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Two-year follow-up of amyloid deposition in patients with Alzheimer's disease
Beta amyloid is one of the major histopathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. We recently reported in vivo imaging of amyloid in 16 Alzheimer patients, using the PET ligand N-methyl[11C]2-(4′-methylaminophenyl)-6-hydroxy-benzothiazole (PIB). In the present study we rescanned these 16 Alzheimer patients after 2.0 ± 0.5 years and have described the interval change in amyloid deposition and regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc) at follow-up. Sixteen patients with Alzheimer's disease were re-examined by means of PET, using PIB and 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) after 2.0 ± 0.5 years. The patients were all on cholinesterase inhibitor treatment and five also on treatment with the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist memantine. In order to estimate the accuracy of the PET PIB measurements, four additional Alzheimer patients underwent repeated examinations with PIB within 20 days (test–retest). Relative PIB retention in cortical regions differed by 3–7% in the test–retest study. No significant difference in PIB retention was observed between baseline and follow-up while a significant (P < 0.01) 20% decrease in rCMRGlc was observed in cortical brain regions. A significant negative correlation between rCMRGlc and PIB retention was observed in the parietal cortex in the Alzheimer patients at follow-up (r = 0.67, P = 0.009). A non-significant decline in Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score from 24.3 ± 3.7 (mean ± standard deviation) to 22.7 ± 6.1 was measured at follow-up. Five of the Alzheimer patients showed a significant decline in MMSE score of >3 (21.4 ± 3.5 to 15.6 ± 3.9, P < 0.01) (AD-progressive) while the rest of the patients were cognitively more stable (MMSE score = 25.6 ± 3.1 to 25.9 ± 3.7) (AD-stable) compared with baseline. A positive correlation (P = 0.001) was observed in the parietal cortex between Rey Auditory Verbal Learning (RAVL) test score and rCMRGlc at follow-up while a negative correlation (P = 0.018) was observed between RAVL test and PIB retention in the parietal at follow-up. Relatively stable PIB retention after 2 years of follow-up in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease suggests that amyloid deposition in the brain reaches a plateau by the early clinical stages of Alzheimer's disease and therefore may precede a decline in rCMRGlc and cognition. It appears that anti-amyloid therapies will need to induce a significant decrease in amyloid load in order for PIB PET images to detect a drug effect in Alzheimer patients. FDG imaging may be able to detect a stabilization of cerebral metabolism caused by therapy administered to patients with a clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
- Alzheimer's disease
- amyloid
- follow-up
The pathology of Alzheimer's disease has been coupled to an abnormal deposition of amyloid in the brain (the amyloid cascade hypothesis) (Hardy and Higgins, 1992). The regional evolution of Alzheimer's disease pathology in terms of amyloid deposition (amyloid plaques) and neurofibrillary tangles at several stages of the disease was described by Braak and Braak (1991), using post-mortem brain tissue. The distribution of amyloid plaques shows high variability in patients and has been difficult to correlate with the stage of the disease (Braak and Braak, 1991). Owing to the limitations of post-mortem brain studies, several attempts have been made to develop tracers for in vivo imaging of amyloid, and three compounds have been applied in PET studies in Alzheimer patients (Shoghi-Jadid et al., 2002; Klunk et al., 2004; Verhoeff et al., 2004). The finding that certain benzothiazol derivatives bind to amyloid with high affinity and cross the brain–blood barrier (BBB) led to the development of N-methyl[11C]2-(4′-methylaminophenyl)-6-hydroxy-benzothiazole (PIB) (Klunk et al., 2001; Mathis et al., 2002; Wang et al., 2002; Mathis et al., 2003). PIB binds amyloid with sufficiently high affinity to be detected in PET examinations. Animal studies have shown that PIB crosses the BBB and is cleared from normal brain tissue (Bacskai et al., 2003). The results of binding studies in autopsy-derived human brain tissue suggested that PIB might be a relevant ligand for the measurement of amyloid deposition but not for the detection of neurofibrillary tangles, since PIB mainly binds to aggregated fibrillar Aβ deposits (Klunk et al., 2003). In 2002–2003, the first study on measurement of amyloid in humans, based on the retention of PIB, was performed in Uppsala, Sweden, among 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease from Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden (Klunk et al., 2004). PIB showed high retention in the frontal and temporal–parietal association cortices and striatum in these patients versus controls. The retention of PIB was similar in Alzheimer patients and healthy controls (HC) in brain regions known to be relatively unaffected by amyloid deposition, such as the pons, cerebellum and subcortical white matter (Klunk et al., 2004). A strong negative correlation was found between cerebral glucose metabolism [measured using 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG)] and PIB retention in the parietal areas, suggesting a relationship between deficits in neural function and amyloid deposition (Klunk et al., 2004). In order to explore PIB further as a tracer, we have now performed a follow-up study with PIB, and FDG, in these 16 Alzheimer patients 1.5–2.5 years after the baseline study.
Follow-up study
The 16 patients with mild Alzheimer's disease previously recruited at the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm (Klunk et al., 2004), and fulfilling the diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease according to the criteria of the National Institute of Neurological and Communication Disorders, Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association (NINCDS–ADRDA) were clinically followed for a time period of 2.0 ± 0.5 years (1.5–2.5 years) and then re-examined, using PIB and FDG, at Uppsala Imanet, Uppsala, Sweden. The demography of the Alzheimer patients is presented in Table 1.
|Age at baseline
|66.4 (±10.2)
|69.8 (±10.0)
|58.9 (±6.4)*
|Age range at baseline
|Education (year)
|12.3 ± 3.7
|13.6 ± 2.5
|9.6 ± 4.8
|MMSE at baseline
|24.3 ± 3.7
|25.6 ± 3.1
|21.4 ± 3.5
|MMSE at follow-up
|22.7 ± 6.1
|25.9 ± 3.7
|15.6 ± 3.9#,**
|RAVL at follow-up (Z-score)
|−2.60 ± 1.45
|−1.55 ± 1.36
|−3.35 ± 0.68***
|Duration of disease (year)
|4.3 ± 1.5
|4.4 ± 1.5
|4.2 ± 1.6
|Time from diagnosis to baseline (year)
|2.4 ± 1.8
|2.4 ± 1.8
|2.3 ± 1.9
|APOE ɛ4-carrier
|CSF Aβ (pg/ml) at baseline
|372 ± 129
|401 ± 131
|326 ± 125
|CSF tau (pmol/ml) at baseline
|599 ± 311
|441 ± 223
|883 ± 238**
|Between scans (m)
|23.9 ± 5.6
|23.2 ± 6.1
|25.6 ± 4.4
|Treatment at baseline
|11 on ChEls
|7 on ChEls
|3 on ChEls
|Treatment at follow-up
|16 on ChEls 5 on memantine
|11 on ChEls 3 on memantine
|5 on ChEls 2 on memantine
AD = Alzheimer's disease; SD = standard deviation; MMSE = Mini-Mental State Examination; ChEI = cholinesterase inhibitor; AD-S = cognitively stable patients (MMSE decline <3); AD-P = patients with disease progression (MMSE decline >3); RAVL = Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test; *significant difference in age at baseline between AD-S and AD-P (Student's t-test; P < 0.05); #significant difference in MMSE score between baseline and follow-up (paired t-test; P < 0.01); **significant difference between AD-S and AD-P (Student's t-test; P< 0.05); ***significant difference between AD-S and AD-P (Student's t-test, P = 0.01).
Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (Folstein et al., 1975) was used as measurement of global cognitive status and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning (RAVL) (Lezak, 2004) as test of episodic memory. For statistical analysis Z-scores of RAVL were generated on the basis of the raw scores, by comparing data with the mean value and standard deviation (SD) of a large control group.
Data from six healthy, age-matched controls (HC), studied at baseline, were utilized for comparisons (Klunk et al., 2004). The oldest healthy control (OHC) from the baseline study, who showed high PIB retention but normal cognitive performance in neuropsychological tests (Klunk et al., 2004), was also reinvestigated in the follow-up study.
The Alzheimer patients and the OHC gave written consent to participate in the study. The Ethics Committees of Uppsala University, the Karolinska Institute and the Isotope Committee at Uppsala Academic Hospital approved the study.
In order to study the variability in PIB retention, four additional Alzheimer patients (T1–T4) (3 females and 1 male) (58–79 years of age) (MMSE 9–28) were recruited from the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, and they underwent repeated PET investigations with PIB. For three of the Alzheimer patients the two PIB studies were performed within 12 h and for the fourth patient, after a 20-day interval. The studies were performed under a separate study protocol with corresponding authorization as regards ethics. The changes in PIB retention were calculated for each patient by means of the formula %Difference = [(R−T)/(R+T)] × 200; (T = test, R = retest). The mean absolute percentage difference [Mean abs (%Diff)] was calculated for all four patients, yielding an interval of expected variance in the analysis of PIB retention (Price et al., 2005).
Production of FDG and PIB was carried out according to the standard good manufacturing process at Uppsala Imanet. Synthesis of N-methyl[11C]2-(4′-methylaminophenyl)-6-hydroxy-benzothiazole (PIB) was performed by means of the method described previously (Mathis et al., 2003; Klunk et al., 2004).
PET scanning
The PET scans were performed using Siemens ECAT EXACT HR+ scanners (CTI PET-systems Inc.), with an axial field of view of 155 mm, providing 63 contiguous 2.46-mm slices with 5.6-mm transaxial and 5.4-mm axial resolution. The patients were scanned after fasting for 4 h under resting conditions in a dimmed room. The orbitomeatal line was used to centre the heads of the subjects. The data were acquired in three-dimensional mode. The doses of PIB and FDG, and the scanner protocol for transmissions, emissions and reconstructions were the same as used in the previous study (Klunk et al., 2004). The subjects were given 287 ± 65 (mean ± standard deviation) MBq of 11C-PIB in the baseline study and 254 ± 86 MBq in the follow-up study. They received 231 ± 40 MBq of 18F-FDG in the baseline study and 226 ± 33 MBq in the follow-up study.
Regions of interest (ROIs)
The set of ROIs applied for statistical analyses in the follow-up and the test–retest study was the same as in the previous study, described in detail earlier (Engler et al., 2003; Klunk et al., 2004). The following areas were included in the analyses: the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital and cerebellar cortices, pons, white matter and striatum and posterior cingulum.
A computerized reorientation procedure applied in the first study was used to align consecutive PET images for accurate intra- and inter-individual comparisons (Andersson and Thurfjell, 1997). The FDG images obtained in the follow-up study were realigned to the FDG images from the previous study, and the PIB images from both studies were co-realigned using the respective FDG images as templates. In addition, FDG images were analysed according to a clinical routine set of ROIs (Engler et al., 2003). In three of the Alzheimer patients the calculation of FDG uptake could not be performed according to the protocol in the follow-up study. In one patient this was a result of technical problems during acquisition and in the other two patients, a result of the fact that blood samples could not be obtained. For one of these patients, regional mean uptake values could be obtained, whereas no data concerning glucose uptake were available for the two other patients. MR images were not used to delineate ROIs, nor were such data used to do any partial volume correction.
Data management
For the FDG examinations, venous arterialized blood samples were obtained and parametric maps of the regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRGlc) were generated by means of the Patlak method, using the time course of the tracer in the arterialized venous plasma as an input function (Patlak et al., 1983). The rCMRGlc values were normalized to the pons value (ROI/ref) to allow inter- and intra-individual comparisons (Minoshima et al., 1995). In the earlier baseline PIB study (Klunk et al., 2004), PIB retention data were given as standard uptake values (SUVs). In the present follow-up study the mean uptake values of the ROI obtained in a late time interval (40–60 min) were normalized to the corresponding uptake in a reference region (ROI/ref) (Lopresti et al., 2005). The cerebellar cortex was chosen as reference because of its previously reported lack of Congo red- and thioflavin-S-positive plaques (Yamaguchi et al., 1989; Mirra et al., 1994). Among several different PIB evaluation methods the late scan reference method has shown a large size effect (Lopresti et al., 2005).
Statistical analysis
The statistical method used to compare the Alzheimer patients and the HC was a two-sample, unequal variance, two-tailed Student's t-test. Paired t-tests were used to study changes in PIB retention and rCMRGlc in the Alzheimer patients over the time period. Analysis of correlation between PIB retention and rCMRGlc parameters was conducted, yielding Pearson's product moment correlation coefficient r.
Role of the funding source
No funding source had a role in the preparation of this article or the decision to submit it for publication. The authors had full access to all data in the study and final responsibility for the decision to submit for publication.
Test–retest examinations
Four Alzheimer patients were recruited for a test–retest PIB study within 20 days. The individual results are shown in Table 2. Low variability in PIB retention was observed in the frontal cortex (7.3%), parietal cortex (4.1%), temporal cortex (3.2%) and occipital cortex (3.7%), while the highest variability was observed in the striatum (12.7%). Variability was also low in the pons (3.4%), white matter (6.4%) and the cerebellum (3.3%).
|% Diff
|% Diff
|% Diff
|% Diff
|Mean abs (% Diff)
Three of the patients underwent two PET investigations within 12 h (T1–3) while one Alzheimer patient (T4) underwent a second PET study after 20 days; AD 1 to 3 were retested within 12 h; AD 4 was retested after 20 days; percentage difference calculated: [(R−T)/(R+T)] × 200; ROI = region of interest; ref = reference; SD = standard deviation.
Clinical follow-up of Alzheimer patients
The 16 Alzheimer patients who had undergone baseline studies with PIB (Klunk et al., 2004) were clinically followed for 1.5–2.5 years and then they underwent the follow-up PET studies with PIB and FDG (Table 1). Eleven Alzheimer patients were being treated with cholinesterase inhibitors at the baseline PET scans, while all 16 patients were on cholinesterase inhibitor treatment at the time of the follow-up studies. In addition, 5 of the 16 patients were also being treated with the N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist memantine at the time of follow-up (Table 1).
Cognitive testing showed a non-significant decrease in MMSE score of 1.6 points at follow-up compared with baseline. Five of the 16 patients showed a very clear clinical deterioration at follow-up, with a decrease of 3 points or more (3–9) in the MMSE test. In these five Alzheimer patients the mean MMSE score was significantly lower (P < 0.01) at follow-up [15.6 ± 3.9 (SD)] compared with baseline (21.4 ± 3.5). This group of patients was considered to comprise those who had clinically deteriorated (AD-P; progression) (Table 1). The change in MMSE score among the other 11 patients was <3 (−2 to +3) at follow-up versus baseline. This group of Alzheimer patients was considered to be clinically relatively stabile at follow-up (AD-S) (Table 1). The AD-S group (n = 10) differed significantly in RAVL test at follow-up (Z-score) compared with the AD-P group (n = 4), P < 0.01. The AD-P group was significantly younger than the AD-S group (P < 0.05). They showed significantly higher CSF tau values (P < 0.05) while there was no difference in CSF Aβ 1-42 values between the two groups (Table 1). Three of the 5 patients in the AD-P group carried two APO e4 alleles, while 5 out of 10 carried e4 alleles in the AP-S group (Table 1).
Regional PIB retention at follow-up
Significantly greater retention of PIB (expressed as ROI/ref) (P < 0.006) was observed at follow-up in the frontal, parietal, temporal and occipital cortices as well as in the striata of the Alzheimer patients versus age-matched HC (Fig. 1). No significant changes in PIB retention were observed between baseline and follow-up in any brain region of the Alzheimer patients as an overall group (Fig. 1). Retention of PIB was somewhat higher at both baseline and follow-up in the cortical brain regions and striata of the AD-P group versus the AD-S group. This difference was of statistical significance in the posterior cortex cinguli at baseline (P < 0.05) (Table 3). Owing to error in the scanning procedure at baseline, data for one Alzheimer patient (02) are not included in the statistical analysis.
|AD-S (n= 10)
|AD-P (n= 5)
|Follow-up (P-value)
|Follow-up (P-value)
|Fr ctx
|1.86 ± 0.74
|1.90 ± 0.72 (0.346)
|2.38 ± 0.35
|2.32 ± 0.25 (0.684)
|Par ctx
|1.81 ± 0.55
|1.85 ± 0.55 (0.344)
|2.21 ± 0.27
|2.18 ± 0.26 (0.790)
|Temp ctx
|1.51 ± 0.55
|1.52 ± 0.37 (0.740)
|1.82 ± 0.22
|1.78 ± 0.19 (0.737)
|Cing post
|1.84 ± 0.65*
|1.88 ± 0.63 (0.480)
|2.43 ± 0.33*
|2.29 ± 0.32 (0.441)
|Occ ctx
|1.49 ± 0.41
|1.54 ± 0.45 (0.291)
|1.89 ± 0.33
|2.02 ± 0.39 (0.057)
|1.97 ± 0.69
|1.92 ± 0.69 (0.292)
|2.23 ± 0.30
|2.35 ± 0.34 (0.271)
|1.81 ± 0.24
|1.83 ± 0.32 (0.828)
|1.64 ± 0.22
|1.65 ± 0.22 (0.940)
|1.73 ± 0.31
|1.69 ± 0.26 (0.642)
|1.72 ± 0.29
|1.71 ± 0.21 (0.923)
|Cb ctx
|1.09 ± 0.08
|1.07 ± 0.12 (0.668)
|1.06 ± 0.08
|1.08 ± 0.08 (0.051)
Mean values ± standard deviation; probabilities were calculated by using Student's paired t-test; S = stable/normally progressing Alzheimer patients; P = faster progressing Alzheimer patients; *significant difference between AD-S and AD-P group (P < 0.05); missing data for one patient owing to errors in the scanning procedure at baseline.
Regional FDG uptake at follow-up
Analysis of rCMRGlc in the entire cohort according to routine clinical standard assessment revealed significant decreases in rCMRGlc (ROI/ref) in several cortical brain regions (Table 4). Both the AD-P group and the AD-S group showed significant decreases in rCMRGlc in various cortical brain regions at 2.0 ± 0.5 years of follow-up versus baseline (Table 4). Cortical rCMRGlc values were in general lower in the AD-P group both at baseline and follow-up versus the AD-S group (Table 4). Owing to technical problems at follow-up data are missing for two of the patients (08, 20). For one Alzheimer patient (09) SUV values were generated. When these three patients (8,20,9) were excluded the statistical analysis were based upon 13 Alzheimer patients.
|Follow-up (P-value)
|AD-stable (AD-S) n = 9
|AD-progressive (AD-P) n = 4
|Follow-up (P-value)
|Follow-up (P-value)
|Cing post dx
|33.98 ± 10.51
|27.65 ± 10.28 (0.0019)
|38.29 ± 9.50
|31.30 ± 10.27 (0.0145)
|24.29 ± 4.56**
|19.44 ± 3.42** (0.0448)
|Cing post sin
|35.67 ± 11.13
|29.45 ± 9.38 (0.0019)
|40.05 ± 10.63
|33.25 ± 9.27 (0.0556)
|25.81 ± 2.70**
|20.69 ± 3.10** (0.0564)
|Fr ctx dx
|35.48 ± 10.76
|28.71 ± 7.74 (0.0081)
|37.75 ± 12.09
|30.85 ± 7.32 (0.0500)
|30.36 ± 4.78
|23.91 ± 7.23 (0.0700)
|Fr ctx sin
|36.16 ± 8.44
|30.36 ± 7.56 (0.0069)
|38.42 ± 9.30
|33.18 ± 4.25 (0.0614
|31.67 ± 2.11*
|24.02 ± 6.87 (0.0592)
|Par ctx dx
|31.49 ± 8.76
|25.67 ± 8.87 (0.0091)
|35.31 ± 6.43
|29.26 ± 8.22 (0.0486)
|22.90 ± 7.38*
|17.61 ± 3.09** (0.0964)
|Par ctx sin
|33.67 ± 7.38
|27.41 ± 8.10 (0.0041)
|36.65 ± 6.48
|30.65 ± 7.66 (0.0430)
|26.96 ± 4.36**
|20.11 ± 1.83** (0.0964)
|Par temp dx
|30.44 ± 6.47
|24.43 ± 8.96 (0.0058)
|32.81 ± 6.11
|27.77 ± 8.75 (0.0720)
|25.09 ± 3.54*
|16.90 ± 2.81** (0.0273)
|Par temp sin
|32.84 ± 7.18
|26.01 ± 9.01 (0.0037)
|35.08 ± 7.56
|29.29 ± 8.71 (0.0503)
|27.78 ± 2.06*
|18.62 ± 4.12** (0.0356)
|Caudate nucleus dx
|41.55 ± 8.49
|36.50 ± 6.18 (0.0941)
|43.47 ± 9.59
|37.36 ± 5.87 (0.1417)
|37.25 ± 2.50
|34.58 ± 7.34 (0.5180)
|Caudate nucleus sin
|42.39 ± 6.89
|33.93 ± 6.59 (0.0042)
|43.92 ± 7.75
|35.05 ± 7.69 (0.0320)
|38.95 ± 2.66
|31.41 ± 1.90 (0.0342)
|Whole brain
|32.47 ± 4.57
|27.25 ± 4.65 (0.0051)
|35.42 ± 4.96
|28.31 ± 5.01 (0.0453)
|30.34 ± 3.04
|24.85 ± 2.93 (0.0400)
|24.20 ± 4.03
|22.54 ± 3.32 (0.2336)
|24.63 ± 4.66
|22.16 ± 3.90 (0.2138)
|23.26 ± 2.30
|23.41 ± 1.85 (0.9030)
There were technical problems with the 18F-FDG investigations in two subjects in the AD-S group and one subject in the AD-P group (data not included); mean values ± standard deviation; P-values (paired t-test) indicate difference between baseline and follow-up; *significant difference between AD-S and AD-P groups (Student's t-test); P < 0.05; **P< 0.01. Bold indicates significant P values of 0.05 and less.
Comparison of changes in regional PIB retention and FDG uptake at follow-up
In order to compare the changes over time in PIB retention and rCMRGlc, we focused our analysis on the parietal region, where a significant correlation between rCMRGlc and PIB was present both at baseline (Klunk et al., 2004) (Fig. 2A) (P = 0.002) and at follow-up (Fig. 2B) (P = 0.009). Low rCMRGlc values were defined as those >1 SD below the mean value for HC and high PIB values as those >1 SD above the mean value for the HC subjects.
At follow-up (Fig. 2B), most of the Alzheimer patients showing changes of <3 in the MMSE score, and high PIB retention at baseline, showed only slight changes in PIB ROI/ref values at follow-up, and a slight decrease in rCMRGlc. The five patients with low MMSE scores at baseline and a decrease in MMSE score of 3 or more at follow-up showed clearly lower rCMRGlc values (Fig. 2B, filled circles). Parametric images of one of these five Alzheimer patients (02), based on PIB (ROI/ref) and rCMRGlc (ROI/ref) ratios at baseline and follow-up, are presented in Fig. 3.
Three Alzheimer patients (04, 12, 14; Fig. 2B) with high MMSE scores and low PIB retention at baseline (Klunk et al., 2004) showed unchanged MMSE scores and low PIB retention at follow-up, although some increase in cortical PIB retention was observed in all three patients. Patient 14 showed a slight increase in PIB retention in the frontal and parietal cortices and Patient 04 showed a slight increase in PIB retention in the frontal and temporal areas with somewhat decrease in rCMRGlc but within the range for HC.
A fourth Alzheimer patient (05, an 82-year-old man, APOE ɛ2/4 carrier) showed relatively unchanged PIB retention, at the lower level for these patients (Fig. 2B). His MMSE score (20 out of 30) at follow-up was similar to that at baseline although his relatives were complaining of increasing problems in coping with daily activities of living.
The OHC, who showed high PIB retention at baseline (Klunk et al., 2004), showed unchanged PIB retention and rCMRGlc in the frontal cortex and striatum at follow-up. A slight increase in PIB retention was observed in the temporal and parietal cortices at follow-up. The glucose uptake was in these brain regions unchanged or slightly increased, respectively. The observed changes in PIB retention and rCMRGlc were <1 SD compared with test–retest data. The OHC showed quite normal cognitive performance in neuropsychological test at follow-up.
Correlation between cognition, PIB retention and rCMRGlc
Correlation analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between cognitive status, measured by MMSE score, RAVL test, PIB retention and rCMRGlc. The MMSE score showed significant negative correlation with PIB retention at baseline in three areas: the frontal cortex (r = −0.64; P = 0.010), parietal cortex (r = −0.60; P = p.018) and occipital cortex (r = −0.56; P = 0.028). There were, however, no significant correlations between MMSE score and PIB retention at follow-up. Changes in MMSE score and PIB retention expressed as percentages of baseline values did not show significant correlation.
Significant correlation was observed between MMSE score and rCMRGlc both at baseline and at follow-up. Two brain regions showed significant positive correlations at baseline, the parietal cortex (r = 0.56; P = 0.005) and temporal cortex (r = 0.51; P = 0.044). Four areas showed significant positive correlation at follow-up, namely the frontal cortex (r = 0.74; P = 0.002), parietal cortex (r = 0.79; P = 0.001), temporal cortex (r = 0.56; P = 0.036) and cerebellar cortex (r = 0.64; P = 0.013). A significant positive correlation was also observed between percentage change in MMSE score and percentage change in rCMRGlc in the parietal cortex (r = 0.59; P = 0.027).
The RAVL test score (expressed as Z-score) showed significant negative correlation with PIB retention at follow-up in four areas: the frontal cortex (r = 0.67; P = 0.009), parietal cortex (r = 062; P = 0.018), cingulum posterior (r = 0.64; P = 0.014) and striatum (r = 0.62; P = 0.018) (Fig. 4A).
Significant positive correlation was observed between RAVL test score (expressed as Z-score) and rCMRGlc at follow-up in seven areas, the frontal cortex (r = 0.77; P = 0.004), parietal cortex (r = 0.85; P = 0.001), temporal cortex (r = 0.76; P = 0.005), cingulum posterior (r = 0.90; P = 0.001), occipital cortex (r = 0.68; P = 0.015), striatum (r = 0.69; P = 0.012) and cerebellum (r = 0.62; P = 0.031) (Fig. 4B).
This study represents a 1.5–2.5-year follow-up with the amyloid PET ligand PIB, and FDG, in a group of 16 Alzheimer patients. When re-examined, the Alzheimer patients, as earlier, showed significantly higher retention of PIB in several cortical brain regions and the striatum compared with age-matched HC. No significant change in regional PIB retention was observed at follow-up versus baseline. The group, however, was somewhat heterogeneous, showing small variations (both increase/decrease) in PIB retention. The number of patients examined in the test–retest study is too small to give a definitive answer as to the accuracy of the method, and studies with larger numbers are needed. Similar variations in test–retest PIB retention, using the reference Logan model, have recently been reported (Price et al., 2005).
Interestingly, PIB retention remained unchanged despite the fact that the Alzheimer patients showed a decrease in rCMRGlc and a subgroup showed significant clinical deterioration (AD-P) at follow-up. This PIB retention was generally higher in the AD-P group than in the Alzheimer patients with less progression of disease at follow-up (AD-S group). The cortex cinguli posterior, which showed the highest PIB retention in the AD-P group, significantly differed from the corresponding brain area in the AD-S group. It seems also that the patients with the highest parietal PIB retention (both at baseline and follow-up) showed the largest decrements in rCMRGlc. A larger number of Alzheimer patients are needed to estimate the significance of these observations.
The results of the present study reveal relatively stable PIB retention in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease over a mean time period of 2 years (1.5–2.5 years) despite progressive deterioration in rCMRGlc as well as a clear decrease in cognitive function in some cases. This relatively stable PIB retention, with only minor variations (increase/decrease), might reflect a dynamic process in amyloid deposition reaching an equilibrium. The results are in agreement with those in earlier human post-mortem studies showing a dynamic balance between amyloid deposition and resolution in senile plaques, or amyloid burden (Hyman et al., 1993). An in vivo multiphoton microscopy study of thioflavin-S-positive senile plaques in the Tg2576 transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease did not reveal detectable changes in plaque size over extended periods (Christie et al., 2001). Nonetheless, the authors described rare examples of growth or shrinkage of individual plaques, and the appearance of new plaques between imaging sessions, and they suggested that glial interaction with amyloid stabilizes the size of plaques and prevents continued enlargement. The dynamic changes over time of the amyloid depositions in the brain may produce variation in the binding properties of amyloid to the tracer. Structural changes in the evolution of the plaques, with an increment in the number of neuritic plaques, could, for example, result in a slight decrease in the binding of PIB. Furthermore, concomitant inflammatory processes also influence the binding properties (Su et al., 1996). Our results suggest that the accumulation of fibrillar amyloid may increase to a certain level and then become relatively stable, while degeneration of the neurons continues. It is quite possible that the amyloid plaques might be growing but that only a relatively stable part is accessible to exogenous tracer binding. It was recently suggested that there are three distinct binding sites for thioflavin compounds on β-amyloid peptide fibrils (Lockhart et al., 2005). Further PET multi-tracer binding studies involving visualization of not only amyloid but also inflammatory processes, microglial activation and perhaps also neurotransmitter activity might provide further insight into these ongoing processes in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. The fact that high cortical PIB retention can be observed in patients with only mild cognitive impairment (Lopresti et al., 2005) indicates that further studies with PIB should now be performed among subjects at a genetically high risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
Since all patients with Alzheimer's disease in this study were on cholinesterase inhibitor treatment (and some also on memantine treatment) at the follow-up PET studies we cannot exclude the possibility of interactions between cholinesterase inhibitor treatment and amyloid deposition (Ballard et al., 2005; Inestrosa et al., 2005). The results of several PET studies have revealed stabilizing effects on cognition, rCMRGlc and cerebral blood flow (CBF) after long-term treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors (Nobili et al., 2002; Stefanova et al., 2003; Tune et al., 2003; Stefanova et al., 2005). Experimental data also suggest that cholinesterase inhibitors might influence amyloid deposition (Francis et al., 2005). Only a placebo-controlled study analysing the effect of cholinesterase inhibitor treatment on PIB retention can rule out this possibility. The relatively low decrease in MMSE score measured at follow-up might be expected to be larger if the Alzheimer patients had not been on cholinesterase inhibitor treatment (Birks, 2005). The patients in this study represented those with mild Alzheimer's disease, for whom it is known that the MMSE is a relatively insensitive measure of cognitive status. An extensive evaluation of the outcome of consecutive neuropsychological tests in this patient group is ongoing and will be presented later. In the present study we presented the outcome of the episodic memory test, RAVL test, at follow-up.
The three patients with low PIB retention and normal rCMRGlc presented in the baseline study (Klunk et al., 2004) still showed low PIB retention and normal rCMRGlc at follow-up. Their MMSE scores at follow-up were still high and the RAVL test Z-scores were low. These patients may have very slow development of the disease with a slight or no increment in amyloid deposition over time. In addition to showing impairment in neuropsychological testing, these subjects also showed deficits in cortical rCMRGlc before initiation of cholinesterase inhibitor treatment. One of the subjects showed a pathologically low CSF Aβ 1-42 level (365 pmol/ml) but a low CSF tau value (75 pmol/ml) This illustrates the complexity in findings, as also recently described in CSF data by Iqbal et al. (2005). These three patients should today be considered as mild cognitive impairment patients. We can conclude that in two consecutive PIB PET studies we have measured consistently low cortical PIB retention and unchanged MMSE values in these subjects. Their clinical symptoms may have a different pathological basis than Alzheimer's disease.
The OHC who showed high PIB retention and relatively well-preserved rCMRGlc at baseline (Klunk et al., 2004) still showed high PIB retention at follow-up but normal cognitive performance in testing. This finding illustrates and supports the assumption that amyloid deposition can be detected in the brains of elderly subjects without cognitive deficits (Schmitt et al., 2000). Such amyloid deposition might solely be related to ageing. We cannot exclude the possibility that it may lead to cognitive symptoms in future years.
The PIB retention data in this study are presented as ROI/ref values for 60 min of scanning time. Sixty minutes were chosen in order to be able to compare follow-up data with baseline data. The cerebellum was chosen as reference region. The influence of the time interval chosen for late scan ratio has recently been investigated by Lopresti et al. (2005). PIB data from Alzheimer patients as well as control subjects were used to compare the intervals 40–60 and 60–90 min. The 60–90 min interval gave slightly better values than the 40–60 min interval in the frontal cortex, slightly worse values in the mesial-temporal cortex and the same values in the posterior cingulate gyrus (Lopresti et al., 2005). In the same study, several methods of analysis of PIB data were compared, and no method was better than the late scan ratio. An important question is whether changes in CBF in patients with Alzheimer's disease might influence the measured PIB retention in cortical brain regions of Alzheimer patients. We tested this crucial question recently in a monkey model (Blomquist et al., 2005). The effect of changes in CBF on the late target to cerebellum ratio of PIB was tested. An increase in CBF of 50–80% caused an increase in target to reference of ∼10% in the monkey. Since PIB redistribution has already taken place at 60 min, when PIB retention is measured, CBF changes in Alzheimer patients will probably have only a minor influence on the late scan ratio of PIB.
The results of this study show, for the first time, that amyloid deposition in vivo as measured by using the PET ligand PIB remains high but stable despite further decreases in cortical rCMRGlc and cognitive function. It is possible that the increase in amyloid deposition in the brains of Alzheimer patients represents a dynamic pathological brain process reaching equilibrium or plateau very early in the course of Alzheimer's disease. The time course for increasing PIB retention might be different from ongoing processes regarding cortical hypometabolism, which might be more related to cognitive function. This was also reflected in the observation of a significant correlation between MMSE score and rCMRGlc both at baseline and follow-up. This indicates a link between these two parameters that seems to be stronger than with PIB. This assumption was also strengthened by the stronger positive correlation between RAVL Z-score and rCMRGlc in the parietal cortex compared with the negative correlation between RAVL and PIB retention in the parietal cortex at follow-up. The combination of PIB and rCMRGlc in a dual tracer application might increase understanding and interpretation of the underlying pathological mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease. The small changes in PIB retention observed in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease over 2 years strongly suggest that PIB might be a suitable tracer in studies involving evaluation of the outcome of drug treatments with a focus on amyloid clearance. Further studies are necessary to enlarge the patient material and to study the time course of Alzheimer's disease, including pre-symptomatic carriers. In addition, other suitable PET tracer combinations must be explored in order to understand better the in vivo pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease.
Financial support from the Swedish Medical Research Council (project 05817, A.N.), the Foundation for Old Servants (A.N.), the Stohnes foundation (A.N.), the KI foundation (A.N.), the Swedish Brain Power (A.N., B.L.) and the EC-FP5-project NCI-MCI, QLK6-CT-2000-00502 (A.N.) is gratefully acknowledged. We thank all the patients who have participated in this study as well as their relatives. We thank the staff at the Department of Geriatric Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge and Uppsala Imanet for their dedication and high level of professionalism in performing these studies and Mrs Marianne Grip for professional help with preparation of the manuscript.
- © The Author (2006). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: email@example.com


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MUSKEGON, MI – Two adults were rescued by firefighters from a house fire in Muskegon early today, Oct. 14.
The fire ignited in the basement of a home in the 300 block of Washington Avenue in the city of Muskegon, a Muskegon fire official said. It was reported around 7:04 a.m. today.
When firefighters arrived, flames were coming from a back door of the home, a fire official said.
One adult in the home had leaped from an upstairs window to safety before firefighters arrived. Two unresponsive adults in the home were rescued by firefighters and were taken to the hospital by ambulance, the fire official said.
A fourth adult in the home was not harmed.
The fire remains under investigation this morning. Additional information wasn't immediately known and fire officials remained at the scene around 11 this morning.
The home was not insured at the time of the fire, an official confirmed.
Heather Lynn Peters covers police and fire, and writes a statewide food column, The Spunky Kitchen, for MLive/Muskegon Chronicle. Email her at email@example.com and follow her on Twitter @HLPNEWS.

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The Social Justice League at Bainbridge High School is holding a clothes drive during the first weeks of January.
The Social Justice League is an official student club at the school that is dedicated to serving others. It focuses on local and international community service projects related to conservation, public health and education.
Members of the club are collecting unwanted clothes for any and all ages through Friday, Jan. 17.
The donations are being gathered in the classrooms of the club's advisors, Brad Lewis, Jason Uitvlugt and Michael Holloway.
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The full St. Croix County Board buckled down to budget work Tuesday as supervisors heard nearly five hours of proposals from 29 county departments. The bottom line is that with less than two months to go, the board must cut $2.5 million from budget requests to stay within its state-mandated cap on the property tax levy. "What the board needs to decide is what it is willing to fund and what it is not willing to fund," urged Finance Committee Chairman Daryl Standafer.
A Hudson policeman was justified in inferring that a woman who drove out of a parking lot was the same one who drove in, parked and entered a store 10 minutes earlier, ruled an appeals court. In a decision filed Tuesday, Wisconsin's District III Court of Appeals upheld St. Croix County Judge Scott Needham's decision to deny Silvia H. Heugel's motion to suppress evidence provided by Officer James VanDusen. Heugel, 47, Hudson, had pleaded no contest to operating while intoxicated, second offense, after she was arrested Oct.
A farmer whose cases were dismissed by a St. Croix County judge will have a jury trial Friday, Sept. 26, on charges that he allowed his cattle to wander on the highway. Last week a District III Court of Appeals judge reversed Judge Scott Needham, who dismissed the charges against James L. Rushfeldt.
Five former St. Croix County Board members are backing a referendum to cut the board from 31 to 19 members, a reduction that failed to get board support two years ago. Tom Caflisch, River Falls, said the former supervisors and the volunteers they've enlisted have filed petitions with 2,027 signatures, enough to force a referendum in November. He said he expects the group will turn in more signatures by the Tuesday, Sept.
Finance Committee members who agreed last month that a geothermal heating and cooling system is too expensive for the St. Croix County Government Center are considering solar panels as an auxiliary power source. Last week the committee approved a contract to have Roof Spec Inc., St. Paul, begin engineering work for a replacement roof for the Government Center. Roof Spec senior consultant Terry Thone will work with Karges-Faulconbridge Inc.
An appeals court ruled that a man who wore spandex pants as he accosted several Hudson area women and forced himself on a River Falls motel desk clerk deserves to spend life in prison. In November 2006, a St. Croix County jury found Michael S. Long, now 39, guilty of false imprisonment and second-degree sexual assault, use of force. Judge Edward Vlack used the persistent repeater enhancer to sentence Long, formerly of Brooklyn Park, Minn., to life in prison. Internet court records show he is currently an inmate at a prison in St.
A proposal for a geothermal heating and cooling system for St. Croix County Government Center has been abandoned by the Finance Committee. Instead the committee voted last week to go with a high efficiency water-cooled chiller and condensing-style boiler. The installed cost is estimated at $1,672,500.
Families will get a look at the latest technology and a peek at the past as the UW-River Falls Mann Valley Farm hosts St. Croix County's Farm-City Day. Activities will be held 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9, at UW-RF Farm No. 2, located at the corner of County Road MM and South Glover Road. St. Croix County farms and businesses have hosted the annual day-long event for 27 years, rotating the sites around the county each year. The committee was looking for a location on the River Falls side of the county this year, and Lab Farm No.
The question before the St. Croix County Board last week wasn't whether the county should stay in the nursing home business but if the board should honor a decision to let the public vote first. After lengthy discussion, supervisors voted to indefinitely postpone action on a resolution to build a new facility. Meanwhile, members of a committee charged with developing wording for a referendum said they expect to have a proposal for the August board meeting. On March 18 County Board members voted 22-4 to hold a Nov.
Assemblywoman Kitty Rhoades will face another Republican in a primary, Congressman Ron Kind will be in a three-way race in November, and 10 candidates for the Assembly seat held Barbara Gronemus. First-term Assembly members Ann Hraychuck, District 28, and John Murtha, District 29, will also be opposed in November. Tenth District State Senator Sheila Harsdorf, a Republican from River Falls, is challenged by Democrat Alison H. Page, River Falls. That's according to candidate registration reports posted by the Wisconsin State Elections Board.


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Aquatic Organism Passage Program Success Story
Aquatic Passage Culvert Replacements, Hahns Peak/Bears Ears Ranger District, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests (2010)
Objective and Purpose of the Project
Six culverts that were barriers to aquatic passage were replaced with bottomless arch pipes. All culverts were on the Hahns Peak Ranger District.
Replacing five of the six culverts benefited sensitive species and all address watershed condition and public safety needs. Two culverts were replaced in a Colorado River cutthroat trout watershed with funding from Trout Unlimited's Western Water Project/Packard Foundation and Federal Highway HTAP dollars. The third and fourth culverts benefited Colorado River cutthroat trout, mountain sucker, northern leopard frog and western boreal toad.
Funding was primarily though Federal Highway HTAP dollars and work was conducted by Routt County. The fifth culvert was in a Colorado River cutthroat watershed and was primarily funded with legacy road funding. The last culvert benefits a non-native brook trout fishery.
Methods or Techniques Used
All culverts were replaced with bottomless arch pipes. Installation was conducted by contracts (four) and Routt County Road and Bridge (two).
Realized and Expected Results
Aquatic passage was reopened to 10.2 miles of stream.
Partners associated with this project included Routt County, Colorado; Trout Unlimited; and the and U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.


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By GIDEON DAVIS
Tuesday's Advance article outlining the Democratic mayoral candidates' answers to "key Staten Island" issues was full of rhetoric, but not one of the candidates had any specifics on how they would accomplish what they promise.
In fact, some of the solutions are not even within their purview. In other words, business as usual.


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|DOH Home >> Press Releases
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New Jersey's Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) is encouraging New Jersey's 1.15 million smokers to give up tobacco this Thursday as part of the 30th Annual Great American Smokeout.Ā The 2006 Great American Smokeout is the first since New Jersey implemented the Smoke Free Air Act, ensuring that indoor public places and workplaces across the State will be smoke free.
Thirty years ago the American Cancer Society (ACS) sponsored the first Great American Smokeout on the Thursday before Thanksgiving to encourage smokers to give up cigarettes for the day, and ideally for good.Ā Many organizations, including DHSS, have joined ACS over the years as the Great American Smokeout has become an effective tool in the fight against tobacco.
"Employees, customers and people in public locations are now protected from the dangers of second-hand smoke, and I want to urge New Jersey's smokers to bring that same healthy atmosphere into their lives and homes," said DHSS Commissioner Fred M. Jacobs, M. D., J.D.Ā "I urge all of New Jersey's 1.15 million smokers to start a tobacco-free life during the Great American Smokeout by taking advantage of New Jersey's Quitnet services."
In New Jersey, tobacco use is the number one preventable cause of premature death, leading to approximately 11,000 lives lost every year due to cancer, emphysema and heart disease.ĀĀ Additionally, tobacco-related government programs cost New Jersey residents $555 per household in state and federal taxes annually, and more than $2.4 billion dollars in health-care expenditures.Ā New Jersey businesses lose $2.2 billion in productivity every year due to tobacco-related absences and illnesses.
A March 2006 Internet poll of 500 New Jersey smokers conducted on behalf of DHSS found that nearly three-fourths of smokers polled said they want to quit. ĀNew Jersey's Quit Services offer a proven avenue for those who want to give up tobacco, or help a loved one do so, by providing individualized counseling to any resident.Ā
Participants at NJ's Quitcenters or on NJ Quitline are assigned a personal counselor who helps develop a unique plan to remove tobacco from their lives.Ā The counselor remains available to assist and provide support throughout the quitting process.Ā
This individualized and dedicated support is responsible for thousands of ex-smokers in New Jersey who had not been able to quit on their own.Ā Smokers who give up tobacco without support have a three percent success rate, while the NJ Quitnet support programs have a 30 percent success rate.Ā
"Quitting smoking can be a very difficult thing to do," said Dr. Jacobs.Ā "But it is vitally important to give up tobacco not only for smokers, but just as importantly for their loved ones at home whose quality and length of life is reduced by second-hand smoke."
Second-hand smoke contains more than 4,000 chemicals, including 200 known poisons and, according to the National Cancer Institute, 69 known and probable cancer-causing substances.Ā Secondhand smoke exacerbates pediatric asthma.Ā Infants exposed to secondhand smoke are at greater risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and pregnant women who smoke risk having lower birth-weight babies.
Up to 62,000 adult nonsmokers die each year in the United States from second-hand smoke, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Ā This includes between 1,000 and 1,800 New Jersey residents.
New Jersey residents interested in giving up smoking themselves or helping a friend or family member can get help from NJ Quitnet on the Internet at http://www.njquitline.com, on speak to a personal counselor on the phone by calling 866-NJ STOPS (657-8677) or in person at one of the eight Quitcenters listed at http://nj.quitnet.com/library/quit-centers.jtml.
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Peter Wright
Peter Wright has been programming with, and writing about, Microsoft development tools since 1992. He is the author of about a dozen books, including the international best selling series, Beginning Visual Basic, and has written numerous articles for the both the print and online press worldwide. Born in England, Peter now lives in Florida along with his wife, 2 kids, and 2 fluffy attack spaniels called Mac and Tosh.
Peter Wright's Books
Beginning Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition
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Beginning Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition is a great route to learning the .NET programming languages. You'll explore the major aspects of Visual Basic 2005 Expressfrom the initial programming principles to Express Start Kits that advance you in your own programming. You'll also grow comfortable with more complex programming tasks. Learn More …
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This book is for both the hobbyist and amateur programmer. You'll learn about Microsoft's Express C# product in a clear, friendly, and approachable manner. And you will learn to write your own programs. With author Peter Wright guiding your every step, you'll soon take your programming skills to the next level. Learn More …
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Designed to get programmers up to professional levels as fast as possible, this book is geared toward developers who have little or no .NET or ADO.NET experience, as well as programmers who are not yet comfortable with database programming. Learn More …


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The Harrisburg Senators found some life following a 61-minute rain delay Tuesday night at Canal Park in Akron, Ohio, but not enough to avoid a 7-6 loss to the Akron RubberDucks.
After the resumption of a game halted in the bottom of the sixth inning with Akron leading 7-5, the Senators loaded the bases and scored a run in the top of the seventh. But after Justin Bloxom's bases-loaded walk scored Quincy Latimore, Ricky Hague grounded out to end the inning.
In the top of the ninth, Michael Taylor led off with a double and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Quincy Latimore. Akron reliever Shawn Armstrong then struck out Cutter Dykstra and got Matt Skole to fly out to center to earn the save.
The Senators (11-25) have lost four in a row and five of six to drop a season-worst 14 games under .500. Harrisburg outhit Akron 12-9 but committed three errors.
Latimore went 3-for-4 and Dykstra, Taylor and Hague each had two hits. Harrisburg starter Blake Schwartz dropped to 0-7.
Joe Wendle had three RBI for Akron and Tony Wolters went 2-for-4 with two RBI.
After Harrisburg took a 5-3 lead with a five-run fifth, Akron responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning.
Wolters' two-run single off Matt Grace, who had just relieved Schwartz, tied the game 5-5. Two batters later, Wendle's fielder's choice grounder scored the go-ahead run.
In the sixth, Ronny Rodgriguez hit a one-out double and scored what stood as the winning run on a throwing error by catcher Brandon Bantz when he stole third.
Akron starting pitcher Duke von Schamann, who allowed eight hits and five runs in 4.2 innings of no-decision work, is the son of former Miami Dolphins and Oklahoma Sooners kicker Uwe von Schamann.
1. RF Quincy Latimore (2 points) -- 3-for-4, two runs, double, RBI
ON TWITTER: @timleone


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Inside Lacrosse has learned that the Charlotte Hounds of Major League Lacrosse have completed a trade with the Denver Outlaws for attackman Billy Bitter and defenseman Brett Schmidt. In exchange, Denver receives Charlotte's third- and sixth-round Expansion Draft picks (6th and 12th overall) and fifth-round Collegiate Draft pick (33rd overall).
Bitter, the former North Carolina star and one of the pro game's most exciting young attackmen, put up 12 goals and four assists in nine games as a rookie last season for the Outlaws. Schmidt, a Maryland grad who will be moving to North Carolina for his full-time job, played in seven games on D for Denver last summer, recording 14 groundballs. Both also played in Denver's 11-9 playoff loss to Hamilton, with Bitter leading the team with three goals and one assist.
In October, Charlotte acquired the first player in franchise history when they traded for former Tar Heel All-America defenseman Ryan Flanagan from Hamilton. The Hounds will pick second in the Expansion Draft on Dec. 7.
The Hounds will also be attempting a world-record lacrosse game in Charlotte on Nov. 19. Check InsideLacrosse.com throughout that marathon for complete updates.
Official MLL Press Release
BOSTON, Mass. (November 9, 2011) - Major League Lacrosse (MLL) announced Wednesday the Charlotte Hounds have acquired attackman Billy Bitter and defenseman Brett Schmidt from the Denver Outlaws in an effort to continue building the team's first-ever roster. In exchange, the Outlaws will receive the Hounds' 3rd and 6th round selections in the 2012 MLL Expansion Draft and their 5th round selection in the 2012 MLL Collegiate Draft.
"We are very excited to add Billy and Brett to our roster," said Jim McPhilliamy, President and Managing Partner, Charlotte Hounds. "Not only are they great lacrosse players, both have ties to the local area and want to help grow lacrosse in the Carolinas. They are exactly the types of players we are looking for on and off the field."
"Brett Schmidt and Billy Bitter are two outstanding MLL players and we can only wish them the best of luck," said Tony Seaman, Head Coach, Denver Outlaws. "Many things have to be considered when you make these kinds of decisions and hopefully the outcome is positive for both players and both organizations."
Billy Bitter was the Outlaws' 1st round draft pick and the 3rd overall selection in the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft. The University of North Carolina alum was a two-time first team All-American during his first three seasons at UNC. Bitter totaled 99 goals and 76 assists (175 pts.) with 172 ground balls in 63 career games (49 starts). In his rookie MLL season, Bitter played in nine games recording 12 goals, four assists and 18 groundballs. He played in one postseason game, leading the team with three goals against the Hamilton Nationals in the second semifinal game in Annapolis, Md.
Brett Schmidt was the 3rd round draft pick by the Outlaws (15th overall) in the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft. Named second team All-American and Atlantic Coast Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year as a senior, Schmidt played in 61 games (45 starts) during his career at the University of Maryland and picked up 126 ground balls to go with 79 forced turnovers. In his 2011 rookie MLL season, Schmidt played in 7 games, recording 50 ground balls and 79 caused turnovers.


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One contestant was eliminated on the "American Idol" 2014 results show to reveal our Top 11.
How did your favorite performer in the Top 12 do on Thursday night's live show?
In Michigan we were rooting for several performers with local connections, including Malaya Watson of Southfield and Jena Irene Asciutto of Farmington Hills, as well as Sam Woolf of Florida, who grew up in West Bloomfield.
Going into tonight's show, I said it was going to be CJ Harris who was sent home. I also predicted Emily Piriz and Malaya Watson would be in the Bottom 3.
Was I right?
We asked Shelby Miller, a junior at Portland St. Patrick High School, to help us blog and give us the results.
Miller -- who auditioned in Atlanta -- made it all the way to Hollywood and even lasted through the Group Rounds. But was eliminated right before the Top 15 girls were announced.
Follow Shelby's career on her Facebook page.
The results show took place tonight for Season 13 of American Idol. The Top 12 waited as host Ryan Seacrest introduced the show.
As Harry Connick Jr. started off the night with a laugh by throwing his complementary gummy bear snacks out to the crowd, the laughs soon stopped with a quick reminder by Ryan Seacrest of the purpose of tonight's episode.
The talk before the results had a lot to do with how "harsh" the judges were on last night's episode. Harry's words spoke volumes as he said, "I was not hired as a mentor. If I was hired as a mentor, I would be up until five o'clock in the morning with you. I was hired to be a judge and am given a short amount of time to help you."
I do not think the judges were harsh last night. The judges were honest last night and I believe this year's contestants need the critiques in order to push themselves. Emily Piriz, Sam Woolf, Jessica Meuse, and Ben Briley were the first four contestants to be called to the stage.
Emily Piriz was placed in the bottom three to start the night.
This news was followed by the announcement that the other three were through to the next round. Whereas Emily Piriz did not have the strongest vocals last night, I believe Jessica Meuse should have been in the bottom three before her. Jessica's performance was inconsistent and very pitchy.
Phillip Phillips next made his way back to the stage that began his career back in Season 11. After winning Idol, Phillip says that he wants to continue to work hard. With his new single "Raging Fire," Phillip got the crowd going as he had in Season 11. He talked of his wonderful opportunities after the show, including touring in Brazil with John Mayer and Bruce Springsteen.
With a glimpse of the success that American Idol could bring, the contestants were on the edge of their seats as they waited for the next set of results.
Dexter Roberts was next to be called on stage to hear of his fate. Jena Irene, Alex Preston, and Majesty Rose soon joined him on stage. As the lights dimmed, Dexter learned that he would indeed be moving on to the next stage of the competition. I was glad that America made the right choice with this decision. Dexter's performance last night was arguably the best of the night; he showed how a true artist is willing to lay his heart out on the stage in order to connect with the audience. Majesty Rose also joined him in the Top 11.
Jena Irene was sent to the stools, joining Emily in the bottom three.
Alex Preston next learned that he was safe. I agreed with this set of results. I feel that Jena does not have the vocal strength that the others have at this point in the competition.
Another break from the intense results came with a performance by the rising Irish group Kodaline.
We were back to reality as Malaya Watson, MK Nobilette, CJ Harris, and Caleb Johnson were called to the center of the stage. After the nation-wide vote, Caleb Johnson was safe. CJ joined Caleb in the Top 11, leaving MK and Malaya. Malaya soon learned that she was safe and would be moving on.
And so the bottom three consisted of Emily, Jena and MK.
I guess John Gonzales from MLive was correct in two of his three predictions for tonight's bottom three.
As the three ladies hung tight to one another, the lights dimmed and Jena Irene learned that she was safe. Emily Piriz soon learned that she would be sent home if the judges did not decide to use their one save on her, meaning that MK was safe for another week.
Emily performed a solid performance, especially considering the circumstances. Emily proved that she wanted this chance more than anything with her moving performance of "Stars" by Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.
Unfortunately, Harry Connick, Jr. announced that they had decided not to save her.
With tears in her eyes, an early favorite, Emily watched all of the wonderful experiences that she was blessed with on her Idol journey. I did not agree with this decision.
Emily is a very strong singer and performer who I believe we will be seeing more of in the near future.
John Gonzalez is a statewide entertainment writer for MLive.com. Email him at email@example.com or follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.


text:
What is in this article?:
- Good bull can help cattlemen capitalize on up markets
- Structural soundness important
• Cow-calf producers can take advantage of high market prices by selecting healthy bulls that will produce calves with more growth potential.
More About:
Structural soundness important
Structural soundness plays a large role in whether a bull will be able to get cows bred, so Lemenager suggested inspecting feet and leg structure, eyes and muscle shape, a factor that contributes to calving ease.
Also important is genetic merit. Genetic defects have the potential to cause problems in the herd.
"Almost every breed has one or more genetic defect, and they can sneak up on you if you're not careful," Lemenager said. "Producers need to study the pedigrees and know which bulls are free of genetic defects, or buy bulls that have been DNA tested and declared free of known defects."
Producers also need to study up on a bull's expected progeny differences, or EPDs. Calving ease, maternal calving ease, growth traits, maternal milk and carcass traits can all affect a producer's bottom line.
"We really need to keep an eye on the EPDs for the economically important traits," Lemenager said. "We need to stay away from single trait selection and emphasize multi-trait selection to make herd improvement that complements marketing strategy. If you're saving back replacement heifers, things like maternal calving ease and maternal milk become very important. Growth traits such as weaning and yearling weight affect the pounds available for sale. Carcass traits, such as marbling, backfat and the ribeye area are the main drivers for how these cattle hang on the rail.
"I'd also do an independent cull on frame size, so the cattle don't get to be too big or too little."
It's not until all of these traits have been met that Lemenager recommends producers start looking at the animal's phenotype, or "look."
Much of this same advice applies to producers who manage an artificial insemination breeding program. And while commercial AI studs tend to do a good job of screening animal health, AI sires can still perform differently.
"Some bulls produce semen that's of higher quality or that gets cows bred better than other bulls," Lemenager said. "So, here again, producers need to do their homework before they start spending a lot of money on semen. They need to know that the bull has been working, that cows have been conceiving to that semen and that the offspring are performing as expected."


text:
TATAMAGOUCHE – A community supper is being planned for early March at the North Shore Recreation Centre.
The supper, which runs from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on March 9, will see chef Shawn Crouse whip up a three-course meal, which includes creamy winter soup, roast beef and vegetables, and a dessert of either apple or blueberry crisp. Local farmer Fraser Hunter will be a speaker at the event, which saw Select Nova Scotia donate $500 to the cause.
Tickets are $15 each and will be matched by Scotiabank, with all the proceeds going to programs offered through the recreation centre.
Tickets are available from centre board members, Scotiabank in Tatamagouche and Fulton C G Pharmacy Ltd.


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"Farewell, Olympic LeagueThe Spartans bid their longtime foes adieu with another league title."
"Coach Penny Gienger couldn't have scripted Friday night's game at Central Kitsap any better as her girls' basketball team prepared for post-season play.Her team had been outplayed and outscored during the third quarter and trailed by three. Add a partisan Cougar crowd and a talented Cougar team that desperately wanted a victory and the scenario was complete.The Spartans responded. Keyed by six Emily Pierce points, Bainbridge went on a 9-2 run to open the fourth quarter and take a 54-50 lead, then held on for a hard-fought 58-55 win and a share of the Olympic League championship.It was a great, district-like game, Gienger said. Both teams played really well. Their crowd was wild and loud, and ours was the same, which helped.Pierce had a big first half, scoring 15. The Cougars then double- and triple-teamed her, creating openings for other players, particularly Fab Rezayat - who finished with 12 points on five of six field goal shooting - and Alice Russell, who added 10 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, as well as blocking a crucial field goal attempt with less than two minutes left.Finale a winWith the hard game out of the way, the girls returned home for the regular season finale on Saturday against North Kitsap and the traditional honoring of the seniors - Pierce, Alexis Kimball, Tiffany Steele and Angela Asher. Pierce opened with 11 points in the first quarter, but perhaps tired from the previous night - she'd been cut several times and had several bruises visible from the stands - could get one point the rest of the night.With the Spartans ahead 4-2 nearly two minutes into the game, Christine Schwager ignited a 21-6 run with a 10-footer. She added two more jumpers, Rezayat added four points and sent a seeing-eye pass to Pierce for an easy hoop, two of the 11 points she scored during the quarter.As she headed upcourt after making another field goal, a spectator turned to her father.Did Emily get a tattoo? he asked, referring to a mark on her arm plainly visible from the stands.No, it's just a bruise from last night, he was informed. The effort, emotion, and energy from the previous evening seemed to catch up with the team as they opened the second quarter with a 25-10 lead and the game well in hand. The scoring pace slacked off and highlight of the quarter was sophomore guard Carlie Miller making like Husky quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo as she lofted a 20-yard strike to Jenny Maurer for an easy layin. With the score 38-16, Gienger let the team stay on the bench during the halftime break to watch the dance team's performance.Bainbridge scored the first six points in the third quarter before North Kitsap finally got on the board with more than six minutes elapsed.The Vikings scored five points in the last 20 seconds to reduce the third quarter deficit to 50-27. In the final quarter, the team tried to get points for seniors Asher and Steele and set up Pierce to hit a trey, something she'd never done as a varsity player.While neither goal was successful, no one seemed to mind as the game ended 61-32. The gym took much longer than usual to clear out, as team members, parents and other spectators wanted to savor the flavor of one of the Spartans' finest-ever seasons. Despite losing three of their top eight players to early-season injuries, the girls won 15 games and all five losses were to teams ranked either in the top 10 or on the bubble in various 3A and 4A polls.Given the rancor evident in other games this year, it was especially rewarding to see Viking guard Mari McKinstry - who had an off-night with just nine points - huddled happily with Rezayat and several other Spartans in the post-game euphoria. Pierce led the team with 12 points and 12 rebounds, Schwager added 10 points, Maurer and Rezayat each had nine, Russell had eight and Courtney Kimball had seven. Miller dished out five assists.The team opens district play with a game next Tuesday at 3:30 against the winner of a game later this week between the Pierce County League's No. 2 and No. 4 teams.Bainbridge JVs 59, Central Kitsap JVs 14 - Tiana Gallagher scored a season-high 19 and the second-highest individual total - Lee Maloney had 20 against South Kitsap - and Haley Wiggins added 11. Bainbridge JVs 63, North Kitsap JVs 63-27 - On paper, this sounded like a good game as the Vikings had a better season record and the Spartans had won by just 10 during the first meeting.But coach Korrie Beemer began the week by telling her team, Let's learn something new for the last two games.The new was a 1-2-2 zone press and the score was 10-0 before they knew what was happening, Beemer said. The team ended the season 14-5. We were better than the record shows, Beemer said, pointing out that the only losses - like the varsity's - were to ranked teams. "
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text:
Happy Endings: Meet the Newest Hot Gay Cowboys
• A dancing cowboys calendar looks so much hotter when you add the behind the scenes footage. [DC Cowboys]
• AT&T may offer domestic partnership benefits to its employees, but it no longer protects your privacy as a consumer. [CNN]
• We knew Showtime was a gay man's favorite network (sorry, Logo), but who knew HBO held so much appeal? [TV Squad]
• The gay community has come so far since the days of Stonewall — and now it's all but abandoned the historical venue. [The Villager]
• You like Christina Aguilera's new song, huh? Now watch her perform it (and a few others), live in a MollyGood Exclusive. [MollyGood]
OMG, the last thing I wanted to see is a DC Cowboy thing on here…they have the DC attitude and prove what is all wrong with the gay scene.
Have been to The Stonewall in NYC. Try as he might to blame the Gay Community it Bars failure is due to mismanagement itself and shooting for a young hip-hop/college crowd.


text:
Baseball openings
Staten Island Heat baseball is looking for committed and dedicated 16- and 17-year-old players to compete in tournaments and showcases in an affordable and competitive schedule. Email email@example.com or call 646-401-3855.
WSLL registration
Registration for the 2012 West Shore Little League season will be held Monday through Friday from 7-9 p.m. and on Sundays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. in the clubhouse at 340 Walker St. The league is for boys and girls between the ages of 4 and 18. Call 718-447-7489.
Adult softball registration
Varsity/ASA adult softball leagues are holding open registration on Sunday at the Richmond County Youth Complex (old ASA complex in Travis) at 10:00 a.m. for it's 2012 weeknight lighted fields, Sunday double-header, weekend and weeknights hardtop and co-ed softball divisions. For any information contact John Gino at 718-979-7801.
Umpire meeting
Varsity / ASA Umpires Association will be holding a meeting for it's umpires on Sunday at the Mid Island Little League Complex at 9:30 a.m. on Victory Boulevard and Travis Ave. For any information contact John Gino at 718-979-7801.
Jaques girls' tryouts
Tryouts for the North squad of the Jacques Game will be held Thursday and Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Susan Wagner HS gym in Sea View. Seniors from Curtis, Port Richmond, Susan Wagner, CSI/McCown, Notre Dame Academy and Moore Catholic are eligible. The game will be staged March 29 at St. John Villa.
Softball team openings
Staten Island Softball Enterprises has team openings for medium and arc-pitch games on weekdays and Sunday mornings. Call George Hind at 718-667-0948 or email email@example.com.
Basketball registration
Registration has started for the Coast to Coast Basketball Camp at St. Joseph by-the-Sea HS. Sessions will be for girls (July 30-Aug. 3) and boys (Aug. 6-10) in grades three through 10. The camp is run by Viking coach Scott Welle. To reserve a place, email firstname.lastname@example.com or call 917-699-7768.
Women's basketball
Team registration for a women's basketball league at the Park Slope Armory YMCA (361 15th Street) in Brooklyn is taking place. E-mail firstname.lastname@example.com. The loop begins play next month.


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MARSHALL - Marshall Tiger cross country runner Claire Boersma knew she ran well in her fifth-place finish at the Hutchinson Invitational on Sept. 12, but she had no idea it was fast enough to put her in the record books.
"It felt really fast," said Boersma. "When I finished and saw my time was in the 14s I was really excited."
It was a personal record finish for Boersma and the first race she has finished in under 15 minutes. In addition to being a personal best, her time of 14:44 has placed her as the Marshall High School record holder for the fastest time in a 4,000-meter race.
Article Photos
Marshall cross country runner Claire Boersma
"I didn't know I broke the record until the next day," said Boersma. "I was already really happy with how well I had done and then after I found out I was so excited, I just couldn't believe it."
As a freshman, Boersma has paced the Tigers to four team victories this season with several top-place finishes. Boersma has also taken home two individual medals with first-place finishes in the Canby and Adrian invitationals.
"She is very dependable, hard-working and humble, "said head coach Marie Sample. "I can always count on her to come and give a great race."
Boersma has consistently finished in the top five for all but one of her races this season. "My times haven't been as fast the past few meets," said Boersma, "but I have been getting really good placings."
Boersma likes to visualize the start of her race in order to control her nerves. "I try to have a really positive attitude before I run, trying not to doubt myself," Boersma said, "remembering even if it gets hard not to give up."
During races, she pushes herself to keep moving up, catching one runner at a time. "I just stare at the back of their head and try to pick up my pace a little bit," said Boersma. "Once I pass that girl I just keep looking for the next girl."
Despite her success, Boersma admits she has areas to improve on.
"I have to work on always striving to do better and never thinking, 'This place is good, I can just relax now.'"
Boersma considers herself a silent role model for her team, leading with actions instead of words.
"I go out and do my best, pulling the others along with me," she said. "I just try to have a good attitude and not complain."
Her coach also applauds Boersma's ability to encourage her teammates.
"She is definitely a leader by example," said Sample. "I don't know if she will ever be a rah-rah, fire people up, person but that's just not her."
"I like this season a lot because there is more bonding between the team members," said Boersma. "We have a lot of fun, and with how well it's been going it's been really fun."
With a team consisting of mostly seventh- and eighth-graders, the Tigers are young and eager to see what lies ahead.
"They are trying to figure out where they all fit and what their goals are," said Sample, "but they all work very hard at every practice and every meet."
Boersma chose to participate in cross country after excelling as a runner as a child.
"In grade school I was always the fastest in our grade," Boersma said. "I was really nervous about trying it because I didn't know how I would do."
She overcame her fears and has succeed as a varsity runner since her seventh-grade year. Last season, as an eighth-grader, she participated in the state meet and placed 144th with a time of 16:01.
"I went alone so it wasn't as much fun," said Boersma.
She hopes to return to state this year - alongside her teammates.
"The sole mission is to get to state," said Sample. "We are hoping to take not just individuals but the whole team."
- Name, School: Claire Boersma, Marshall.
- Sport: Cross Country.
- Year: Freshman.
- Prep Career: Three years.
- Most thrilling sports moment: Breaking 4,000-meter school record.
- Other sports I play: Track and Field.
- Favorite food: Breakfast foods.
- Favorite movie: A Walk to Remember.
- Favorite subject: Math.
- The best piece of advice I have received: Do your best.
- Three words that describe me: Determined, happy and funny.
- One possession I can't live without: Bible.
- Plans after high school: College.


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Digital Federal Credit Union has teamed up with SunPower Corp. in an agreement that could provide up to $100 million in loans for residential solar projects in the U.S.
Massachusetts credit union looks to go national as lead originator for 36 credit union partners in residential loan program.
Matt Gerber said he's gotten a lot of calls lately from credit unions with an immediate need they haven't had before. The examiners are coming and his clients need to prove they have their heads in the clouds.
Fraud is inevitable for financial institutions, even when diligent precautions are taken, according to experts in the credit union security space.
Website applications, especially those little boxes that members use to type in passwords and PINs, are hot targets for hackers. Here's why terms like 'SQL Injection' are meaningful to non-techies in CU management.
If you're replacing your core processing platform, why not throw in the entire teller system while you're at it?


text:
TRENTON — Nearly $3.6 million in grants will be split among Mercer County's municipalities to improve safety and weathered roadways without burdening local property taxpayers, state officials announced yesterday.
In all, 391 local aid grants worth $81.6 million were awarded to municipalities across the state.
In Mercer, each municipality will receive a grant that, when combined, total about $3.3 million, and West Windsor emerged as the big winner when it received an additional $225,000 bikeway grant.
"These grants promote motorist, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, mobility and quality-of-life projects," said state Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson.
"Most of the municipal aid grants will support street paving or preservation projects, and will arrive in time for towns to make much-needed repairs after a brutal winter."
Under the competitive municipal aid grant program, each county is apportioned a share of total funding based on population and the number of local road miles.
The towns then compete for portions of the county's share.
The DOT provides 75 percent of the grant when a town awards a contract and the remaining 25 percent upon completion of the project.
The projects include:
• East Windsor, $250,000 for Hickory Corner Road;
• Ewing, $283,500 for resurfacing of Green Lane;
• Hamilton, $283,500 for improvement of South Olden Avenue;
• Hightstown, $283,500 for its road program;
• Hopewell Borough, $250,000 for Washington Avenue Road and drainage improvements;
• Hopewell Township, $250,000 for the second phase of Hopewell-Wertsville Road;
• Lawrence, $220,000 for Prince-ton Pike;
• Pennington, $283,500 for improvements to King George Road;
• Princeton, $283,507 for Valley Road; Robbinsville, $116,925 for Main Street sidewalk improvements;
• Trenton, $250,000 for reconstruction of North Willow Street; and
• West Windsor, $250,000 for reconstruction of Alexander Road.
West Windsor also was one of four municipalities statewide to receive a grant under the bikeway program. The proposed 1.5-mile path along Conover Road between South Post Road and Galston Drive will lead into the east gate of Mercer County Park, Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh said.
It's part of the township's efforts to make its network of bike and pedestrian paths more comprehensive and interconnected, he said.
"Our final objective is to connect every part of the community, where you can either walk around or ride your bike," Hsueh said.
The grant will pay for the majority of the roughly $350,000 project, he said.
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text:
Library Card
Cook, B. . 1990. A Brush For All Risers. 9023 1307. San Dimas, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, San Dimas Technology and Development Center. 2 p.
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It is a banishing spell so be certain you want to get the bad stuff out of your life. This works on one specific issue but you can stack the spell for multiple issues and get even stronger and more powerful results. For this reason the spell is at a special introductory price of $150.
It only costs an additional $50 to add a situation or person to the banishing so you can add-on to your hearts content and banish all the bad things in your life in one fell swoop!


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FLINT, MI – What was supposed to be a 30-day stint has turned into a long-term gig for interim Flint Schools Superintendent Larry Watkins.
The Flint School Board has no plans to take that "interim" tag off anytime soon.
With the district trying to shed a $10.4 million deficit and avoid a state takeover, school officials have been more focused on getting its deficit elimination plan approved than finding a permanent leader.
Research over the past decade indicates that longevity of a leader in a district has a direct impact on school success and increased student achievement, according to the Michigan Association of School Administrators.
Flint school board member David Davenport says the district needs to address the "interim" tag.
"If he's so good, why don't we just put him in there?" Davenport said.
Davenport said he believes that Watkins isn't capable of steering the district out of its rough financial waters.
Other elected board members, though, say they like the job he's done.
"Many of us didn't see Larry staying for a year. A 30-day process became a year because the work that he's doing is great," said board President Isaiah Oliver. "He's had no time to do anything else besides work on the DEP."
The board has not publicly discussed any search for its next superintendent. Oliver says it is because Watkins was competently completing the tasks needed.
In the 14 months since Watkins took the helm, the district's deficit has ballooned to $10.4 million, it was revealed that Flint still owes the Genesee Intermediate School District another $8.6 million in misspent millage money and students continue to flee the district each year.
After the Michigan Department of Education last week approved Flint's deficit elimination plan through 2018, the board of education says it may now be in a position to talk about retaining Watkins long-term.
"I came back to do the best that we could do as a district," Watkins said. "Although the financial piece was hanging over our head, it's about our students achieving to the highest level possible."
That "financial piece" Watkins referred to has included:
- Closing schools.
- Selling the Sarvis Conference Center and the Genesee Area Skill Center.
- Laying off teachers.
- Missing payments to the state employee retirement fund.
- Borrowing money in order to pay the district's bills.
"Larry is what was needed for us," Oliver said. "The interim tag may have allowed him to make the tough decisions without the scrutiny that others may have gotten. A year later, we have a DEP that includes all of our financial woes and now we are in a position to address all of our financial problems."
Davenport has been critical of Watkins' leadership and called on him to resign for his handling of allegations that a substitute teacher duct-taped shut the mouths of second-graders."He has no experience leading a district," Davenport said. "All he's interested in is keeping a paycheck for the teachers and himself, not what's best for the children."
When Watkins started at the district over a year ago, he pledged he would take a salary that was $1 more than the highest-paid administrator.
His salary is $108,488 is just that, but after adding in benefits, Watkins becomes the third-highest-paid administrator.
"I made more money as the director of pupil personnel services than I did as the interim superintendent of this school district," Watkins said during a Feb. 5 board meeting. "When I came back out of retirement, my pension was stopped. I came back because I have a love for this community. This school district has been great to me and my family."
Thompson's salary in her final year with the district was $161,847.
His experience in school safety is an asset to the district, Oliver said, and he has been impressed with Watkins' requests for help.
Watkins uses two grant-funded consultants to help him with curriculum and other aspects of being a superintendent.
"I had to do a lot of learning on the fly because I don't consider myself politically astute, so I had to go out and get some personal help in that regard," Watkins said.
One of the consultants also helped bring in the National Education Association, which was able to get teachers and administrators to agree to a 19 percent reduction in wages and salaries.
"He knows his strengths and weaknesses and he brought in some advisers," Oliver said. "He's making the final decisions, but that's what you want out of a leader."
Another consultant helped with a curriculum audit that will be the foundation as the district works to retain and recruit new students to Flint.
Despite the cuts that are coming, teachers and administrators seem to think it's better than the alternative – a state-appointed emergency manager.
Holmes Elementary School teacher Kathy Lisk has taught in the district for 22 years. She praised Watkins and the administration for continuing to fight to improve the financial and educational environment at the district.
"I fully believe in this education plan," she told Watkins and the board of education earlier this month. "I fully believe we are going to be the one district in the nation that is going to be able to pull this off."
Watkins said he expects that plan to be complete in April.
"There has to be a sense of urgency for all of us – all nine board members, teachers and staff as well," he said. "We've got to engage our parents. We can agree to disagree, but in a way that will move the district forward and not take any parents or students away from us."
William Mayes, executive director of the Michigan Association of School Administrators, said urban districts are having a hard time getting a pool of quality candidates to apply for superintendent positions.
Mayes said that there used to be close to 60 people vying for that spot, when today, most districts are lucky to have 15 top-job candidates.
"There are sometimes extenuating circumstances – often it's related to specific goals that the interim superintendent is working on. Sometimes, it just seems to be working," Mayes said. "Being a superintendent is a difficult job and one of the most important things a board can do is hire the best superintendent it can."
Watkins said he would serve as long as the board would have him.
"It's probably the opportune time to discuss that," Oliver said. "…The foundation is there to set the district on the right path. Before, there wasn't even a starting point."
Dominic Adams is a reporter for The Flint Journal. Contact him at email@example.com or 810-241-8803. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook or Google+.


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Game On by Emmit Smith is available for FREE download on Amazon. The digital list price on this is $24.99, so don't expect this freebie to last long!
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Posted by Editoress on 02/20/06
Cycle 4 MS FundraiserOn Feb 24th, the Cycle4MS cycling team is hosting a cycling social night and a fund raiser for the Halton Chapter of the MS Society. This event will be held at Boston Manor in Burlington and will have a number of door prizes, silent auctions and a 50/50 prize. Come out and play some free pool and enjoy some free appetizers.For more information go to www.cycle4ms.com and click on the link Fundraising.


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Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration volunteers take on Chalmette Battlefield
Monday, July 28, 2014 3:16 PM
About 20 volunteers from the Conference on Ecological and Ecosystem Restoration (CEER) work a swampy section of the Chalmette battlefield, Monday, July 28, 2014, helping to restore the bottomland swamp area near the battlefield entrance by removing Chinese Tallow seedlings, an invasive plant species. The theme for this project on CEER Make a Difference Event Day is "Sometimes you just have to get dirty and fight." Most appropriate considering that the volunteers will be grubbing plants out of the mud---and that this end of the battlefield bore the brunt of the British attack during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. The conference is a collaborative effort of the leaders of the National Conference on Ecosystem Restoration and the Society for Ecological Restoration and will bring together ecological and ecosystem restoration scientists and practitioners to address challenges and share information about restoration projects, programs, and research from across North America. (Photo by Ted Jackson, Nola.com | The Times-Picayune)
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