nerves, which express the G protein-coupled Ca2+
-sensing receptor (CaR), mediate this vasorelaxation response. Using an automated wire myography method, we show here that mesenteric arteries from Wistar, Dahl salt-sensitive(DS) and Dahl salt-resistant (DR) rats respond differently to Ca2+e
. Tissues from Wistar rats showed higher Ca2+
-sensitivity compared to those from DR and DS. Reduced CaR expression in mesenteric arteries from DS rats correlates with reduced Ca2+e
-induced relaxation of isolated, pre-contracted arteries. The data suggest that the CaR is required for relaxation of mesenteric arteries under increased adrenergic tone, as occurs in hypertension, and indicate an inherent defect in the CaR signaling pathway in Dahl animals, which is much more severe in DS.
The method is useful in determining vascular reactivity ex vivo
in mesenteric resistance arteries and similar small blood vessels and comparisons between different agonists and/or antagonists can be easily and consistently assessed side-by-side6,7,8
Medicine, Issue 55, cardiovascular, resistant arteries, contraction, relaxation, myography

domain: medical


text:
It is hard to take away trends after two games, but the one impact the lockout appears to have had on the NFL game is that passing yards are through the roof. There are seven teams averaging over 300 yards passing per game and 12 teams averaging over 250 yards passing per game through the first two games. In 2010, the Indianapolis Colts led the NFL with 288.0 yards passing per game and only seven teams averaged over 250.0 yards per game for the season.
It is impossible to tell if that trend will carry over for the next 14 games, but the early returns say that 2011 is going to be a monster year for quarterbacks. New England Patriots QB Tom Brady is on pace 7,520 yards passing this year and Carolina Panthers rookie QB Cam Newton is on pace for 6,832 yards. Both marks would shatter Miami Dolphins QB Dan Marino’s 1984 record of 5,084 passing yards.
Two games do not make a season and these players are certainly going to slow their pace as the season goes forward. Newton is only a rookie and Brady is going to have to play in some bad weather later in the season. My prediction is that Newton will not be within 1,500 yards of Marino’s mark by the time the season ends and Brady is going to approach 5,000 yards passing, but will slow later in the year when the New England weather turns cold. Still, if you like passing yards, this is the season for you.

domain: game


text:
US President Donald Trump said Thursday that he would leave the White House if the Electoral College confirms Joe Biden’s victory.
"Certainly I will, and you know that," Trump responded when a reporter asked whether he would relinquish power if Biden is officially declared the winner of the presidential race.
But "if they do, they made a mistake" and "it’s going to be a very hard thing to concede," he added.
Trump made the remarks after speaking to US troops during his traditional Thanksgiving Day address to the US military.
In his remarks, the president continued to claim there was "massive fraud" in the election and pledged to maintain his legal fight.
The Electoral College will officially meet to cast their votes on Dec. 14.
Trump's remarks came after Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Nevada have certified their election results, dealing a blow against Trump, who claimed the election was rigged.
On Monday, Trump authorized his team to begin "initial protocols" for a transition to Biden’s administration.

domain: news


text:
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domain: pet


text:
In our fast-paced world, filled with constant stimuli and demands, finding a moment of calm and self-reflection can be a challenge. This is where the simple yet profound act of journaling comes in—a timeless practice that has the power to transform your life.
🔮 Unleashing Creativity:
Journaling is a canvas for your thoughts, a sanctuary where creativity flourishes. Whether it's jotting down random ideas, doodling in the margins, or crafting heartfelt prose, the blank pages of a journal invite you to express yourself freely. This uninhibited creative outlet not only sparks inspiration but also provides a therapeutic release for the mind.
🧠 Self-Discovery and Reflection:
Delving into the depths of your thoughts and emotions through journaling is a journey of self-discovery. It's a mirror that reflects your innermost feelings, fears, and dreams. Regularly revisiting past entries allows you to track your personal growth, recognize patterns, and gain valuable insights into your own psyche.
☺ Stress Reduction and Mental Clarity:
The act of putting pen to paper is a cathartic process that can help alleviate stress and bring mental clarity. Journaling provides a safe space to unload your worries, organize your thoughts, and gain a fresh perspective on life's challenges. It's a therapeutic practice that empowers you to confront and process emotions, ultimately leading to a more balanced and centered state of mind.
💪 Goal Setting and Accountability:
Journalling is a powerful tool for setting and achieving goals. By articulating your aspirations and breaking them down into actionable steps, you create a roadmap for success. The act of writing down your objectives not only solidifies your commitment but also serves as a tangible reminder of what you're working towards, keeping you accountable to your ambitions.
🧿 Gratitude and Positivity:
In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to overlook the positive aspects. Journaling cultivates a habit of gratitude by encouraging you to acknowledge and appreciate the good things in your life. Dedicate a section of your journal to daily affirmations or things you're thankful for, fostering a positive mindset and a greater sense of overall well-being.
In conclusion, journaling is more than just a collection of words on paper; it's a transformative practice that nurtures your mind, spirit, and creativity. Whether you're seeking self-discovery, stress relief, or a means to achieve your goals, the pages of a journal are waiting to become a canvas for your thoughts and a source of empowerment on your life's journey. Embrace the simplicity and profound impact of journaling, and unlock the potential for positive change within yourself.

domain: psychology


text:
The past few seasons have seen an influx of Asian models on the runway, with stunners like Fei Fei Sun leading the pack. And while these models have made major waves in editorial pages, none has landed a coveted Vogue Italia cover, one of the pinnacles of modeling, until now, with Sun doing the honors for the magazine’s January 2013 issue.
The 23-year-old Chinese model has walked for Dior and winked for i-D, and now she’s landed the ultimate career-making spot. In the Steven Meisel-lensed shot (and the accompanying editorial), Sun channels the pioneering model China Machado, the elegant Shanghai-born, South America-raised muse of Richard Avedon. Makeup maestro Pat McGrath transformed Sun into the legend with retro liquid-lined eyes and bright-pink lips, while fashion editor Lori Goldstein amped up the midcentury glamour.
We would have rather seen a different coverline than “Global Life” (what?) for this historic moment, but it’s undoubtedly a big step for the magazine, which has had a complicated history when it comes to matters of racial sensitivity and political correctness. Now if only U.S. Vogue could get in on the trend and start featuring models again — from all different backgrounds.
The issue hits stands January 4. Until then, see more images from the shoot at Vogue.it.
Visit Artinfo.com/fashion for more fashion and style news.
BLOUIN Fashion is now on Twitter. Follow us @BLOUINFashion.
Image Courtesy of Vogue Italia


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Explore how to set up for patient treatment and eliminate the risk of cross infection.
Learn how to minimise the risk of microbial transmission by establishing and maintaining zones throughout the practice.
Receive an overview of a typical treatment area.
Not a member? Click here to join today.


The new Berkshire County District Attorney addressed an open meeting of the county’s NAACP branch Wednesday night.
The auditorium of the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield served as the venue for DA Andrea Harrington’s remarks.
“She sees the DA office as really being part of the community, which we didn’t have before. It became part of the community at election time," said Dennis Powell, the president of the Berkshire County branch of the NAACP. “All the years that I was here, the DA’s office never came out into the community and tried to work with community leaders and activists and really try to build a powerful community.”
Powell invited Harrington to speak about the progressive platform that swept her into office in the fall and answer questions.
“Clearly, one of the big things that came up – and we are the NAACP – is racial disparity, and how that is really impacting a level of interactions, whether it’s criminal, educational," said Leah Reed, the branch’s vice president. “People need to focus on that, and she’s really wanting to take a part and she is identifying that that is an issue, and it is shifting how people interact and respond to certain situations. So I think that was big for our community at large to hear that they have identified this problem, you’ve recognized it, and you’re hearing us.”
Confronting racial disparity wasn’t the only issue that emerged.
“I came out mainly to see – mainly, just to see the focus of what the DA was going to be going into," said Sherrie Bethel-McGregor. "I’m also a survivor of domestic violence, so I wanted to make sure that those needs were going to be met, and women that are going through it – whether they are in it now, or like myself, a survivor, are going to be getting the help they need, you know? And being looked at as individuals, instead of being put out as a case – because that’s the way it used to be dealt with before.”
Bethel-McGregor says she’s lived in Pittsfield for around 30 years. She’s a community activist on the west side and a congregant at the Price Memorial AME Zion Church.
“Even since I’ve been here, to be honest with you, DAs never come out in public like this," Bethel-McGregor told WAMC. She’s come to the church, even before she got elected. A lot of times, things would get done, but they would be done behind the scenes, and you really don’t know what’s going on or what the agenda is, what input you can have, or what you can have – so this is different for me.”
Bethel-McGregor says with Harrington, she feels things are moving in a new direction for her community.
“We just want to be looked at fairly," she said. "We want to be treated fairly. There’s a lot of people of color on the west side and it’s kind of a mixed balance over there, but we want to make sure our voices are being heard, and we’re being taken just as serious as everybody else in Berkshire County because sometimes that doesn’t always happen.”
Harrington – who fielded questions about her plan to institute a juvenile diversion program, accountability, domestic violence, and more – says she left the meeting with an important reminder.
“The number of people that are here – how engaged people were, the kinds of amazing questions people ask – it just really showed me that there is still a lot of support in the community for the ideas that I’ve talked about in the campaign and that it’s really important to me to remember that when there’s competing interests that it’s really my job to answer to the activists of this community who elected me,” the DA told WAMC.


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Prime Minister Narendra Modi today addressed public meetings in Karnataka’s Chitradurga, Hosapete and Sindhanur. PM Modi congratulated the Karnataka BJP on their Sankalp Patra, stating that it outlines a roadmap for the state to become the leading state in the country with modern infrastructure. The Sankalp Patra also prioritizes the welfare of the underprivileged, including the poor, downtrodden, exploited, deprived, tribals, and backward communities.
Launching a scathing attack at both major opposition parties, Congress and JD(S), PM Modi said, “Both of them are dynasts, both promote corruption and both do politics to divide the society. The development of Karnataka has never been the priority of both these parties. Upper Bhadra Irrigation Project is the proof of Congress-JD(S) misgovernance. They were not worried about the farmers, so they ignored this project. But BJP's double engine government has resolved to complete the Upper Bhadra project.”
Drawing a comparison with ‘Seven circles of security’ of the region, PM Modi said, “This is the area of Elu Suttina Kote i.e. 7 circles of security. BJP government has also prepared Elu Suttina Kote of schemes.” PM Modi highlighted seven security circles during his address, which includes providing basic amenities such as a pucca house, gas connection, and water supply through PM Awas Yojana, free ration and nutrition for the poor, free healthcare and vaccination under Ayushman Bharat, financial support through Jan Dhan bank accounts and Mudra Yojana, assistance during crises through schemes like Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, Suraksha Bima Yojana, and Atal Pension, better law and order for women's safety, and protecting the rights of every community.
PM Modi cautioned the people of Karnataka to remember Congress' history and ideology’, which he claimed the Congress party has a track record of supporting terrorism and appeasing terrorists. He cited examples such as the Batla House encounter, where he said the Congress leader shed tears after hearing that terrorists were killed, and the Congress' questioning of the country's forces' capability during the surgical strike and air strike.
“It is the BJP which has broken the back of terrorism, has stopped the politics of appeasement. For a prosperous Karnataka, for Karnataka to be number one, it is equally important for Karnataka to be safe. Congress-JD(S), which promotes terror, can never create new opportunities for the youth here,” he added.
The Prime Minister stated, “Congress has lost its warranty, lost credibility. Congress knows for sure that the people of Karnataka are not going to bring it to power. That's why they are making tall false promises. The huge amount and guarantee that the Congress is talking about, Karnataka's coffers will be empty.”
Training guns on the Congress, PM Modi said that till now that party and its leaders have hurled at him different types of abuses over 90 times. He stated that Congress has been known to insult various communities, such as the OBC and Lingayat communities, and even a respected leader like S Nijalingappa Ji. He added that a political party that indulges in such disrespectful behavior can only create a legacy of insults and negativity.
Coming down heavily on the Congress on equating Bajrang Dal to PFI, vowing to ban it in their manifesto, PM Modi said, “Today when I have come here on this holy land of Hanuman ji, at the same time the Congress party in its manifesto has decided to lock up Bajrang Bali. Congress party has a history of being hostile towards Lord Shri Ram and now towards those who chant Jai Bajrang Bali.”
During his second rally in Hosapete, PM Modi mentioned that farmers in the area were facing issues with irrigation for a long time, but the BJP government is working on rehabilitating over 70 lakes to help them. Additionally, a new Agriculture College is being built in Vijayanagara district to train young people in modern agricultural practices to support local farmers.
“In the past years, the farmers here have benefited we have transferred about two and a half lakh crore rupees of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi to the farmers' accounts. The farmers here have benefited a lot from this. That is why today in Karnataka, be it poor or farmers, every section of the society is saying – ‘Ee Baria Nirdhara... Bahutmatda BJP Sarkara’,” said PM Modi in Hosepete.
PM Modi warned that Congress has a history of corruption and is eyeing the earnings of the people of Karnataka to make it an ATM of its loot. He cautioned people to be careful with Congress's promises and schemes, as they aim to keep an eye on 85% commission for them. He urged the people to save Karnataka from Congress's corruption.
PM Modi, in his final rally at Sindhanur, stated that the Congress has always been focused on its own family and ignored the needs of the common man's family, causing the country to lag behind. He added that this trend was halted only after the BJP government came to power.
The Prime Minister asserted, “The tribal communities have been neglected by every government since independence, depriving them of development. However, under the leadership of Atal Ji, the BJP government established a separate Ministry for tribal welfare. The BJP government also established a separate Ministry of Jal Shakti and a ministry dedicated to the development of the Northeast. These efforts have led to the Northeast region reaching new heights of development.”
Alleging that Congress was abusing him, PM Modi said, “First Kharge ji called me a poisonous snake and then his son took charge.” The PM commented that he did not want to remark on the words of a certain "layak" father and his son who took it forward. He added that only the people of Karnataka can reply to them, and requested the Congress leaders to maintain the dignity of the elections and the pride of the state.
At the end, PM Modi said, “So many people attending the event reflect the decisions of the people of Karnataka – ‘Ee Bariya Sarkara, Bahumatada BJP Sarkara’. The Prime Minister appealed to the public to come out in large numbers and vote for the BJP on May 10th.
BJP wants to make Karnataka the driving force of a developed India. pic.twitter.com/ojgW6IudFO— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Welfare of people of Karnataka is never the priority of Congress and JD(S). pic.twitter.com/0KI4M5NeJv— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
The seven key aspects which the BJP is focussing on for Karnataka... pic.twitter.com/DZQoFIUYgU— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
A move which will greatly benefit the youth of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/MBdC0F3uh5— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress had left Karnataka at the mercy of terrorists. It is the BJP that has broken the back of terrorists. pic.twitter.com/btpwVnWYqi— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress has only two agendas... pic.twitter.com/1Qb2OjbATm— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
यह देश का दुर्भाग्य है, कि कांग्रेस पार्टी को प्रभु श्री राम से भी तकलीफ़ होती थी और अब जय बजरंग बली बोलने वालों से भी। pic.twitter.com/5JPXqYLQzT— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Unfortunate that the Congress party used to have trouble with Bhagwaan Shri Ram and now also with those who say Jai Bajrang Bali. pic.twitter.com/YBpomBi7oH— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
BJP is committed to serve the people of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/nTOFl7RmSc— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
It is only the BJP that understands and respects the aspirations of the people of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/MMNFvSToto— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
BJP's double engine government is working to ensure ease of living for the people in rural Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/RKZaCMSbwQ— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress never took pride in India's history and India's heritage. pic.twitter.com/NYg8tvrzPb— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress party has been rejected by every region of this country. pic.twitter.com/TlcbhXXF81— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress's track record is not of fulfilling promises but of looting the poor. pic.twitter.com/vGv8cz0g8b— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress talks about guarantees in the name of farmers and poor, but its purpose is something else. pic.twitter.com/8yJYRV3EdK— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
One one hand, BJP wants Karnataka's development.— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
On the other hand, Congress and JD(S) are involved in opportunistic and dynastic politics. pic.twitter.com/7rzVDNtLoz
आजादी के बाद से ही कांग्रेस ने जिस तरह की लूट मचाई, उसने गांव तक विकास का लाभ पहुंचने ही नहीं दिया। pic.twitter.com/9g35umxbmO— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress never cared for the welfare of people. All it was concerned about was welfare of one family. pic.twitter.com/4weYy8vsTU— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
Congress-JD(S) followed policy of appeasement. They never paid attention to the needs of Banjara and Kuruba communities.— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023
It is the BJP that secured their rights by giving them 'Hakku Patras'. pic.twitter.com/utEUZrF84r
Our government is sparing no efforts to ensure safe return of our citizens from worn-torn areas. pic.twitter.com/fb1hH2cLKi— narendramodi_in (@narendramodi_in) May 2, 2023


text:
From a release out of the Louisiana Budget Reform group this morning…
The Budget Reform Campaign, founded by a coalition of fiscally conservative state legislators, and Chaired by State Representative Brett Geymann has published a draft reform package of Constitutional Amendments and bills to be introduced in the legislative session that begins April 8th.
“We are proud to present our initial draft of budget reforms to address key elements of the budget process” said Representative Brett Geymann. “We are entering the second phase of our effort to establish a broad-based, transparent dialogue on budget issues, while we continue to share our work with stakeholders, and improve our package with input from civic, business and political leaders, and the general public ” Geymann said. “I want to thank my colleagues who have worked so hard and continue to take time away from their families and businesses to support this effort for real reform” Geymann continued. “We are committed to fixing the broken budget process that results in devastating mid-year and year-end budget cuts. We are committed to protecting core priorities like healthcare and higher education that are so important to our people and our State” Geymann concluded.
The package of Constitutional Amendments and reform bills consists of proposals to address reform issues at the core of the Campaign’s mission:
- Constitutionality. A proposed Constitutional Amendment regarding budget controls restores Constitutional budgeting by banning appropriations of funds not included in the official revenue forecast; that exceed the official forecast; that are contingent, or that use non-recurring funds on recurring expenses. Only revenue that has been recognized by the REC as available may be appropriated. This proposed instrument addresses concerns about the Constitutionality of our current budget process while clarifying existing language.
- Transparency. Proposes constitutional amendments and statutes regarding budget procedures that clarify the timing and deadlines of the budget process, to enable a more broad-based and transparent review of the budget.
- One proposal requires House notification of Senate Amendments within 24 hours of passage, so that the House has access to Senate changes in a timely fashion.
- The House would be provided the text of Amendments 3 days prior to any House vote to allow time to thoroughly review Senate changes prior to a vote on concurrence.
- Another proposal requires final passage of the general appropriations bill about two weeks earlier in the session, to ensure a more broad-based and transparent budget process.
These proposed instruments address concerns about inadequate time for proper deliberation and the need for more transparent review in the waning days of legislative sessions.
- Budget Priorities. A proposed Constitutional Amendment helps protect higher education and healthcare. This proposal requires that if the appropriations bill contains funding for higher education and healthcare at a level lower than the previous year, the bill would be split into non-discretionary and discretionary appropriation bills that would be voted on separately. This proposed instrument would help ensure that core priorities are funded first, and create a transparent mechanism for reviewing statutorily dedicated expenditures on an ongoing basis. This instrument requires that spending due to constitutional or other mandates be considered in a separate appropriations bill from spending that is not required to be funded if higher education and healthcare are reduced.
State Representative Lance Harris (R – Alexandria), a Charter Member of the Coalition believes that these core reforms are a necessary precursor to any significant change in the way Louisiana takes in revenue. “It is critical that we fix the way we are putting together our budget before we make major changes in how we take in revenue” said Representative Harris. “We keep pouring water into our bucket year after year, but it’s clear now that there is a hole in our bucket” Representative Harris said. “Before we make changes to where we get the water, it would make a whole lot of sense to fix the bucket first” Representative Harris continued. “We are looking forward to working closely with legislative leadership and the Administration to make sure this legislative session addresses the root causes of our budget crisis” Representative Harris concluded.
The full texts of these proposals are published below and available for download, here at LABUDGETREFORM.COM.
The Campaign will tour the state to present the package to budget stakeholders, to answer questions, receive input from stakeholders and revise the package accordingly. The Campaign also expects that the package will include additional proposals resulting from consulting with legislators, leadership, the Administration, and the public input process. The Campaign will hold several online events to allow statewide input. All business and civic leaders, budget stakeholders and the general public are encouraged to participate in this process – online and in person.

domain: law


text:
Ukulele video lessons are one of the best ways to learn how to play many different types of songs. You can even learn to play “Cold Water” from Major Lazer and Justin Bieber, along with MØ. When you first hear this song, you might not realize that it could actually sound very good on ukulele. It is primarily an electronic song, but there’s quite a bit more going on with it. Listen to it a couple more times, and you will see that it really does have the potential to be a great song on the ukulele.
You will find that there are some similarities with “Cold Water” and “Where Are U Now”. There is a very good reason for this. Many of the same players were involved – Diplo and Bieber. Diplo said that he was very excited to get back into the studio with Bieber on “Cold Water”, and that working with him was always fun and easy.
Another reason that this song works so well is that it was written by Ed Sheeran and Benny Blanco. These two had already worked on another Bieber hit called “Love Yourself”. Diplo of Major Lazer had wanted to work with them for a long time, and finally, everything came together.
You will notice that partway through the song, about two-thirds of the way through, another voice is heard singing in addition to Bieber. This is MØ, who had also worked with Diplo in the past. He had thought it would be interesting to add another singer, and he had already worked with her before. He called her, and she was very excited to become a part of the ensemble.
“Cold Water” was a part of Major Lazer’s fourth studio album called Music is the Weapon, which actually doesn’t come out until 2017. The single is out now though, and it has resonated well with fans.
When you listen to the song, you will certainly notice that it is mostly electronic music. That doesn’t mean that you can’t translate it to the uke though.
At its heart, “Cold Water” is a pop song. When you listen to it again, you will find that it features some interesting guitar work, and that it has a decidedly pop feel to it. The ukulele pairs with pop music quite well. Of course, it we’re being honest, you’ll find that the ukulele can work well for just about any type of music.
Now that you know more about this song, you might just want to learn how to play it. The best way to learn to play “Cold Water” is with a ukulele video lesson. The lesson will let you learn the intro, the verses, and the chorus. Take some time to learn each of the different sections and then put them all together. By learning each part individually through your ukulele video lesson, you will find that it becomes much easier to understand how the entire song goes.
Also, pay attention to Bieber’s voice, as this can help you to see just how good it will sound when you start playing the song on the ukulele. Eventually, you will be able to sing the song as you play, if you would like.
Don’t let the fact that it is electronic pop steer you away from this song. Start your practice with a ukulele video lesson today. You will have this song under your belt before you know it!Return to Home Page
Apr 07, 18 10:59 AM
You can learn to play the ukulele by watching these ukulele video lessons.
Apr 07, 18 10:48 AM
With this ukulele video lesson, I'll be teaching you how to play, Ed Sheeran's, Perfect. Pretty easy song, with easy chords. Have fun!
Jan 17, 18 07:56 AM
Here's to the first ukulele video lesson of 2018! It's Sweet Love by Anita Baker.

domain: artistic


People who had pre-ordered the iPhone 6s waited just minutes to become the first to get their new mobile phones at Apple's flagship store today - whilst fans who had camped out for days were sent away and told to come back later.
Security guards and people in the queue told Mirror Online the pre-order customers had been ordered to the front, whilst campers were either shunted back or given a reservation slot and told to come back later.
Whilst the online customers looked washed and warm, with many popping in before work to get their phone, some of the people who had been waiting longer were shrouded in blankets and looking thoroughly miserable.
We saw no sign of the people with tents outside the store, who were told to leave early this morning and given a reservation allowing them to jump the queue later this morning, when the rush had died down.
The video below shows the total absence of the tents which were a fixture at less prominent stores around the country.
At the iStore on London's glittering Regent Street, the person at the front of the queue was a South African tech journalist who had booked a place earlier in the month.
Moey Shawsh, 31, was the first person let into the Regent Street store today, where customers were greeted by whooping, high-fiving Apple staff.
He said: "I showed up at 5am [three hours before opening time, because I had a reservation."
About one hundred metres behind him, a group of three men clad in blue blankets had been waiting since 5pm yesterday.
They told us Apple had told campers to go away, but they decided to disobey the order and stay in line whilst people who had spent much less time waiting were ushered into the store.
Sam Kurdi, a 20-year-old business student from Ilford, East London, said:
"It was cold last night, like, you wanted to die.
"We love iPhone, we have fun as well.
"We were having fun yesterday night, [so we decided to stay after being offered a reservation and being asked to go away].
"I saw lot of people go, init? A lot of the queue left after that."
One man who did not want to be named said: "It seems unfair that we weren't the first to get in."
We spoke to one very happy-looking customer who was about to pick up his new phone after waiting less than half an hour, who didn't appear to think it was unfair that he had been placed ahead of campers.
"It's the age of the internet and I booked online, " he shrugged.
Two years ago, it is understood the Crown Estate, which owns Regents Street were unhappy with the impromptu shanty town which formed outside the famous road's glitzy high-end fashion stores .
Photos from last year's event show that tents were erected right outside the store on Regent Street before the event, with some campers claiming to have spent weeks under canvas.
This year, Apple fans did set up camp on Hanover Street, next to the flagship iStore, but there was no sign of them on the road this morning when the shop flung open its doors.
It is not known whether it asked Apple to remove the tents and the tech firm refused to comment.
Meanwhile, press had been told to go to Covent Garden, where the first person to get their phone was someone who had camped out for more than two days.
Sam Shaikh, a 29-year-old from Stratford, was the first to receive his phone having braved the elements since 8.30pm on Monday night.
Student Callum Edward-Williams, 22, from Birmingham, was the first to get an iPhone 6s at the Birmingham store, where he had also waited for two days in the cold.
Callum said: "I've queued for every new iPhone that's been released since the 4S.
"I was first in line this morning and purchased the 64GB 6S Plus model in rose gold.
"I'm definitely very loyal to Apple. I think the staff must recognise my because I'm here for every launch day.
"I'm queuing with my friends, and we take it in turns with the other people in the queue to go for toilet breaks and to get food.
"We're like a little Apple family."
We asked Apple for comment but it did want to discuss the campers.


Jannat, Farhan, Zuha, Yusuf and Noor-Fatima part of the Eco-Warriors helped to plant Rowan, Crab Apple and Hazel trees in the garden area, these trees were provided by the Woodland Trust to increase the numbers of trees in the UK.
Cut your carbon checklist
The academy’s Eco-Warriors conducted an assembly presenting a checklist of things that we can all do to cut our carbon.
Click here to see the checklist.
Eco-Schools and Warriors October 2023
July Newsletter 2023
February – Litter Pick
Eco Recycling Autumn Competition
To view the Eco Competition Winner
Eco School and Warriors
A half term challenge was set for our children and look at these fantastic entries.
The children had an inspiring assembly today from the charity Kids Against Plastic. The charity is hoping all schools in Leicester will become plastic clever school to reduce the impact of plastic on the environment.
The children learned facts such as:
Every second breath we take come from the ocean in terms of the amount of oxygen given off by marine plants.
In less than 30 years scientists predict that there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.
The average time we use a single use plastic for is 3 minutes but they take hundreds of years to break down.
Kids Against Plastic was founded by Amy when she was 12 years old, at 18 she is working harder than ever to spread the message about what we need to do now to save our oceans and last week she was at Buckingham Palace to collect
Our Eco committee is going to look at how we can reduce single use plastics in our school; namely reducing the amount of plastic bags, bottles, straws and cups we use. We hope all our school community will support us in this.
School Fair May 2022
The Eco Warriors will have a stall where you will be able to buy eco-friendly plants/pots and seeds. You will even have the opportunity to muck in and get stuck in –make your very own eco pots for a small charge! Be sure to check out our stall and help make difference to our planet!
The Eco Warriors led their first school litter pick with
a tremendous number of helpers from all over school! We started off in the main playground, making our way to the ‘green area’ and to the football court. It was quite shocking the types of things we found! Lots of wrappers, tissues and even plastic! The Eco team will be conducting more litter picks and they will be monitoring and measuring the outcomes of each one. We are hopeful we can reduce our litter-especially plastic! If you are feeling inspired and want to make a difference to our community-our world, join us on: Wednesday 8th June 2022 from 9.00am-10.00am: Community Litter Pick.
As part of World Environment Day 2022, the children were introduced to the Biodiversity Challenge for primary schools. We cannot wait to see the ideas the children come up with.


text:
Everyone is familiar with the maps that attempt to show how each state will vote in the presidential race, typically color coded red and blue, with lighter shades indicating less confidence in the prediction. Over at ShareBlue, a Democratic-leaning media company, they’ve come up with state-level maps that project how each county will vote in November.
The projections are pretty much what one would expect, with the GOP taking most of the state’s counties. Metro Atlanta Democratic strongholds of Fulton, DeKalb, Clayton and Rockdale counties show Hillary Clinton winning by more then a 10% margin. (Clayton is the highest, at 74%). Other strongholds include Athens-Clarke County, Chatham and Liberty Counties, and the so-called Black Belt stretching from Augusta to west of Albany. Counties with between a 5 and 10% Democratic margin include Baldwin, Dooley, Douglas and Early. The narrowest margins for Clinton, at less than 5%, include Baker, Chattahoochee, Henry, Mitchell, Webster, and Wilkinson.
For the Republicans, counties with between a 5 and 10% margin include metro Atlanta’s Cobb and Gwinnett, along with Brooks, Decatur, Jenkins, Lowndes, McIntosh, Taylor, and Wilkes. GOP counties on the bubble with less than a 5% margin for Donald Trump include Henry, Madison Meriwether, and Screven. ShareBlue’s overall prediction for the state is Trump +3.5%, which aligns with recent polling. But as others have noticed, the last polls of Georgia were back in September, before the debates and revelations about Donald Trump.
Which brings us to Larry Sabato’s University of Virginia’s Center for Politics. In this week’s Crystal Ball, editor Kyle Kondik moves the Peach State from Likely Republican to Lean Republican, citing close polls and the report yesterday that the Clinton campaign is considering increasing its efforts here. But, Kondik warns, “Clinton win in Arizona or Georgia would be evidence of a Clinton rout that matches or exceeds Obama’s seven-point 2008 romp.” Nationally, the Crystal Ball predicts a Hillary Clinton win, with 341 electoral votes to Donald Trump’s 197. If it’s any indication of how polarized the race has become, there are no no toss up states in their ratings.

domain: geography


text:
Mollye Edinburgh – Senior Manager, Creative Services
Mollye has more than a decade of experience in strategic visual and brand creation/management. As Senior Manager, Creative Services, she leads the internal and external creative team in design development and application to numerous communications mediums, including art direction. She also works closely with account leads and clients to develop brand platforms and campaign strategies, focusing on how to bring visual elements to life to engage our clients’ audiences. Since joining the agency in 2009, she has played a key role in the design and production of some of the agency’s finest pieces of printed and electronic collateral.
Mollye created the “Spot On” campaign for a.i. solutions, which was woven into a wide range of communications tools, including corporate collateral, advertising, videos and website. She also spearheaded the creative concept and development of a splash page, website, and print and electronic brochures for the initial brand launch of World View, a luxury space travel experience. Other notable projects consist of a brand identity package and website for CVR Refining, as well as a product brand rollout for L-3 Communications’ manned airborne ISR platform, SPYDR, which included a website, video and print collateral. For Lockheed Martin, she led or played key roles in projects including Breakthrough (a quarterly print and electronic magazine), an annual Corporate Sustainability Report and the prototype for LM Today (both interactive and electronic publications), among many more.
Prior to joining Griffin, Mollye worked as Graphic Designer for Easterly & Company in Houston. Among her many accomplishments were the development of annual reports for clients such as Newpark Resources, Men’s Wearhouse, Luby’s and Noble Energy. She also assisted in the re-branding of Sysco Corporation, the nation’s largest food service distributor. The redesigned Sysco logo was heralded by The New York Times as an example of the “new breed” in corporate identities.


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Friday, August 27, 2010
Muhammad cartoons to return in new book
THE Danish editor who published 12 cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in 2005 that caused outrage across the Muslim world said today that he will soon republish the drawings in a new book.
The book - written by Jyllands-Posten cultural editor Flemming Rose and titled The Tyranny of Silence - will be published on September 30, five years to the day since the cartoons first appeared in the newspaper.
The publication of the cartoons provoked angry, and in some cases deadly, global protests by Islamic extremists.
In an interview with Danish newspaper Politiken, Rose said he was not trying to be provocative, stressing that he simply wanted to "tell the story of the 12 drawings and put them into a context of (other) pictures considered offensive."
"I am sure that a lot of people don't know what I think of these drawings. My concerted wish is to explain myself. I have nothing but words to do so, but once people have read the book ... maybe they will be able to see the broader context. Words should be answered with words. That's all we have in a democracy, and if we give that up, we will be locked in a tyranny of silence," he said.
Rose, who received numerous death threats after first publishing the cartoons, said he wanted to launch "a broad European debate ... about how we should live in the 21st century. The cartoon crisis shows what we can expect in the 21st century."
Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard, who drew the most controversial drawing - featuring the Prophet Muhammad wearing a turban shaped like a bomb with a lit fuse - will also publish a new book in the coming months containing his cartoon, Politiken reported.
Earlier this month, Jyllands-Posten said it erected a barbed-wire fence around its offices for protection from terrorist attacks.
China not in denial about IQ
Chinese outsourcer seeks U.S. workers with IQ of 125 and up
A Chinese IT outsourcing company that has started hiring new U.S. computer science graduates to work in Shanghai requires prospective job candidates to demonstrate an IQ of 125 or above on a test it administers to sort out job applicants.
In doing so, Bleum Inc. is following a hiring practice it applies to college recruits in China. But a new Chinese college graduate must score an IQ of 140 on the company's test. An IQ test is the first screen for any U.S. or Chinese applicant.
The lower IQ threshold for new U.S. graduates reflects the fact that the pool of U.S. talent available to the company is smaller than the pool of Chinese talent, Bleum said.
In China, Bleum receives thousands of applications weekly, said CEO Eric Rongley. Rongley is a U.S. citizen who founded Bleum in 2001; his career prior to that included stints working in offshore development in India and later in China.
The company employs about 1,000 and hires about 1% or less of the people who apply for jobs there. "It is much harder to get into Bleum than it is to Harvard," Rongly said.
Shanghai-based Bleum has been recruiting new computer engineering graduates in the Atlanta, Chicago and Denver areas. If a student meets the minimum requirement on an IQ test, he then take a skills test, similar to the hiring process Bleum follows in China.
Bleum has already hired its first U.S. recruits -- a group of five people who left for Shanghai this month, said Rongley. They will work in China for year and then return to the U.S. to work.
Many employers do measure intelligence to cull candidates from pools of applicants, but they typically call the exams aptitude tests, said Dennis Garlick, a post-doctoral researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles, and author of an upcoming book called Intelligence and the Brain.
An IQ of 140 is extremely high, representing about the top 1% of the population, said Garlick. But he said that even though some studies have shown a correlation between IQ and job performance, IQ is a "crude assessment tool" when it comes to sorting out job applicants. [It depends on the work. IQ is highly relevant to computer programming -- JR]
IQ tests tend be inaccurate at the upper end of the scale as the questions become more complex and it becomes "debatable what is a correct answer," he said. [True. They can put people into the top 2% accurately enough but discriminating WITHIN that 2% is unreliable. But putting people SOMEWHERE within the top 2% is still very valuable information -- JR]
IQ is also an indirect measure of job performance; a high IQ doesn't necessarily mean a worker will achieve a certain level in job performance, "because an IQ test measures abstract reasoning in a general context, and on-the-job performance requires abstract reasoning in a specific context," said Garlick.
But for a person who does score high on an IQ test, "you can reasonably say that the person is likely to be able to understand typical abstract concepts as they are applied in business, understand instructions, follow them, and then generalize them in a new situation," said Garlick.
Mark Finocchario, national director for recruiting at the Eliassen Group, said that his IT staffing and recruiting firm in Wakefield, Mass., administers technical skill tests, but not IQ tests, for some clients. The importance of the skill tests varies depending on the client. Most clients view the skill tests as academic and rely mostly his firm's assessment of a candidate's experience. "Experience is huge," he said.
Lifting the embargo would entrench Cuba's rulers
by Jeff Jacoby
IS IT TIME to unplug the restrictions on trade and travel between the United States and Cuba? The prospect seems to tempt more people than ever, but it's a temptation to be resisted.
The New York Times reported last week that the Obama administration intends to expand opportunities for Americans to visit Cuba, loosening the rules under which academic, religious, and cultural groups are allowed to travel there. The new regulations are seen as a signal of presidential support for legislation sponsored by US Representative Collin Peterson of Minnesota that would repeal the travel limitations altogether.
The chorus calling for an end to the travel strictures and an increase in trade with Cuba is considerable. Peterson notes that his bill is backed by a coalition of more than 140 organizations, "including Human Rights Watch, the US Chamber of Commerce, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the American Farm Bureau Federation." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she has "always been a supporter of lifting the travel ban to Cuba." The Brookings Institute recommends "vastly" expanding US-Cuba travel and other "people-to-people contacts," calling them "a strategic tool to advance US policy objectives."
In an editorial, The Los Angeles Times backs the Peterson legislation not, it says, because the Castro regime deserves it, but because "engagement is more productive than confrontation." The Boston Globe goes further, repeating its call for ending the US embargo -- which it calls a "mindless" and "stultifying" relic of the Cold War -- once and for all.
Especially compelling is a recent letter to members of Congress supporting the legislation that was signed by 74 Cuban dissidents, among them the noted blogger Yoani Sánchez; Miriam Leiva, a co-founder of the opposition group Ladies in White; and Guillermo Farinas, who ended a 140-day hunger strike in July when the Castro regime agreed to free 52 prisoners of conscience.
"We share the opinion that the isolation of the people of Cuba benefits the most inflexible interests of its government," the letter said, "while any opening serves to inform and empower the Cuban people and helps to further strengthen our civil society."
But other Cuban dissidents take a very different view, and 494 of them signed a separate letter opposing any change in US policy that would reduce pressure on the regime.
"The tragedy of Cuba does not reside in the right to travel of a people who are already free, such as the American people," they wrote. "The main problem resides in the absence of liberty for Cubans. . . . At a moment such as this, to be benevolent with the dictatorship would mean solidarity with the oppressors of the Cuban nation." The signers of this letter included Ariel Sigler, a pro-democracy activist who spent seven years behind bars before being exiled from Cuba last month, and Reina Luis Tamayo, whose son Orlando Zapata Tamayo died after fasting for 82 days to protest the abuse of prisoners in Cuban jails.
Clearly, there are men and women of good will and moral authority on both sides of the Cuban embargo debate. And clearly the end of the cruel Castro reign, now going on 52 years, is a consummation devoutly to be wished. But will that day really be brought closer if Washington abandons the embargo and allows American tourists, exports, and cash to pour into Cuba?
The argument might be more plausible if Cuba were a Caribbean North Korea, cut off from contact with the world. It isn't. Ordinary Cubans may live with poverty and repression, but the government has turned the island into a major tourist attraction, complete with deluxe hotels and beach resorts. Some 2.4 million tourists visited Cuba last year, more than 800,000 of them Canadians. For that matter, tens of thousands of Americans make it to Cuba each year, despite the restrictions. Yet for all that exposure to foreign citizens, money, and ideas, the power of the Castro brothers is undiminished.
By the same token, if international commerce had the power to undo the regime, wouldn't it have been undone by now? The US embargo, after all, doesn't stop Cuba from trading with any other country in the world. Indeed, even with the "embargo," the United States is one of Cuba's top five trading partners.
The transformative power of free trade is not to be denied, but trade with Cuba isn't free. There is no Cuban parallel to the economic openness and flourishing private sector that has transformed China. Jerry Haar, a dean of business administration at Florida International University, observes in the Latin Business Chronicle that one unavoidable fact of life faces exporters to Cuba: "The entire distribution chain is in the hands of the Cuban military and intelligence services." Foreign investors are compelled to deal with the state and its subsidiaries, since they control the "hotels, foreign trade operations, equipment sales, and factories."
As long as the Castros maintain their stranglehold on the Cuban economy, enriching that economy enriches -- and entrenches -- them. The travel ban and embargo have not ended Cuba's misery, but lifting them unilaterally will only make that misery worse. Rewarding the dictators who keep Cubans in chains is not the way to set them free.
Victoria’s Jewish community leaders slam the bias at Australia's most Leftist major newspaper
Jewish Community Council of Victoria President John Searle and Zionist Council of Victoria President Dr Danny Lamm have again strongly criticised Melbourne broadsheet The Age for its ongoing anti-Israel bias over a number of years.
The leaders of Victoria’s peak Jewish bodies jointly observed that during the tenure of Andrew Jaspan and particularly that of his successor Paul Ramadge, The Age had increasingly engaged in a war of words against Israel. Apart from steering its readership to a more anti-Israel position, Searle and Lamm consider that The Age’s strident line had also had the hopefully unintended by-product of legitimising antisemitism in this country.
“There is no particular reporting or opinion piece that has prompted our criticism at this time. Frankly, our community has simply just had enough of The Age’s lack of balance”, Searle noted. ”Despite our best efforts to present Israel’s case, there have been too many instances of anti-Israel statements to count, ranging from the blatant such as Michael Backman’s ugly smear job in 2009 to the more subtle and insidious”, Searle continued.
“An example of the latter includes a recent article reprinted from The UK’s The Daily Telegraph which stated “Netanyahu will come under fierce pressure from Obama to extend a 10-month freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank”. The Age’s version made the following insertions “illegal Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank” (The Age, 070710). Such changes make a world of difference.”
“We make this statement with regret”, Lamm continued. “However we have spoken to Mr Ramadge on a number of occasions, both privately and in public forums. While he is adept at making the right noises about The Age’s impartiality, his follow through leaves a great deal to be desired. We believe that The Age’s record speaks for itself. Quite simply The Age is not a friend of our community.”
A recent matter of concern was the reportage of Israel’s response to a flotilla of so-called peace activists that broached Israel’s territorial waters in an attempt to reach Hamas-ruled Gaza. The ZCV and JCCV addressed strong letters of complaint to Mr Ramadge which were ignored. Searle’s subsequent phone call to Ramadge was not returned.
As Searle concluded in his letter, “The JCCV has had ongoing communication with you for a number of years on The Age’s bias. Predictably you have consistently stated that The Age is even-handed and that your door is always open to the Jewish community. I will remind you that these were your exact words when you addressed an audience at the Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre on 5 October 2009. You soberly assured audience members that The Age was interested in their concerns and that you would always be responsive to them. In this regard, I will also remind you that you took certain such concerns away with you.
To this day, you have not responded, despite our follow-up request that you do so. And indeed, I am still awaiting your reply to my telephone call to you of 4 June 2010. Your attitude bespeaks scant respect for the Jewish community.
I am not requesting your response to this letter – because frankly your assurances are no longer seen as credible by our community – other than a clear policy change to even-handedness as evidenced in The Age’s future content. Until this is forthcoming I have no doubt that those of your readers who value Israel receiving a fair go will dwindle even further.”
Both Searle and Lamm concluded that the JCCV and ZCV will continue to monitor The Age and take any steps they consider appropriate.
Political correctness is most pervasive in universities and colleges but I rarely report the incidents concerned here as I have a separate blog for educational matters.
American "liberals" often deny being Leftists and say that they are very different from the Communist rulers of other countries. The only real difference, however, is how much power they have. In America, their power is limited by democracy. To see what they WOULD be like with more power, look at where they ARE already very powerful: in America's educational system -- particularly in the universities and colleges. They show there the same respect for free-speech and political diversity that Stalin did: None. So look to the colleges to see what the whole country would be like if "liberals" had their way. It would be a dictatorship.
For more postings from me, see TONGUE-TIED, GREENIE WATCH, EDUCATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL, FOOD & HEALTH SKEPTIC, GUN WATCH, AUSTRALIAN POLITICS, DISSECTING LEFTISM, IMMIGRATION WATCH INTERNATIONAL and EYE ON BRITAIN (Note that EYE ON BRITAIN has regular posts on the reality of socialized medicine). My Home Pages are here or here or here or Email me (John Ray) here. For readers in China or for times when blogger.com is playing up, there is a mirror of this site here.