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1. Mixing up personal and business accounts
KitchenAid learned just how much a simple tweet mix-up can cause a backlash of epic proportions. During the 2012 debates, President Obama mentioned his grandmother and the health problems she faced before her death in 2008 as he was discussing the Affordable Care Act. A KitchenAid employee tweeted out "Obamas gma even knew it was going 2 b bad! 'She died 3 days b4 he became president," not realizing he was on the corporate Twitter account, not his personal account. KitchenAid came back with an apology, but they had to crank out some serious damage control after the incident.
2. Oversharing
It still surprises me when I see small business owners post their personal political or religious views online, especially on the business's social media pages. As a business, when you publicly take a side on a contentious issue, you can end up alienating half your customer base. Even if you simply share a post that takes a stand on a political or religious issue, just because you didn't write it doesn't mean it won't reflect on your business. My best advice: Stay neutral, stay objective, stay out of it.
3. Not checking your hashtags
If you're going to use a hashtag, I cannot stress this enough: DOUBLE, TRIPLE AND QUADRUPLE CHECK IT. Make sure the hashtag you're using fits with the narrative of your brand. DiGiorno learned this lesson the hard way in 2014 when the hashtag #WhyIStayed was trending on Twitter. This hashtag was used as a way for women and men to tell their domestic violence stories and why they stayed with their abusers. DiGiorno did not do their research and tweeted out, "#WhyIStayed You had pizza." Although the employee who tweeted it out deleted the post within 10 seconds, it was online long enough for people to take notice, and it doesn't sit well with most people when it looks like your company is using domestic violence to sell pizza. The moral of the story: CHECK YOUR HASHTAGS.
4. Responding defensively to critics
Look, I get it. Someone posts a scathing review of your business, it's natural to want to fight back. When it comes to business, you must resist the temptation. Clapping back at critics in a harsh, angry or defensive manner can backfire and portray you, your business, and your reputation in a negative light.
5. Deleting negative comments
It's true that responding to negative comments in a defensive way can backfire, but so can deleting the comments altogether. If you see a negative post about your business, this is an opportunity to resolve the issue in a civil and public way. Not only could you potentially make a customer happy, but it also reflects positively on your business and shows your customers that you welcome feedback and are willing to work with people to make sure they have an enjoyable customer experience. (Keep in mind, when I mention "negative" posts, I'm not including abusive, hateful or threatening posts. If you see those on your page, delete them.)
6. Posting too much/not enough
If you post way too much, it can look like spam and push away your customers. If you don't post enough, it can look like you don't take your business seriously. If you're on Facebook, try to post at least 4-5x a week. On Twitter, 3-5x a day. Other social media platforms, try to aim for one post a day.
7. Overloading on social media platforms
Yes, having a social media presence is good, but trying to operate too many social media platforms can be detrimental. You don't want to spread yourself too thin across 4 or 5 social media accounts. Pick one. Yes, one. Pick one social media platform, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or wherever else your customer base may be, and master that platform. It's better to have one excellent and active account than to have 4 mediocre accounts that you don't spend a lot of time on.
If you can avoid these 7 deadly sins, you're on your way to building a successful social media strategy and growing an organic and engaging customer base.
Mindy Lee
Advisor/Marketing Coordinator


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Web Content ViewerActions
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Ply Gem products are backed with a 50 Year Limited Warranty, there to set the standard of confidence you deserve in your purchase.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
Man stabbed over drug debt
Windsor police say a man was stabbed Tuesday night over a drug debt.
Police were called around 6:10 p.m. to the area near 185 Wyandotte St. E. after a man was stabbed in the back.
When officers arrived, they found the 18-year-old victim laying in a parking lot, bleeding from a wound to his lower back. Paramedics took him to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police seized a bloodstained knife in the parking lot.
Witnesses told officers that the two people responsible for the stabbing had run off. Other witnesses called police to say the pair had run into an apartment building in the 500 block of Windsor Avenue. Police flooded the area.
Officers eventually found them walking the halls of the building. They had blood on their clothes.
Investigators later learned that the victim had shortchanged one of the suspects on a drug deal.
They agreed to meet up and settle the debt, each bringing along a friend.
The meeting turned into a fight involving all four people. At some point in the fight, one of the suspects pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in the back.
Two Windsor males, aged 17 and 18, are each charged with aggravated assault and assault with a weapon. Police didn't release their names.


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Hand's up who likes to be pampered? Get your nails done, have your hair fixed, eat some tasty food, sip amazing drinks, and treat yourself to a beauty product or two? Well, that is what Cheeky in East London is all about – an affordable place to go for instant beauty gratification!
Last week the guys at Logitech treated me to a makeover while looking at their new collection of iPad cases, I am lusting over their fabric keyboard cases, and it was nice to mix technology with beauty and it was great to experience Cheeky I have been wanting to go since it opened last month.
The concept is so cool, you can get your nails done, including nail art, your can have your hair refreshed, you can eat some amazing healthy food and some sweet treats, and you can have everything from a cup of tea to a fancy coffee and even champagne. It is like the perfect place to hang out with friends – whether for a special occasion, or to get ready for a first day, a work party, or just because really – as having my nails done instantly perks me up.
There were lots of options for the nails, there are over 20 different Cheeky shades to choose from, plus you get to take the colour home and my cherry red varnish has become my favourite colour. You can then add nail art from dotty patterns, different coloured tips, and because it is Christmas there were also festive options including presents, Santa and Rudolph, who I couldn't resist getting – he looks pretty cute against the dark red.
For my hair I went for curls, but you can also go for poker straight, beach waves, sixties beehives, plaits, and even messy buns – basically anything goes. It was nice to swish about for the rest of the day with my curly hair.
As it is Cowshed's naughty sister, Cheeky also has a range of gorgeously packaged products for the hair, body and make-up so you can continuing the pampering at home. I tried the hand cream and it was amazing, that I think I need to make my way through the whole collection.
If you are looking for a relaxing spot for a makeover you have to check out Cheeky – I can't wait to go again and try something different.
Have you tried out Cheeky?
My Style: Coat, River Island // Jeans, Ida by Donna Ida // Jumper, New Look // Biker Boots // Glasses, Retro54 //
**I was a guest of Logitech for my visit to Cheeky**


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Sofia Vergara has made it no secret that she would like more children, but at the age of 43 the actress has said that she will consider all the options when it comes to adding to her brood, with her new husband Joe Manganiello.
"Well I don't think you can think about it seriously when you're already 43 years old. It is what it is and I cannot just expect anything natural any more," she tells Harpers Baazar Arabia. "So we'll see what happens. It's not something that doesn't let us sleep. But it's not something I am completely opposed to."
Sofia has opened up about having children with her new husband Joe Manganiello Photo: Getty Images
Sofia is already mother to her son Manolo, 23, who she gave birth to at the age of 20. So if she were to get pregnant again how would the Modern Family actress approach motherhood for the second time, two decades later?
"I think the energy levels you have when you're in your 20s cannot be compared to the energy you have at 40. So of course it's going to be different, but it's possible. Of course I would have people to help me because I work a lot. So I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem.
"You're different when you're older, you are a different person. Your priorities are different so of course you approach it in a different way."
Sofia already has 23-year-old son Manolo from a previous marriage Photo: Getty Images
Having raised her child as a single mother, the Columbian star has a lot of respect from strong independent women but doesn't consider herself as a strong feminist.
"Umm... I'm in the middle. As a Latin woman, I love having a husband, someone to be there waiting for me, supporting me. I don't see anything bad with getting help from somebody that loves you and treats you well. That's an amazing job and a lot of effort to do it right.
"I think the beauty of a woman is that we can do everything. We have more options and we should do everything we can. But why not have support and love? And if somebody can help you in any way, why not take the help?"


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This article may be too technical for most readers to understand. Please help improve it to make it understandable to non-experts, without removing the technical details. (February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)
Amyloids are aggregates of proteins that become folded into a shape that allows many copies of that protein to stick together, forming fibrils. In the human body, amyloids have been linked to the development of various diseases. Pathogenic amyloids form when previously healthy proteins lose their normal physiological functions and form fibrous deposits in plaques around cells which can disrupt the healthy function of tissues and organs.
Such amyloids have been associated with (but not necessarily as the cause of) more than 50[1] human diseases, known as amyloidosis, and may play a role in some neurodegenerative disorders;[2] some amyloid proteins are infectious; these are called prions in which the infectious form can act as a template to convert other non-infectious proteins into infectious form.[3] Amyloids may also have normal biological functions; for example, in the formation of fimbriae in some genera of bacteria, transmission of epigenetic traits in fungi, as well as pigment deposition and hormone release in humans.[4]
Amyloids have been known to arise from many different proteins;[5] these polypeptide chains generally form β-sheet structures that aggregate into long fibers; however, identical polypeptides can fold into multiple distinct amyloid conformations. The diversity of the conformations may have led to different forms of the prion diseases.[4]
The name amyloid comes from the early mistaken identification by Rudolf Virchow of the substance as starch (amylum in Latin, from Greek ἄμυλον amylon), based on crude iodine-staining techniques. For a period, the scientific community debated whether or not amyloid deposits are fatty deposits or carbohydrate deposits until it was finally found (in 1859) that they are, in fact, deposits of albumoid proteinaceous material.[6]
- The classical, histopathological definition of amyloid is an extracellular, proteinaceous deposit exhibiting beta sheet structure. Common to most cross-beta-type structures, in general, they are identified by apple-green birefringence when stained with congo red and seen under polarized light; these deposits often recruit various sugars and other components such as Serum Amyloid P component, resulting in complex, and sometimes inhomogeneous structures.[7] Recently this definition has come into question as some classic, amyloid species have been observed in distinctly intracellular locations.[8]
- A more recent, biophysical definition is broader, including any polypeptide that polymerizes to form a cross-beta structure, in vivo or in vitro. Some of these, although demonstrably cross-beta sheet, do not show some classic histopathological characteristics such as the Congo-red birefringence.[citation needed] Microbiologists and biophysicists have largely adopted this definition,[9][10] leading to some conflict in the biological community over an issue of language.
The remainder of this article will use the biophysical context.
Diseases featuring amyloids[edit]
The International Society of Amyloidosis classifies amyloid fibrils based upon associated proteins.[22]
Non-disease and functional amyloids[edit]
- Native amyloids in organisms[23]
- Curli fibrils produced by E. coli, Salmonella, and a few other members of the Enterobacteriales (Csg). The genetic elements (operons) encoding the curli system are phylogenetic widespread and can be found in at least four bacterial phyla;[24] this suggest that many more bacteria may express curli fibrils.
- Gas vesicles, the buoyancy organelles of aquatic archaea and eubacteria[25]
- Functional amyloids in Pseudomonas (Fap)[26][27]
- Chaplins from Streptomyces coelicolor
- Podospora anserina prion het-s
- Malarial coat protein
- Spider silk (some but not all spiders)
- Mammalian melanosomes (PMEL)
- Tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), a hemodynamic factor
- ApCPEB protein and its homologues with a glutamine-rich domain
- Peptide/protein hormones stored as amyloids within endocrine secretory granules[28]
- Proteins and peptides engineered to make amyloid that display specific properties, such as ligands that target cell surface receptors[29]
- Several yeast prions are based on an infectious amyloid, e.g. [PSI+] (Sup35p); [URE3] (Ure2p); [PIN+] (Rnq1p); [SWI1+] (Swi1p) and [OCT8+] (Cyc8p)
- Functional amyloids are abundant in most environmental biofilms according to staining with amyloid specific dyes and antibodies[30]
- Fungal cell adhesion proteins aggregate on the surface of the fungi to form cell surface amyloid regions with greatly increased binding strength [31][32]
- The tubular sheaths encasing Methanosaeta thermophila filaments are the first functional amyloids to be reported from archeal domain of life [33]
"Amyloid deposits occur in the pancreas of patients with diabetes mellitus, although it is not known if this is functionally important. The major component of pancreatic amyloid is a 37-amino acid residue peptide known as islet amyloid polypeptide or amylin. This is stored with insulin in secretory granules in B cells and is co secreted with insulin" (Rang and Dale's Pharmacology, 2015).
ATTR amyloid deposits from transthyretin occur not only in Transthyretin-related hereditary amyloidosis, but also in advanced cases of aging in many tissues, in many mammalian species, they are a common result in supercentenarian autopsies. A proposal is that they may mediate some tissue pathologies seen in advanced aging, and pose a limit to human life span.[34]
Amyloid biophysics[edit]
Amyloids are formed of long unbranched fibers that are characterized by a cross-beta sheet quaternary structure in which antiparallel chains of β-stranded peptides are arranged in an orientation perpendicular to the axis of the fiber; each individual fiber may be 5–15 nanometres in width and a few micrometres in length.[4] While amyloid is usually identified using fluorescent dyes, stain polarimetry, circular dichroism, or FTIR (all indirect measurements), the "gold-standard" test to see whether a structure contains cross-β fibres is by placing a sample in an X-ray diffraction beam; the term "cross-β" was based on the observation of two sets of diffraction lines, one longitudinal and one transverse, that form a characteristic "cross" pattern.[35] There are two characteristic scattering diffraction signals produced at 4.7 and 10 Ångstroms (0.47 nm and 1.0 nm), corresponding to the interstrand and stacking distances in beta sheets.[36] The "stacks" of beta sheet are short and traverse the breadth of the amyloid fibril; the length of the amyloid fibril is built by aligned strands; the cross-beta pattern is considered a diagnostic hallmark of amyloid structure.[4]
For a long time our knowledge of the atomic-level structure of amyloid fibrils was limited by the fact that they are unsuitable for the most traditional methods for studying protein structures. Recent years have seen progress in experimental methods that now enable direct data on the internal structure of different types of amyloid fibrils. Two prominent methods include the use of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and (cryo) electron microscopy. Combined, these methods have provided 3D atomic structures of amyloid fibrils formed by amyloid β peptides, α-synuclein, tau, and the FUS protein, associated with various neurodegenerative diseases.[37][38]
X-ray diffraction studies of microcrystals revealed atomistic details of core region of amyloid;[39][40] the crystallographic structures show that short stretches from amyloid-prone regions of amyloidogenic proteins run perpendicular to the filament axis, consistent with the "cross-β" feature of amyloid structure. They also reveal a number of characteristics of amyloid structures – neighboring β-sheets are tightly packed together via an interface devoid of water (therefore referred to as dry interface), with the opposing β-strands slightly offset from each other such that their side-chains interdigitate; this compact dehydrated interface created was termed a steric-zipper interface.[4] There are eight theoretical classes of steric-zipper interfaces, dictated by the directionality of the β-sheets (parallel and anti-parallel) and symmetry between adjacent β-sheets.
Although bona fide amyloid structures always are based on intermolecular β-sheets, different types of "higher order" tertiary folds have been observed or proposed; the β-sheets may form a β-sandwich, or a β-solenoid which may be either β-helix or β-roll. One complicating factor in studies of amyloidogenic polypeptides is that identical polypeptides can fold into multiple distinct amyloid conformations;[4] this phenomenon is typically described as amyloid polymorphism.[41] [42] [43]. It has notable biological consequences given that it is thought to explain the prion strain phenomenon, for example.[citation needed]
Amyloid is formed through the polymerization of hundreds to thousands of monomeric peptides into long fibers. In general, amyloid polymerization (aggregation or non-covalent polymerization) is sequence-sensitive, that is, causing mutations in the sequence can prevent self-assembly, especially if the mutation is a beta-sheet breaker, such as proline or non-coded alpha-aminoisobutyric acid.[44] For example, humans produce amylin, an amyloidogenic peptide associated with type II diabetes, but in rats and mice prolines are substituted in critical locations and amyloidogenesis does not occur.[citation needed] Studies comparing synthetic to recombinant Amyloid beta 1-42 in assays measuring rate of fibrillation, fibril homogeneity, and cellular toxicity showed that recombinant Amyloid beta 1-42 has a faster fibrillation rate and greater toxicity than synthetic Amyloid beta 1-42 peptide;[45] this observation combined with the irreproducibility of certain Amyloid beta 1-42 experimental studies has been suggested to be responsible for the lack of progress in Alzheimer's research.[46] Consequently, there have been renewed efforts to manufacture Amyloid beta 1-42 and other amyloid peptides at unprecedented (>99%) purity.[47]
There are multiple classes of amyloid-forming polypeptide sequences.[41][42][43] Glutamine-rich polypeptides are important in the amyloidogenesis of Yeast and mammalian prions, as well as Trinucleotide repeat disorders including Huntington's disease; when glutamine-rich polypeptides are in a β-sheet conformation, glutamines can brace the structure by forming inter-strand hydrogen bonding between its amide carbonyls and nitrogens of both the backbone and side chains. The onset age for Huntington's disease shows an inverse correlation with the length of the polyglutamine sequence, with analogous findings in a C. elegans model system with engineered polyglutamine peptides.[48]
Other polypeptides and proteins such as amylin and the Alzheimer's beta protein do not have a simple consensus sequence and are thought to operate by hydrophobic association.[citation needed] Among the hydrophobic residues, aromatic amino-acids are found to have the highest amyloidogenic propensity.[49][50]
For these peptides, cross-polymerization (fibrils of one polypeptide sequence causing other fibrils of another sequence to form) is observed in vitro and possibly in vivo.[citation needed] This phenomenon is important, since it would explain interspecies prion propagation and differential rates of prion propagation, as well as a statistical link between Alzheimer's and type 2 diabetes.[51] In general, the more similar the peptide sequence the more efficient cross-polymerization is, though entirely dissimilar sequences can cross-polymerize and highly similar sequences can even be "blockers" that prevent polymerization.[citation needed] Polypeptides will not cross-polymerize their mirror-image counterparts, indicating that the phenomenon involves specific binding and recognition events.[citation needed]
The fast aggregation process, rapid conformational changes as well as solvent effects provide challenges in measuring monomeric and oligomeric amyloid peptide structures in solution. Theoretical and computational studies complement experiments and provide insights that are otherwise difficult to obtain using conventional experimental tools. Several groups have successfully studied the disordered structures of amyloid and reported random coil structures with specific structuring of monomeric and oligomeric amyloid as well as how genetics and oxidative stress impact the flexible structures of amyloid in solution.[52]
Oligomeric intermediates of insulin during fibrillation (more toxic than other intermediates: native, protofibril, and fibril) decreased the surface tension of solution which indicated to detergent-like properties of oligomers and significant role of hydrophobic forces in cytotoxicity of oligomers.[53]
Amyloid pathology[edit]
The reasons for amyloid association disease are unclear. In some cases, the deposits physically disrupt tissue architecture, suggesting disruption of function by some bulk process. An emerging consensus implicates prefibrillar intermediates rather than mature amyloid fibers in causing cell death.[13][54]
Calcium dysregulation has been observed in cells exposed to amyloid oligomers; these small aggregates can form ion channels planar lipid bilayer membranes. Channel formation has been hypothesized to account for calcium dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction by allowing indiscriminate leakage of ions across cell membranes.[55]
Studies have shown that amyloid deposition is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and a resulting generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can initiate a signalling pathway leading to apoptosis.[56]
There are reports that indicate amyloid polymers (such as those of huntingtin, associated with Huntington's disease) can induce the polymerization of essential amyloidogenic proteins, which should be deleterious to cells. Also, interaction partners of these essential proteins can also be sequestered.[57]
Histological staining[edit]
In the clinical setting, amyloid diseases are typically identified by a change in the fluorescence intensity of planar aromatic dyes such as thioflavin T, congo red or NIAD-4.[58] In general, this is attributed to the environmental change, as these dyes intercalate between beta-strands to confine their structure.[59] Congo Red positivity remains the gold standard for diagnosis of amyloidosis. In general, binding of Congo Red to amyloid plaques produces a typical apple-green birefringence when viewed under cross-polarized light. Recently, significant enhancement of fluorescence quantum yield of NIAD-4 was exploited to super-resolution fluorescence imaging of amyloid fibrils[60] and oligomers.[61] To avoid nonspecific staining, other histology stains, such as the hematoxylin and eosin stain, are used to quench the dyes' activity in other places such as the nucleus, where the dye might bind. Modern antibody technology and immunohistochemistry has made specific staining easier, but often this can cause trouble because epitopes can be concealed in the amyloid fold; in general, an amyloid protein structure is a different conformation from the one that the antibody recognizes.
See also[edit]
- ^ Knowles TP, Vendruscolo M, Dobson CM (June 2014). "The amyloid state and its association with protein misfolding diseases". Nature Reviews. Molecular Cell Biology. 15 (6): 384–96. doi:10.1038/nrm3810. PMID 24854788.
- ^ Pulawski W, Ghoshdastider U, Andrisano V, Filipek S (April 2012). "Ubiquitous amyloids". Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology. 166 (7): 1626–43. doi:10.1007/s12010-012-9549-3. PMC 3324686. PMID 22350870.
- ^ Soto C, Estrada L, Castilla J (March 2006). "Amyloids, prions and the inherent infectious nature of misfolded protein aggregates". Trends in Biochemical Sciences. 31 (3): 150–5. doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2006.01.002. PMID 16473510.
- ^ a b c d e f Toyama BH, Weissman JS (2011). "Amyloid structure: conformational diversity and consequences". Annual Review of Biochemistry. 80: 557–85. doi:10.1146/annurev-biochem-090908-120656. PMC 3817101. PMID 21456964.
- ^ Ramirez-Alvarado M, Merkel JS, Regan L (August 2000). "A systematic exploration of the influence of the protein stability on amyloid fibril formation in vitro". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 97 (16): 8979–84. doi:10.1073/pnas.150091797. PMC 16807. PMID 10908649.
- ^ Kyle RA (September 2001). "Amyloidosis: a convoluted story". British Journal of Haematology. 114 (3): 529–38. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2141.2001.02999.x. PMID 11552976.
- ^ Sipe JD, Cohen AS (June 2000). "Review: history of the amyloid fibril". Journal of Structural Biology. 130 (2–3): 88–98. doi:10.1006/jsbi.2000.4221. PMID 10940217.
- ^ Lin CY, Gurlo T, Kayed R, Butler AE, Haataja L, Glabe CG, et al. (May 2007). "Toxic human islet amyloid polypeptide (h-IAPP) oligomers are intracellular, and vaccination to induce anti-toxic oligomer antibodies does not prevent h-IAPP-induced beta-cell apoptosis in h-IAPP transgenic mice". Diabetes. 56 (5): 1324–32. doi:10.2337/db06-1579. PMID 17353506.
- ^ Nilsson MR (September 2004). "Techniques to study amyloid fibril formation in vitro". Methods. 34 (1): 151–60. doi:10.1016/j.ymeth.2004.03.012. PMID 15283924.
- ^ Fändrich M (August 2007). "On the structural definition of amyloid fibrils and other polypeptide aggregates". Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences. 64 (16): 2066–78. doi:10.1007/s00018-007-7110-2. PMID 17530168.
- ^ Chiang PK, Lam MA, Luo Y (September 2008). "The many faces of amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease". Current Molecular Medicine. 8 (6): 580–4. doi:10.2174/156652408785747951. PMID 18781964.
- ^ a b Irvine GB, El-Agnaf OM, Shankar GM, Walsh DM (2008). "Protein aggregation in the brain: the molecular basis for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases". Molecular Medicine. 14 (7–8): 451–64. doi:10.2119/2007-00100.Irvine. PMC 2274891. PMID 18368143.
- ^ a b Ferreira ST, Vieira MN, De Felice FG (2007). "Soluble protein oligomers as emerging toxins in Alzheimer's and other amyloid diseases". IUBMB Life. 59 (4–5): 332–45. doi:10.1080/15216540701283882. PMID 17505973.
- ^ Hamley IW (October 2012). "The amyloid beta peptide: a chemist's perspective. Role in Alzheimer's and fibrillization" (PDF). Chemical Reviews. 112 (10): 5147–92. doi:10.1021/cr3000994. PMID 22813427.
- ^ Haataja L, Gurlo T, Huang CJ, Butler PC (May 2008). "Islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes, and the toxic oligomer hypothesis". Endocrine Reviews. 29 (3): 303–16. doi:10.1210/er.2007-0037. PMC 2528855. PMID 18314421.
- ^ Höppener JW, Ahrén B, Lips CJ (August 2000). "Islet amyloid and type 2 diabetes mellitus". The New England Journal of Medicine. 343 (6): 411–9. doi:10.1056/NEJM200008103430607. PMID 10933741.
- ^ "More than just mad cow disease". Nature Structural Biology. 8 (4): 281. April 2001. doi:10.1038/86132. PMID 11276238.
- ^ Truant R, Atwal RS, Desmond C, Munsie L, Tran T (September 2008). "Huntington's disease: revisiting the aggregation hypothesis in polyglutamine neurodegenerative diseases". The FEBS Journal. 275 (17): 4252–62. doi:10.1111/j.1742-4658.2008.06561.x. PMID 18637947.
- ^ Weydt P, La Spada AR (August 2006). "Targeting protein aggregation in neurodegeneration--lessons from polyglutamine disorders". Expert Opinion on Therapeutic Targets. 10 (4): 505–13. doi:10.1517/14728126.96.36.1995. PMID 16848688.
- ^ a b "Amyloidosis: Definition of Amyloid and Amyloidosis, Classification Systems, Systemic Amyloidoses". 10 October 2018 – via eMedicine. Cite journal requires
- ^ Dotti CG, De Strooper B (February 2009). "Alzheimer's dementia by circulation disorders: when trees hide the forest". Nature Cell Biology. 11 (2): 114–6. doi:10.1038/ncb0209-114. PMID 19188916.
- ^ Sipe JD, Benson MD, Buxbaum JN, Ikeda S, Merlini G, Saraiva MJ, Westermark P (September 2010). "Amyloid fibril protein nomenclature: 2010 recommendations from the nomenclature committee of the International Society of Amyloidosis". Amyloid. 17 (3–4): 101–4. doi:10.3109/13506129.2010.526812. PMID 21039326.
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External links[edit]
- Bacterial Inclusion Bodies Contain Amyloid-Like Structure at SciVee
- Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis
- Amyloid: Journal of Protein Folding Disorders web page at InformaWorld
- Information, support and advice to anyone with Amyloidosis, particularly in Australia
- Role of anesthetics in Alzheimer's disease: Molecular details revealed
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Amyloid.


text:
I did it, I moved to wordpress. I don't feel like transporting all this over there, so I'll leave it here, at least for a while. But go check in at http://retailretales.wordpress.com/
for all future updates.
Tell your friends!
superdes, aka desstar
Saturday, March 12, 2011
love, super des at 6:41 PM Links to this post
Friday, March 04, 2011
oh hi
Oh hi, I have a blog that I haven't updated in over a month.
Remember when I used to update at least once a day? Yeah.
So anyway, I think I'm going to switch to Wordpress. Blogger is always ridiculous for me - it gives me issues uploading photos and whatnot.
Maybe it will inspire me to blog more. It won't be every day, because I'm still pretty damn busy, but more often than once a month anyway.
I haven't started the new blog yet because honestly, I don't know what to call it. And I don't know if anyone cares. That's not an invitation to a pity party, I just never get comments anymore. Of course, I rarely leave comments on others' anymore either. Part of that whole "being super busy" thing.
So.... thoughts?
love, super des at 3:56 PM Links to this post
Sunday, January 30, 2011
personality test
Every so often, I like to take the Jung Typology (personality) Test. Even though I get the same answer, I always forget what that answer is.
I'm an ISTJ, also known as an Inspector. Also read as a robot. I find it pretty accurate, the most hard-hitting sentence being "They are patient with their work and with the procedures within an institution, although not always with the unauthorized behavior of some people in that institution." What? Me get annoyed at people for not doing thir job, especially when it affects my job? Nooooooooo.
I had to take a test like this for my job in NYC. It was very long and much more involved then this online one, and the results were much more in depth. I got to see my results (most people don't) and I should have made a copy. It said the same thing, and it actually used the term robot. So you see, I'm not just making that up.
Speaking of jobs, the online test gives a list of jobs & careers suitable for my personality type, but I'm pretty convinced that it's just a ploy to check out some online schools. It gave me things like Management and military service. I understand why - they are rigid and organized. But getting to those positions is not. Regardless, I'm happy with my choice to go into cosmetology. It mixes science with creativity, plus I get the benefits of dealing with people and having every day be different. And who better to do hair than a robot? ;)
love, super des at 10:29 AM Links to this post
and this is regarding... robot
Sunday, January 23, 2011
updates on school and work
Other than burning my finger when learning to use old skool metal curlers and straighteners, school is still going well.
For some reason (I guess just to have it on paper that I'm not a total idiot), I have to take a Computer Basics class. It really is the basics too. I mean, obviously I can use a computer. I'm using one right now. I used one to register for that class. I can write HTML code. I can use a damn computer. But they teach us to "double click" on icons and how to get on the internet. I spend that 2 hours a week texting Jay and playing games on my phone because honestly there's nothing I can learn. I also had to buy a book for it (really?) and the one in the bookstore was like $75. Next semester they're upgrading to Office 2010, so the book on Office 2007 (I know!) won't be worth anything to buy back. Luckily I found a place to rent the book for $19, so now I don't have to worry about spending a bunch of dough that I don't have on a book that I will never use.
Pretty much everyone in the COS class gets along. I haven't hung out with anyone outside of class yet, but there are a few people that I would consider. This is evidenced by the other day at lunch: everyone was crowded around one table with not enough seats. I had gotten to the lobby a little late, so I was left without a chair. I stood around for a few minutes, then decided to go sit at another table by myself. (We stand up for 7 hours a day, so I took the seat when I had the chance.) But a few minutes later, a few of my "friends" came from the other table to sit with me. That made me smile.
However, there's one chick in my class that noboody likes. All she does is complain, and everything she says is negative. At first she was complaining that we use too many chemicals and everything is so wasteful. I initially brushed her off as a hippie that was just in the wrong profession (seriously, cosmetology uses a ton of unnatural chemicals!) but she kept making it worse. Everything we do in class is "impossible" (even though the rest of us are managing ok) and every problem she has is horrible and dramatic and deserves special attention, even making the teacher stop in the middle of class. The rest of us always exchange silent eyerolls whenever she opens her mouth, and I hope that she drops the program. She's only taking it because she was a dog groomer and people aren't paying for that service anymore, so she figured grooming people "is the same thing" just with a license.
I'm still looking for a new job. Besides the pay cut I mentioned previously, I found out some things the other day that made me very stabby. My previous supervisor lied to the managers about me. He said he had previously "counseled" me regarding my performance, and since my performance hadn't improved, I was supposed to be written up. The only problem was that he never had actually counseled me, which is why (thankfully) they couldn't find the paperwork, so I couldn't be written up. For a job that I no longer have, btw. And this same guy had told them that he was doing my work for me. For example, there were these giant cardboard bins that I spent several days building... he said that he built them. I threw a fit right then and told the manager to ask the rest of my coworkers, as they all saw me building them, and many made jokes about how I was building cardboard forts to hide in. Before this, I had been friends with this guy. I was able to separate friendship from work, but lying to his superiors to make me look bad and him look good, well, that's not something a friend does. That's not even something a good manager or decent human being does. I haven't had to work with him since, but when I eventually do, I'm sure he'll ask why I de-friended him on facebook. And I'll tell him exactly why.
Other than that, work isn't horrible. It's kind of nice not having to do so much - my new position is like braindead. I mean the pay still sucks, but until I get something better I can stick with it. I haven't had to work with either of the 2 people I hate, so hopefully it will stay that way.
Sorry this was kind of a negative blog but really I am still pretty happy. I miss my friends at work, but I still keep in touch with them and hang out with them occasionally, and I'm on my way to having new friends from school. And of course, I still have all of you lovely people.
And sorry it was TL;DR. And I used a lot of parentheticals. But I actually have things to say now!
love, super des at 12:10 PM Links to this post
and this is regarding... school, work
Sunday, January 16, 2011
I finally had my first day of school, after 3 & 1/2 days' delay from snow.
I think I'm really going to like Cosmetology school. There are 4 "classes" in the program - beginners (like me), advanced, seniors, and estheticians. Normally there's a manicurist class too, but not this semester. My class only has 9 people in it, all girls. There are a total of 3 guys in the whole program (out of about 40 or so), and well... way to fit stereotypes, gay hairdressers. (jk)
The $1500 I spent break down into one giant box of books - a set of 7 - and my cosmetology kit, which includes things like plastic heads and various hairpieces, along with assorted tools. I was super excited to open the kit and play with everything. :D The books include "quizzes" which are so simple that I could do them all tonight and turn them in tomorrow. It's a nice change from the studying I had to do while getting my Bachelors. However, I know cosmetology uses a different part of the brain than that.
My teacher is a no-nonsense Jamaican lady, and I think I'm going to like her. In fact, I'm really excited about the whole thing. Even though it's going to take some effort and life adjustments, I think I made the right choice in going back to school for a career in hair.
love, super des at 7:18 PM Links to this post
and this is regarding... school
Thursday, December 30, 2010
I normally don't make New Year's resolutions. I'm of the mind that if you want / need to change something about yourself, you should just do it and not wait until the calendar says to. This year it just so happens that I need to change myself right at the new year. How convenient.
I'm going to stop being such a downer and have more fun with my life. I know I've been having a hard time lately, but I shouldn't let it bring me down. I am certainly lucky in that I have love (from both Jay and 2 adorable kitties), a nice place to live, lots of friends all over the world, and a job. Sure, I'm looking for a new job because I hate this one, but a lot of people don't have even that luxury. In fact, I've been that person too, and I'll do what I can to not be in that position again. I watch tv and movies about families that are poor but happy. I want to be that. I am going to stop being so sad about my situation and have fun with what I do have. The fact that I'm being sad just makes me sadder, and that's a retarded circle that needs to stop. I'm going to stop wishing for things I can't have, and start enjoying the things I already do.
So I'm gonna do it. I used to be one of the happiest people I knew, so I know it's possible. And I need you, my blog friends to help keep me on track. An occasional downer post is allowed, but if I start bringing you down with all my Desi Downer acts, slap some sense into me!
I might even get a tattoo of the quote "It's fun to have fun" which is a Dr. Seuss quote that (used to be) my motto.
Other than that, everyone have a safe and happy new year. And have fun! :D :kiss:
ps - I'm officially done working overnights now, so that will probably help with the happiness. :D
love, super des at 3:22 PM Links to this post
Saturday, December 18, 2010
silly cat
When I was in 3rd grade or so, we read a story in class about the Alaskan natives. The time period was such that they still weren't "Americanized" but they did receive yearly boat shipments of oranges. Because oranges are not native to Alaska (something about the cold....) the girl that was the focus of the story would eat the outside (the peel) and throw away the "garbage" inside. Obviously this is backwards from the norm. But the outside was better than anything she had ever had, so she didn't imagine that it could be even better.
I relate this story because of Hadley, the new kitty. She was definitely a "street cat" before we got her, and so is not used to the basic comforts of home that Mecrutio takes for granted. For example, we have a few cardboard scratchers around. Mecru uses them like a normal cat - scratchy scratchy. Whereas Hadley lies on it as a bed. We have many soft things for the cats to lie on, including various cat beds, blankets, and even our own bed, but no. The scratchers are more comfortable than anything she had on the streets, so she doesn't need to look for anything softer.
We're trying to teach her about beds, but as long as she's happy.
love, super des at 9:10 PM Links to this post
and this is regarding... cat, photos
Friday, December 10, 2010
financial woes
Warning, sad emo blog.
I'm really stressing about money today. Why?
-Out of the 2 cars we started out with, one is still smashed and the other has severe transmission problems. Both can be fixed, but not with our current resources.
- I don't know I'm going to pay for school. My financial aid still hasn't kicked in, and probably won't until too late. I can make payments on the tuition, but I didn't realize until I actually went to sign up that it requires a 33% down payment, which means I need about $300 by next week. Then I need another $1300 or so by next month for a uniform and supplies, which are specific packages I can only get through the school.
- xmas is coming, and I already feel horrible that people are going to be buying me gifts when I can do so little for them.
The list can go on, but those are the major worries right now. And I am trying to better my situation - I have one side job that started out pretty awesome. It's one of those work at home deals, and it was so awesome that I was planning on quitting my real job (which I hate) as soon as I had all my school bills paid with the extra money. But they recently changed it so I can only work like 1-2 hours a day. I know every bit helps, but seriously, an extra $10 a day isn't really helping me make my deadlines. And that means I have to stay at my horrible "real" job.
I have another side job lined up too. I did my (paid) training for it today. A friend of mine is going on vacation and needed someone to cover his part time job. It's a pretty sweet gig: I go down to the local BMW dealership 3 times a week, and take pictures of cars. I have to move the cars around and take very specific pictures of them, but I get paid for 3 hours' work whether it takes that long or not (and he said it usually takes only about an hour). If it's raining or snowing, I still get paid. Then I go home and upload the pictures to the website and a few days later there is more money in my bank. So this will help out a little anyway, though I'm not sure if that will be in time for school. And as always, there's still the odd sale from my etsy store and the random modeling job, but those are not reliable sources.
OK, sorry to lay that on you but I needed to get that off my chest.
love, super des at 6:15 PM Links to this post
and this is regarding... sad des
Friday, December 03, 2010
new kitty
I got a new kitty! Warning, this is long but the cuteness is worth it, I promise.
The local humane society did a free cat adoption the weekend after Thanksgiving. Jay had to work both days, but I was off Saturday (after 9 hellish days in a row!) so he trusted me to go pick a winner.
I was originally looking for a male cat because the cat I already have is male. (Because they're from the Humane Society, no matter what they would be spayed or neutered.) I found one that was cute, but he was very shy. I'm awesome with cats, so he eventually warmed up to me, complete with snuggles and love nibbles, but he was still skiddish. There was an older couple outside the pen discussing the cat with an adoption coordinator. While they were surprised that I was getting any kitty attention (kit-tention), they were looking for an outside / barn cat - not necessarily people friendly but cat friendly and a good hunter. From their description, this was the perfect cat for them. Even though I liked him, I didn't know how he would react to Jhay and other guests, which is important to me. (I didn't stick around for the follow up, but when I next cheked the webpage, that cat had been adopted, so I assume it was with those people.)
Also I didn't feel so bad about letting that one "get away" because that cat's pen-mate, Hadley, was an adorable sweetheart. She was very affectionate, but not needy. She was comfortable enough around me to eat and let me hold her and touch her feet, and was still playful. In total, I spent over an hour in that pen, occasionally venturing out to see if I wanted to meet any other cats. But I kept going back to her until my mind was made up. She wasn't spayed yet, so I signed all the paperwork and was told I could come back Tuesday to bring her home. Perfect, as Tuesday is both my and Jay's day off, so he would get to meet her before actually getting home.
We got there and signed all the final paperwork and whatnot. They gave us a cardboard carrier to get her home - we took it because it's always nice to have 2 carriers when you have 2 cats. She was still groggy from surgery so we left her in the cardboard one. The adoption folks warned us that she hadn't gone potty since before the surgery - more than 24 hours ago. No problem, we had a litter box waiting at home. Unfortunately, poor girl couldn't wait til then, and I ended up very covered in stinky cat pee. And the cardboard carrier went straight in the trash.
At first the two cats didn't get along. We kept them separated, but the new one was still grumpy from surgery and all the recent changes in her life. So even though Mecrutio wanted nothing more than to be friends, the new kitty let out the occasional hiss, and that was off-putting to everyone. But as time went on. they became friends. As I type this, they are chasing each other around upstairs, sounding like a herd of elephants.
And now pictures! Meet Hadley. (The shelter named her, but I think it's a cute name so we'll keep it.)
Did I mention she's polydactyl AND bobtailed? She's my little genetic opera of a kitty.:)
love, super des at 6:39 PM Links to this post
and this is regarding... cat, photos
Monday, November 29, 2010
rantings of a fangirl
Last night I got to see the legendary Cyndi Lauper in concert. I may be biased since I've loved her since I was born, but even the casual fan would agree that it was A.MA.ZING. The crowd was mostly older, though there were a few people my age, and one pair of girls that were definitely like 15. They tried a little too hard with the hair gel and the "crazy" outfits, but as long as they had fun I don't care.
Most of the show was her rocking out old blues covers, and I do mean rocking. It was so good that I didn't even care if she played her old 80s hits. However, the mouthy broad next to me did. "We paid $36 to hear some She-Bop!" she kept complaining to her friend. Directly in my ear. I wanted to turn to her and be like "Well maybe after 30 years she's tired of playing that old stuff. She has a new cd out, let her plug that. And *I* didn't pay to hear She-Bop. I can hear that for free, at home. I paid to see one of the most awesome women in music history live in person."
And I almost wish she hadn't played the 80s hits. She is such an excellent performer - high energy singing and dancing mixed with storytelling in her adorable Queens accent. (And how often do you call a a Queens accent adorable?) But she did play the 80s hits, and they too were fucking fantastic. She just waited until after the fake end of the concert, when everyone leaves the stage but the house lights don't come on. The audience cheers for a few minutes, and everyone comes back to finish the set.
Here is a video of "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun". The quality is crappy, but you can see how high-energy it all was. I had to cut off filming because she said "raise your hands in the air" and everyone did, and little old me couldn't see a thing. :(
ps - you can definitely hear that mouthy broad I mentioned earlier.
Here are a coupla other of my fave pics.
I got an autographed cd, too. They were pre-autographed, I didn't get to meet her, but it's still pretty cool. And yes, I idolize Cyndi Lauper almost as much as I do Joan Jett. And you all know how much I love her. But honestly, it was one of - if not THE best concerts I've ever been to.
love, super des at 6:17 PM Links to this post
and this is regarding... Asheville, happy des, photos, review, soundtrack, video


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Ingredients:6 Cornish Game Hens
3 celery stalks, quartered
½ cup Steen's Pure Cane Syrup
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup chopped sage
salt and cracked pepper to taste
paprika for color
2 cups chicken stock
3 small onions, quartered
12 cloves of garlic
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup chopped thyme
2 oranges, sectioned
Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce to taste
½ cup white wine
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash birds well and season inside cavities generously with salt, pepper and Louisiana Gold Pepper Sauce. Stuff each cavity with onion, celery and garlic. Place birds, breast side up, in a roasting pan and continue to season. In a mixing bowl combine syrup, orange juice, butter, thyme and sage. Brush birds lightly with glaze and sprinkle with paprika to ensure even browning. Surround the birds with remaining vegetable seasonings and orange sections. Cover tightly and roast for forty-five minutes. Uncover and allow birds to brown evenly. Continue to glaze with syrup mixture during the browning process. Once cooked remove birds and deglaze baking pan with white wine. Add chicken stock and reduce over medium high heat for a wonderful sauce accompaniment.Chef John Folse
Gonzales, Louisiana


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Report: Chief Keef Makes NYC Debut
Photos and review of the Chicago phenom's S.O.B.'s show last night.
*Photos by Erez Avissar. Check out a complete slideshow of full-size photos here. *
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In January, the Chicago rapper Chief Keef was a 16-year-old South Side kid serving out a house-arrest sentence at his grandmother's while his rap videos racked up local YouTube hits. Last night, Keef made his official New York debut at S.O.B.'s, the landing pad for many out-of-towner hip-hop debuts over the years, including, once upon a time, Kanye West's.
Keef and West had crossed paths recently after Kanye scooped up Keef's song "I Don't Like" and pumped it full of guest rappers, extra synths, and choral "OH!'S," thus rendering a street-rap hit officially radio-playable. It was this West-ian infusion of star power-- along with recent news that Keef had signed a lucrative deal with Interscope Records-- that might have been somewhat responsible for the swarm-the-front-door urgency outside S.O.B.'s. Everyone there seemed desperately certain that the venue was the locus of their universe that evening, even if they weren't sure why. Some in line for the guest list resorted to pure desperation: "Hey, man! You and I know each other! How's it going? Hey, man, remember me?"
Once inside, the locally ubiquitous Chicago concert and party host Hustle Simmons was holding court. Stalking the stage with a fierceness that bordered on anger, he seemed touchingly determined to bring the riches of his city's rap scene to NYC's front door, even if NYC didn't seem terribly interested. "I flew over here in the hot-ass plane, we going to Chicago this bitch up," he announced. He then proceeded to force-feed the city's exploding rap talent to New York via an endless procession of pretty-good-to-more-than-pretty-good MCs (and one hilariously intense Harlem singer, going by the name of "Tim Vocals," whose gimmick consisted, basically, of rewriting all of Drake's songs so that they were about smoking weed and killing people instead of pining for girls). When someone in the back finally erupted with impatience, bellowing "boo" for interminable minutes on end, Simmons lost it, spitting out what might have been the evening's most priceless line: "I got a condo and a nice-ass car! I came too far for this shit."
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And then, a little after midnight, it was Keef time. The opening chords to "Understand Me" fired up, and suddenly everyone in the crowd was a little less cool. The stage was consumed by Keef's hangers-on and it was soon indistinguishable from the crowd. With his tiny arms poking out of a denim vest and a pair of white-framed shades swallowing his face, Keef looked more like a Bazooka Joe character than a rapper. The kid's presence --firm, calm, entitled-- is startlingly forceful; he accomplishes a lot by not moving, or really saying much. And while his music can be entrancingly dead-eyed and stone-faced, tonight he was all smiles. It was a celebration.
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Things officially kicked off with "Sosa", Keef's little bark of a voice cutting clear through everyone on stage while sounding like it was muttering threats in your ear. The 20-something-minute showcase was short and grimly functional, exactly like his music: "Birthday", "3Hunna", "Save That Shit" (an ice-cold refutation of the possibility of love that had a bunch of girls popping up on guys' shoulders to shout along). He then played "I Don't Like", perhaps the year's most rambunctious rap anthem, which was met with the beam of many rolling camera phones. Then, after "Monster" and "Winnin", the show was over. As everyone filed out, some of them grumbling, Hustle Simmons, determined to get a last word in, said: "Shout out to Interscope. I hope y'all learned something."


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Maximizing the Thermal Process
What makes advanced ceramics relatively expensive and/or difficult to produce? Many of the challenges lie in the thermal processing stages—synthesis, sintering and cooling—required to manufacture the product, as well as the level of quality that must be achieved.
The high temperatures used for the direct carbo-thermic synthesis of, for example, tungsten carbide (WC) or the sintering of alpha-SiC and a variety of other advanced non-oxide ceramics require relatively high energy input. Materials of construction are limited and, frequently, expensive. Additionally, the cost of cooling, though often overlooked by most furnace users, can be comparable to and sometimes greater than the cost of the energy used to heat the product.
Inert blanket gas consumption, often required for the quality of the product, if not for the protection of the refractories, is another significant operating cost.
Other thermal processing challenges include maintenance, downtime and rebuilds. Processes requiring or producing chemically aggressive atmospheres—such as the CO2 produced in the low temperature end of the WC synthesis, or the B2O3 off gassing in the production of BN and TiB2 or H2 used simply as a buffer—attack the furnace refractories as well as the conveying surfaces, the product containers and heating elements.
Material property advances, such as finer grains and good grain growth control and, in the case of synthesis, good chemical stoichiometry control, require a rapid and uniform approach to the maximum process temperature. Additionally, to make a uniform high temperature activated material, the time at temperature must be long compared to the time when some of the material was hot enough to react, sinter, etc. and some was not. The struggle to produce fine grain materials (powder synthesis or part sintering) therefore usually involves a battle between productivity and uniformity.
Conventional high-temperature continuous furnace designs typically seek to pack as much productivity into as small an envelope as possible to minimize energy consumption and purged volume. Load geometry is also frequently designed to minimize product-container surface area. For synthesis processes that generate reactive gases, a minimal surface reduces the replacement cost of the product containers. Together, these designs minimize operating and capital costs based on the stated principals. Unfortunately, this is sometimes at the cost of transient thermal uniformity.
Recently, an improved furnace design* was developed that simultaneously sets a new standard for all of these criteria. The furnace has been successfully used to synthesize an extremely unforgiving ceramic oxide powder, and it is now being adapted for continuous ultra-high temperature synthesis and sintering. The new system offers a minimized carrier mass, improved material handling and processing, and improved time-at-temperature uniformity, making advanced ceramic production more efficient and profitable.
Minimized Carrier MassThe thermal mass of traditional continuous pusher type kilns is often the largest load in the process. Usually, the more aggressive the environment, the more shear mass of graphite is applied. Pound per pound, graphite has a very high heat capacity, aggravating the situation.
Another reason that traditional load containers are relatively massive is because they are doing several things at once. For instance, they might carry a chemically aggressive reacting material while transmitting the force to overcome the friction drag on all of the downstream carriers. They, along with the hearth, also provide the stable conveyor behavior (stable, precise shapes to avoid buckling) required for continuous operation. Again, the traditional way to cope with these demands is additional cross-section (i.e., mass), but the costs can quickly add up in terms of energy use, part replacement, hearth wear and product uniformity.
The new furnace's carrier breaks this job apart. The mass of carrier in thermal contact with the load is minimized to just that required to carry the load. The compression, abrasion and precision-geometry requirements of the task of transmitting the pushing force are handed off to the peripheral pusher blocks. In a variant called the "cold rail," the pusher blocks are at least partially removed from the thermal/chemical environment (see Figure 1). Although massive in much the same way and for the same reasons as the traditional carriers, the carrier exerts a positive rather than negative influence on the economics of operation and quality of production.
The now simple job that the carrier components must handle allows the design to be modified to decrease replacement costs. Other maintenance costs are reduced by decreasing the wear and the criticality of wear of the load-force transmitting parts of the system.
Another advantage of this type of carrier is that it allows a wide, low profile load to be processed economically. To a good first approximation, every halving of diffusion distance cuts the time to reach a specific level of uniformity by a factor of four. With the new furnace, a 1-in. (25 mm) deep, 40-in. (1 m) wide load can be processed more economically and with better quality than a traditional 4-in. (100 mm) deep, 10-in. (250 mm) wide load. A thermal model comparing the production and quality of a traditional pusher tunnel kiln and the new furnace design is shown in Figures 2 and 3.
Improved Material Handling and ProcessingPerhaps the most significant advantage of the new carrier design is that the partitioning of the material handling and processing functions allows both systems to be improved. The rail/hearth on which the pusher blocks ride is substantially more stable than standard pushers that are implemented in graphite. Additionally, the wear surface is at least one step removed from the process environment, improving the longevity of the components.
Most pusher furnace systems recirculate their load carriers in a horizontal plane, requiring a return track that consumes an additional footprint within the plant. The new system, however, recirculates in a vertical plane, allowing manufacturers to conserve plant space.
In the new system, a forward moving set rides on top of a backward moving set. The product on the carrier is pushed into the furnace and is heated as it moves through the first level. It is then lowered while in the hot zone and pushed back in the reverse direction. The incoming trays and product pass directly over the heated material coming back out in the opposite direction and are partially heated by the hot materials that are moving toward the exit (see Figure 4). This conserves large fractions of the energy normally required by almost any high temperature process while also substantially reducing cooling requirements. Additionally, the atmosphere is easier to control in a tube that is only open on one end than in a design (i.e., a conventional pusher tunnel kiln) that has openings on both ends.
Improved Time-at-Temperature UniformityAnother interesting phenomenon was observed in the mathematical modeling of the system. Since the feed stream is heated from above by the heating elements and from below by the product stream, and the product stream is heat from below by the heating elements, the time when the maximum temperature occurs is different from top to bottom. In most cases, this has the counter-intuitive effect of improving the time-at-temperature uniformity.**
A simple re-radiating-layers model was constructed to compare a low-profile, internally recirculated system with a once-through, double high system. The latter is analogous to a twin-hearth processing a load that is twice as tall as the new furnace system's load. The model was based on the processing of a thermally conductive powder in a large number of layers and was a reasonable approximation of the temperature gradients experienced in sintering setter loads of relatively small parts.
The model is an explicitly integrated transient finite difference equation (see Equation 1, above), where i and j are the discretization indices in the z (length) and y (vertical) directions, respectively; mCp is the mass of a volume of load, with dimensions W, Dz and Dy multiplied by the heat capacity; and v is the velocity (push rate) of the load. Velocities less than zero indicate material being pushed back towards the entrance. Gradients across the width (W) are neglected.
The parameters used for the new furnace system are shown in Table 1. The raw temperature profile, shown in Figure 5, is hard to interpret because it folds back upon itself, it can be unfolded through a somewhat tedious rearrangement of cells addressing the original set (see Figure 6).
In comparison, the single pass but otherwise equivalent furnace, with the notable difference of having 50% the production rate of the previous case, gave the results shown in Figure 2. It's interesting to note the obvious difference. Where the conventional furnace produced a large range of times-at-temperature, the new furnace system, with a little rephasing of the temperatures, gave a much better time-at-temperature uniformity, as shown in Figure 3.
Solving Thermal Processing ProblemsBy resolving some common problems in typical furnace design with regard to carrier mass, material handling and processing and time-at-temperature uniformity, the new furnace system provides energy savings, maintenance savings and improved quality for manufacturers of advanced ceramic products. These inherent advantages have enabled the new system to gain acceptance for synthesizing an oxide powder requiring exceptionally stringent processing conditions, as well as for other continuous processes conducted in the range of 500 to 2800?C with retention times of 15 to 240 minutes at high temperature and production rates of 10 to 500 kg per hour.
Other applications currently being evaluated include non-oxide ceramic powder synthesis and part sintering (aluminum nitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, boron nitride), WC powder and other hard-metal and refractory-metal synthesis and sintering, mesophase carbon beads (MSCB), dielectric powder calcinations, base metal electrode (BME) multilayer ceramic capacitor sintering and soft ferrite sintering. (The last two take advantage of the fact that the low profile load and enhanced mass trasfer, combined with reliable load tracking, provides the capability to discretize the atmosphere along the length of the furnace more efficiently in terms of the degree of isolation versus gas consumed.) Higher temperature powder metal part sintering and even some heat-treating applications are also candidate applications—as well as any process that requires a uniform heating environment.
For More InformationFor more information about the new furnace, contact Harper International Corp. at W. Drullard Ave., Lancaster, NY 14086; (716) 684-7400; fax (716) 684-7405; e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com; or visit www.harperintl.com.
*The patented Harper-Hearth™ (H-H), manufactured by Harper International Corp.
**Studies are ongoing as to the parameters that influence performance, but tests so far have yielded performance equal to or better than conventional pusher-type systems in all cases.


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And just like that, another year is coming to a close. #bye2016
I've always loved these few days between Christmas and New Year's Eve. For me, they're kind of a slow limbo to be progressively reflective and growing. I like to think about the lessons I've learned in the past year, but always from the perspective of trying to implement those lessons and ideas for the upcoming year rather than dwelling in the past.
And of course, making good ol' resolutions. Which is what I was going to write about in this post- "___ Resolutions I'm making this year."
But a friend of mine posted a photo on Instagram with a caption that really inspired me as I was writing today's post. "What you feed will live; what you starve will die."
I love this! It really put things into perspective for me. How many times a day do we say "ugh I wish I could do this or that" Or "I wish I didn't do this or that so much" or " I wish I was successful in this." But how often do we do the opposite?
We make so many choices in our everyday lives, both big and small. Consciously and unconsciously. Sometimes those choices or outcomes are out of our hands, but more often than not we have some level of control. We have a choice- a choice to either put up or shut up when it comes to reaching our goals. Or, in more blunt terms, shit or get off the pot.
If you want to achieve something or start/stop doing something, don't just talk about how much you want it to work. You have to focus completely on whatever it may be. Honestly putting time, energy, dedication, heart and good old hard work into the things you are passionate about will never fail you.
Set your goals and be disciplined about attaining them. Undoubtedly, you will have to make sacrifices. Whether that be taking a step back from toxic friends in an effort to be more positive, cutting bad habits or losing free "me time" to work on your projects, it will always be worth it.
If you want your business or blog to succeed, don't keep it as a side hobby. Set specific times throughout the day or week to work only on it. Stick to those parameters and hustle hard. You will see results. If your project this year is to work on yourself, then make that a priority- there's nothing selfish about that. And people who truly want you to succeed will understand.
So by all means, write out your resolution list on Saturday. But ask yourself this (and maybe write suggestion next to the resolution): What are my goals? How can I feed those goals to grow and starve my bad habits away?
What are your biggest goals for 2017?!


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As I have mentioned, I recently completed my CanFitPro certification course to become a trainer. There were about 12 people in my class, split pretty equally of girls and guys of different ages and backgrounds and with different goals. Although, at first, I was a little intimated, everyone was very gracious and likeable and approachable, and I've been in contact with several of my classmates. But y'know, there's always that one person….the person you connect with and who you feel comfortable with and who you think you've made a life-long friend in.
I met Batman just prior to the class starting – most of us had to travel from different areas of the province and a few of us arrived early. Batman was sitting at a table with Robin and I asked if I could join them while we waited for the classroom to open. Over the course of this certification, Batman and I began chatting and have developed a friendship. And, although he is on the opposite side of the province, I have fallen just a teensy bit in love with him and his motivation, and he's become my (super)hero.
This guy and I have had many in-depth conversations and have recognized that we share very similar life events. Our pasts have been very different but our paths have been so much the same. So similar, in fact, that I continue to refer to us as the same person. Thankfully, his sense of humor is as warped as mine so he sort of gets
it me.
Batman has inspired me to do and become so much more in the gym; he is a big part of the reason I have decided to Step Outside My Comfort Zone and work on attaining new goals and try new equipment (that, and to rub it in his face that his gym does not have a Smith Machine). This dude has an incredible past and has accomplished so much and, although I haven't known him for too long (or too well, for that matter), I feel like he's just been in my life; like he is the best friend that I haven't seen in years but we can pick up right where we left off. I feel incredibly comfortable with him, discussing my goals, my intimidations and fears, and the dark times that have made me stronger – because he's been through similar. I gather so much inspiration and motivation from this guy – it's a little ridiculous. I am proud to know him.
So, it is with great excitement and pleasure that I announce that Batman has agreed to do an interview with me for a future post! I cannot wait for you all to meet him and get a little of the insight that he's shared with me. I hope that he is able to inspire you the way that he's inspired me. And, at the very least, that you can see that your goals are attainable as well.
He is an incredible person; kind, brave, likeable, and dedicated to his fitness and I can't wait to introduce him to you!
(AND just to note that Batman has pinky sworn an adventure to me and maybe his time in the spotlight will make him hold true to that! So be sure to comment, comment, comment because Fit Bitch loves adventures!)


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Bad breath is commonly known as halitosis. It is a serious problem around the world and several factors contribute to it. Many people are embarrassed to have the condition. It may even go to the extent of separating friends and colleagues, which is why it's essential to learn how to get rid of it. If you want to know how you can get rid of bad breath, it's important that you understand what causes it so that you take the right steps to get rid of it.
The following are some of the most common causes of bad breath:
Irregular brushing and flossing
It may sound obvious, but infrequent or limited brushing and flossing can significantly contribute to halitosis. This is because bacteria and decaying food particles get trapped in the mouth. This causes bad breath when you exhale. Going to the dentist at least once every 6-months will help keep your teeth in good condition. It is recommended that you find a dentist in Anchorage that can help keep your teeth cleaned but also who can teach you the right way to brush and floss your teeth. The dentist you choose can only help clean plaque and tartar build up on the teeth, which will help get rid of bad breath for a short period of time.
Food and drink
Consumption of strong flavored foods, e.g. spices, onions and garlic is likely to leave you with bad breath. Stong smelling drinks like coffee or alcohol may also contribute to halitosis.
This kind of halitosis is normally temporary and may be easily prevented by avoiding these kinds of food or drink. Good oral hygiene can also help.
Dry mouth
Xerostemia is a disorder that results in a drop in saliva production. This causes a dry mouth. Xerostemia is caused by several factors, and some may need medical attention.
Saliva is essential as it provides lubrication to the mouth, which allows correct chewing and swallowing. It helps prevent cavities and cleanses the mouth naturally. If you have a dry mouth, you may have bad breath as trapped food particles in the mouth decompose and give off bad smell when you breathe out.
Smoking has very harmful effects on our general wellness and health. It contains thousands of chemicals, most of which are poisonous. It is also the leading cause of periodontal disorder. When you smoke, the smoke gets into the lungs before it's exhaled through the mouth and nose. This immediately affects your breath as the residue and chemicals from the smoke remain in the airways and mouth. Smoking also leads to gum disease, which is one of the major causes of bad breath.
Some types of medicines can result in bad breath. These medications include nitrates, tranquilizers (phenothiazines), some chemotherapy medication, etc.
Medical conditions
Chronic or unexplained bad breath can be a sign of an existing disease or medical condition.
Ketoacidosis is condition that occurs in diabetics and is characterized by foul smell in the breath. Those who diet frequently can experience bad breath, as well as those who have eating disorders. People who have chronic kidney failure may exhale bad breath which smells like fish, urine or ammonia. Lung infections and sinusitis may also lead to bad breath as can bronchitis, gastritis, etc.


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Sociologist and professor at Oslo university, Thomas Hylland Eriksen, said that he suspects the defence wants to use his testimony to prove that Breivik was sane when he killed 77 people.
But Eriksen says this is a complex issue. His understanding is that Breivik is a fantasist who created an alternative persona for himself through online computer games which he sometimes brought into the real world.
"I think one factor which hasn't been taken sufficiently into account is his obsession with a certain kind of computer game and his way of using the internet in order to create for himself a kind of alternative reality... He does not seem to be very successful in distinguishing between the virtual reality of World of Warcraft and other computer games, and reality," said Eriksen.
Eriksen has been called by the defence because of his writing on multi-culturalism in Norway. He believes that the defence want to use his expertise to prove Breivik's sanity but he would not be drawn on a prognosis when asked.
"I expect that they want me to help them substantiate the claim that he was not insane, what I can say is that his world view, or large parts of his world view are fairly widely shared... And this world view exists, not shared by a majority but by a fairly vocal and potentially dangerous minority," Eriksen said.
Contains video from Reuters.


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added by Cinders
Valjean confesses everything to Cosette on his deathbed, where he joins the ranks of all the good souls to pass before him.
added by courtney7488
Members of the original London cast reunite and sumali the current cast (as of October 2006) to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Les Miserables. Includes interviews and rehearsal footage.
added by shrimpburritos
Les Miserables Hangover. A comedic take on Les Miserables' "I dreamed a dream". For anyone that has ever had a wild night and a rough susunod morning, Les Miserable Hangover captures the drama and physical toll of recovery, memory loss, and hunger.
added by courtney7488
The Lego production of the song "One araw More" from the musical Les Miserables.
added by courtney7488
A rare 20/20 documentary on the show's original productions and its transfer to Broadway. Features some great OLC clips.
added by Cinders
Javert lets Valjean go and, too tormented sa pamamagitan ng conflicting morals, takes his own life.