Chandigarh, India, 26th July 2022, ZEXPRWIRE, After having a very successful outcome in tri-city Chandigarh and Delhi RideBoom is preparing to launch its service in Himachal Pradesh.
RideBoom is now availed in the Tri-city and after having a great response from the drivers and the riders now they are working to launch its bike service in the main cities of Himachal Pradesh.
RideBoom aims to provide the best affordable on-demand ride platform for the users and in HP the roads are narrow and it’s good for bike rides to ride in those road conditions.
According to the RideBoom northern region manager, “we are amazed by the response of the bike owners and drivers from these cities “we got over 600 drivers who are ready to join RideBoom.
This will be going to provide a better job opportunity and support to the residents who are migrating to other parts of India just for employment.
Moreover, the RideBoom platform or the company structure allowed it to increase ridership without incurring rising expenses and this is very beneficial for a start-up company like RideBoom.
RideBoom India is working closely with cities to ensure that bike taxis are available to anyone who needs a low-cost mode of transportation, especially in the area where people like to use the bike taxi for short trips when they want to reach their destination quickly and safely.
To make it all even safer, we take it to another level by letting both, driver and the rider rate each other after every trip. Unlike other traditional cab services in India, RideBoom’s drivers get the incentive to be good with the rider. If any rider or any driver does not comply with our terms, they can be banned from using our services. This way, we only have the best of the drivers and the best of the riders taking our service, ensuring the safety of both parties.
RideBoom work is to improve transportation access for more people in more cities where transportation is still not easily availed and it is out of reach of normal daily users.
RideBoom is committed to making sure more people have access to affordable, reliable transportation, and we can help to achieve that by expanding the RideBoom service
For more info visit the website www.rideboom.com/india
The Post RideBoom India soon Going to start its bike rides service in Mandi, Shimla, and Dharmshala appeared first on Zex PR Wire
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Blond highlighted Uri Geller celebrated nine years on QVC today with his exclusive range of rock crystal jewellery. "It took me great courage to design this," he said of one ring with wavy silvery lines in a milky stone. "It's about sparking your imagination." The ring reminded host Julia Roberts of sand ripples; Uri of eels, snakes, fish. I thought of old lash mark scars on a back.
His brain may still be AWOL, his body in a freezer and his spirit in afterlife befuddlement - but Uri's close friend Michael Jackson was never far away from the TV stall. "Look," said Uri, whipping out a folded back copy of OK! or Hello! "This is a picture when I gave Michael a QVC ring!" Yes, the photo appeared to suggest that Uri had ambushed Michael and shoved the relatively cheap tack onto the King of Pop's bleached digit.
Of the "snake" ring, Uri recalled: "I was with Michael and he introduced me to Elizabeth Taylor who played Cleopatra." Julia interjected, "She was so beautiful." "Yes," agreed Uri. "The Egyptians had an affinity with snakes."
In between flogging his rocks, Uri told how he had drawn an esoteric maze-looking hieroglyph for "Michael's last record Invincible - to think it's in millions of these little books.".
When a viewer got through on the phone Uri had one thing to say to her - "Don't miss my show on ITV on Sunday. It's called My Friend Michael Jackson." Julia moved quickly on. TV channels don't like to advertise rivals.
Uri said his gems are about "positivity", "the mysteries of the universe", "thinking the impossible", "being the best", "staying on top". Now we know why Michael was so up there.
Uri and Michael: don't miss the sell


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A SUMMER fete, featuring musical entertainment, table top sales and competitions will take place this weekend, rasing funds for elderly care home residents.
Sand Piper Care Home, Alford, is hosting its popular annual event this Saturday from 2pm until 4pm and hopes as many people as possible can join in with the fun.
Activities coordinator Anna Denholm said: “Come along and spend he afternoon with us, last year was absolutely fabulous and we hope this year will be even better.
“I’ve been here for six years and there’s always a good turn out with lots of fun to be had.”
Visitors hoping to un-clutter their homes from unwanted items can take advantage of the free table top sale pitches and raise some money to help the care home residents enjoy excursions and visiting entertainment.
Popular singer Budgie Walton will be performing a selection of hits from throughout the decades and inviting spectators to dance and sing-a-long.
There will also be a barbecue, fitness demonstrations and the usual range of games and competitions.

domain: entertainment


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It’s hard to focus on weight management when there is information-overload everywhere; quick gimmicks, diets, fads, prescriptions, and even surgical procedures.
It makes you ask yourself, what’s really important?
The short answer: Weight management is a lifestyle. It’s committing to a balanced and healthy diet, and practicing consistent exercise habits.
So clear your head of all the clutter. According to Web MD, it’s important to pay attention to the four main components below. We’re going to dive into each one’s importance so you can reflect on your own health and make the lifestyle adjustments best for you.
- Waist size
- Exercise habits
When was the last time you checked your BMI? Middle school gym class? It’s time for a checkup.
BMI stands for body mass index. Your BMI takes your height and weight into consideration to mathematically equate an overall score. Why is BMI important? According to the American Heart Association, “BMI is an indicator of the amount of body fat for most people. It is used as a screening tool to identify whether an adult is at a healthy weight.”
Head over to the American Heart Association body mass index calculator, and evaluate where you are in accordance with the BMI standards below:
- Underweight: Less than 18.5.
- Recommended range: 18.5-25.
- Overweight: 25-29.9.
- Obese: 30+.
2. Waist Size
Reminder: Your waist size is the circumference in inches around your stomach, starting at the top of your hipbone. It tells you how much fat you have stored around your belly.
What are healthy waist sizes?
- Men: Less than 40 inches.
- Women: Less than 35 inches.
Note: BMI and waist size are only the standard numbers to be used as a guide. If your numbers aren’t “normal,” that does not mean you are unhealthy, overweight, or obese if you are eating right and exercising, according to WebMD.
We’re not talking about “a diet”. Short-term solutions can be dangerous, and we don’t suggest them. As one of our four weight management pillars, we’re defining “diet” as the kinds of food you regularly eat.
Here’s a list of what to look for to get the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs:
Good fats: Avocados, nuts, olives, shellfish, non-tropical vegetable oils.
4. Exercise habits
Regular exercise is another main component of weight management. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Evidence shows the only way to maintain weight loss is to be engaged in regular physical activity.” Shoot for 30 minutes of exercise, five days a week.
Keep in mind, you don’t need to belong to an expensive gym to get in your muscle training and aerobic activity. Here are a few ideas to consider:
- At-home YouTube videos.
- Hiking or biking at a local or state park.
- Yard work like shoveling snow, gardening, or raking up leaves.
- A good old-fashioned, hands-and-knees scrub-down of the house.
Just make sure to get your heart rate up, and break a sweat.
Why does weight management matter?
Having a healthy weight impacts your overall health. According to the CDC, “People who are obese, compared to those with a normal or healthy weight, are at increased risk for many serious diseases and health conditions.”
Some of which include:
- High blood pressure.
- High cholesterol.
- Heart disease.
- Some cancers.
Health and wealth go hand in hand. Having diseases that stem from obesity can mean a spike in medical bills and the possibility of being held back from enjoying life’s experiences to the fullest.
According to the Lancet, in the United States alone, annual medical costs from treating obesity-related disorders is projected to be $28 billion per year by the year 2020 and $66 billion by the year 2030.
We want to provide you with the knowledge to add more years to your life and more life to your years. Let this motivate you to start practicing good habits and getting into healthy routines. Focus on what you’re already doing well, and build from that.
What are some of the ways you are already practicing good weight management? What goals would you like to set for yourself for further improvement?
You must be a registered user to add a comment. If you've already registered, sign in. Otherwise, register and sign in.

domain: medical


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Archives by date
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By Lewis Fausak on October 2, 2018
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE LABORATORY FARM COORDINATOR Competition Number: 18-173R SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE LABORATORY FARM COORDINATOR – Competition Number 18-173R Start Date: January 14, 2019 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, in Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Faculty of Science and Horticulture, is seeking a full time coordinator for our research and teaching farms. The farms facilitate hands-on learning and applied research […]

domain: library


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A first of its kind, Greg and Rick’s debut book, How We Choose to Be Happy – the 9 Choices of Extremely Happy People (Putnam, 1999) became an immediate bestseller. Published in 22 languages, it was selected by the Book of the Month Club as a “Best Book of the Year” and was nominated as “Best Motivational Book” by the prestigious Books for a Better Life Award.
In 2003, Hicks wrote LeaderShock – And How to Triumph Over It
(McGraw-Hill). Based on the FosterHicks system, it was selected by Amazon as the #2 best business book of the year.
Based on a wealth of medical research as well as hundreds of interviews with patients and doctors, Greg and Rick wrote Happiness & Health (Penguin, 2009). This guide to the new science of positive behavior and attitude, provides the reader with a roadmap to a better life through enhanced brain and immune function.
Their most recent offering, a charming yet provacative children’s book, The Martha is Mine, is an almost-true tale about possessions, prejudice, and the power of community


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The World's Most Famous Beach!
Beautiful Copacabana Beach is what usually comes to mind when one thinks of beaches in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It's a very long, wide, crescent shaped, and is great for sunbathing and swimming.
This beach is anchored at one end by the famous 700 foot Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) that sits just off the coast, and on the other end by the old Copacabana Fort.
The 2.5 mile long beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is one of the most recognizable beaches in the world. Made famous by the nightclubs, casinos, and hotels in the 1950s - Copacabana Beach is lined from one end to the other with tourist class and luxury hotels, indoor and outdoor restaurants, bars, and nightclubs.
Some people think that "Copa" has seen its better days, but you wouldn't know it based on the thousands of people who flock
here every month from all over the world. Copacabana is especially popular with foreigners, many of whom "winter" in Rio de Janeiro.
The beach itself is quite wide in places and much more flat than in neighboring Ipanema Beach. On the east end it transitions into Leme Beach and ends with the 300 foot (115m) Morro do Leme (Leme Mountain). The streets turn inland at Morro do Leme, which has no coastal road or path around it. Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf) can be seen just off the coast on this end of the beach.
This beach in Brazil is marked by Postos 2 - 6 (life guard posts) about every kilometer. Copacabana Beach is illuminated at night by very large lights, giving the entire scene a surreal look and feel. Despite being well lit, it is considered not safe to walk the beach at night, and it's better to stay on the hotel side of the sidewalk late at night.
You can bring your camera to take pictures, but it's not as safe here as in Ipanema Beach. For more information visit our
Rio de Janeiro Photo Tips page.
Most of the tourists and Cariocas (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil residents) congregate from just east of the famous Copacabana Palace Hotel at Posto 2, down to about Posto 5.
In front of the Copacabana Palace Hotel, is the well established gay section of the beach. It's marked by the rainbow flag and is a hive of activity on sunny days.
The most popular sport on this beach is soccer, and you can find games being played every few hundred yards throughout the day into the early evening.
Further down at Posto 6, it's a calmer area and caters to the affluent crowds of beach goers who stay at the expensive hotels on the west end of Copacabana Beach.
Also at Posto 6, is what's left of a small fishing village. This very special place is best visited early in the morning as fishermen head out to sea in their small boats, and in the early evening when they return to clean and sell their catch right on the beach.
On the west end of Copacabana Beach, out on the point, is the 1914 Forte de Copacabana with it's 30 feet block walls. It's a great place to walk out to over look the sea.
At the other end of the beach stands 700 ft high Morro do Leme with it's 18th century fort on top. Take the nature hike up to the fort and enjoy panoramic views of Rio de Janeiro.
Insider's Tip - Recently, the well known Confeitaria Columbo opened a Cafe at the Fort which is a great place to walk for coffee and breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon snack. You will have to pay the small admission to enter the fort, but it's well worth it.
Copacabana Beach is also the site during the year for large music concerts featuring Brazilian bands and such international acts as the Rolling Stones. For these concerts, large sound stages are set up right on the beach, and hundreds of thousands of people will show up for the all day and into the evening party.
This is also the sight of perhaps the largest New Year's Eve party in the world. Every year, Revéillon is celebrated on the beach with many thousands of people wearing traditional white, enjoying spectacular fireworks at midnight, and partying until dawn to watch the sunrise.
And swimming! This Rio de Janeiro Brazilian beach has calmer waves and waters than neighboring Ipanema Beach, which makes for great wading, swimming, and body surfing. Vendors line the beach renting umbrellas, lounge chairs, and all manner of drinks and snacks.
Kiosks line the beach side of the street, which are popular all day and into the early evening. Stop and enjoy a cold Água de Coco (Coconut water).
Another option is to walk across the street from the beach to one of the many casual outdoor restaurants to enjoy cheap eats and cold chope (draft beer- pronounced "show-pee"). No need to change out of your bathing suit!
----> Follow this link to see many more pictures on our Copacabana Beach Photos page! <----
Sunset on the Beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Copacabana Beach - Rio de Janeiro Brazil - Satellite Map
View Larger Map
Visit our Copacabana Google Street View page
Go to Home Page from Copacabana Beach page

domain: geography


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Going back in time and looking to the future
New York is constantly changing. That is one of the things that I love about this city. There is always a new restaurant, a new store, a new building and a neighborhood in change. Nothing really lies dormant in this town. This city reflects capitalism on many levels.
One thing that I do not want to see go back in time is the explosion of homeless on the streets. I have begun to see more people hanging out at major intersections knocking on windows begging for cash. More people sleeping on the sidewalks. I am waiting for the window cleaners to return. Those were the people running around at the intersections with cleaning utensils to clean the windows quickly and grab a buck. It pains me to see these people living on the streets as many of them have mental illnesses or are drug addicts. Can’t we help these people?
When you fly into NYC from anywhere and land at any of our major airports, it is always shocking how rundown our airports are, just like our subways, in a city that is the epicenter of the world. Every major industry has a foothold here. Watching the rise of homeless on the street and seeing the earth be very angry from hurricanes to earthquakes to fires, just makes me feel extremely unsettled and worried about the future.
Today is the holiest day of the Jewish year. It is the day of atonement, a day to reflect on the past year and think of the year ahead. We all get a new slate for the year ahead. We forgive for the past and hope we do better in the future. As I look around the world, I can only believe that perhaps we needed to be here to get somewhere better. Let’s hope so.
I am hopeful honestly.The depth of ugliness in Trump to me is overshadowed by the transformative possibilities of advances in platforms of tech and science that have the possibilities of rebuilding so much of this crap.But yes, I’m a pragmatist and see the warts that we have to address and fix.We stumble forward in my opinion.
We are certainly stumbling
.No homeless during 8 years of Pres Obama. All Trump’s fault.Insightful. One trick pony. Rest the pony, it’s getting tired.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…
The amount of homeless on Chicago streets has multiplied a lot over the last 8 years. Used to live in the Loop. Couldn’t take it anymore and they were getting violent.
I’m beginning to see that we really need to take an intersectional approach to problem-solving. The very way we think about things is so siloed. (Not you, Joanne, society. One of the reasons I love reading this blog is because you do overlap so many seemingly different topics.)We can’t solve the problem of homelessness without solving (or at least starting to solve) the problem of wealth inequality.We can’t solve homelessness without making strides against mental illness.We can’t solve homelessness without re-thinking the war on drugs. We can’t solve homelessness without making our penal system rehabilitative instead of punitive. We can’t solve homelessness without solving veterans issues.We can’t solve homelessness without looking at the role CTE and brain injuries play—not just in football players, but veterans, and people who have been abused or traumatized. We can’t solve homelessness without getting more affordable housing built. We can’t solve homelessness without creating more opportunities for those who are disabled and elederly. We can’t solve homelessness without looking at how to make our towns, cities and communities more sustainable. Create cities where food is grown, infrastructure is being built. Give homeless people who are capable jobs that are working on sustainability. Jobs in exchange for places to live. We don’t need more window washers (wow, what a flashback I just had when you mentioned that). But it’s not like there is a lack of work that needs to be done. Create jobs that help communities, pay more than panhandling, and give people skills and a path forward.The good news is—-we CAN solve all those things. And that is the what our future needs. That is the opportunity—to develop people who can solve multiple problems and the way they intersect.And yes, using tech, computer science, data science and AI will help us build new systems instead of relying old patriarchal systems that have inequality baked right into them.Once we START solving multiple big problems—together, as a system—then all problems will get easier to solve. I am 100% sure of this. We will progress towards a brighter future, not regress towards the past.It can be done.
We’re all still hurting from the 2008 crash. At least the economies in central Canada are still recovering and it looks like they’re not bouncing back for a while. But I agree, and I think experiments show that providing free housing for the homeless costs less in the long run.

domain: sociology


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Report: PSE sales plummet in Washington, Mo., as Rx-only ordinance is enacted
NEW YORK A white donkey painted in black stripes does not a zebra make. In fact, all you really have is a donkey and a whole lot of paint. Something similar could be said here, because a 92% reduction in PSE sales does not correlate with a 92% reduction in the number of meth addicts cruising the streets.
The fact is a 92% reduction in PSE sales doesn’t add up to much of anything positive.
What you are more likely to have with a 92% reduction in PSE sales is considerably more legitimate consumers suffering from colds than legitimate meth addicts suffering from withdrawal. You’ll certainly have a 92% reduction in cough-cold revenue that pharmacies in today’s economy need more than ever, especially now just as the H1N1-influenced cold-and-flu season kicks off in earnest. And with that, you will also have a 92% reduction in the tax revenue collected from the sale of these medicines.
On the flip side, you might have something close to a 92% increase in the number of local employees utilizing sick days, seeing as how they’re now more likely to suffer from their cold symptoms than trek to the local doctor’s office for a PSE prescription.
Yet, even as local Missouri municipalities like Washington and Union attempt to throw more black paint on this donkey, 25 miles to the east, where PSE sales are up 8%, local law enforcement there reported they weren’t concerned about any meth addicts relocating to a ready supply of PSE. In fact, the sheriff of St. Louis county suggested to The St. Louis Dispatch that he wasn’t concerned that an 8% lift in PSE sales meant anything more than the fact that the cold and flu season had arrived in the mid-West. He wasn’t concerned, he said, because St. Louis county actually employs an electronic logging system for sales of PSE products. And armed with that system, law enforcement in St. Louis county can identify and round up any alleged meth addicts, a practice that incidentally pulls those meth addicts off the street without impeding access of a legitimate cold medicine to one legitimate cold sufferer.
Pfizer reports 3Q profit rise, revenue drop
NEW YORK Job cuts helped raise Pfizer’s third-quarter 2009 profits by 26% over third-quarter 2008, even though the company had lower overall sales, according to an earnings report released Tuesday.
The world’s largest drug maker reported profits of $2.9 billion, compared with $2.3 billion a year ago, though revenues were $11.6 billion, a 3% decrease from $12 billion in third-quarter 2008. The company said the decrease in revenues and the rise in the value of the dollar kept profits from increasing further.
Pfizer’s $68 billion acquisition of Wyeth, while giving the company a leg up in vaccines, biologics and OTC drugs, helped offset profits by requiring it to pay higher interest rates on its bonds, according to the report. The company incurred $22.5 billion in debt through the acquisition, prompting Standard & Poor’s to lower its bond rating from AAA to AA.
Such drugs as the pain drug Lyrica (pregabalin) and the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) had strong sales overseas, but primary-care drugs in general had a mediocre performance thanks to lower sales of Lipitor in the United States. Cancer drugs, likewise, had lackluster performance, despite growth in recent years in the cancer drug market in general.
Though the drug Sutent (sunitinib malate) sold well, the company lost market exclusivity in Europe for the drug Camptosar (irinotecan), and had lower sales overseas due to the strengthening of the dollar, helping to drive sales down from $389 million in third-quarter 2008 to $371 million this quarter.
Meanwhile, sales of specialty drugs — drugs prescribed by specialist doctors rather than primary-care physicians — were $1.6 billion, a 3% increase over third-quarter 2008, thanks largely to strong sales of such drugs as the multiple sclerosis treatment Rebif (interferon beta-1a) and the pulmonary arterial hypertension drug Revatio (sildenafil citrate).
“The completion of the Wyeth acquisition represents a significant milestone in the transformation of Pfizer,” Pfizer CEO Jeffrey Kindler stated. “We are beginning to implement our integration plan in order to quickly maximize the value of our expanded and more diversified global product portfolio in key high-growth areas. With customer-centric businesses, supported by research organizations, Pfizer is now well positioned to deliver greater value to patients and shareholders.”
Pfizer returns to consumer care with Wyeth buy
NEW YORK The approval last week of the Wyeth acquisition by Pfizer marks the return of a consumer-care division to Pfizer, and a considerable one at that.
Pfizer in 2006 sold its then OTC division to Johnson & Johnson as part of an initiative to capitalize on its pharmaceutical pipeline. Then the recession hit, and the need for a significant cash-flow generator like an OTC division again became paramount to pharma companies. So in addition to the pharmaceutical symmetries inherent in the deal — biologics and vaccines — the return of an OTC division to Pfizer is consequential.
There will be a degree of continuity as Wyeth Consumer Healthare is exchanged for Pfizer Consumer Healthcare on all OTC packaging — former president of Wyeth Consumer Healthcare, Cavan Redmond, remains in charge of the division as group president, diversified businesses at the new Pfizer. In addition to OTCs, animal health and nutrition, Cavan also picks up responsibility for capsule manufacturer Capsugel.
Pfizer’s new OTC division is strongest in internal analgesics behind its venerable Advil brand — comprising 16.8% dollar share of the category, the pain reliever generated $340.8 million in sales across food, drug and mass (minus Walmart) outlets for the 52 weeks ended Oct. 4, according to Information Resources Inc., down slightly by 2.5% in an economy that continues to skew toward private label.
Other areas of significance include dietary supplements, with $189.7 million in Centrum sales (down 1%) and $53.4 million in Caltrate sales (up 3.8%); cold and allergy, where in addition to Advil Cold, Wyeth fields Alavert and Robitussin. Indeed, almost $1-out-of-every-$3 spent on cough syrups is used to buy a Robitussin product, which generated $91.5 million for the 52 weeks ended Oct. 4, up 27.2%. Across the digestives aisle is Preparation H, with more than $75 million in annual sales, and Fibercon, which generates more than $10 million annually. And in lip care, the new Pfizer division will field Chapstick, a brand with more than $80 million in annual sales.

domain: news


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Movie Ratings & Reviews
Last film added: December 16, 2018. There are currently 1603 films in the database (since 1996).
- Amazing Screw-On Head, The (2006) 10
A TV pilot featuring Emperor Zombie and Lincoln. Any last words before I spark it?
- Ghost World (2001) 10
A witty appraisal of America during the summer following Thora Birch's high school graduation.
- Persepolis (2007) 10
Autobiographical, cinematic graphic novel of a young outspoken girl in Iran during the Islamic Revolution.
- Sin City (2005) 10
Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez create a brilliant piece of ultra-violent, stylized noir. Visually stunning.
- V for Vendetta (2006) 10
The Wachowski Brothers present the futuristic landscape of totalitarian Britain, starring Natalie Portman.
- American Splendor (2003) 9
Welcome to the life of Harvey Pekar, a hospital clerk, music collector and comic-book writer.
- Dark Knight, The (2008) 9
Nolan's nightmarish adaptation of Batman, Joker and Two-Face raises the bar for comic-book movies, again.
- Incredibles, The (2004) 9
Pixar Animation presents a family of undercover superheroes forced into action to save the world.
- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) 9
Clever graphic novel adaptation about a boy who must defeat his girlfriend's seven evil exes.
- Watchmen (2009) 9
Zack Snyder successfully films Alan Moore's graphic novel about an alternate, quantum America in 1985.
- 300 (2007) 8
An epic rendering of Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae. Stunning Spartan art-blood.
- April and the Extraordinary World (2016) 8
Alternate universe ruled by coal and steam engines. Scientists have been disappearing. Fun French steampunk.
- Avengers, The (2012) 8
Nick Fury brings together Marvel superheroes to save the Earth from Loki. Very balanced effort.
- Batman Begins (2005) 8
The prequel to the Batman series, directed by Christopher Nolan, includes an awesome Batmobile.
- Batman: Under the Red Hood (2010) 8
Compelling, accessible animated superhero film, featuring Batman, the Red Hood, Nightwing and the Joker.
- Black Panther (2018) 8
The advanced African kingdom of Wakanda, powered by vibranium, is in transition. Socially conscious Marvel.
- Dark Knight Rises, The (2012) 8
Very emotionally dark film that rises to an impressive, satisfying finale for Nolan's Batman trilogy.
- Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) 8
Stunning grotesqueness and visual poetry from Guillermo del Toro. Incredible set design and beautiful effects.
- History of Violence, A (2005) 8
A Cronenberg art film that's also an accessible crime drama. Based on a graphic novel.
- Iron Man (2008) 8
Robert Downey Jr. builds an armored suit and decides to use the technology against evil.
- Kick-Ass (2010) 8
A high-schooler decides to become a superhero. Ultraviolent, stylized brutality and absurdist comedy ensues.
- Men in Black (1997) 8
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones must save the world from an intergalactic terrorist.
- Mindscape of Alan Moore, The (2003) 8
Creative philosophies from the brilliant comic writer of Watchmen, V for Vendetta and From Hell.
- Road to Perdition (2002) 8
The result of hitman Tom Hanks's son witnessing what his father does for a living.
- Snowpiercer (2014) 8
Earth's remaining inhabitants are confined to a class-divided train circling the frozen globe. Stylish allegory.
- Spider-Man 2 (2004) 8
Tobey Maguire continues his demanding double life as student and superhero. Enter supervillain Dr. Octopus.
- Tokyo! (2008) 8
A cinematic triptych (transformation, anarchy, rebirth) set in Tokyo. Directed by Gondry, Carax and Bong.
- Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) 7
Steve Rogers volunteers for a top-secret research project that turns him into Captain America. Charming.
- From Hell (2001) 7
A stylized whodunit set in Victorian Era London, starring clairvoyant police detective Johnny Depp.
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) 7
Goofy, formulaic Marvel Universe blockbuster. Can an oddball group of intergalactic criminals save the galaxy?
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) 7
The ragtag, intergalactic crew fights to stay together and unravels the mystery of Quill's father.
- Hellboy (2004) 7
A good-hearted demon is produced in a black-magic Nazi ceremony. This is his story.
- Hellboy Animated: Blood and Iron (2007) 7
Hellboy ends up battling the goddess Hecate after a professor resurrects a powerful female vampire.
- Iron Man 2 (2010) 7
Fun, explosion-packed sequel that's almost as good as the first. Downey Jr. and Rourke shine.
- Renegade (2004) 7
Psychedelic French Western that feels like a Jodorowsky film. Sacred mountains, gunfights, peyote and shaman.
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) 7
The Eva Green show. Visually stunning and gritty like the Miller/Rodriguez original, but less compelling.
- Spider-Man (2002) 7
Tobey Maguire is bitten by a genetically engineered spider and subsequently wins Kirsten Dunst's love.
- Superman Returns (2006) 7
Bryan Singer's reverent reboot of the Superman franchise. Good, but lacks surprises and new ideas.
- Transformers (2007) 7
Spectacularly rendered Autobot and Decepticon destruction. ADHD kids love these plotless nonsensical blasts.
- Unbreakable (2000) 7
A mystery thriller about unrealized supernatural powers. Bruce Willis and Samuel L. Jackson star.
- X-Men (2000) 7
The superheroes from a private academy for mutants must oppose a powerful mutant terrorist organization.
- X2: X-Men United (2003) 7
Mutants continue to struggle against fearful human society and are attacked by military forces.
- Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms (2006) 6
A samurai sword sends Hellboy into a dangerous realm of Japanese legends, ghosts and monsters.
- Heroes - Seasons 1-3 (2009) 6
Cleverly structured graphic novel in TV-show format about people with diverse superpowers. It became unwatchable.
- Incredible Hulk, The (2008) 6
Too bad the awkward computer-generated creatures killed the movie, despite Edward Norton. Noisy and boring.
- Mystery Men (1999) 6
A group of inept amateur superheroes must try to save their city from supervillian destruction.
- Super (2011) 6
A depressed everyday guy transforms himself into the superhero Crimson Bolt. Ellen Page is great.
- Thor (2011) 6
The powerful but arrogant warrior Thor is cast out of Asgard and sent to Earth.
- Wanted (2008) 6
A young man finds out his long-lost father is an assassin. Then hyperkinetic bullet-bending ensues.
- Æon Flux (2005) 5
Charlize Theron is a stunning, athletic heroine. But they've destroyed the meaning of the series.
- Crow: City of Angels, The (1996) 5
The spirit of the Crow resurrects another man seeking revenge for his son's murder.
- Daredevil (2003) 5
Ben Affleck, who can't act, zipped into a maroon bodysuit. Enough said.
- Fantastic Four (2005) 5
Exposure to cosmic radiation creates superhero scientists: Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, Thing, and Jessica Alba.
- League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, The (2003) 5
In an alternate Victorian Age world, Captain Nemo, Tom Sawyer, and Dr. Jekyll join forces.
- Men in Black II (2002) 5
A semi-amusing replica of the original popcorn flick. The train-station locker creatures steal the show.
- Spider-Man 3 (2007) 5
Boring/incoherent/awkward for 90 minutes, then three minutes of cool, then Venom and the climactic battle.
- Spirit, The (2008) 5
Frank Miller's self-aware film noir is gorgeous, vapid, overacted and emotionless. Based on Eisner's comics.
- Surrogates (2009) 5
Soulless industrial entertainment. Most humans live in isolation and interact entirely via glamorous surrogate robots.
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011) 5
Unrelenting sound and fury. I appreciated the alternate Apollo and Chernobyl histories. But it's vapid.
- Avengers, The (1998) CRAP
There was nothing Uma Thurman could do to save this ill-fated remake.
- Batman & Robin (1997) CRAP
Batman George Clooney, Uma Thurman and Alicia Silverstone starred in this contrived, colossal waste.
- Spawn (1997) CRAP
A killed mercenary returns to walk the Earth after making deal with the devil.
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) CRAP
A tedious and loathsome sequence of explosions. Despite childhood nostalgia, I hoped everyone might die.
- Virus (1999) CRAP
Jamie Lee Curtis fights an electromagnetic alien lifeform. It's a nicely polished turd.
Comic Book and Superhero Films (1996-2020)Search returned all movies based on comic books and graphic novels (or that include superhero characters) out of 1603 total rated films.
FROM BAD TO WORSE
Statistical ratings distribution of these 64 films (4% of total rated films):
With enough films included, it usually approximates a bell curve with a mean near 6.5...
(especially when considering that CRAP is 0-4 combined).
Average rating for these 64 films: 6.9.
Do you have any movie recommendations? Perhaps you have a complaint to file about the film ratings or 15-word reviews? Ladies and gentleman, one and all, feel free to air your grievances! There's no need to wait until the annual Festivus celebration. Take this opportunity to share.
Thanks for visiting. For more time wastage, try the spiral::notepad.


Information on the installation
1. IML®steel industrial floor panel
2. Bedding mortar
3. Bonding slurry
4. Load-bearing concrete to DIN 1045-2, minimum compressive strength 20/25 or as specified by the designers.
1. Load-bearing concrete
Minimum compressive strength to DIN 1045-2, class 20/25, thickness depending on the load or the designer’s specification (also applies for any blinding concrete).
Roughen the surface (brush finish),return to process any smooth areas afterwards. Remove any contamination e.g. paints, oils, greases, plastics or similar; pretreat contaminated surfaces by milling or shot-blasting. If the floor panels are to be laid on old concrete surfaces ascertain its strength class and the surface tensile strength on site.
Theevenness of the surface of the load-bearing concrete must comply with the requirements of DIN 18202, Table 3, Line 2.
2. Floor structure
Take a level to establish the thickness of the mortar bedwhich must be between 40 mm and 60 mm thick. In the event of thicknesses greater than 60 mm,a levelling screed with a minimum compressive strength class accordingto DIN 1045-2, 20/25 (old class B25) is necessary.
A two-layer structure at least 80 mm thick is necessary for floors with thermal insulation. Thickness and hardness grade of the insulating layer as specified by the designer.
Joints between buildings and expansion joints in the load-bearing concrete must be installed in corresponding positionsand have the same width. Joints between bays which extend through the load-bearing concrete including the levelling screed must be included.
Slab sizes in building interiors up to 120 m², exterior slab sizes but covered up to 50 m², slab sizes exposed to the weather up to 36 m². (Larger slab sizes are also possible by agreement in air-conditioned buildings with constant temperatures are possible). Joints between bays should be designed as right angles wherever possible. If slabs are exposed to the weather in the open air orsubject to significant temperature variations in enclosed spaces, edge lengths greater than 6 m should be avoided. (Extremely high differences in temperature such as red-hot metal and water MUST ALWAYS be avoided).
Edge joints must be installed against vertical walls and penetrating structures. The joint should have a width of approximately 8 mm and be sealed with permanently elastic sealants agreed with the designer.
3a. Joint area
Edge protection must suit the loads to which they are exposed and take the form of double-sidedIML®steel industrial floor panels or steel edge protection profiles conforming to Load Group I (heavy)(materials handling equipment with steel or polyamide tyres) or Load Group II (moderate )(materials handling trucks with pneumatic tyres).
4. Method of installation and mortar used during installation
IML®steel industrial floor panelsmay be laidwithstraight jointsor staggered joints. If necessary, IML®steel industrial floor panels can be cut or supplemented by half panels.
Source materials arecement complying with DIN 1164 CEM I, CEM II, strength class minimum 32.5, aggregates according to DIN 4226, frost resistance eF, aggregategravel sandwith 0/8 particle size. Consistency: plastic, – slump 35-41 cm. Strength class ≥ ZE 30 according to DIN 18560 or ≤ B25 accordingto DIN 1045 in each case with cement content Z ≥ 350 kg/m³.
Plant mixed dry mortars and concretes are preferred; plant mixedwet mortars are unsuitable.
If the composition is determined on site by measuring volumes, the minimum cement ratio must be increased by 50 kg/m³ and maintained.
5. Substrate treatment
Determine level markings, pretreat the load-bearing concrete as described in Section 1 on page 1 and wet it thoroughly.
Apply a bonding layer (1 part cent and 1 part water) with a stiff brush so that the surface can be worked within two hours.
Apply a layer of bedding mortar about ½ of the specified thickness on parts of the floor which have been well grouted and keep damp.
6. Laying and jointing the panels
Lay a row of panels as an outside frame at a right angle to a string-line with joints 2-3 mm wide. Allowance must be made in this row for any joints, building/expansion joints and joints between bays which have to be installed.
Lay the mortar and compact well. Depending on the surface area, lay between 15 and 35 m² of mortar on forms up to the height of the finished panel flooring (once again compact the mortar well and uniformly). Use a rubber hammer to gently hammer in theIML®steel industrial floor panels in the outer area of the panel side bar along a string-line. The bedding mortar must protrude from all openings and cover the openings completely.
Wet 4-5 rows of panels well at a time after laying. Clean the mortar residues from the surface several times using a squeegee.
Cleaning the surface several times is essential to avoid premature drying of the mortar bed.
7. Subsequent treatment and initial use
Protect areas of newly laid floor panels against premature use by means of warning signs and tapes. Continue to treat the floor panels by keeping them wet. Cover with plastic sheets (essential on warm days) for 2 to 4 days depending on the type of cement used.
Initial use: after 14 days if cement 32.5 R is used and no hardening test carried out; after 7 days if cement 42.5 R. With hardening test on separately prepared test specimens.


text:
Category: Jewelry Designers
This is the ultimate guide to the world’s most important jewelry designers. We cover the history and iconic designs of historic jewelry houses and introduce you to today’s most innovative fine jewelry designers.
The Ultimate Guide to Bulgari Jewelry
A jeweler unlike any other, Bulgari has blazed its own path by embracing color, lively designs, and its historic home: Rome.
The Best Jewelry Brands for Men
Men’s jewelry is a quickly growing industry, so it can be difficult to know where to start. We’ve rounded up the best jewelry brands for men — what they’re known for and why we love them.

domain: artistic


text:
music playing is 'CONTINENTAL BLUES' (Rob Dokter/Panama Red) (c), solo-recording, released on French Promo 2007 only sofar, i sure like the mumbling mouth-bass..:)) Gives it a wonderful Leon Redbone-feel. Wrote the songlyrics with Panama one night during dinner before the show in 'Le Tomahawk' owned by our friends Serge and Claudine just a little south of Nevers in France. Later back home i wrote the music to it. Presented the original paper where Panama and i wrote the lyrics as a gift to Serge later. The introduction instrumental of 'Amazing Grace' is a gadget performed by Dick Zoeteweij leaving his mark since he recorded my tracks at his homestudio. So, musicians: just me doing all tracks!
(THIS SUBPAGE WAS LAST UPDATED ON April 23rd, 2011)


* 5 reasons why Northwestern football won’t really unionize. [The Legal Blitz]
* Law grad who failed the bar arrested for claiming to be a lawyer. So much for Jimmy Malone’s advice… [Albany Times Union]
* This morning we wrote about a lawyer turned babysitter. Jane Genova has some thoughts on how this story can have a happy ending. [Law and More]
* This is why you don’t get tattoos. [The Independent]
* Sitting judge should be on “high” court — listed as president of three different pot-related businesses. [Las Vegas Law Blog]
* The Second Circuit is not pleased with the secrecy of the Obama administration. [The New Republic]
* Corporette launches a new motherhood newsletter. She’s looking for guest bloggers too if you’re passionate about these issues. [Corporette]
* Another argument for killing law school. [The Week]
* Kash Hill looks at a Loyola Law grad who hunts down revenge porn sites. [Forbes]
* Lorne Michaels has a new courtroom comedy webseries starring Bob Balaban. The first episode is embedded below…
Take heed before you apply to law school, lest you become a nanny with six figures of debt….
I became a lawyer without really understanding that the job cuts time off of your life. My work hours are long, I can’t see my family or friends, and I am constantly at the mercy of the partner or the client. On top of everything, at one point, I was paying 7% on my law school loans. […]
Babysitting a judge’s kid in chambers during business hours is normal, right?
Another babysitting job offer for law students, and this time it’s directed at top law students…
A babysitting gig that almost taunts the law students who will undoubtedly apply…
We reacted with horror when a law firm offered University of Texas law students the opportunity to be a “Legal Assistant/Nanny.” That one was crazy. So was the UCLA Law job posting seeking a chauffeur (to drive in Los Angeles traffic, no less). But these jobs were proffered during tougher times for the economy. Now […]


text:
MIAMI – Korean Air Lines (KE) will continue the deal to buy its smaller local competitor Asiana Airlines (OZ) without job cuts, the chairman of the group said Wednesday.
“The company made a decision to acquire (Asiana Airlines) to make a contribution to the development of the country’s airline industry,” Korean Air Chairman Cho Won-tae told reporters after attending a South Korea-U.S. business leaders’ meeting in Seoul.
The Chairman added that while there were redundant routes and staff for both carriers, if an integrated company extended routes and diversified industry, it was possible to use all the routes and staff.
In the press read more ⇒
Source:: “Airways Magazine”

domain: economics


text:
Do You Have an Angel on Your Shoulder and the Devil on Your Back?Do you feel that you have an angel on your shoulder and the devil on your back? As Ken Mansfield struggles between a deep belief in God and a plague of doubts about his faith. Having spent over forty years of senseless meandering, he embarks on one last journey in his quest to find answers, inviting you to travel along with him and his wife, Connie.If you grew up listening to music in the 60s through the 90s, you have no doubt heard and enjoyed some of this Grammy-winning producers music. Through his cross country journey Ken jostles us back and forth between his present soul-searching journey and his reminisces of four decades in the music industry. Through stories of success and innovation, pain and sorrow, Ken transparently reflects the shallow importance of worldly things in those heady days and honestly explains that the dilemmas Ive experienced since were always about not letting go of those same old terrestrial considerations.This book is for all who desire to discover and recover Gods purpose for their lives. This journey will reveal the vapidness of seeking after only worldly honor and fame. It calls the reader to trust God and seek Him daily.
We all go through those moments when God draws us into a time of deepen our faith and our relationship with Him. Between Wyomings: My God and an iPod by Ken Mansfield contains the personal story of the author as he travels across the country in his van in a search for that deeper, intimate faith. His book contains many flashbacks to his days in the record industry working with icons such as Dolly Patron and the Beatles. Mansfield spent his career as a famous music producer for some of the biggest names in the industry.The title of this book caught my attention and I was excited to get reading it. Unfortunately I had a hard time getting into it. I found myself enjoying the recounting of his interactions with those in the music industry, but those moments were too spread out to hold my attention. I wasnt really sure what to take out of the portions that seemed more of a soul searching private journal than a book to be read by others. Overall, if you enjoy reading journals or personal memoirs this book may be just for you. Ken definitely had some memorable moments during his music career. If you are looking for a fast paced page turner then this book is not for you.I have reviewed this book for Thomas Nelsons Book Review Blogger Program.
What better way to tell the story of your life than on a road trip? That is what Ken does with such beautiful language - weaving personal stories into the physical landscape that is our beautiful nation. As he and his wife Connie leave their home in Bodega Bay in a they call "MOSES", they take a physical as well as mental journey to some of the most memorable places in their lives and recount for us the struggles, victories, and just plain interesting stories of their lives. A great read for artists of all kinds!
In Between Wyomings, Ken Mansfield gives us a partial account of his life history. We are told accounts of his experiences with the Beatles, his adventures with Waylon Jennings, and his attempts to keep his head above water in the extreme opulence and excess of the music business.After reading this book, its easy to image that Ken Mansfield could be called the modern-day embodiment of the biblical Book of Ecclesiasties. At first glance, it looks like Mr. Mansfield had it all. Money, success, fame, and more. Even at the peak of his meteoric ascension, though, the reader can see that Ken was always grasping for more.Eventually, Kens life fell apart. He dabbled in obscure religion and used drugs heavily, trying everything he could think of to fill the void in his heart. As the author of Ecclesiaties concluded, there is nothing new under the sun. Fortunately, this is where Gods grace came into play, and now all of his earlier accomplishments pale in comparison to his Eternal Savior.In many ways, it seems like Ken might to relate to a whole range of unbelievers. For much of his life he chased worldly goals and ambitions. He had reached the pinnacle of achievement according to our society, but he now believes that all of those pursuits were wasteful.At the same time, Mr. Mansfield may have undermined his own efforts to tell his testimony in a compelling way. As I read this book, I often found myself more interested in his wild and crazy stories than his deep, wandering, introspective ponderings about God. An unbeliever could easily write off Kens transformation by claiming that his simply went soft in his old age. Lets hope thats not the case, but I could see it as a potential problem.Overall, I would characterize Ken Mansfields writing style as extremely accessible. He was able to take me through a full range of emotions as I read this book, and I appreciated the way that he weaved his stories into the backdrop of a roadtrip with his wife.
This wonderful non-fiction book, winds it's way through the tremendously interesting life of the author. As you read "Between Wyomings" you will ride along with Ken and his wife Connie on an amazing journey of his past, before he knew Christ, and the present day, as a born-again Christian. Ken does a wonderful job recounting his life in the music industry for some 30 years.As I read this captivating book, I enjoyed every minute reading about the lessons Ken has learned over the years, why the Lord allowed everything in his life to happen and what he's chosen to do with his life now. In paragraph after paragraph, I saw myself and often felt like he was reading my own mind. I too had experienced many of the same feelings from the time before I knew Christ.I was deeply touched at the words of this humble man. His faith and what the Lord has brought him through, was such an encouragement to me.I most definitely would recommend this book to anyone, especially those who were hitting their teenage years in the 60's. You'll understand why when you read the book.I am a member of Thomas Nelson's Book Review Blogger Program at http://brb.thomasnelson.com

domain: literature


This PDF is the current document as it appeared on Public Inspection on 12/28/2012 at 8:45 am.
The Department of Commerce will submit to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for clearance the following proposal for collection of information under the emergency provisions of the Paperwork Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35).
Agency: National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).
Title: State and Local Implementation Grant Program Application Requirements.
OMB Control Number: None.
Form Number(s): None.
Type of Request: Emergency submission (new information collection).
Number of Respondents: 56.
Average Hours per Response: Application, 10 hours; Quarterly report, 4 hours.
Burden Hours: 1,456.
Needs and Uses: The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Act, Pub. L. 112-96, 126 Stat. 156 (2012).) was signed by the President on February 22, 2012. The Act meets a long-standing priority of the Administration, as well as a critical national infrastructure need, to create a single, nationwide interoperable public safety broadband network (PSBN) that will, for the first time, allow police officers, fire fighters, emergency medical service professionals, and other public safety officials to effectively communicate with each other across agencies and jurisdictions. Public safety workers have long been hindered in their ability to respond in a crisis situation because of incompatible communications networks and often outdated communications equipment.
The Act establishes the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) as an independent authority within National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and authorizes it to take all actions necessary to ensure the design, construction, and operation of a nationwide PSBN, based on a single, national network architecture.
The Act also charges NTIA with establishing a grant program to assist state, regional, tribal, and local jurisdictions with identifying, planning, and implementing the most efficient and effective means to use and integrate the infrastructure, equipment, and other architecture associated with the nationwide PSBN to satisfy the wireless broadband and data services needs of their jurisdictions. NTIA will use the collection of information to ensure that States applying for SLIGP grants meet eligibility and programmatic requirements as well as to monitor and evaluate how SLIGP recipients are achieving the core purposes of the program established by the Act.
NTIA is seeking to emergency review of the SLIGP request to begin the application process in the first quarter of calendar year 2013 and award grants no later than June 1, 2013. In order to meet this deadline, NTIA must receive clearance for the application and reporting requirements by December 31, 2012 in order to: (1) Ensure applicants have reasonable notice of the federal funding opportunity; (2) provide applicants sufficient time to complete and submit their applications; and (3) allow NTIA adequate time to properly execute the application review process and make the awards.
Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.
Frequency: Annually and quarterly.
OMB Desk Officer: Nicholas Fraser, (202) 395-5887.
Copies of the above information collection proposal can be obtained by calling or writing Jennifer Jessup, Departmental Paperwork Clearance Officer, (202) 482-0336, Department of Commerce, Room 6616, 14th and Constitution Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20230 (or via the Internet at firstname.lastname@example.org).
Written comments and recommendations for the proposed information collection should be sent by January 7, 2013 to Nicholas Fraser, OMB Desk Officer, FAX number (202) 395-7285, or via the Internet at Nicholas_A._Fraser@omb.eop.gov.
Dated: December 21, 2012.
Management Analyst, Office of the Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2012-31226 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-06-P


text:
And he who employs aright these memories is ever being initiated into perfect mysteries and alone becomes truly perfect. But, as he forgets earthly interests and is rapt in the divine, the vulgar deem him mad, and rebuke him; they do not see that he is inspired… he would like to fly away, but he cannot; he is like a bird fluttering and looking upward and careless of the world below; and he is therefore thought to be mad.-Plato in the Phaedrus
Gamma synchrony is the brain unfolding its wings, striving inward and outward and creating new connections, the apex of consciousness. Top-down and bottom-up babbles between the organs of the brain phase into a coordinated strobe like the mesmerizing pulse of a cuttlefish and magic happens. We seem to, in an instant, escape the tomb of flesh, soggy in its bathtub like Archimedes, and shout “Eureka!” as our tremulous wings catch a wind and an exuberant strength and burst us up and out of the cloud of unknowing.
But is the Aha! moment creation or revelation? Is it possible to be both?
Gamma synchrony is the special state attained by Buddhist monks during meditation yet it is also used to identify schizophrenic activity. The difference is spontaneity- the schizophrenic experiencing synchrony sees synchronicity spontaneously and pervasively. Trust me, I know. The monk attains it confidently and purposefully, and the thinker- scientist, musician, artist, etc. alike- attains it like a gift, as the fruit of the gnarled tree of pain and sacrifice; it is the distillation of hours and hours of study, practice, or experimentation into a new conception, a perfect theory, word, name, sound or figure.
And is this not the fruit of the tree of life? Does the Yggdrasil of evolution, the phylogenetic tree, not have hanging at its extremities the fractal singularities of the universe observing and cogitating itself- the sweet juice of human thought and attention adorned with the fuzz of gamma wave vibrations?
And does the anthropic principle not suggest that the fruit of the tree is necessary, if for nothing else our very own existence? Doesn’t it suggest that the roots are both nurtured and gnawed on by the tides of modality, the subtle dragon creating pain and entropy throughout the cosmos in order for the clash of life to beget something of real substance? And what flows through the arteries of the tree? Through the xylem and phloem pulse, up and down, from earth to heaven, the currency of the universe- our very souls in their ascents and descents. The water of Aquarius, held in a jug by the monk, swum in by the schizo, cried out in ecstasy by those channeling the muses of science and art, and baptized in by the mystic.
And what is a fruit but an engine of life, meant to store and spread seed, to excite and implant? Our bodies are entangled across the cosmos with the roaring atom-factories that are stars and twisted together by the black holes with their deafening hums. So, also, the individual creative moment is an involution into the entire collective consciousness and is entangled with every striving of humanity in its infinite detail. The memory of one is entangled with the memory of all.
The Sephir Yetzirah, The Book of Creation, expounds the aha! moment as both revelation and creation. Indeed, an enlightenment is described as having 3 parts corresponding to three nodes, or Sephirot, on the Kabbalistic tree of life. It begins with an oscillation between Binah and Chockmah consciousness. These are the mother and father of consciousness. Just as the reticular activating system seems to stabilize the noisy traffic of our brain into stable gamma states, so the soul must stabilize itself amidst the influx of Understanding and Wisdom, between the river of choate, effable, profane knowledge and the sea of inchoate, ineffable, mystic force.
The third stage is absorption- the conscious assimilation into practice of revelation, requiring a death of the old. Just like the senescent stem of a fruit dies as the fruit attains pubescence, so does the work not end with joining the choir of creation mentally- with the birth of an idea. The idea must be circumscribed in material, brought to life in its particulars by the death of other particulars. By transforming into memory- given form, a name, a loci and life in the profane world after delivery from the hand of Prometheus. This is Da’at, the quasi-Sephiroth of Knowledge. In it is death and life, good and evil- for all bringing into being, into actuality, requires the parsing and death of arrays of possibility. This is where the schizophrenic flounders- for the mystic incorporates revelation of Truth into teaching and thinkers under the aegis of the various muses into their corpus of work. The eunoic schizo sees all, but in understanding everything sees nothing.
And in referring to the schizophrenic, I’ve been mainly referring to the eunoic schizo- the one muttering and exclaiming in ridiculous associations, seemingly tapping into a structureless void of thought and perceptions that don’t compute. Often times great thinkers brush up against this strange attractor, a Charybdis met after wrestling with the Scylla of the profane mind. Kurt Gödel, after revolutionizing axiomatic logic and writing a proof of God using modal logic, starved himself to death in mental turmoil. Georg Cantor named the cardinals of infinity and wound up in the ward several times.
It is my belief that Creation, the Origin, echoes throughout spacetime and uncoils from the tight ball of perfect symmetry throughout the entangled cosmos into the conceptual space and its precipitates of conscious beings. Through revelation we join the choir of Creation. How else are possible worlds birthed but by conscious endeavor of thinking beings navigating the stormy seas of chaotic material?
“The Talmud states ‘Who is wise? He who perceives the future.’ This is because Wisdom is the pure mind force that transcends time. On the level of Wisdom, past, present, and future have not yet been separated.”Aryeh Kaplan- Sefir Yetzirah: The Book of Creation
The transactional interpretation of quantum mechanics posits that there is a backward-in-time information flow in the universe that is a part of every physical transaction. So, not only are physical particles entangled in space, but possible worlds are entangled in time- each transaction is a doorway into a branching of worlds. As the universe expands from nothing into something, the beginning is intertwined with all possible endings. This could be seen as a maternity ward of worlds, dubbed Pre-Spacetime by physicist Ruth Kastner that exists outside of spacetime. A world of pure information- a software to our hardware. Is this what has been speaking to me? Is it alive?


text:
DUP MP lashes Catholic bishop over giving ‘rationale’ for Londonderry rioters
Six consecutive nights of rioting took place in the city.
DUP MP Gregory Campbell has criticised Catholic bishop Donal McKeown, claiming he gave a “rationale” for the people behind recent disorder in Londonderry.
Over six consecutive nights of rioting, shots were fired at police and scores of petrol bombs were thrown.
Three people have been questioned by police over the violence.
Two, a 22-year-old man and a 17-year-old man, are set to appear before Omagh Magistrates’ Court on Monday morning charged with offences relating to the disorder.
Bishop McKeown urged an end to the violence while addressing a solidarity rally of residents on Friday.
He also spoke about people who feel left out of the political progress.
“They do not see the last 20 years as having benefited them.
Bishop Donal McKeown has on two separate occasions while condemning the rioters, made references to 'not demonising' those carrying out the attacks and to 'their disadvantages' Gregory Campbell MP
“Some communities that suffered much in the past are still suffering disadvantage.
“There are young people who feel life is passing them by and looking down on them.”
He added: “All who live here are part of this country.
“All deserve to be cherished equally.”
Bishop McKeown called for people to come together and build a city “where everyone feels comfortable”.
Mr Campbell has taken issue with the comments.
“There have been serious disturbances, not just in parts of Londonderry but at other locations in Northern Ireland also,” he said.
“The most sustained trouble was in the Bogside.
“Rioters tried to attack residents in the Fountain estate as well as the police.
“Bishop Donal McKeown has on two separate occasions, while condemning the rioters, made references to ‘not demonising’ those carrying out the attacks and to ‘their disadvantages’.
“Many people who are law abiding and raising families, despite lots of disadvantages, are deeply concerned at the bishop’s comments which, however well meaning, could be interpreted as a rationale for rioters.
“Right across the community, we need to continue to attract investment for people irrespective of where they live or what background they are from.
“At the same time, we must give no grounds whatsoever for a belief that law breakers have cover from someone trying to explain their motives in a way they can take justification from.”


What Does Architected Rapid Application Development Mean?
Architected rapid application development (ARAD) refers to software that uses frameworks and patterns as main elements to aid in the development of common functions of an application. ARAD is an advanced form of object-oriented analysis and design tools. It involves the use of design patterns and analysis of already created models. Organizations are widely using ARAD along with agile methodologies and practices.
Techopedia Explains Architected Rapid Application Development
Architected rapid application development is a framework of procedures and practices that are designed for quick and efficient application (Windows/Web) development. It is a set of tools that help the developers writing the same codes again and again for general functionalities in an application. This helps organizations build applications based on already defined templates which can be used and reused by coders to save time and energy in writing the same piece of code for functions again and again for various functionalities within the app. This tool also helps in updating and upgrading the applications fairly quickly and easily.


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Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, with rates that show considerable geographic variation. The major etiological factors associated with the development of HCC are chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Several environmental factors, including aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a dietary mold contaminant, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), ubiquitous pollutants, are also associated with HCC incidence. Data have come from studies monitoring exposure by the measurement of urinary levels of aflatoxin metabolites and excised AFB1-guanine adducts,1, 2 AFB1-Alb adducts in plasma1, 3 and AFB1-, 4ABP- and PAH-DNA adducts in liver tissues.4, 5 The measurement of AFB1-Alb adducts has been used as a surrogate for DNA adducts when liver tissue is not available. While a correlation between AFB1 adducts in liver DNA and blood albumin was demonstrated in rats,6 no data in humans are available. To determine whether there is a correlation for both AFB1 and PAH between the liver DNA adducts and blood albumin adducts, paired samples were obtained from HCC cases in Taiwan and analyzed by immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively.
As with other cancers, the development of HCC is a complex, multistep process.7 The molecular pathogenesis of HCC appears to involve multiple genetic aberrations in the molecular control of hepatocyte proliferation, differentiation and death, and the maintenance of genomic integrity. This process is influenced by the cumulative activation and inactivation of oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and other genes. p53, a tumor suppressor gene, is the most frequently mutated gene in human cancers. There is also a striking sequence-specific binding and induction of mutations by AFB1 at codon 249 of p53 in HCC.8, 9, 10, 11
Epigenetic alterations are also involved in cancer development and progression.12, 13, 14 Methylation of promoter CpG islands is known to inhibit transcriptional initiation and cause permanent silencing of downstream genes. It is now known that the most important tumor suppressor genes are inactivated, not only by mutations and deletions but also by promoter methylation. Several studies indicated that p16,15, 16, 17p15,18RASSF1A,19MGMT20 and GSTP121, 22 promoter hypermethylation are prevalent in HCC. In addition, geographic variation in the methylation status of tumor DNA indicates that environmental factors may influence the frequent and concordant degree of hypermethylation in multiple genes in HCC and that epigenetic–environmental interactions may be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis.19, 23
DNA, isolated from serum or plasma of cancer patients, frequently contains the same genetic and epigenetic aberrations as DNA isolated from an individual's tumor.24, 25, 26, 27 The process by which tumor DNA is released into the circulating blood is unclear, but may result from accelerated necrosis, apoptosis or other processes.28 In previous studies, p53 mutation and p16 promoter hypermethylation have been detected in paired tumor and plasma of HCC26, 27 and were also measured in this study. In addition, relationships between the markers in tissue and plasma from the same HCC patient were investigated. Our goal is to develop biomarkers, using plasma, that will assist in the early detection of HCC.
Patient population and data on clinical parameters
The study population consisted of 40 frozen dissected tumor tissues and 39 paired plasma samples of HCC patients, collected at the Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital. Informed consent was obtained from patients, and the study was approved by the appropriate institutional review committees. Demographic data, clinicopathologic characteristics' obtained from hospital charts, and HBV and HCV status, determined by immunoassay, are presented in Table I.
Table I. Demographics, HCV Status, HBsAg Status and Tumor Characteristics of HCC Cases
Immunohistochemical detection of AFB1- and PAH-DNA adducts in paraffin-embedded sections
Detection of AFB1-DNA adducts in 5 μm paraffin-embedded sections was carried out, basically, as described previously,4 using monoclonal antibody 6A10, which recognizes imidazole ring-opened guanine adducts. Slides were incubated at room temperature for 2 hr in 15 mM Na2CO3, 30 mM NaHCO3 (pH 9.6) to ring-open the guanine adducts. Peroxidase staining was performed using Vectastain and diaminobenzidine kits (ABC Elite and DAB Kits, Vector Laboratories, Burlingame, CA). Sensitivity was increased by further staining with 0.125% silver nitrate (Eastman Kodak, Rochester, NY) in 1.5% hexamethylene–tetramine (Sigma Diagnostics, St. Louis, MO) for 2 min. The following categories were used for scoring: intensity of staining, none (0), mild (1), moderate (2), strong (3) and percentage of positive staining, <5% (0), 5–25% (1), 25–50% (2), >50% (3). Combining intensity and percentage resulted in the following scores: 0–2 = low, 3, 4 = moderate, 5, 6 = high. Categories reflect levels of staining only observed in tumor hepatocytes. A normal human liver tissue section from the U.S.A. and a slide of smeared human lymphocytes treated in vitro with AFB1 were used as negative and positive controls, respectively, and were stained with each batch of slides.
Detection of PAH-DNA adducts was carried out, basically, as described previously,5 using monoclonal antibody 5D11 generated against benzo[a]pyrene diol epoxide (BPDE)-modified DNA.29 This antibody significantly crossreacts with DNA, modified by the diol epoxides of structurally related PAH. ABC staining was performed as earlier, but without silver nitrate, and also scored as low, moderate and high as mentioned earlier. Human lymphocytes treated with or without BPDE were used as positive and negative controls and stained with each batch of slides.
Quantitation of AFB1- and PAH-Alb adducts in plasma
Albumin was isolated from plasma, essentially, as described previously.1 A competitive ELISA, using polyclonal antiserum No. 7, was used to determine the level of AFB1-Alb adducts after enzymatic digestion of albumin.1 Two control samples were analyzed with each batch of sera, a pooled sample of plasma from nonsmoking U.S.A. subjects and a positive control of plasma from a rat treated with 1.5 mg AFB1.
PAH-Alb adducts were determined after acid release of BPDE tetrols and other PAH metabolites by competitive ELISA, using monoclonal antibody 8E11, essentially, as previously described.30 The pooled U.S.A. plasma sample was used for quality control. In both assays, samples were assayed by duplicate analysis in duplicate wells, and samples with <20% inhibition were considered nondetectable and assigned a value of 1 fmol/μg for AFB1-Alb and 150 fmol/μg for PAH-Alb.
DNA was isolated from frozen tissue samples, as previously described.31 Briefly, tissue was placed in liquid nitrogen and pulverized with a blender. The tissue powder was lysed with a DNA lysing buffer (10 mM Tris, 10 mM NaCl, 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate at pH 7.9, and 200 μg/ml, proteinase K). DNA was isolated by RNase treatment, phenol/chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation. DNA was isolated from 200 μl of plasma by using QIAamp DNA Blood Mini Kits (Qiagen, Stanford Valencia, CA).
p53 mutation detection
Mutations in exons 5–8 of p53 were detected by DNA sequencing, using an ABI 3100 capillary sequencer. DNA (25 ng) from both tumor tissue and plasma was amplified using the following primers and PCR conditions: exon 5, forward primer ATC TGT TCA CTT GTG CCC TG, reverse primer AAC CAG CCC TGT CGT CTC TC, amplification at 95°C for 15 min, 35 cycles of 94°C for 30 sec, 58°C for 30 sec and 72°C for 30 sec, respectively. Exon 6, forward primer AGG GTC CCC AGG CCT CTG AT, reverse primer CAC CCT TAA CCC CTC CTC CC, amplification at 95°C for 15 min, 35 cycles of 94°C for 30 sec, 61°C for 30 sec and 72°C for 30 sec, respectively. Exon 7, forward primer CCA AGG CGC ACT GGC CTC ATC, reverse primer CAG AGG CTG GGG CAC AGC AGG, amplification at 95°C for 15 min, 35 cycles of 94°C for 30 sec, 66°C for 30 sec and 72°C for 30 sec, respectively. Exon 8, forward primer TTC CTT ACT GCC TCT TGC TT, reverse primer TGT CCT GCT TGC TTA CCT CG, amplification at 95°C for 15 min, 35 cycles of 94°C for 30 sec, 55°C for 30 sec and 72°C for 30 sec, respectively. Before sequencing, PCR products were purified using a MinElute PCR Purification kit (Qiagen). Samples with mutations were resequenced, to rule out the possibility of artifacts. Standard sequencing methods are reported to have a sensitivity for detection of an altered base, when it is present at a level of 10% (Applied Biosystems).
Immunohistochemistry for mutant p53 protein
Five micrometers of paraffin-embedded sections of tumor tissue were stained for p53 protein, using monoclonal antibody NCL-p53-DO7 (Novocastra Laboratories, Burlingame, CA). After deparaffinization and rehydration in graded ethanol, the slides were immersed in 10 mM citric acid (pH 6.0) and microwaved for 10 min at 400 W. Staining was carried out according to the manufacturer's instructions: primary antibody (1:100 dilution) was added, and sections were incubated overnight at 4°C, followed by adding a secondary antibody and ABC reagent and DAB (Vector Laboratories). Slides were counterstained with Harris Hematoxylin (Sigma). Samples were considered positive if >5% of cells were stained. Lung cancer tissues with or without mutant p53 protein were used as positive and negative controls.
Analysis of p16 hypermethylation–methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction
Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was carried out, essentially, as described previously,32 and was based on the principle that treating DNA with sodium bisulfite results in the conversion of unmethylated cytosine residues into uracil. Thus, the sequence of the treated DNA will differ if the DNA is originally methylated versus unmethylated, and is then distinguishable by sequence-specific PCR primers. Bisulfite modification of both tissue and plasma DNA was conducted with the CpGnome DNA Modification Kit (Chemicon International, Temecula, CA). Bisulfite-treated DNA was amplified with primers for the methylated p16 sequence. As a quality control for the bisulfite modification process, all bisulfite-treated DNA were also amplified with primers specific for the unmethylated p16 sequence. PCR was conducted with the CpGWIZ p16 Amplification Kit (Chemicon International) and AmpliTaq Gold Polymerase (Perkin-Elmer, Norwalk, CT) and a total of 40 cycles. The thermal profile consisted of an initial denaturation step of 95°C for 10 min, followed by repetitions of 95°C for 45 sec, 60°C for 45 sec, and 72°C for 60 sec, with a final extension step of 72°C for 10 min. PCR products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. The methylated DNA control, from CpGnome Amplification Kit, was used as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control.
We initially conducted F-tests, using ANOVA, to evaluate the differences in mean albumin adducts across different levels of DNA adducts in the tumor tissues. Multiple linear regression models were then used to examine the relationship between albumin adducts and DNA adducts by testing the difference in mean of AFB1- and PAH-Alb adducts, comparing (1) medium level to low level and (2) high level to low level of AFB1- and PAH-DNA adducts in tumor tissues, respectively. Trend tests were performed by fitting the model with a single ordinal variable, indicating levels of AFB1- and PAH-DNA adducts in tumor tissues. Pairing of tumor tissue and plasma for the same subject was controlled in the analysis. χ2 tests were performed to evaluate the agreement of p53 mutation and p16 promoter hypermethylation status between the tissue and plasma DNA samples. In addition, we evaluated the associations of AFB1- and PAH-Alb adducts with HBV status, p53 mutation and p16 promoter hypermethylation. All the analyses were performed using statistical analysis software (SAS 8.0).
AFB1- and PAH-DNA and albumin adducts in paired samples
AFB1 and PAH exposure was assessed by measuring AFB1- and PAH-DNA adducts in HCC tumor tissues by immunoperoxidase staining and albumin adducts in plasma, by ELISA. Representative stainings of high (a) and low (b) tumors for AFB1-DNA and PAH-DNA are given in Figures 1 and 2, respectively. Staining intensity, categorized as low, moderate or high, is given in Table II, as are the data on AFB1- and PAH-Alb adducts. The DNA-Alb adduct correlations for both AFB1 and PAH are given in Table III. Subjects with high levels of AFB1-DNA adducts in tumor tissues have higher values of AFB1-Alb adducts compared with subjects with low levels of AFB1-DNA adducts in tumor tissues (p = 0.06). AFB1-Alb adducts in subjects with low, moderate and high levels of AFB1-DNA adducts in tumor tissues were 51.0 ± 36.5, 70.5 ± 48.1 and 84.9 ± 48.2 fmol/mg, respectively (ptrend = 0.05). For PAH-Alb, the corresponding values were 170 ± 56, 156 ± 20 and 235 ± 180 fmol/mg, respectively (ptrend = 0.36).
Table II. AFB1- and PAH-DNA Adducts in Liver Tissue, AFB1- and PAH-Alb Adducts in Plasma, Mutant p53 Protein and p53 Gene Mutations, and p16 Methylation Status in Liver Tissues and Plasma DNA of HCC Cases
Pairing of tumor tissue and plasma for the same subject was controlled in the analysis.
Level of adducts in plasma was treated as a dependent variable, and levels of DNA adducts in tumor tissues was an independent variable (0, 1, 2).
Levels of AFB1-DNA adducts in tumor tissues
51.0 ± 36.5
70.5 ± 48.1
24.0 ± 16.8
84.9 ± 48.2
38.3 ± 20.2
Levels of PAH-DNA adducts in tumor tissues
170 ± 56
156 ± 20
−24 ± 32
235 ± 180
53 ± 39
p53 mutations in HCC tissue and plasma DNA samples
Data on mutant p53 protein by immunohistochemistry and p53 gene mutations, by sequencing the tumors, are given in Table II. Fourteen of 40 (35%) tissues were positive for mutant p53 protein, as ascertained by immunohistochemistry and 11 of 40 (28%) for DNA mutation, as assessed by direct sequencing. A representative DNA sequencing analysis for a tumor with a mutation in p53 is shown in Figure 3. Five samples were positive for mutations by immunohistochemistry but not by sequencing, and 2 samples containing gene mutations were negative by immunohistochemistry. The agreement between sequencing and immunohistochemistry was 83% (p < 0.01). The majority of mutations were located in exon 7 (5 of 11); 3 of 5 mutations were G:C→A:T transitions at codon 245. A codon 249 mutation was found. The distribution of mutations at exons 5, 6 and 8 were 1, 3 and 2, respectively. When DNA isolated from plasma was sequenced, no p53 mutations were detected.
p16 promoter hypermethylation in HCC tissue and plasma DNA samples
Methylation of the promoter region of p16, determined by MSP, was frequent in the HCC tumors with 25 of 40 (63%) samples positive (Table II). A representative example of the MSP analysis is shown in Figure 4. DNA isolated from the plasma of 39 subjects was also tested for p16 promoter methylation of which 12 (31%) samples were positive (Table II). For 13 subjects whose tumor DNA was positive for p16 promoter hypermethylation, plasma DNA was negative. One subject with a p16 negative tumor was positive for plasma hypermethylation. The agreement between tissue and plasma DNA was 66% (p = 0.01).
AFB1- and PAH-Alb adducts, HBV status, p53 mutation and p16 promoter hypermethylation
AFB1-Alb adduct levels did not vary by HBV status, but were higher in subjects with p53 mutations (86.9 ± 45.6 fmol/mg) than in those without mutations (54.6 ± 40.2, p = 0.03) (Table IV). Plasma DNA p16 hypermethylation was also associated with higher levels of AFB1-Alb adducts. AFB1-Alb adduct levels were 87.7 ± 52.6 and 53.0 ± 35.0 fmol/mg in those with or without p16 plasma DNA methylation, respectively (p = 0.02). There was no association of AFB1-Alb adducts with p16 methylation in the tumors. PAH-Alb adducts were not associated with HBV status, p53 alterations or p16 methylation.
Table IV. Associations of AFB1- and PAH-Alb Adducts in Plasma with HBV, p53 Mutation, p16 Methylation Status
Many chemical carcinogens can bind to DNA, RNA and protein to form adducts. The measurement of DNA and protein adducts has been used to monitor carcinogen exposure and provides relatively precise dosimetry. Protein adduct formation is considered to be a valuable surrogate for DNA adduct formation, since in animal models, many chemical carcinogens bind to both DNA and protein in blood with similar dose–response kinetics.33, 34 AFB1-Alb adducts have been detected in peripheral blood of both animals and humans exposed to aflatoxin. As with DNA adducts, there is a linear dose–response relationship, following aflatoxin exposure in rats.35, 36 Furthermore, with multiple exposure, adducts accumulate and reach a plateau. However, alterations in metabolism and repair of DNA damage may occur in tumors. For example, interference of the HBxAg of HBV with the host's repair system could cause slower repair9. Thus, the level of adducts may not always directly correlate with the level of exposure.
Although blood protein adducts have been used extensively as biomarkers of exposure, little information is available on their correlation with DNA adducts in the target tissue in humans.37 Our results indicate that there is a good correlation between AFB1-Alb in blood and AFB1-DNA adducts in liver tumors. While there was a significant association between AFB1-DNA adducts level in tissues and albumin-adducts in plasma, discordant results were found in some cases (Table II). There are several possibilities for this discordance. The half-life for albumin may be different from the life span of DNA adducts in liver tissue. Thus, the single time point for collecting the samples may result in adducts being influenced by recent exposures that may vary among subjects. Many of the tissue samples were small and may not adequately represent adduct formation throughout the tissue, limiting the data on detection of DNA adducts. For PAH, although the highest albumin adducts were in those with the highest liver DNA adducts, the relationship was not statistically significant probably because of the small sample size and the low percentage of subjects with high adduct levels.
Our previous studies have supported a role for aflatoxin in HCC in Taiwan; 80% of HCC cases had detectable AFB1-DNA adducts in liver tissue compared to 43% of controls.4 Detectable AFB1-Alb adducts were present in 59.6% of cases and 34.4% of controls in a case-control study, nested in a cancer screening study.1 In the present study, moderate and high levels of AFB1-DNA adducts were detected in 20 (56%) HCC tumor tissues, a level within the range of our previous studies (53–80%).4, 38, 39
Epidemiological study suggested that cigarette smoking is a risk factor for HCC.40 Our prior study demonstrated an association between PAH-DNA adducts and HCC.5 In the present study, moderate and high levels of PAH-DNA adducts were detected in 16 (43%) HCC tumor tissues, lower than our prior study (75%). This result may reflect differences in exposure to PAH between the 2 sets of patients.
Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene are found in more than 50% of human cancers, and distinct mutational spectra have been observed for different cancer types.41 A selective mutation in codon 249 has been identified as a “hotspot” mutation in HCC, occurring in populations exposed to AFB1.42, 43 In recent years, the p53 codon 249 mutation has also been detected in plasma DNA of HCC patients.27, 44, 45, 46 For example, among 20 paired tumors and plasma from HCC cases, 11 tumors contained the codon 249 mutation, and this mutation was also detected in 6 of the paired plasma samples.27 In the present study, 14/40 (35%) tissues were positive for mutant p53 protein, as ascertained by immunohistochemistry and 11/40 (28%) for p53 gene mutations. These results are consistent with our previous study in Taiwan.4 However, in contrast with our prior study in which codon 249 mutations were 40% of the total mutations found, only one codon 249 mutation was found in the present study. Perhaps, in these recently collected samples, exposure to AFB1 is lower than in the past. In addition, this more diverse spectrum of p53 mutations may be related to other environmental factors, such as HBV infection and carcinogen (e.g., PAH) exposure. Unfortunately, using direct sequencing of plasma DNA, we were unable to identify any samples containing p53 mutations. Previous studies of HCC specifically looked for codon 249 mutations, using mass spectroscopy,27 by digestion with a restriction enzyme to enrich the sample for mutant DNA. The latter method is not possible for all the noncodon 249 mutations found in this study. Studies in breast cancer have been able to detect mutant p53 in plasma DNA, but only after isolation of the PCR product from the gel.47 We attempted allele-specific PCR for detection of mutations as described,48 but found that the method was not specific. Since the goal of our work was to determine a method that could be used for screening relatively large numbers of samples, we did not pursue alternate methodologies.
In this study, 25 of 40 tumor samples (62%) were positive for p16 methylation by MSP (Table II), consistent with previous frequencies of 42–73%.15, 16, 17 Analysis of DNA from the available 39 plasma samples found 12/39 (30%) positive, lower than a previous study (72%),26 in which only 22 HCC cases were analyzed. These results suggest that further testing of p16 methylation as a biomarker of disease is appropriate. We are in the process of using blood collected in a nested case-control study, to determine the specificity and sensitivity of p16 plasma DNA methylation, for early detection of HCC.
A statistically significant correlation was found between AFB1-Alb adducts and p16 plasma DNA hypermethylation (p = 0.02) and p53 mutations (p = 0.05). These observations are consistent with our previous studies, which demonstrated significant correlations between AFB1-DNA adducts and methylation in RASSF1A,19MGMT20 and GSTP122 and p53 mutations,4 and provide further evidence that gene-environment and epigenetic–environment interactions may play important roles in the development of HCC.
In summary, this is the first study to detect adducts in paired liver tissue and plasma samples in humans. We observed a good correlation between AFB1-DNA adducts in liver tissue and albumin adducts in blood, providing support for the use of albumin adducts as a marker of exposure to AFB1 in studies investigating the role of environmental exposures on liver cancer risk. In addition, the use of serum or plasma DNA methylation analysis is a promising tool for studying the pathological basis of HCC. Blood samples can be used to detect genetic and epigenetic alterations in tumors as well as the adducts of chemical carcinogens, and may permit high-throughput screening for HCC at an early and potentially resectable stage. However, the sensitivity and specificity of HCC detection, using serum or plasma DNA samples, and thus the clinical utility of a test based on plasma DNA, remain uncertain at the present time.


Essential Things to Understand About Variable Frequency Drives
You will find that for the electric motor uses there are some specific terms that you might hear from time-to-time such as Variable Frequency Drive. You might have heard the term Variable Frequency Drive and you do wonder what it might mean to you. To find the true meaning of the Variable Frequency Drive will be a relevant thing for you to consider.
The Variable Frequency Drive is a special kind of the motor controller which drives the electric motor by varying its frequency and also the amount of voltage. The names of Variable Frequency Drive vary from one place to the other and knowing the kind of the name that you can get the same from your area will be a crucial thing as it will guide you through the purchase process.
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To know the right experts in the Variable Frequency Drives will be helpful for your purchase activities as you will see below. To use the right manufacturer will help you source the right drives that you want for your industrial electric motors. For the professional operations, you will note that the best producer will make sure that you will get the items that you can depend on for your electric motor control activities.
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In your company you can add the right Variable Frequency Drives as they will help in regulating the electric motors and that way you will achieve the top levels of efficiencies that will suit your operations.


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The City of Calgary has issued a state of local emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The announcement was made Sunday in an attempt “to support the Province of Alberta’s efforts to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the city said in a news release.
The move gives the city increased powers to do what is necessary “to help flatten the curve,” Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said on Twitter.
Facilities will be ordered to ensure events are no larger than 250 people to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus.
This means several public places, including the Calgary Public Library, recreation facilities and city-owned places, will be closed until further notice.
The following facilities will also be shut down for now:
- Remington YMCA at Quarry Park
- Great Plains Recreation Facility
- Shane Homes YMCA at Rocky Ridge
- Brookfield YMCA at Seton
- Westside Recreation Centre
- Melcor YMCA at Crowfoot
- Shawnessy YMCA
- Saddletowne YMCA
- Cardel Rec South (includes South Fish Creek Rec Association)
- Vivo Centre for Healthier Generations
- Genesis Centre (includes NECCS)
- Trico Centre for Family Wellness
- Repsol Centre
Grocery stores, airports, shopping centres, pharmacies and casinos will remain open for the time being, the city said in a statement.
As of Monday morning, there are 56 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Alberta, provincial health officials say. All licensed child-care facilities, out-of-school care programs and pre-school programs have already been closed.
Students from kindergarten to Grade 12 are also being told to stay home for the time being.
There’s been evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in the province, according to officials. Seven cases occurred from a single gathering in the Calgary area, the province said. However, it still says the risk of exposure is low.
“In the coming days, additional actions may be required,” the province said on its coronavirus website.
As of March 15, more than 8,800 coronavirus tests have been completed in Alberta, according to the province.
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