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HOME > Research Results > 2015 > Development of a Technology to Eliminate Tumorigenic Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Embryonic Stem Cells from Transplanting Cells
Update(MM/DD/YYYY):09/07/2015
Development of a Technology to Eliminate Tumorigenic Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Embryonic Stem Cells from Transplanting Cells
- Can reduce tumorigenicity risks in regenerative medicine -
(Translation of AIST press release on April 10, 2015)
Lectin that specifically binds to human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells was fused with a toxin.
Human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells can be selectively eliminated by simple addition of the fusion protein to culture medium.
This technology is expected to improve the safety of regenerative medicine using human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells.
Hiroaki Tateno (Senior Researcher) and Jun Hirabayashi (Prime Senior Researcher) of the Biotechnology Research Institute for Drug Discovery (BRIDD; Director: Masanao Oda), the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST; President: Ryoji Chubachi), and Yasuko Onuma (Senior Researcher) and Yuzuru Ito (Leader) of Stem Cell Engineering Research Group, BRIDD, AIST, in collaboration with Life Science Research Laboratories, Development Headquarters I, Division of Laboratory Specialty Chemicals of Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. (President and CEO: Shinzo Kobatake), have developed a technology to eliminate human induced pluripotent stem cells and embryonic stem cells (hiPSCs/ESCs), which might be tumorigenic, from transplanting cells.
Transplanting cells, which are generated by differentiation of hiPSCs/ESCs, may contain residual hiPSCs/ESCs that did not differentiate. These hiPSCs/ESCs have the potential to be tumorigenic, which is a large barrier to applying the hiPSC/ESC-based techniques to regenerative medicine. The developed technology, however, can efficiently eliminate residual hiPSCs/ESCs in transplanting cells, and is therefore expected to improve the safety of regenerative medicine using transplanting cells generated from hiPSCs/ESCs.
Details of this technology were published online in an American scientific journal, Stem Cell Reports, on April 9, 2015 (US Eastern Time).
Summary of the technology to eliminate potentially tumorigenic hiPSCs/ESCs from transplanting cells
Social Background of Research
hiPSCs/ESCs have the potential to proliferate indefinitely (self-renewal) and to differentiate into any cell type, such as cardiomyocytes or neurons (pluripotency); therefore, society has high expectations that they will be a cell source for regenerative medicine that may completely cure various diseases. It is difficult, however, to differentiate all hiPSCs/ESCs into a target cell type, and in some cases, a certain number of undifferentiated hiPSCs/ESCs may remain. Because these cells might form tumors when transplanted into a patient, it is necessary to eliminate them before the transplantation. In the conventional technology commonly used for this purpose, transplanting cells are separated into single cells and then residual hiPSCs/ESCs are eliminated from them using special equipment called a cell sorter. However, this technology has some problems, e.g., it cannot be applied to a cell sheet, etc.; its processing speed is slow; and it may harm the survival of the transplanting cells. To resolve these issues, a safe, reliable, and easy technology to eliminate hiPSCs/ESCs remaining in transplanting cells is required.
History of Research
AIST has developed lectin microarrays as a technology to enable the rapid and highly sensitive analysis of glycans that cover the cell surface in high density. In recent years, in particular, AIST has been working on the development of technologies for quality assessment and selection of stem cells by comprehensive analysis of the glycans on the hiPSC/ESC surface using lectin microarrays (AIST research result announced on June 22, 2011). As a result, AIST found that one of the lectins (carbohydrate-binding proteins), rBC2LCN, specifically binds to hiPSCs/ESCs, and in collaboration with Wako Pure Chemical Industries then developed a reagent that can stain live hiPSCs/ESCs using the binding ability of rBC2LCN. In addition, the analysis of the binding mechanism of rBC2LCN to hiPSCs/ESCs demonstrated that rBC2LCN binds to a specific O-glycan on a glycoprotein, podocalyxin (AIST press release on March 19, 2013). Subsequent research revealed that podocalyxin is secreted into the culture medium by various types of hiPSCs/ESCs. Based on this finding, AIST has developed a technology to easily detect hiPSCs/ESCs remaining in transplanting cells using cell culture medium (AIST research result announced on February 17, 2014).
This research and development was conducted as collaborative research between AIST and Wako Pure Chemical Industries (from FY2011) funded by the company.
Details of Research
In this research, it was found that rBC2LCN is internalized into hiPSCs/ESCs after binding to them. Based on this finding, the researchers developed a recombinant lectin-toxin fusion protein, in which the C-terminal of rBC2LCN is fused with Pseudomonas aeruginosa exotoxin, which induces cell death by inhibiting protein synthesis when internalized into cells.
Figure 1 shows microscopic images of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) 24 hours after being treated with the purified lectin-toxin fusion protein. The cytosol of live cells and the nuclei of dead cells are stained by a green fluorescent substance and a red one, respectively. When the culture medium did not contain the lectin-toxin fusion protein (0 µg/mL), many hiPSCs attached to the culture dish and were detectable with green fluorescence, but not red fluorescence, suggesting that most of the hiPSCs were alive.
On the other hand, when the culture medium contained 10 µg/mL lectin-toxin fusion protein, most cells lost the ability to attach to the culture dish and floated in the culture medium. Even a small number of cells that attached to the dish displayed red fluorescence, which indicates only dead cells. This result suggested that most of the hiPSCs were dead. The same effect was observed in human embryonic stem cells that were treated with the lectin-toxin fusion protein. These results demonstrated that the newly developed lectin-toxin fusion protein can efficiently eliminate various types of undifferentiated hiPSCs/ESCs.
Figure 1: Effect of lectin-toxin fusion protein on hiPSCs
Phase contrast (left), green fluorescence (middle), and red fluorescence (right) show actual cell shapes, live cells, and dead cells, respectively.
To investigate an effect on differentiated cells, the lectin-toxin fusion protein (10 µg/mL) was used to treat retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated hiPSCs, dermal fibroblasts, and adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells. Almost all cells displayed green fluorescence, but not red fluorescence, indicating that the differentiated cells were alive (Fig. 2). This result suggested that the lectin-toxin fusion protein selectively eliminates undifferentiated hiPSCs/ESCs without affecting the proliferation and survival of differentiated somatic cells.
The developed lectin-toxin fusion protein can selectively eliminate undifferentiated hiPSCs/ESCs without affecting differentiated cells in culture by simple addition of the protein to culture medium without pretreatment of the cells, such as disassociation, and it can be used for large amounts of cells and cell sheets. It is expected to be utilized in various applications, including the generation of transplanting cells for regenerative medicine and cell preparation for drug discovery screening.
Figure 2: Effect of lectin-toxin fusion protein on differentiated cells
The lectin-toxin fusion protein is planned to be put into practical use within one year as a reagent to eliminate hiPSCs/ESCs. The researchers will contribute to improving the safety of regenerative medicine using transplanting cells generated from hiPSCs/ESCs by evaluating whether the fusion protein can be applied to cells for regenerative medicine, such as cardiomyocytes or neurons derived from hiPSCs.


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Kamfer of 1,7,7-trimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptaan-2-on vormt witte tot transparante, wasachtige kristallen met een karakteristieke frisse geur die door veel mensen als zeer aangenaam wordt ervaren. Kamfer hoort tot de klasse van de terpenen en heeft een brutoformule van C10H16O. De stof komt voor in het hout van de kamferboom (Cinnamonum camphora), een grote, groenblijvende boom uit Azië, evenals in enkele verwante boomsoorten uit de laurierfamilie, met name Ocotea usambarensis. De stof kan gesynthetiseerd worden uit terpentijnolie. De stof wordt vooral om zijn geur en om medicinale redenen gebruikt.

Etymologie
Het woord "kamfer" is afgeleid van het Franse woord "camphre", dat zelf weer een verbastering is (via middeleeuws Latijn camfora en het Arabische kafur en uiteindelijk Sanskriet karpūra) uit het Maleis kapur Barus, met de betekenis "krijt van Barus". Maleisische handelaren van wie kooplieden uit het Midden-Oosten en Europa de kamfer betrokken noemden de stof kapur, "krijt" vanwege zijn witte kleur. Barus was een haven aan de westkust van het Indonesische eiland Sumatra waar buitenlandse kooplui de kamfer insloegen. In de Indische taal Sanskriet wordt 'karpooram' gebruikt om kamfer aan te duiden. Via het Sanskriet is het woord in de talen van naburige volkeren terechtgekomen, zoals het Tamil en het hedendaagse Maleis. Soms worden andere natuurlijke producten van bomen foutief onder de naam "kamfer" verkocht.

Traditionele winning
De kamfer wordt verkregen door het hout van de kamferboom in water te koken, en het daarna te destilleren. Dit gebeurde in een kamferstokerij, ook kamferraffinaderij genaamd. De kamferboom groeit voornamelijk in Azië, veel in China, Taiwan en het Indonesische eiland Borneo.

Industriële productie
Kamfer werd voor het eerst in het laboratorium gemaakt door Gustaf Komppa in 1903. Meestal was de laboratoriumsynthese niet meer dan het structuurbewijs van de betreffende verbinding. Voor kamfer gold dit niet: wereldwijd was er grote vraag naar de stof terwijl de natuurlijke bronnen beperkt waren. De synthese van kamfer was de eerste industriële totaalsynthese van een natuurproduct. De eigenlijke productie startte in 1907 in Tainionkoski, Finland.

Norkamfer
Norkamfer is een kamferderivaat, waarbij de drie methylgroepen vervangen zijn door waterstof.

Toepassingen
Het moderne gebruik van kamfer is gevarieerd:
 als weekmaker voor nitrocellulose
 in mottenballen
 desinfectiemiddel
 bij het proces van balsemen
 vuurwerk.
 Kamferkristallen worden ook gebruikt om verzamelingen van insecten te beschermen tegen beschadiging door kleine (andere) insecten.
 In een anti-jeukzalf wordt kamfer toegepast als de actieve component.
 In het verlengde van de vorige toepassing komt kamfer ook soms als medicijn voor. Kamfer wordt snel door de huid opgenomen en geeft een met menthol vergelijkbare koele sensatie en werkt lokaal licht verdovend en het is een tegen ziekteverwekkers gericht middel.
 Ter voorbehandeling van de voeten om eeltvorming te bevorderen als men lange wandeltochten wil maken. Hiervoor is een alcohol-oplossing op de markt.
 Kamfer werkt ook libido-onderdrukkend.
 In lippenbalsem
 In kleine hoeveelheden (50 mg) werd het soms oraal toegediend ter bestrijding van milde hart- en vermoeidheidsproblemen. In de moderne geneeskunde vindt het inwendig geen toepassing.
 Kamfer wordt als smaakmaker in snoepjes gebruikt, zowel in India als Europa. Mogelijk is kamfer in een ijsco-achtige versnapering gebruikt in China gedurende de Tang-dynastie (A.D. 618-907).

In Hindoeïstische poojas wordt kamfer gebruikt om het vuur voor aarti aan te steken.

Toxicologie
In grotere hoeveelheden is kamfer giftig. De verschijnselen kunnen variëren van epilepsie-achtige aanvallen, verwarring, geïrriteerdheid tot verhoogde spierspanning en krampen. In 1980 is in de Verenigde Staten door de FDA een bovengrens gesteld aan het gehalte kamfer in consumenten-artikelen. Vrij verkrijgbare artikelen mogen niet meer dan 11% kamfer bevatten. Een aantal producten werd geheel verboden. Omdat er alternatieve behandelingsmethoden bestaan wordt het gebruik van kamfer, met uitzondering van dat voor huidsmeersels, in de Verenigde Staten door de FDA ontmoedigd.

Reacties
Typische reacties van kamfer zijn:
 bromering

 oxidatie met salpeterzuur

 omzetting naar isonitrosokamfer

 Kamfer kan gereduceerd worden met natriumboorhydride tot isoborneol.

Biosynthese
De biosynthese van kamfer gaat uit van geranylpyrofosfaat, via cyclisatie van linaloylpyrofosfaat tot bornylpyrofosfaat. De laatste stappen worden gevormd door de hydrolyse van het pyrofosfaat tot vrij borneol en de oxidatie ervan tot kamfer.

Zie ook
 Kamferspiritus

Ontsmettingsmiddel
Dermatologisch preparaat
Weekmaker
Terpeen
Keton
Bicyclische verbinding
Ontvlambare stof

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Why is it hard for most people to lose weight? I've got five good reasons.
The foods we eat have a direct influence on our hormones. The hormones that affect weight loss include insulin (fat-storing), ghrelin (appetite increaser), leptin (appetite reducer) and PPY (causes a feeling of fullness) to name a few.
Where to begin: Begin to take note if particular foods cause you to be hungry a short time after consumption.
Sometimes we eat out of habit and not hunger. These routine eating behaviors often happen without much thought whatsoever.
Where to begin: For one day, take note of when you eat and why. Are you eating just because it's a certain time?
It is no secret that some people eat when they are feeling stress. Others eat when they feel anger, sadness or fear.
Where to begin: When you feel emotional, note if that emotion triggers an automatic response to reach for a bag of cookies.
Are there certain people in your life that are associated with particular foods? For example, do you frequently consume sugary coffee drinks and pastries with one of your friends? Maybe it is the social beer and pizza that happens on Saturday night? Do any of your friends taunt you into consuming foods with them?
Where to begin: Take note if the "occasional" beer and pizza night is really two or three times per month – or more. Also take note if you are eating and drinking because someone else is putting pressure on you.
It is nearly impossible to resist a bowl of candy, a plate of cookies or an open bag of chips that sit on a countertop. Every time you pass the counter, there they are inviting you to partake. This visual que stimulates a response to eat. You might even be tricked into thinking you're hungry.
Restock your cupboard with the long list of Fat-Burning foods found in the book.
These certainly aren't the only reasons weight loss is hard – but – armed with awareness, strategies to overcome the challenges and support, I'm know you can succeed. I'll cover more strategies in upcoming columns.
Will a Ketone Drink Make My Fat-Burning Machine Work Faster?
Is corn okay, if it's organic?


Complete; perfect; final; without any condition or incumbrance; as an absolute bond in distinction from a conditional bond. Unconditional; complete and perfect in itself; without relation to or dependence on other things or persons.
Free from conditions, limitations or qualifications, not dependent, or modified or affected by circumstances; that is, without any condition or restrictive provisions.
Absolute can be used to describe Divorce, estates, obligation, and title.
(of a court order or decree) coming into effect immediately and not liable to be modified; final.
ABSOLUTE. Without any condition or encumbrance, as an "absolute bond," simplex obligatio, in distinction from a conditional bond; an absolute estate, one that is free from all manner of condition or incumbrance. A rule is said to be absolute, when, on the hearing, it is confirmed. As to the effect of an absolute conveyance, see 1 Pow. Mortg. 125; in relation to absolute rights, 1 Chitty, Pl. 364; 1 Chitty, Pr. 32.


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La rete tranviaria di Groznyj è stato un sistema di trasporto pubblico della capitale cecena di Groznyj, composto da 6 linee e attivo tra il 1932 e il 1994.

Storia
L'inaugurazione della prima linea tranviaria è avvenuta il 5 novembre 1932 e nel corso degli anni '50 e '60 il tram divenne il principale mezzo di trasporto nella città di Groznyj.

Con la caduta dell'Unione Sovietica tra il 1990 e il 1991, la rete tranviaria subì forti disagi a causa delle manifestazioni dei lavoratori non salariati, tuttavia lo stop completo arriverà alla fine del 1994, in seguito allo scoppio della prima guerra cecena che danneggerà gravemente l'infrastruttura.

Nonostante l'intenzione di rilanciare il tram nella capitale cecena, gli impianti furono rimossi completamente entro il 2007.

Groznyj


Economists engage in two distinct, but related activities. They conduct research on economic issues, e.g. to determine cause and effect. For example, why did unemployment increase rapidly in 2008 and 2009? Economists also make policy recommendations. For example, what should the federal government do in response to the increase in unemployment?
The first type of activity is economic science, based on theories and evidence, where researchers attempt to determine how the world (or at least the economy) works. This is called positive reasoning, and the conclusions are called positive statements. A relevant conclusion might be that because the level of employment is based on production in the economy (i.e. GDP), the increase in unemployment was because of the slowdown in GDP over that time period. This slowdown has been called the Great Recession.
The second type of activity is more subjective, and is inevitably based on the researcher's values. This is called normative reasoning, and the conclusions are called normative statements. A policy recommendation could be that since unemployed workers are not earning income, government should try to stimulate demand in the economy, so unemployed workers could get back to work. A different policy recommendation could be that stimulating demand could involve running a larger federal budget deficit, which future generations would have to pay back through higher taxes, so the government shouldn't try to stimulate demand. Which of these recommendations is the right one? That depends on your subjective values.
Positive statements (and positive reasoning more generally) are objective. As such, they can be tested. These fall into two categories. One is a hypothesis, like "unemployment is caused by a decrease in GDP." This claim can be tested empirically by analyzing the data on unemployment and GDP. The other category is a statement of fact, such as "It's raining," or "Microsoft is the largest producer of computer operating systems in the world." Like hypotheses, such assertions can be shown to be correct or incorrect. A statement of fact or a hypothesis is a positive statement. Note also that positive statements can be false, but as long as they are testable, they are positive.
Figure 1. Positive statement: it's raining.
We ought to do more to help the poor.
People in the United States should save more for retirement.
Corporate profits are too high.
These statements are based on the values of the person who makes them and can't be proven false.
It's not uncommon for people to present an argument as positive, to make it more convincing to an audience, when in fact it has normative elements. Opinion pieces in newspapers or on other media are good examples of this. That's why it's important to be able to differentiate between positive and normative claims.
Watch this short video to review the distinctions between positive and normative analysis.


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gorodenkoff / iStock by Getty Images
Over-Reliance on Plea Deals is Damaging the Criminal Legal System
by Nneka Ewulonu
It's easy for the average American to envision a courtroom trial. Shows like "Law and Order" inundate us with fictional depictions of trials—from the thud of a gavel to the inquisitive eyes of a jury—with an underlying assumption that these depictions reflect reality to some degree. Unfortunately, however, trials are largely a myth in the criminal legal system. Most criminal defendants never experience the constitutional right-turned-luxury of a trial by jury: 94 percent of federal criminal convictions and 97 percent of state criminal convictions are the result of guilty plea deals.
Plea deals certainly can have benefits. They can be an opportunity for the defendant to receive a more favorable sentence than they would receive if found guilty through trial. And by forgoing trial, the resolution of the case often comes much faster than it otherwise would. But the over-reliance on plea deals does far more harm than good by making it unlikely that defendants ever face a real trial by their peers.
This reality falls short of the rights and protections defendants are constitutionally owed. The Sixth Amendment states that criminal defendants have the right to a speedy and public trial, an impartial jury, and assistance of counsel, among other rights. In the 1963 case Gideon v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court unanimously held that the Sixth Amendment requires states to provide a defense to criminal defendants who cannot afford their own counsel. Clarence Earl Gideon was accused of robbing a Florida poolroom of wine and cash but was too poor to afford a lawyer. When Gideon requested that the state appoint him one, a local judge told him that the state only appointed public defenders in death-penalty cases and denied his request.
When Gideon's case made it to the Supreme Court, his appointed lawyer gave a legendary argument, reasoning that even criminal defense attorneys hire lawyers to represent them, despite having far more institutional knowledge than the average defendant. By ruling in Gideon's favor, the Court created new and expanded pre-existing public defender programs throughout the country.
But, since then, plea deals have become the backbone of criminal defense. Despite the constitutional requirement to provide indigent defendants proper legal representation, public defense offices across the country are wildly underfunded and understaffed. One 2017 study in Louisiana found that public defenders caseloads were five times higher than the recommended workload. Similarly, public defenders in Colorado, Rhode Island, and Missouri have two to three times the recommended caseload. A report released in January 2022 by the American Bar Association suggested that Oregon only has one third the public defenders it needs. As a result, public defenders at times only have minutes to spend with each client, far less time than necessary to prepare a case for trial.
Like most of the criminal legal system, plea deals are plagued with racism and other forms of bigotry. Because the prosecution makes the first offer of a plea deal, implicit racial bias impacts the kinds of pleas offered to white defendants and defendants of color. A 2017 study by researchers at Loyola Law School Los Angeles found that white defendants charged with misdemeanors are 74 percent more likely than Black defendants to have the most serious charges—those with the risk of incarceration—dropped. Gender inequality also intersects with racial bigotry: white women tend to receive the most lenient plea treatment, according to a 2020 report by the Vera Institute of Justice.
But public defenders are often too overworked to overcome the system's bigotry. A lawsuit recently filed in Oregon alleges that the state's public defender crisis disproportionately hurts Black defendants, who are more likely to need court-appointed defense counsel. Oregon's issues are not unique.
An over-reliance on plea deals means the old adage of "innocent until proven guilty" has effectively been replaced with "innocent until pleading guilty." In fact, innocent people regularly plead guilty—different studies have estimated that at least 11 percent of criminal exonerations since 1989 came from innocent people pleading guilty to crimes they did not commit.
Perhaps the most obvious solution to this issue is prison abolition. Black and Hispanic defendants can't be at a higher risk of facing incarceration if jails and prisons did not exist. But while prison abolition remains a far-off hope, a more tangible and immediate solution starts with hiring more public defenders, reducing public defenders' caseloads, and allowing them the chance to work more intimately with their clients. Unless changes are made, bad plea deals will continue to plague our legal system, to the detriment of all of our constitutional rights.
People incarcerated in New York state prisons were forced to perform dangerous jobs for penny wages during the height of the pandemic, including asbestos abatement and removal of lead paint, according to New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision data obtained by The Intercept. [Akela Lacy / The Intercept]
The Daily News reports that Edgardo Mejias, 39, has become the 19th person to die in New York City jails this year. Mejias had been arrested for allegedly stealing perfume, and had been at Rikers Island since Oct. 2. [Graham Rayman / New York Daily News]
A Michigan judge ordered a lower court to dismiss the misdemeanor charges filed against the state's former governor, Rick Snyder, for his role in the Flint water crisis. Snyder had been charged with two counts of willful neglect of duty by a public official. [Arpan Lobo / Detroit Free Press]
Jamal Crummel developed hypothermia while detained in Pennsylvania's Dauphin County Prison. He was hospitalized for nearly a month and then returned to the same jail. Crummel developed hypothermia again and died. [Joshua Vaughn / PennLive]
The Floresville Police Department in Texas hired disgraced former San Antonio police officer Matthew Luckhurst as a reserve officer. While working in San Antonio, Luckhurst gave a homeless person a sandwich filled with dog feces. [Eric Dexheimer / San Antonio Express-News]
ICYMI — from The Appeal
Christina Lynch is trying to survive on the sex offender registry. As Lynch writes, it's nearly impossible: "Sex offender registries are debt traps that cause mass homelessness and mass incarceration."
Fourteen people detained by the Fulton County Sheriff in Georgia have died this year—more than four times the number of people who died in custody all of last year. But local leaders are considering cutting funding to a program that helps keep people out of jail.
Pieper Lewis—a teenage sex-trafficking survivor who stabbed her abuser to death in self-defense—got the "compassionate" sentence of community supervision. But, as writer Mon Mohapatra argues, "Simply being 'better than prison' is not an effective measure of justice, and it is even less so when we recognize that 'alternatives' are leading millions—like Pieper Lewis—back toward incarceration."
That's all for this week. As always, feel free to leave us some feedback, and if you want to invest in the future of The Appeal, please donate now and your donation will be tripled here.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


MANILA, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Iron ore futures in China fell more than 4 percent on Tuesday to their lowest in over four months, extending losses into a third session on expectations that slower demand will keep steel prices under pressure.
The most-traded January iron ore on the Dalian Commodity Exchange dropped as much as 4.3 percent to its weakest since July 11 at 462.50 yuan ($67) a tonne. It was down 3.7 percent at 465.50 yuan at 0215 GMT.
Spot iron ore for delivery to China SH-CCN-IRNOR62 tumbled 12.3 percent to $63.90 a tonne on Monday, the lowest since July 18 and marking the steepest fall since May 2014.
The most active January rebar on the Shanghai Futures Exchange was off 0.1 percent at 3,584 yuan a tonne. The contract touched 3,496 yuan on Monday, its lowest since June 26 and 21 percent below a seven-year peak of 4,418 yuan reached in August.


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Exclusive interview with former WBC 154 pound king Keith Mullings
James Slater - March 9, 2018
" I knew Terry Norris was afraid of me. Oscar De La Hoya wanted no part of me!" — Brooklyn warrior Keith Mullings had just 25 pro fights and a small handful of amateur bouts, yet he made a big impact on the sport nonetheless. The tough light-middleweight who began boxing whilst in the Army, shocked the world twenty years ago last year (December 6, 1997) when he TKO'd Terry Norris to capture the WBC crown.
Having had "two of three amateur fights before I was sent to The Gulf and Desert Storm," and turning pro in the summer of 1993, Mullings had experienced a lot during his time in the services – and he had a huge sense of urgency to "make the absolute most out of life" as a result. Having been "blessed" with being able to return home alive from The Middle East, Mullings was now determined to become word champion.
Here the 49 year old who walked away with a modest-looking but deceptive 16-8-1(11) record in 2001 after a shock stoppage loss to London's Steve Roberts at Wembley, recalls his career in speaking with ESB:
Q: Can I start with your biggest career win, the shocking upset KO of Terry Norris, which was twenty years ago on December 6, 1997?
Keith Mullings: "Oh, my God – all that time ago (laughs). I was a 10/1 outsider in that fight. Norris was the man, he was the pound-for-pound best at the time, whereas I had suffered some split decision losses and they looked at me as though the fight was swayed in his way in a big way. The thing is, I had sparred Roy Jones Junior a whole lot, and he always told me how my style would beat Terry Norris. Roy told me he wanted to see me fight Norris. I told Roy that after he left the 154 pound division, I set my sights on Norris.
"Every time I trained, on the bag, everything, I had Norris' face in my eyes. By the time I fought him, I had fought Norris a thousand times already! The thing is, he tried to intimidate me at the final press conference. We were nose-to-nose, forehead-to-forehead, and there were 'oohs, and aahs' from the crowd. Bob Arum had to come in a break us up. Then, as we were moved apart, I extended my hand to try and shake his hand, and he turned his back on me. So – maybe the Brooklyn bad boy came out of me – I shoved him and he stumbled and he just walked away. I knew then he was afraid of me, that the fight was mine."
Q: How tough was the fight?
K.M: "He made me raise my level, my game – a whole lot. It takes a great fighter to bring out the greatness in you. He came at me at a blazing pace. I had to keep tight, defensive, and I invested in body work, to slow him down. Look at the fight and you will see how I threw short punches, up close, hooks and straight rights. I had to wear him down. Every trick that is in the book, I had to use in that fight (laughs)."
Q: Norris was supposed to fight Oscar De La Hoya if he had beaten you. How come you ever got Oscar?
K.M: "Because De La Hoya wanted no part of me. I wanted it and I believed in my heart of hearts that I would beat him. De La Hoya had speed, but I don't think he was a great, great puncher. I think he would have come at me and been aggressive, and anyone who fought me that way, I beat them. I think I'd have retired De La Hoya. I think I'd have cut him up, bruised him badly and that I'd have stopped him in the later rounds. The big fights never seemed to come for me and I kept seeing the dollar bills fly out of the window."
Q: You feel you had a few bad decisions go against you in fights?
K.M: "The Raul Marquez fight, before I beat Norris – oh, gosh, that was the robbery of the year (Mullings losing a split decision in an IBF light-middleweight title shot). Even Norris was there for that fight, and he had me winning every round. I think Marquez had something like 77 stitches in his face after that fight. And the [Javier] Castillejo fight (Mullings' second defence of the WBC belt he had ripped from Norris), well, I should never have been over there [in Spain] in the first place. De La Hoya wanted my belt, but he didn't want to go through me to get it (De La Hoya later defeated Castillejo by decision to take the belt). That is what you could call business."
Q: What about the Winky Wright fight, which you lost via decision? How tricky was Winky?
K.M: "It wasn't so much that he was tricky, it was more that I had been off and my timing was off. He wasn't aggressive towards me at all in the fight, which I hoped he would be. That fight, it was more like a spar session. He was a nice guy. I really do wish he had come right at me. But even so, I still I think I won that fight. Look at his face and mine after the fight. He hit me with one clean punch the whole fight, all the rest was just pitter-pat stuff."
Q: What happened in your last fight, in England, when you were stopped for the only time in your pro career by Steve Roberts – who managed a two-round stoppage over you?
K.M: "You know, I've never seen that fight, anywhere! I have never seen a tape of it. I was called for that fight, on short notice, and I looked at the guy and thought I would definitely beat him. He looked very beatable to me. All I can say is I think there were shenanigans in that fight. The guy who was working my corner at the time, I didn't feel I could truly trust him. Something was not right with that fight. You've seen me, in all of my fights I had a good beard. But in that fight even little nothing punches, even grazing punches, they had me doing an Elvis Presley – I was all shook up. All I'll say is this, you know that saying 'when you're overseas, just don't drink the water!' I'm very suspicious of that fight all this time later. Anyway, I lost and I also lost faith in boxing and I walked away."
Q: You sound fine, your speech and your spirits and everything, but Terry Norris today, he is in quite bad shape.
K.M: "You know, that fight, I wanted to win so much, but I was so glad the referee stopped it when he did. I had Norris on the ropes and I saw his eyes roll back into his head. People told me after the fight that he would never be the same again. I rooted for Norris in the couple of fights he had after losing to me; I liked him. We were supposed to have a rematch but he was just a shell after our fight."
Q: Did the time you spent in the Gulf, and all you must have gone through, see to it that you basically had no fear in ring?
K.M: "The thing is, when you're at war, there is a real possibility you will not return home. It's like you are facing your mortality. So after I did come home, being blessed to have done so, I said to myself I was going to go for everything I wanted to achieve. People told me I was too old [for boxing] at 27, that I should get a regular job, in security or something. But I said no, that I would be a world champion. Life is short and you have to live it to the fullest. Today I give inspirational talks to people and I tell them to go for it. Go for whatever you want to accomplish in life!"
Previous boxing news: Pettitt: "Once Hamza Realises I Hurt, He'll Jump On To The Back Foot And Run"
Next boxing news: Mikey Garcia / Sergey Lipinets Weigh-In Results
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Draft Local Plan-Part 2 Site Allocations
Results for Tombland Bookshop / Co-chair Cathedral, Magdalen and St. Augustine's Forum search
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GNLP0506
Representation ID: 21987
Received: 17/03/2020
Respondent: Tombland Bookshop / Co-chair Cathedral, Magdalen and St. Augustine's Forum
CMSA objects to the designation of the Anglia Square site for 1200 housing units. This represents an over-densification of the site, and one that fails to take account of the principally mid-rise nature of this part of the city centre, its heritage context, and the mixed use and fine grain nature of the surrounding areas, which is emerging as Norwich's creative and digital industries quarter.
The proposal to designate this are for 1200 residential units flies in the face of the very high level of local opposition to a scheme of this nature both at the consultation stage prior to the Planning Officer recommending permission in his report, and at the Public Inquiry following the ministerial Call-In to the Columbia/Threadneedle and Weston Homes proposal. This plans to redevelop Anglia Square and adjacent sites in their ownership (18/00330/F). The Planning department recorded 483 comments of which 399 were against the hybrid development as against 62 in favour and 18 comments where the individual making a representation described him of herself as 'neutral'
The separate Consultee objections included those of Historic England; The Norwich Society; Norwich Cycling Campaign and the Norwich BID. The two former bodies had indicated their strong opposition to the scheme in advice given at an earlier stage of the Planning Process.
These representations, and much of the evidence presented at the call-in suggest that the quantum of residential development proposed for the hybrid development application, which we note is being proposed as the allocation of residential units for the purposes of the Greater Norwich Local Plan, was plainly too great combined with that of commercial units to be sustainable on this site.
The proposed GNLP repeats the same inherent mistake in planning to have allowed a monstrous scheme of this scale in tis sensitive location. This does not conform to the requirement to allocate 'sustainable development' as set out in the NPPF. The recent Heathrow decision demonstrates the Government's resolution to deliver on sustainable development, and we suggest that if the plan incorporates this intention in this location, then it will not meet the test of sustainability.
See attached for detail for full submission
Consultation response on behalf of Cathedral, Magdalen and St. Augustine's Forum submitted by Co-chairs Pipa Clements and Hugh McGlyn
See attached for full submission
GNLP CMSA submission.docx (22.73 KB)


text:
OCTA: The jury is still out
Lynda Charters
Digital Edition, Ophthalmology Times: Glaucoma 360 2020 Supplement,
Conferences | GLAUCOMA 360
Diagnostic and monitoring advances in glaucoma need fine-tuning
This article was reviewed by Robert L. Stamper, MD
Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), a relatively new imaging procedure, can do many things, such as generate 70,000 B-scans per second, identify differences among them, block saccadic movements, and correct fixation loss.
"The user can derive the presence of movement in a vessel by looking at a static structure sequentially; the movement is detected by the algorithm. Motion detection makes the image sharper, and artificial intelligence applied provides a useful image," according to Robert Stamper, MD, distinguished professor of clinical ophthalmology and director emeritus of the Glaucoma Service, University of California, San Francisco, and who described the advantages of the technology.
OCTA has become indispensable for managing macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. In fact, it is almost the standard of care, Stamper commented, because of its ability to differentiate the capillary plexi and their status in all of the retinal layers and their possible connections.
Stamper explained that in glaucoma, 2 retinal areas are considered. One in the macula is the superficial macular capillary plexus, which is the area that feeds the retinal nerve fiber layer or the axons of the ganglion cells. Another retinal area affected by glaucoma is the radial peripapillary capillaries. This comprises the vascular midlayer of the optic nerve, which is reduced in glaucoma.
Stamper demonstrated that initially, the capillaries are relatively evenly distributed. Early in the disease, the capillaries begin to drop out and this progresses to generalized capillary loss in advanced glaucoma in the peripapillary capillary plexus. The deep capillaries are present despite the advance of the disease.
The current imaging devices have the ability to quantify the capillary density by ocular sector and facilitate follow-up over time.
The hope for OCTA
Stamper explained that OCTA must become more sophisticated and evolved before it reaches its full potential for glaucoma specialists.
Considering that blood vessels are the first severely affected structures in glaucomatous eyes, Stamper pointed out, the hope is that OCTA might have better diagnostic sensitivity compared with standard OCT.
Clinicians also want OCTA to shed light on the pathophysiology of the disease. Specifically, is the source mechanical, such that the optic nerve is being pushed back, or are the vessels dropping out first, he speculated.
"The thought was that OCTA might provide a way of distinguishing between primary open-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma, which is often associated with some vascular issues," he said.
Stamper recounted that previous OCTA studies have shown (1) that the vessel density is reasonably repeatable but more variable than the standard OCT thickness of the nerve fiber layer, (2) the presence of a posterior subcapsular cataract markedly reduces the ability to measure the vessel density, (3) the vessel density is correlated with the findings on indocyanine green angiography and declines with age, and (4) the decline seems to be accelerated in glaucoma.
"The most important technologic ability is that OCTA can detect movement. It knows where vessels are, but the shortfall is that it does not provide information about how much is flowing through those vessels or how rapid the flow is," he explained.
In addition, the dropout of radial peripapillary capillary density and superficial macular capillary density is well correlated with standard OCT and visual field measurements. OCTA images can distinguish between the normal retinas and those with early glaucoma. When a defect is present in the macular area, this almost always shows up on the 10-2 visual fields. The hope was that these problems in the vessels would appear on OCTA images before they appeared on standard OCT images.
"Unfortunately, the diagnostic ability of OCTA in the macular and peripapillary areas is worse than the nerve fiber layer measurement in both the macular area and the peripapillary area," Stamper said. "It appears that the ganglion cell complex or the thickness of the 3 anterior retinal layers declines before the changes are apparent in the macular density profile. The vessel, therefore, may not be the primary change."
Interestingly and unfortunately, after successful glaucoma surgery, almost no change is seen in the OCTA images.
However, 1 positive finding that has become apparent is that a baseline reduction in the capillary density is associated with a higher risk of visual field progression.
Using OCTA, Stamper and colleagues evaluated the macular and peripapillary areas in 25 patients with open-angle glaucoma and 25 patients with normal-tension glaucoma. He reported that the vessels in those areas decrease with glaucoma severity.
"Unfortunately, in this preliminary study, we found no difference between the 2 groups," he said.
Considering the hopes for the usefulness of OCTA, Stamper noted that OCTA does not have better diagnostic sensitivity. It does not show earlier changes compared with standard OCT images; it does not definitively provide information about the pathophysiology or evolution of glaucoma; and as of now, the technology does not differentiate among primary open-angle glaucoma, high-pressure glaucoma, and normal-tension glaucoma.
Stamper and his colleagues are now evaluating a large patient group, which may provide some additional information.
"OCTA offers an interesting new window into various layers of retinal circulation in a variety of conditions and is most useful in the conditions around the macula," he said. "The technology still has not shed light on the long-suspected feeling that normal-pressure glaucoma has a different pathophysiology than primary open-angle glaucoma."
It remains unclear whether OCTA offers improvement or additional information over standard OCT for glaucoma diagnosis or monitoring, Stamper added. He offered the caveat that the technology is new and with improvements in sensitivity and specificity along with better interpretation of findings, more information about glaucoma will be forthcoming.
Robert L. Stamper, MD
E: Robert.Stamper@ucsf.edu
Stamper has no financial interest in this subject matter.
Download Issue : Ophthalmology Times: Glaucoma 360 2020 Supplement
GLAUCOMA 360 | Glaucoma | Glaucoma Awareness | News | Clinical | Clinical Diagnosis


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Weekly Film Music Roundup (October 10, 2014)
Posted: October 10, 2014 by filmmusicreporter in Film Music News
Tags: Aaron Zigman, Addicted, Alexander and the Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day, Automata, Catch Hell, Ceiri Torjussen, Christian Wibe, Christophe Beck, Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead, Dracula Untold, Jeanine Tesori, Justin Hurwitz, Kill the Messenger, Kite, Nathan Johnson, Paul Hepker, Ramin Djawadi, St. Vincent, The Canal, The Judge, The Newton Brothers, Theodore Shapiro, Thomas Newman, Tim Simonec, Whiplash, You're Not You, Zacarías M. De la Riva
Opening in most theaters is the family comedy Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day directed by Miguel Arteta and starring Steve Carell, Jennifer Garner, Dylan Minnette, Ed Oxenbould, Kerris Dorsey, Megan Mullally, Jennifer Coolidge and Bella Thorne. The film's original music is composed by Christophe Beck (Frozen, Edge of Tomorrow, The Hangover). Walt Disney Records has released a soundtrack album featuring a suite from the score, as well as songs by The Vamps, Justine Dorsey, The Narwhals, Charles William and IDK & The Whatevs. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the film.
Also opening wide is the drama The Judge directed by David Dobkin and starring Robert Downey Jr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga, Billy Bob Thornton and Vincent D'Onofrio. Thomas Newman (American Beauty, Skyfall, The Shawshank Redemption, Finding Nemo) has composed the film's original music. WaterTower Music has released a soundtrack featuring the composer's music earlier this week. Check out our soundtrack announcement to listen to audio clips, for the full album details and for more information about the film.
Also opening nationwide this weekend is the action adventure Dracula Untold directed by Gary Shore and stars Luke Evans, Sarah Gadon, Diarmaid Murtagh and Dominic Cooper. The film's original music is composed by Ramin Djawadi (Game of Thrones, Pacific Rim, Iron Man, Clash of the Titans). Back Lot Music has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer's score this past Tuesday. Check out our previous news article for the full album details, to listen to audio clips and to find out more about the Universal Pictures release.
The fourth wide release of the week is the thriller Addicted directed by Bille Woodruff and starring Sharon Leal, Boris Kodjoe, Tasha Smith, Tyson Beckford, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Kat Graham and William Levy. Aaron Zigman (The Notebook, John Q, The Bridge to Teribithia, The Proposal) has composed the film's original score. Varese Sarabande has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer's music digitally earlier this week. A CD version will be released on October 21. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and more info about the Lionsgate release.
Opening in about 350 theaters is the thriller Kill the Messenger directed by Michael Cuesta and starring Jeremy Renner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ray Liotta, Tim Blake Nelson, Barry Pepper, Oliver Platt, Michael Sheen, Paz Vega, Michael Kenneth Williams and Andy Garcia. The film's original music is composed by Nathan Johnson (Looper, Brick, Don Jon, The Brothers Bloom). Check out our previous article for the full album details and to listen to audio clips.
Opening in limited release is the indie drama Whiplash written and directed by Damien Chazelle and starring Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Melissa Benoist, Paul Reiser, Austin Stowell, Nate Lang, Max Kasch and Damon Gupton. Tim Simonec has written original jazz songs for the film and Justin Hurwitz has composed the original underscore. Varese Sarabande has released a soundtrack album featuring both score and song, as well as a number of classic jazz standards by artists including Stan Getz, Duke Ellington and more. For the full album details, check out our soundtrack announcement. Also visit Film Music Magazine for an interview with Hurwitz and Simonec about their work on the project.
Also opening in select cities before expanding nationwide is the comedy drama St. Vincent written and directed by Theodore Melfi and starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, Terrence Howard, Chris O'Dowd and Scott Adsit. The film's original score is composed by Theodore Shapiro (The Devil Wears Prada, Tropic Thunder, Marley & Me). Sony Classical will release a soundtrack album featuring the composer's music. Click here to listen to audio clips and for the full details. The label is also releasing a separate soundtrack featuring the songs from the film by Wilco's Jeff Tweedy, Jefferson Airplane, Bob Dylan, The National and more. Visit our previous article for audio clips and more information.
Another limited release this weekend is the sci-fi thriller Automata directed by Gabe Ibáñez and starring Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffith, Dylan McDermott, Robert Forster and Birgitte Hjort Sørensen. Zacarías M. De la Riva has composed the film's original music. MovieScore Media has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer's score earlier this week. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details, to listen to audio clips and to learn more about the Millennium Entertainment release.
Also opening in select markets is the indie thriller Catch Hell directed and co-written by Ryan Phillippe who also stars in the film alongside Joyful Drake, James DuMont and Stephen Louis Grus. The film's original music is composed by The Newton Brothers (Oculus, Life of Crime, Detachment, High School). No word yet on a soundtrack release. Catch Hell follows a former Hollywood star who is kidnapped by two men connected to his past while on location in Louisiana and soon discovers the real motives of his captors. The movie is being released by Phase 4 Films and is now also available on VOD.
Also opening in limited release this week is the psychological horror thriller The Canal written and directed by Ivan Kavanagh and starring Rupert Evans, Antonia Campbell Hughes, Hannah Hoekstra, Steve Oram and Kelly Byrne. Ceiri Torjussen (Test, Big Ass Spider) has composed the film's original music. Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer's music earlier this week. Check out our previous news article for the full album details and to learn more about the film.
Also opening in select theaters is the drama You're Not You directed by George C. Wolfe and starring Hilary Swank, Emmy Rossum, Josh Duhamel, Loretta Devine, Ernie Hudson, Frances Fisher, Marcia Gay Harden, Ali Larter, Jason Ritter, Julian McMahon and Andrea Savage. Jeanine Tesori who previously scored Wolfe's Nights in Rodanthe has composed the film's original score. No soundtrack album has been announced. You're Not You centers on the relationship of a woman who has been immobilized by ALS, and Rossum and a self-absorbed college student hired to be her caregiver in spite of her husband's objection. The drama is being released stateside by Entertainment One Films.
Another limited release this week is the Also opening in select cities is the action movie Kite directed by Ralph Ziman and starring India Eisley, Samuel L. Jackson and Callan McAuliffe. Paul Hepker (Tsotsi, Deadliest Catch) has composed the film's original music. Lakeshore Records has released a soundtrack album featuring the composer's music last month. Check out our soundtrack announcement for the full album details and to listen to audio clips. Kite is now also available on VOD.
Also opening in select theaters is the zombie thriller Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead directed by Tommy Wirkola an starring Martin Starr, Vegar Hoel, Ingrid Haas, Stig Frode Henriksen, Jocelyn DeBoer and Orjan Gamst. The film's original music is composed by Christian Wibe. The composer has released his score earlier this week. Check out our previous news article for the full album details.


After the ending of Girl Who Never Was, I was excited about this audio. It lived up to my expectations. Charley and Six are fantastic together, with her trying not to create a paradox and him being his typical slightly sarcastic self not believing her rather feeble lies. Though they are separate for a good chunk of the story it works within the narrative. A great beginning for Six and Charley!
This is the novel that should have been the first. It's a much better jumping on point and honestly, it has more action than The Eight Doctors. Sam and the Doctor are great together. Carolyn, an extra character in this book, is also a fantastic addition. I would have liked to see her become a companion. And there's vampires so you can't go wrong.


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In the truest sense of the term, these really qualify as being cottage homes in no way other than their name.
In fact, the cottage homes at Wallingford, east of Didcot and Abingdon, south of Oxford, comprised only three 'cottages' and, when they were built, had capacity for only 33 children in total.
From some of the surviving records, it seems that these homes may have been open until at least 1955.
Some records of the cottage homes can be found at the Berkshire Records Office.
NB. Until 1974, Wallingford was in Berkshire, from then on, it has been in Oxfordshire.


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Welcome to "Przekrój"!
In case you're wondering where you are, and especially since you probably can't pronounce the name of this website, here's a little help—"Przekrój" (pronounced "p-SHEH-crooy") is the oldest society and culture magazine in Poland, now available in English.
"Przekrój" Magazine brings English-speaking readers some of the best journalism from across Central and Eastern Europe, in the fields of wellbeing, art, literature, science, ecology, philosophy, psychology, and more. Take a break from the speed and intensity of the daily news and join us!
Two types of thinking have a time-sharing deal going on in your brain.
science / Article
Robby Berman
This Brain Balancing Act Allows Consciousness
Photo by Javier Allegue Barros/Unsplash
Take Your Brain for a Walk
The Human Brain Builds Structures in 11 Dimensions, Discover Scientists
As Athletic as a Yak
Read in 3 minutes
While consciousness remains "the hard problem" — as in what exactly is it? Where is it? — a new study published in Science Advances sheds surprising light on how the brain switches us from conscious to unconscious states and vice versa. It has something to do with an imbalance between two neural systems. In fact, consciousness requires that imbalance.
Imagine you and a friend want to go out to dinner but you want Chinese food and your friend wants pizza. If both of your preferences carry equal weight, nobody gets to eat. Let's say that's like unconsciousness. But when one of you gives in, yum: Consciousness.
According to lead author Zirui Huang of University of Michigan Medical School, "Studies have shown that the anti-correlation of the two networks is vital for maintaining ongoing interaction between self and the environment, [and] that contributes to consciousness."
The two neural networks are the default mode network (DMN) and the dorsal attention network (DAT).
The DMN is an internally directed neural system that exhibits electrical activity in fMRI scans when you're awake and the brain is comparatively at rest and not at work performing a specific task. Maybe you're spacing out, or reflecting on something, or maybe you're enjoying a memory of some sort.
The DAT lights up when your brain is actively directed externally toward accomplishing a specific task; it's sometimes called the "task -positive system."
The scientific term for their relationship is that they're "anti-correlated," and the maintenance of their opposite states is a consistent thing, so some kind of temporal relationship seems implicit.
Nighty-night
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How to Have a Happy Head
Magazine / science
The human brain is a remarkable feat of natural engineering, capable of controlling our actions and emotions; responsible for our wildest creations. All of which also means that we should do our best to take proper care of it. Magdalena Salik
Are You Sleepwalking Now?
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Given how little control we have of our wandering minds, how can we cultivate real mental autonomy? Thomas Metzinger
The Dilemma of an Electron
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Panpsychists believe that everything, no matter how small, has consciousness. This micro-perspective extends to the most fundamental level of physics. Łukasz Lamża
The implied temporal relationship has not previously been definitively shown to impact consciousness. Huang's study, however, tests the idea that this anti-correlation is a requisite for consciousness, or maybe it's the other way around: Absent consciousness, the anti-correlation breaks down.
To test their hypothesis, Huang and his colleagues analyzed resting-state fMRI scans from 98 participants in varying states of responsiveness, located in Shanghai and Wisconsin. Because participants were given task in various states, the researchers chose to grade their level of unresponsiveness instead of unconsciousness. In addition to a DAT-mode control group, scans were performed on participants who were in unresponsive states from anesthesia, either propofol or ketamine, or from unresponsive wakefulness syndrome, or UWS. Ultimately, the researchers developed four data sets: propofol-Shanghai, propofol-Wisconsin, ketamine, and neuropathological patients.
They found being unresponsive correlated consistently with scans in which the DAT and DMN systems were at equilibrium. No Chinese food or pizza for them.
For confirmation, a second study was performed with scans from 248 subjects published in the OpenfMRI database. The cohort consisted of healthy individuals, as well as individuals with psychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Various states of responsiveness in the available scans were identified, and once again, when DAT and DMN activation was equal, participants were in an unresponsive state.
Part of a larger mystery
Of course, this study doesn't get us much further along regarding the hard problem, but we do now know a little bit more about how consciousness appears to work at least. The DMN and DAT neural networks together account for a lot of what goes on it consciousness. Just, please, not at the same time.
This article was originally published on 13th March 2020 at Big Think.
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Published: 05-21-2021
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is a writer and musician living in New York. He is the founder of the Halachic Organ Donor Society, which promotes the idea of becoming an organ donor among the Jewish community.
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The Science of the Non-Existing Self
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50 years ago, the study of meditation was laughed at by mainstream Western psychologists. We recount how non-dual awareness has become a growing area of serious scientific study. Tomasz Stawiszyński
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Michael Pollan talks about the potential of psychedelics to improve mental health, break down barriers, and transform everyone's lives. Tomasz Stawiszyński
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Existential dread, meet astronomical wonder. Scotty Hendricks
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1. CREMOA POWER – Well backed on debut following successful trial but only managed 7th of 12 behind Phoenix Heart.
3. HAE HU – Debut-maker who won his trial. Will have some backers.
4. SPEED CAPTAIN – Last of 12 on debut on July 30th behind Phoenix Heart.
5. CLEAN UP SECRET – 5th of 11 on debut on July 15th, quickening pleasingly enough. A chance.
6. K.N BLUE – First-timer. Did ok in trials and champion jockey's presence ensures plenty of support.
7. CHEONHA HYEONGGUK – Debut-maker. Ok in trials but watching brief the best idea first-up.
8. PHOENIX HEART – He'll be strong favourite following a quick 2nd place on debut on July 30th beating a couple of these in the process. Extra distance should suit.
9. I B S MAN – Trialed well and debuts here. Not impossible but won't be among favourites.
10. SPECIAL LIGHT – 7th of 12 on debut behind Mask. Plenty to find.
11. LUCKY BONGHWA – 5th and 4th in two outings so far. Could get even closer.
12. AMAZING PEACE – Trialed up in average fashion.
Verdict: (8) PHOENIX HEART ran a strong 2nd on debut a month ago and has to be the one to beat here. (2) MASK almost fell on debut but managed to recover and finish a very good 3rd behind Icheon Ssal who has already gone on to better things. He looks the main danger. (5) CLEAN UP SECRET and (11) LUCKY BONGHWA others who could play a role.
Twelve first-timers going here and a few of them stood out in trials and work. (8) FIRE WIND was the most impressive, winning her trial in a fast time and she's the likely favourite. Both trainer and jockey are in form and can get underway with a win here. (9) DAE BYEONHWA is the mount of champion jockey Moon Se Young and was actually quicker in trials than Fire Wind and is sure to be backed while others who caught the eye are (3) RAON ALICE and (2) SIMPLE RULES.
1. LUCKY ADELE – Faded to 6th of 10 on debut on July 14th. Can improve today.
2. CHEONHA MANSE – Debut-maker. Average in trials.
3. GOLDEN KNIGHT – Last of 12 on debut in July and sent back to trial. Looked better on re-qualifying but too early to back.
4. SUPER WINGS – Best of 3rd place was just over a year ago. Only beat one home on latest start.
5. B.K. MASTER – Raced twice last autumn. Trialed up ok a couple of weeks ago.
6. MIO – Beaten into 3rd when odds-on favourite two weeks ago. Another chance here.
Have a look at this – Johan Victoire bringing Icheon Ssal from last to first in the final furlong to win a valuable Juvenile race at Seoul Racecourse on Sunday.
Icheon Ssal (Capital Spending) provided Victoire with his first Korean winner on his first ever ride at Seoul just under a month ago. It was Incheon Ssal's debut that day too and he reappeared on Sunday in a race exclusively for 2-year-olds who graduated from this Spring's Jeju Breeze-Up Sales.
It was the ride that got the attention though, as French jockey Victoire brought Icheon Ssal from last to first in the closing stages to grab victory on the line. Victoire's performance was one of a number of impressive returns from foreign jockeys across the weekend with Antonio Da Silva at Seoul and both Franco Da Silva and JP Guillambert at Busan also being in top form.
Cheongdam Dokki would have broken the track record for 2000M had Kim Yong Geun not almost slowed him to a walk by the time they crossed the line but two record did fall on Sunday on a track that was racing exceptionally fast after 15 hours of continuous downpours. Those were at 1700M where Dangdae Geoljak (Peace Rules-So Original) set a new mark of 1:46.6 in race 8 and then at the Korea Sprint distance of 1200M which now has a new record of 1:10.6 following the efforts of Cheonjiga (Trappe Shot-What A Girl Needs) in the closing race 11.
At Busan, the feature race was won by Triple Nine's little sister, the Thomas Gillespie trained Black Sapphire (Ecton Park-A Little Poke) while the 2yo Breeze-Up-grads race was won by Kim Young Kwan's Classic Match (Hansen-Intouchable).
1. YAHO STRONG CAT – First-time starter. Didn't catch the eye in trials.
2. DALLYEORA PACHYAI – Much improved 2nd on second outing at this distance July 23rd. Big chance here. Could well lead all the way.
3. WHITE ERICA – First time starter. Watching brief first up.
4. WONDERFUL LUCKY – 10th of 12 on debut on July 28th. Not yet.
5. FANTASTIC QUEEN – Best of 5th from six starts so far. Could improve on that here.
6. SEMYEONG KHAN – 2nd on debut in June but could only manage 8th when stepped up to 1300M last time. Should go much better back at 1000M today.
7. PENETRO – Debut-maker from Japanese owner Kadono Shigeo. Looked ok in trials and will be backed first up.
8. SHUMA – Managed a 2nd place over 1300M back in March. First start since April and makes for an interesting outsider.
9. SAEROUN GUNHWANG – Offered little in two efforts so far.
10. GOLD MONT – Well off the pace in two outings so far. Top jockey on today though.
11. STORMY PASSION – Career best 4th over 1000M on muddy track on July 29th ahead of Fapp Cat. Not impossible.
12. FAPP CAT – Only beat a couple home on debut behind Stormy Passion on July 29th. Not ready yet.
Verdict: Two standouts here. (2) DALLYEORA PACHYAI improved a lot on his second start, running a close 2nd. If he can get the early lead here, he could be tough to beat. The other is (6) SEMYOUNG KHAN who put in a solid shift on debut but found it harder when asked to travel further on reappearance. He should be better today. (11) STORMY PASSION looks to be figuring things out while debut-maker (7) PENETRO looks potentially intriguing.
1. CRYSTALGACHI – Yet to trouble the judges in five outings.
2. ENJOY MY SHOW – Has had an extremely luckless time but on the rare occasions she's got to the track, she has shown promise. First start since December, trialed ok and not impossible.
3. KHENDUM POWER – Well backed on debut after promising trial but only beat one home on July 29. Worth another chance here.
4. ONE TWO THREE – Best of 5th from four goes so far. Can at least match that in this company.
5. BLACK TRIGGER – Debut-maker who didn't catch the eye in trials. Watching brief here.
6. UPDATE – Been showing signs of figuring things out. 5th, ahead of Best Mission on latest and looks among the favourites.
7. SUPER COBRA – Debut-maker. Less than impressive in trials. All half-siblings have won though.
8. BEST MISSION – Managed a 4th place back in January but offered little since.
9. BIG MASTER – Improved 5th last time. Still a bit to find.
10. GIJEOGUI JEWANG – Debuted almost a year ago with a 2nd place but only raced twice since. First start since Christmas Day. Trialed up well.
11. CAPTAIN POWER – 9th of 12 on debut on July 22nd. Lots to find.
12. MR. KING – The most experienced in the race. 6th of 11 last time but has managed a 3rd. Not impossible.
Verdict: Not a strong race and that means a lot could be in the hunt. We'll go with (6) UPDATE, who looked hopeless in his first few but has shown clear signs of figuring things out. Likewise it's a fresh start for (2) ENJOY MY SHOW trialed well and has plenty of talent. (3) KHENDUM POWER disappointed on debut but we'll not give up just yet while (4) ONE TWO THREE could also improve.
1. JEONGSANG GADO – Sole start in February. Re-qualified behind some very quick ones last month. Not yet.
2. CUPID DOCTOR – 4th of 12 ahead of Jeonsin Mukyang on promising debut on July 23rd. In the hunt.
3. BROWN BOMBER – First-time starter. Trialed up ok although others favoured.
4. MALAKAS – Debut-maker. Won his trial in good fashion. First foal out of his dam, who ran very well in Korea. Interesting.
5. CHEONGUN ILHO – Finish in midfield in all of five starts last autumn and winter. First appearance since February. Looked ok in trial.
6. JUNGDONG JIJON – 4th on debut on July 22nd. Can get closer today.
7. BLUE SHARK – Sent back to trial after woeful debut over 1300M. Was entered at that distance because of hanging inwards in training. Drops back today. Trialed ok.
8. CHOWON YEOJEONSA – 10th behind Argo Unique last time. Lots to find.
7. ARGO UNIQUE – Shown some promise in four starts so far although disappointed when odd-on favourite in June. 6th last time ahead of Chowon yeojeonsa and in the frame today.
8. SACHEON DAESEONG – Best from seven outings is a 5th of 11 back in April. Last of 10 on latest at 1300M on July 16th.
9. MAJJABEUN SON 0 7th of 10 on debut on July 15th. Failed to quicken.
10. JEONSIN MUKYANG – 8th of 12 on debut behind Cupid Doctor on debut on July 23rd.
1. SPECIAL POWER – Three slow efforts so far. 9th of 11 on latest at 1300M. Outsider.
2. BEAUTIFUL ACT – Was 200/1 on debut on May 19th but came 4th. Not seen since but could match that.
3. VICTORY ROAD – Only beat one home on debut at 1000M on July 7th. Lots to find.
4. ATOMIJI – Best result a 2nd over 1300M in June. 3rd of 12 last time ahead of Busan Bolt and favourite to score here.
5. SILVER LINE – Took a while to qualify going through a lot of trials. Can't be backed first-up.
6. EDGE OF WINNER – First-time starter. Trialed up ahead of Silver Line in July. Watching brief here.
7. FULL HOUSE – Beat Atomiji in trials way back in March but only beat one home on actual debut in May. First start since.
8. BLESS YOU – Best a 3rd place ahead of Beautiful Act Atomiji in May and then 5th last start behind a few decent ones. Two months off since and should be looking for career-best here.
9. SEONHO – First-time who trialed up ok. Half sister to some modest ones who were capable of winning at low levels.
10. BOLD RULES – Looks the best of the first-times. Competent in trials.
11. BUSAN BOLT – Best from nine starts so far is 5th but she was less than length behind Atomiji last time on August 6th and can seek a career best here.
12. GOLDEN AGE – Much improved 2nd on return from three months off on July 14th. Can go well again.


In a novel theory, a failure of adult hippocampal neurogenesis has been proposed to provide the biological and cellular basis of major depression. The as yet unresolved function of the new hippocampal neurons will have to be in the center of any attempt to prove this hypothesis. Only knowledge of normal functional relevance of new neurons will allow an assessment of their potential role in disturbed hippocampal function in depression; however, major depression is not primarily a hippocampal disorder. We therefore propose that consideration of the neurogenesis hypothesis of depression be the most prominent aspect of a more general cellular plasticity hypothesis.


Vermont Skateboards logo rebrand. The center dot represents the small circle of friends associated with the skate crew and company. It is also similar to that of a wheel and bolt. The writing around the dot resembles how type is laid out on shotgun shells. The real effect of the logo occurs as time goes on.
Taking into the values of Vermont, the local communities the skaters are from, and wanting to give an honor to those associated with Vermont Skateboards, tree rings are added around the logo each year. A selected friend or family member will be given the chance to add a ring. As more and more people affect the company and help it grow, the original crew is still at the center.
Logo and board concepts for Vermont Skateboards.


Me Myself and I - Getting Past Cygwin GCJ error.
Getting Past Cygwin GCJ error.
Subject: Getting Past Cygwin GCJ error.
I have found the suggested ecj-3.7.jar file.
-How do I reference this file inside cygwin so that it will be found?
-Can I use a PATH or CLASSPATH variable, and meet with success?
I assume I should append a statement at the end of /etc/profile.
-What should my statement look like?
Re: Getting Past Cygwin GCJ error.


text:
import errno
import logging
import logging.handlers
import os
import sys

# Python2/3 compat
try:
    from configparser import SafeConfigParser
except ImportError:
    from ConfigParser import SafeConfigParser

logger = logging.getLogger()

_havocbot = None

def get_bot():
    global _havocbot
    if not _havocbot:
        from havocbot.bot import HavocBot
        _havocbot = HavocBot()

    return _havocbot

def create_dir_if_not_exists(path):
    try:
        os.makedirs(path)
    except OSError as e:
        if e.errno != errno.EEXIST:
            raise

def configure_logging(settings_dict):
    log_file = None
    log_format = None
    log_level = None

    if settings_dict is not None and 'havocbot' in settings_dict:
        for (key, value) in settings_dict['havocbot']:
            if key == 'log_file':
                log_file = value.strip()
            elif key == 'log_format':
                log_format = value.strip()
            elif key == 'log_level':
                log_level = value.strip()

    if log_file is not None and log_format is not None and log_level is not None:
        log_file_parent_string = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(log_file, os.pardir))
        create_dir_if_not_exists(log_file_parent_string)

        # Remove any existing root handlers
        for handler in logging.root.handlers[:]:
            logging.root.removeHandler(handler)

        numeric_log_level = getattr(logging, log_level.upper(), None)
        logging.basicConfig(level=numeric_log_level, stream=sys.stdout, format=log_format)
        formatter = logging.Formatter(log_format)
        hdlr = logging.handlers.RotatingFileHandler(log_file, encoding="utf-8", maxBytes=1024 * 1024, backupCount=10)
        hdlr.setFormatter(formatter)
        logger.addHandler(hdlr)
    else:
        print("There was a problem configuring the logging system")

def main(settings="settings.ini"):
    parser = SafeConfigParser()
    parser.read(settings)

    settings_dict = {}

    # Covert the settings.ini settings into a dictionary for later processing
    if parser.has_section('havocbot'):
        # Create a bundle of havocbot settings
        settings_dict['havocbot'] = parser.items('havocbot')
    else:
        sys.exit("Could not find havocbot settings in settings.ini")

    # Configure logging
    configure_logging(settings_dict)

    # Get an instance of the bot if it does not exist
    havocbot = get_bot()

    # Pass a settings file to the bot
    havocbot.configure(settings)

    # Start it. Off we go
    havocbot.start()

if __name__ == '__main__':
    try:
        main()
    except (KeyboardInterrupt, SystemExit):
        print("Exiting HavocBot. Come again.")
        if _havocbot.clients is not None and _havocbot.clients:
            _havocbot.shutdown()
        sys.exit(0)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Mellifluous Touring. Homes for Building. Spokane Is Where Its At.
One of the things that we love doing is showing potential buyers homes in the area. We love seeing the looks on peoples faces as they step into a home that we're touring and seeing their imaginations run wild.
What we love even more is when we see people starting to ask what are the homes built with. There have been great developments in home building technology, but not enough education on the advancements in materials and why that's so important.
What we want to do is help to educate people on why it's so important to switch the types of materials that we are using. So we take that opportunity when we're actually touring our homes because we've got some builders who actually use a new type of material that is, for all intents and purposes, fireproof.
The reason why it's fireproof is that the home is built from a specialized cement panel. Now, the problem with most cement panels is the expense and the difficulty in building with them. Plus, most cement panels are terribly inefficient; they are also heavy. What's really nice about this particular type is that it is a revolutionary type of concrete panel that actually allows people to build their homes much faster and save lots of money on both the short-term and long-term.
The problem that most people found with using aerated concrete is that it is not a strong enough material to support a home and keep its inhabitants safe; otherwise, people would be using aerated concrete all the time for building. What aerated concrete basically is, is a specialized form of concrete where instead of just using concrete and water, the water is substituted with foam. What this does is creates a concrete that is much lighter, energy efficient, and less brittle.
The only problem with aerated concrete is that typically it's not structurally sound.
But that's what's so exciting about our homes—they are structurally sound. You can check out our homebuilding blog here: https://spokanehomebuilders.weebly.com.
Our manufacturers have developed a specialized aerated concrete and panel system that allows our homes to not only be structurally sound, but also much stronger. We've cringed with seeing some of the other manufacturers building homes out of just aerated concrete in some third world countries. The homes are erected quickly; they're comfortable; their energy-efficient; they're also unsafe. However, because we build with the correct materials our aerated concrete panels are actually very safe, structurally sound, and efficient.
And because there are other manufacturers who are making homes that are not safe but look good on paper, we need to start asking the right questions about making our homes safe and strong—as well as efficient.
Back in the 60s, Ralph Nader wrote a book talking about how the automobile industry needed to start making safer cars. In fact, he started getting people to start asking the right questions instead of just talking about how strong the car was or how powerful it was or the fuel economy. Back then they weren't asking about how the safety of the vehicle.
What we need to do is start getting people to ask those questions—but in the context of our homes. How safe is my home? and what is it going to take to make safer homes? is this home resistant to fires? what about flooding? what about earthquakes?
We mentioned at the beginning of this post that we love seeing the looks on peoples faces as they're imagining what it would be like to live in this home. What we've seen though is that when we start asking people questions beyond just how the home looks, is that it starts to get people's minds working, and that's what we really like seeing.
Most everyone knows to look at the foundation of the home. But beyond that, the questions of the home's integrity typically fall under how much does it cost to live in this house. What's the neighborhood like? And so on.
What most people don't know is to ask what type of materials the walls are made out of; what type of insulation the home has; what type of insulation is an attic; how much insulation is there.
Almost no one asks the question, how fast will this home burn? What will happen if an earthquake comes? What will happen if my pipes burst? What will happen if there's a natural flood?
But why are we not asking this question? Why is it taboo to ask about how fast a home is going to burn—especially when people's lives are at stake here.
After we have talked with our potential buyers about the safety of the home people always ask will how expensive is this. Really it's a sad question because how can you put a price tag on your safety. But we understand and what we want to do is start showing people that safety does not have to mean a higher price tag and that people don't have to sacrifice safety and energy efficiency for comfort.
You know we take lots of people on lots of different tors and what we really love is educating people with our home touring sec. About why it's so important to build homes that are fire assistant basically fireproof and to show people that actually yes it is indeed possible to do so while still making a comfortable home and still making a home that is actually efficient and affordable.
Unfortunately, what we've seen, is efficient homes equals a higher price tag; that should not be the case. And that's why we are so excited about the PermaPanel (see https://bensonbondstone.com for more information) because this system allows us and allows builders to build their homes so much more affordable than traditional building. Instead of taking months and months to get the house built and framed out we're talking a matter of days, and that can include all of the drywall, all of the sheathing, all the framework all in under a week and still be saving money on the front end. We personally think it's silly that safety always has to mean a higher price tag.
Welcome to WashingtonCityTourist.com! We're excited that you're you're here, but we have to apologize for the site being redone. Our aims are to provide you with some of the best information possible when it comes to touring homes in Washington. We're basically working around the clock, updating, upgrading, improving. Washington's a great place. There are some of the prettiest rainforests and mountains in the country. And, there are, of course, beautiful homes across the state.


Ketamine works differently than any other traditional medications. Imaging studies have suggested that ketamine may work by literally repairing the neural pathways of the brain. This allows for electrical and neurotransmitters to flow more smoothly in the brain circuits, leading to an increase in the brain's functional capacity and decrease in symptoms. This helps explain why patients that undergo ketamine infusion therapy experience positive effects that last for weeks and months, long after ketamine has been flushed from their systems.
In the United States alone, more than 1.5 million people suffer from Parkinson's disease, a debilitating disorder with no cure. Parkinson's affects neurons in the substantia nigra portion of the brain and, as these neurons begin to die, dopamine production decreases over time, which results in a person's inability to normally moderate their movements. Over the past decade, only five new drugs have been FDA approved for the management of the symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, but features significant drawbacks, including the major side effect of Levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) and a loss of effectiveness over time.
Reduce and prevent dyskinesia associated with levodopa therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease.
Treat pain and depression associated with Parkinson's disease while treating Levodopa-induced dyskinesia.
Allow clinicians to maintain higher doses of levodopa over longer periods of time, improving the health and wellbeing of patients with Parkinson's disease.
About 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain. Low-dose sub-anesthetic ketamine is used to treat various chronic pain syndromes, especially those with a neuropathic component, and a single intravenous infusion has been shown to lead to long-term analgesic effects lasting several months. Ketamine may also alleviate pain-associated depression and the adverse effects associated with opioid treatment, and may thus represent an attractive adjunct therapy for pain management.
Fibromyalgia is a disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep, memory and mood issues. Researchers believe that fibromyalgia amplifies painful sensations by affecting the way your brain processes pain signals. Intravenous ketamine blocks receptors in the brain that are responsible for releasing chemicals that cause inflammation of the nervous system. Ketamine treatment can eliminate the fibromyalgia pain and give you back a quality of life and increased energy to do things you haven't done in years.
An estimated 12 percent of the U.S. population suffers from migraines – recurring attacks of throbbing or pulsing moderate to severe pain. A subset of these patients, along with those who suffer from other types of headaches, do not respond to treatment. Recent studies have shown that ketamine infusion treatment may help alleviate migraine pain in patients who have not been helped by other treatments.


text:
Art in our Communities®
Museums on Us®
Art Conservation Project
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partnerships Connecting Currents: Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
Exhibition sponsor
Carlos Cruz-Diez (Venezuelan, 1923–2019)
Couleur additive 76 (Additive Color 76), 1974
Acrylic on plywood with aluminum strip frame
26' × 26" × 2" (66 × 66 × 5.1 cm)
Gift of the Cruz-Diez Foundation at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
© Carlos Cruz-Diez / Bridgeman Images 2022.
Bank of America is pleased to sponsor the exhibition Connecting Currents: Contemporary Art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, which celebrates the opening of the new Nancy and Rich Kinder Building.
Dedicated to the Museum's significant collection of modern and contemporary art, this transnational, interdisciplinary display highlights formal and technical innovations in art, this comprehensive installation draws from the Museum's distinguished collections of Latin American and Latino art; paintings, prints and drawings; photography; decorative arts, craft, and design.
Spanning 32,000 square feet of gallery space, the third floor presents five thematic exhibitions that address issues in contemporary art since the 1960s. The cross-departmental galleries present works across chronologies, national borders and artistic media. The works facilitate thoughtful and provocative dialogue with one another, and explore how artists have addressed important social, historical and cultural questions.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is a partner in Bank of America's Museums on Us® program, which provides our cardholders with one free general admission on the first full weekend of every month. For more information about the program, including our roster of more than 225 cultural institutions across the U.S., please visit Museums on Us®.
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Reds boss Rafa Benitez: "It is really important but sometimes we cannot play football. If they are pleased with the way they play under this manager, it is their decision.
"We won so they have to be thinking about whether the style is good or not.
"I think it is a model for all the managers around the world, their style of football, his behaviour. It is the perfect model for all the kids and I'm sure all parents will enjoy this model and encourage their kids to be the same.
"The style of football I think Barcelona are thinking of copying.
Blackburn's boss, "Stat Sam" (Sam Allardyce): "It was only because Liverpool have a go at me and because I am entitled to respond when I get criticised by Rafa Benitez.
"If we had had a goalscorer we would have won the game on chances created.
"We haven't come here and hung on, we've dominated the game for long periods.
"Result: Liverpool 2 Bolton 1" Oops!
I know it's hard to tell the difference but it's no excuse!
Easy mistake Jim! Both ugly.
Take a look at http://www.picapp.com/Search.aspx?term=liverpool%20blackburn if you want pics without adverts on them mate.
Desperately disappointing result at Wigan tonight.
After being a loyal supporter of LFC for 60 years I am very disturbed at the present state of the club.
Who was to blame for the showig at Wigan, everybody except perhaps the tea lady, certainly the Management, and the playing staff.
I now wonder if it would not be best for LFC to miss out on 4th place and let the chips fall where they must lay. It now appears that a new start is needed from the top to the bottom. HOWEVER, do not get rid of the Manager unless you can get a top quality person, one shudders at the thought of McLiesh or some other also-ran.
Bang on as usual Ken. What we need is a complete fresh start beginning with new owners who understand the club. A clear out of players, probably a new manager. Forget about a new stadium until the finances are sorted out. If this means a few years mediocrity then so be it.
I shudder to think what will become of the club if H & G remain involved in ANY way.
WE CANNOT GO ON LIKE THIS !
Jim, are you planning to write an article on the Rhone offer?


text:
'Sister Wives' star Robyn Brown called herself 'Kody's whipping boy' and said she feels 'cheated' out of polygamy
Esme Mazzeo
Robyn Brown and Christine Brown.
TLC; TLC
Robyn Brown referred to herself as Kody Brown's "whipping boy" on the season 17 tell-all.
She said she got "blamed" by other wives when Kody did something they didn't like.
The "Sister Wives" star said she thinks she's an "easy target" because "I don't fight."
Robyn Brown referred to herself as "Kody's whipping boy" on part two of the TLC "Sister Wives: One on One" finale special. She also told host Sukanya Krishnan that she feels "cheated" out of polygamy because her husband Kody Brown's relationships with his other wives have ended, romantically.
When asked by Krishnan on Sunday if she feels "scapegoated" by members of the family, Robyn confessed that she's unfairly accused of starting drama in the family "all the time."
"I jokingly refer to myself as Kody's whipping boy. When he does something they don't like, I get blamed," she continued. It's unclear which of Kody's exes Robyn was referring to, but he is no longer romantically involved with his first three wives, per previous announcements.
Meri Brown, Janelle Brown, Kody Brown, Christine Brown and Robyn Brown
In November 2021, Kody and his third wife Christine Brown announced that they had split up after 25-plus years of "spiritual" marriage. Then, he and his second wife Janelle Brown confirmed that they were "separated" in footage from season 17's finale special that first aired in December 2022; they had been "spiritually" married for about 30 years.
Kody's first wife Meri Brown also announced on the season 17 finale special in December 2022 that Kody had "made the decision" to end their "spiritual" marriage of roughly 32 years. Meri was Kody's first legal wife from 1990 to 2014. She legally divorced Kody so that he could marry Robyn and adopt three of her kids from a previous relationship.
The romantic aspect of their marriage dissolved in 2015 when Meri fell victim to a catfishing scandal. She'd said on previous episodes of "Sister Wives" season 17 that she still considered herself married to Kody.
Meri, Robyn, Janelle, and Christine Brown.
On Sunday's tell-all, a seemingly emotional Robyn told Krishnan she's an "easy target" for Kody's other wives because she has "a tendency to just take it" and "not get jerky about it."
"I don't fight. It's not my nature to fight. I have to really, really get tough within myself to fight. It's just, I am more heart. I'm just absolutely more heart," she continued. Robyn didn't name the women in her answers, but viewers of "Sister Wives" know she has a generally good relationship with Meri and a strained one with both Christine and Janelle.
Previously in her conversation with Krishnan, Robyn said that she had "always" wanted "real relationships" with Kody's other wives. She admitted to "mourning" the dissolving of her polygamous family and said that Kody and his other wives "took it away from me."
"I'm angry at them all," she added.
The final part of "Sister Wives: One on One" airs January 8 at 10 p.m. on TLC.
Sister Wives Robyn Brown Kody Brown


And it's Thursday already. Again.
It was kind of amazing how close we were able to get to these beautiful creatures.
A few years ago, we realized that there is a winery with our family name, Wiens Family Cellars, not too far away--in Temecula, CA. No actual family connection as far as I know at this point, but it might be worth investigating...I really love wine.
Turns out they also have a fairly new brewery. Our son, who appreciates a good microbrewery beer, especially liked their logo, which looks like an eyeball. I think it is a nice touch that they give a pronunciation guide on their logo. I can't tell you how many times people either mispronounce or misspell our name.
My newest DIY project. I never could find a lampshade I liked. And then I saw something similar to this in a magazine. I tried to get a good picture with the Edison lightbulb on. It just didn't photograph well, but I love the pop of color from the lampshade, thanks to a shot of Valspar spray paint.
Mark's fused glass artwork was hung in our church foyer for about a month around Easter time. We hung it in our dining room over the weekend. And added the little label that had been on the church wall. Seems so very "art gallery"-ish.
This one was a ring bearer in a wedding over the weekend.
He performed his duties flawlessly.
I needed to read this. Thanks, Ryan.
So Mark and I celebrated an anniversary this week. We have been married a long time.
Okay. 42 years. I saw this and thought it was funny. But it definitely doesn't convey how I feel about him. He is my best friend and I hope for many more years.
I had planned on starting sooner than this, but got sidetracked by a project that was a must finish--I have lots of pictures to share tomorrow, so I hope you stop by again.
Hope your week has been a good one. Anything random happening. Do tell.
That little ring bearer is so cute.
The quilting on your project is fabulous. I'd bid on it too.
Happy anniversary. That saying is too cute!
Oh my! the ring bearer just made me smile. What a little impish grin! LOVE what those quilters have done with the animal quilt. There stitches are impeccable!
Congratulations on your wedding anniversary. You seem like the ideal couple - very active with lots of interests, and a lovely family too.
Great quote. I needed to read that, too. I tend to take things very personally. Happy to know that means I'm tuned in and aware.
Another great Thursday post--these are quite fun!
I'm going to love watching your Small World quilt come into being--the night sky is the best idea! And congrats to you and Mark on 42. I don't think you two need a club and a spade!
What fabric lines are your night sky fabrics? I really like them.


IIT-Foundation Course helped me in my school very much. I was someone very different in the class with extra knowledge when compared to others. I could calculate and analyse at a very high rate. It even helped me in other competitive exams like NTSE, A. S. Rao Talent Exam etc. IIT-Foundation Course helped me to improve my fundamentals in Physics, Chemistry and Maths in such a way that I knew almost double the knowledge what others had. Example: In NTSE exam I stood in 256th position, whereas my friend stood in 891st position.
IIT-Foundation Course helped me a lot in my studies. There was an increase in my percentage and now I am getting a rank between 1-5 in the class and I hope to maintain my rank at the same place at the school level with the help of this course. This course has helped me in improving my fundamentals in Maths, Physics, and Chemistry. Before I was performing poorly but not too bad in my objective tests of Mathematics and now I'm scoring good marks in the objective papers.
The co-ordinators are really friendly and the faculty members or the teachers teaching in the institute teach very well, they do not hesitate to repeat the topics and subtopics if we did not understand. It does not give much strain to the children or students like the other institutes. The timings of the classes are also very comfortable for students.
IIT-Foundation Course helped me improve in my school tests to a great extent. As the course starts in the Summer Vacation, many chapters of our school syllabus are taught during this time. So it will be like a revision, when we learn it in school. IIT- Foundation Course also helped me understand the concepts of Physics, Maths and Chemistry better. I also improved my speed in solving problems and in understanding concept oriented questions.
It has helped me to look at the questions of the competitive exams in the logical way and also helped me to solve many questions in school, which my friends could not. It has made the learning of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics fun. Before I was very poor at Physics, but after joining this IIT-Foundation Course, and also after following the methods what the faculty members have taught I was able to score better marks.
In T.I.M.E. because of the perfect teaching methods I am able to understand the topics well compared to school. Beginning I would go to tuitions for all three subjects. But after coming here I have not gone to tuition as my way of studying changed.The best thing that I liked is that by coming here I have improved a lot in my Maths, Physics and Chemistry. The S.M of the course gives a detailed and perfect information topics. So I could score well.
I am able to study not only ICSE but also CBSE and SSC, which has been very useful for me in my competitive exams. E.g. I could not learn matrices in my ICSE. So this IIT-Foundation has helped me in learning them. The best thing is the speed Maths, Reasoning and communication skills, which are a part of our daily life and this IIT-Foundation class, has helped in improving them along with my studies.