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Heather Jill Symons, M.D., M.H.S.
Clinical Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Expertise: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Aplastic Anemia, Bone Marrow Transplant, Bone Marrow Transplant, Haploidentical, Chronic Myeloid Leukemia, Graft-versus-Host Disease, Hematologic Malignancies, Hodgkin's Disease, Leukemia, Malignant and Nonmalignant Disorders, Medical Oncology, Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS), Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Pediatric Oncology ...read more
Research Interests: Pediatric bone marrow transplantation; alternative immunotherapeutic approaches
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The Johns Hopkins Hospital (Main Entrance)
Appointment Phone: 410-955-8751
1800 Orleans St.
The Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children's Center Building, 11th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21287 map
In her first decade as a pediatric oncologist, Dr. Symons already has shown an impressive ability to juggle multiple research projects, in addition to caring for patients.
One of Dr. Symons' research pursuits focuses on using a novel immunotherapy approach to treating both solid tumors and hematologic (blood-borne) malignancies. The basis of her work stems from the theory that cancer patients' immune systems should recognize tumor cells as foreign and destroy them. This doesn't happen, theorizes Dr. Symons, because the immune system attacks only those cells it perceives as dangerous—not cancer cells, which it sees simply as foreign. That's where her research comes into play.
Evaluating an experimental therapy, Dr. Symons is pairing donor lymphocytes (white blood cells that activate the body's immune system) with chemotherapy to determine if this combination will "awaken" patients' immune systems to the danger of existing cancer cells and, in turn, elicit an immune response.
In a separate yet equally compelling research endeavor, Dr. Symons is working to increase the availability of donors for children whose cancer requires bone marrow transplants (BMTs) as a potentially lifesaving treatment. "It can be challenging to find a 'matched' donor," says Dr. Symons, who explains that only about 40 percent of patients who require a BMT find a matched donor. "Sometimes, we don't have the benefit of time, because remissions can be short-lived. But almost all patients have a half-matched donor: a parent, sibling, or child," adds Dr. Symons, who is examining ways to reduce BMT-related complications ordinarily associated with half-matched donors after ablative (high dose) chemotherapy.
"Like anything else that's new, it will take some time to prove that this is a feasible option that's safe," she says. But she's optimistic. "It has the potential to revolutionize BMT."
Dr. Symons knows it's worth the wait. "Seeing the research I do in the lab translate into clinical trials, then seeing patients in these trials survive long term, is incredibly rewarding," she says.
- Clinical Director, Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant
- Assistant Professor of Oncology
Departments / Divisions
- MD, Albany Medical College of Union University (1999)
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine / Pediatrics (2002)
- Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine / Pediatric Oncology (2007)
Board Certifications
- American Board of Pediatrics / Pediatric Hematology-Oncology (2006)
Research & Publications
Clinical Trial KeywordsPediatric bone marrow transplantation
Selected Publications
Heather J Symons, Moshe Y Levy, Jie Wang, Xiaotao Zhou, Gang Zhou, Leo Luznik, Hyam Levitsky, Ephraim J Fuchs. The Allogeneic Effect revisited: exogenous help for endogenous, tumor-specific T cells. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2008, 14(5), 499-509.
Leo Luznik, Paul V. O'Donnell, Heather J. Symons, Allen R. Chen, M. Susan Leffell, Marianna Zahurak, Steve Piantadosi, Michele Kaup, Richard F. Ambinder, Carol Ann Huff, William Matsui, Javier Bolaños-Meade, Ivan Borrello, Jonathan D. Powell, Elizabeth Harrington, Sandy Warnock, Mary Flowers, Robert A. Brodsky, Brenda M. Sandmaier, Rainer F. Storb, Richard J. Jones, and Ephraim J. Fuchs. HLA-haploidentical bone marrow transplantation for hematologic malignancies using nonmyeloablative conditioning and high-dose, post-transplantation cyclophosphamide. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2008, 14(6):641-50
Heather J Symons and Ephraim J Fuchs. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from partially HLA-mismatched (HLA-haploidentical) related donors. Bone Marrow Transplant, 2008, Aug: 1-13.
Lauri M. Burroughs, Paul V. O'Donnell, Brenda M. Sandmaier, Barry E. Storer, Leo Luznik, Heather J. Symons, Richard J. Jones,Richard F. Ambinder, Michael B. Maris, Karl G. Blume, Dietger W. Niederwieser, Benedetto Bruno, Richard T. Maziarz, Michael A. Pulsipher, Finn B. Petersen, Rainer F. Storb, Ephraim J. Fuchs and David G. Maloney.Comparison of Outcomes of HLA-Matched Related, Unrelated, or HLA-Haploidentical Related Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation Following Nonmyeloablative Conditioning for Relapsed or Refractory Hodgkin Lymphoma. Accepted for publication, Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2008, 14(11):1279-87.
Heather J. Symons, M. Sue Leffell, Nancy D. Rossiter, Marianna Zahurak, Richard J. Jones, Ephraim J. Fuchs. Improved survival with inhibitory Killer Immunoglobulin Receptor (KIR) gene mismatches and KIR haplotype B donors after nonmyeloablative, HLA-haploidentical bone marrow transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant, 2010 Apr;16(4):533-42.
Ashley Munchel, Chimen Kesserwan, Heather J. Symons, Leo Luznik, Yvette L. Kasamon, and Ephraim J. Fuchs. Nonmyeloablative, HLA-haploidentical bone marrow transplantation with high dose, post-transplantation cyclophosphamide. Pediatric Reports, 2011 Jun 22;3 Suppl 2:e15. doi: 10.4081/pr.2011.s2.e15.
Arulrajah S, Symons H, Cahoon EK, Tekes A, Huisman TA, Izbudak I. Relationship between clinical sinusitis symptoms and sinus CT severity in pediatric post bone marrow transplant and immunocompetent patients. Eur J. Pediatr. 2012 Feb;171(2):375-81. doi: 10.1007/s00431-011-1560-0. Epub 2011 Sep 9.Warts 2011; volume 3:(s2)e15
Ashley Munchel, Allen Chen, Heather Symons. Emergent Complications in the Pediatric Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Patient. Clinical Pediatric Emergency Medicine, 2011. 2011 Sept:12(3):233-244.
Zeidan A, Bolaños-Meade J, Kasamon Y, Aoki J, Borowitz M, Swinnen L, Symons H, Luznik L, Fuchs E, Jones R, Ambinder R. Human leukocyte antigen-haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplant for a patient with histiocytic sarcoma. Leuk Lymphoma. 2013 Mar;54(3):655-7. doi: 10.3109/10428194.2012.717082. Epub 2012 Aug 27.
Kanakry JA, Kasamon YL, Gocke CD, Tsai HL, Davis-Sproul J, Ghosh N, Symons H, Bolaños-Meade J, Gladstone DE, Swinnen LJ, Luznik L, Fuchs EJ, Jones RJ, Ambinder RF. Outcomes of Related Donor HLA-Identical or HLA-Haploidentical Allogeneic Blood or Marrow Transplantation for Peripheral T Cell Lymphoma. Biol BloodMarrow Transplant.2013 Jan 28. pii: S1083-8791(13)00021-9. doi:10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.01.006. Epub 2013 Jan 29.
Kanakry JA, Kasamon YL, Bolaños-Meade J, Borrello IM, Brodsky RA, Fuchs EJ, Ghosh N, Gladstone DE, Gocke CD, Huff CA, Kanakry CG, Luznik L, Matsui W, Mogri HJ, Swinnen LJ, Symons HJ, Jones RJ, Ambinder RF.Absence of post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorder after allogeneic blood or marrow transplantation using post-transplantation cyclophosphamide as graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2013 Oct;19(10):1514-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.07.013. Epub 2013 Jul 18.
Zeidan AM, Forde PM, Symons H, Chen A, Smith BD, Pratz K, Carraway H, Gladstone DE, Fuchs EJ, Luznik L, Jones RJ, Bolaños-Meade J. HLA-Haploidentical Donor Lymphocyte Infusions for Patients with Relapsed Hematologic Malignancies after Related HLA-Haploidentical Bone Marrow Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Mar;20(3):314-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2013.11.020. Epub 2013 Dec 1.
Shah NN, Borowitz MJ, Robey NC, Gamper CJ, Symons HJ, Loeb DM, Wayne AS, Chen AR. Feasibility of Treating Post-Transplant Minimal Residual Disease in Children with Acute Leukemia. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Jul;20(7):1033-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.03.028. Epub 2014 Mar 30.
Dezern AE, Symons HJ, Resar LS, Borowitz MJ, Armanios MY, Brodsky RA. Detection of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clones to exclude inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. Eur J Haematol. 2014 Feb 25. doi: 10.1111/ejh.12299.
Shah NN, Borowitz MJ, Steinberg SM, Robey NC, Gamper CJ, Symons HJ, Loeb DM, Wayne AS, Chen AR. Factors Predictive of Relapse of Acute Leukemia in Children after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2014 Mar 29. pii: S1083-8791(14)00201-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2014.03.028.
Tolar J, Sodani P, Symons, H. Alternative donor transplant of benign primary hematologic disorders. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015 Feb 9. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.1. [Epub ahead of print].
Talano JM, Pulsipher MA, Symons HJ, Militano O, Shereck EB, Giller RH, Hancock L, Morris E, Cairo MS. New frontiers in pediatric Allo-SCT. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2014 Sep;49(9):1139-45. doi:10.1038/bmt.2014.89. Epub 2014 May 12.
McCurdy SR, Kanakry JA, Showel MM, Tsai HL, Bolaños-Meade J, Rosner GL, Kanakry CG, Perica K, Symons HJ, Brodsky RA, Gladstone DE, Huff CA, Pratz KW, Prince GT, Dezern AE, Gojo I, Matsui WH, Borrello I, McDevitt MA, Swinnen LJ, Smith BD, Levis MJ, Ambinder RF, Luznik L, Jones RJ, Fuchs EJ, Kasamon YL. Risk-stratified outcomes of nonmyeloablative, HLA-haploidentical BMT with high-dose posttransplantation cyclophosphamide. Blood. 2015 Mar 26. pii: blood-2015-01-623991. [Epub ahead of print].
Tolar J, Sodani P, Symons, H. Alternative donor transplant of benign primary hematologic disorders. Bone Marrow Transplant. 2015 Feb 9. doi: 10.1038/bmt.2015.1. [Epub ahead of print].
Activities & Honors
- Alpha Omega Alpha, Alpha Omega Alpha
- Jack Spitalny Prize, Awarded to the senior medical student who has excelled in Pediatrics
- Charles Eckart Award, Awarded to the medical student who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement in the field of surgery, 1999
- American Academy of Pediatrics International Health Travel Scholarship
- Fellowship to Attend American Association of Cancer Research Workshop in Molecular Biology and Clinical Oncology
- NIH Loan Repayment Program Grant Recipient
- Appointed Chief Fellow, Johns Hopkins Children's Center/National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD.
- October, 2006: Recipient of an ASH Travel Award for oral presentation of submitted abstract at the 2006 ASH annual meeting
- June, 2014: Recipient, Teaching Award from Johns Hopkins-NIH Pediatric Hematology-Oncology Fellows
- February, 2015: Recipient, Best abstract award, CIBMTR


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NA 2010: Semi-automated pallet storage
March 01, 2010 - MMH Editorial
NA 2010, slated for April 26-29, will showcase more than 500 exhibits and include a comprehensive educational conference. The event, held at the I-X Center in Cleveland, will offer an array of products to help improve productivity at your company.
The semi-automated Pallet Runner Gen 3 high density storage system uses a heavy duty, four-wheel drive cart to transport pallets to and from the loading unloading position. Using an existing lift truck fleet, the system easily adapts to current facility conditions to increase throughput, storage density and productivity while decreasing operating costs, operators and cubic footage used to store pallets. A single cart can move more than 40 pallets per hour. Flexible, the system can be converted to a fully automated system as needs grow.
Konstant, 800-655-7225, http://www.konstant.com, Booth 1600.

subset: commoncrawl


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The May 2009 issue of Health Care News analyzes the Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Research, a provision of the stimulus bill that some policy analysts fear will give government bureaucrats the authority to decide who gets what health care treatments when.
Also in this issue:
* President Barack Obama's nomination of Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius as Health and Human Services secretary has received mixed reactions in the public policy community.
* Obama's approval of SCHIP expansion surprised no one but raised plenty of concerns.
* Louisiana legislators have put on hold Gov. Bobby Jindal's Medicaid reform proposal until midsummer.
* An Indiana state senator has offered a bill calling for stiffer regulation of retail clinics in pharmacies, shopping malls, and big-box retailers.
* The Supreme Court's ruling that FDA approval of a drug warning label is no defense against state-level liability suits is likely to increase drug costs, decrease innovation, and cause a surge in lawsuits.
* Children are spending less time outdoors in activities other than team sports, a Colorado study reports, while obesity is increasing.
Newspaper Articles in this Issue
No matching newspaper articles


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The 8 Most Wildly Irresponsible Vintage Toys
#4. Working Toy Ovens, Irons and More
Yeah, the burn marks on that toy pretty much say it all. That's an electric toy stove from the 1930s or '40s that could actually be plugged in and heated up, which isn't just dangerous, it's also completely pointless. What are you supposed to heat in there, a canape? Some peanuts? Your brother's mutilated hamster?
That's terrible. Hamsters are more suited to waffle irons.
Electrical kitchen toys were actually pretty popular back then, because when you're training your daughter to be a housewife it's also important to make her aware of the inherent dangers that come with the job. Not doing so would be irresponsible. Stores sold tiny irons, coffee pots, bread toasters and so on, all with names like Sunny Suzy or Little Deb, as if a cutesy name was somehow enough to make them remotely entertaining. However, even the ones that prided themselves on being safer than the competition were negligent:
"Ruth later finds out what 'skin graft' means."
Note that the "double insulation" that supposedly protects you from heat and electricity is only available if you're willing to dish out the extra 50 cents for the more expensive iron. Also, it only heats up to 250 degrees? As the website we cribbed this ad from points out, that's 40 degrees hotter than boiling water. But hey, kids gotta learn somehow.
What most of them learned was "Never trust your parents."
#3. Gilbert Chemistry Set
Baby's first meth lab.
There's that Gilbert guy again. This may look like a pretty safe (boring) science kit, but among the 56 chemicals included in the Gilbert chemistry set was some potentially deadly stuff. Like potassium permanganate, which, besides being poisonous, has been known to make things catch fire. Or ammonium nitrate, the same chemical that the U.S. wants to regulate now because it's used in homemade bombs. All that came in the same box -- at no point in history has being a young nerd on his birthday been so dangerous.
But come on, this was a more innocent time. Mr. Gilbert probably never even thought that kids would use his sets for that sort of --
"Remember, kids, don't be evil!"
OK, no, scratch that. The manual itself taught kids how to create explosions with gunpowder -- on the first page -- and the sole safety feature consisted of a single line telling them not to attempt the same experiment on a larger scale ... which only served the purpose of informing kids that this was a possibility.
"Do not attempt to ... hot dog, I just had an idea!"
After remaining popular for the first half of the 20th century, Gilbert chemistry sets fell from grace in the '60s and '70s (following a series of entirely predictable lawsuits). However, at one point these hazardous kits were endorsed by both Good Housekeeping and Superman himself.
Of course you'd say that, Superman, you're freaking invulnerable. What do you care?
But it turns out that chemistry sets weren't the only children's toy stuffed with dangerous chemicals back then ...
#2. Austin Magic Pistol
"We call this one the 'Jetson special'."
Made in the 1950s, the Austin Magic Pistol allowed you to shoot plastic balls at your friend's penis. We suppose you could shoot them at other things, too, but honestly why would you?
So how did it work, was there a loaded spring in there or something? Nope, the balls were fired by mixing "magic crystals" and water in the back of the gun -- and by "magic crystals" they really meant "dangerous chemicals," of course.
And by "gun" they meant ... no, no, this is an actual explosive device.
Calcium carbide is on all kinds of hazardous materials lists because when it comes into contact with liquid, it forms a flammable gas. This isn't some unforeseen side effect the makers of this toy could have never predicted -- it's exactly how those freaking balls were fired. There was a literal explosion happening in the back of the toy gun every time your gentle child fingers pressed the trigger, which would launch the ball up to 70 feet away.
Just a little bit of spit was enough to cause the reaction, as demonstrated in this video of a couple of dudes firing one in a trailer park (also they appear to have tried some of the magic crystals themselves):
And if you used up all the powder, maybe you could borrow some ammonium nitrate from your Gilbert chemistry set for a bigger chemical reaction.
The best toys are dangerous for everyone.
#1. Atomic Energy Lab
This is how Lex Luthor disguises his superweapons.
As a kid, did you ever swallow or at least put in your mouth a small piece of a toy or play set? Did you grow an extra arm because of it? No? Then you probably didn't have the Atomic Energy Lab.
You see, there was a different approach to nuclear power in the '50s and early '60s -- atomic energy was our friend and the way of the future, and it would never do anything to hurt us. However, it's still hard to believe that anyone would entrust kids with radioactive material (even in small doses).
That "bonus" is actually your bounty if captured alive.
Yet, the Atomic Energy Lab kit produced by the American Basic Science Club came with real samples of uranium (which is radioactive) and radium (which is a million times more radioactive than uranium). Since the mere presence of radioactive material in a children's product clearly wasn't insane enough, some of the experiments detailed in the manual also required kids to handle blocks of dry ice. Dry ice, by the way, has a temperature of minus 109.3 degrees Fahrenheit, and it's recommended that it only be handled while wearing gloves (none were included).
It was always doubtful whether Gilbert and their mutated customers would be around after 50 years.
Gilbert, of course, couldn't be left behind and introduced their own Atomic Energy Lab, which also came with radioactive samples and even a little Geiger counter that kids could use to measure the amount of radiation left in their bodies after each play session.
Apparently you CAN just walk into a store and buy plutonium in 1955, Doc Brown.
For more toys children shouldn't have, check out 11 Modern Technologies That Are Way Older Than You Think. Or learn about toys we wished we grew up with in 8 Old School Toys That Got Badass Makeovers.
And stop by LinkSTORM to see what happens when Swaim sets up his own atomic energy lab.
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I started watching Machine Gun Preacher. It's not the greatest quality movie I have seen. However the theme is about the warzone in Uganda, and I find it to be a bit coincidental with the whole Kony 2012 hype.
Are they related in any way?
I imagine it would bring more attention to such a movie, not to mention sales going up?


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VSLive 2010 Day 2 Keynote: An Insider's Perspective of Visual Studio 2010 and Application Lifecycle Management
- Posted: Aug 04, 2010 at 4:31PM
- 33,244 views
- 5 comments
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Lab management, end of August, that's far to long to wait, I want the final version now!
I'm also intreasted in what the new license terms are. Does this mean that if all my devs are on Ultimate and the Testers are using TestPro, is there anything else I need to buy, excluding the Hyper-V host OS?
I agree, PerfectPhase! End of August seems so far away, I also want the final bits now.
But knowing the hard work that the product team has been putting into getting the finishing touches right, I know it will be worth the wait.
Regarding your licensing question I'm going to defer to one of the subject-matter experts. Let me send off some emails and get back to you...
Cool Lab Demo Brian.
Any chance you can put together a Video explaining step by step your configuration.?
I've look at the downloadable VM and the some of the online vidoes and both aren't really clear on helping me get this setup in house.
Thanks, Allen! I love this stuff, I'm glad you liked the demo.
For the Lab Management VM there are detailed instructions available but the instructions are hard to find. Have you looked at these? http://blogs.msdn.com/b/lab_management/archive/2010/07/01/lab-management-pre-release-2010-walkthrough-vhd.aspx
Unfortunately the version that's up there now uses a fairly old version of Tailspin Toys - we're working on updating it to use the bits that you saw me demo. But in the meantime it should give you a good sense for the experience enabled with Lab Management. As you'll note in those instructions you will want to have a spare Windows Server 2008 R2 box that you don't mind joining to a private domain. Everything can be configured self-contained on one physical box as long as you have enough RAM (I suggest 8GB) and hard drive space (at least 60GB).
The other demo I did was based on my Visual Studio 2010 ALM VHD which you can download here, and has hands-on-labs to get you started: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/briankel/archive/2010/06/25/now-available-visual-studio-2010-rtm-virtual-machine-with-sample-data-and-hands-on-labs.aspx
I also recommend the HyperV version of this one for performance and snapshotting reasons, although if you can't run Windows Server 2008 as your virtualization platform then you can also download it for Windows [7] Virtual PC or Virtual PC 2007 SP1. The latter will be pretty slow since you're running lots of server infrastructure here, but it will work.
Hope that helps!
Hi PerfectPhase, sorry for the delay here! I got an answer to your licensing question:
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Main Content
Connor Barwin isn't afraid of a big hit – he eats quarterbacks for breakfast! As a Houston Texan, he recorded the most sacks on his team in 2011. More than anything, Barwin is a great teammate, and it shows on and off the field. Make Barwin a part of your Texans collection with this autographed 8"x10" photograph. It features #98 sacking the Jaguars' quarterback during a game in which he recorded a record four sacks. This photo also boasts his autograph and will make a great addition to any fans home or office. Please note: To verify the authenticity of your signed memorabilia, please visit: www.tristarauthentic.com. Look for the Authenticity Verification link on the home page and follow the instructions. You must have the serial number from your item to proceed. From this site, you can print out a physical certificate of authenticity. The serial number can be found on the vinyl Optical Variable Device (the small holographic oval on your picture) which is an anti-counterfeiting unit. Any attempts to remove it will destroy the device and void the item's authenticity.
- Approximately 8" x 10"
- Authentically hand-signed
- Certificate of Authenticity available online with serial number located on photo
- Comes in a protective sleeve
- Due to the individual nature of this product, variations may occur
- High-quality photographic print
- Limited edition collectible
- Officially licensed NFL product
- Ready to frame
- Made in the USA
Texans Customers also liked:
Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


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I'm strongly in favour of OpenID login over proprietary login as a way of controlling site access - it gives users choice and makes their lives a bit easier. In principle, this should, in turn, increase the number of logins - the stumbling block of login is being made more straightforward. Is there a valid reference in terms of traffic impact on the use of OpenID compared to proprietary login?
I know you are asking in particular about the OpenID implementation but maybe the following article published by MailChimp could help you: Social Login Buttons Aren't Worth It
They say the implementation of social login buttons didn't have the impact they were expecting and that the whole thing is actually not worth it, in their case because it is adding complexity to their login screen (because of additional buttons and options) and because there are other ways to decrease the number of login failures. (The impact of the social login implementation meant login failures dropped 3.48%).
I know a social network that got 20% decrease in login failures just by adding login with Facebook.
In my opinion the impact depends a great deal on the kind of service you are providing with your website. And specially you should think if your users would be willing to login with their private accounts (might not be the case, specially if your website is meant to be used on the working environment).


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I have a system of linear equations, $Ax=b$, with $N$ equations and $N$ unknowns ($N$ large) If I am interested in the solution for only one of the unknowns, what are the best approaches?
for example, Assume N=50,000 and we want the solution for $x_1$ through $x_{100}$ only. is there any trick that does not require $O(n^{3})$ (or O(matrix inversion) ) for that ?


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Why is it that Hashem promised never to destroy the Kosel?
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The Shoel U'meishiv answers that this can be understood based on Rashi's and Tosfos' opinions in Sukkah(41a) where it says that the Third Beis Hamikdash will not be built by hand, rather it will decend from Heaven. There is a principal that the blessing does not come on to something that is empty . For example when Eliyahu Hanavi got oil for Ovdiah's wife and children he asked her first "is there anything left in the house?" and she replied "a little oil." From this oil there was blessing and it filled her and all the neighbors containers and jugs. If she would have had nothing it would not have worked as per this principal. This is also the source for people who during Bentching leave some type of crumbs or foodstuff on the table because you can not receive blessing on the food if there is none there. With this principal explained we now know why we require the Kosel to remain in order for Hashem to send down the third temple, for there has to be somthing here - it can't be empty - because a blessing does not come on to something that is empty .
The Zohar writes (2:5b, Parshas Shemos)
Thus, the fact that the Western Wall remains standing is meant to be a testimony to faith, because the Shekhinah will not leave from there.
As to why the Western wall, as opposed to any other wall: the Western wall is the wall closest to the area where the "Holiest of Holy" was, the place of the Ark and the Foundation Stone (Even Hashesiyah). See his shiur from R. Levi of Yehivat Har Etzion, where he also explains the relevance of the west being associated with Shekhinah more generally, due to the proximity of the wall to the Holy of Holies and to the fact that the Temple as a whole faced west.


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A Wikipedia article tells us that:
A problem is regarded as inherently difficult if solving the problem requires a large amount of resources, whatever the algorithm used for solving it.
What is a more elegant, and perhaps more correct, way of expressing the notion "a large amount of " in a context like this?
EDIT after comments: Maybe what bothers me is the the large amount followed by plural resources. I like a large amount of butter on my morning toast; and I like having a lot of books around; but I'm not so sure I'd say I like having a large amount of books here.
FINALLY I changed the sentence to read
A problem is regarded as inherently difficult if its solution requires significant resources, whatever the algorithm used.


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We are taking a random walk on the set of natural numbers. If we are at $M$, then with probability 1/4, we stay at $M$, with probability 5/12 we move to some random number less than or equal to $M/2$, and with probability 1/3, we move to a random greater than $M$ but less than or equal to $(3M+1)/2$. Is it true that almost every random walk like this ends in 0?
Yes. The possibility of staying at $M$ is irrelevant, so let's ignore it, so that the probability of an increase is 4/9 and the probability of a decrease is 5/9. For the moment, let's also ignore the actual sizes of these increases and decreases and let $X_n$ equal the total number of increases in the first n steps minus the total number of decreases in those steps. Then $X_n$ is a simple random walk on $\mathbb{Z}$ starting at 0 with probaility 4/9 of moving right and 5/9 of moving left. By a standard result on random walks on $\mathbb{Z}$, $X_n$ almost surely tends to $-\infty$. So for any k, we almost surely come to a point when we've had k more decreases than increases.
Going back to our original walk, every increase is by a factor of at most 2 and every decrease is by a factor of at least 2. So if we started at M and have had l increases and l+k decreases, then our current position is at most $2^l (1/2)^{l+k} M=(1/2)^k M$. So for k large enough, we must be at 0.


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Wild bighorn sheep in Idaho's Payette National Forest now have a longer life expectancy thanks to the efforts of students at the University of Colorado's Natural Resources Law Clinic. The students successfully advocated for, and later defended, a decision by the Payette's supervisor to restrict grazing by domestic sheep because of the risk they may pose to the wild bighorns.
Bighorns were once abundant on the Payette and elsewhere in the Rockies, but their numbers have been severely reduced by habitat loss, disease, and other factors. A species of bacteria carried by most domestic sheep and usually harmless to them is a major threat to the remaining bighorns as it can cause a fatal pneumonia. The bighorns' natural curiosity and social behavior exacerbates the transmission of the disease. Several herds of bighorns have died of pneumonia after coming in contact with their domestic cousins.
Currently, sheep ranchers may graze their domestic sheep on the National Forests only where authorized by permits from the U.S. Forest Service. However, the Forest Service is legally required to limit grazing so as to protect wildlife and other natural resources. In spring 2010, Natural Resources Law Clinic students Jacey Cerda and Rebecca Rizzuti, on behalf of the Idaho Wildlife Federation (IWF) and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF), prepared a legal and scientific analysis showing that the Forest Service had ample authority, and a legal duty, to terminate domestic sheep grazing on portions of the Payette National Forest where bighorns are likely to come into contact with the domestic sheep.
In summer 2010, the Supervisor of the Payette National Forest issued a decision largely following Cerda's and Rizzuti's recommendations. The decision was hailed by wildlife advocates but opposed by sheep ranchers, who filed an administrative appeal of the decision.
Colorado Law students Taber Ward and Matt Samelson worked on behalf of IWF, NWF, and the Nez Perce tribe to defend the decision, writing major portions of a brief used to support the Supervisor's decision. On April 8, 2011, the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service announced the final affirmation of the decision.


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Strasburg woman killed in van wreck
HARRISVILLE - Betty Vehre, 77, of Strasburg was killed in a one-vehicle wreck around 3:40 p.m. Tuesday on U.S. Route 250, just outside Harrisville, the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported.
The patrol reported the van driven by Vehre was traveling east on U.S. Route 250, when it went off the right side of the roadway, striking a tree. Vehre, who was wearing a seat belt, was pronounced dead at Harrison Community Hospital, the patrol reported.
A passenger, Carl Vehre Jr., 81, also of Strasburg, was transported to Ohio Valley Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, the patrol reported.
A trooper said the crash remains under investigation.
Friendship Park board to meet
SMITHFIELD - The Friendship Park board will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The meeting will be held in the Park Office.


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Let $P$ be a polyhedron which satisfies the following three conditions:
- $P$ is built out of regular hexagons and regular pentagons.
- Three faces meet at each vertex.
- $P$ is topologically a sphere.
An easy Euler characteristic argument tells you that $P$ has exactly twelve pentagonal faces.
An example of a polyhedron like this is a truncated icosahedron (soccer ball for those of us in the States, football for everyone else). In this case, the pentagonal faces are arranged with some nice symmetry, and the polyhedron has icosahedral symmetry.
Another (trivial) example is the regular dodecahedron, which again has icosahedral symmetry.
Here's my question: Is this symmetry forced? What, if anything, can be said in general about the symmetry of a polyhedron which satisfies the above three conditions?
Edit: Since the discussion below points out that there are precisely two polyhedra which satisfy the above conditions, a suitable evolution of the question, which has already begun to be discussed below, is this: What symmetry groups can a polyhedron have if one or more of the above conditions are relaxed?


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ASHEBORO — Carolina Graduate School of Divinity (CGSD) in Greensboro has joined a growing number of higher educational institutions as a member of the University Center of Randolph County at Randolph Community College.
Carolina Graduate School of Divinity will offer a Master of Arts in Ministry degree and a Master of Divinity degree on RCC's Asheboro Campus.
Dr. Frank Scurry, CGSD president, and Dr. Terry Eddinger, vice president for academics at CGSD, joined RCC President Dr. Robert S. Shackleford on Oct. 17 to sign a memorandum of agreement between the two schools.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity for the people of Randolph County," Shackleford said after announcing the addition. "We live in a community of faith and I think there are many people who will want to take advantage of the opportunities this offers."
Scurry, who lived in Asheboro for several years, said he viewed this as an opportunity to come to Asheboro and do something for the churches he has worked with in the county. "We are thrilled as a school to be working with (RCC) and be a part of the University Center."
Shackleford noted that CGSD has a very impressive faculty and the collaboration has full approval from the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. CGSD will send faculty members to RCC's Asheboro Campus to teach the classes.
The Master of Arts in Ministry is a 48-semester-hour program that develops spiritual, biblical, theological and vocational competencies in its students. It has two concentrations: Pastoral Leadership and Christian Counseling.
The Master of Divinity degree is an 84-semester-hour program that prepares students to serve a church in leadership roles. It has three concentrations: Biblical Studies, Pastoral Leadership and Christian Counseling.
Shackleford said if the master's programs are well accepted in the community, a doctoral program with CGSD may be added at a later date.
RCC's senior leadership team and several faculty and staff members attended the signing along with RCC Board of Trustees members Curt Lorimer and Elbert Lassiter.
Shackleford said the schools would plan an information session for the public in the next few weeks and they hoped to begin classes in the spring semester.
The University Center of Randolph County was established in 2008 as a collaborative effort between RCC and area four-year colleges and universities. Courses are offered in particular disciplines, creating opportunities for students to complete a baccalaureate degree or higher without leaving Randolph County.
The University Center currently offers a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration through Salem College; a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and a Master of Science in Elementary Education through Pfeiffer University, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Winston-Salem State University.


text: Here is another major figure in the 'Game of Thrones' series for the first two seasons. If you are a fan of the adult show you should know that he is what you call a guy that is looked down upon because he is considered to be a fatherless child. Here is "how to draw Jon Snow", step by step. He is the son of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell. Kit Harington plays the role of Jon Snow and even though I personally haven't seen him in other movies or maybe I have but don't recognize him. Anyways, drawing Jon Snow should be easy enough for many folks to try out and tackle. Adios people and enjoy!


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Podcast: Misha Keylin plays Vieuxtemps
- 29 June, 2010
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Henry Vieuxtemps was one of the greatest violinist-composers of the 19th century, along with people like Paganini and Beriot. However, unlike many of his fellow violinists, Vieuxtemps wrote music that used the full romantic orchestral sound palette. In this podcast, … Read More →


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The 2013 Knowledge Summit has drawn to a close and The American College would like to thank everyone who was in attendance along with our incredible presenters and sponsors. It was each and every one of you that helped to make this Knowledge Summit the most successful yet.
We would also like to, once again, congratulate all of our graduates on their hard work and commitment to further help their clients. It is because of you that we are able to continue to provide the highest level of financial services education.
Be sure to visit the galleries above for photos from this year's Knowledge Summit.
Stay tuned for more details on our next Knowledge Summit in October, 2015 in Hawaii! We'll see you there!


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Armstrong To Address Scandal on Oprah
Former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong is slated to appear on Oprah Winfrey's "Next Chapter" on Jan. 17, at a time when people familiar with his thinking say he has been considering a confession of his alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs.
Mr. Armstrong has denied doping for nearly 15 years, since his first Tour de France victory in 1999, and he has lashed out at people who questioned whether he used drugs to win his seven Tours de France.
- Lance Armstrong Weighs Drug Admission 1/4/13
- Drug Case Against Armstrong Detailed 10/11/12
- Cycling Legend Loses Titles 8/24/12
- Jason Gay: New Record in Cycling's Race of Truth 10/11/12
- The Women Behind Team Armstrong 10/12/12
- Leipheimer: Why I Doped 10/11/12
- Triathlons Part Waters for Armstrong 9/27/12
- Officials Pursued Armstrong for Years 8/25/12
- Jason Gay: The Unfinished Road of Lance Armstrong 8/27/12
- Blood Brothers 7/2/12
- Cyclist's Ex-Mates Cooperated 7/14/12
In recent weeks, however, Mr. Armstrong has been consulting with associates at his home in Hawaii over his next steps. He believes he can rebuild his reputation and understands that a public statement on his alleged doping is an important part of that. One possibility is that Mr. Armstrong may seek to emphasize that any doping he did was years ago, according to people familiar with his thinking.
Mr. Armstrong also has been weighing the possibility of writing a tell-all book, according to people familiar with the matter. These people say that Mr. Armstrong has been approached by several authors interested in co-writing his tell-all and that Mr. Armstrong, still undecided about the project, hasn't worked out a deal with a publisher or writer.
Mr. Armstrong's lawyer hasn't returned a call seeking comment.
Ms. Winfrey's television show is calling the Armstrong episode a "no holds barred" interview. A spokeswoman for the Oprah Winfrey Network declined to give further details.
Mr. Armstrong has been the subject of a nearly three-year-long pursuit by federal investigators and antidoping officials following allegations by Mr. Armstrong's former teammate, Floyd Landis, that Mr. Armstrong used performance-enhancing drugs. Mr. Landis's allegations were first published in The Wall Street Journal, and his claims led to a federal criminal investigation headed by the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. attorney's office in Los Angeles. That investigation was dropped in February of last year without charges being brought.
Last year, Mr. Armstrong was stripped of all of his cycling titles and awards, going back to 1998, by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, which cited his involvement in what it called the "most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that sport has ever seen." Mr. Armstrong is also banned for life from competing in cycling and most triathlons. Mr. Armstrong is still facing legal challenges that could be complicated, if he does choose to confess. For instance, Mr. Armstrong faces a whistleblower lawsuit filed by his former teammate, Floyd Landis, in 2010.
According to people familiar with the matter, the lawsuit, which is still under seal, alleges that Mr. Armstrong and other people associated with his former cycling team knowingly violated their sponsorship agreement with the United States Postal Service when they allegedly instituted an organized doping program on the team. The Postal Service was his team sponsor during six of his seven Tour de France victories. Under the contract with the team, riders were prohibited from using performance-enhancing drugs.
—Christopher S. Stewart contributed to this article.
Write to Reed Albergotti at email@example.com and Vanessa O'Connell at firstname.lastname@example.com


text: There isn't many things I can say about this character from a series that started airing on The Hub since 2010. The show is called Pound Puppies, and like My Little Pony these pups started out as being plush toys in the eighties from Hasbro. Today, you can enjoy watching an animated series that includes some fun loving pooches that bring both smiles and laughs. Today I will be teaching you "how to draw Lucky", step by step. He is a scruffy looking dog that happens to be the main character and alpha dog of the pack. Like all dogs in charge, he has a kind heart but a firm voice. I mean, you have to be firm if you're going to lay down the rules to keep all the other dogs in line. I think that he is a fun animal to draw, and I know he may not be a popular figure here on Dragoart to tackle as a lesson, I just thought that doing a character from Pound Puppies would fill a need for some fans that enjoy the show. Thanks for joining me guys, and remember there is still two more tutorials on the way.


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For example, Is possible to combine (Concatenate or Chain or XOR) Skein SHA-3 candidate with Grostl SHA-3 candidate to increase security?
Note: I just want more secure output and CPU cycles does not matter
For example, Is possible to combine (Concatenate or Chain or XOR) Skein SHA-3 candidate with Grostl SHA-3 candidate to increase security?
Note: I just want more secure output and CPU cycles does not matter
The basic problem with combining primitives in a hashing or encryption function is that when doing so, you have to be sure that the combination doesn't expose some weakness. When talking about hashing, the three main desirable qualities are one-way transformation (absolutely critical), even distribution (after hashing a sufficiently large number of messages and plotting a histogram of the hash values, you would expect all buckets of the histogram to be equal), and high avalanche effect (related to randomness, adding or changing a single bit in the message should produce a massive and theoretically unpredictable change to the hash value).
When coming up with a hash algorithm, designers combine primitives in such a way that they can mathematically or empirically demonstrate the relative level of strength in these three areas. Conversely, third parties can demonstrate weaknesses in these areas. For a simple example, take the original FNV-1 checksum hash; for each byte of input, the working hash is multiplied by the FNV prime and then XORed with the input byte. People using it found that while it worked well for checksums, if these two operations were reversed, the algorithm exhibited much better avalanche characteristics and more even distribution, leading to the commonly-used "FNV-1a" variant described in the whitepaper.
By combining hash algorithms in a particular order, you may or may not create a stronger algorithm. You may increase the one-wayness of the algorithm, but conversely you may at the same time reduce the set of possible hashes (either by hashing a hash into a lower-bit output or reducing the distribution of hash values within an absolute range). The same applies to performing primitives of a hashing function in differing order, as evidenced by the above example.
Lastly, the combination of primitives you chose may induce a weakness; neither FNV-1 nor 1a are crypto hashes for many reasons, one of them being that regardless of which way you perform the primitives, the least significant byte is always the XOR of all input bytes each XORed with 1. That reduces the set of all possible collisions with a particular hash by half; a cracking algorithm could very quickly spin through this "carry XOR (lsb XOR 1)" sequence to determine that a candidate message won't work. By doing so you effectively reduce the complexity of brute-forcing a collision with the given hash by a power of 2, thus breaking "strong collision resistance". If a crypto hash had this weakness it would be considered broken.
If you want a secure hash, consider bcrypt. First off, bcrypts are relatively small to store as strings since they're Base64-encoded (60 chars/bytes, vs 64 for a hex-encoded 256-bit hash), but they store as much entropy as a 256-bit hash. Second, not only is bcrypt slow, it's configurably slow, by increasing the number of steps for a key initial stage of hash generation by powers of two. Thus, the algorithm can easily be adapted to keep up with Moore's law; every year and a half, you just increment the complexity of the hash and presto, it takes twice as long to brute-force the hash, offsetting the empirical doubling of processing power during that time.


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Pfaltzgraff Set of 4 Halloween Mugs for $16
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Microwave and dishwasher safe. Set of 4 mugs includes (1) each: Dracula, werewolf,
mummy, and owl, each holds 12 ounces.


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Customers in the Americas can request a FREE hard copy of this publication (while supplies last).


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It is my understanding that a "demon" (either Greek δαιμόνιον or δαίμων) is an "evil spirit" (Greek πνεῦμα πονηρός).
In Acts 19:13, it is written,
Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over those who had evil spirits [τὰ πνεύματα τὰ πονηρὰ] the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches."
I think most agree that these "evil spirits" are equivalent to "demons," right?
I did some searching on the phrase "evil spirit" in the Tanakh.
Jdg 9:23 Then God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech:
1Sa 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.
1Sa 16:15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee.
1Sa 16:16 Let our lord now command thy servants, [which are] before thee, to seek out a man, [who is] a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well.
1Sa 16:23 And it came to pass, when the [evil] spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.
1Sa 18:10 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and [there was] a javelin in Saul's hand.
1Sa 19:9 And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with [his] hand.
Each of those use the same Greek expression in the LXX that is found for "evil spirit" in the NT (πνεῦμα πονηρός or an inflection thereof).
Also, the only other time we see the phrase "evil spirit(s)" is in Luke 7:21, 8:2 and Acts 19:12-13, 19:15-16.
If we examine those passages in the Tanakh, most if not all say something to the effect of "evil spirit of/ from YHVH/ God."
So, does God have control over demons? It seems so in the Tanakh. He is the one said to be sending the evil spirit. If this be the case, does God allow people to become possessed by demons, including those said to be possessed in the NT?


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Your search returned 379 results
1 The GrangeWestern Cape » Cape Town » Camps Bay
No 1 The Grange Camps Bay offers self-catering apartments and villas for 2 to 12 guests, fully serviced and close to the beach with a private pool and superb views.
All self-catering apartments have luxurious bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms, spacious lounges, open plan dining areas and fully equipped kitchens. These beautifully appointed apartments and villas come equipped with state of the art satellite TV, music systems and internet connections.
1504 Horizon BayWestern Cape » Cape Town » Big Bay
Overlooking Blouberg's spectacular 48 km stretch of sandy white beachfront, Horizon Bay is a fully furnished holiday apartment.
Situated on the 15th floor, this accommodation provides beautiful views of the Atlantic Seaboard including Robben Island and Table Mountain.
The beach is famous for its water sports and is rated as one of the top kiteboarding locations in the world. Whales and dolphins can also be seen in season.Read more
33 South BackpackersWestern Cape » Cape Town » Observatory
The 33 South Team is as colourful, diverse and attractive (if we may say so ourselves!) as the rooms themselves! They all bring along a piece of their unique personalities, a welcoming smile, boundless enthusiasm and endless knowledge of what this beautiful place we call our 'home' has to offer.Read more
40 Winks Guest House Green PointWestern Cape » Cape Town » Green Point
40 WINKS is your AFRICAN DREAM....... and our pleasure..... 4-star graded. Built on old-fashioned ideals, modern age comforts, quality service, affordable luxury accommodation and delicious breakfast buffet, the perfect accommodation venue for your needs.......... location, location, location........... Perfect for both the Argus Cycle Tour and Two Oceans Marathon......... Luxury en-suite rooms equipped with Air-con, mini-bar, coffee/tea facilities, safe, hi-fi, hairdryer, TV/MNET/DSTV…Read more
5 Camp Street Luxury Self CateringWestern Cape » Cape Town » Gardens
We offer upmarket self-catering accommodation in the most central and beautiful area in Cape Town - Your home away from home!Read more
91 Loop Street (PTY) LTDWestern Cape » Cape Town
Accommodation.Read more
A Tuscan Villa Guest HouseWestern Cape » Cape Town » Fish Hoek
This Italian Styled Villa has beautiful mountain views and situated in a quiet part of the Fish Hoek. The guest lounge has satellite television, fireplace and the guest library. The Lapa with braai and pizza oven offers plenty of space to relax and enjoy your well-earned holiday in the sun. The Lapa overlooks the solar heated swimming pool, with sun lounges inviting you to do some sun bathing, but don't forget the lotion. The beautiful staircase in a double volume hallway provides…Read more
A Whale of A TimeWestern Cape » Cape Town » Fish Hoek
A Whale of a time is not just a guest house, B&B or self catering establishment.What could be better than your welcoming home away from home, where your comfort is of the utmost importance. The atmosphere and rooms are designed to take away all your cares and instill peace and relaxation.Every unit overlooks the splendour of False Bay (where whales calve right in front of the cottage in season) in all its moods and colours. There are six different self catering accommodation units to…Read more
Aan Dorpstraat Guest HouseWestern Cape » Stellenbosch
At Aan Dorpstraat Guest House, we offer beautiful bedrooms, excellent breakfasts and hearty South African hospitality.Centrally located (Close walk to restaurants, businesses and cultural centre. Short drive to the beach, gholf course, wine estates, etc.ALL BEDROOMS OFFER full en-suite bathroom with, filtered water, heated towel rail, bidet (3 bathrooms), top quality beds (cotton percale bedlinen), tea/coffee tray, tv (11 channels), noiseless refrigerator, small safe, hair dryer,…Read more
Abalone HouseWestern Cape » Paternoster
Abalone House - a study in texture and the unique colours of Africa, is the most decadent escape possible, cocooned in oppulence and surrounded by intricate indigenous gardens.
A celebration of decadence and grandeur is seen throughout Abalone House. Inspired by the vibrancy of trechikoff, owners Johan Jansen van Vuuren and Stef Venter's taste for the indulgent is evident from the entrance hall through to every room in the use of a rich colour palette and opulent furnishings.
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Accommodation ShopWestern Cape » Cape Town » Sea Point
Accommodation Shop established in 1991 has grown and gone from strength to strength over the years with many of our original clients still with us today.
Located along the Atlantic Seaboard, The Accommodation Shop offers a range of long and short term accommodation, furnished or unfurnished from studio apartments and family homes to luxury villas.
We have a large variety of holiday properties available on daily rates (7 - 14 day minimum) throughout the year to suit all budgets. For…Read more
Acorn HouseWestern Cape » Cape Town » Oranjezicht
Acorn House**** is an elegant guesthouse in Cape Town. The location in Oranjezicht, a prime residential suburb of Cape Town on the foot of Table Mountain, is exceptionally convenient. The city centre is a three minutes drive away, with the harbour`s V&A Waterfront complex and the blue-gold beaches of the Atlantic seaboard not much further. All touristic highlights are in easy reach, and, Acorn House is within walking distance to many restaurants with a trendy Deli Restaurant just…Read more
AdmiraltyWestern Cape » Cape Town » Muizenberg
This award winning architect designed home is located on Cannon Island in Marina Da Gama and overlooks the tranquil waters of the Zandvlei estuary.
All rooms are ensuite and come standard with TV,refrigerator, luxury bed linen and towels, toiletries, hairdryer ,have tea and coffee making facilities.
The rooms all have lake or mountain views, with access to the communal longe , library, waterside deck and garden terrace with seating area to relax, enjoy the views and wild life.
Sparling…Read more
Africa LodgeWestern Cape » Cape Town » Somerset West
Situated in the heart of the Winelands at the foot of Helderberg Mountain, the beautiful setting of Africa Lodge offers you comfortable and stylish accommodation. The swimming pool and large garden are absolutely private. Secure off-road parking space is available. Surrounded by many famous wine estates, Somerset West is the ideal base for exploring the entire Cape Peninsula: Cape Town with its V&A Waterfront, the Table Mountain or the famous Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. Robben…Read more
African DreamsWestern Cape » Cape Town » Somerset West
Majestically located high against the Helderberg Mountain with spectacular views over the mountains, the vineyards and the sea. A 4 Star luxury Guest House, also offering Self Catering Garden Apartments and a Penthouse in the safe, premier residential area of Somerset West, in the heart of the Winelands; the Golfing Paradise of the Cape. There is no escaping the beauty and the tranquillity of this unique setting and the outstanding hospitality and service offered to the discerning…Read more


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5 Horrifying Ways the Universe Has Repaid Good Deeds
#2. A Bus Driver Is Fired for Rescuing Cops
Keith Brofsky/Photodisc/Getty Images
George Daw is a school bus driver in Long Island, New York. On August 1, 2011, a severe thunderstorm blew in, and while most drivers weren't keen on braving the weather, Daw had teenagers he needed to get home, and he took his bus driving job very, very seriously. So seriously that, when he drove past a police car that was stranded and sinking beneath the waves, he rescued the officers like some kind of bus driving Bruce Willis and drove them back to their precinct.
The Backlash:
Daw was then promptly fired for giving some drowning officers a free ride.
Via Theblaze.com
This pretty awesome dude. Cracked loves you, George.
Apparently, the Educational Bus Company that employed Daw takes bus driving very seriously as well. So much so that their ruling was that you can't just deviate from your route to pick up a bunch of unscheduled passengers. Not even if they're police officers. Not even if they're police officers trapped in a sinking car in the middle of a hailstorm.
The statement released by the company simply noted that it's against company policy to pick up unscheduled passengers, in the name of the children's safety. And that's fair enough -- we're sure that there's some kind of predatory animal out there that is able to disguise itself as three drowning police officers. We probably ran that one in an article just last week.
After some bad PR, the bus company did eventually give Daw his job back, with a note of praise for his rescue of three police officers, as well as a stern warning never to do it again ever.
Via Theblaze.com
Then they promptly shrunk his bus and cackled maniacally.
#1. A Security Guard Who Thwarts a Terrorist Attack Is Labeled a Terrorist
Iaroslav Neliubov/Photos.com
Richard Jewell was an ordinary security guard on duty at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when, completely out of the blue, some serious Die Hard shit started to go down. In the middle of the Olympic festivities, Jewell noticed an unattended backpack beneath a park bench. Of course, an unattended backpack will often just contain the lunch of some absent-minded professor. This was not one of those times.
Discovering that the backpack contained three fully active pipe bombs set to go off, Jewell was thrust into the kind of situation that is a bit above a security guard's pay grade. But rather than collapse into a quivering, hysterical mess, Jewell calmly took the lead in alerting authorities and evacuating the area without the kind of organ-trampling panic that usually accompanies the word "bomb."
Via Nytimes.com
Here he is, not screaming like a 3-year-old, as we most certainly would have done.
The explosive detonated as the area was being cleared, and sadly did kill one person and injure a bunch of others, but Jewell was hailed a hero for ensuring that it didn't wind up one of those incidents that is solemnly alluded to afterward simply by the date on which it occurred.
The Backlash:
That is, until he was named the lead suspect for having planted the bomb.
Via Foxnews.com
And here he is with a much justified "You have got to be fucking kidding me" look on his non-terrorist face.
Apparently, the FBI figured that the prospect of becoming a hero for saving thousands of people from a bomb threat is a pretty good motive for planting a bomb in the first place. On that logic, they announced that Jewell was under investigation, and the media (paying little mind to that "innocent until proven guilty" malarkey) took it from there.
News coverage of the FBI's investigation quickly turned into a kind of perverse reality TV show, broadcasting live as the FBI searched Jewell's apartment while keeping him under 24-hour surveillance. They even kept tabs on him as he did his grocery shopping -- you know, in case he walked out with six bags of fertilizer and some fuses. Jewell couldn't even escape late night television, as he found himself on the butt end of Jay Leno's jokes.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Of course, we use the term "jokes" very, very loosely.
Eventually, the feds were forced to admit that they didn't have anything on him. That didn't help Jewell, who had already lost his job and suffered a crucifixion in the media. There was no big moment of vindication for him, and he never got the hero status he deserved.
It was 10 years before someone finally stepped up to thank Jewell ... even after they caught the real guy.
Xavier Jackson has a Facebook page and an email at firstname.lastname@example.com. He would also like to personally thank David G. and Maegan V. for their assistance with entries for this article.
And now for something totally different: 6 True Stories That Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity and 5 Inspiring True Stories For Anyone Feeling Cynical Today.
By the way, did you know that your local mini-mart does more than serve orange-powdered cheesy snacks? Check out 6 Ways Convenience Stores Have Changed the World in our Food for Thought hub!


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The Sultan of Ternate Kedaton Museum is a center to discover the splendor of the royal legacy of the Sultanate of Ternate. Located in the Village of Sao Sio, Ternate District, North Maluku, the Sultan of Ternate Kedaton Memorial Museum displays a large collection of objects from the Sultanate of Ternate era and throughout the time of the arrival of the Europeans in Maluku since the 15th century onward. Entrance to the museum is free for all who wish to view the collection.
The building was erected in 1813 by Sultan Muhammad Ali as a palace for the Sultan. Designed by a Chinese architect, it is structured in the shape of an octagon and covers an area of 1500 square meters. The building sits atop a hill of lime trees which is shaped like a lion couchant, his face towards the sea and his back to the majestic Mount Gamalama.
In 1981, the management of the building was transferred to the Ministry of Education and Culture, although it is still in daily use as the residence of the Sultan. The museum was inaugurated in 1982 by then Minister of Culture, David Joesoef. This historical site is to be safeguarded from damage, conserved and utilized in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Law.
Within this building lies the memory of a kingdom and the history of a government as it began to flourish, before being snatched away by colonial nations. Objects of the Ternate Kedaton Museum include a vast range of items of geology, archeology, history, technology, fine arts and more.
Although the Sultanate of Ternate collapsed in the mid- 17th century, the effects of its rule are still felt today. Ternate has contributed greatly to the culture, customs and religion of the eastern islands of the archipelago, namely Sulawesi and Maluku. It also played a major role in the Islamization of the eastern and southern parts of the Philippines.
The implementation of Islamic law was first introduced by Sultan Zainal Abidin, and later became the standard followed by all the Kingdoms of Maluku. In 1575, under Sultan Baabullah, the people of Ternate successfully ousted the Portuguese colonists in the archipelago's first victory over western powers. That victory put off colonialism in the archipelago for the next 100 years, thus strengthening the position of Islam in Eastern Indonesia.
The Bela International Hotel is one of the newest hotels in the Maluku islands. Hotel facilities include a swimming pool, fitness center, wedding chapel, meeting rooms and ballroom, while room facilities include hot water, mini bar, satellite television and 24 hour room service.
Address: Jl. Jati Raya No.500
Phone: 62 921-3121800, 0921-3123800
E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Website: www.belainternationalhotel.com
Several other smaller hotels and homestays can be found throughout the area.
The museums opening hours are:
Tuesday-Sunday: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mondays and Public Holidays: Closed
Sultan of Ternate Kedaton Memorial Museum
SaoSiourban village, sub-districtof NorthTernate,
District of Ternate,North Maluku province.
Tel. (0921) 31249999
Fax.(0921) 3216277
After visiting the Ternate Memorial Museum, there is a list of other historical monuments to be seen in North Maluku.
The Ternate Sultan Mosque is located in the northern part of Ternate, approximately 100 meters from the museum. Its construction began in 1606 during the reign of Sultan Saidi Barakati Musafar and was completed in 1648 by his successor, Sultan Hamzah. The building is made from stone with mortar made from Kalumpang bark. The mosque is rectangular with a pyramid roof which consists of several overlapping layers. Each of the layers consists of 360 engraved trellises, one for each day of the year.
Kotanaka Fort is built on top of a hill, slightly north of the Kedaton Sultan Ternate. The fort was built by the Dutch government in the 18th century and was named after a nearby spring. Kotanaka fort is located strategically in the city center as a way for the Dutch to monitor the movements of the Sultan. Nowadays the fort is not maintained, and is overgrown with grass and shrubbery.
Oranye Fort is much more intact and parts are currently occupied by the army as well as the National Police Force. Oranye was built in 1607 by Matclief Cornelis de Jongeatop a previous structure that was built by the Portuguese and inhabited by the Malays. It was named in 1609 by Francois Witlentt Path after the Dutch House of Orange. This fortress was once the headquarters for the VOC, the Dutch East Indies Company, where the Dutch established their monopoly on the Maluku Cloves. Sultan Mahmuud Badarudin II, Sultan of Palembang, was exiled to this fort in 1822 until his death 30 years later. His tomb is located west of the Kalumpang Village in Ternate.
Kalamata Fort is located about 3 kilometers south of the Ternate city center and is easily accessible by road. The fort is also called the Fort of Santa Lucia or the Red Wood Fort. It was built by the Portuguese in 1540 and later restored by Pieter Both during the Ducth era in 1609. The fort was later abandoned by Geen Huigen Schapen and reoccupied by the Spanish. This fort has gone through many repairs and has been almost completely refurbished. Its new look, however, gives it a less authentic appearance as a monument of history.
Other fortresses include the Tolukko Fortress, about 3 km north of the Ternate city center. The Dever Lacting Fortress near the harbor and the Bernaveld Fortress, in the Labuha village.
Antique bunkers and cannons from the time of the Japanese occupation during World War II can also be found in the Village of Kusu.


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Dead Wrong (Large Print / Paperback)
Juggling a family and a career is never easy—and it's becoming a real challenge for Sheriff Joanna Brady. Coping with the impending delivery of her second child as well as a staff short-age, the last things Joanna needs are two serious crimes.
First, the body of an unidentified man is found in the desert, all of his fingers savagely severed. Following the scant clues, Joanna learns that the victim was an ex-con who had served twenty years in prison after confessing to the murder of his pregnant wife. During his last days he was seen following and photographing a young woman.
Then one of Joanna's officers is brutally attacked and left for dead while on an unauthorized stakeout. Because the officer is one of its own, the department throws its resources into finding her attacker. But the murder haunts Joanna. Strapping on a bulletproof vest, she'll risk everything to see that justice is done.
About the Author
J. A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, the Ali Reynolds series, and five interrelated thrillers about the Walker family, as well as a volume of poetry. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.
Praise For…
"Jance deftly combines personal and professional stories in this twelfth Brady mystery."
Praise for J.A. Jance:"Jance delivers a devilish page-turner."
"J.A. Jance does not disappoint her fans."
-Washington Times
"Suspenseful, action-packed."
-Dallas Morning News
"Taut . . . entertaining."
-Entertainment Weekly
"Credible and entertaining."
-Orlando Sentinel


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News and Events Archives
Wednesday, April 07, 2010
Columbia College will host a letter-writing campaign for students to protest the proposed cuts to Access Missouri grant and Bright Flight scholarship programs for students attending independent colleges and universities in Missouri. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and again from 4:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, April 8 in Atkins-Holman Student Commons on the Columbia College campus. �Currently 1,823 Columbia College students receive funding so that they may pursue a quality education and ultimately better their lives,� said Dr. Gerald Brouder, president of Columbia College. �Without proper support, these students will not be able to fulfill their educational dreams.� Last month, Gov. Jay Nixon proposed the elimination of Access Missouri and Bright Flight scholarships to students attending independent institutions of higher education in Missouri. And the latest news reports indicate that Gov. Nixon is moving forward with this plan by seeking $50 million in cuts to independent college students receiving Access Missouri grants. This is patently unfair for students of working and lower-income Missouri families. Students will send their letters to Gov. Nixon with a signed banner in hopes that the Governor will understand the impact that his proposed cuts will have on financially deserving students and reconsider his decision. Additional letters will be sent to key legislators. A similar event will be held simultaneously at Stephens College 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. in Stamper Commons. Columbia College, a private, nonprofit institution founded in 1851 in Columbia, Mo., educates more than 26,000 students each year and has more than 64,000 alumni worldwide. For more information, visit www.ccis.edu.


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Earnings Fail to Inspire
A string of gains for stocks stalled, after a pair of blue-chip earnings reports failed to impress investors and a reading on durable-goods orders came in below expectations.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 43.16 points, or 0.3%, to 14676.30. The S&P 500 was nearly unchanged, closing up 0.01 point at 1578.79, and the Nasdaq Composite Index was slightly higher, adding 0.32 point, less than 0.1%, to 3269.65.
The Dow industrials lagged behind other benchmarks. While Boeing BA 0.49 % rallied $2.65, or 3%, to $90.83 after earnings and revenue topped analyst estimates, two other components notched declines. AT&T T 1.67 % fell 1.96, or 5%, to 37.04 after it missed forecasts for revenue and a pair of analysts downgraded the company. Procter & Gamble PG 0.92 % declined 4.82, or 5.9%, to 77.12 after the company cut its outlook.
Companies are "beating [profit] estimates not because revenues are growing, but because they're finding ways to cut costs. Eventually you do need revenues to grow, and so far we haven't seen that," said David Heidel, senior investment strategist for the wealth-management branch of U.S. Bank, which manages $110 billion across the firm.
In the Markets
Also weighing on stocks was a report on durable-goods orders for March that came in well below forecasts. Orders for big-ticket items declined 5.7% from February, while a decline of 2.9% was expected. "It is challenging to buy equities when the economic data is so clearly weak," said Nicholas Colas, ConvergEx Group chief market strategist.
Materials and energy shares were the biggest gainers in the S&P 500, adding 1.5% and 1.2%, respectively, on the heels of gains in commodity markets.
"Some of the materials names have been wiped out so badly that any day you can get a bounce where they're up 1% or 2%," said John Kvantas, portfolio manager with USAA, which oversees $54 billion.
Better-than-expected earnings results from Apple AAPL -0.12 % failed to provide much of a boost for the stock. Shares edged down 67 cents, or 0.2%, to 405.46 after the company's results beat Wall Street forecasts, but analysts expressed concerns over shrinking profit margins and the lack of a new product cycle until the fall.
European markets were broadly higher. The Stoxx Europe 600 closed 0.7% higher, as strong earnings results and hopes for additional stimulus measures helped offset concerns over a slowing German economy.
In Asia, China's Shanghai Composite bounced 1.6% after tumbling 2.6% on Tuesday on the back of weak manufacturing data. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average surged 2.3% to a near five-year high as exporter shares received a boost from a decline in the yen.
Gold futures for April delivery gained 1.1% to settle at $1,423.40 a troy ounce amid signs of strong physical demand out of Asia. Crude-oil futures for June delivery advanced 2.5% to $91.43 as stockpiles rose by less than expected. The dollar slipped against the euro and edged higher against the yen. Demand rose for the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond, pushing the note's yield down to 1.696%.
Write to Alexandra Scaggs at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Healthy Linguine Recipes (Slide 1)
(Slide 1 of 7) Start at the beginning | View recipes as list
Recipe: Leek & Lemon Linguine
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Leek & Lemon Linguine
This simple pasta recipe has bold lemony flavor. It's nice with a salad for a light supper or serv…View slide
Italian Mussels & Pasta
This combination of mussels with plenty of garlic, parsley, saffron and white wine was inspired by t…View slide
Seafood Linguine
This restaurant-worthy seafood pasta dish is a snap to make and an easy way to impress guests. We li…View slide
Linguine with Escarole & Sh…
Lots of tangy lemon, fresh tomatoes, escarole and shrimp create an incredible sauce for whole-wheat …View slide
Spaghetti alla Carbonara
In this version, the eggs are cooked into a custardlike sauce. An extra step, yes, but the technique…View slide
Old-Fashioned Spaghetti & M…
To stretch the ground beef, we use high-fiber bulgur and whole-wheat breadcrumbs in the meatballs, w…View slide


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MicroRNA Target Fingered in 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome
18 January 2013. A report published January 17 in Cell sheds light on the contribution of microRNAs (miRNAs) to 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, a genetic predictor of schizophrenia. The study, led by Maria Karayiorgou and Joseph Gogos, both of Columbia University in New York, finds dramatic reductions in miR-185 expression in a mouse model of the syndrome and shows that a resulting upregulation in the neuronal gene 2310044H10Rik/Mirta22 produces altered dendrite and spine formation.
22q11.2 deletion syndrome, in which a portion of chromosome 22 has been removed, is characterized by birth defects and learning disabilities. Abnormalities in chromosome 22 are also thought to be involved in schizophrenia, since around 30 percent of the deletion carriers go on to develop the illness in adolescence or adulthood (see SRF related news story).
Gogos and Karayiorgou have developed a mouse model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, the Df(16)A+/- mouse, which closely mimics the human deletion of 1.5 Mb (see SRF related news story). Previous studies of this mouse line have indicated alterations in hippocampal dendritic spines, as well as alterations in the processing of microRNAs (miRNAs), small, noncoding RNAs that regulate mRNA expression (see SRF related news story; Xu et al., 2010). The altered miRNA expression is thought to be due, at least in part, to loss of one copy of the DGCR8 gene, a critical component of miRNA production (see SRF related news story).
Reduced miR-185 in Df(16)A+/- mice
In the current study, first author Bin Xu and colleagues observed that miR-185 expression is reduced by 70-80 percent in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of Df(16)A+/- mice during development and in adulthood. Notably, this reduction is much larger than both what is predicted by the 50 percent reduction in DGCR8 gene dosage and what is observed in DGCR8 mutant mice, suggesting that the effect extends beyond DGCR8. Since the miR-185 gene is also located within the deleted region of Df(16)A+/- mice, it is likely that hemizygosity of the gene itself also contributes to the reduction in miR-185 expression.
A transcriptional profile analysis revealed that the gene 2310044H10Rik is upregulated during postnatal development and adulthood in Df(16)A+/- mice. Two miRNA target site prediction programs indicated that binding sites for miR-185 are within the 3 untranslated region (UTR) of 2310044H10Rik, suggesting that increased expression of 2310044H10Rik in Df(16)A+/- mice may be a consequence of miR-185 downregulation.
To investigate whether 2310044H10Rik is indeed under the control of miR-185, the authors transfected an miR-185 precursor mimic into Df(16)A+/- primary neuronal cultures. They observed a reduction in 2310044H10Rik in transfected cells, confirming that the gene is repressed by miR-185. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that this repression is dependent on the 3 UTR of 2310044H10Rik. Two other miRNAs—miR-485 and miR-491—were also demonstrated to play smaller roles in the upregulation of 2310044H10Rik in Df(16)A+/- mice, suggesting that decreases in both miR-185 and DGCR8 contribute to the increase in 2310044H10Rik. Based on their confirmation of repression by miRNAs, the authors renamed the gene Mirta22, which stands for miRNA target of the 22q11.2 microdeletion.
Meet Mirta22
Mirta22 encodes a protein of unknown function that is elevated by approximately 25 percent in Df(16)A+/- mice. Immunocytochemistry revealed that it is distributed throughout the brain, and is found primarily in the Golgi apparatus and dendritic shafts of neurons.
Consistent with a report that miRNAs preferentially target genes in the same functional group (Tsang et al., 2010), the authors used functional annotation clustering analysis to determine that a Golgi-related gene cluster was the major target of miR-185. However, the reduction of miR-185 in Df(16)A+/- mice was associated with only a mild alteration of Golgi-related genes, with only four of 159 Golgi-related probe sets included in the top 100 dysregulated genes in the mouse hippocampus.
Since Mirta22 is localized to the Golgi and dendritic shafts of neurons, Xu and colleagues reasoned that its upregulation by miR-185 may contribute to the impaired dendrite and spine formation observed in Df(16)A+/- mice (Mukai et al., 2008). Consistent with this idea, an increase in Mirta22 produced dendritic abnormalities, including diminished complexity, spine density, and spine width in wild-type neuronal cultures, while a knockdown of Mirta22 reversed these deficits in Df(16)A+/- cultures. Similar results on dendrites were obtained after miR-185 downregulation in wild-type cultures and upregulation in Df(16)A+/- cultures. The effect of Mirta22 also held up in vivo. After crossing Mirta22 mutant and Df(16)A+/- mice, the researchers observed that the addition of the Mirta22 mutation could reverse the deficits in hippocampal dendritic complexity and spine formation in the Df(16)A+/- mice.
In summary, a reduction in miR-185 in a mouse model of 22q11.2 deletion syndrome produces elevated levels of Mirta22 that alter dendrite and spine formation. According to the authors, their study identifies elevated Mirta22 as the most robust gene change resulting from the 22q11.2 microdeletion, as well as the major downstream transcriptional effect of the 22q11.2-associated miRNA dysregulation.—Allison A. Curley
Xu B, Hsu P-K, Stark KL, Karayiorgou M, Gogos JA. Derepression of a neuronal inhibitor due to miRNA dysregulation in a schizophrenia-related microdeletion. Cell 2013. 152: 762-275. Abstract


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ADRIAN — Danielle Patricia Marie Townes, age 22, died Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012, as a result of an automobile accident.
Danielle was born in Adrian to David Arthur Townes and Patricia Kay Hamann. Danielle graduated in 2008 from Adrian High School and was the assistant manager at Taco Bell in Adrian.
Danielle is survived by her son, Trent Russell Leyland; her parents, Patty and David, both of Adrian; twin brother, David Townes of Adrian; sister, Rachel (Jason) Hamann of Adrian; nephews, Christopher, Jacob, Matthew, Alex, Ian and Lucas; grandmother, Patricia Hamann of Adrian; special cousin, Sarah (James) Clark of Blissfield; and several aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, David L. Hamann, and Oralia and Jose Olivarez.
Funeral services for Danielle will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, 2012, at the Anderson Funeral Home, Adrian. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Anderson Funeral Home, Adrian.
You may send condolences to the family at www.andersonfuneralservices.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the family. Envelopes are available at the Anderson Funeral Home, Adrian.
Location, ST | website.com


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Natasha is a lawyer whose job is to represent the best interests of children. Her confidence in her judgement has been shaken and her marriage has died - but an encounter with Sarah may lead to Natasha learning all she needs to know about life from a fourteen-year-old girl and a large horse named Boo...
©2009 Jojo Moyes; (P)2009 WF Howes Ltd
"Wow! Amazing story start to finish"
I hung on every word of this novel. I loved the narration, her animated voice was perfect for each character. The story line was well woven. Jojo did a fabulous job with the horse terminology. Being an avid dressage rider, I will suffer through a lot if it is horse related, but I never found the horse parts cliche. I even got my husband hooked on the second half after he started listening. This is a true coming of age novel for all ages!
Say something about yourself!
"Think Jodi Picoult--with horses."
I really loved the fact that, at last, someone has written a book for horse fans that is lyrical, honest, intriguing, and not gushy. Moyes obviously knows her horses. All the interactions between 13-year-old Sarah and her magnificent Selle Francais gelding stuck a very authentic note. I also loved how the storyline about Mac and Natasha realistically interwove with Sarah's story.
Well, obviously, it has to be the horse.
There isn't one particular scene that stands out for me, but I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of Sarah astride Boo, working on the haute ecole dressage moves that she knows are her--and her horse's--ticket to a better life.
I would take the horse, Boo, out to dinner. I'd invite him to my barn, introduce him to my own horses, feed him a delicious bucket of warm mash and then ask him if he'd let me ride him in the morning.
As I read this book, I found myself reminded of the writing of Jaclyn Mitchard and Jodi Picoult. The story had lots of twists, lots of harrowing moments that left you wondering, "Oh no, what's going to happen now?" The narration was extremely well done. All in all, it is a solid effort, an entertaining read. And, if you love horses, totally worth a token.
"The best! I'd give it 10 stars if I could..."
(By Carol, not Mark.) I listen to LOTS of audio books, and this is simply THE best I've ever heard, the first I've ever felt compelled to comment on. The narrator is superb, and the storyline mesmerizing; I acutally took it to bed with me a couple of evenings because I was simply unable to turn it off!
The characters are fully developed and fresh,and the horse angle authentic. The author's commentary at the end about the origins of the story is the frosting on the cake. Listen to this book!
(Now I'm going to go purchase a hard copy so I can read it for myself!)
"You Get More That One Credit's Worth!"
I long for REAL horse stories and was surprised to find this one so superbly bound together with the myriad of human experiences from the tween years to middle age to dying and death. I cannot fathom a world without my horses.
I admire the complexity of characters, plotting, and settings in which this author deftly weaves together. Though at times, it seems that too much incidental description is included, then comes the comes the moment this book needs it all so that it may be stitched back together for a satisfying conclusion.
The only down side for me was the pacing of the reader, and that is simply a cultural difference. After the first hour, I was finding it a simply elegant rendering of a very satisfying book. Well worth the credit!
"Wonderful wonderful story"
Great characters, good drama interesting story all make this book a winner. Absolutely a great read especially for the horse addicted.
"almost too much!"
This was a great listen, even though I frequently found myself groaning "oh no" when one more thing went wrong. The situations and characters were so well drawn, and the beauty shone through constantly in spite of the difficult situations. The narration is excellent, and the whole book very satisfying. Worth listening through the rough moments!
I believe a reviewer should finish a book before submitting a review. What do you think?
"Have the Hankies Nearby"
I dare the reader/listener to keep a dry eye. This book about a young girl and her horse and her foster "family" made me feel and held my interest every in chapter. Jojo Moyes is becoming a favorite for me. This is the second book from this author I've truly enjoyed. And this one had a horse as a main character who develops a unique bond with his young rider. This is a story with adventure, family bonds, romance, betrayal, danger and redemption. I so enjoy a book that invites you in and brings you along for the ride.
Gardening Geek
"One excellent listen—makes your imagination dance"
Jojo Moyes is quite the story teller—her pace is perfection. Sara, the young horse dancer, is forced to train frustratingly slow. But is pays off big time when it's time to put the horse to the test. So it is with The Horse Dancer. The first scenes were so un-dramatic I wasn't sure I wanted to continue, but then a whole new set of characters take center stage, and the details of the first chapters were invaluable. From then on it was a wild, wrenching extraordinary ride, so well worth it.
I especially love Jojo Moyes' endings. Well timed and satisfying - still I was sad when it was done because the adventure was so amazing. Julia Franklin is a gifted narrator who took on a diverse set of characters and accents with panache, coupling the novel perfectly.
"From a true Anglophile"
Love the English authors! Thanks Audible for having so many available on your site. This book has an excellent plot and the information on Dressage is fascinating. I highly recommend this book.
"awesome book"
This was book was great. The narration was good, the story was exciting, and if your a horse lover you will be happy with the accuracy of her descriptions of dressage. I especailly enjoyed the quotes from Xenophon's "On Horsemanship" at the beginning of the chapter. Although it has a happy ending, be prepared to shed some tears!
"Best yet!"
This was one of the best books I have downloaded for a while. JoJo Moyes never disappoints. Every book is different, and this is definitely one of her best. Highly recommended even if you aren't into horses.If you have read JoJos' books before then you will not be dissapointed. If you are new to her books then this is a great place to discover her.
"Relationships - families and horses"
Jojo Moyes once again draws realistic characters who have passions and foibles. This one explores human relationships and those between a girl and her horse. In this book you are drawn to Sarah and how she trains her horse in classical equitation. Whilst you are focusing and empathising with Sarah and her horse you are emotionally caught up with her home-life. Very enjoyable. My walks got longer as I wanted to know what would happen next and then of course came the downer when it had finished.
"Horses ...."
This was my second jojo moyse book and definately won't be my last.
I have little interest in horses but after a slow start this book gripped me , the characters were well formed and the story touching and satisfying.
Well-written and well-read and I enjoyed the first half. As the melodrama picked up though the plot became increasingly implausible, and the characters became increasingly silly in order to make the plot happen. Could have forgiven the plot but the characters got on my nerves until I heartily disliked all of them. Matter of taste I suppose but I barely made it to the end.
"Love it..."
Absolutely love this book. Quite unrealistic in parts yet a very enjoyable read and definitely one to recommend.
"Lovely book"
I didn't know what to expect from this, but my pony-mad childhood came back to haunt me as I was choosing what to download next - and as so often happened in those days I made the decision because there was a nice horse on the cover. I loved it. I may not have made best friends with all the characters, but I empathised with them. One scene actually had me in tears as I was running down quite a busy road, and that's a first.
- and in fiction, I reckon a little bit of implausibility never hurt anyone...
"Amazing, heart warming story"
Loved the story, so much so that I looked up the history of the riding school and watched clips of the riders on you tube, amazing! Brilliant writing as always, love jojo moyes books. I listen on the way to and from work and she just whisks you away to other places, fantastic way to spend a journey :) can't wait to read more of her books.
Great story! Captures the real love and sacrifice between a girl and her horse.
"Gripping and un-put-downable!"
Firstly, another stunning narration by Julia Franklin. How she brings these characters to life!
For the story itself, it winds from the past to the present and back again with such clarity that you never feel unsure of which time frame you are in. The characters are just so believable and although you want to shake Sarah, anyone who has contact with a teenage girl will recognise her immediately. She could have been my truculent daughter at that age!
The ending wasn't predictable, but absolutely lovely. You will so enjoy this listen. Be prepared for additional ironing, gardening, walking or whatever you do when listening!
"Loved it"
Thought the story was lovely and thought provoking , I love horses so was a pleasure to listen to I would recommend it
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COPPERAS COVE (January 3, 2012) -- A Central Texas man was in the Coryell County Jail Thursday, charged in connection with a residential burglary in Copperas Cove in which a wedding ring worth more than $25,000 was taken.
Rodney Bruce James, Jr. was held Thursday in lieu of bonds totaling $25,000.
The woman to whom the ring belonged told investigators she learned in a conversation with James that the ring was pawned at a pawnshop in Killeen, which is where Copperas Cove investigators found it on Dec. 29, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
The transaction ticket number led them to James, the affidavit said.
Other rings, necklaces, power tools and a watch worth a total of more than $1,000 were also taken in the burglary, which occurred sometime between Dec. 15 and Dec. 21 at the home in the 2400 block of Jake Drive.
The burglary was reported on Dec. 21.


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SPOKANE (AP) — The city of Spokane has finally settled with a golfer who sprained an ankle in 2007 when he stepped through a sprinkler lid on the 12th hole at the Esmeralda Golf Course.
Stan L. Peterson is getting $215,000 plus free golf at Spokane city courses for as long as the 72-year-old lives.
The Spokesman-Review reports neither Peterson nor a city spokeswoman is commenting on the settlement that ended a five-year legal case.
The terms were in documents the city council reviewed earlier this week before approving the settlement.


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Welcome to the UNCG Magazine archives.
To view archives, make a selection from the list below. You will then be sent to the home page of the archived issue. If you have stories you would like to access from earlier printed issues of the magazine contact Beth English with your request.
Select a past online issue to browse:


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Governor Fletcher is optimistic about the tax modernization plan despite early opposition from the house.
He says, "I think there's been some obstruction. No question. Particularly trying to work with the house leadership. But it is a change for everyone and were trying to make some major change so we don't expect to have a smooth road for a while."
Governor Fletcher says right now another company is considering locating in Kentucky, but we have a $16 million disadvantage because of our tax system. He says the tax modernization plan would fix that.
He says, "It would lower the taxes on two-thirds of Kentuckians. Allow us to grow the economy, creating 7000 jobs, and I would hope that particularly the House leadership would lay aside partisan politics, and let's move this forward."
Fletcher says if they can't come to an agreement on the state's budget he will utilize his line-item veto powers. "Definitely, the governor has a line item veto for a reason. I'm here to act in the best interest of the people of the Commonwealth. And if they are spending too much and it's not a responsible budget then yes I'll line item veto," said Fletcher.
And Governor Fletcher says if necessary he will call a special session.
"If we have to call a special session I would hope that we've reached an agreement with House leadership and that they're willing to work with me."