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30 December 2012
I was intending this blog post to be rather different, it was intended to show how easy you could put together your own Raspberry Pi bundle, but it didn't go quite as smoothly as planned. Fortunately it all turned out in the end, and I only had to replace one item, but it was a little frustrating for a short time.
I'd decided to give my seven year old daughter a Raspberry Pi for Christmas. I'd already got a spare Raspberry Pi, but rather than use some of the existing accessories I bought most new as a Christmas present. The items came from a variety of different shops.
The Raspberry Pi is an original Model B, bought when they were first available. It has 256Mb of RAM (compared to the 512Mb in the latest version) and significantly (as I will explain later) has USB fuses which have been removed from the later versions.
The Raspberry Pi came from Farnell and was ordered earlier in the year, it is now available shortly after ordering, but when originally ordered took about 3 months due to the huge demand.
The Pibow is a multi-coloured case, a colourful way to protect the Raspberry Pi. The Pibow can be ordered directly from Pibow, but I bought it from a Maplin store which worked out cheaper without the cost of postage.
The choice of pink was in keeping with one of my daughter's favourite colours and the colour of her bedroom. I don't believe that we should paint thinks pink so that girls are interested in them the choice of colour for her room is a decision she made herself. The reason she is so interested in the Raspberry Pi is because of my enthusiasm rubbing off on her and nothing to do with the colour of the Pi, the case or any of the accessories.
The bigger problem was the fact that these are wireless. Wired keyboard and mouse would be impractical due to the position of the Pi (near the TV) compared to the desk. It also helps to keep it a bit tidier due to less cables. It does pose a few problems with power and as such a powered hub is essential (more about this later).
The keyboard and mouse are made by Logik and came from Currys PC World. There are better makes of keyboards, but this one was available in the required colour at a reasonable price. It does need a separate usb dongle for both the keyboard and mouse whereas some other manufacturers (eg. Logitech) do allow you to register multiple devices to the same dongle; although the software required for Logitech keyboards appears to be Windows only - whereas at least the Logik keyboard and mouse are not dependant upon any software that is tied to a specific operating system.
The one item I didn't include in the bundle is a USB power supply. I did have one in reserve, but was planning to power the Raspberry Pi from the USB hub, but this depends upon the hub used. I didn't need a USB power supply in the end, but if using one then you need one able to supply at least 700mA. The ones I have successfully used include the supply from a Kindle, a HTC Android phone, a blackberry and a USB port on a power supply surge protector.
In most cases a USB to micro-USB cable is required to connect the power to the Raspberry Pi. I had purchased several from Farnell. I'm not sure which kind was actually given as it was in a generic bag, but any should work.
The cause of most of my problems was the powered USB hub that I bought. The one I tried was bought from Farnell and whilst may be sufficient for many set-ups it was not sufficient for the wireless keyboard and mouse. Also the USB hub backfeeds power through the USB in connection. This is against the USB specifications. This is something that is unfortunately quite common with cheap poor quality hubs, but is not something I would have expected from a reputable company like Farnell.
If looking for a hub I'd suggest you try and get one that has a power supply of at least 2 Amps and if you intend to power the Raspberry Pi from the hub one that can provide at least 750mA from each port. It should also not back-feed, although you are unlikely to find that included on the specs as stating that it does back-feed is more like admitting to a fault than describing a feature.
The one supplier of USB hubs that does state that is will not back feed is ModMyPi.com, although I haven't tried their hub.
The normal way to connect the Raspberry Pi to a network is to connect the Ethernet port to a wired router using a CAT-5e / CAT-6 cable. Alternatively if the Raspberry Pi is to be used in a different room to the main Internet connection then a wireless WiFi dongle can be used instead. In my case whilst I do use Wireless around the house due to interference the speed we get on WiFi is pretty poor and unreliable. This is particularly bad when trying to stream video between rooms. I have therefore installed Devolo DLAN Ethernet over Power into several rooms which is particularly good for using XBMC to access files on another computer. I therefore included a Devolo dLAN 200 plug-in adapter.
If looking for networking over the power sockets then I'd recommend Devolo. It is fast and reliable and it's bundled software works well and includes a Linux client.
Whilst not required for the main purpose of the Raspberry Pi a remote control can be useful if using the Raspberry Pi as a media centre using XBMC. The aim of giving a Raspberry Pi to my daughter was to teach her about how to program and to understand about computers, but I also wanted to provide her with the ability to play music and videos through her TV without needing DVDs and CDs. It may be a distraction from the main purpose this is in keeping with our digital home and in itself could be an inspiration as to what can be achieved.
Most media remote controls can be used. If using one from an X-box or similar then you will need to get a separate infra-red receiver. The simplest way is to get a remote designed for a PC.
My daughter has a flat screen TV with HDMI connection so I used a HDMI to HDMI cable. The one I added to the bundle was a £2 cable from B&Q, but was only 1 meter long which isn't long enough to position the Raspberry Pi where I wanted. I have used a HDMI extension cable for the moment, but will be getting a longer cable in future.
When buying a HDMI cable there is no need to spend much money. Despite what some retailers may say there will be no benefits to spending a lot of money on an expensive cable. The signal is digital so there will be no loss of quality through using a cheap cable.
Finally a SD card is required to store the operating system. The minimum size is 2GB, but I normally try for a 4GB or 8GB card as minimum, I also try and use a known brand as I have found them to be more reliable than some of the generic imports. In this case I used an 8GB Sandisk SD card.
As I already mentioned I have setup the Raspberry Pi so that I can be used as an XBMC media centre as well as for programming. Whilst I initially did this on the one SD card so that it would run XBMC on top of the standard Raspbian operating system there were a few issues with the setup. To make this easier I have therefore decided to instead setup one SD card with RaspBMC as a media player and another with the standard Raspbian Linux operating system to learn programming.
A guide to getting started is available from Raspberry Pi Quick start guide. The guide includes information on how to download and install the free Raspbian linu operating system.
For XBMC media centre then instructions are available from Raspbmc web site.
The first problem I encountered was with the Raspberry Pi rebooting during boot-up. At first look you may suspect that this is due to a problem with the operating system, but having seen others describe similar problems on the forums I suspected that this was more likely a problem with the power. In particular the reboot happened when trying to bring up the network interface which is an additional power drain in the Raspberry Pi. This was not completely unexpected as I was powering the Raspberry Pi from the USB hub. So I connected to a USB power supply and it then booted OK. This did however highlight one issue with the HUB as when disconnecting the USB supply the Raspberry Pi carried on running, but the reboot problems came back. This is due to the back feed problem and a bigger problem with this older version of the Raspberry Pi as the back feed goes through some low current fuses which overloaded.
After switching to the external power supply I still found problems with the keyboard, mouse and remote control. My first suspicion was that the keyboard was not properly paired with the dongle. I therefore followed the connect instructions provided with the keyboard and mouse, but that still didn't work. I then connected them to a PC so that I could test that it was working correctly.
I then identified through a process of elimination that this was a problem with the USB hub unable to provide sufficient power for both the wireless keyboard and mouse at the same time. I was able to connect just the mouse, or the keyboard and remote, but trying to connect anything else at the same time as the mouse and all of them stopped working.
In the end I got everything working as planned by swapping out for a better USB hub, in this case an old one that I many years old. I already knew from experience that, that particular USB hub was capable of powering the Raspberry Pi so I used that to power the Raspberry Pi with the benefit that it just needs one supply to be switched off to power down the Raspberry Pi, the hub and accessories.
The final setup is shown below.
After all the issues it turned out that it was just the USB hub that was causing all the problems. Whilst this could have been overcome by powering the Raspberry Pi separately (as recommended on the Raspberry Pi website) and using a wired keyboard and mouse the solution to achieve what I wanted was to swap out the HUB. I expect others may experience a similar problem with connecting a wireless keyboard and mouse to a similar HUB.
I have had many months working with Raspberry Pis and have been a technical reviewer for a book on the subject, so I had the knowledge on how to fix it. I can see this being a stumbling block to others starting out with the Raspberry Pi. This is where buying a Raspberry Pi bundle could be a good idea.
I haven't been able to try one myself, but Maplin provide their own Raspberry Pi bundle with a reasonable initial setup. It only has a wired keyboard and mouse, but then if you want wireless keyboard and mouse it may be a good idea to get it working using a wired first and then swap to wireless when that is working (that is another step that I did when trying to figure out why the keyboard wasn't working). You can get the Maplin Raspberry Pi Bundle from here, or by visiting your local Maplin store. There is also a selection of different level starter kits from ModMyPi include a top of the range kit complete with Wireless Keyboard and mouse ModMyPi Raspberry Pi set-up kits
Also see Suggested low-cost accessories for the Raspberry Pi.


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Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett is proving once again that his priorities are out of line with the rest of the state: He just hired lawyer William H. Lamb for $400 an hour to defend a 1996 law banning same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania.
Even though the state's attorney general declined to fight the case— and even though a majority of Pennsylvanians support marriage equality—Governor Corbett still thinks it's worth spending $400 per hour of taxpayer money, plus $325 per hour for others in Lamb's firm working on the case, to stop LGBT Pennsylvanians from being able to marry the person they love. It's also worth noting that this law firm donated $39,500 to Corbett's political campaigns between 2004 and 2012. Given the recent revelation that Governor Corbett's former chief of staff is still being paid despite supposedly resigning, perhaps it shouldn't be that surprising that Corbett is putting someone else on the government payroll unnecessarily.
Still, why fire your friends or let your discriminatory laws go undefended when you can just cut education funding? Why put your personal and ideological priorities aside, when the state's children are there to take the hit? I'm sure school kids in Philadelphia won't mind their ballooning class sizes or their after-school programs being cancelled when they know that money is being put to such good use, fighting a law to prevent people who love each other from being able to marry. Welcome to Tom Corbett's Pennsylvania.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Little Match Seller (Silent Night) by The Puppini Sisters is today's song of the day. Yes, it's a Christmas song. And I cannot believe I have forgotten to share this song the last few years around the Christmas holiday. But that means I can easily share it here today. I fell in love with The Puppini Sisters when they reached the height of their popularity about five years ago. I'll admit this isn't one of my favorites despite the lyrics adapting so well to the melody of Silent Night. But it is rather dreary and I love the pep of the group. Their tight harmonies are amazing and the humor is fun. If it were possible I would have worn out my MP3s from Betcha Bottom Dollar in 2007. I feel so reminiscent now... Of course, you have to have a big retro bone in your body like I do. But it's fun to hear what they do with Wuthering Heights and Heart of Glass, too.
Here are the first two stanzas of the lyrics:
Silent Night, Lonely Night
Streets are dark, no soul in sight
Round and round does the match seller roam
Only trouble awaits her at home
Shivering, hungry and weary
The little girl sits in the snow
Silent Night, Chilly Night
Rooms awash with Christmas lights
Through the windows come laughter and joy
Children squeal while unwrapping their toys
Looking in from the darkness
The little girl sits in the snow
Here is a video of the song using an animated short of the story, not an official Puppini Sisters video but you can hear the entire song this way.


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But seriously, how horrifically hilarious is this?! Wow. We were even MORE stupid back then that I could have ever possibly imagined. I wouldn't be surprised if we found another old ad telling us to blow carbon monoxide up our asses to make our farts disappear.
Doubt. Inhibitions. Ignorance . . . INDEED.


text:
- Research
- Open access
- Published:
Prognosis of ampullary cancer based on immunohistochemical type and expression of osteopontin
Diagnostic Pathology volume 6, Article number: 98 (2011)
Ampullary cancer (AC) was classified as pancreatobiliary, intestinal, or other subtype based on the expression of cytokeratin 7 (CK7) and cytokeratin 20 (CK20). We aimed to explore the association of AC subtype with patient prognosis.
The relationship of AC subtype and expression of Osteopontin (OPN) with the prognosis of 120 AC patients after pancreaticoduodenectomy was investigated.
The patients had pancreatobiliary (CK7+/CK20-, n = 24, 20%), intestinal (CK7-/CK20+, n = 29, 24.2%) or other (CK7+/CK20+ or CK7-/CK20-, n = 67, 55.8%) subtypes of AC, and their median survival times were 23 ± 4.2, 38 ± 2.8 and 64 ± 16.8 months, respectively. The survival times of 64 OPN- patients (53.3%) and 56 OPN+ patients (46.7%) were 69 ± 18.4 and 36 ± 1.3 months, respectively. There was no significant effect of AC subtype on survival of OPN- patients. For OPN+ patients, those with pancreatobiliary AC had a shorter survival time (22 ± 6.6 months) than those with intestinal AC (37 ± 1.4 months, p = 0.041), and other AC subtype (36 ± 0.9 months, p = 0.010); intestinal and other AC subtypes had similar survival times.
The prognosis of AC patients can be estimated based on immunohistochemical classification and OPN status.
Ampullary carcinoma (AC) is a relatively rare tumor of the hepatopancreatic ampulla that accounts for approximately 0.2% of gastrointestinal tract malignancies and 7% of periampullary carcinomas [1]. ACs have different anatomical origins. Kimura et al. initially classified AC as pancreatobiliary AC if it had papillary projections with scant fibrous cores and as intestinal AC if it resembled tubular adenocarcinoma of the stomach or colon [2]. Numerous studies have reported that intestinal AC is associated with a better prognosis than pancreatobiliary AC [1–5].
AC has also been classified based on immunohistochemical expression of cytokeratin 7 (CK7), Mucins and CDX2 [4, 6–8] and HNF4α [9]. However, the clinical significance and survival rates of AC patients with these different immunohistochemical subtypes have not been definitely established.
Histologic classification and immunohistochemical characterization by cytokeratins are in good agreement [5]. Fischer et al. reported that the histological subtypes of AC could be determined by the expression of CK7, CK20, and MUC2; pancreaticobiliary AC is CK7+/CK20-/MUC2-, and intestinal AC is CK7-/CK20+/MUC2+[10]. Zhou et al. classified CK7-/CK20+ tumors as intestinal AC, CK7+/CK20- tumors as pancreatobiliary AC, and tumors that are CK7+/CK20+ or CK7-/CK20- as "other" [3]. However, there was no statistical difference in survival of patients with different CK7/CK20 subtypes [3] or with different CK20/MUC subtypes [11].
Osteopontin (OPN) is a secretory calcium-binding phosphorylated glycoprotein and plays an important role in bone metabolism. OPN is widely distributed in the urine, blood, gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, lungs and elsewhere. At the molecular level, OPN plays important roles in cellular adhesion and migration, tissue repair, and signal transduction and also in the invasion and metastasis of several cancers [12]. OPN is significantly associated with survival rate in several cancers and has value as a marker of clinical tumor progression [13, 14]. In particular, low OPN levels were significantly associated with a favorable prognosis in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer [15], laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas [16], hepatocellular carcinoma [17], colorectal cancer [18], idiopathic pulmonary hypertension [19], upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma [20], acute myeloid leukemia [21], oral squamous cell carcinoma [22], and endometrial cancer [23]. OPN may also be a suitable biomarker for overall survival and renal outcome of patients who are critically ill with acute kidney injury [24].
However, few studies have investigated the expression of OPN in patients with AC. Van Heek et al. reported higher OPN expression in the sera and tumors of AC patients than in the sera and duodenal samples of healthy controls [25]. Bloomston et al. reported that node-negative status and lack of OPN expression were associated with prolonged survival in patients with AC [26]. Hsu et al. reported that expression of OPN and the presence of tumor-associated macrophages in bulky AC were associated with tumor recurrence, and poorer disease-specific survival [27].
In the present study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 120 patients who were undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy due to AC. We focused on the association of AC prognosis with the expression of CK7, CK20, and OPN.
Patients and Methods
From January 1, 1994 to December 30, 2008, patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy due to AC were recruited from the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the General Hospital of the Peoples Liberation Army (Beijing, China). The exclusion criteria were: (i) duodenal cancer, cancer of the lower bile duct, or cancer of the pancreas or any of these cancers involving the ampulla or duodenal papilla, based on pathological examination; (ii) uncertain origin of the cancer; (iii) previous focal resection of duodenal papillary cancer or AC; (iv) metastasis to other organs; and (v) presence of concomitant heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, or pulmonary disease that made the patient ineligible for surgery. Follow-up examinations were performed at 3 months after surgery, once every 6 months for 3 years, and then once per year. These follow-up examinations included routine tests (liver and kidney function, blood electrolytes, routine blood test), tests for tumor markers, chest X-ray, and abdominal imaging by ultrasonography, CT, or MRI. The last follow-up was on January 31, 2010. Tumor stage and lymph node metastasis were evaluated according to Greene et al [28]. This study was approved by the hospital Institutional Review Board.
Carcinoma specimens were embedded in paraffin, cut consecutively into sections (4 μm), and the streptavidin-peroxidase method was used for immunohistochemical visualization (UltraSensitive™ SP kit, Maximbio. Co. Ltd, Fuzhou, China). The primary antibodies were mouse anti-human CK7 or CK20 monoclonal antibodies and rabbit anti-human OPN polyclonal antibody (Lab Vision & NeoMarkers, USA). The normal serum from non-immunized goat was used as a negative control of the primary antibody, and CK7+/CK20+/OPN+ pancreatic carcinoma was used as a positive control.
Details for the determination of positive staining were previously provided[3]. In brief, cells positive for CK7, CK20, or OPN had brown or yellow-brown granules, mainly in the cytoplasm. Sections were evaluated by two independent and blinded pathologists. No staining or staining in fewer than 10% of cells was considered negative, and staining of 10% or more of cells was considered positive.
Statistical analysis
Results are expressed as means or medians with standard deviations, or counts and percentages. Survival analysis was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method and the log-rank test. Data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 (SPSS, Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). All p-values were two-sided and were considered significant if p was less than 0.05.
Patient characteristics
A total of 120 patients (84 males, 36 females) met our inclusion criteria and received follow-up examinations. The mean age was 55.1 ± 9.8 years and the mean tumor diameter was 2.4 ± 1.5 cm. The 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates were 94.8%, 78.7%, and 68.0%, respectively. The median survival time was 38 ± 11.3 months and the mean survival time was 53.9 months. A total of 51 patients (42.5%) survived to the end of the follow-up period (January 31, 2010), 1 patient survived more than 10 years, and 2 patients survived more than 5 years. In addition to pancreaticoduodenectomy (given to all patients), 8 patients received chemotherapy. Among the 69 patients (57.5%) who died in the follow-up period, 21 died within 5 years after surgery and 1 died 11 years after surgery.
Survival of patients with different subtypes of AC
Figure 1A-D shows representative immunohistochemical results of patients with intestinal AC (CK7-/CK20+), pancreatobiliary AC (CK7+/CK20-), and other subtype of AC (CK7+/CK20+ and CK7-/CK20-). Figure 1E shows representative positive and negative results for OPN staining.
Table 1 shows the survival times of AC patients stratified by immunohistochemical results, extent of tumor differentiation, amount of tumor invasion, and lymph node metastasis. None of the other associations were significant. OPN+ patients had marginally longer survival time than OPN- patients (p = 0.062; Figure 2A). The 1-, 3, and 5-year survival rates were 84.3%, 55.3%, and 0% for OPN+ patients and 91.8%, 68.4% and 7.2% for OPN- patients respectively.
Figure 2B shows the survival times of patients with pancreatobiliary AC, intestinal AC, and other AC. Although pancreatobiliary AC was associated with slightly worse prognosis, a log-rank test indicated that this difference was only marginal (p = 0.052, Table 2). Figures 2C and 2D show the survival times of these three groups stratified by OPN expression. The results indicate that OPN- patients with different subtypes of AC had similar survival times (p = 0.75, Table 2). However, OPN+ patients with different subtypes of AC had significantly different survival times (p = 0.017, Table 2). Specifically, OPN+ patients with pancreatobiliary AC had worse prognosis than those with intestinal AC (p = 0.041) and other subtype of AC (p = 0.010); the survival time of the patients with intestinal and other types had no difference. In addition, the survival time of patients with OPN+ pancreatobiliary AC was shorter than those with OPN- intestinal AC (p = 0.043), and other subtype of AC (p = 0.002).
Many previous studies have examined the expression of histological markers in the carcinomas of patients with ACs. For example, de Paiva Haddad et al. reported that MUC1, MUC2, and CDX2 provided the best agreement with histomorphological classification of AC [4]. However, their multivariate analysis indicated that neither histological classification nor immunohistochemical results were statistically independent predictors of poor prognosis. Moriya et al. reported that MUC1 and MUC2 expression was useful for classification of pancreatobiliary and intestinal AC, and that pancreatobiliary AC was associated with worse prognosis than intestinal AC [8]. Ehehalt et al. reported that immunohistochemical determination of HNF4α expression distinguished different AC subtypes and that HNF4α protein expression was an independent predictor of favorable prognosis [9]. Westgaard et al. classified ACs by expression of CK7, MUC4, and CDX2 [6]. They found only moderate agreement of the immunohistochemical and histomorphological classifications, and that expression of MUC1 and/or MUC4 was independently associated with poor prognosis. Santini et al. reported that MUC2 and MUC5 expression was not associated with prognosis of the patients with radically resected AC [7]. Clearly, it is difficult to completely reconcile these diverse and occasionally contradictory results, which have examined many markers in diverse patient populations.
Other researchers have reported immunohistochemical classification of AC based on expression of CK7 and CK20 [3, 10]. Thus, in the present study we classified our AC patients as having pancreatobiliary AC (CK7+/CK20-, 20%), intestinal AC (CK7-/CK20+, 24.2%), or other subtype of AC (CK7+/CK20+ or CK7-/CK20-, 55.8%). Thus, the majority of our Chinese patients had other subtype of AC, in contrast to Kimura et al. [2], who studied Japanese patients, and Zhou et al. [3] who studied German patients and reported that pancreatobiliary AC was the most common subtype. This difference might be due to population differences and/or to the different reactivity thresholds used in the immunohistochemical classification [29]. Our survival analysis indicated no significant differences in survival among patients with the different subtypes of AC, consistent with the report of Zhou et al. [3]. Taken together, these findings suggest the immunohistologic subtype of AC alone has limited value in determination of the prognosis.
Previous research has indicated that OPN expression is significantly associated with poor survival of patients with several forms of cancer [13, 14]. It has also been reported that elevated OPN expression in AC patients predicts poor disease-specific survival [25–27]. However, when we pooled all AC subtypes, we found that survival time of OPN- and OPN+ patients had no significant difference. This is consistent with the results of Matsuzaki et al., who reported that OPN expression in AC patients was not associated with survival rate, although OPN expression in the carcinoma was higher than in adjacent normal tissues [30].
Our further analysis indicated that the subtype of AC (intestinal, pancreatobiliary, or other) had no significant effect on survival of patients with OPN- carcinomas. However, for patients with OPN+ carcinomas, those with intestinal AC or other subtype of AC had significantly better survival than those with pancreatobiliary AC. Thus, OPN expression appears to affect the biological behavior of AC, and this effect depends on the anatomical origin of the tumor. These results indicate that determination of the prognosis of patients with AC should consider OPN expression.
Previous studies have reported interactions of OPN with other proteins. For example, in situ proximity ligation analysis indicated a molecular interaction of OPN and CD44 and that elevated expression of these proteins were associated with increased mitosis and significantly enhanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor cell proliferation in vitro [31]. Yang et al. reported that OPN combined with CD44 was a promising independent predictor of tumor recurrence and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma [32]. OPN combined with CDX2 appears to predict survival of advanced gastric cancer patients, and CDX2 may be a transcription factor that modulates the expression of osteopontin [33]. Our results support previous reports which suggest that OPN has a role in the pathogenesis of AC [25–27]. However, a limitation of our study is that patients were enrolled retrospectively, and we did not include histomorphological classification of patients or immunochemical determination based on other factors including CDX2 and mucins. Clearly, the potential interaction of OPN, CK7, CDX2, mucins and other factors and the role of these in the pathogenesis of AC warrant further studies.
In conclusion, our results indicate that it is difficult to determine prognosis of patients with AC based solely on immunohistochemical classification that considers CK7 and CK20 status. However, the additional consideration of OPN status allows determination of prognosis. Our results also suggest that OPN plays a role in the pathogenesis of AC, but its mechanisms and relationship with CK7 and CK20 warrant further studies.
Completing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
ampullary cancer
Cytokeratin 7
Cytokeratin 20.
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Sieghart W, Wang X, Schmid K, Pinter M, Konig F, Bodingbauer M, Wrba F, Rasoul-Rockenschaub S, Peck-Radosavljevic M: Osteopontin expression predicts overall survival after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients beyond the Milan criteria. J Hepatol. 2011, 54: 89-97. 10.1016/j.jhep.2010.06.030.
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Weber GF, Lett GS, Haubein NC: Osteopontin is a marker for cancer aggressiveness and patient survival. Br J Cancer. 2010, 103: 861-869. 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605834.
Ke HL, Chang LL, Yang SF, Lin HH, Li CC, Wu DC, Wu WJ: Osteopontin overexpression predicts poor prognosis of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. Urol Oncol. 2009
Powell JA, Thomas D, Barry EF, Kok CH, McClure BJ, Tsykin A, To LB, Brown A, Lewis ID, Herbert K, Goodall GJ, Speed TP, Asou N, Jacob B, Osato M, Haylock DN, Nilsson SK, D'Andrea RJ, Lopez AF, Guthridge MA: Expression profiling of a hemopoietic cell survival transcriptome implicates osteopontin as a functional prognostic factor in AML. Blood. 2009, 114: 4859-4870. 10.1182/blood-2009-02-204818.
Chien CY, Su CY, Chuang HC, Fang FM, Huang HY, Chen CH, Chen CM, Huang CC: Comprehensive study on the prognostic role of osteopontin expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol. 2009, 45: 798-802. 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2008.12.006.
Cho H, Kang ES, Kim YT, Kim JH: Diagnostic and prognostic impact of osteopontin expression in endometrial cancer. Cancer Invest. 2009, 27: 313-323. 10.1080/07357900802375738.
Lorenzen JM, Hafer C, Faulhaber-Walter R, Kumpers P, Kielstein JT, Haller H, Fliser D: Osteopontin predicts survival in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury. Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2011, 26: 531-537. 10.1093/ndt/gfq498.
Van Heek NT, Maitra A, Koopmann J, Fedarko N, Jain A, Rahman A, Iacobuzio-Donahue CA, Adsay V, Ashfaq R, Yeo CJ, Cameron JL, Offerhaus JA, Hruban RH, Berg KD, Goggins M: Gene expression profiling identifies markers of ampullary adenocarcinoma. Cancer Biol Ther. 2004, 3: 651-656. 10.4161/cbt.3.7.919.
Bloomston M, Ellison EC, Muscarella P, Al-Saif O, Martin EW, Melvin WS, Frankel WL: Stromal osteonectin overexpression is associated with poor outcome in patients with ampullary cancer. Ann Surg Oncol. 2007, 14: 211-217.
Hsu HP, Shan YS, Lai MD, Lin PW: Osteopontin-positive infiltrating tumor-associated macrophages in bulky ampullary cancer predict survival. Cancer Biol Ther. 2010, 10: 144-154. 10.4161/cbt.10.2.12160.
Greene FL, Page DL, Fleming ID, Fritz A, Balch CM, Haller DG, Morrow M: AJCC Cancer Staging Manual (6th Edition). 2002, New York, NY: Springer, 6
Goldstein NS, Bassi D: Cytokeratins 7, 17, and 20 reactivity in pancreatic and ampulla of vater adenocarcinomas. Percentage of positivity and distribution is affected by the cut-point threshold. Am J Clin Pathol. 2001, 115: 695-702. 10.1309/1NCM-46QX-3B5T-7XHR.
Matsuzaki H, Shima K, Muramatsu T, Ro Y, Hashimoto S, Shibahara T, Shimono M: Osteopontin as biomarker in early invasion by squamous cell carcinoma in tongue. J Oral Pathol Med. 2007, 36: 30-34.
Hsu KH, Tsai HW, Lin PW, Hsu YS, Shan YS, Lu PJ: Osteopontin expression is an independent adverse prognostic factor in resectable gastrointestinal stromal tumor and its interaction with CD44 promotes tumor proliferation. Ann Surg Oncol. 2010, 17: 3043-3052. 10.1245/s10434-010-1143-8.
Yang GH, Fan J, Xu Y, Qiu SJ, Yang XR, Shi GM, Wu B, Dai Z, Liu YK, Tang ZY, Zhou J: Osteopontin combined with CD44, a novel prognostic biomarker for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing curative resection. Oncologist. 2008, 13: 1155-1165. 10.1634/theoncologist.2008-0081.
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XQZ carried out the study design, defined the intellectual content, participated in the literature research and manuscript preparation, analyzed data, and edited the manuscript. JHD do guarantor of integrity of the entire study, carried out the study concepts, and reviewed the manuscript. WZZ carried out the clinical studies, and acquired data. ZL carried out the experimental studies, and did statistical analysis. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Zhao, Xq., Dong, Jh., Zhang, Wz. et al. Prognosis of ampullary cancer based on immunohistochemical type and expression of osteopontin. Diagn Pathol 6, 98 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1596-6-98
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1596-6-98


text:
From Oracle FAQ
Oracle Locator is a scaled down "free" version of Oracle Spatial.
Functionality provided[edit]
Locator includes the data types, operators, and indexing capabilities of Oracle Spatial, along with a limited set of the functions and procedures of Spatial. The Locator features include the following:
- An object type (SDO_GEOMETRY) that describes and supports any type of geometry
- A spatial indexing capability that lets you create spatial indexes on geometry data
- Spatial operators that use the spatial index for performing spatial queries
- Some geometry functions and the SDO_AGGR_MBR spatial aggregate function
- An object type that describes and supports geometries such as points, lines, polygons
- Fast spatial R-tree indexing
- Spatial operators that use the spatial index for performing queries that determine the interaction of geometric features
- Spatial functions for distance, area, and length
- Spatial function for buffering (new to Locator in release 11g)
- Open, standard SQL access to spatial operations
- Whole Earth geometry model that provides comprehensive storage, management and use of geodetic data
- Function-based spatial indexes
- Long transactions (through Oracle Workspace Manager feature)
- Coordinate system support based on the European Petroleum Survey Group (EPSG) data model
- Explicit coordinate transformations
- Support for SQL/MM Spatial types and operators** (new to Locator in release 11g)
- Tuning functions and procedures (SDO_TUNE package)
- Spatial utility functions (SDO_UTIL package)
- Integration with Oracle Application Server MapViewer
Locator is provided free of charge with Oracle Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition (SE & SE1) and Oracle XE.


text:
Start a beauty regimen with Gluta White & Firm
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Glutathione protects the cells from harmful toxins and at the same time lightens and brightens skin tone. It works together with Clair Blanche, a fusion of 7 active ingredients that also prevent melanin formation leading to better skin whitening efficacy. This revolutionary product is clinically-tested and proven effective by dermatologists to give whiter skin in just two weeks.
L-Carnitine and Lipofirm both break down fatty tissues to specifically reduce skin's subcutaneous water and therefore increase skin firmness. This blend is formulated by dermatologists to lift sagged portions of the skin and brings back its fresh and youthful glow.
Make it a habit to follow Gluta White & Firm's golden rule of skincare so you can say hello to a radiant skin and radiant life.
Gluta White & Firm is available in all leading department stores, supermarkets, and drugstores nationwide.


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By Daniel Grossman in Ecuador
for National Geographic News
Whether they've looked at the trees, the insects, or the jaguars, scientists have agreed that Yasuní National Park (map) in Ecuador's Amazonian rain forest is one of the most diverse places on earth. But nature left one thing underground that could seal the fate of all that life above: Nearly one billion barrels of oil.
In the coming weeks, Ecuador aims to sign a unique agreement to forgo drilling for oil in a huge plot of this rain forest in exchange for money. The idea is that contributions from industrialized nations and, potentially, from corporations would make up for the badly needed petroleum revenue that the South American nation would lose by keeping the fossil fuel underground.
(Related: "The End of Cheap Oil")
Although there have been many hurdles—including a controversy over whether the deal would forfeit too much of Ecuador's sovereignty—the government's chief negotiator now says the agreement will be signed by early July. If it comes together, some hope that the so-called Yasuní-ITT Initiative— named for the area's Ishpingo, Tiputini, and Tambococha oil fields—could be a model for combating global warming.
A Nation that Runs on Oil
The deal would be a landmark for Ecuador, a nation that practically runs on oil.
One-third of the government's revenue comes from oil payments, according to official sources; observers say the true figure is probably much more. Crude is the largest export. The reliance on a single commodity began four decades ago, when Texaco completed a pipeline from the Amazon lowlands in the east, known as the Oriente, over the Andes. Ecuador quickly became South America's second-largest oil producer.
It has since pumped about 4.5 billion barrels of crude worth more than $100 billion. The bonanza came at a cost to forests and wildlife, though. Tens of thousands of fortune-seekers from Ecuador's highlands joined the boom. They carved homesteads and plantations from virgin forest along oil-well access roads. As a result, Ecuador's rate of rain forest deforestation is among the highest in the world.
Also, billions of gallons of toxic liquids were dumped into unlined pits at hundreds of oil well and processing sites. Who will pay to clean up the polluted land and water, and compensate people harmed by the chemicals, is the subject of a 17-year lawsuit that could be decided later this year. If an Ecuadorian judge follows the recommendation of a court-appointed expert panel, he could order Chevron (which merged with Texaco in 2001) to pay a $27 billion fine, possibly the world's largest civil penalty. Chevron admits dumping drilling fluids, but it says it practiced methods accepted at the time and that it performed a cleanup overseen by Ecuadorian regulators before transferring operations to its successor, state-owned Petroecuador.
This history was all part of the backdrop in September 2007 when Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa unveiled a proposal to ban drilling in a plot of the Oriente about half the size of Rhode Island, mostly inside Yasuní Park. When Ecuador created the park in 1979, the government severely restricted road building and logging, but was at that time unwilling to ban drilling for oil. Now, Correa says, the nation would be willing to leave some of that oil in place. Although the proposed protected area is not as large as some environmentalists would like, it's a block that holds about 20 percent of Ecuador's reserves. The only catch: Correa wants the nations of the world to contribute about $3.5 billion to compensate Ecuador for the revenue it would lose. At the time, he said that would be about half the value of the oil in the so-called ITT block. He touted the proposal's benefits in helping to alleviate global warming; leaving the oil in the ground would prevent 400 million tons of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.
Above The Oil Reserve, Rich Diversity
Kelly Swing, director and founder of the Tiputini Biological Station, a research base in Yasuní, talks about how curbing drilling would be a boon to the forest itself. According to one study, a single hectare of Yasuní forest (about the size of two football fields, including end zones) contains 100,000 insect species, more varieties than scientists have recorded anywhere else. Other studies show that more frog and toad species hop through Yasuní's forests than are native to the United States and Canada combined. Within the 2-square-mile (5-square-kilometer) boundaries of Swing's Tiputini Station, researchers have identified 200 species of mammals, including 10 of primates, 100 of bats (more than twice the number native to North America) and big cats like jaguars and pumas.
And at Estación Científica Yasuní, several hours by motorized canoe upstream from Tiputini, botanist Álvaro Pérez has methodically identified every single tree—a total of about 300,000—in a plot a little smaller than Washington, D.C.'s National Mall. Such meticulous record keeping has helped researchers determine that on average 655 tree species spring from every hectare of Yasuní's soil, more than are native to the continental United States.
Correa's proposal to protect this reserve from oil development drew praise in Europe—with Germany's government pledging about $1 billion to the effort—and there were predictions that an agreement would be signed during the Copenhagen climate talks last December.
(Related: "Energy crossroad for Copenhagen climate summit negotiators")
But early this year, Correa appeared to back away from the plan, saying his negotiators were ceding too much Ecuadoran sovereignty in exchange for contributions. His foreign minister and Roque Sevilla, a former mayor of Quito who headed a presidential commission on the effort, resigned in protest. Commentators said the plan was at a standstill.
But Correa appointed a new negotiating team, which recently worked out an agreement to have the United Nations Development Programme administer the project's trust fund. A six-member oversight board will include at least three Ecuadorians, a provision designed to alleviate concern about the influence of outsiders.
Ivonne A-Baki, former Ecuadorian ambassador to the United States, now Ecuador's negotiator for the agreement, says the document will be signed in a ceremony in Quito by early July. In a telephone interview, A-Baki said she expects several countries to announce new commitments now that management of donations is clear, although she would not name any beyond Germany. A-Baki said she also has heard from many companies that might want to contribute. She declined to identify them, though she said supporting the Yasuni plan would be a cagey move for an oil company looking to garner good publicity. "If I were BP," she says, "I'd be the first one to do it."
Sevilla, the former head of the presidential commission on Yasuní-ITT, says the plan has faced stiff opposition in Ecuador because it runs counter to an entire history of use and extraction of mineral resources. "In the short term it will be very difficult, because we are breaking a paradigm," he says. "But afterwards, they are going to use this example for the future."


text: Copyright © by Marie Lavie. All Rights Reserved. A limited license is hereby granted for this content to be used in its unaltered form by OrthodoxWiki's administration and users for inclusion in articles on the website, but not to be copied outside the website or distributed in any other way. |


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What has your lawn done for you lately? That is the question asked by Beautiful No-Mow Yards by Evelyn J. Hadden and published by Timber Press ($24.95).
My husband would answer "Not much." He was happy to find a strong boy to give the lawn a final mowing just before Thanksgiving. The lawn requires a fair amount of time and equipment to keep it mowed, even on the irregular schedule we manage to keep. We never fertilize or water, but even so, the lawn is definitely work.
Evelyn Hadden is a founder of Lawn Reform Coalition which aims to teach people about sustainable, healthier lawns. In Beautiful No-Mow Yards she proposes 50 alternatives to mowed grass lawns, offering solutions to cutting down on grass cutting in ways that are likely to appeal to every kind of gardener: new gardeners who are more interested in flowers or vegetables, experienced gardeners who are looking for new ways to garden, and environmentally concerned gardeners who want to cut down on the use of fossil fuels, herbicides and their own energy.
The table of contents lists some of the ways to think about no-mow gardens, or elements that will eliminate a lot of mowing. Play areas, patios and ponds do not need any mowing. Rain gardens keep rain water on site, with beautiful and varied plants. They never need mowing and if you live on a residential street your rain garden will also keep water out of stressed storm sewers.
Other chapters give advice about shade gardens, meadow and prairie gardens, edible gardens and stroll gardens, but it is not necessary to devote yourself to a single garden type. Many of us have patios and play areas, but still have lawns, after all. Hadden has spoken to couples like the Mayberg's who have a patio and fire pit where they can sit and "enjoy views into two shade gardens, a mini-prairie, and a pond garden." Curving paths lead into spaces that create different moods, but none that require mowing.
We have too much lawn at our house, but a number of years ago I realized that the common thyme growing in my herb garden had jumped to the west, overtaking the grass around a row of roses, and even jumping into the weedy field beyond. After that I began digging up clumps of thyme and planting them in a section of our front lawn where the soil is dry and not very fertile. The thyme is happy there and has spread over a large area. I love thinking that I have this lovely English thyme lawn that needs infrequent mowing.
Thyme is one of the living carpets that Hadden includes when listing other familiar ground covers like sedums, sweet woodruff, ajuga, lamium and others. Even those of us who need or desire lawn probably have areas that are not going to get a lot of foot traffic and could very easily and attractively be planted with these types of groundcovers.
Four or five years ago I started planting barren strawberry (Waldsteinia), a native groundcover with strawberry-like leaves and little yellow flowers at the edge of our too-big lawn where it has spread beautifully. I underplanted it with a variety of daffodils and this area is beautiful in the spring.
This fall I took clumps of golden marjoram that grows in a dense mat in my herb garden and planted it in my failed Circle Garden. Rabbits! Rabbits have made it impossible to grow flowers in that circle as I have done for several years. Golden marjoram will send up flower stalks but I think it will tolerate some mowing. We'll see.
Many people are unhappy with the shade in their gardens, partly because it is so difficult to grow grass in the shade. I envy them. I only have sun and long for shade, partly because it would mean I could eliminate lawn and plant ferns, hostas, and delicate flowers like tiarella, As in each of the other chapters, Hadden offers chats with gardeners who have created unique no-mow gardens with beautiful photographs. In the shade garden she points out the pleasures of working with light and shade, with colors of foliage, and with foliage size and textures.
One of the latest trends in suburban gardening is the edible garden. Hadden shows us ways that the edible garden can be as beautiful as an ornamental garden, and just as welcoming for sitting and visiting.
If we really must have a lawn Hadden devotes a chapter to Smarter Lawns. These can be achieved with low care grasses. In our region this would be fine fescues that can be kept to a height of four inches with only three or four mowings a years.
I call my unfertilized, un-herbicided, unwatered lawn filled with violets, dandelions, hawkweed, daisies and lots of clover a flowery mead, but Hadden calls this kind of lawn a freedom lawn. She provides whole list of plants that can be over-seeded a grass lawn.
A final section provides a small list of ground layer plants from Ajuga reptans only 2-4 inches high to 7 foot high joe pye weed.
Beautiful No-MowYards will be a wonderful gift to yourself, or to the gardener in your life who is rethinking where she spends her energy and labor. For myself, I find more reward in caring for my vegetable garden, roses and other ornamentals, than the lawn.
Between the Rows December 1, 2012


text: The setting is Camp Firewood, the year 1981. It's the last day before everyone goes back to the real world, but there's still a summer's worth of unfinished business to resolve. At the center of the action is camp director Beth, who struggles to keep order while she falls in love with the local astrophysics professor. He is busy trying to save the camp from a deadly piece of NASA's Skylab which is hurtling toward earth. All that, plus: a dangerous waterfall rescue, love triangles, misfits, cool kids, and talking vegetable cans. The questions will all be resolved, of course, at the big talent show at the end of the day.


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No-Nonsense Online
Mortgage Calculator
Find out how much your basic monthly payment will be for a particular interest rate and term using this straightforward, no nonsense mortgage calculator? |
Using the online mortgage calculator to reduce your payments
Do you want to reduce your monthly payments or reduce your overall payment?
A basic introduction to the way a mortgage rate is calculated - and how today's deals often mean you pay more at the end of the day.
Usually, the more of the loan that you can pay nearer the beginning, then the less you have to pay overall.
Conversely, and the logic encouraged by the majority of lenders, is that, you can be made to feel that you can safely borrow more if you are offered the opportunity to have lower initial monthly payments
You're no doubt familiar with the ways that you can get yourself a lower monthly repayment rate but just to recap, here is a list of the most common
- Extend the mortgage over a longer term, say 20 years instead of 15. Depending on your age and your estimated ability to pay, you may be able to extend the mortgage many years further.
- Defer the payment of the capital value of the property until later, while paying mainly interest initially. This may be as an interest only mortgage, where you are trusted, and mostly asked to prove that you have a method of paying off the capital values later on into the mortgage or at the end of the term
- Bundle the initial fees into the overall mortgage calculation and pay interest on that too, rather than forking out early on
- Discount the early payments as a 'low start' mortgage such that the repayment shortfalls early on are made up for by bundling them into the overall mortgage for later payment.
- Offering more security to the deal, such that the loan is more likely to be paid off in full. Having a greater percentage of the value of your house as paid up deposit, rather than mortgage debt, opens doors to a greater number of lenders from whom you are likely to get better deals.
- Negotiate a lower interest rate, either with the same lender or by remortgaging with another. Lenders sometimes offer to pay off the exit penalties enforced by your first lender up front, and often bundle that amount into the long term mortgage value of your new lower interest rate mortgage, thereby both lowering your repayments every month and deferring the liability of the exit fees.
In order for a lender to be able to be flexible about the early repayment levels and allow you cheaper monthly mortgage repayments, they like to make sure that you don't take their early reduced deal and then change mortgagors when the deal is up. Generally this is done by adding stringent terms and stiff exit fees to any mortgage arrangement.
Jam today
You may be in trouble and not be able to afford your repayments in full at this stage. Literally preferring to spend it on bread and jam to survive with! In which case you are probably looking at the many ways you can reduce payments today and defer the bad news until a later date.
Noone can predict the future and you may think it likely that in the period you have negotiated for repayment of your mortgage you may be in a considerably better financial position than you are today and may be more able to pay higher monthly amounts
It is a view that many subscribe to, and that was, if not overtly stated, definitely encouraged by many mortgage lenders when house prices were rising.
The market has changed considerably now even though house prices haven't fallen quite as fast as many expected. The lenders are much less keen to help you remortgage at all, let alone at good rates so you may find it much harder to justify any overspend. However, the rental market is exceptionally strong which has encouraged a few brave buy to let lenders to brush the moths off their wallets, and due to the weakening demand for property at current prices, decent rental properties can and do come available, and are readily snapped up as buy to let investments.
Reducing your overall mortgage or remortgage debt
By using the mortgage calculator, it is revealing to see quite how much more you will pay overall by implementing some of these strategies, and hopefully make you think twice before you undertake a mortgage that overstretches your ability to pay. And, cynically, it makes it more obvious why the industry doesn't go too far out of their way to make it clear how much extra you will be paying.
Just as a simple example. Assume the following:
- You are being charged a mortgage interest rate of say 6% per annum
- That you are being offered an extra amount of money, say £5000 as a 'cash back' that can be added to the mortgage amount
- That the mortgage repayment will be calculated over a period of 25 years
- And that for the sake of the calculation, interest rates remain on average at this same level etc etc
This results in an overall payment of £9,664.52 for the convenience of cash today.
This is compounded if it is bundled in with a low start mortgage, or by using one or more of the lower repayment strategies mentioned earlier, resulting in your paying even more for your cash.
It is somewhat offset in that the 'real' interest rate that takes into account inflation is lower, and means that the value of the money decreases over time and thus the £9,664 at the end of the day would not buy the same as it would today. However, if inflation increases, so, generally, is there pressure on interest rates, and therefore the mortgage rate, to rise also. The positive effects of inflation 'eating away' debt tend to be most pronounced with long term fixed rates attached to the loan and increasing inflation. These long term fixed rate mortages have not had great take-up and have often been highly priced, thereby adding to their unpopularity.
So just by checking the often crazy looking deals offered by lenders with a simple mortgage calculator can help you establish the long term value of the offer.


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General Information[]
Back when Upper Deck had the license to the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game, in each booster pack was an extra card that featured what was known as UDE points. Originally, these cards had a minigame printed on them, but since set 3, Fires of Outland, each point card became a material card, which could be used to create powerful crafted cards by mailing them to the company itself. On some backs, these would also feature rules and tokens for TCG-based battlegrounds. When Cryptozoic Entertainment took control of the TCG, the UDE points program did not transfer with it. Sets released after set 11, Wrathgate, no longer featured UDE points on the material cards. Shortly before Wrathgate was released, the Upper Deck store removed its World of Warcraft-related items. As of right now, most, if not all the websites featured on point, material, and loot (Pre-Wrathgate) cards either no longer work, or redirect people to the Cryptozoic website.
Items able to be obtained with UDE points included wallpapers, screensavers, tokens (Now on the backs of material cards), in-game items and tabards, alternate printable art sleeves for UDEck cases, playmats, non-foil treasure packs, action figures, and [Landro's Pet Box]. They originally planned to add many more items, including EAs, unique card sleeves, signed original art, hero card packs, and foil versions of existing cards, but the transfer from UDE to Cryptozoic was sudden and unexpected. Not all of these items are lost, however. The common loot of Wrathgate, Landro's Gift,[1] can give a player one of the tabards that was up for sale, in addition to what [Landro's Pet Box] originally contained. It is unknown what the fate is for the other in-game items, the [Carved Ogre Idol] and the [Perpetual Purple Firework], or the fate of the items that were planned to go on the store.
UDE Points Cards Games[]
On the original UDE points cards, there were pictures of ninjas, pirates, monsters and monkeys, as well as statistics for a separate game. These were used for "Ninjas Vs. Pirates", a game that required a hefty amount of points cards.
The rules card, which is also a points card, gives a run-down of the game, which is quite similar to the card game "Whist"
"Begin with 10-15 cards for each player. Use the same deck for each hand. Dealer is chosen at random each hand. Deal out all the cards evenly to the players. Set aside any extra cards. Dealer plays his or her highest-rank card of any suit to start. Each player then plays one card. The card must match the led suit if possible. Lowest-rank card of the led suit takes the trick. Lowest-rank Monster, if any, beats all other cards. If identical winning cards are played, the last copy played takes the trick. Winner of the trick scored the gains and losses for the trick. Start at 100*. Win the game at 200* Lose at 0*"
Cards after the Fires of Outland set do not have any of these game statistics, since they have material cards instead.


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President signs healthy, hunger-free kids act, at last!
Yesterday, President Obama signed the Child Nutrition Reauthorization Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 (how do they name these things?)
The fact sheet on the bill lists what it will do with the additional $4.5 billion in funding (over 10 years), among other actions:
- Gives USDA the authority to set nutritional standards for all foods regularly sold in schools during the school day, including vending machines, the "a la carte" lunch lines, and school stores.
- Provides additional funding to schools that meet updated nutritional standards for federally-subsidized lunches [this is the six cents per meal increase].
- Helps communities establish local farm to school networks, create school gardens, and ensures that more local foods are used in the school setting.
- Expands access to drinking water in schools, particularly during meal times.
- Sets basic standards for school wellness policies including goals for nutrition promotion and education and physical activity.
- Increases the number of eligible children enrolled in school meal programs by approximately 115,000 students…Helps certify an average additional 4,500 students per year to receive school meals.
- Allows more universal meal access for eligible students in high poverty communities.
The sticking point is the funding. It is to be "borrowed" from an authorized increase in funding for SNAP (food stamps). As I discussed yesterday, enrollment in SNAP is rising rapidly, and so are its costs so the loss of this increase will hurt.
In his signing speech, President Obama explained:
It's also important to note that while this bill is fully paid for, it won't add a dime to the deficit, some of the funding comes from rolling back a temporary increase in food stamp benefits –- or SNAP as it's now called -– starting in the fall of 2013. I know a number of members of Congress have expressed concerns about this offset being included in the bill, and I'm committed to working with them to restore these funds in the future.
He also said:
Not only am I very proud of the bill, but had I not been able to get this passed, I would be sleeping on the couch.
Mrs. Obama's Let's Move campaign inspired this bill and her leadership had much to do with its enactment. Cheers for this, at last!


text:
New federal regs could cost Water Authority
Stockpiles of fire hydrants previously purchased by local water districts could soon be useless following the enactment of new federal standards for lead used in infrastructure providing drinking water.
Effective Jan. 4., the maximum amount of lead allowed for use in pipes distributing drinking water will change from 8 percent to .25 percent – a new standard decided upon by the Environmental Protection Agency.
The new standard is a result of the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act passed in Jan. 2011, aimed at reducing the amount of lead in drinking water pipes and other plumbing fixtures to protect public health.
Although the act was passed nearly three years ago, the EPA only recently indicated fire hydrants would have to meet the new standard – because they can be used to provide drinking water in emergency situations – according to a release from Sen. Charles Schumer's office.
Any hydrant installed on or after Jan. 4. would need to meet the new EPA standard, according to the guidelines.
"As soon as [the law] was passed we changed our policy to immediately order fittings that didn't contain lead so three years from then we'd be ready – nobody had any idea they were going to include fire hydrants," said Suffolk County Water Authority commissioner James Gaughran. "Fire hydrants are used for fire safety purposes."
He said had the agency known three years ago, they would have prepared to comply. They agency was notified Oct. 22., when a summary of the law's guidelines was released by the EPA, he said.
The SCWA services about 1.2 million people annually through over 37,000 hydrants, and services most of Southold Town.
The agency's existing stock of hydrants yet to be used numbers about 400 – valued at about $1,000 apiece – that, combined with associated fittings, totals about $450,000 of what could be unusable equipment, Mr. Gaughran said. If no exemptions are made, or delay is granted by the EPA, the existing stockpile would be sold at scrap value, he said.
"We're certainly concerned about lead contamination getting to the drinking water, but it takes a long time," Mr. Gaughran said. "Give the industry time to develop and manufacture the new hydrants, so that there is competition – so we don't get rate shocked," he said. "Who knows, they could double or triple in price."
At a press conference Monday, Mr. Schumer called on the EPA to exempt existing stocks of fire hydrants purchased before the EPA released the guidelines in October, which he says will save water districts thousands of dollars.
On Dec. 2, the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation that would add fire hydrants to the list of devices exempt from the new lead standards – which includes toilets and shower parts. Action from the Senate and Presidential approval would still be needed to fix the problem for local water districts.
Mr. Gaughran, who called the problem "just another example of government bureaucracy out of control," said the agency replaces about 200 of its about 3,700 hydrants each year – many of which become damaged in winter storms and car accidents, he said.
While lead is rarely found in source water, it can enter tap water through the corrosion of plumbing materials, according to the EPA.
Exposure to lead can affect nearly every system in the body, and exposure above levels of 15 parts per billion can cause in delays in physical and mental development in babies and children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.


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text: Beautiful massager elaborated by hand by capable Ecuadorian artisan. Elaborated in pieces of natural color Measures approx: 10X10X10cm (3.95"X3.95"X3.95")Palm tree of short stem and very leafy crowns that grows in the tropical area of America, from Paraguay to Panama. It produces a seed that is considered like vegetal ivory, of white or cream color and that is used to make knobs, crafts and different pieces of jewelry. Note: Being this a unique piece, the product can present variations with respect to the description and the photo.


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Baking In A Tornado
Menopausal Mother
Life on the SONny Side
Suburbia Interrupted
Big A and little a
IBD, Daddy and me!
Stacy Sews and Schools
The Sadder but Wiser Girl
Something Clever 2.0
The Mommy Ref
Moore Organized Mayhem
Just Piddlin'
Mommy Unmuted
My prompt is: You've been asked to pitch a new children's television show to network execs . . . one that won't drive the poor parents who have to watch it totally crazy, but that kids will still adore . . . What does it look like? It was submitted by: Life on the SONny Side.
Quite a tall order, SONny Side, I owe you one. And I don't forget. That whole "Moms have eyes in the back of their heads" thing is about to take on a whole new meaning for you. But I agreed to do this thing (hell, I started it), so here goes:
My idea for the children's show is one that is interactive. The best way to keep kids' attention and keep parents sane is to keep those little buggers, um, sweethearts busy.
Picture this: our host, Jacksonville Potluck, is an artist. Each episode finds him walking through his town to draw scenery in different locations. With him is his trusty sketch pad.
The show is made up of six 4-minute segments. In each segment, Jacksonville meets someone to help him head towards his destination. At the end of each segment he yells "Freeze". Everyone on screen freezes. Your little Satan Dali stops munching on the toilet paper roll. It's time to draw. With simple strokes Potluck talks your little artist through a few lines of a picture. By the end of the show they've drawn, for instance, a book if he's going to the library or a flasher if he's going to the park.
There are a few things Moms need to know to prepare for this new show. First, it is necessary for you to have paper in the house at all times. If not, prepare to frame whole sections of your wall, compliments of your favorite offspring. Lack of paper will not stop your little Andy Wall-hole from drawing. Yes, the show is that good.
Next, be sure you have cookies available. Not only will your little Runny-nose Rembrandt need their strength for some heavy lifting in the finale but, after the show, cookies will keep them busy while Mom has a little . . . ahem . . . recovery time.


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Severance Agreement Attorney Chicago Illinois Employment Contracts Lawyer Cook County Terminations
Severance Agreements. Employment Contracts, Terminations and Disputes
Severance Pay | Vacation Pay | Accrued Commission | 401K Profit Sharing |
Non Compete | Health/COBRA | Restrictive Covenants | Equipment/Property |
References | Re-employment | Job Placement /Search | Unemployment Comp |
Arbitration | Mediation | Non-disparagement | Employees Age 40+ |
Negotiating Severance/Termination Agreements and Contracts
Negotiating a severance agreement or contract as part of the termination process can be quite difficult and emotionally taxing for both the terminating employer and the employee who is suddenly without a job and a paycheck. Even so, it is important that emotions be set aside and the severance agreement be discussed in a business-like fashion to minimize the trauma and maximize the benefits for both sides.
For an employer, the goal may be to reward a long-term employee, lessen the trauma of the termination and prevent a possible lawsuit as a result of the termination. For the employee, the goals are likely to maximize the amount of money obtained as part of the severance, obtain all of the benefits that she or he is entitled to and ensure that his or her subsequent job search is not hampered by having been terminated.
The goal should be to reach a fair and equitable agreement that offers adequate protection for both sides. The focus should be on the economics of the situation without regard to emotions and issues that led to the termination. The following is an outline for some of the topics that should be addressed and included in the severance agreement.
Severance Pay
This is typically the most significant item in the agreement for most employees. Generally, employers offer severance packages in terms of weeks. Many employers base their severance pay policy on an employee's length of employment. The most common is to offer one week of severance pay for each year of service. Some employers do not offer any severance at all. In negotiating the pay, reference is typically made to severance pay that other terminated employees in the company have been offered.
Vacation Pay
An accurate accounting should be made of the earned and unused portion of vacation that the employee is entitled to. The employer is obligated to pay the employee for the earned but unused vacation time.
Accrued Commission or Other Employment Benefits (401K, profit-sharing, etc.)
A thorough review of the employer's written policies is necessary to determine what commission, if any, that the departing employee is entitled to on sales that have been made or pending. The policy should also dictate what profit-sharing, 401(k) benefits that the departing employee has earned or is entitled to at the time of termination.
Status of Any Non-compete Agreements or Restrictive Covenants
If the employer and employee signed a non-compete agreement or restrictive covenant, the severance discussion should include a reminder to both parties of its existence and terms to avoid future violations and possible lawsuits. Employers should remind the departing employee, who might have forgotten, the terms of the non-compete agreement and provide a copy to him or her prior to departure. If any changes need to be made to the restrictions, such should be negotiated and included in the severance agreement.
Continuation of Health Benefits (Cobra)
Both parties should also discuss the continuation of benefits, how long such will last, the due dates of any payments by the terminated employee for health insurance, where and how payments are to be made. The parties should also document that the employee has been offered the option, the associated costs and the employee's decision whether or not to accept the continuation of benefits.
Return of Equipment and Other Property
A severance agreement should spell out what property of the employer is in the possession of the employee and when and how such should be returned. Also, if the employer has property belonging to the employee, the agreement should specify when and how those would be returned.
Reference Letter/Communication with Prospective Employers
Given that the terminated employee is likely to seek new employment immediately, the parties should discuss and document the method for handling calls from prospective employers and references. A record of termination sometimes hurts a subsequent job search, especially if the reason for termination given by the employee is different from the one given by the terminating employer. To assist the employee's subsequent job search, both parties should attempt to reach an understanding of what should be said to prospective employers.
Eligibility for Unemployment Compensation
The terminated employee may also intend to apply for unemployment compensation. If so, as part of the negotiations, the parties can address whether it is appropriate not to contest the application.
Job Placement/Job Search Assistance
Some companies provide job placement assistance by proving a recruiter or placement agency at no cost to assist the departing employee in a subsequent job search. Most parties prefer to use an independent and unrelated placement agency in order to ensure that the process is objective, confidential, and not tainted by the possibly soured relationship that led to the termination in the first place. If this becomes part of the agreement, the duration and any cost limitations should be spelled out.
The severance discussion and agreement should also address whether the departing employee is eligible for re-employment. Different companies have different policies about reemploying terminated employees and employees that resigned voluntarily. Clarifying this issue will likely eliminate future misunderstandings, confusion and retaliation lawsuits.
Claims to be Waived
Most employers require that employees who are given severance pay agree not to sue the employer thereafter. In fact, most companies that offer severance do so to gain the certainty that no lawsuit will follow the termination whether or not the employee has any grounds for a lawsuit. A severance agreement should contain a comprehensive list of the type of claims and lawsuits that the employee is giving up as part of the agreement. This list is typically very comprehensive and contains almost every conceivable claim, except Workers Compensation claims that cannot be waived in a general release. Employees who sign these agreements should understand that their rights to sue in the future are severely curtailed if not eliminated entirely.
Non-disparagement Clause
This clause requires that both parties not to disparage each other to third persons. For the employee, this helps with job search because the terminating employer will not make unfavorable comments to prospective employers. For the employer, the departing employee will make no disparaging comments to other workers, clients and/or customers. If both sides decide to include this clause, it is important to define what specifically can be said so that no confusion ensues later.
Arbitration/ Mediation Clause
This clause is typically included to avoid the high cost of lawsuits in case a dispute arises in the future between the two parties. To avoid the costs of lawsuits, some agreements include a clause that any future disputes will be submitted to an arbitrator whose decision will be binding on all sides. Others agree to submit future disputes to binding mediation. Where such is the case, it is important to include the names of acceptable mediators/arbitrators, how one can initiate a request for mediation or arbitration, the deadline for doing so and the venue where the mediation will occur.
Employees Over 40 Years of Age
The Older Workers Benefit Protection Act (OWBPA) permits those employees over 40 years of age to have a minimum of 21 days to review the severance agreement before signing it. They must also be afforded the seven days after signing it to change their minds. For employers, this typically means that payment is withheld for the duration. Under certain circumstances, the employee may waive some of these rights so that the employer does not withhold the severance checks for the entire waiting period.
Our Services
Our attorneys assist clients in negotiating employment contracts and/or severance packages. For a pre-determined fee, our attorneys will review an employment contract for reasonableness and sufficiency. Our attorneys will also review an employment contract, examine the law and prepare written opinion on any terms or portions of the contract that is in dispute.


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Call for our best price! 877-702-0555
Free In-Home Delivery*
Sunbrella Fabric Exclusive fabric that is cleanable and durable. 100% Solution-dyed acrylic sets that standard for performance in an outdoor fabric. Superior resistance to mold, mildew and fading. Easily cleans with mild soap and water
Delivers in Approx. 8-10 Weeks
Item ID: SP19657
Fill out the form below. Our Furniture Experts willg et you that custom quote today! Look for the quote via email. If we have any questions we will reach out by phone.
Thank You!
Your request for a custom quote has been submitted. We will contact you as soon as possible to discuss our best prices!
Saranac Outdoor Teak Chaise Lounge (Made to order fabrics)
The Saranac Adjustable Chaise lets you lounge outdoors the way you want to, whether that means taking a quick nap in the shade, sun bathing or reading a book. This adjustable chaise measures 38 inches in height by 29 inches in width by 82 inches in depth, making it large and accommodating for anyone who wants to use it. It can lie completely flat or can sit up to your comfort level depending on your activity. This chaise is made up of a durable teak wood frame.
The Saranac Adjustable Chaise also comes with WeatherMaster cushions. These cushions are meant to promote swifter drying times through their uniquely layered construction, allowing water to filter out of the cushions with ease and head down to the mesh that waits at the bottom. This mesh not only evacuates the water but it also allows air to push itself up into the cushions in order to make drying time even faster, letting you remain comfortable by the pool. You can upholster the cushions of the Saranac Adjustable Chaise with any one of the hundreds of different fabric color and pattern choices that are available in order to suit your space.
Frame Construction
Slow-growing and plantation raised, LANE VENTURE uses only the finest grade of this most valuable tropical hardwood for its beautiful furniture. Kiln drying and hand-crafted construction techniques, including doweled mortise, finger joinery, and box joints, ensure that your frames will hold up even after prolonged outdoor exposure.
Teak is a low maintenance wood, and we recommend that you allow your furniture to age naturally. Its close, tight grain and abundance of natural oils make teak hard- wearing and highly resistant to rotting, sunshine, snow and rain. After prolonged exposure, teak's original golden honey color will begin to transition to a soft and silvery gray.
Care & Maintenance - Frames
Minimal maintenance is required to keep teak wood looking good. Periodically clean your furniture with a teak cleaner, available through your local LANE VENTURE retailer. Because of the high oil content of this wood, teak shouldn't be painted or sealed: it won't adhere properly and will eventually peel off. If you wish to keep the warm golden color of new teak, you will need to routinely re-apply a teak sealer for continuous coverage.
Outdoor Fabrics
Select from hundreds of gorgeous fabrics specifically designed for outdoor use. These fabrics are domestically woven and bleach-cleanable, and many are exclusively available at Lane Venture. Woven from the highest quality, fade-resistant fibers, the selection is unmatched in style and performance.
WeatherMaster Ultimate Outdoor Cushion
The Fastest Drying Drainable Cushion In The Industry
• Goes from saturated to dry in less than 3 hours in Real-Life Environments • Does not retain moisture, fights mold & mildew • All Fiber Cushion with Standard Stainless Steel Coil
The single element that ties all of our outdoor collections together is the unique drainable cushion that combines a variety of features making it comfortable, functional, durable and easy to clean. Additionally, all LANE VENTURE seating items are available with firm or reversible cushion options.
This combination of features provides unsurpassed luxurious comfort that is easy to clean while staying durable and beautiful. What makes the WeatherMaster Ultimate Outdoor Cushion better than all the rest? It combines the soft seating durability of a drainable all-weather fiber cushion with the comfort and longevity of spring coil seating.
Fiber is encased in polyethylene netting which improves air flow for quick drying and minimizes the opportunity for mold and mildew growth.
• Coils are made of 302 grade stainless steel which is the same grade that is used for high end grill and appliance construction.
• It offers better tensile strength than the more common 304 grade and maintains superior strength and performance year after year.
• 302 grade stainless steel will not rust or corrode and is resistant to solvents, acids and chemicals. Finally, individually wrapped coils eliminate noise and allow coils to work independently.
• Thermally bonded premium quality fiber and stainless steel coils encased in waterproof ticking provides unsurpassed cushion comfort and durability.
• It offers high performance that is great for using in high traffic areas.
• Our cushion exceeds industry standards for cushion resiliency and shows no substantial loss of loft, support or comfort after repeated tests.
Industry Leading Warranty
• 15 year warranty on all Aluminum frame construction
• 5 year on Wicker, Wood and Teak construction
• 3 year warranty on finish / color fastness
• 2 year warranty on fabric & cushion
Your furniture in it's original packaging is delivered to the first dry, safe area in your home. You will need to place the items and dispose of all the packaging.
Your furniture in it's original packaging is carefully delivered to any room in your home. You will need to dispose of all the packaging.
Prior to delivery we will un-box and inspect your new furniture. Our skilled delivery team will set up your new furniture in the room of your choice and remove all packaging.
Our no surprises return policy allows you to buy with confidence. If you need to exchange, cancel, or return your order within the first 30 days of delivery, the only thing you are responsible for is the return shipping.
Read Our Full Return PolicyThank You Very much for your review!
Offers Chaise | Yes, Offers a Chaise |
Product Type | Chaise (Stand Alone) |
*Minimum order of $1,500


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Construction Cleaning in Tempe, Arizona
Construction projects can be a hassle. Between intricate planning and managing resources, there is always something that needs to be done. GCS Global Cleaning Services LLC can lighten your load when you call for our Tempe construction cleaning service. Our post-construction cleaning team has over 19 years of experience in Arizona, so you can rest assured that we'll get the job done properly.
Free Construction Cleaning Quote
Tempe Construction Cleaning Done Right & Done Fast!
GCS Global Cleaning Services LLC understands the importance of completing construction projects on time. We have a reputation for working with building contractors in an efficient and cost-effective manner. We know that wasted time is lost money. That's why we'll make your post construction cleaning project in or near Tempe, Arizona our top priority.
GCS Global Cleaning Services LLC has been completing post-construction projects since 2005. We have the knowledge and experience to expertly complete all aspects of your post-construction cleaning including:
- High dusting
- Wall dusting
- Detail vacuuming
- Trash removal
- Cabinet cleaning and polishing
- Fixture cleaning and polishing
- Silver and brass cleaning and polishing
- Bathroom cleaning
- Floor scrubbing
- Window cleaning
Why Call GCS Global Cleaning Services LLC for Tempe Construction Cleaning?
GCS Global Cleaning Services LLC has been providing top-notch post-construction cleaning in Tempe and surrounding towns since 2005. State of the art equipment and loyal and dedicated cleaning crews deployed to every post-construction site in Tempe. Our expert construction cleaning crews will have your building sparkling in no time, and ready to rent or sell. You can count on GCS Global Cleaning Services LLC to get it right the first time.
★★★★★ - "We had an appointment schedule with another company and they CANCELLED about 30 minutes before their scheduled arrival. We were scrambling to find someone to clean and stretch the carpet THAT day because we had tenants moving in the next day. Stanley Steemer came through and was there within a few hours. The carpets look wonderful and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend. Very professional."
Jenny B., Post Construction Cleaning
2014-05-13 -
★★★★★ - "GCS cleaning services ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!! They had 10 maids that did amazing cleaning job. We remodel our restaurant in sobe and a gym. Jorge was very PROFESIONAL with his team work and the prices were very good for my husband and I."
Lisa B., Post Construction Cleaning
2014-05-13 -
★★★★★ - "The GCS team has been an amazing partner for cleaning in our Chandler, AZ office. Not only have they delivered excellent quality of work, but they will also go above and beyond to help with anything additional we need, including support for emergencies with little notice. A recent storm caused a portion of our roof to collapse. Jay and his team were able to get the water extracted from the flooring/carpet that evening, lend us fans to help air out the space, and clean up debris that had fallen from the ceiling. Their standard daily cleaning has been so impressive, that it has lifted the morale of our entire staff. We know we can count on GCS for any needs that come up. Thank you so much, GCS and team, for all you do!"
Aubree in Chandler, AZ
2024-06-28 -
★★★★★ - "We have a 12,000 sq ft facility and GCS Global Cleaning has helped us keep it in great condition as far as all our cleaning needs on a regular basis for over 3 years now! Great staff!"
George in Gilbert, AZ
2024-06-21 -
★★★★★ - "GSC is by far the best cleaning services we have ever used for our company. We have been using their services just over 3 years. They are very professional and are exceptional in their cleaning. We really appreciate their high standards and excellent staff."
Amandeep Singh in Chandler, AZ
2020-11-29 -
★★★★★ - "We want to thank you for 5 years of great service and hopefully many more. GCS has kept our facility clean and especially the floors!"
Monica in Chandler, AZ
2018-09-24 -
★★★★★ - "We have enjoyed GCS Global Cleaning Services for 3 yrs now and hope to have them many more years for our large facility!!"
Dora in Phoenix, AZ
★★★★★ - "The Cleaning Crew has provided us with excellent cleaning services. I would like to extend my thanks for a wonderful job and I look forward to a continuation of your great quality service"
Adrian G. in Phoenix, AZ
★★★★★ - "Great Service!"
home owner
★★★★★ - "I hired Global Cleaning Services 4 years and they have done a great job with my sites. Good customer service and very reasonable. Their services are always 100% effective and efficient, and to top it off, very friendly! I highly recommend Global Cleaning Services."
Mike P., Office Cleaning in Chandler, AZ
2015-05-06 -
★★★★★ - "What an amazing job! I recommend this company for all your cleaning needs!"
Jenny Smith
2015-05-05 -
★★★★★ - "We just want to thank you and your staff for your consistency in the quality of services extended to our business. We appreciate the cooperation we've received from your staff, your attention to detail and your periodic follow up to make sure our needs are being met. We can recommend GCS Global Cleaning Services without reservations." "
John Davis, Facilities Manager
2014-05-13 -
★★★★★ - "After experiencing poor service from four other local cleaning companies, it has been a pleasure to do business with Global Cleaning Services. Hank Tatro maintains consistent contact with his clients to check on the quality of the work and customer satisfaction. He is very professional, efficient, and sincere in his efforts to provide quality service."
Steven Tyler at J & S Insurance
2014-05-13 -
★★★★★ - "The crew that did our strip and wax today did a great job. I was extremely happy with their efforts and their demeanor. They were incredibly polite and worked really hard. The floor looks absolutely gorgeous! I would definitely recommend their work & employ them again."
Mike K., Floor Stripping and Waxing at Toy Store Inc.
2014-05-13 -
★★★★★ - "The carpets were stained I was already thinking of replacing them. Unfortunately, at the moment we couldn't afford buying new ones. My decision of hiring a professional to resolve my carpet issue was inspired by a friend of mine. At first we had a little misunderstanding requesting the service but everything went good at the end. The cleaning was completed in about an hour and my carpets and the whole furniture looked amazing! I'm impressed with their honesty and hard work."
Jane S., Carpet Cleaning
2014-05-13 -
★★★★★ - "Great service. Extremely professional and hardworking. They clean my home every week."
Alex P., Carpet Cleaning